Today, The Band of Heathens will gather together and perform live from The Finishing School recording studio in Austin, TX to celebrate the release of their new critically-acclaimed album Stranger. Since the Covid19 pandemic hit, the Heathens have been performing via Zoom on their Tuesday night Good Time Supper Club show, each in their homes around the country from Los Angeles to Austin to Nashville to Asheville. This performance will mark the first time in over six months that the band will be together in one place playing music together. Watch the show HERE. Stranger is out today and can be ordered here: https://bandofheathens.com
While unable to tour, The Band of Heathens have made the most of the livestream experience. In addition to their Tuesday night series, the band have been offering private shows to their fans. Featured in an NBCNews.com piece about musicians pivoting during the pandemic, frontman Gordy Quist said, “What we lack in rock ‘n’ roll energy, we make up for in intimacy and humor.” “The concerts and other streaming shows we do help bridge a gap and keep a roof over our heads.”
The Band of Heathens commitment to staying engaged with their fans virtually continues to make them leaders in the 2020 music space. The group has found yet another new way to flex their innovative and creative muscles; by utilizing Spotify’s new Canvas video feature to further tell the story of Stranger. Inspired by a space cowboy character created by renowned graphic artist Alan Forbes (The Black Crowes, Queens of the Stone Age) for an album release poster, the band engaged animator Josh Clark to create an animated story via video. The narrative shows the character coming to planet earth, taking a ride through the current landscape before escaping back to another universe. By streaming the entire album on Spotify, fans can watch the story unfold between all the songs.
The band is earning raves for Stranger. American Songwriter said, “…Stranger speaks volumes, and, in turn, beckons us all to listen.” PopMatters claimed, “… the quality of the songs is greatly enhanced by the performances. This is a group with five vocalists who understand the importance of harmony. “
The Band of Heathens recorded Stranger with Tucker Martine (The Decemberists, My Morning Jacket) in Portland, OR. With Martine at the helm, Stranger emphasizes songcraft and intricate arrangements set in a spacious sonic landscape that reinvents the band’s sound. The songs teem with the emotion borne of personal experience, as has been The Band of Heathens’ method from the very start. Stranger moves off into a new place, but still echoes the group’s artful songwriting and multi-layered narrative observations.Martine’s influence amplifies the unique voice that The Band of Heathens has created throughout their celebrated career, making Stranger their most engaging release thus far.
For more information about The Band of Heathens, please contact
Karen Wiessen karen@alleyesmedia.com or Taylor Dickens taylor@alleyesmedia.com at All Eyes Media (615) 227-2770