PREMIERE: dad sports tackles pre-relationship butterflies by going "out 4 a breather"
By Amelia Zollner
“Do you know my name? I think you’re kinda cool,” Miguel Plante, the lead singer of the Ottawa indie pop band dad sports, questions in the group’s latest song, “out 4 a breather.” It’s a straightforward line, but it accurately sums up the contemplation and feelings of anxiety that ensue before asking someone out. Combined with the band’s trademark indie pop instrumentals and seamless production, “out 4 a breather,” released on May 1, is a simple yet honest and charming single that serves as a lovable first window into the band’s upcoming EP, I AM JUST A BOY, LEAVE ME ALONE !!!.
Since dad sports’ humble beginnings as a band inspired by an inside joke, the band, composed of vocalist and guitarist Miguel Plante, bassist Alexandre Keyes, guitarist Gabriel Pilon, and drummer Keith McDonald, has gained a significant following. Thanks to the band’s musical style that draws elements from dream pop bands like Turnover and Day Wave, dad sports has established a clear place for itself in the indie scene despite only having one cover and four singles, the latest of which is “out 4 a breather,” out on streaming platforms.
“out 4 a breather” opens with a hazy guitar riff that eases straight into a drumbeat. The song’s laidback tempo and optimistic guitar melodies allow for an easily digestible examination of the thought process before asking someone out. “Someday, I’ll have you wonder / What we would look like, face to the stars / Maybe I’ll have you over,” Plante fantasizes.
Throughout the song, Plante seems to pace between confidence and insecurity. In one moment, he’s doubting himself; “She’ll never like me that way,” he sings in doubt between questions like “Aren’t you tired of my voice?”. In other moments, he seems more confident; contemplating, “Maybe she likes me that way.”
Finally, amid the chorus’s staggered drumbeats, Plante asks the question, “Do you wanna hang? / Maybe after school,” allowing the song to resolve. The song’s theme of hesitancy with the occasional moment of assertiveness is a perfect representation of the “butterflies,” as Plante puts it, that serve as a prelude to the beginning of a relationship.
The release of dad sports’ “out 4 a breather” feels like the beginning of a new era. Sonically, it doesn’t deviate much from the band’s previous releases; however, it’s a big step for a small band to release its first EP, and the thoughtful, gentle choruses of “out 4 a breather” make it clear that I AM JUST A BOY, LEAVE ME ALONE !!! is on its way to becoming a landmark release in dad sports’ journey of growing as a band.