Mar 10, 2023

By Caleb Campbell

Photography by Janos Götze

Fans last heard from indie rock singer/songwriter James Hersey in 2021 with his album Fiction, and since then he’s been quietly crafting his follow-up, due out later this year. He returned in 2022 with his lead single, “Fake Love,” and followed with his last release, “Right Where I Am,” with both tracks leaning into a slick and infectious style of indie rock. Today, Hersey is back with another new single, “Cut Me Out,” premiering with Under the Radar.

“Cut Me Out” slots in well into the other early singles from Hersey’s forthcoming record, layering on the driving guitar, propulsive drumming, and upbeat pop melodicism. Though Hersey has previously played with other genres, his latest approach is simple, sweet, and effective, delivering sharply written indie rock laden with catchy hooks and searing guitar lines. Meanwhile, the track’s lyrics lace Hersey’s melodies with some biting venom, taking on an insecure and immature relationship一“I’m not telling you to grow up / I’m just asking you to see / Yeah I’m telling you to miss me with you insincere apologies / You fucked my mental / With your twisted schemes / You’re the picture perfect poster child for insecurity.”

Hersey says of the track, “It’s a story of past betrayal, really. Forgiven, or at least forgotten, it washed over me again recently. This song is like self-therapy for me. It’s all the words I couldn’t find back then, when I was in the thick of it.”

Check out the song below, out everywhere now. Hersey’s new album is due out this year.