The Raconteurs' Brendan Benson has a new album, tour on the way

Third Man Records will put out Dear Life, the first new album in almost seven years from Brendan Benson on April 24. Pre-order the album HERE and pre-save the album HERE. His seventh solo album and first full-length release via Third Man, is preceded by first single, “Good To Be Alive,” streaming now via its official video and on all DSPs.

“’Good To Be Alive’ is kind of weird, to be honest,” Benson says, “But that’s what I’m most excited about. It says a lot about this record, it’s almost got a split personality or something. It’s totally bizarre – I still sit back and listen to it, thinking, that’s so cool! It’s like somebody else played it, it’s not the same old me.”

WATCH THE “GOOD TO BE ALIVE” VIDEO

LISTEN TO “GOOD TO BE ALIVE”

Produced and almost entirely performed by Benson at his own Readymade Studio in Nashville, the album sees the Michigan-born, Nashville-based artist – and co-founder, with Jack White, of The Raconteurs – reveling in a more modernist approach.

“There's something about this record,” Benson says. “A friend of mine called it ‘life-affirming.’ I thought it was a joke at first but then realized, well, it’s about life and death for sure. I don’t know if that’s positive or optimistic or whatever, but that's what's going on with me.”

Benson will embark on a North American headline tour in April. For updates and information, please visit www.brendanbenson.com.

His solo career first began with 1996’s ONE MISSISSIPPI – recently reissued by Third Man in its first-ever vinyl pressing and available now – and in 2002, followed it up with LAPALCO. Benson is co-founder – with Jack White, Jack Lawrence, and Patrick Keeler – of The Raconteurs. The band first convened in 2006 garnering Grammy noms and alt-rock hit  “Steady As She Goes,” from their debut album, BROKEN BOY SOLDIERS.

The Raconteurs returned two years later with 2008’s CONSOLERS OF THE LONELY. It earned a Grammy for “Best Engineered Non-Classical Album” as well as a nomination as “Best Rock Album.”

After more than a decade, The Raconteurs finally returned to action in 2019 with a critically acclaimed, chart-topping third one, HELP US STRANGER, highlighted in part by songs Benson had initially considered for his own LP, “Only Child” and “Somedays (I Don’t Feel Like Trying).” The Raconteurs then did a 2019 world tour.

Benson is also an in-demand producer (Robyn Hitchcock, Young The Giant, Trapper Schoepp, The Greenhornes) and collaborative songwriter, with a CV that includes partnerships with Jake Bugg, Iain Archer (Snow Patrol), and The Kooks’ Luke Pritchard, among others.

Track listing:

I Can If You Want Me To

Good To Be Alive
Half A Boy (And Half A Man)
Richest Man Alive
Dear Life
Baby’s Eyes
Freak Out
Evil Eyes
I’m In Love
I Quit
Who’s Gonna Love You

Tour dates:

APRIL

26 – Washington, DC – U Street Music Hall
28 – Boston, MA – Great Scott
29 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
30 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s

MAY

4 – Toronto, ON – Horseshoe Tavern
5 – Detroit, MI – The Loving Touch
6 – Chicago, IL – The Empty Bottle
7 – St. Paul, MN – Turf Club
14 – Portland, OR – Holocene
15 – Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern