Divide and Dissolve - "Monolithic"

Photo by Tosh Brasco

According to a press release, "Divide and Dissolve's music is an acknowledgement of the dispossession that occurs due to colonial violence, it honours ancestors, opposes white supremacy and calls for indigenous sovereignty." The project of Takiaya Reed just released a new single, "Monolithic," that was nothing like what I expected. The song is three and a half minutes of giant, experimental noise rock. It's pounding drums, guitars that sound like they are on fire, and various other instruments all entangled in a giant wave of noise. Of course, there are moments of beauty throughout "Monolithic," particularly the beginning. As with most artists creating loud and heavy noise, Divide and Dissolve aren't going to be for everyone. But if you're into this sort of thing, "Monolithic" will be a revelation.

Takiaya Reed says of the latest single:

“‘Monolithic’ is a prayer for systems of liberation, freedom, Indigenous sovereignty, and for a Black future. This song is hope for the seemingly impossible and for things that have never been seen or experienced in many lifetimes. Where no memories have been created."

You can listen to "Monolithic" below. The single is out now via Bella Union. For more on Divide and Dissolve, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the song.

9/13: Austin, TX @ The Ballroom

9/14: Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves

9/16: Albuquerque, NM @ Sister

9/17: Phoenix, AZ @ The Rebel Lounge

9/18: Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room

9/19: West Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour

9/20: San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of The Hill

9/21: Sacramento, CA @ Goldfield Trading Post

9/23: Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios

9/24: Seattle, WA @ The Sunset

9/26: Boise, ID @ Neurolux

9/27: Salt Lake City, UT @ The DLC

9/28: Englewood, CO @ Moes

10/1: Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St. Entry

10/2: Chicago, IL @ Cobra Lounge

10/3: Columbus, OH @ Rumba

10/4: New Kensington, PA @ Preserving Underground

10/5: Buffalo, NY @ Rec Room

10/6: Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace

10/9: Montreal, QC @ Bar le Ritz PDB

10/10: Cambridge, MA @ The Middle East Upstairs

10/11: Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere Zone One

10/12: Philadelphia, PA @ MilkBoy

10/15: Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery

10/16: Richmond, VA @ Richmond Music Hall

10/17: Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506

10/18: Atlanta, GA @ The EARL

10/19: New Orleans, LA @ Siberia

Jake Blount & Mali Obomsawin - "Live Humble"

Photo by Yekaterina Gyadu

When I first saw that Jake Blount and Mali Obomsawin were making music together, "Live Humble" is more what I pictured... somewhat. The new song draws from the book Religious Folk-Songs of the Negro released in 1874. The song features traditional folk instruments like guitar and gourd banjo, but it's also heavy on synthesizers and includes some noise rock style guitar soloing. The song also incorporates a strong dance element. While it may be based in the traditional music I associate with Blount and Obomsawin, it also rushes off in rock, dance, and pop directions while still sounding like a cohesive song. We knew that a collaboration between Jake Blount and Mali Obomsawin was going to be good, but we couldn't have predicted it would be this mind-blowing.

Jake Blount and Mali Obomsawin say of their new single:

"’Live Humble’ epitomizes the remix methods used in the creation of symbiont. Inspired by a spiritual of the same name collected at the Hampton Institute that includes a spine-tingling necromantic invocation (delivered here with only minor changes), this arrangement also incorporates another version of the song recorded by Bessie Jones and the Georgia Sea Island Singers, a shape note hymn called 'Occum' penned by Thomas Commuck (Narragansett/Brothertown) in 1845, and a banjo tune called ‘Koromanti’ collected from enslaved Black Jamaicans in 1687. The lyrics warn the listener to humble themselves before the world's greater forces, calling up the dead from hell and the seas to bear witness; the music, however, invites us to revel in our smallness.”

You can listen to "Live Humble" below. symbiont is due out September 27 on Smithsonian Folkways, and is available for pre-order here. For more on Jake Blount and Mali Obomsawin, check out the artists' website. Upcoming tour dates are below the song.

