Melbourne pop/rock outfit Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, who took out our number one track of 2017 with ‘The French Press’ last week announced the details and release date for their debut album Hope Downs. The band’s thinking around the long awaited album, written over the past year and recorded in a house in the northern New South Wales bush, fits in nicely with the band’s humble disposition. Tom Russo described it thus;
“We were feeling like we were in a moment where the sands were shifting and the world was getting a lot weirder. There was a general sense that things were coming apart at the seams and people around us were too. The songs on this album are like a collection of postcards about wider things that were going on through the lens of these small characters.”
In addition to the announcement, they simultaneously released the album’s second single ‘Talking Straight’, which follows up first single ‘Mainland’ released earlier this year. It’s a constant, steady, up tempo number that’s hook is built around beautifully entangled guitars and Joe White’s unassuming but earnestly delivered vocal style, one which is in keeping with the best of Australian independent pop traditions. About the track, White explains;
“The concept came about when I heard someone talking about the possibility of us, humans, being alone in the universe, and how sad that would be. The idea in this song is that we might be lonely, but we could be lonely together.”
The album’s cover, tracklist and the Mat Sav directed video for ‘Talking Straight’ are below along with their extensive North American and European tour dates. Hope Downs is out on June 15 via Ivy League and Sub Pop. Pre-order here.
Tracklist – Hope Downs
1. An Air Conditioned Man
2. Talking Straight
3. Mainland
4. Time In Common
5. Sister’s Jeans
6. Bellarine
7. Cappuccino City
8. Exclusive Grave
9. How Long?
10. The Hammer
Talking Straight
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever (AUS)
From the forthcoming album, ‘Hope Downs’, Ivy League/Sub Pop. Out Jun 15.
Rolling Blackouts CF Facebook
Audio Stream
Official Video
NORTH AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN TOUR DATES
April 15 | Coachella Weekend 1 | SOLD OUT!
April 17 | The Echo | Los Angeles, LA
April 20 | Coachella Weekend 2 | SOLD OUT!
April 24 | Doug Fir Lounge | Portland, OR
April 25 | The Crocodile | Seattle, WA
April 27 | Kilby Court | Salt Lake City, UT
April 28 | Larimer Lounge | Denver, CO
April 30 | 7th Street Entry | Minneapolis, MN
May 2 | Schubas Tavern | Chicago, IL | SOLD OUT!
May 3 | The Basement | Nashville, TN
May 4 | Shaky Knees Festival | Atlanta, GA | + AFTERSHOW!
May 5 | Local 506 | Chapel Hill, NC
May 6 | DC9 | Washington, DC
May 8 | The Garrison | Toronto, ON
May 10 | Johnny Brenda’s | Philadelphia, PA
May 11 | Great Scott | Allston, MA
May 12 | Rough Trade | Brooklyn, NY | SOLD OUT!
May 12 | Rough Trade | Brooklyn, NY | NEW SHOW!
May 17 | The Great Escape Festival | UK
May 18 | Rescue Rooms | Nottingham, UK
May 20 | CCA: Centre for Contemporary Arts | Glasgow, UK
May 21 | Gorilla | Manchester, UK | SOLD OUT!
May 22 | Electric Ballroom | London, UK
May 24 | Point Ephemere | Paris, FRA
May 26 | London Calling | Amsterdam, NL
May 28 | Molotow | Hamburg, GER
May 29 | Lido | Berlin, GER
May 31 | AB Club | Brussels, BEL
3 June | Primavera | ESP
5 June | The Horn | St. Albans, UK
6 June | The Hare & Hounds | Birmingham, UK
7 June | Boileroom | Guildford, UK
8 June | Parque da Cidade | Primavera Porto | POR
11 June | Haldern Pop Festival | GER
16 Aug | Pstereo Festival | NOR
17 Aug | Lowlands Festival | NL
18 Aug | Pukklepop Festival | BEL
19 Aug | Green Man Festival | WAL