The Doors news: 'Waiting for the Sun' deluxe anniversary reissue

The Doors released their third studio album, Waiting For The Sun, in July 1968. It was the band's third platinum album in less than two years, and the first to top the album chart.

Since its debut, the album has sold millions of copies around the globe and contributed to the Doors' legendary canon with classics like "The Unknown Soldier," "Five To One" and the #1 smash, "Hello, I Love You."

Rhino Records will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the album this year with WAITING FOR THE SUN: 50th ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION. This 2-CD/1-LP collection features a new version of the album's original stereo mix on both CD and 180-gram vinyl LP, which has been newly remastered from the original master tapes by Bruce Botnick, the Doors' longtime engineer/mixer.

The set also includes a second disc of 14 completely unreleased tracks: nine recently discovered "rough mixes" from the album recording sessions and five live songs from a 1968 Copenhagen show. WAITING FOR THE SUN: 50th ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION will be available on Sept. 14. The audio will also be available on digital download and streaming services.

"Hello, I Love You" became the band's second #1 hit when it topped the Billboard singles chart for two weeks beginning on August 3, 1968. Now, exactly 50 years later, Rhino will release a new 7" version of the single with its b-side "Love Street." For this anniversary release, Rhino will use mono radio mixes of the songs that were given exclusively to radio stations for airplay in 1968. This version of "Hello, I Love You" was first available last year as part of The Singles CD collection and is making its vinyl debut here, while the "Love Street" mix is being released commercially for the first time. The 7" single will be available on Aug. 3.

Botnick's newly remastered stereo mix of Waiting For The Sun adds new sonic dimensions to songs like "The Unknown Soldier" and "Spanish Caravan," but that wasn't his only contribution to the project. While going through his archive, he uncovered a cache of rough mixes from the sessions that hadn't been played in 50 years. Botnick says: "I prefer some of these rough mixes to the finals, as they represent all of the elements and additional background vocals, different sensibilities on balances, and some intangible roughness, all of which are quite attractive and refreshing."

The deluxe edition of the album also features unreleased live recordings of five songs from the Doors' September 17, 1968 concert in Copenhagen. The performance includes three songs from the band's latest album - "Hello, I Love You," "Five To One," and "The Unknown Soldier" - plus the classics "Back Door Man" and "The WASP (Texas Radio And The Big Beat)."

When the Doors recorded Waiting For The Sun in 1968, they were among the first bands to use Dolby A301 noise reduction processors, which was cutting-edge recording tech at the time. Similarly, the most advanced sound recording innovations were used to make the anniversary edition of Waiting For The Sun. The new release has been encoded with the MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) process. An MQA disc plays back on all CD players as standard CD quality. But if a conventional CD player is connected to an MQA-enabled device, it can play the same disc back at its original sample rate.

In other Doors news, the band has reprinted their original 1968 Doors concert program for the first time, which will be available exclusively in The Doors webstore. This was the only official tour program ever created by the band.

The program was originally produced for their 1968 U.S. tour but only sold at a few select shows and via mail order. Designed by Paul Ferrara, this 24-page program includes many color and black & white images taken by Ferrara, plus poetry by Jim Morrison, astrology charts for each band member, and more.

Pre-order now at the following links:
Waiting For The Sun: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition https://rh-ino.co/wfts50
Hello I Love You 7" https://rh-ino.co/helloiloveyou

Track listing:

Disc One
1. "Hello, I Love You"
2. "Love Street"
3. "Not To Touch The Earth"
4. "Summer's Almost Gone"
5. "Wintertime Love"
6. "The Unknown Soldier"
7. "Spanish Caravan"
8. "My Wild Love"
9. "We Could Be So Good Together"
10. "Yes, The River Knows"
11. "Five To One"

Disc Two (All Tracks Previously Unreleased)
Rough Mixes
1. "Hello, I Love You"
2. "Summer's Almost Gone"
3. "Yes, The River Knows"
4. "Spanish Caravan"
5. "Love Street"
6. "Wintertime Love"
7. "Not To Touch The Earth"
8. "Five To One"
9. "My Wild Love"

Live In Copenhagen
10. "The WASP (Texas Radio And The Big Beat)"
11. "Hello, I Love You"
12. "Back Door Man"
13. "Five To One"
14. "The Unknown Soldier"

face to face strip down for next album, tour

Fat Wreck Chords and veteran SoCal punk band face to face have announced forthcoming album, Hold Fast (Acoustic Sessions). Out on July 27 (pre-order), it is a career-spanning collection of some of the group’s signature songs, jumping from 1992’s Don’t Turn Away to most recent effort, 2016’s Protection, reimagined as their first-ever acoustic album.

