By: Hayley Strahs

Editor-in-Chief

Following the success of her indie folk album Forever is a Feeling, Lucy Dacus released Forever is a Feeling: The Archives on Oct. 10. This deluxe version includes two entirely new songs, along with various acoustic and live renditions from the main album.

The first new track on Forever is a Feeling: The Archives is Best Guess – Wedding Version. This track previously garnered popularity on TikTok when Dacus announced an open casting call for the song’s music video. The initiative aimed to highlight gender-nonconforming individuals, and the final cast included figures like Towa Bird, Naomi McPherson, and Elio Kennedy-Yoon, among many others. While the original Best Guess utilizes electric guitar and drums to maintain a cadenced tone, the wedding version is entirely acoustic. It captures the gentle and intimate side of queer relationships, emphasizing those between two women. Dacus has publicly identified as a lesbian since 2016, and she announced her relationship with fellow musician Julien Baker earlier this year. Best Guess – Wedding Version is a raw, yet affectionate portrayal of love and has been a hit among fans of all orientations and backgrounds.

Within this deluxe album, Dacus included the two songs from her summer single: Bus Back to Richmond and More Than Friends. Both songs examine the gray area between platonic and romantic relationships; like much of her other music, Bus Back to Richmond and More Than Friends center around Dacus’s experiences with intimacy. Long-time fans are enjoying Losing, a song thematically similar to Bus Back to Richmond that Dacus has played at concerts for years. She previously asked her audiences not to film it to preserve the anticipation of its release and avoid leaks.

Popular songs like Bullseye, Ankes, and Lost Time received special spotlights on this deluxe record. At Radio City Music Hall, Dacus shocked the audience and brought Hozier onstage to sing his feature on Bullseye. Forever is a Feeling: The Archives immortalized this moment with a live recording of the performance. Moreover, Dacus released a demo and an extended version of Ankles and Lost Time, respectively. Finally, she included an emotional rendition of Jim Croce’s Time in a Bottle, which quickly became a hit within her fanbase.

From reimagined tracks to all-new songs, Forever is a Feeling: The Archives offers an innovative addendum to the original album. Whether you’re a seasoned fan or brand new to her music, these eight tracks are absolutely worth a listen.

(Sources: Massachusetts Daily Collegian, Them)