NYC Scene Report – Sid Simons, Strawberry Runners, & Kay Day

This week’s NYC Scene Report features Sid Simons musing on relationships with “Three Days,” Strawberry Runners looking to reconnect with “Alison,” and Kay Day showing “Barbie” a thing or two.

* Sid Simons – who many of you may remember from the band GIRL SKIN – will be releasing his first album under his own name in early 2024. Titled Beneath the Brightest Smiles, the latest single off the album is the relationship themed “Three Days.”

Simons discussed the inspiration for the song in a statement, saying, “It’s an observation about the current complexities of modern relationships. Some of it is based on personal experience, some based on the experiences of friends. It’s about a couple who get together and aren’t on the same page regarding the significance of the relationship.”

Simons manages to turn that heavy subject matter into a song that’s a damned good time thanks to a mixture of ‘60s rock, and modern indie rock influences.

Click play, and I think you’ll find “Three Days” is an irresistible treat.

* There’s a real joy in reconnecting with an old friend, and that joy is something Strawberry Runners wants to remind us of with their song “Alison.”

Discussing “Alison” in a statement, Strawberry Runners said, “It’s about reconnecting with loved ones you haven’t seen in a while – remembering adventures together, recognizing changes in yourself, and each other, and trying not to get caught up in the past. The song is kind of a love letter to a friend. It’s about building someone up who’s going through a hard time.”

“Alison” is off Strawberry Runners self-titled album, which is out now via Duper Moon Records.

Brooklyn residents can catch Strawberry Runners performing a hometown show on October 6th, and you can catch “Alison” right here.

* Last month I met indie comedic pop punk/hip-hop artist Kay Day when she was headlining a bill at Arlene’s Grocery. As soon as she hit the stage she was a force of nature akin to the Energizer bunny on Jessie Spano’s caffeine pills.

After going back and forth from fun, to semi-serious tunes she assured the crowd, “Don’t worry, we’re getting to the slut stuff.” When she did get to the “slut stuff” it was pure, unadulterated sleaze that was so wild it would’ve even made Lil’ Kim blush.

In fact, if you put the Lil’ Kim, Kreayshawn, and Millionaires in a blender, you’d get Kay Day’s latest single, “Barbie.”

A XXX rated ode to … well … all the things Mattel’s plastic icon wouldn’t do, Kay Day says of “Barbie,” “I wanted to make the most intellectual song that would bring nations together. I thought saying, ‘I fucked Ken, I’ll send you the vid when I fuck him again,’ would really be fun for everyone. Nah, I honestly wrote it with a bunch of funny ass dudes in Nashville. What started as a joke definitely ended up a slutty banger.”

She continued, adding, “I honestly love Barbie. I’m just jealous, and wanna bang Ken. I just hope people, when they listen to me, can have fun and laugh, because that’s why I do this.”

Clocking in at just over a minute, “Barbie” is ridiculously addictive. Just don’t get caught rapping along while in line at a store, especially a toy store!

For more of the best of NYC’s indie music scene, come back next Wednesday, and check out the archives for previous columns.