Thu. Oct. 10 - Providence, RI @ FirstWorks
Fri. Oct. 11 - Portland, ME @ Portland House of Music
Sat. Oct. 12 - Rockland, ME @ The Strand Theater
Fri. Oct. 18 - Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
Sat. Oct. 19 - Northampton, MA @ The Parlour Room
Sun. Oct. 20 - New York, NY @ Joe’s Pub
Sat. Nov. 9 - Washington, DC @ Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center
Tue. Jan. 14 - Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern
Wed. Jan. 15 - Portland, OR @ Show Bar
Thu. Jan. 16 - Santa Cruz, CA @ Kuumbwa Jazz Center
Fri. Jan. 17 - Mill Valley, CA @ Sweetwater Music Hall
Sat. Jan. 18 - Sacramento, CA @ B Side Theater at the Sofia
Sun. Jan. 19 - Los Angeles, CA @ Zebulon

OK Bella - "After Hours"

Photo by Chris O'Keeffe

One great thing about the Boston music scene is how often musicians we already know and love team up with other musicians we know and love. The latest such project is OK Bella, which features Angela Lee of Radio Compass and Steve R. Lord who has spent time in Dirty Bangs, Aaron and the Lord, Bodega Girls, and many more. Based on their new single, "After Hours," Ok Bella doesn't sound like anything we would expect from these two. It's much more of a dark, yet poppy electronic track than garage or indie rock. "After Hours" is like a DIY version of New Wave that is filled with some unexpected rock guitar. If I need to make a comparison, I'd say it's a blend of The Human League, early Sonic Youth, and Tanya Donelly's solo work. Right now we only have one song, but it's enough to make us looking forward to hearing more.

You can listen to "After Hours" below. For more on OK Bella, check out the artist on Instagram.

Wussy - "The Great Divide"

Just a few weeks ago we brought you the latest single from Wussy Duo, the project of Wussy's Lisa Walker and Chuck Cleaver. Now we get to bring you the latest single from Wussy from their upcoming album, which is the first since the passing of guitarist John Erhardt in 2020. Maybe it's just that knowledge, but "The Great Divide" has a sense of melancholy even stronger than the typical Wussy song. It's a song that straddles the lines of Americana and indie rock, somehow both and neither at the same time. But that's kind of how the band has always operated. What's unique about "The Great Divide" is how uplifting the song is. It's an absolute epic track, and listening is making me both sad and hopeful. Wussy have always been "your favorite band's favorite band," and with a song like "The Great Divide" they could very well expand on their fanbase.

Lisa Walker says of the band's latest single:

"Lyrically, I struggled for a while to get this one right. It’s a study on the minutiae of loss. The things we leave behind.. the ways in which we live on, and maybe even reveal ourselves to others, after we’re gone. How something so simple and small - like an old hard drive or guitar cable - can mean so much. Realizing in one crystal moment that this thing you borrowed from someone can't be returned, because they're not here anymore. Creating this was part of a grieving process that I'm not - we're not - entirely finished with, but I think working on this song helped.

"Most of the tracks for this new record were written a few years back, prior to the start of recording. But ‘The Great Divide’ is one of the exceptions. I had the melody and chord progression as far back as 2019, but hadn’t written anything to it yet. Near the end of our studio sessions for this new record, I was finally able to put the right words to it, and I texted the band a demo. I thought at best, it could be an acoustic closer or maybe go onto a future album. But Joe [Klug] really championed it, and was willing to set up his drums at The Lodge all over again just to record this song with the full Wussy force. If not for the band and John Hoffman being willing to make that extra effort, this song wouldn’t exist in this format.

"The B-side features a couple tracks that are from the What Heaven Is Like studio sessions. We realized we still had a couple of songs with John E. that hadn't yet seen the light of day, so we're thrilled to put those out into the world."

You can watch the lyric video for "The Great Divide" below. Cincinnati Ohio is due out November 15 on Shake It Records, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp. For more on Wussy, check out the band's website.

