Meg Remy is releasing her latest U.S. Girls album, In A Poem Unlimited, next month, and the singles we’ve heard from it so far, “Velvet 4 Sale” and “Mad As Hell,” have been sharp-tongued and precise, and the next is no exception. “Pearly Gates,” which features a hook sung by James Baley and music written by Louis Percival, is slick and lecherously catchy. “Some years back a story was recounted to me about a man attempting to convince a woman to engage in unprotected sex by saying ‘Don’t worry, I’m really good at pulling out,” Remy explains the inspiration behind the song. “I thought this was a hilariously stupid thing to say and knew that one day I would build a song around this line.”

With that context in mind, the bitterly clever wordplay of “Pearly Gates” scans as biblically haunting. “St. Peter asked for one chance to be an angel in his eyes/ It seemed to be the safe bet so I closed my eyes and opened my gates wide and St. Peter came inside,” Remy sings. She turns that violation of trust into a parable on the weight of expectation and the carelessness of men. “Peter just does whatever Peter likes,” she sings. Baley’s smoothly-sung hook comes across as the devil on the shoulder, whispering into your ear: “Never, never be safe even if you’re in the Gates/ Give it up/ You’re just some man’s daughter.” The accompanying video, which was directed by Chrissy Jones, deepens the religious allegories that permeate the song. Watch and listen below.

Tour dates:

03/06 Los Angeles, CA @ Moroccan Lounge

03/08 San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar

03/11 Albuquerque, NM @ Sister Bar

03/12-18 Austin, TX @ SXSW

03/21 Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge

03/22 Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge

03/23 Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Fest

03/24 Seattle, WA @ Sunset Tavern

03/25 Vancouver, Canada @ Biltmore Cabaret

03/27 Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios

03/28 Arcata, CA @ The Miniplex

03/29 San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Shop

04/12 Allston, MA @ Great Scott

04/13 Brooklyn, NY @ Babys All Right

04/14 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s

04/15 Washington, DC @ Union Stage

04/16 Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern

04/17 Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle

04/18 Detroit, MI @ Marble Bar

In A Poem Unlimited is out 2/16 via 4AD.