Additionally, face to face recently announced a full acoustic tour in support of the album. Spanning this summer and fall, the jaunt will take in evenings in more intimate venues across the U.S. with special guests Cory Branan and Austin Lucas appearing in select markets. face to face will also be performing with Frank Turner and Lucero at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Friday,August 3 and will be making an appearance at this year’s Riot Fest in Chicago, IL from Sept. 14-16. A full listing of dates can be found below and more information on tickets can be found on the band’s official website HERE.

Formed by frontman Trever Keith 27 years ago, the band has weathered trends that have come and gone.

“During last year’s Econo-Live tour, we included a VIP package for the first time ever,” Keith says. “I wanted to do something more than just signing autographs or taking pictures, so we added an acoustic set every night before the show. What came out of that experience was this realization that our songs, when stripped down, had a really cool identity that didn’t exist the way that we play them as a full band, punk-rock style. We started to notice this connection with the people who were watching, and we started thinking, ‘Maybe we should record this.’”

So Keith and his band—longtime bassist Scott Shiflett, drummer Danny Thompson and guitarist Dennis Hill—did just that, booking a studio during an off-day on tour to capture this raw, stripped-down snapshot of their catalog. From there, the band approached their label about releasing the album. Even though the label was supportive of the project, Keith himself wasn’t happy with the result. He decided to scrap the original sessions and have the band hit the studio once more, this time with more songs and refined arrangements that include guest musicians (including accomplished pedal-steel player Gary Brandin and Dirty Heads percussionist Jon Olazabal) and unique instrumentation such as mandolin, piano and harmonium.

“We’re a band that isn’t afraid to try new things and stretch out beyond what people define as punk rock – it’s part of our career ethic and something we will never change,” Keith continues. “An acoustic record is something we never would have done in 1994 because it wasn’t ‘punk rock’ then, but the world has changed, our supporters have changed, we’ve changed, and the timing just feels right.”

STREAM: “DISCONNECTED”

STREAM: “KEEP YOUR CHIN UP”
FROM HOLD FAST (ACOUSTIC SESSIONS)

Check out “Disconnected” and “Keep Your Chin Up”
from Hold Fast (Acoustic Sessions) on YouTube

Tour dates:

07/25/18 - Los Angeles, CA at Hotel Cafe *
07/26/18 - Santa Ana, CA at The Observatory *
07/27/18 - San Francisco, CA at Slim's *
07/28/18 - Sacramento, CA at Holy Diver *
07/29/18 - Riverside, CA at Concert Lounge @ Romans *
08/03/18 - Morrison, CO at Red Rocks Amphitheatre (w/ Frank Turner, Lucero)
09/14/18 - Chicago, IL at Cobra Lounge #
09/14/18 - Chicago, IL at RIOT FEST
09/16/18 - Pittsburgh, PA at Club Cafe #
09/17/18 - Buffalo, NY at Knitting Factory #
09/18/18 - Brooklyn, NY at Knitting Factory #
09/19/18 - New York, NY at City Winery #
09/20/18 - Asbury Park, NJ at Crossroads #
09/21/18 - Croydon, PA at Neshaminy Creek Brewing #
09/22/18 - Ithaca, NY at The Haunt #
09/23/18 - Boston, MA at City Winery #
09/25/18 - Virginia Beach, VA at Shakas #
09/26/18 - Washington, DC at City Winery #
09/27/18 - Richmond, VA at Broadberry #
09/28/18 - Atlanta, GA at City Winery #
09/29/18 - Cincinnati, OH at Northside Yacht Club #
09/30/18 - Nashville, TN at City Winery #

* - Acoustic only performance w/ Cory Branan

# - Acoustic only performance w/ Austin Lucas

Track listing:

Hold Fast (Acoustic Sessions) track listing:
All For Nothing
Disconnected (stream)
Shame On Me
Keep Your Chin Up (stream)
Velocity
AOK
Don’t Turn Away
Blind
Ordinary
Bill Of Goods

Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly tour resumes in Sept.

Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly return to the road in September for more shows in North America.

Ken Casey, Dropkick Murphys’ vocalist, explains, "It’s been one hell of a party. Great to hang with our old friends Flogging Molly on and off the stage and it’s been great to see so many smiling faces in the audience each night. It’s something the two bands and the fans have wanted for a long time. We are so excited for the next leg of the tour out West."

Flogging Molly leader Dave King says, "What a tour this has been...It took many years, but worth the wait, not just for the bands, but the fans as well. If there's an Irish punk rock heaven, then this is it! Touring with theDropkick Murphys has been a highlight of our touring lives, what a great band, and a great bunch of lads, can’t wait to bring this celebration to the West Coast! So, get ready and grab your partner because we’re all just dancers on the ‘Devils Dance Floor'."

Tickets for the new dates go on sale staring this Thursday, June 28 at www.dropkickmurphys.com and www.floggingmolly.com.

Tour dates: 

Monday, September 17
Edmonton, AB
Shaw Conference Center *

Tuesday, September 18
Grand Prairie, AB
Revolution Place *

Thursday, September 20
Vancouver, BC
PNE Forum *

Friday, September 21
Eugene, OR
Cuthbert Amphitheater *

Saturday, September 22
Seattle, WA
WaMu Theater *

Sunday, September 23
Bonner, MT
KettleHouse Amphitheater *

Tuesday, September 25
Sacramento, CA
Papa Murphy's Park at Cal Expo +

Wednesday, September 26
Avila Beach, CA
Avila Beach Resort +

Thursday, September 27
San Francisco, CA
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium *

Friday, September 28
Irvine, CA
Five Point Amphitheatre +

Saturday, September 29
Mesa, AZ
Mesa Amphitheatre +

* Dropkick Murphys close the show
+ Flogging Molly closes the show

An interview with John Jorgenson

photo: Piper Ferguson

When John Jorgenson performs this summer at the Redlands Bowl, the experience will be “a full-circle moment. It’s great in so many ways; that’s where I used to go as a really young kid,” the acclaimed multi-instrumentalist said in a phone interview from Nashville. “Some of the very first performances I ever saw were there — be it an orchestra, musical or ballet. Our family would go and put the blanket on the lawn.”

The Jorgensons moved to Redlands when John was a year old, so “I consider myselfa native. I have no memories of any other place.”

Jorgenson last played the Bowl just over a decade ago with his eponymous gypsy jazz quintet. (Their compilation CD, “La Journee des Tziganes,” done in conjunction with a Chicago ballet show, is expected to be on sale at the Bowl.)

The musician returned in 2015 to watch sister-in-law Ana Gonzalez-Jorgenson sing Mexican folk music.

A former Bowl competition winner while a senior at the University of Redlands (majoring in woodwinds performance), Jorgenson feels the award was an impressive early achievement, although he didn’t quite realize it at the time.

“When I was younger, I didn’t look at those things as some-thing I could put in my resume. It was just, ‘let’s try this and see what happens,’ ” Jorgenson admitted about doing a piece by Von Weber.

Among the foremost authorities on gypsy jazz guitar in the U.S., Jorgenson has done instructional books on CD/DVD and recorded several albums in the genre, earned the distinction of being the rare American musician to appear at Festival Django Reinhardt in France (he portrayed Reinhardt in the 2004 film “Head in the Clouds,” starring Charlize Theron and Penelope Cruz). In July, he’ll help lead a two-day Hot Club Dream Camp in Colorado.

On June 26, Jorgenson plans to do a three-movement concerto for gypsy jazz guitar and orchestra at the Redlands Bowl that he co-wrote after working on an album with the Nashville Chamber Orchestra.

“As far as I know, it’s the first and only one” of its type Jorgenson said, adding that the full concerto is demanding and he hasn’t done it in several years.

