Gruff Rhys Shares New Track "Limited Edition Heart" And Announces New UK, EU and US Tour Dates
As previously mentioned, we are thrilled to welcome Gruff Rhys back to Rough Trade Records, and to announce that he will release ‘Babelsberg’, his fifth album and first for Rough Trade since 2007’s classic ‘Candylion’, on 8th June 2018. Following the release of “Frontier Man” a few weeks back, today Gruff has shared brand new track “Limited Edition Heart” from it. It premiered on NPR Music earlier today, who said: “With buoyant acoustic guitar, a rumbling rhythm section and starry-eyed strings that cascade from the night sky, “Limited Edition Heart” recalls Scott Walker’s vibrantly sharp “Hero of the War”.”
Listen to “Limited Edition Heart” and pre-order ‘Babelsberg’ HERE
Of the track, Gruff explains: “I wrote it whilst walking along a polluted yet beautiful river. It has beautiful orchestral arrangements thanks to Stephen McNeff and the BBC NOW orchestra.”
The album’s ten tracks were initially recorded in early 2016 in a whirlwind three day session that took place before producer Ali Chant’s studio was demolished. The band he gathered for the record were his regular drummer Kliph Scurlock (ex-Flaming Lips) and multi-instrumentalists Stephen Black (Sweet Baboo) and Osian Gwynedd. The ten tracks then hibernated for eighteen months, awaiting orchestral scores by Swansea based composer Stephen McNeff and the incredible work of the 72 piece BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
As well as a huge previously announced hometown show at Cardiff’s Millennium Centre with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales on June 10th (part of Cardiff’s annual Festival of Voice), Gruff has confirmed two further UK concerts with full orchestras backing him and his band. These incredible shows are:
Wed 12th September: Barbican, London (with the London Contemporary Orchestra) – tickets on sale Friday 20th April
Sunday 16th September: RNCM Concert Hall, Manchester (with the Piccadilly Symphony Orchestra) – tickets on sale Friday 20th April
In addition, Gruff has announced that he will play the following UK/EU and US dates this year:
Fri 5th Oct Le Ritz Montreal, QUE
Sat 6th Oct Garrison Toronto, ONT
Mon 8th Oct Great Scott Boston, MA
Tue 9th Oct Rough Trade Brooklyn, NY
Wed 10th Oct Johnny Brenda’s Philadelphia, PA
Thur 11 Oct DC9 Washington, DC
Fri 12th Oct Funhouse Pittsburgh, PA
Sat 13th Oct Ace of Cups Columbus, OH
Sun 14th Oct Chop Shop Chicago, IL
Tues 16th Oct Cedar Cultural Center Minneapolis, MN
Fri 19th Oct The Fox Caberet Vancouver, BC
Sat 20th Oct Barboza Seattle, WA
Sun 21st Oct Doug Fir Portland, OR
Tues 23rd Oct The Chapel San Francisco, CA
Weds 24th Oct The Echo Los Angeles, CA
Thu 08 Nov Wedgewood Rooms Portsmouth
Fri 09 Nov The Old Market Brighton
Sat 10 Nov Quarterhouse Folkestone
Sun 11 Nov O2 Academy Oxford
Mon 12 Nov SWX Bristol
Tue 13 Nov Glee Club Birmingham
Thu 15 Nov SWG3 Glasgow
Fri 16 Nov Church Leeds Leeds
Sat 17 Nov Arts Club Liverpool
Mon 19 Nov Le Badaboum Paris
Tue 20 Nov Tap Tab Schaffhausen
Wed 21 Nov Ampere Munich
Thu 22 Nov Privatclub Berlin
Fri 23 Nov Turmzimmer Hamburg
Sat 24 Nov Alice Copenhagen
Mon 26 Nov Botanique / Rotonde Brussels
Tue 27 Nov Studio 672 Cologne
Wed 28 Nov Paradiso Noord Amsterdam
Sat 01 Dec Live at St Lukes Cork
Sun 02 Dec Roisin Dublin Galway
Mon 03 Dec Button Factory Dublin
As well as a huge previously announced hometown show at Cardiff’s Millennium Centre with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales on June 10th (part of Cardiff’s annual Festival of Voice), Gruff has confirmed two further UK concerts with full orchestras backing him and his band. These incredible shows are:
Wed 12th September: Barbican, London (with the London Contemporary Orchestra) – tickets on sale Friday 20th April
Sunday 16th September: RNCM Concert Hall, Manchester (with the Piccadilly Symphony Orchestra) – tickets on sale Friday 20th April