Babyfangs - "Feelings Bleed"

Photo by Adam Castilla

A lot of artists have been blending the worlds of indie rock and pop lately, but none are doing it quite like Babyfangs. The musical project of Ava Wilson (born in Memphis and now Los Angeles based) has just released its debut single, "Feelings Bleed." The song is about the year Wilson spent in a Utah treatment center for "troubled teens," and it's this wonderful mix of pop and indie rock. Wilson's vocals have this syrupy slacker sound to them. Add to that a musical backdrop that's far too pop to be indie rock but far too quirky to be pop. The whole song sounds like it was recorded in a haze and has a certain dream/nightmare quality to the listening experience. I'm hearing a mixture of Lana Del Ray meets Blondeshell. We're most likely jumping on the Babyfangs bandwagon, and are anxiously waiting to hear more.

Babyfangs says of their debut single:

“‘Feelings Bleed’ delves into the idea of escaping or running away from not only the treatment center, but also the feelings it left me with. I think writing this song was the closure I needed, I never felt like the program cared about me therefore I shouldn’t care about it anymore.”

You can watch the video for "Feelings Bleed" below. For more on Babyfangs, check out the artist on Instagram.

Doing Anything This Weekend?: September 13-15

Doing Anything this Weekend? is a feature here at If It's Too Loud... where we feature some live shows in and on the far outskirts of the Boston area. Our main rules are that they have to be reasonably priced shows that you can attend last minute. They'll feature If It's Too Loud... approved bands, and we'll provide event links when possible. And since we're in outdoor music season, these events are weather permitting. If you're looking for last minute plans this weekend, we recommend:

Friday September 13

Jedediah Parish and Mike Gent at Q Division Studios, Cambridge, MA

DeVotchka and Savoir Faire at The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA

Buffalo Tom and Belly at State Theater, Portland, ME

Bongwish, Mother Fungus, The P.A.'s, and Little Miss Echo at Deep Cuts, Medford, MA

Feminine Aggression, Perennial, and Juana B Ontop at Holyoke Media, Holyoke, MA

Saturday September 14

Moon Over Salem Festival featuring Actor Observer, Hell Beach, dropbear, The Freqs, Oldsoul, Astral Bitch, Molly O'Leary, One Fall, and more throughout downtown Salem, MA

SUPAPS 2024 featuring Unnatural Axe, Children of the Flaming Wheel, Fugue State, and more at Lincoln Park, Somerville, MA

Nervous Eaters, Robin Lane, and Tiger Bomb at Askew, Providence, RI

Belly and Buffalo Tom at Fete, Providence, RI

Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band and This Way to the Egress at Boston Harbor Distillery, Dorchester, MA

The Folk Collective: Re-Imagining Lilith Fair featuring Naomi Westwater and Heather Scott at Club Passim, Cambridge, MA

Gossip Collar, Adult Learners, Whyte Lipstick, and Hilken Mancini Band at Midway Cafe, Jamaica Plain, MA

Locally Grown Festival featuring Will Dailey and Blue Light Bandits at Bellforge Arts Center, Medfield, MA

Sunday September 15

Women of Boston Hip Hop Showcase featuring Dutch Rebelle, Brandie Blaze, kei, Cakeswagg, and Jazzmyn RED at Arrow Street Arts, Cambridge, MA

The Wildmans and Rachel Sumner at The Word Barn, Exeter, NH

Outerloop - "Rat"

D.C. punk bands just have a certain sound to them, and our latest favorite is Outerloop. Outerloop falls on the post-punk side of things, and have more of a punk sound than the dance-friendly style of the genre we've been hearing more and more of lately. They just released a live video for "Rat" recorded on the roof of the MLK Library roof as part of the DC Public Library Punk Archive. The song is a blistering example of punk and post-punk, that is a showcase for vocalist Taisha Estrada, who is an engaging frontperson, particularly since she has a voice rarely heard in punk, and especially in post-punk. The song reminds me of a more punk/less grunge version of The Gits. Outerloop certainly aren't reinventing their genres with "Rat," but it still ends up being a thrilling song that has us ravenous to hear more.

You can watch the live video for "Rat" below. DCxPC Live Vol, 24 Outerloop Live is due out September 27 on DCxPC, and is available for pre-order here. For more on Outerloop, check out the band on Instagram and Facebook.

