Sweetbreads Releases Debut Album PUNISHER OF LOVE

Sweetbreads, the project of New York City singer and songwriter Melody Stolpp, has released her debut album, Punisher of Love. Produced by Quinn Devlin, the album explores love, identity, anxiety, and the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of them.

The album takes its name from its title track and the character Sweetbreads calls the 'Punisher of Love,' a personification of her anxious attachment. Rooted in indie-folk and alt-country, the album pairs warm, textured arrangements with Sweetbreads' sharp, intimate storytelling as she gives shape to the messy feelings that resist easy answers.

'I think a lot of my life is shaped by my anxiety, and writing songs has always been a coping mechanism for processing my very large, overwhelming emotions,' she explains. 'The funny thing is that most of my songs end up offering more questions than answers for why I am the way I am… but that's what keeps me writing songs, you know?'

After years of collecting songs for the record, Sweetbreads finally took the leap with producer Quinn Devlin, whom she met at a house show they were both playing. Initial tracking took place over four days at The Creamery Studios in Greenpoint with a close-knit group of friends and musicians. That sense of collaboration became central to Punisher of Love, transforming an intensely personal collection of songs into something shared.

'Although these songs are deeply personal, 'Punisher of Love' is a record that is about much more than my own struggles because it was made in community with so many people I love,' says Sweetbreads. 'I hope these songs encourage people to reach out and ask for help when they need it. I hope it offers support and nudges folks to practice self-compassion and fight against isolation.'

Since fully dedicating herself to music in 2020, Sweetbreads has built a growing audience entirely independently, now reaching 30,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Her music has earned support from tastemakers including Coeval Magazine and The Line of Best Fit, and she recently embarked on an East Coast tour with fellow singer-songwriter Jackqueline Hackett.

For Sweetbreads, Punisher of Love is less about finding answers and more about making peace with the questions. It's a record about sitting with uncertainty, practicing self-compassion, and finding connection in the places we might otherwise feel most alone.

Punisher of Love is available on all streaming platforms via DistroKid.

Photo Credit: Sandy Honig (@sandhonig)