When Palehound's Ellen Kempner recorded her debut EP, Bent Nail at Gravesend Recordings—the studio recently established in Brooklyn DIY venue-cum-community space Silent Barn—the then-solo artist had to enlist her two-man recording crew, Gravesend owners Carlos Hernandez and Julian Fader of Ava Luna, for drum and bass accompaniment. In the months since, she's assembled a steady touring band: Ben Scherer (guitar), Thom Lombardi (bass), and Maxx Kupperberg (drums).

The trio make their Palehound recording debut with "Holiest," a song recorded once again at Gravesend, as the A-side to the Kitchen 7" (out February 25 via Exploding in Sound). Though its arrangement has been refined and harmonized since, say, the days of "Drooler", "Holiest" is still a simple, modest waltz of a '90s-alternative ballad that keeps its temper while condemning a frustrating muse for maintaining ridiculous expectations of other people.