Split Single, the collective project of Chicago-based musician Jason Narducy (Bob Mould Band, Superchunk, Verbow), announces their new album, Amplificado, out June 25th on Inside Outside Records. Recorded at Electrical Audio in Chicago by Narducy (guitar/vocals), REM’s Mike Mills (bass), Jon Wurster (drums), Amplificado is a tight collection of rock songs dealing with the anxiety of living through a chaotic and cruel Republican majority rule and under the limitations of a worldwide pandemic.
The new album comes nearly five years after the release of Split Single’s 2016 album, Metal Frames, “a powerhouse pop record that prides itself on tenacious vocals and resolute rhythm guitar” (Stereogum) recorded with Wurster and Wilco’s John Sitrratt, and last year’s acclaimed, Jeff Award-nominated production of Verböten, a musical inspired by Narducy’s now-seminal childhood punk rock band of the same name.
In conjunction with today’s announcement, Split Single presents the album’s lead single, “(Nothing You Can Do To) End This Love,” (below) a message of love and support to the LGBTQ+ community. “The chords and melody for this song sounded like defiance to me,” says Narducy. “I wanted to write a lyric that matched this sonic mood. The first words that came into my head were ‘She loves her and he loves him.’ So it ended up being an unconventional love song. I’m expressing support and joy for diverse couples everywhere, including but not only my friends that appear in the video.”
The charming accompanying video was directed by Jamie Fleischel. Narducy elaborates: “I met Jamie Fleischel years ago but didn’t find out until recently that he was making these great videos for Wilco and Jeff Tweedy. He and his family joined me weekly last fall to write get-out- the-vote postcards and we grew close enough for me to feel comfortable asking him if he’d be interested in making a video. I love how he captured the unabashed joy in the song through the footage of the charismatic kids and loving couples. The visual narrative is in line with the lyrics but also evokes what many of us are feeling with vaccines, more sunshine, and the wicked witch out of office: finally something to look forward to. I hope it makes people smile and I hope it makes people feel less lonely.”
Amplificado Tracklist:
01. caPtAIN calamIty’S crUde pRoCessiON
02. Blood Break Ground
03. Stone Heart World
04. 95 Percent
05. Adrift
06. Bitten by the Sound
07. (Nothing You Can Do) To End This Love
08. Mangled Tusk
09. Belly of Lead
10. Worry
11. Satellite
Photo by Emily Steadman
