The Reds, Pinks & Purples – New Leaf
San Francisco songwriter Glenn Donaldson releases “New Leaf”, the first single from The Reds, Pinks & Purples’ upcoming album on Fire Records. After cranking out nine albums and over 200 songs in six years, Donaldson took eight months on this record, and the shift shows. “New Leaf” pulls back from the jangly guitars that defined his earlier work, leaning into clouded atmospheres and softer strings.
Donaldson built his reputation on unabashedly melodic indie pop in the late ’80s: strummed guitars, occasional synth or Casio lines, drum machine patterns, and lyrics so melancholy they’d be devastating if the melodies weren’t so sweet. His songs capture fortunate failures and misfit heroes with bitter humour. “People read some of the more humorous lines in my songs as irony, but honesty is funnier,” he says. “These songs are just me, even if the sentiments seem exaggerated.”
“New Leaf” pairs bittersweet reflection with melodic restraint. A perpetual guitar line runs beneath nostalgic musings, creating fragile optimism about trying again, even knowing better. The video, directed by Karina Gill (Cindy, Flowertown), mirrors the song’s emotional economy, letting Donaldson’s phrasing linger where sentiment hides.
Last year Donaldson made his Fire Records debut with “The Past Is A Garden I Never Fed”, collecting 14 previously unreleased tracks. CLASH called it a compendium of short stories with lyrics full of bite.
