Like St. Joan, the creative moniker of Drew Harmon, has landed himself on Accidental Popstar Records, the label ran by indie idiosyncratic Shamir. As such, “Cracks”, the first single for the label from the Portland-based songwriter, moves in directions unexpected along its fast walk down a path of self-loathing. The listen begins as a bluff in nature, tempered by clean, jangled guitars and Harmon’s voice — handsomely and refined, like a peak Matthew Sweet power-pop reincarnate — before outside momentums begin to tilt the listen off course. Grieving, leaving, and worrying are behind these energy shifts, and it’s here where the track becomes a revelation where everything you thought it would be sound a little internally violent in its static feedback popping off the country-fried brain frays, like the most electric of the early Bright Eyes dispatches or Alex G at his wonky tipping points. “It’s so much harder to believe in myself,” Harmon signs off, though his cracked behavior shows off more promising substance than when he’s holding it all together.

Directed by: Martha Daghlian

Like St. Joan’s “Cracks” single is available now on Accidental Popstar Records.