“In Benji Hughes’s music, you can hear a love for pop music—all kinds of pop—from the Beach Boys, to Donna Summer, to KC and The Sunshine Band that is entirely in the service of pleasure—yours and his.” —NPR’s Fresh Air

“No matter the song, it sounds as if Hughes decided to throw a party in the studio.” – NPR Music, First Listen

Listen to Benji Hughes’ Songs in the Key of Animals on NPR  and watch the new video for “Girls Love Shoes” which premiered on FLOOD Magazine – they describe the album “as a joyously composed and performed record, indebted in equal measures to Prince and Ween at their lightest and The National at their most morose.”

Directed by Whitey McConnaughy, the visuals capture the shimmering, glorious haze of the song and convey Benji’s belief that “chicks like a lot of things, but they really love shoes, you know?” to brilliant effect. McConnaughy wrote: “I usually don’t do videos that relate to a song’s lyrics, but if the shoe fits, and it’s a bit strange but in a really groovy way, then you best go ahead and wear that sucker!”

Benji Hughes will release Songs in the Key of Animals on dbl-CD, LP, and digital on 5th February on Merge Records, but you can listen to the album in full right now at NPR Music.

Be sure to check out Ken Tucker’s review of the album on Fresh Air here.