Track of the Day: Stray Planets, ‘I Liked You Better Before’

Stray Planets, a Dublin-based indie-rock collective helmed by New Ross songwriter John Butler, have returned with their latest banger ‘I Liked You Better Before’.

Drawing inspiration from the likes of Mac DeMarco, the Carpenters and Grandaddy, ‘I Liked You Better’ is a melancholic indie anthem that explores the guilty pleasures of watching an ex-romance spiral. The perfect “down-in-the-dumps” breakup track, Stray Planets’ new single is a wash of grey-toned harmonies and soothing instrumentals. In Butler's words, the track is "about how some people are more likable when they are miserable."

Sealing the deal on the single is a music video by producer Rían Trench, featuring Butler among a series of accident simulation dolls and wild animals.

Butler, a staple on the Irish music scene for years, teamed up with Trench, vocalists Dara Kiely and Sinead McConville, and sound engineer Robert Watson to bring the fresh indie-rock outfit to life, releasing their debut single ‘Down a Hole up a Hill’ back in 2023.

‘I Liked You Better Before,’ comes as the follow-up to January’s offering ‘Glowing Rectangles,’ a blazing cacophony of sleazy rock ‘n’ roll and 21st century pop that perfectly previews Stray Planets’ upcoming album.

Their much-anticipated full-length debut, the new record “twists the last six decades of studio-centric pop leanings into strange and kaleidoscopic places; imagine a psychedelic Bacharach-esque musical odyssey that accidentally crashed into an Abbey Road recording session.”

Listen to Stray Planets' latest single here!