Verböten - "No More Indecision"

Photo by Nathan Keay

Verböten, aka the Chicago punk band that formed in 1982 comprised of kids ages ten to fourteen, never released an album during their initial run, but are all set to release their debut forty-two years later! Their latest single, "No More Indecision," is a two minute burst of melodic punk. It's as aggressive as it is melodic, with driving guitars and drums backing up relatively laid back vocals. This one is a fast and furious political punk song that is still going to win over the more mainstream of punk fans. Not many other bands can pull off a comeback for their teenage (or younger) band over forty years later, but no other band is Verböten!

Jason Narducy says of his band's latest single:

“I wrote ‘No More Indecision’ on January 1st of this year. The music sounded defiant and, because it was the first day of the year, I was thinking about what’s ahead. The lyrics came quickly when I thought about the total denial of climate change by conservatives and the infuriatingly slow pace of meaningful legislation by democrats. The song is us screaming for real change.”

You can listen to "No More Indecision" below. Verböten's self-titled debut album is due out October 4, and is available for pre-order here. For more on Verböten, check out the band on Instagram and Facebook.

Goat - "Goatbrain"

Sweden's Goat are making psychedelic music that is as brilliant as it is fun. Their latest single, "Goatbrain," has a strong groove and sounds more like world music than a more rock based version of psychedelia. It's probably more rooted in the more experimental side of The Beatles than garage psych... at least until the fuzzed out guitar solo kicks in. "Goatbrain" is such an all encompassing slice of psychedelic music that is sure to grab your attention instantly and refuse to let it go. It's the kind of song that is almost set up in segments, and each time it switches sonically, you end up loving it even more. 

You can watch the video for "Goatbrain" below. Goat is due out October 11 on Rocket Recordings, and is available for pre-order here. For more on Goat, check out the band on Instagram and Facebook.

First Listen: New Releases for 6 September 2024

Artist: MJ Lenderman
Album: Manning Fireworks
Quick Thoughts: I can't remember the last indie record that came in with the level of buzz this one, and I certainly can't remember the last time the buzz was not only warranted, but kind of understated its quality. On his third solo album, he just has so many great ideas and lyrics throughout this that just hit different. I especially love "Rudolph," which starts out somewhat fun before quickly dropping its weight on the whole thing. It's a tightrope he walks with ease throughout this album, which might be one of the year's best.
Songs of Note: "Manning Fireworks," "Rudolph," "Wristwatch," "She's Leaving You," "Bark at the Moon"

Artist: The Dare
Album: What's Wrong With New York?
Quick Thoughts: So The Dare are not reinventing the wheel with their sleazy party indie, and in fact feel like a modern incarnation of LCD Soundsystem, but the point is less about who they remind me of and more about how well it works. "Girls" is getting a second life on TikTok, but songs like "Good Time" and "All Night" are both songs that could explode in the right circumstances. A great listen.
Songs of Note: "Good Time," "Perfume," "All Night," "Girls"

Artist: Peel Dream Magazine
Album: Rose Main Reading Room
Quick Thoughts: Is "twee" still a thing? If so, is this twee? Does it matter as long as it's great? Peel Dream Magazine has a gentle, fragile little listen here that has so many nice little surprises. A cozy little listen for the start of the fall.
Songs of Note: "Central Park West," "R.I.P. (Running in Place)," "Gems and Minerals," "Lie in the Gutter"

Artist: Okay Kaya
Album: Oh My God - That's So Me
Quick Thoughts: Okay Kaya has a few releases under her belt that are always a little left of center, but this latest album seems to distill her sound in a way that brings it all together. Songs like "Spacegirl (Shirley's)" are compellingly strange, and a strong reminder that no one is quite like her in the indie landscape. Check it out.
Songs of Note: "The Wannabe," "Picture This," "Help, I've Been Put Into Context," "My Bernice," "Spacegirl (Shirley's)"

