Philly quartet Sheer Mag release new single, "Moonstruck"

Speaking of the track, guitarist and lyricist Matt Palmer says: ""Moonstruck" is about how invigorating it is to have a new crush. After too long lost in the wilderness, it's gratifying to find a beacon of tenderness to help reorient yourself in the maze of love. Written in 2021 and originally intended for a disco EP, "Moonstruck" has been reworked as a more expansive and lush arrangement and features some of our favorite guitar work on the new record.”

The accompanying video for “Moonstruck” was inspired by Rush's "Limelight" visuals which featured footage from their wintertime recording sessions at Le Studio in Quebec. Sheer Mag enlisted director and longtime friend Ryan Schnackenberg to bring it to life.

Over a six-month stretch spanning the fall of 2022 to the winter of 2023, guitarist Kyle Seely and his brother Hart Seely (bass) set about tracking the instrumentals for the record, resetting their studio configuration each week in order to impose a more tailored, multi-session atmosphere upon the record’s acoustic landscape. Palmer rejoined vocalist Tina Halladay in Philadelphia the following spring to write and record the vocals for Playing Favorites, which depart from the band’s prior material, placing an added emphasis on existential, interpersonal storytelling and ornate background harmonies.