John Butler Trio will be releasing their sixth album Flesh & Blood and their first studio album in four years, on February 4, 2014, marking the band’s debut on Vanguard Records.
Recorded at The Compound, Butler’s studio in Fremantle (Australia), Flesh & Blood took a mere 20 days to record and though beautifully structured in sonic terms there is a rawness and honesty to the album that reflects the brevity of its laying down. “There’s something really exciting about that moment when you’re writing a song and it’s flowing and you stand back and look at it and hear it and feel like it explains things that you’ve been trying to explain all your life, or it expresses something that feels universal,” Butler says. The first single ‘Only One’ presents a fresh take on JBT’s signature sound with cascading acoustic riffs, sun kissed steel drums and an inspirational melody that flows over the driving rhythms.
The John Butler Trio will be heading to the U.S. in early December to promote the new album with special performances including a taping of NPR’s World Café and WXPN’s Free at Noon live concert. Exact dates to be announced soon.
In February, the band will embark on an initial North American tour visiting some of their favorite rooms beginning with an underplay on February 3rd in New York City (Bowery Ballroom) through February 24 in San Diego, CA. (Tour dates listed below). The tour will introduce new band member, Grant Gerathy, who has taken over the role as the new JBT drummer replacing Nicky Bomba who has left the group to front his own Melbourne Ska Orchestra.
Track Listing (Subject to Change):
1. Spring to Come
2. Cold Wind
3. Bullet Girl
4. How You Sleep at Night
5. Wings are Wide
6. Blame it on Me
7. Living in the City
8. Only One
9. Young and Wild
10. Devil Woman
11. You’re Free
February 2014 Tour Dates:
2/3 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
2/4 Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
2/6 Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall
2/7 Chicago, IL – Vic Theatre
2/8 Chicago, IL – Vic Theatre
2/9 Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
2/12 Missoula, MT – Wilma Theatre
2/14 Seattle, WA – Moore Theatre
2/15 Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
2/16 Vancouver, BC- Commodore Ballroom
2/18 Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
2/21 San Francisco, CA – TBD
2/22 Los Angeles, CA – Fonda Theatre
2/24 San Diego, CA – House of Blues