Artist: New Ghost
Album: A Dagger in Every Tide
Quick Thoughts: I wanted to highlight this record, an indie slice of shoegaze that has a number of great moments but really deserves a full listen to take in. It's exactly what I want from a modern shoegaze record, and it's worth the time in a week with a lot of good releases.
Songs of Note: "Cherry Violence," "Viscera"

Artist: Oahk
Album: Sea Kelp
Quick Thoughts: I didn't know Oahk prior to this week, but Ken has seen them before. The New Hampshire act has an album here that defies any sort of genre categorization, and it's to their benefit. It's equal parts heavy and light, with hints of doomy folk to go along with some memorable songs and moments. Do not sleep on this.
Songs of Note: "She Grows in the Garden," "Nebula Atlantic"

Of note:

* Party Dozen - Crime in Australia (Solid instrumental rock.)
* Hinds - Viva Hinds * Luke Sanger - Dew Point Harmonics * Sarah Kinsley - Escaper * Dummy - Free Energy * LL Cool J - THE FORCE * 65daysofstatic - Disquiet / Utopian Frequencies
* Glacier - A Distant, Violent Shudder * Beth Anderson - I Can't Stand It * His Father's Voice - Black Poison Morning * Webb Chapel - World Cup * Tamar Berk - Good Times for a Change * Laila! - Gap Year! * Chad Crouch - Marquam Nature Park Soundwalk * Nala Sinephro - Endlessness * Cold Gawd - I'll Drown on This Earth * Ant - Collection of Sounds Vol. 1 * Shovels and Rope - Something is Working Up Above My Head * Fred again.. - ten days * American Monoxide - Microwave Ensemble * DATAGIRL - Hello World * Charlotte Rose Benjamin - Moth Mouth * Holy Snakes - O Me! O Life! * The Peawees - One Ride * Adriana McCassim - See It Fades * Emma Russack - About the Girl * Ørdop Wolkenscheidt - Lusatian Gothic * Shadow Wizard Money Gang - INCANTATIONS FROM THE DARK GRIMOIRE * Luke Winslow-King - Flash-A-Magic * Miss Madeline - So Dramatic * The Deslondes - Roll It Out * The Crane Wives - Beyond Beyond Beyond * Midwife - No Depression in Heaven * Missy Higgins - The Second Act * Artificial Go - Hopscotch Fever * Conner Youngblood - Cascades, Cascading, Cascadingly * Amy Allen - Amy Allen * Blomst - STIL * Cathedral Ceilings - La La La... Whatever * Conductor Williams and Rei the Imperial - OPERATION FLAMETHROWER * Tears Run Rings - Everything in the End * Doohickey Cubicle - Super Smeller * Strawberry Sleepover - Filth * Blush Always - An Ode To ? * OK Ikumi - Mountain Shadows EPs:

* Laura Jane Grace - Give and Inch * BASIC - This is BASIC * Georgia Gets By - Split Lip * Massive Nightmares - Massive Nightmares * HOO - Snake Live albums/Compilations/Reissues:

* Red Scare Industries: 20 Years of Dreaming and Scheming (A compilation of unreleased music celebrating the Chicago punk label.)
* The Cardigans - The Rest of the Best - Vol. 1 * Disney - A Whole New Sound Also out:

* Toro y Mopi - Hole Erth * Fat Dog - WOOF. * Mercury Rev - Born Horses

Ebo Taylor, Adrian Younge, & Ali Shaheed Muhammed - "Obra Akyedzi (Gift of Life)"

Photo by The Artform Studio

Back in 2023, Ghanian highlife and Afrobeat pioneer Ebo Taylor travelled to and performed in the US for the first time at the age of eighty-eight. While visiting the States, he worked with Jazz Is Dead producers Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammed (of A Tribe Called Quest) on a new album. The first single off that album can be listened to, and it is quite simply fantastic. "Obra Akyedzi (Gift of Life)" goes far past the all encompassing "world music" label. It combines elements of Afrobeat with jazz and funk for a sound that is going to resonate with anyone who has a soul. The most astounding this is that Ebo Taylor was eighty-eight when he recorded it, and it sounds like a lost album from the 70's. Open your mind and check out the brilliance of "Obra Akyedzi (Gift of Life)."

