Painted Shied shared a new single titled “4th of July” today, July 1, 2021. The song marks their first release since their 2020 self-titled debut album.

The track is austere and solemn throughout. It begins with 30 seconds of silence, a creak of a swing set, and eerily peaceful reverberations until Mason Jennings’ vocals enter a crumbling atmosphere. “4th of July/ And the fireworks are changing the sky above the park/ War is a lie/ And my memories are turning my mind from light to dark/ Since I came home I feel alone.” The lyrics are heavy yet made light by Jennings’ vocal cadence. Just as Jennings’ enters, Matthew Chamberlain follows with an impressive and gripping percussive run. As the song progresses, so too does the presence of band members. As the lyric “Bring them home” comes to pass, each member is present, standing up for their message.

“The lyrics to this song were inspired by the stories of friends of mine who have served in the military,” explained songwriter Mason Jennings in a press release. “It touches on the recovery work needed to integrate back into civilian life after being in conflict. Also, most of my friends who joined the military were coming from troubled homes and were looking to find a ‘way out’ by joining. This song is about bringing these inner children home to get the love they never received, as well as sending love to the actual children affected by war around the world every day. There is a tension represented that I hope encapsulates and reflects the human struggle, the struggle for peace and love in the face of violence and fear.”

A music video released along with the track displays areal footage of desecrated cities, explosions, and the band members home on American soil in a park – extending a visual representation of the inner child.

The group has announced plans to release a full-length album via Loosegroove Records in 2022.