Growing up, Jorgenson’s father and mother were on the music faculty at University of Redlands and San Bernardino Valley College, respectively. John started learning piano at age 5 and moved to the clarinet and guitar by 10.

“By the time I was 12, I had my first guitar. Then my neighborhood garage rock band already had three guitars, so I decided to play bass.”

Being a versatile player has been a major benefit to Jorgenson’s career, which kicked into gear when he joined the Desert Rose Band with Herb Pedersen and former Byrds member Chris Hillman in 1985. They notched a dozen top 40 country singles (including the chart toppers “He’s Back and I’m Blue” and “I Still Believe in You”). Jorgenson won consecutive Academy of Country Music awards for guitarist of the year.

Following their breakup, he joined Elton John’s band from 1994-2000 and played on the British legend’s platinum ’97 disc, “The Big Picture.”

Jorgenson said he learned to “project stage energy” from John. “I’d never played big arenas and coliseums regularly. It’s like the difference between acting for the camera and acting onstage. Your stuff has to be a bit exaggerated for the stage. I played a lot of instruments to fill in different colors and interacted with the audiences.”

Since then, Jorgenson has amassed astounding studio session credits that include Kenny Chesney, Rodney Crowell, Emmylou Harris, Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley (for which he won a Grammy), Bob Seger, Peter Frampton, Bonnie Raitt and Lionel Richie.

Yet Jorgenson’s contributions to Hillman’s 2017 album “Bidin’ My Time” ended up being more meaningful on an emotional level because the sessions were among the last overseen by Tom Petty.

“I really loved Tom as a producer,” recalled Jorgenson. “He knew what it was like to be in our position. He was very gentle and objective with ideas and really led us into a nice project. I’d been a fan of his since I first heard ‘Listen to Her Heart’ on the radio.”

During Petty’s final interview, he told the Los Angeles Times that Jorgenson’s playing was “Off the map and guitar’s not even his first instrument. It isn’t fair. …His touch is so beautiful.”

That’s some high praise.

“I was flabbergasted,” Jorgenson said. “I couldn’t call him up and thank him.”

Young Artists Concerto Competition Grand Finals

With: John Jorgenson, Music Director Frank Fetta and orchestra

When: 8 p.m. June 26

Where: Redlands Bowl,25 Grant St.

Information: redlandsbowl.org, johnjorgenson.com

My interview originally appeared in the summer issue of Redlands Magazine and at redlandsdailyfacts.com.

Steve Grand returns soon with 'Not the End of Me'

Steve Grand's upcoming album, Not the End of Me, is due out July 6 through his own label, Grand Nation. Preorders are available now with two instant gratification tracks - the title track and “Don’t Let the Light In.”

The album includes 12 new tracks, all written and composed by Grand. It also features alternate versions of 3 of the songs. Grand says of the tracks, “This album is autobiographical; very personal, somber and reflective.”

“Writing this album was an exercise in catharsis,” he says. “I’m more unfiltered on this album and explore some of the internal and external challenges I’ve faced over the last few years.”

The album's title track is a song Grand wrote when a long-time relationship was coming to an end. "Breaking up can be long and drawn-out, painful and ugly. This one certainly was," Grand said. "It was trying and exhausting, (and) this song deals with all of that, as well as the resolution that this is 'not the end of me."

Grand also predicts "Don't Let the Light In" will be a favorite among his fans. "I wrote it within the last few months before I became sober. At that time, I was reflecting on the way I had been living my life over the last few years that my song 'All-American Boy' blew up, in 2013," he said. "I felt isolated and realized I was dealing with that isolation in some unhealthy ways."

With the release of his first album, All American Boy, in 2015, Steve Grand broke the mold for the traditional singer-songwriter. Having self-funded a viral video of the title track, then fan funding the release and creating a vocal and energetic fanbase, the openly gay artist from Chicago created a place for himself in the music industry and hasn’t looked back since. The past three years have seen Grand touring across the world, gathering new energetic fans and creating new music.

With over 18 million views on YouTube, a #3 album on The Billboard Independent Album Artist charts, and one of the most successful music Kickstarter campaigns ever under his belt, Grand has not just broken the rules, but has changed the game in how to be a successful singer-songwriter in this era.

