American Football have shared the first piece of their upcoming 4th full-length album, and it finds them in a stunningly inventive mood.
The track is called ‘Bad Moons’ and is a sensational piece of delicate, thoughtful and emotional songwriting. Incorporating all the twinkly emo notes the band have been so influential in crafting, but throwing in shimmering keys, soft beats, and intricate storytelling via Mike Kinsella’s caramel tones, it demonstrates they aren’t looking to rest on their laurels. Culminating in a post-rock-esque conclusion, built to a razor-sharp crescendo, the hairs on the back of your neck will be standing to attention.
It is quite simply beautiful, a radiant, expressive, forward-thinking piece of alternative music that feels as homely as it does box-fresh. A demonstration of what it means to let the music carry you where it wants to, even when you’ve been making it for nearly 30 years.
Mike had this to say about the origins of the song, explaining, “‘Bad Moons’ is actually a Frankenstein of two different demos we’d been passing around for quite a while: one playful, with children playing and toy-pianos plinking; one brooding, with guitars screeching and drums bombasting. I had already been singing the “(…) in the dark” mantra over the latter, so the biggest challenge for me was thematically bridging the innocence and buoyancy of the first act with the deep despair of the second. I decided to begin the song as a child. Or, rather…two. Stacked up in a single trench coat; secretly, reluctantly living the life of a grown man, accruing all of his missteps and guilt along the way. By the end, these missteps are almost spilling out of the boys. A cathartic confession, hopefully at least somewhat relatable to anyone listening who’s ever lived a life.”
‘American Football (LP4)’ will be released on May 01 via Polyvinyl.
The artwork looks like this:
Whilst the tracklisting looks like this:
1. Man Overboard
2. No Feeling
3. Blood On My Blood
4. Bad Moons
5. The One with the Piano
6. Patron Saint of Pale
7. Wake Her Up
8. Desdemona
9. Lullabye
10. No Soul to Save
The band are set to hit the road on both sides of the Atlantic around the album’s release. Here are all of their upcoming tour dates.
MAY
15 – DENVER Summit Music Hall *
17 – SALT LAKE CITY Kilby Block Party
18 – BOISE Treefort Music Hall *
19 – SEATTLE Moore Theater *
20 – PORTLAND Crystal Ballroom *
22 – SAN FRANCISCO Regency Ballroom *
23 – LOS ANGELES The Wiltern *
24 – SAN DIEGO The Observatory North Park *
JUNE
19 – MILAN Alcatraz !
20 – STUTTGART Im Wizeman !
21 – COLOGNE Die Kantine !
23 – BRUSSEL La Madeleine !
24 – AMSTERDAM Paradiso !
26 – LEEDS O2 Academy !
27 – LONDON O2 Kentish Forum !
JULY
08 – BOSTON Royale #
09 – NEW YORK Brooklyn Paramount #
10 – PHILADELPHIA Union Transfer #
11 – WASHINGTON 9:30 Club #
14 – RICHMOND The National
15 – ASHEVILLE Orange Peel #
16 – ATLANTA Variety Playhouse #
AUGUST
07 – CLEVELAND House of Blues ^
08 – TORONTO The Concert Hall ^
09 – PITTSBURGH Roxian Theatre
10 – COLUMBUS Newport Music Hall ^
12 – NASHVILLE Marathon Music Works ^
13 – INDIANAPOLIS Deluxe at Old National Centre ^
14 – CHICAGO The Salt Shed ^
15 – MILWAUKEE Turner Hall Ballroom ^
16 – MINNEAPOLIS First Avenue ^
* Mei Semones
! Marconi Union
# IAN SWEET
^ Afternoon Bike Ride
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source rocksound.tv ’
