Nashville based singer/songwriter Andrew Combs has announced his new album, Ideal Man, to be released on September 20 via New West Records and has shared ‘Stars Of Longing’, the first track to be taken from the album.An insightful, questioning gem, ‘Stars Of Longing’ opens the album with a snare drum cracking like a gunshot, before launching into a flowing blend of fuzzy guitar lines and reverb-drenched vocals.

Ideal Man was produced by Sam Cohen (Kevin Morby, Benjamin Booker) and follows Combs’ critically acclaimed 5 Covers & A Song EP, which featured his interpretations of songs by The Strokes, Radiohead, Blake Mills, Lucinda Williams, and Loudon Wainwright III.

While Combs may be best known as a singer/songwriter in the classic 1970s Laurel Canyon sense of the term, he proves the true versatility of his work here, often setting his acoustic aside in favour of atmospheric synthesizers and distorted electric guitars. Captured live in Cohen’s Brooklyn studio, Ideal Man also features Combs’ longtime collaborators, drummer Dom Billet and guitarist/keyboardist/bassist Jerry Bernhardt.

 “In the past, I’ve tended to pursue a studio sound that was really polished and clean, but I wanted to do something different this time, and I knew that working with Sam would lead to more of a loose, psychedelic, spaced-out vibe. We did everything live in the studio, even my vocals, and there’s a sense of immediacy and discovery in those early takes that you can’t recreate.”

Combs will be touring Europe in support of Ideal Man in November and December, including dates in Bristol, Edinburgh, and Glasgow, and a show at London’s The Lexington on December 10. Tickets are on sale now.

EUROPEAN TOUR 2019

04/12 – St Lawrence’s Church, Biddulph, UK

05/12 – Pleasance Cabaret Bar, Edinburgh, UK

06/12 – CCA, Glasgow, UK

07/12 – Cleeres, Kilkenny, IE

08/12 – Lost Lane, Dublin, IE

09/12 – Louisiana, Bristol, UK

10/12 – The Lexington, London, UK

With their eyes set on a fast-approaching run of sold-out UK underplay shows  as well as Summer festival dates at Truck Festival and Boardmasters, British-Australian outfit Sunset Sons are sharing a new single, ‘Say Hi’, which is produced by frequent collaborator Catherine Marks (Foals, Wolf Alice).

Talking about the upbeat and anthemic ‘Say Hi’, vocalist Rory Williams explains: “‘Say Hi’ is about getting to a place in life that’s fulfilling and real. Finding your happy place and seeing the real picture, rather than surrounding yourself with fake people. The boys came up with the video concept, based around the film ‘Big’ but in reverse – Pete, our bassist, wishing for a simpler time. Kieran, aka Lil Pete, is brilliant. Genuinely high on life and full of good vibes. What life should be all about really.”

The new material is a product of a song-writing purple patch from the Hossegor-based trio, following a winter run of shows with Nothing But Thieves which saw them take to the stage at London’s Alexandra Palace. “Every day’s a school day now,” laughs Williams: “I try to write every day - when I’m at home I do a 9-to-5 pretty well every day. Although it sometimes starts a little later than 9, you know…” Speaking about the band’s partnership with Catherine Marks - who produced The River and will also be at the helm for the band’s forthcoming second album - Williams says: “CJ wants to hear your weirdest ideas in the studio - she’s been putting our keys and guitars through different pedals in recording sessions, and we love what she’s brought to the new material. She’s essentially another member of Sunset Sons.”

‘Problems’ and newly-released cut ‘Say Hi’ follow on from the band’s 2018 The River EP and are the first taste of Sunset Sons’ forthcoming second album, the highly-anticipated successor to their UK Top 30 debut Very Rarely Say Die.

LIVE DATES

24 June GLASGOW The Attic Bar (SOLD OUT)

25 June MANCHESTER Jimmy’s (SOLD OUT)

26 June LONDON The Camden Assembly (SOLD OUT)

28 June TRURO The Old Bakery (SOLD OUT)