Not the End of Me will be available on Steve Grand’s website, at all live shows, and across all digital download and streaming platforms.

Track listing:

Walking
Pink Champagne
Disciple
Don't Let the Light In
Safe and Sound
Ain't it Something
Not the End of Me
Anti-Hero
Good to See You
All I Want
You or the Music
Can't Go Back

An interview with Sloan

photo: Vanessa Heins

Sloan has been cranking out undeniably catchy power pop and rock tunes for nearly three decades.

Just don’t call them “earworms.” Chris Murphy believes that term has a negative connotation and cited Crazy Frog’s worldwide 2005 chart topper “Axel F” as an example. People would think, “I can’t get this fucking song out of my head,” said the singer/bassist, during a phone interview from Toronto. 

“We’re not going to be the next big thing. I’m not trying to chase people away with my music; I’m trying to make it interesting at every turn.” 

Murphy met drummer Andrew Scott when they attended Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. After hooking up with lead guitarist Patrick Pentland and rhythm guitarist Jay Ferguson, the musicians formed Sloan in 1991. 

They signed to Geffen Records in America, put out debut disc Smeared here in early ’93 and saw first single “Underwhelmed” reach #25 at Modern Rock radio – remarkably the indie rockers’ only American chart entry to date.

“When we started to make our second and third records, I was really embarrassed by our first one,” admitted Murphy. “To me, it sounded like such a knockoff of My Bloody Valentine, things that were happening and already four years behind the times. 

“Now, I look back at it and think that it’s quaint. I’m less ashamed of it and think it was more of the time. That was the last time we were all musically on the same page.” 

Since then, Sloan has notched half a dozen top 40 hits on various Canadian rock radio charts. Each member sings lead on the songs they write and switches instruments while playing them live onstage. Gregory Macdonald has contributed keyboards/vocals on tour and in the studio since ’06. 

Latest album 12 is the band’s strongest in years. The title represents its order in the catalog and numbers of tracks. Rife with memorable singalong choruses and harmonies, Murphy’s contributions to 12 - “Spin Our Wheels,” “Don’t Stop (If it Feels Good, Do It)” and “Wish Upon a Satellite” - are all effervescent gems.

Scott’s compositions tend to veer towards prog/folk rock territory. The rustic, dreamy “Gone for Good,” which would sit well alongside Fleet Foxes material, is his shining moment. Ferguson’s standouts are the breezy “Right to Roam” and rollicking, piano-driven “Essential Services” (an early album title contender). Pentland’s serrated, Oasis-like rocker “The Day Will Be Mine” features some tasty guitar work; the Nirvana-esque “All of the Voices” touches upon his struggles with anxiety and depression and dates back to the early 2000s. 

“We have people in the band that consider themselves artists and [others] that consider themselves entertainers,” explained Murphy. “I’m probably closer to an entertainer because I’m more of a goofball. I take the songwriting really seriously and try my hardest. I don’t think I’m making novelty, goofball songs – nothing against Weird Al.” 

Yet Murphy has also written “suites that are three, four songs in one and maybe harder to get into” and likened them to “reading a magazine, turning the pages and seeing different layouts.” 

Surprisingly, he initially wasn’t all that keen to get back together and record 12. 

“I thought it was too much time, money and energy to make new music based on how easy or difficult it was to get everybody in a room. And how many songs we already have that we’re competing with ourselves for space in the live show.” 

The quartet treated 2014 double album Commonwealth like a traditional vinyl LP and curated their own sides. Murphy said he is proud of it, as well as 2006’s sprawling, 30-track Never Hear the End of It, but admits they were hard sells. 

“To me, the funniest comedy is when people completely indulge themselves and go down a rabbit hole. We’re not trying to get everyone to follow us. Young people don’t have a favorite band in a way that matters as much anymore. 

“I always get a kick out of teenagers who know what we’re doing,” Murphy continued. “They have usually been dragged there by their parents.” 

While Sloan’s high school and college-aged followers might have discovered the band through Spotify and the musician’ accompanying playlists, Murphy admits he doesn’t even have the latter streaming service. 

