New Jersey indie-pop project Best Ex is preparing to release its sophomore album, Good Girl, on November 6 through Iodine Recordings. Led by songwriter Mariel Loveland, the 11-track record explores the uncertainty of adulthood, the pressure to meet expectations and the challenge of figuring out who you are after your twenties.
Written between Brooklyn and Hoboken with longtime collaborator and producer Andy Tongren, Good Girl draws on the melodic hooks and polished production of '90s alternative pop while tackling subjects that are rarely straightforward.
Four singles have already arrived, each exploring a different part of the album's larger story.
The title track, “Good Girl,” challenges the idea that women should be defined by their relationships or their ability to meet other people's expectations. “Is This It?” turns its attention outward, confronting the exhaustion of navigating political division, misinformation and an endless stream of troubling headlines.
“Sick Of Myself” takes a more personal approach, examining anxiety, insecurity and the exhausting habit of questioning your every decision.
The latest single, “Losing Streak,” finds Loveland considering a different response to life's unpredictability: accepting what she cannot control and searching for something worthwhile amid the chaos. Its DIY music video, filmed around Hoboken with her twin sister, embraces that same spontaneous spirit.
Before launching Best Ex, Loveland fronted the pop-punk band Candy Hearts. Her current project follows a string of releases including 2023's debut album, With a Smile, but Good Girl represents a shift toward examining life beyond the traditional coming-of-age narrative.
Throughout the record, Loveland considers changing friendships, marriage, personal identity and the complicated experience of growing older without necessarily feeling more certain about anything.
Rather than offering easy answers, Good Girl approaches these experiences with humor, vulnerability and the belief that building a meaningful life doesn't require following somebody else's expectations.
Good Girl arrives November 6 via Iodine Recordings. The singles “Good Girl,” “Is This It?,” “Sick Of Myself” and “Losing Streak” are available now.
