Laura-Mary Carter, one half of acclaimed Brighton alt-rock duo Blood Red Shoes, returns with her new single and music video “Four Letter Words,” taken from Carter’s just released solo debut Bye Bye Jackie.
Shot in a farm shop in West Wales, the “Four Letter Words” video shows Laura-Mary waiting for someone who never shows and turning the empty shop into her own private stage. The visual perfectly captures the song’s themes of disappointment and self-liberation.
“‘Four Letter Words’ is my favorite track on the album,” explains Carter. “It’s got this French retro feel with a touch of British monotone, and I had so much fun layering synths and Farfisa keys. The song is about that person who drives you round the bend you go back and forth endlessly, hoping for resolution or accountability. But with time you realise you don’t actually need it. It doesn’t matter anymore, and that in itself is freeing.”
Following the success of previous single “June Gloom” featuring Lee Kiernan from IDLES. Carter continues to showcase her compelling departure from Blood Red Shoes’ electric intensity into melancholy indie, British noir, and Americana territory.
The album explores love’s beauty and fragility, channeling influences from The Velvet Underground to The Ronettes and Beck. Born to Irish parents in Greater London’s suburbs, Carter’s lifelong sense of being an outsider shapes the record’s themes of connection and belonging.
