Australian duo Hockey Dad injects a blend of raw energy and lovable irreverence into their dynamic, sun-drenched pop. Today, they announced the May 29 release of their forthcoming album Brain Candy via Farmer & The Owl/BMG. The album is produced by John Goodmanson (Death Cab, Sleater-Kinney, Wolf Parade) and you can pre-order/pre-save HERE. The announcement comes with the premiere of Hockey Dad's new song "Itch," as well as a music video that finds the zombified, skateboarding bandmates enjoying moments in the sun.
Directed by Laban Pheidias and produced by Plain Wood Productions, "The 'video shoot was unlike anything we've experienced before," says Hockey Dad guitarist and lead vocalist Zach Stephenson. "We had a full-day shoot with costume designers, production crew, and makeup. We were coated in thick body paint and face masks during the steamy LA day while skating, but it was worth it to creep people out who were walking by us."
Best friends since early childhood, Stephenson and Billy Fleming make music that has grown in step with their lifelong friendship and blossomed into a rapidly building phenomenon. After building an impressive catalog over the course of the last seven years, Hockey Dad closed out the decade with a major tour across Europe and Canada off the back of their recent single "I Missed Out."
While "I Missed Out" hints at growth grounded in the familiar, "Itch" takes elements of Hockey Dad's distinctive sound and shapes it in new ways, building and releasing tension until it concludes with a final moment of calm.
Stephenson explains that "'Itch' is the most non-Hockey Dad song we've ever written," as it lyrically delves into themes of control and release in which "the person in this song has somebody under their skin and can't get enough. It's kind of saying, 'come on in, keep me captive. I'm all yours.'"
As Stephenson speaks on Brain Candy, he becomes celebratory, yet calmly reflective. "[Our last album] Blend Inn dealt with problems in a less mature way through fighting and complaining," he explains. "I think getting older, I have come to see these situations as learning experiences-using these songs to understand my surroundings and lessons I've been given."
Hockey Dad's notoriously high-energy live show is coming to the US this spring. The tour will kick off at The Roxy in Los Angeles on April 3. Tickets for all shows are on sale now. A full list of dates can be found below.
Hockey Dad Tour Dates:
Apr 03 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy
Apr 04 - San Diego, CA @ SOMA
Apr 06 - Phoenix, AZ @ The Rebel Lounge
Apr 08 - San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger
Apr 09 - Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
Apr 10 - Austin, TX @ Barracuda
Apr 11 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Upstairs
Apr 14 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade Purgatory
Apr 16 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
Apr 17 - Washington DC @ Black Cat
Apr 18 - Brooklyn, NY @ Market Hotel
Apr 19 - Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
Apr 22 - Chicago, IL @ Subterranean
Apr 23 - Omaha, NE @ Slowdown
Apr 24 - Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater
Apr 25 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
Apr 27 - Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room
