The group will head out on tour later this fall.
Canada's Preoccupations have released their fourth studio LP, Arrangements. The album begins with the pounding metallic slash of guitar strings of "Fix Bayonets!". It's harsh and desolate at first, but builds into a thrilling synth sprint.
The track -from its call-to-arms title and tense first guitar phrases to its whirlwind evolution- sets the stage for what is to come: a Preoccupations record that weaves their guitar-heavy origins with their newer synth-based work. The result is Arrangements, a record that is at once the band's most intense, engaging, and playful work yet.
On the album release, vocalist Matt Flegel says "I'm certain that I've been writing about the same bleak things over and over again throughout the lifespan of Preoccupations. This time around the themes of isolation, anxiety, trepidation, imminent self-annihilation, fear of totalitarianism, and general malaise unintentionally all feel a little more relevant than they have in the past. I guess that's not a great sign, but I think we've taken this culmination of dark things, and turned it into something that can happily be listened to loudly, and that is maybe even...fun?"
This week the band shared the first official Chad VanGaalen-directed video from Arrangements for album highlight "Slowly", which follows previous singles "Ricochet" & "Death of Melody."
Preoccupations are known for their truly transformative live shows and will be hitting North America in support of the new album this Fall. The band have also announced a European tour to kick off in the New Year. All dates are listed below, and tickets can be purchased here.
Listen to the new single here:
Oct 19th - Loving Touch - Detroit, MI
Oct 20th - Grog Shop - Cleveland, OH
Oct 21st - Lincoln Hall - Chicago, IL
Oct 22nd - Racoon Motel- Davenport, IA
Oct 23rd - Turf Club in St. Paul - Minneapolis, MN
Oct 26th - Commonwealth - Calgary, AB
Oct 28th - Tractor Tavern - Seattle, WA
Oct 29th - Biltmore Cabaret - Vancouver, BC
Oct 30th - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, OR
Nov 2nd - Rickshaw Stop - San Francisco, CA
Nov 4th - Echoplex - Los Angeles, CA
Nov 5th - Valley - Phoenix, AZ
Nov 8th - Paper Tiger - San Antonio, TX
Nov 9th - Parish - Austin, TX
Nov 10th - Three Links - Dallas, TX
Nov 12th - Aisle 5 - Atlanta, GA
Nov 16th - DC9 - Washington, DC
Nov 17th - Johnny Brendas - Philadelphia, PA
Nov 18th Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY
Nov 19th - Space Ballroom - Hamden, CT
Nov 21st - The Sinclair - Boston, MA
Nov 22nd - Bar Le Ritz - Montreal, QC
Nov 24th - Lee's - Toronto, ON
Feb 3rd - Fribourg, CH @ Fri-Son
Feb 4th - Baden, CH @ One Of A Million Festival
Feb 7th - Margate, UK @ Elsewhere
Feb 8th - Bristol, UK @ The Fleece
Feb 9th - Hull, UK @ The New Adelphi Club
Feb 10th - Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
Feb 11th - Glasgow, UK @ Stereo
February 12th - District - Liverpool, UK
February 13th - YES | Pink room - Manchester, UK
February 15th - Hare & Hounds - Birmingham, UK
February 16th - Scala - London, UK
February 18th - Petit Bain - Paris, FR
February 19th - AB Club - Brussels, BE
February 20th - L'Entrepôt - Arlon, BE
February 22rd - L'Aéronef - Lille, FR
February 23rd - EKKO - Utrecht, NL
February 24th - Badehaus - Berlin, DE
February 25th - UT Connewitz - Leipzig, DE
February 26th - Milla - Munich, DE
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