Bass Drum Of Death (John and Jim Barrett, Ian Kirkpatrick) share the video for the anthemic ‘Everybody’s Gonna Be There’; a collage of footage from the band’s recent tour of the UK, Ireland and Europe, and a beautiful tribute to the beloved tour manager, Dr. Kiko, who passed away in November. Their forthcoming album, Say I Won’t, is released this Friday, January 27th via Fat Possum Records and the US headline tour begins February 8th. Tickets are available through the band’s website.
Three tracks/videos have been revealed from the album so far; the Zeppelin-esque ‘Head Change’, the midtempo bruiser ‘Say Your Prayers‘ (a collaboration with Mike Kerr of Royal Blood) and the hi-octane ‘Find It‘ (the video features live footage from the band’s sold out New York show in June of last year).
Say I Won’t is the first Bass Drum of Death album written, demoed, and recorded with the touring band, instead of bandleader John Barrett doing everything on his own. He found a freedom in working with collaborators that wasn’t available to him before, opening different aspects of the songwriting. It was a process of live recording, layering on different parts and overdubs, and then stripping it all back to the bones of the song, keeping the raw wild heart of the music intact. “My first two records were made entirely by me alone with my gear, my laptop, and a Snowball USB mic,” says Barrett. “They were just made quickly, cheaply, as an excuse to tour. I wanted to take my time with this record. Make something good that I was proud of in itself.”
Photo By Steve Gullick
The band recorded the new record with Patrick Carney of The Black Keys at Audio Eagle Studios in Nashville and the result is a groove-oriented, 1970’s-indebted collection of rock songs, with tempos set for cruising and scuzzy guitars galore. There’s an energy and vitality to the music that feels in line with the best of the Bass Drum songs, but with an added boost that comes from new bandmates and a new perspective.
The album finds a reinvigorated Barrett firing at all cylinders, backed by his best band yet. It’s Bass Drum of Death at their loosest and scuzziest and most tuneful, a true rock record in all the right ways. It’s a throwback by way of moving forward, sporting a maturity and swagger that comes from a decade of playing music on the road and surviving to tell about it. More than anything, Say I Won’t is a blast to listen to, music built for driving with your stereo cranked.
- 2023 dates below – tickets can be found on the band’s website.
- Feb 08 New Orleans LA House of Blues Parish*
- Feb 09 Houston TX House of Blues Bronze Peacock *
- Feb 11 Austin TX Empire Garage & Control Room *
- Feb 12 Dallas TX House of Blues Cambridge Room *
- Feb 14 Tucson AZ 191 Toole *
- Feb 15 Phoenix AZ Rebel Lounge *
- Feb 16 San Diego CA Casbah *
- Feb 17 Las Vegas NV The Usual Place *
- Feb 18 Los Angeles CA Zebulon *
- Feb 19 Santa Ana CA Constellation Room *
- Feb 21 Santa Cruz CA Moe’s Alley *
- Feb 22 Sacramento CA Goldfield Trading Post *
- Feb 24 Portland OR Mississippi Studios *
- Feb 25 Seattle WA Tractor Tavern *
- Feb 26 Spokane WA Lucky You *
- Feb 28 Boise ID Neurolux *
- Mar 01 Salt Lake City, UT The DLC *
- Mar 03 Denver CO HQ *
- Mar 24 Oxford MS Proud Larry’s ^
- Mar 25 Birmingham AL Saturn ^
- Mar 26 Asheville NC The Grey Eagle ^
- Mar 28 Raleigh NC The Pour House ^
- Mar 29 Washington DC Union Stage ^
- Mar 30 Philadelphia PA Concourse ^
- Mar 31 Brooklyn NY Music Hall of Williamsburg ^
- Apr 01 Jersey City NJ White Eagle Hall ^
- Apr 03 Boston MA Brighton Music Hall ^
- Apr 05 Buffalo NY Buffalo Iron Works ^
- Apr 06 Cleveland OH Beachland Ballroom ^
- Apr 07 Ferndale MI Magic Bag ^
- Apr 08 Indianapolis IN HI-Fi ^
- Apr 10 Grand Rapids MI The Pyramid Scheme ^
- April 12 Wichita, KS Wave ^
- April 13 St. Louis, MO Off Broadway ^
- Apr 14 Chicago IL Riot Fest Presents at Cobra Lounge ^
- Apr 15 Chicago IL Riot Fest Presents at Cobra Lounge ^
- Apr 16 Louisville KY Headliners Music Hall ^
- May 13 Jackson, MS Mississippi Makers Fest
- * w/ H.A.R.D
- ^ w/ Dead Tooth
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