“I’m basically revealing myself to be the old man that I am. I just have an iPod full of all the records I give a shit about. That’s all I need. I don’t mean to be down on new music. I think there is probably good new music, though I suspect a lot of it is not my bag. I’m just in a different point in my life for taking in that kind of information. Music did change my life, but I don’t really think that my mind will explode from new music here on in. Unless something crazy happens.”

Since 2012, Sloan concerts have often included two sets with an intermission. 

“We really have too many songs,” said Murphy. Since there are four writers, “We try to represent everybody fairly equally in any given setlist or album real estate. We all want to sing some new songs. If it costs $30 to get in, we better play something that people know. Then, with a 200+ song catalog, we also like to do something for someone who’s already seen us 20 times.”

On recent live dates, the guys have been playing a good chunk of the 12 selections without apology. 

“I don’t mind having my feet held to the fire, like ‘Who do you think you are, playing 10 new songs?’ We realize that it’s a lot to ask. But we insist on taking our new record seriously. If you’re the Rolling Stones and play 10 new songs, people would [say], ‘What are you doing? Are you insane?’ You might say that it’s just as insane for us to do it, but we’re a cult band. When R.E.M. had records out, they played” a lot of new material live. “They’re definitely one of our blueprints” to aspire towards."

Over the past few years, Sloan has put out limited edition deluxe 20^th Anniversary box set reissues of mid-1990s efforts Twice Removed and the Juno Award-winning One Chord to Another and toured behind them.

Next on the agenda is 1998’s Navy Blues, the highest charting (#5) and last of four albums to be certified for gold sales status back home. 

What does Murphy think made that particular album click with so many Canadian fans?  

"We had some momentum because our third record did quite well. It got us some notice in the States as well.” The song “Money City Maniacs” reached the top 5 in Canada. 

“The song was really big, and the video was inventive and cool. People were waiting for it to come out. Our second record was such a commercial flop that it took a lot of heavy lifting getting our third record One Chord to Another listened to. It became our most commercially successful. 

“After that, Navy Blues was a good 1-2 punch for us. ‘Money City Maniacs’ is the song people associate with us or if you don’t know much about us, that’s the one you would know. We’ve played it at every concert except for this year. Because of the upcoming Navy Blues tour [in 2019], all those songs are kind of in jail. We’re not playing any of them. We’ll play them next year.” 

The day we talked, Murphy had been sorting through “an outrageous amount” of archival material, including “binders of negatives and slides,” with Ferguson at the former’s house.

Murphy said he enjoys rediscovering forgotten audio and visual ephemera. 

“Luckily, we kept it all and we have good friends that have great photos…Jay collects records and is a real musicologist. My collection essentially begins and ends with myself. It’s fairly narcissistic. I’m a family archivist. So, I’m into keeping everything and also just getting the best possible version.” 

Lately, alternative acts like the Breeders, Belly, Smashing Pumpkins and others have reformed to tour and/or put out new studio albums. Meanwhile, Sloan is one of the longest running bands from that era whose original lineup has remained intact throughout the decades. 

“A lot of people from the early ‘90s are long gone. Their music was so of the time. After our first record, we really tried to get out of that ‘90s-sounding alt-rock jail” that many people were caught up in. 

North American Tour Dates: 

June 23 Bottom Lounge, Chicago, IL

June 24 Turf Club, St. Paul, MN

June 28 The 27 Club, Ottawa, CAN

June 30 Music Hall Concert Theatre, Oshawa, CAN

Aug. 24 Rock the Hub at Truro Civic Square, Truro, CAN

Sept. 9 Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro, NC

Sept. 11 The High Watt, Nashville, TN

Sept. 14 Austin City Limits Live, Austin, TX

Sept. 15 Three Links – Deep Ellum, Dallas, TX

Sept. 17 Riot Room, Kansas City, MO

Sept. 18 Hi-Fi Indy, Indianapolis, IN

My interview originally appeared at rockcellarmagazine.com

Paul McCartney news

Paul McCartney's new album Egypt Station arrives Sept. 7 via Capitol Records.

Sharing a title with one of Paul’s own paintings, Egypt Station is the first full album of all-new McCartney music since 2013’s international chart-topping NEW. Preceded by two of its tracks just released as double A-sides--plaintive ballad “I Don’t Know” and raucous stomper “Come On To Me”—Egypt Station was recorded between Los Angeles, London and Sussex, and produced (with the exception of one track) by Greg Kurstin (Adele, Beck, Foo Fighters).

