St. Paul & The Broken Bones Releases 'Angels In Science Fiction' Album
The album is out now on ATO Records.
By: Michael Major Apr. 21, 2023
'St. Paul & The Broken Bones debut a new single "Oporto-Madrid Blvd." The song is taken from the band's forthcoming album Angels In Science Fiction, out this Friday, April 21 on ATO Records-pre-save/pre-order here.
"Oporto Madrid Boulevard is an actual street in Birmingham, which I drive frequently," says frontman and Alabama native Paul Janeway. "There is a lot of imagery, but one of the biggest themes of this song is nature over nurture, starting with the first line of the song 'Power lines running through the branches on the street, city cuts 'em down.'"
Ahead of the album, St. Paul & The Broken Bones have shared three tracks to critical praise from NPR, MXDWN, Relix, Glide Magazine and more. Listen to "City Federal Building," "Sea Star" and "Lonely Love Song," which was named "a prayerful and powerful lullaby" by Garden & Gun.
In celebration of the new music, the band will play several in-store shows throughout release week at Nashville, Tennessee's Grimey's, Opelika, Alabama's Hz Records and in their hometown of Birmingham, Alabama at Seasick Records and TrimTab Brewing.
The band partnered with TrimTab Brewing on a custom beer, "Heat Lightning," to commemorate the release and to celebrate the record's Alabama roots.
St. Paul & The Broken Bones will also take their dynamic live shows to the U.S. and Europe on a run of headline dates throughout the year-see below and visit here for complete tour routing.
Angels In Science Fiction is available in four Limited Collector's Edition vinyl variants, each including a note from Janeway and foliage from his home in Alabama pressed into the disc. The latest includes Marigold petals, an homage to Janeway's daughter and the record's final track.
Angels In Science Fiction was written in the span of a few weeks after Janeway learned that his wife was pregnant with their daughter, Marigold. Following the examples set by greats like Aristotle, William James and John Steinbeck, Janeway penned the album as a series of letters to his then-unborn daughter.
The new album was recorded at Sam Phillips Recording Studio in Memphis, Tennessee and produced by Matt Ross-Spang (Jason Isbell, John Prine, Elvis Presley). It follows the band's critically acclaimed 2022 album The Alien Coast.
Founded in Birmingham, Alabama in 2011, St. Paul & The Broken Bones consists of Paul Janeway (vocals), Jesse Phillips (bass), Browan Lollar (guitar), Kevin Leon (drums), Al Gamble (keyboards), Allen Branstetter (trumpet), Chad Fisher (trombone), and Amari Ansari (saxophone).
The eight-piece ensemble burst into the world with their 2014 debut,Half the City, establishing a sound that quickly became a calling card and landing the band a slew of major festivals including Lollapalooza, Coachella and Glastonbury.
Critical praise from The New York Times, Rolling Stone, SPIN and NPR followed, leading to shared stages with some of the world's biggest artists-Elton John and The Rolling Stones among them-and launching an impressive run of headlining tours behind what Esquire touted as a "potent live show that knocks audiences on their ass."
The group has continued to expand their sound with every record, branching out well beyond old-school soul into sleek summertime funk and classic disco on albums like 2018's Young Sick Camellia.
Their forthcoming LP, Angels In Science Fiction, stretches their limbs further afield, building on the shadowy psychedelia and intricate, experimental R&B of 2022's The Alien Coast. The new record finds Janeway at his very best. With Angels In Science Fiction, St. Paul & The Broken Bones have crafted their most moving, comprehensive work-spanning their entire sonic and emotional scope.
TOUR DATES
April 19-Birmingham, AL-TrimTab Brewing*
April 21- Opelika, AL-10,000 Hz Records*
April 21-Waverly, AL-Standard Deluxe
April 22-Birmingham, AL-Seasick Records*
April 22-Birmingham, AL-The Lyric Theatre
April 25-Nashville, TN-Grimey's*
April 29-Decatur, GA-Amplify Decatur Festival
May 20-21-Knoxville, TN-Southern Skies Festival
May 21-Greenville, SC-Peace Center Concert Hall
May 23-Augusta, GA-Miller Theatre
May 25-Wilmington, NC-Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
May 25-28-Cumberland, MD-DelFest
May 25-28-Martinsville, VA-Rooster Walk 13
June 17-18-Los Angeles, CA-Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival
June 18-Napa, CA-Blue Note Summer Sessions
June 23-Greenfield, MA-Green River Festival
June 25-Saratoga Springs, NY-Saratoga Performing Arts Center
July 8-Saskatoon, Canada-Sasktek Saskatchewan Jazz Festival
July 9-Calgary, AB-Calgary Stampede
July 23-Stuttgart, Germany-Jazz Open Stuttgart
August 11-Telluride, CO-Telluride Jazz Festival 2023
August 25-Tisbury, MA-Beach Road Weekend
*In-store event
Press photo, credit: Paige Sara
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