Lucy Dacus – ‘Historian’, Coming March 2, “Night Shift” Premiere
(photo by Dustin Condren)
On March 2, Matador is releasing the hotly anticipated 2nd album from Richmond, VA’s Lucy Dacus, ‘Historian’, the followup to her unanimously hailed 2016 debut, ‘No Burden’ that established her as one of modern music’s top new voices & songwriters. The album’s first single, “Night Shift”, can be heard above.
‘Historian’ is a remarkably assured 10-track statement of intent that finds Dacus unafraid to take on the big questions — the life-or-death reckonings, and the ones that just feel that way. It’s a record full of bracing realizations, tearful declarations and moments of hard-won peace, expressed in lyrics that feel destined for countless yearbook quotes and first tattoos.
Dacus and her band recorded the album in Nashville last March, re-teaming with ‘No Burden’ producer Collin Pastore, and mixed it a few months later with John Congleton. The sound they created, with substantial input from multi-instrumentalist and live guitarist Jacob Blizard, is far richer and fuller than the debut — an outward flowering of dynamic, living, breathing rock and roll. Dacus’ remarkable sense of melody and composition are the driving force throughout, giving ‘Historian’ the immersive feel of an album made by an artist in full command of her powers, on a new level of truth-telling and melodic grace.
The past year, with its electoral disasters and other assorted heartbreaks, has been a rough one for many of us, Dacus included. She found solace in crafting a thoughtful narrative arc for Historian, writing a concept album about cautious optimism in the face of adversity, with thematic links between songs that reveal themselves on repeat listens — touching on everything from systemic racism to creative burnout to the death of her grandmother. “It starts out dark and ends hopeful, but it gets darker in between; it goes to the deepest, darkest, place and then breaks,” she explains. “What I’m trying to say throughout the album is that hope survives, even in the face of the worst stuff.”
Global touring in support of ‘Historian’ kicks off on release date at Brooklyn’s Music Hall Of Williamsburg. The album is available for preorder now on the format of your choice.
Tracklist :
1. Night Shift
2. Addictions
3. The Shell
4. Nonbeliever
5. Yours & Mine
6. Body To Flame
7. Timefighter
8. Next Of Kin
9. Pillar Of Truth
10. Historians
Stream “Night Shift”
(Pre-orders from The Matador Store will include ten postcards with individual art by ten different artists. Each postcard is inspired by one of the tracks off of ‘Historian’)
Tour Dates (on sale Friday, December 15)
Friday, March 2 Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn NY
Wednesday, March 7 The Southern, Charlottesville VA
Thursday, March 8 Pour House, Charleston SC
Friday, March 9 The Earl, Atlanta GA
Saturday, March 10 The High Watt, Nashville TN
Monday, March 19 Valley Bar, Phoenix AZ
Tuesday, March 20 Club Congress, Tucson AZ
Wednesday, March 21 The Casbah, San Diego CA
Thursday, March 22 Teragram Ballroom, Los Angeles CA
Friday, March 23 The Crepe Place, Santa Cruz CA
Saturday, March 24 The Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco CA
Monday, March 26 Doug Fir Lounge, Portland OR
Tuesday, March 27 Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver BC
Wednesday, March 28 Tractor Tavern, Seattle WA
Friday, March 30 Urban Lounge, Salt Lake City UT
Saturday, March 31 Globe Hall, Denver CO
Monday, April 2 Reverb Lounge, Omaha NE
Wednesday, April 4 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis MN
Thursday, April 5 High Noon Saloon, Madison WI
Friday, April 6 Empty Bottle, Chicago IL
Saturday, April 7 The HI-FI, Indianapolis IN
Sunday, April 8 The Basement, Columbus OH
Monday, April 9 Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto ON
Wednesday, April 11 The Sinclair, Cambridge MA
Friday, April 13 Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia PA
Saturday, April 14 Rock & Roll Hotel, Washington DC
Thursday, April 19 Belgrave Music Hall & Canteen, Leeds UK
Friday, April 20 The Hug and Pint, Glasgow UK
Saturday, April 21 Gullivers, Manchester UK
Sunday, April 22 Hare and Hounds 2, Birmingham UK
Tuesday, April 24 Louisiana, Bristol UK
Wednesday, April 25 Omeara, London UK
Thursday, April 26 The Hope and Ruin, Brighton UK
Friday, April 27 Espace B, Paris FR
Monday, April 30 Stengade, Copenhagen DK
Tuesday, May 1 Prinzenbar, Hamburg DE
Thursday, May 3 Blue Shell, Cologne DE
Friday, May 4 Sugar Factory, Amsterdam NE
Lucy Dacus online :
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