Bully has not stopped since the the release of their ferocious and powerful sophomore album Losing last Fall. The Nashville 4-piece is headed by Alicia Bognanno, who’s songwriting not only cuts to core but has a vocal snarl unlike any other.
The video for “Focused” is out today, directed by Rozalina Burkova, who tell us that the animated music video is “loosely based on the theme of coming of age and the ups and downs friendships and relationships.” Alicia went on to say, “I let Rozalina take the reins on this one. I am a huge fan of all her animation work and wanted her to do what she felt was best for this video.”
Bully will be embarking on a huge world tour, starting in the US later this month which features stops at Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles, Aladdin Theater in Portland, Neumos in Seattle and many more. Bully will also perform at Shaky Knees Festival and Noise Pop Festival. Don’t miss your chance to see one of the most exciting live bands on the road right now.
Losing is available now from Sub Pop Records and from Bully’s webstore. The album was engineered and mixed by lead-singer Alicia Bognanno in Chicago at Electrical Audio.
Last week, Kyle Thomas - aka King Tuff - released his first new song in four years, titled “The Other,” which NPR called a “meditative deliberation and mystic reflection.” Today, he’s excited to share that the song will be also be the lead track on his new album of the same name. The Other will be out on Sub Pop Records this April 13th, and is available for pre-order HERE NOW.
Today you can also hear the official first single from the album, “Psycho Star.” It is a prime representation of King Tuff’s soulful and cosmic new direction. You’re now listen to the song via the Cameron Dutra directed visuals above.
Thomas self-produced the record and brought in Shawn Everett (War On Drugs, Alabama Shakes) to assist with the mixing process. No less hooky than previous records, the new songs ditch the goofy rock-and-roll bacchanalia narratives of earlier records in favor of expansive arrangements, a diversity of instrumentation, and lyrics that straddle the fence between painful ruminations and reconnecting with that part of yourself that feels childlike and creative and not corroded by cynicism. The record features contributions from Ty Segall (drums), Jenny Lewis (vocals), Greta Morgan (vocals), and Mikal Cronin (saxophone).
Thomas views the entire experience of the record as a kind of psychic reset. “I let the songs lead me where they wanted to go, instead of trying to push them into a certain zone. King Tuff was always just supposed to be me. When I started doing this as a teenager, it was whatever I wanted it to be. King Tuff was never supposed to be just one thing. It was supposed to be everything.”
The Other tracklisting:
The Other
Raindrop Blue
Thru The Cracks
Psycho Star
Infinite Mile
Birds of Paradise
Circuits in the Sand
Ultraviolet
Neverending Sunshine
No Man’s Land
King Tuff on Tour
On top of all this good news, King Tuff has also announced a North American tour beginning May 3rd in San Diego. Cut Worms will open the shows, and all tickets go on sale this Friday, February 9th. Visit www.kingtuff.life for more updates.
May 3 - San Diego, CA - The Casbah *
May 4 - Phoenix, AZ - Valley Bar *
May 5 - Santa Fe, NM - Meow Wolf *
May 7 - Houston, TX - Rockefeller Hall *
May 8 - Austin, TX - Barracuda (outside) *
May 9 - Dallas, TX - Club Dada *
May 11 - New Orleans, LA - One Eyed Jacks *
May 12 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl *
May 13 - Nashville TN - The Basement East *
May 14 - Lexington, KY - The Burl *
May 16 - Washington DC - Rock & Roll Hotel *
May 18 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg *
May 19 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church *
“When Kyle Craft’s heart breaks, it shoots glitter and confetti—by the time he hits the chorus, the song has erupted into a tempest of sassy brass, swirling organs, and hip-swiveling boogie.” [“Heartbreak Junky”] - Pitchfork
Full Circle Nightmare is earning Craft some of the best reviews of his career. “Unabashed odes to courtship, confusion and the timeless power of storytelling in song,” says NPR Music. And Pop Matters raves, “It blows away a debut album that was already damn near flawless.”
Kyle Craft’s previously announced 2018 tour schedule in support of Full Circle Nightmare spans March 5th in San Francisco at Cafe Du Nord through April 20th in Charlottesville at Jefferson Theatre. Highlights include a full headlining tour (March 5th-April 4th), appearances at SXSW (March 12th-16th) and a direct support slot opening for Dr. Dog (April 6th-20th).
Preceding the spring dates, Craft continues his Pacific Northwest week-of-release run with his sold-out show tonight at Portland’s Doug Fir (Feb. 2nd).
Feb. 02 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir [Sold Out]
Mar. 05 - San Francisco, CA - Cafe Du Nord
Mar. 07 - Los Angeles, CA - The Morroccan Lounge
Mar. 08 - San Diego, CA - The Casbah
Mar. 12 - Austin, TX - SXSW
Mar. 13 - Austin, TX - SXSW
Mar. 14 - Austin, TX - SXSW
Mar. 15 - Austin, TX - SXSW
Mar. 16 - Austin, TX - SXSW
Mar. 17 - Shreveport, LA - Red River District
Mar. 21 - Nashville, TN - The Basement
Mar. 22 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl
Mar. 23 - Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle
Mar. 24 - Washington, DC - Pearl Street Warehouse
Mar. 26 - Philadelphia, PA - Boot & Saddle
Mar. 27 - Brooklyn, NY - Baby’s All Right
Mar. 28 - Allston, MA - Great Scott
Mar. 30 - South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground Showcase Lounge
Apr. 02 - Toronto, ON - Smiling Buddha
Apr. 03 - Columbus, OH - The Basement
Apr. 04 - Chicago, IL - Schubas
Apr 06 - Louisville, KY - Mercury Ballroom*
Apr 08 - Columbia, MO - Blue Note*
Apr 09 - Fayetteville, AR - George’s Majestic Lounge*
Today, the incomparable King Tuff has released “The Other,” his first new song in 4 years. Proof is right here in the form of a musical video.
