Will Butler + Sister Squares have shared “Arrow of Time,” a new song from their upcoming self-titled album. Listen to the single below.
“Arrow of Time” begins as something of a dance track, as a slinky bass line propels Butler’s “waiting for the kill.” In the chorus, however, the song picks up, as the singer frantically chants, “I’ve been patient, I’ve been very still/ Watching as I’m trying not to feel.” Butler + Sister Squares worked the song out on tour last summer, and according to the artist, it became a fan favorite. “People really liked this when we played it; a few people at the merch table were like, ‘Which record is this song on?’”
If the single’s music video — recorded, according to text in the clip, before “the shitshow that was 2025” — confuses you, Butler explained the meaning of “Arrow of Time” in a statement. The song was inspired by Stephen Hawking, who “describes the concept, in paraphrase, as ‘you might see a teacup fall off a table and smash into bits, but you never see the bits come back together. Or if you did, you would instantly be aware that time is running backwards.’”
“Lyrically, I feel like I was maybe trying to write a Pixies song about that idea,” the artist said. “‘Here comes your man,’ but instead of something coming, it’s just everything slowly dissolving into heat energy.”
Will Butler + Sister Squares is out September 22nd via Merge. This fall, the group will embark on a world tour — grab tickets to a show here.
