Tinca Tinca’s self-titled debut album is a lyrical, melody-driven, guitarmony-led return to Tench’s indie-rock roots, with a few subtle nods to 80’s-inspired synthwave tunes and country music.
Learn about the background and inspiration for each track:
"ANYWHERE BUT HERE"
Anywhere But Here is a song about the joy and anxiety of new beginnings, overcoming self-doubt and imposter syndrome when putting yourself out there publicly in a creative pursuit. The chorus repeats messages of negativity and doubt until the last line changes its meaning entirely, “I. I don’t want. I don’t want to. I don’t want to be. I don’t want to be anywhere. I don’t want to be anywhere but. I don’t want to be anywhere but here.” I wrote this song when I decided to create Tinca Tinca and release an album.
"MY DESTRUCTIVE WAYS"
My Destructive Ways is a modern answer song to Harry Nilsson’s “Gotta Get Up,” from his 1971 Nilsson Shmilsson album. Nilsson’s lament of the obligations of adulthood and loss of carefree youth is answered with the anxiety of being a professional in an ill-fitting career. “The sorrows of my youth have been replaced with the new ones I’ve fabricated/I’m gonna give up all my destructive ways,” ends in an acknowledgment that if one has a choice in what they decide to pursue, one has the chance to change it.
"SUMMER SKIN"
Summer Skin is a love song to the summer, celebrating its joys and the bittersweet sense of mourning when it seems to end too early. It was written during the summer of 2020 during the first peak of the COVID pandemic, adding to the sense of longing for a summer that was effectively lost. It was inspired by a line in John Prine’s song Summer’s End, “summer’s end came faster than we wanted,” as well as his untimely passing in April 2020 from complications related to COVID.
"ACQUIESCE TO MY AWKWARDNESS"
Acquiesce to My Awkwardness was written about social awkwardness caused by a lack of interaction during the height of the COVID pandemic. As cases waned and we began to ease back into group settings, I found it difficult to maintain conversations and how to pick up on social cues (“how long should I look you in the eye? All thumbs when I go to wave goodbye. Should we hug? Have I said too much?”). It’s also an acceptance of—and acquiescence to—this awkwardness, as well as an acknowledgment that maybe I’ve always been a little robotic, socially.
"LOOKING SIDEWAYS"
Looking Sideways is a modern answer song to the Beatles “We Can Work It Out,” acknowledging that “trying to see things my way” might be difficult, uncomfortable, and unproductive. It ends with a message that despite the difficulty, we should try anyway. This was written partially in response to the immense social and political chasms we see today, and as a reminder to check my own beliefs and positions.
"COBALT OCEANS"
Cobalt Oceans is a dreamy love song about the tiny moments and thrill of connection when making yourself vulnerable to someone you love, letting them in past the public faces we put on and various walls of defenses we put up.
"MAGNETIC NORTH"
Magnetic North is a song about love, science, and transience. It’s about seeking stability amid rapid change, and easing change with kindness and connection.
"HOW MUCH YOU LEAVE"
How Much You Leave is a country song about finding your place in the world and what is lost in that search. I moved around as a child growing up, and continued that trend as an adult. This song was written soon after having moved from NYC to Knoxville Tennessee in the summer of 2019.