Of the forthcoming album’s enigmatic title, Paul says, “I liked the words ‘Egypt Station.’ It reminded me of the ‘album’ albums we used to make.., Egypt Station starts off at the station on the first song and then each song is like a different station. So it gave us some idea to base all the songs around that. I think of it as a dream location that the music emanates from."

True to the inspiration behind its title, Egypt Station’s 14 songs combine to convey a unique travelogue vibe. Between the opening and closing instrumentals “Station I” and “Station II,” each song finds Paul capturing a place or moment before transporting the listener seamlessly to the next destination. Stops along the way include an acoustic meditation on present day contentedness (“Happy With You”), a timeless anthem that would fit on virtually any album of any McCartney era (“People Want Peace”), and an epic multi-movement closer clocking in at seven minutes with a song suite structure harkening back to the days of Paul’s previous combos (“Despite Repeated Warnings”).

Confirmation of Egypt Station’s release puts an end to speculation about a new Paul McCartney album that began with the whiting out of his Instagram account as Paul turned up at various landmarks in Liverpool. The capper was a June 9 surprise gig at Liverpool’s tiny Philharmonic Pub, during which “Come On To Me” was debuted alongside a set of classics spanning Paul’s career. It was filmed in conjunction with a Carpool Karaoke segment for The Late Late Show with James Corden that aired June 21.

Listen to “I Don’t Know” and “Come On To Me.”

Pre-order Egypt Station HERE, available in the following formats:
- Limited Edition heavyweight Concertina vinyl package 
- Limited Edition Concertina CD package
- Digital album 
- Super Deluxe Limited Edition hand numbered box set package featuring bonus tracks coming soon.

PaulMcCartney.com

Cowboy Junkies' long-awaited music return due next month

I was glad to see the band still in fine form last year at Stagecoach Festival, where, if memory serves, they played a few of the new tunes. I look forward to hearing the album. Read more from the press release below...

Cowboy Junkies will release All That Reckoning, the band’s first new recording since The Wilderness (2012) on July 13 via their own Latent Recordings, distributed by Redeye. The band will support the release with several concert dates. (See below for full schedule – more to be added).

“It’s a deeper and a more complete record than we’ve ever done before. We’ve always tried to make records that are relevant to who we are as people…These songs are about reckoning on a personal level and reckoning on a social level,” said member Michael Timmins.

Of the new song, "The Things We Do To Each Other," Timmons says, "It is the oldest tactic in the playbook of social control...Create a culture of fear and then begin to manipulate that fear to distract, divert and divide. Unfortunately, the end result is that fear usually turns to hate and hate is a human emotion that is impossible to predict and control."

"There’s a line in “When We Arrive”, he continues, ““Welcome...to the Age of Dissolution” which has been in my notebook for years. Every time I sit down to write an album I have stared at it and wondered why I wrote it and what it means. Finally, the times have caught up with the line and the Age of Dissolution is upon us. A time where so many personal, social and institutional constructs are crumbling and being devoured by forces that we have wittingly and unwittingly unleashed upon the land."

In the late 80's, Cowboy Junkies proved that there was an audience waiting for something quiet, beautiful and reflective thanks to their album, The Trinity Session. Pale Sun, Crescent Moon (1993), Lay It Down (1996), Open (2001) and At the End of Paths Taken (2007) are among the albums that followed.

To hear an advance stream of the title track All That Reckoning Pt. 1., go to https://youtu.be/bLUVYVkAyOE

Tour dates: 

July 6 Albuquerque, NM ABQ Biopark Zoo

July 8 Boulder, CO Boulder Theater
July 9 Fort Collins, CO The Armory
July 18 Lexington, MA Cary Hall
July 19 Martha’s Vineyard, MA Old Whaling Church
July 20 Portsmouth, NH The Music Hall
July 22 New York NY City Winery
July 23 New York, NY City Winery
July 24 New York, NY City Winery

July 26 Alexandria, VA The Birchmere

cowboyjunkies.com