LØLØ, salem ilese and Alna join forces as Carrie Okay on debut single ‘High in a Drugstore’, a song originally intended for another artist before the trio decided it was simply too good to give away. Its premise finds heartbreak leading you to strange places, including the peculiar irony of ending up somewhere filled with remedies when none can fix the thing that’s actually hurting. As the band put it, “there’s nothing on those shelves for missing somebody.”
Prominent acoustic guitar gives the track an unmistakable 90s alt-pop feel, carrying a little of that Daria-era melancholy before the arrangement gradually opens up around it. Each member takes a turn at the mic, their tender but controlled vocals bringing their own character to the verses before meeting in gorgeous three-part harmony for the instantly catchy chorus. LØLØ’s alt-pop influence feels particularly present, but the chemistry between all three makes Carrie Okay sound like far more than three solo artists temporarily sharing a song.
The accompanying lyric video leans into the track’s lovably mundane heartbreak, beginning outside a Denny’s before following the trio through LA streets, past a 7-Eleven and into convenience stores for snacks and Big Gulps. Whether walking hand-in-hand, sharing headphones or carrying their guitars, their easy friendship gives the wistfulness a little warmth. If heartbreak was enough to accidentally start Carrie Okay, perhaps something good was hiding on those shelves after all.
