‘Planting Tomatoes’ is the first single following her 2025 album ‘Forever is a Feeling.’ Much like the album, Dacus depicts the intense depth of human emotion. Particularly in terms of love and longing.
The song is a departure from the sound of her previous album. The electronic distortion of backing vocals and electric guitar is a key focus of the track. It steps closer to indie-rock than her previous works. It brings to mind the sounds present in her collaborations with Julien Baker and Phoebe Bridgers under the name Boygenius.
What makes ‘Planting Tomatoes’ most interesting is the unexpected beat drop, leaving listeners with a pared-back, sombre bridge.As the drums fall away, she delivers the line “Now I am older than you’ll ever be.” The lyrics reveal the true meaning of the work, as she learns to grow after losing a loved one. Her voice distorts, moving into the lyric as if the song is entering a dream-like state.
It’s a clever representation of the change Dacus speaks of throughout the lyrics, switching back to the rock-adjacent sounds in the final chorus of the piece.
Despite being released on April 24th, Dacus toured the song at Laneway festival in Australia and New Zealand in February. Her live version of the song takes it to another level, displaying Dacus’ true talent as a dynamic artist. From devastating ballads to rock anthems, she can do it all.
Emma Giles
Image: Official ‘Planting Tomatoes’ Single Cover