You can (and should also) listen to “The Other” via Apple Music and/or Spotify.
“It’s a song about hitting rock bottom. I didn’t even know what I wanted to do anymore, but I still had this urge-this feeling-like there was this possibility of something else I could be doing… and then I just followed that possibility. To me, that’s what songwriting, and art in general, is about. You’re chasing something, there is something out there calling to you and you’re trying to get at it. ‘The Other’ is basically where songs come from. It’s the hidden world. It’s the mystery. It’s the invisible hand that guides you whenever you make something. It’s the thing I had to rediscover-the sort of voice I had to follow-to bring me back to making music again in a way that felt true and good.”
Of the Cameron Dutra-directed video, Kyle Thomas says “it is like the song itself - representing the uphill climb of creativity.”
[Photo Credit: Olivia Bee]
In case you haven’t yet, now would be the perfect time to follow King Tuff everywhere in the known interverse on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
2018 tour dates include headline shows (March 5th-4th), SXSW (March 12th-16th), and direct support for Dr. Dog (April 6th-20th)
“Unabashed odes to courtship, confusion and the timeless power of storytelling in song.” - NPR Music
Kyle Craft’s excellent new album Full Circle Nightmare is now streaming, in its entirety, worldwide through NPR Music’s “First Listen.” [Listen here.] That’s one full week before release next Friday, February 2nd!
“Craft may be a wordsmith at heart, but he doesn’t shirk on making Full Circle punchy and infectious on a strictly musical level. The folky sway and hushed tone of “Slick & Delta Queen” demand undivided attention, thanks to Craft’s cracked voice, gentle strumming, and euphoric choruses. “Fake Magic Angel” revs up a twangy hootenanny of Dylan-worthy Americana, only delivered with the slashing force of Bowie-era glam. And the piano-laden “Gold Calf Moan” is a ballad of lost — but hopefully one day recaptured — love that dissolves and reshapes itself around Craft’s entrancing troubadour spell…[His] moonstruck sentiments may seem downright old-fashioned. Then again, so are his compositions: unabashed odes to courtship, confusion and the timeless power of storytelling in song,” writes Jason Heller for NPR Music (see “First Listen” January 25th).
Kyle Craft previously announced 2018 tour schedule in support of Full Circle Nightmare spans March 5th in San Francisco at Cafe Du Nord through April 20th in Charlottesville at Jefferson Theatre. Highlights include a full headlining tour (March 5th-April 4th), appearances at SXSW (March 12th-16th) and a direct support slot opening for Dr. Dog (April 6th-20th).
Preceding the Spring tour schedule, Craft has scheduled two Pacific Northwest week of release shows including Seattle’s Tractor Tavern on February 1st and Portland’s Doug Fir on February 2nd.
Feb. 01 - Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern Feb. 02 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir Mar. 05 - San Francisco, CA - Cafe Du Nord Mar. 07 - Los Angeles, CA - The Morroccan Lounge Mar. 08 - San Diego, CA - The Casbah Mar. 12 - Austin, TX - SXSW Mar. 13 - Austin, TX - SXSW Mar. 14 - Austin, TX - SXSW Mar. 15 - Austin, TX - SXSW Mar. 16 - Austin, TX - SXSW Mar. 17 - Shreveport, LA - Red River District Mar. 21 - Nashville, TN - The Basement Mar. 22 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl Mar. 23 - Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle Mar. 24 - Washington, DC - Pearl Street Warehouse Mar. 26 - Philadelphia, PA - Boot & Saddle Mar. 27 - Brooklyn, NY - Baby’s All Right Mar. 28 - Allston, MA - Great Scott Mar. 30 - South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground Showcase Lounge Apr. 02 - Toronto, ON - Smiling Buddha Apr. 03 - Columbus, OH - The Basement Apr. 04 - Chicago, IL - Schubas Apr 06 - Louisville, KY - Mercury Ballroom* Apr 08 - Columbia, MO - Blue Note* Apr 09 - Fayetteville, AR - George’s Majestic Lounge* Apr 10 - Oxford, MS - Lyric Theater* Apr 12 - Mobile, AL - Soul Kitchen* Apr 13 - Orlando, FL - Plaza Theater* Apr 14 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room* Apr 15 - Ponte Vedra, FL - Ponte Vedra Concert Hall* Apr 17 - Charleston, SC - Music Farm* Apr 19 - Richmond, VA - The National* Apr 20 - Charlottesville, VA - Jefferson Theater* *w/ Dr. Dog
Full Circle Nightmare was produced by Chris Funk (of the Decemberists), with mixing by Trevor Spencer (Father John Misty) and Benjamin Weikel and Brandon Summers (of The Helio Sequence). The album is the follow up to Dolls of Highland, his acclaimed debut.
Full Circle Nightmare is available for preorder now from Sub Pop and select independent retailers right over here.
