Penny and Sparrow present the challenging questions in a seemingly simple manner with “Breakdown,” a heartfelt, sincere, and playful indie folk confession that serves as the final single from their eagerly awaited eighth album, ‘Lefty.’
“Breakdown” – Penny and Sparrow
We can never be entirely certain about being accepted for who we truly are by those around us. Yet, we can certainly make an effort to discover it. Every individual deserves unconditional love and acceptance: Sometimes, we simply cross our fingers and hope that our flaws remain unnoticed – but on the other hand, pretending to be someone else never really benefits anyone. It's better to simply embrace your authentic self, which is precisely the mindset Penny and Sparrow adopt in their latest song, directly asking: If I have a breakdown while I'm away, will you still love me?
As an intimate indie folk confessional, “Breakdown” poses difficult questions straightforwardly, without unnecessary complexity or excessive examination. It’s genuine and candid, portraying the essence of the human experience beautifully.
Lefty – Penny and Sparrow
If I have a breakdown while I'm away
If I have a breakdown while I'm away
Will you still love me?
I might, you know?
But hey, I still need to go
What if I cry at every performance
And it’s hey, look out below?
Atwood Magazine is excited to premiere “Breakdown,” the seventh and final single from Penny and Sparrow’s upcoming eighth studio album, Lefty, set for release on January 31, 2025, via I Love You / Thirty Tigers. This much-anticipated follow-up to the duo’s 2022 album Olly Olly – described by Atwood as “uplifting and free-spirited” at its launch – has been characterized as a “sprawling and dreamy, raw and heartfelt 20-track journey through various styles and emotions.”
“Lefty is a lengthy collection of both genuine and fictional elements,” Andy Baxter and Kyle Jahnke of Penny and Sparrow share. “We crafted poetry, true narratives, literary fan fiction, horror, erotica, vivid life snapshots, imagined conversations, elegies, toasts, several confessions, and at least two love letters.”
“All of these pieces fit together as they each represent an aspect of us and what we cherish. We are the connections that unify Lefty.”
If I have a breakdown while I’m away
If I have a breakdown,
I hope you still love me
I hope you still love me
If I have a breakdown while I'm away
If I have a breakdown while I'm away
Will you still love me?
Tender and warm yet brutally honest and vulnerable, “Breakdown” reveals a charming exploration of a hopeful yet troubled heart. With acoustic guitars strumming confidently and drums softly beating around them, the duo addresses anxiety in the context of emerging romance.
“‘Breakdown’ conveys what it's like to fall in love while experiencing a panic attack,” Baxter and Jahnke explain to Atwood Magazine. “It’s wild, entertaining, and nerve-wracking, akin to watching a complicated Rube-Goldberg machine with a high-stakes outcome. Will you end up with a broken heart or find a life with the captivating person you're infatuated with? The only way to discover is to set the mechanism in motion and observe.”
I’m on my knees
Panic makes it hard to breathe
And if you’re still interested in me
Then this juice is worth the squeeze
I can be a Rube-Goldberg machine
I can complicate things
I can make the mundane intriguing
All it requires is your total patience
I CAN BE A LOT
Penny and Sparrow © Claire Schaper
Despite the intense and overwhelming emotions expressed, Penny and Sparrow manage to keep “Breakdown” light-hearted. The song is engaging and inviting, sincere and honest: Enjoyable on its own merits, without a burdensome weight guiding us in a specific way. As the final glimpse into Lefty, it is also a touching reminder of the intimate, genuine connections Penny and Sparrow have established over the past fifteen years – and a prompt to stream the album when it releases this Friday.
Until then, listen to “Breakdown” exclusively on Atwood Magazine!
I hope, I hope that you still love me
I hope, I hope that you still love me
I hope, I hope that you still love me
I hope, I hope that you still love me
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:: stream/purchase Lefty here ::
:: connect with Penny and Sparrow here ::
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“Breakdown” – Penny and Sparrow
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Penny and Sparrow effortlessly tackle tough questions in “Breakdown,” a candid, heartfelt, and whimsical indie folk confession – which serves as the last single from their highly anticipated eighth album, ‘Lefty.’