Adrian Younge says of working with Ebo Taylor:

“Collaborating with Ebo Taylor is definitely a bucket-list accomplishment. For me, it is the equivalent of working with musical genius Fela Kuti, because of how much I have studied both of their work and influence on the genre of Afrobeat. Seriously, recording the genius to analog tape while highlighting the raw recording styles of 1970s Africa is a dream I never thought could come to reality! It was also great to work with Ebo’s son, Henry Taylor, who is a true musical force in his own right.” 

You can listen to "Obra Akyedzi (Gift of Life)" below. Ebo Taylor JID0022 is due out October 25 on Jazz Is Dead. For more on Ebo Taylor, check out the artist on Instagram. Upcoming tour dates are below the song.

Oct 9 - The Ford, Los Angeles, CA

Oct 11 - The Magnolia, San Diego, CA
Oct 14 - Revolution Hall, Portland, OR
Oct 15 - Neumos, Seattle, WA
Oct 18 - The UC Theatre, Berkeley, CA
Oct 20 - Metro Music Hall, Salt Lake City, UT
Oct 22 - Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, Denver, CO
Oct 24 - Radio/East, Austin, TX
Oct 26 - Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA
Oct 28 - Fine Line, Minneapolis, MN
Oct 29 - Thalia Hall, Chicago, IL
Oct 31 - Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, CA
Nov 02 - Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA
Nov 04 - Howard Theatre, Washington DC
Nov 07 - McCarter Theatre, Princeton, NJ

Nov 10 - Webster Hall, New York City, NY

Nov 15 - Autêntica, Belo Horizonte, BR*

Nov 23 - Casa Natura Musical, São Paulo, Brazil*

Nov 30 - Foro Indie Rocks! , Mexico City, MX*

Astral Bitch - "Haunting You"

We absolutely loved Astral Bitch's 2023 single "You've Got It Wrong," and have been waiting (somewhat) patiently for a follow up. The Boston band is finally back with "Haunting You." If you loved their previous single as much as we did, buckle up for this one. While the previous single reminded us of classic grunge, their new one is one of the best punk tracks of the year. It starts off with a feedback whine, and then just barrels forward into a burst that borders on thrash metal. It's this fantastic mixture of bands like L7, Motorhead, and The Gits. "Haunting You" also taps into the primal side of protopunk. After hearing this song, we're expecting huge things for Astral Bitch.

Lead vocalist and guitarist Sam Coren says of the band's latest single:

“Sometimes all it takes is one person to encourage you to stop compromising what you want just to survive. So many people give up on their dreams because they’re too afraid of failure to even try. You’ll never be able to take big scary risks and stop living in regret over what could have been if you can’t learn to trust yourself and the people who want to support you.” 

You can listen to "Haunting You" below. For more on Astral Bitch, check out the band on Instagram and Facebook. They're also playing Moon Over Salem this Saturday. You can find more information for that here.

The Linda Lindas - "No Obligation"

Photo by Jessie Cowan

The Linda Lindas have been moving away from the raw punk of "Stupid Racist Boy" and towards a more pop sound with the singles off their upcoming album. That is, until the release of "No Obligation." This new song is their most punk song yet, with Eloise Wong adopting a guttural growl on the verses. The chorus turns a little more pop, with gang vocals taking over and adding a slight harmony to the song. There are even some Dead Kennedys-esque guitars throughout "No Obligation." This one is going to make even the most die hard classic Epitaph Records fans satisfied.

The Linda Lindas say of their latest single:

“Eloise wrote this ripper because we won’t adhere to what anyone else thinks we should sound like or who they think we are. We don’t make music out of obligation— we make music out of love. And we’re so grateful for all of the opportunities music has given us, like going to Japan and making this video with a team including Naoko from Shonen Knife! Enjoy.” 

You can watch the video for "No Obligation" below. No Obligation, the album, is due out October 11 on Epitaph, and is available for pre-order here. For more on The Linda Lindas, check out the band's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.

