New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Alternative rock icons The Early November are treating fans to another song from their forthcoming album, Lilac. The beautifully wistful "I Dissolve" is streaming now on BrooklynVegan. Lilac, the band's highly anticipated 5th studio album, is set to be released on September 27th via Rise Records. The Early November's first album since 2015's Imbue, Lilac represents a shift towards a more pop-centric sound while preserving the raw vulnerability that the band has become known for. Pre-orders are available now here.
The band shares: "It's uncomfortable for people to talk to others about their depression. They will often say 'things will be okay' or 'you'll be fine' so that the topic can be moved on from. For some people that is a very unrealistic thought though and feels dismissive. Listen to your friends and loved ones when they reach out. It takes a lot of courage to do so. You don't need to have all the answers but listening goes a long way and means a lot." Listen here:
The Early November will be supporting the release with a fall headline tour featuring support from Have Mercy and OWEL. The month-long run kicks off on September 13th in College Park, with stops in Nashville, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, and more. It concludes with a hometown show in Philadelphia on October 19th. Tickets for all shows are on sale now and available at www.theearlynovembermusic.net.
Produced by Enders at his own LumberYard Recording Studio, Lilac channels a heavy-hearted determination in its chiming guitars, kinetic rhythms, and complex yet indelible melodies. As Enders reveals, the album's eclectic sonic palette and inventive arrangements have much to do with an intentional shift in songcraft. "A lot of the songs came from avoiding that comfort zone of a very sad guitar line, and going to a completely different instrument-like starting with strings or piano or sometimes a beat," he says. "
I tend to hang on to those very droney tones, so rethinking the way songs could be put together made everything pop a little bit more."
Throughout Lilac, The Early November match their emotional outpouring with rigorous self-examination, a dynamic embodied on the confessional but cathartic "Hit By A Car (In Euphoria)." "That song is like a journey of me realizing how good I am at hiding my inner demons, and then feeling sort of crazy for a while, and then finally telling myself to just stop complaining," Enders explains. On "I Dissolve," the band captures an existential frustration, threading the defiantly soaring track with some brutally self-aware reflection. One of the most poignant moments on the album, "Ave Maria" builds a brilliant tension between its bright textures and lyrics speaking to a weary perseverance. And on "The Lilac," The Early November close out with a hushed folk reverie, their lilting harmonies and lush string arrangement cutting through a mood of fragile desperation.
Despite often pushing into troubled emotional terrain, Lilac ultimately conveys a restless idealism, a message made all the more impactful by The Early November's unapologetic honesty. "The thing I'd love for people to take away from this record is that it's okay to go through dark times, but don't get too hung up on them-don't let the dark times end you," says Enders. "This album started out dwelling too much on that darkness, but hopefully now it can bring a little bit of light to anyone who needs it."
Upcoming Tour Dates:
9/13 - College Park, MD @ Milkboy Arthouse
9/14 - Richmond, VA @ Canal Club
9/16 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
9/17 - Nashville, TN @ Basement East
9/18 - St. Louis, MO @ Blueberry Hill
9/20 - Houston, TX @ Secret Group
9/21 - Austin, TX @ Barracuda
9/22 - Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
9/24 - Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge
9/25 - Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
9/26 - San Diego, CA @ House Of Blues Voodoo Room
9/27 - Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction
9/28 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill
9/30 - Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
10/01 - Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret
10/02 - Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
10/04 - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court
10/05 - Denver, CO @ Globe
10/07 - Kansas City, MO - The Rino
10/08 - Burnsville, MN @ The Garage
10/09 - Chicago, IL @ The Bottom Lounge
10/11 - Cleveland, OH - Mahall's
10/12 - Columbus, OH @ Ace Of Cups
10/13 - Toronto, ON @ Hardluck Bar
10/14 - Detroit, MI @ The Shelter
10/16 - Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
10/17 - Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade
10/18 - Asbury Park, NJ @ House Of Independents
10/19 - Philadelphia, PA @ TLA
