Absolute Zero, the new studio album from three-time Grammy award winning pianist, singer and songwriter Bruce Hornsby is out April 12 and is now available for pre-order at https://ffm.to/absolutezero. In advance of the release, the album’s first single, “Voyager One,” is debuting today. Hornsby calls the song, “Steve Reich meets Prince” and can be heard below…
Most recently, Aquarium Drunkard spoke with Hornsby about the album and notes, “Hornsby’s new album, Absolute Zero, furthers his commitment to chasing inspiration, no matter what unlikely places he may end up doing so. From the harmony-laced title song to the Steve Reich-ian ‘Fractals’ to the cresting anthem ‘Voyager One,’ the record is defiantly unclassifiable. One gets the sense that’s the goal. While many musicians settle into an artistic groove, 33 years removed from his commercial breakthrough, Absolute Zero finds Hornsby exploring sound as boldly as ever.”
The genesis of Absolute Zero began within Hornsby’s work as a film composer for writer-director Spike Lee. Hornsby started collaborating with Lee in 1992; ultimately, in 2008, he began scoring for Lee. What began to intrigue him were scoring components known as “cues,” those comparatively brief passages of music used in films to heighten certain narrative visuals and/or spoken developments. Additionally, Hornsby’s interest in literary fiction, specifically the work of Don DeLillo and the late David Foster Wallace, inspired his songwriting. Hornsby’s songs, both in spirit and memory, function collectively as a homage to fiction writing that, while often poetic, takes no prisoners. The multi-faceted album is another example of Hornsby’s constant musical evolution and how he’s able to combine disparate elements into an accessible soundscape.
Predominantly produced by Hornsby, the 10-track album includes added production from Justin Vernon(Bon Iver), Tony Berg (Phoebe Bridgers, Andrew Bird, Public Image Ltd.) and Brad Cook (Sharon Van Etten, Hiss Golden Messenger). Absolute Zero also includes musical contributions from yMusic, The Staves, Blake Mills, Jack DeJohnette, Sean Carey, the The Orchestra of St. Hanks (Frost School/Univ. of Miami), Hornsby’s longtime band The Noisemakers and more. The track “Cast-Off” was co-written with Vernon who also duets with Hornsby on the track while “Take You There (Misty)” was co-written with Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter.
Hornsby is set for a run of U.S. tour dates with The Noisemakers, including intimate showcase performances at Brooklyn’s National Sawdust and Los Angeles’ Troubadour, and more. Tickets go on sale on March 1 at 10AM local time and are available at BruceHornsby.com. See below for the first leg of summer tour dates.
ABSOLUTE ZERO TRACKLIST
- Absolute Zero (featuringJack DeJohnette)
2. Fractals
3. Cast Off (featuringJustin Vernon and Sean Carey)
4. Meds (featuring Justin Vernon, Blake Mills and Rob Moose)
5. Never In This House (featuring yMusic and The Staves)
6. Voyager One (featuring yMusic)
7. Echolocation
8. The Blinding Light Of Dreams (featuring yMusic)
9. White Noise
10. Take You There (Misty) (featuring yMusic)
BRUCE HORNSBY AND THE NOISEMAKERS LIVE
April 25—Wilbur Theatre—Boston, MA
April 26—Ridgefield Playhouse—Ridgefield, CT
April 27—Ulster Performing Arts Center—Kingston, NY
April 29—National Sawdust—Brooklyn, NY
April 30—National Sawdust—Brooklyn, NY
May 3—Beachlife Festival—Redondo Beach, CA
May 6—Troubadour—Los Angeles, CA
June 18—Charleston Music Hall—Charleston, SC *
June 19—Knight Theater—Charlotte, NC *
June 21—Atlanta Symphony Hall—Atlanta, GA (w/ Atlanta Symphony Orchestra)
June 23—Lime Kiln Theatre—Lexington, VA *
June 25—Bijou Theatre—Knoxville, TN *
June 26—Salvage Station—Asheville, NC *
June 28—The Majestic Theatre—Gettysburg, PA *
June 29—Smith Opera House—Geneva, NY *
June 30—Tupelo Music Hall—Derry, NH *
