Brigitte Calls Me Baby, a Chicago-based alternative rock band, is set to release its sophomore album “Irreversible” on Friday through ATO Records, according to a March 11 announcement. The band is currently touring Europe and will return for a North American leg next month, including two sold-out shows at Thalia Hall in Chicago.
The release of “Irreversible” marks another milestone for the group, which has quickly gained recognition since its formation in 2022. The band’s music draws inspiration from classic crooners like Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley while also evoking comparisons to modern acts such as The Strokes and Interpol. Frontman Wes Leavins said, “In any music that I write, I’m just trying to memorialize something, create a permanence within a feeling that I’ve felt before in my life.”
Leavins described the new album as more declarative than their debut record, “The Future Is Our Way Out,” which explored themes of longing and hope. He explained that the lead single “Slumber Party” was refined over live performances before being finalized in the studio. “Who knows if we’ll ever write a song like that again … but it definitely informed everything on this album,” Leavins said.
The band previewed most tracks from “Irreversible” during a sold-out show at Schubas Tavern in January. Leavins reflected on their journey: “When you’ve had the trajectory we’ve had where we know very much what it’s like to play for eight people in a small bar, you don’t really take that for granted.”
Other singles from the album include “I Danced With Another Love In My Dream” and “I Can Take The Sun Out Of The Sky,” both written amid busy touring schedules. Leavins said he is fascinated by dreams as recurring themes in his songwriting: “You’re kind of a victim to your dream… ultimately it’s usually something that you have an interest in or have a fascination with, in my case.”
Despite recent global turmoil affecting some tour dates—including cancellations due to strikes and protests—Leavins said the band aims to offer listeners escapism by confronting difficult emotions directly. He concluded, “There is a belief that as terrible as this might feel, there is more. Or there at least is a silver lining… Or if there isn’t a silver lining, well, everything’s OK right now.”
