Song You Need to Know: Sad13, ‘Ghost (of a Good Time)’

“Girls, come on over,” Sadie Dupuis beckons in the opening lines of her new stay-at-home anthem, “Ghost (of a Good Time).” In the video, the poet and songwriter wears a witchy costume, surrounded by candles and ghosts. “I’m too loath to twist and shout/RSVP to be not going out,” she adds.

The experience of exiting your twenties and growing weary of nightlife is felt so clearly on the synth-pop track that it’s nearly tangible. Watch the way Dupuis reads a book in comfy socks, as her alarm clock reads 10 p.m. See how she spends her evening in a bubble bath, or how she pouts alone on a bar stool. The ghosts are of the bedsheet variety, and they accompany her throughout. It’s no wonder the song was inspired by a pre-pandemic basement show in Bushwick, Brooklyn, that started at 1 a.m. Anyone would feel haunted by that set time.

“Ghost (of a Good Time)” is the first offering from Dupuis’ upcoming album Haunted Painting, the second LP she’s made with her solo project Sad13. Compared to her indie rock band, Speedy Ortiz, this one’s a glittery affair, with a retro-pop feel that compliments her velvety vocals. “Chasing the ghost for a good time/They’re all by my side when I’m inside,” she sings. “So come on over.”

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