Legendary indie-rock band Grandaddy has announced a brand new studio
album Blu Wav set for release February 16, 2024 via Dangerbird Records.
A prolific storyteller, Jason Lytle is inspired by the overwhelming
beauty of nature to the mundane moments that spark life’s strongest
memories. Introducing pedal steel into the band’s repertoire for the
first time, buoyant lead single “Watercooler” comments on the
dichotomy of both. It was inspired by having his own outdoorsy rock guy
(in both senses of the word) lifestyle while his partner had an office
job. Lytle shares, “Most of my relationships have involved girls who
worked in office settings. This song is about the end of one, or perhaps
a few, of those relationships. Listeners will also notice the pedal
steel on this track and eventually on many others from the forthcoming
new album. It’s a first for Grandaddy, and I couldn't be more thrilled
about this fact.”
With the album title Blu Wav meant to be a literal mash-up of
“bluegrass” and “new wave”, the new collection has a distinct
feel, a uniform vibe, and a somewhat unexpected sound. It was conceived
as Grandaddy maestro Jason Lytle was driving through the Nevada desert,
and Patti Page’s "Tennessee Waltz" came across the classic country
station on the radio. He was immediately intrigued by the possibilities
of what it might sound like to keep the slow sway and sweet, simple
lyrics of the bluegrass waltz while adding layers of dense synthesizers
and the electronics of new wave. It incorporates the lo-fi lushness and
sometimes-psychedelic orchestration Grandaddy is known for with
Lytle’s first foray into true country. Seven of its 13 songs are
waltzes, and as Lytle notes, “there’s an inordinate amount of pedal
steel.”
Grandaddy recently celebrated their legacy with a series of 20th
anniversary reissues including the acclaimed Sumday Twunny box set which
earned a Pitchfork ‘Best New Reissue”. Lytle also contributed vocals
to a posthumous Sparklehorse album by request of his friend and fellow
psychedelic pop auteur Mark Linkous’ family. Grandaddy has released
five official LPs, most recently 2017’s Last Place. Grandaddy members
include Jason Lytle, Aaron Burtch, Jim Fairchild, Tim Dryden, and the
late Kevin Garcia, who passed away in 2017.
"it sounds so good." - NPR "iconic indie rock outfit" - FADER "One of
Modesto, California’s greatest exports" - BrooklynVegan "Grandaddy
still vibrate on a different emotional level in 2023." - FLOOD "Compared
to their contemporaries—Mercury Rev, Sparklehorse, the Flaming
Lips—Grandaddy excelled at demystifying the terrifying unknown, even
if that familiarity still bred contempt." - Pitchfork