09/11 – Arlington, TX @ Globe Life Field $

09/14 – Los Angeles, CA @ SoFi Stadium $

09/18 – Phoenix, AZ @ Chase Field $

09/20 – San Francisco, CA @ Oracle Park $

09/21 - Berkeley, CA @ 924 Gilman

09/23 – Seattle, WA @ T-Mobile Park $

09/25 – Portland, OR @ Providence Park $

09/28 – San Diego, CA @ Petco Park $

$ = w/ Green Day, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Rancid

^ = w/ Green Day and Rancid only

Willie Watson - "Already Gone"

Photo by Hayden Shiebler

Somehow Willie Watson (Old Crow Medicine Show) has never released a solo album of original songs during his twenty year career. That ends on Friday with the release of his self-titled album. We've dropped the ball on bringing you previous singles, so hopefully "Already Gone" makes that up to you. "Already Gone" is the kind of quiet folk/singer-songwriter song that is so impossibly engaging it reminds you of why you fell in love with the genre in the first place. Musically, it's Watson's vocals over a soft guitar and even softer drums, and it's absolutely perfect. Even if you've been falling off the folk bandwagon lately, "Already Gone" is going to pull you right back on. Watson has crafted a song that is perfect in its simplicity.

Willie Watson says of his latest single:

"The song seems to be a centerpoint of this whole record. It’s a guy just trying to look at himself in the mirror and it’s hard. I’ve tried not to look too close but if I can stop tearing myself apart inside for two seconds, get a little closer and just look.. sometimes I hear a gentler voice."

You can watch the video for "Already Gone" below. Willie Watson's self-titled album is due out September 13, and is available for pre-order here. For more on Willie Watson, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.

Sept 19 - Nashville, TN - Americana Fest 

Sept 21 - Lyons, CO - Planet Bluegrass 

Sept 25 - Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theater = 

Sept 27 - Raleigh, NC - IBMA World of Bluegrass

Sept 28 - Lexington, KY - The Burl =

Sept 29 - Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark = 

Oct 1 - Indianapolis, IN - HI-Fi Annex =

Oct 2 - Evanston, IL - SPACE =

Oct 4 - Stoughton, WI - Stoughton Opera House = 

Oct 5 - Green Lake, WI - Thrasher Opera House =

Oct 6 - Minneapolis, MN - Dakota  =

Oct 30 - Los Angeles, CA - Pico Union Project ^

Nov 1 - Felton, CA - Felton Music Hall  

Nov 2 - Petaluma, CA - Mystic Theater & Music Hall 

Nov 3 - Berkeley, CA - Freight & Salvage ^ 

Nov 4 - Ferndale, CA - The Old Steeple 

Nov 6 - Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern +  

Nov 7 - Bellingham, WA - Wild Buffalo +  

Nov 8 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios +

Nov 9 - Vancouver, BC - Biltmore Cabaret + 

Nov 11 - Missoula, MT - Top Hat Lounge + 

Nov 12 - Bozeman, MT - The Rialto + 

Nov 15 - Fort Collins, CO - The Coast + 

Nov 16 - Denver, CO - Globe Hall +  

Nov 19 - Kansas City, MO - Knuckleheads

Nov 20 - St Louis, MO  - The Pageant *  

Nov 21 - Des Moines, IA - Val Air Ballroom West *

Nov 22 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater *

Nov 23 - Iowa City, IA - Hancher Auditorium  *

Dec 3 - Nashville, TN - Basement East + 

Dec 4 - Asheville, NC - The Grey Eagle Music Hall + 

Dec 6 - Washington DC - Union Stage +  

Dec 7 - Charlottesville, Va - The Southern +

Dec 8 - Ardmore, PA - Ardmore Music Hall + 

Dec 10 - Boston, MA - The Sinclair +  

Dec 12 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom + 

Dec 13 - Woodstock, NY - Levon Helm Studios +  

Dec 14 -  Ithaca, NY - Hangar Theatre + 

* supporting Old Crow Medicine Show 

= with special guest Jack Van Cleaf

^ with special guest Margo Cilker

+ with special guest Viv & Riley