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Protomartyr Announce New Album ‘Hotel Usona’
Detroit band Protomartyr have announced their new album 'Hotel Usona', due for release on 25th September via Domino Records. The record was made with producer Dave Fridmann, known for his work with Sleater-Kinney, MGMT and The Flaming Lips, at his Tarbox Road Studios in western New York, and marks a fresh chapter for the long-running post-punk outfit.
The band – vocalist Joe Casey, drummer Alex Leonard, bassist Scott Davidson and multi-instrumentalist/co-producer Greg Ahee – have shared the new single 'Sounds We Cannot Hear' alongside the announcement. Notably, the release is accompanied by an essay from Iggy Pop, who praises the record as symphonic and "Wagnerian" in scope, comparing its musical reach to Richard Wagner's Tristan and Isolde and singling out Casey's voice and the group's tight musicianship.
In short
- Protomartyr's new album 'Hotel Usona' arrives 25th September via Domino
- Produced by Dave Fridmann; single 'Sounds We Cannot Hear' out now
- Iggy Pop pens an essay praising the album's ambitious, symphonic sound
Explained simply
Protomartyr are a rock band from Detroit who have released music for over a decade. Their songs combine guitar-based music with spoken and sung lyrics that often reflect on political and social issues. They have built a steady following in the independent music world through their releases and live performances.
The band's new project involves producer Dave Fridmann, who has worked on successful albums by bands such as Sleater-Kinney, MGMT and The Flaming Lips. This choice of producer suggests they may be exploring different musical directions. The record has also attracted the attention of Iggy Pop, a legendary rock musician, who has written positively about the album and compared its ambition to major classical music works.
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