Caley Conway has a knack for writing pointed, personal songs that have the unique ability to cut to the core while simultaneously sounding downright beautiful. After a prolific 2019, the inimitable Milwaukee musician—like so many others—found her productivity being hampered by the uncertain state of the world. Thankfully, a new year will offer new music from an artist that was truly hitting her stride in pre-pandemic times.
Conway will release a new EP called Bliss Or Bust on May 7. Today, in advance of that three-song release, she’s treating listeners to the EP’s first single and a direct, self-directed music video for the song. According to Conway, “I Love You So Much I Don’t Want To See You” is a song projected through the voice of an “exasperated person unable to find a more socially-acceptable way of saying that they don’t want to be around someone, even though there’s love between them.”
The catchy and unexpectedly upbeat number cuts right to the chase, mincing few if any words to get the point across. The accompanying music video is equally direct, as Conway performs the blunt song in front of a screen as imagery of fingers are projected against her body. Along the way, self-shot footage of snowy, wind-swept fields is spliced in.
“For the video, I knew I wanted to land on a minimalist, lo-fi concept, since I know very little about cameras, film, and editing—and had no money for it,” Conway tells Milwaukee Record. “I started collecting footage based on random creative whims of the eye, and one night, put them through the projector to see if I could get anything cool to perform in front of. The fingers were one of the first things I tried out, and I thought they looked cool interacting with my bare chest, so I went with it.”
Conway will release Bliss Or Bust on iTunes, Soundcloud, her YouTube channel, her website, for free or pay-what-you-want) download on Bandcamp, for purchase on cassette, and pretty much anywhere that ISN’T Spotify on Friday, May 7. In the meantime, you can get a taste of the EP by watching the video for “I Love You So Much I Don’t Want To See You” now.