BUTCH WALKER
TO RELEASE NEW SOLO ALBUM
SYCAMORE MEADOWS ON NOVEMBER 11, 2008
TO RELEASE NEW SOLO ALBUM
SYCAMORE MEADOWS ON NOVEMBER 11, 2008
Sycamore Meadows, the street where acclaimed musician Butch Walker lived and worked in Malibu, CA has drastically changed as a result of the massive wildfires that destroyed much of the area last November. And like many other Southern California residents, Walker lost his entire house and all his personal possessions in those fires, including his studio and every master recording he’s ever made. But inspiration sometimes comes from tragedy and so it became that this event incited Butch Walker to create music unlike anything he had ever done before. The result is his fourth album entitled Sycamore Meadows, due out on November 11, 2008 (Power Ballad/Stay Platinum/Original Signal). His revered talent – which includes producing for and writing with Pink, Katy Perry, Avril Lavigne, The Automatic, Hot Hot Heat, Secondhand Serenade, The Academy Is…, etc. - shines through on this very personal album and will further prove the staying power of Walker as a solo artist. Always known to change up his musical styles, Butch Walker trades in his smart-glam, David Bowie-Marc Bolan sound heard on the previous solo album - The Rise and Fall of Butch Walker and the Let’s Go Out Tonites (July 2006/Epic) - for a classic and introspective sound highlighting his poignant lyrics and unforgettable melodies on Sycamore Meadows. Walker wrote and produced the entire album resulting in a collection of 12 beautifully constructed songs, delivering the distinct vibe his rabid fans already love him for and which will undoubtedly attract new audiences.
First single “The Weight of Her” is an uptempo, anthemic jam that launches the album while ballad “Ships in a Bottle” slows the mood down. “Ships in a Bottle” will be accompanied by a moving homemade video that documents the remains of his house before it was cleared away. It premiered as a featured video on MySpace Music during the week of September 17-September 24, 2008. Both tracks are currently available on iTunes. Another standout track, “Here comes The…” features vocals from a soulful and raw Pink. “ATL” is an ode to the city where he grew up featuring lyrics like “Oh Atlanta please need me like I needed you, let your sweaty embrace open wide” while on “Going Back/Going Home” he addresses the fire directly “I finally know the difference between going back and going home.”
Butch Walker has seen nearly six years of success as a solo artist and as front man for Marvelous 3, Butch Walker and The Let’s Go Out Tonites while also producing and writing GRAMMY-nominated and hit songs for countless other artists. But what really sets him apart from other writers and producers is his dedicated fan base as an artist, selling out venues across the country for several years now and even being considered one of the best live performers of his generation.
Beginning September 30, 2008, fans can download the album's first single "The Weight of Her" for free at Amazon.com (for a limited time) as well as pre-order the full album.
Butch Walker plans to set out on a full U.S. headline tour in February 2009. In the meantime he'll be playing the following venues in support of the album: Nectar Lounge, Seattle 10/21; The Loft, Atlanta 11/10; Blender Theatre, New York City 11/13; North Star Bar, Philadelphia 11/14; Maxwell’s, Hoboken 11/15; DC9, Washington D.C. 11/17.
Track listing…
1. The Weight of Her
2. Going Back/Going Home
3. Here Comes The...
4. Ponce De Leon Ave.
5. Ships in a Bottle
6. Vessels
7. Passed Your Place, Saw Your Car, Thought of You
8. The 3 Kids In Brooklyn
9. Summer Scarves
10. A Song For The Metalheads
11. Closer To The Truth and Further From The Sky
12. ATL
www.myspace.com/butchwalker and www.butchwalker.com
My interview and article on the album and his Chicago shows from August can be found here.
