Semisonic Releases Two New Songs Amid First National Tour in 20 Years
The new tracks were released alongside new lyric videos.
By: Michael Major Jun. 05, 2023
he Grammy-nominated trio Semisonic released “Little Bit Of Sun” and “Grow Your Own,” their first release of new music following their 2020 EP You’re Not Alone. The two new songs arrive as the band embarked on their first national tour in over 20 years with the Barenaked Ladies. In the coming weeks, the band will play their home state of Minnesota, Chicago, Los Angeles and more. Find a full list of tour dates below.
The songs were recorded between Creation Studios in Minneapolis, MN and Ballroom Studio in Los Angeles, and produced by Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and producer Dan Wilson and his co-founding bandmates John Munson and Jacob Slichter.
“’Little Bit of Sun’ came out really fast one day - I think I wrote the first minute of it in one spontaneous take. It felt so right. We’ve all been beaten down by darkness for the last few years, it’s like we can hardly ask for a full sky of sunshine. We’d be willing to scrape by on a glimpse of it. But obviously, the song is asking for more. I can get by on a little bit, but at some point I want it all.” Wilson explains.
“I wrote ‘Grow Your Own’ about the joy and blue sky of starting up a band. If you’re a musician and you hear some music you love, you’re gonna want to make some of that music for yourself. Grow your own. And if you don’t hear the music you want to hear in the world, well then, all the more reason to grow your own.
A lot of the imagery in the song is from the years when I lived in Boston, going to Harvard during the day and playing in the clubs at night. I definitely longed to be welcomed by the grungy rock people way more than I needed approval from the scholars. In retrospect, I guess it makes sense when you look at what I’ve done with my life.”
Reflecting on the band’s first tour in more than two decades, Wilson adds: “Semisonic’s last tour was in 2003. John and Jacob and I have stayed friends since then, and we would do at least a show or two a year, just for the joy of jamming together. Then in 2019 we found ourselves back in the studio, making the You're Not Alone EP, which came out in 2020. And now we’re going out on tour again! We’re really happy to be spending June playing with our old friends the Barenaked Ladies.”
The new music follows their 2020 EP You’re Not Alone, their first release of new music in over 20 years that was met with acclaim from Rolling Stone, SPIN, Stereogum, Consequence of Sound and many more. The band also made their return to national TV where they performed three songs and spoke with Anthony Mason on CBS Saturday Morning.
In addition to his work with Semisonic, Dan Wilson has remained an in-demand songwriter and producer, working on a uniquely diverse range of releases. In recent years Wilson teamed up with Mitski for her first released co-write, “The Only Heartbreaker,” worked with Taylor Swift on re-producing his co-writes on Red (Taylor’s Version), and collaborated with with Leon Bridges, Tom Morello, Joy Oladokun, Claud, Cuco and many more.
Wilson recently co-wrote and produced Celine Dion’s “Love Again” from the motion picture soundtrack.
Tour with Barenaked Ladies:
6/6 – Chicago, IL –Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
6/7 – Milwaukee, WI – BMO Pavilion
6/9 – Waite Park, MN – The Ledge Amphitheater
6/10 – Mankato, MN – Vetter Stone Amphitheater
6/11 – Kansas City, MO – Starlight Theatre
6/13 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
6/14 – Salt Lake City, UT – Red Butte Garden
6/15 – Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater
6/17 – Troutdale, OR – McMenamins Edgefield
6/18 – Woodinville, WA – Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery
6/20 – Saratoga, CA – The Mountain Winery
6/22 – San Diego, CA – Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
6/23 – Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre
6/24 – Indio, CA – Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
6/26 – Austin, TX – Bass Concert Hall
Photo Credit: Steven Cohen
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