Singer-songwriter Liam Kazar announced his debut solo album, Due North, set to arrive on August 6 via Woodsist / Mare Records (Kevin Morby’s Woodsist imprint). Kazar also shared the video for new single “Frank Bacon.”
While the Chicago-raised, Kansas City-based Kazar is renowned for his session work with such luminaries as Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, Chance The Rapper, Steve Gunn, Daniel Johnston and more, Due North marks the singer-songwriter’s first solo collection. Kazar gave fans a first taste of the album in April 2020 with “Shoes Too Tight” — the accomplished chef also found time to open his own restaurant, Isfahan — and worked throughout the pandemic on what would become Due North. Additionally, Kazar shared the album’s second single, “On A Spanish Dune,” in November 2020 followed by a recently released visual for the song.
As a frequent Tweedy collaborator, Jeff was integral in Due North’s evolution.
“This record kind of all stemmed from a conversation I had with Jeff [Tweedy],” Liam said in a statement. “I showed him some of my earliest songs I was working on and he told me, ‘It sounds like you’re writing for the people in your bands, you’re not writing for yourself.’ He was completely right.”
“I love everything about Liam,” Tweedy added. “His voice, his songs, the way he plays instruments, his smile, his cooking… Everything. Whenever I hear one of his songs for the first time I almost immediately start thinking to myself, ‘oh yeah! This song! I love this song.’ It’s a magic trick very few people can pull off: making something brand new sound like a cherished memory.”
Due North features contributions from drummer Spencer Tweedy (Jeff’s son) as well as bassist Lane Beckstrom. Kazar also enlisted keyboardist Dave Curtin (Woongi) and co-producer James Elkington on pedal steel along with Ohmme and Andrew Sa on backing vocals.
Addtionally, Liam detailed the album as a whole as well as the newly released single “Frank Bacon.” Read his words below:
I was trying to talk about things that I’m scared about but acknowledging that I’m not that powerful and you can still be joyful in the face of your own insecurities. With time I’ve grown wary of lying to myself. I don’t know if it’s a defense mechanism we do, or just something we grow out of, hopefully. But ‘Frank Bacon’ has become a personal mantra in recent years to be honest with myself and stick with it, because I’m worth it. We all are.
Watch the video for “Frank Bacon” below:
Due North Trackist:
- So Long Tomorrow
- Old Enough For You
- Shoes Too Tight
- Nothing To You
- On a Spanish Dune
- Frank Bacon
- I’ve Been Where You Are
- No Time For Eternity (Ft. Andrew Sa)
- Give My World
- Something Tender
