Palehound and Jay Som Announce Debut Album as Bachelor, Share "Stay in the Car"

Melina Duterte and Ellen Kempner join forces on 'Doomin' Sun'

Photo: Tonje Thilesen

BY Allie GregoryPublished Mar 24, 2021

Jay Som's Melina Duterte and Palehound's Ellen Kempner revealed they had formed their mini supergroup Bachelor back in February, releasing their debut single "Anything at All" through Polyvinyl Records. Now the pair have returned with plans for a full-length release titled Doomin' Sun, which will arrive through their label home on May 28.

Duterte and Kempner have teamed up with Crumb collaborator Haoyan of America to direct their very first music video as a band. The visual effort accompanies their second single, "Stay in the Car," which tells the story of an alluring lady in red.

Kempner explained: 

I wrote the lyrics to "Stay In the Car" back in December of 2019 when I was in Florida for my partner's top surgery. I had run out one afternoon, post op, while he was heading to grab lunch for us and as I was gathering my stuff in the parking lot, a big car pulled up and this absolutely beautiful woman got out. She was dressed all in red, dripping with jewelry and had the most wild fiery mane I'd ever seen. She was yelling at the man behind the wheel asking him what he wanted from the store and I wished I was that man. I wanted to be a part of her life, her best friend, her driver, whatever she wanted me to be. I was completely mesmerized.

Duterte added:

We wanted this song to be a visceral listening experience, inspired by the Pixies and the Breeders. For the music video, we worked on a two-day shoot with Haoyan of America in Poughkeepsie in extremely cold weather. We all collaborated on the idea that our friendship should be portrayed in a fun and stylish way. Haoyan captured that energy in his own unique and creative lens through his collection of 80s/90s/00s props and toys, CGI, and anything car-themed.

Written and recorded in Topanga, CA over the course of two weeks in January of 2020, Doomin' Sun promises to explore themes from "queerness to climate change," with contributions by Big Thief's Buck Meek and James Krivchenia, as well as Duterte's partner and Routine bandmate Annie Truscott of Chastity Belt.

Kempner's latest full-length Palehound release was 2019's Black Friday, while Duterte's was Anak Ko from the same year.

Watch Bachelor's new video for "Stay in the Car" below, where you can also find the record's tracklisting.



Doomin' Sun:

1. Back of My Hand
2. Sand Angel
3. Stay in the Car
4. Went Out Without You
5. Spin Out
6. Anything at All
7. Moon
8. Sick of Spiraling
9. Aurora

Pre-order Doomin' Sun

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