Artist, producer, singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Chris LaRocca today unveils his latest single, the stark and introspective “last pair of boots in town,” released via Red Bull Records/Wonderchild as a powerful precursor to his highly anticipated EP ‘dog years,’ arriving October 3rd. The track speaks directly to the painful, cyclical nature of toxic relationships, capturing a profound sense of isolation that persists even while surrounded by friends, loved ones, and peers.
With intentionally sparse instrumentation that shines a clear and unforgiving spotlight on his lyrics, LaRocca balances a palpable melancholy with a matter-of-fact acceptance, his tone bittersweet as he guides listeners through what feels like the inevitable ebb and flow of a connection where one becomes both a last resort and a safety net. This is more than just a sad song; it is a raw journey where LaRocca faces the hard truth that some people will never change, born from a universal and painful feeling he hopes can serve as a safe space for listeners who recognize themselves in its story.
On the deeply personal moments that forged the single, LaRocca shares, “”last pair of boots in town” is beyond heartbreak; it’s about feeling like you are both someone’s last resort and safety net; when you are so toxically in love with someone that no matter how they treat you, they know you will always be there when they call.” He reveals the song’s ironic genesis, explaining, “When writing this song, I was originally thinking about a friend of mine’s experience with someone they loved who treated them terribly, but ironically a year after creating it I found that I was living the story of this song myself.”
This single reveals yet another facet of the brand-new personal sound LaRocca has been meticulously exploring since the start of the year with singles like “ladybug,” all building towards the complete picture of the ‘dog years’ EP. The project’s title reflects the immense personal compression of time LaRocca experienced during its creation, feeling as though he lived through seven years’ worth of challenges and growth in just one, a period that prompted a relocation from Toronto to the Canadian wilderness to fully answer the call of the Americana and rootsy sounds that now define this new chapter.
This artistic evolution marks a significant return to authenticity for an artist who was once a fixture in Toronto’s DIY post-hardcore scene, playing sweaty basements across North America before transitioning into a dynamic producer and sought-after collaborator for top-shelf names like Kali Uchis, Bryson Tiller, Russ, and Stray Kids. After catching the attention of GRAMMY-nominated, JUNO Award-winning producer WondaGurl and joining her Wonderchild roster, LaRocca found success with his first full-length ‘i cried my eyes out,’ whose song “linger” was adapted into a Cannes Lion-winning short film. Yet, a part of him yearned to make music that reflected his truest identity. Working with legends like Daniel Lanois (Neil Young, Bob Dylan) and collaborators Matt DeLong, Ben Cook (No Warning), Jahson Paynter, and Dave Marcus (21 Savage, Rico Nasty), LaRocca found the confidence to not only traverse new genres but to dive deep into his personal life, making ‘dog years’ both a time-lapse of blooming relationships and a love letter to himself, steadily gaining a dedicated international audience with the Philippines notably standing at #4 among his top streaming countries worldwide.
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