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Catie Turner, an ex-American Idol finalist who has become a bedroom indie-rock sensation, is back with a new single “Tourist Attraction.” The song is a follow-up to her cathartic summer release, “I Might” and further explores the vulnerability that is a staple of her work. In “Tourist Attraction” keeps true to the simplicity of Turner’s style, with powerful vocals and lyrics that cut straight to the core of personal disappointment. The track effortlessly captures listeners from the start, and solidifies Turner as an artist who stands apart from your typical indie songstress. 

Cynicism and hindsight are rife in the perspective Turner provides in “Tourist Attraction.” The visualizer, directed & edited by Helen Chatham Showalter (VHS: Julian Daniel), is a journey through the hollow glamour of Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York City; in lieu of a music video, it feels like a post-mortem of unmet expectations. 

Turner’s voice is a weary lament set in iconic tourist traps, musing across the lyrics, “and now I know sometimes the bang isn’t worth the buck // lookin’ for magic and pushed my luck but all i got is a cheap souvenir / a picture in plastic that says i was here at the tourist attraction.” While the track wallows in disillusionment of chasing magic and finding only cheap trinkets, it isn’t a complete surrender to despair. The closing lyrics ring with a knowing strength, a cathartic realization that hindsight is the souvenir to get from these situations. At just shy of three minutes, “Tourist Attraction” is without a doubt worth revisiting again and again, and continues to show the versatility of Catie as an artist you need to have on your radar.

Listen to “Tourist Attraction” below.