Due out May 30 via Acrophase Records (Mali Velasquez, Font) and Secretly Distribution, Ava McCoy’s sophomore album Dragonfly is a coming-of-age record in the truest sense. The only member of her Oregon-rooted family to be raised in New York, McCoy found her voice in two places: the towering skyline of the city and the sprawling landscapes of the rural Pacific Northwest. She grew up surrounded by musicians, absorbing melodies from the backseat of her parents’ car: Roy Book Binder, John Prine, and Big Star. By the time she could speak, she was singing. By 11, she was writing songs; by 16, she was sharing them onstage.
With a new album right around the corner, McCoy drops off the emotionally complex and refreshingly vibrant “More Than a Friend.” The pop-leaning, folk-rock anthem comes from the depths of the artist’s soul; it explores human vulnerability that blurs the line between new single and personal journal entries. The lyrics on this song draw a poignant picture that depicts the moment of heartbreak and the moment the heart is mended, giving the listener the full spectrum of palpable emotions that McCoy can detail in her writing. “More Than a Friend” brings you right into the artist’s world through vivid imagery and moving poetry, but thankfully, McCoy softens the blow with some lovely melodies. McCoy’s vocals cut through the depth of the lyrics with pop-laden melodies that twirl around the room in a spectacular display of the artist’s infectious prowess. Dragonfly is shaping up to be a landmark release for McCoy, and the latest single should have everyone excited for the release. “More Than a Friend” briefly brings us closer to the artist as she fearlessly lays out her emotions in a honed, heartfelt display of her unique approach to folksy indie rock.
“For much of my young adulthood, relationship dynamics have ruled my life (to a fault). ‘More Than A Friend’ paints memories of a Christmas I spent in the UK, where I was able to reflect on a year being single, and the ways in which I compromised my needs for someone I once loved,” explains McCoy when asked about “More Than a Friend.” “I was a year out of a relationship that sucked up all of my energy, and I couldn’t accept that trying to be friends with this person wasn’t going to work out. I felt discarded, forgotten, and disappointed, but ultimately realized moving on was my greatest strength. To me, it’s a reclamation of the love I have for myself and the agency to show appreciation for all that I am every day. I hear this song as an Alanis Morissette-esque power anthem with some jangly guitar licks – it makes me wanna go on a long road trip with friends and roll all the windows down.”
