Son Volt unveiled “Livin’ In The USA,” the latest single from their upcoming Electro Melodier studio album. The 14-track LP is due out through Transmit Sound/Thirty Tigers on July 30.
Founding member Jay Farrar both wrote and produced the material on the follow-up to 2019’s Union. Electro Melodier also features Mark Spencer (piano, organ, acoustic slide, lap steel, backing vocals), Andrew DuPlantis (bass, backing vocals), Chris Frame (guitar) Mark Patterson (drums, percussion) in addition to Farrar.
“The song didn’t start out as an intentional homage thing, but in retrospect I see it as a nod to Springsteen’s ‘Born in the USA’ or Neil Young’s ‘Rockin’ In The Free World’,” Farrar told The Bluegrass Situation who premiered the track. “Those songs established a thematic tradition. I’m just updating and asking similar questions. How can so much wrong happen in this country that’s held up as an example of what’s righteous? Is America the healthiest or happiest country? Democratic Darwinism is the brutal American reality…”
Son Volt will hit the road soon in support of Electro Melodier. A handful of tour dates in August will be followed by a two-week run in September.
Check out Son Volt’s “Livin’ In The USA” lyric video below:
