Each week Release Day Picks profiles new LPs and EPs Team JamBase will be checking out on release day Friday. This week we highlight new albums by The Claypool Lennon Delirium, Gary Clark Jr. and Andy Frasco and The U.N.. Read on for more insight into the records we have all queued up to spin.
The Claypool Lennon Delirium – South Of Reality
The Scoop: Les Claypool and Sean Lennon reconviened their collaborative psychedelic rock project The Claypool Lennon Delirium. For the follow-up to their 2016 debut the duo headed to Claypool’s Rancho Relaxo facility in California’s Sonoma County, recording South Of Reality over two months. The duo produced the nine-track effort together with the Primus frontman engineering and mixing the LP.
Gary Clark Jr. – THIS LAND
The Scoop: Guitarist Gary Clark Jr. recorded his fourth studio album, THIS LAND at Arlyn Studios in his hometown of Austin, Texas. Co-produced by Clark and his fellow Austin-native childhood friend Jacob Sciba, the follow-up to 2015’s The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim comes in a 15-track standard edition and 17-track deluxe edition. The blues guitarist incorporated elements of soul, reggae, punk, R&B and hip-hop on his third studio LP. The content of THIS LAND, particularly its title track, takes on racism and other social justice issues. “I wanted every note and lyric to mean something,” Clark told Rolling Stone. “There was a lot of trial and error, a lot of experimentation.”
Andy Frasco and The U.N. – Change Of Pace
The Scoop: Andy Frasco has a reputation as a party animal who crowd surfs, pours beers over his head and leads horahs at his concerts. Frasco along with his backing band The U.N. aim to show off a more serious side of their musicality on Change Of Pace, a new album out today. “’Change of Pace’ is a song about finding your balance in life,” shared Frasco about the title track and album in general. “If you feel like your life is swinging too far to one side of the spectrum, it’s okay to take a step back every now and then to try something new.” Andy tapped Widespread Panic bassist Dave Schools to produce the 11-track effort. His band consists of drummer Andee Avila, guitarist Shawn Eckels, saxophonist Ernie Chang and bassist Chris Lorentz.
Compiled by Jeffrey Greenblatt, Andy Kahn and Scott Bernstein.
