Theo Kandel to Release Debut Album 'EATING & DRINKING & BEING IN LOVE'; Shares Lead Single

NYC-born, LA-based singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Theo Kandel will release his debut album EATING & DRINKING & BEING IN LOVE, out September 20th via Nettwerk Music Group. He is also set to embark on a tour, including headline shows in New York, Decatur, Greenville, and Louisville, as well as a fall run with labelmate Jordy Searcy. Full list of dates here.

Returning to New York City on a creative sojourn, Theo hunkered down in Grand Street Recording, the former location of the historic Hit Factory, to record Eating & Drinking & Being In Love with producer Jack Kleinick [grentperez, Juliet Ivy, Wingtip]. Four days later, he emerged with the album.

“When I’m writing songs, I need something visceral and tangible to sink my teeth into,” Theo explains. “Eating & Drinking & Being in Love is about time spent with important people in my life, and knowing that even a slice of that can be significant—even if it goes explicitly unsaid.”

Along with the LP announcement comes his latest single and music video “The Painters,” a free-spirit summer anthem with nostalgia-tinged lyrics of road trips and late summer nights with your best friends.

“We wanted to make something that would pay homage to the feel-good music of past decades (70s, 90s, perhaps) while still rooting itself firmly in the modern age,” says Theo. “It’s a song for driving down the coast with the windows down, then finding a spot on the beach and cracking open a nice cold beer.

“It’s romantic, a bit cheesy, and totally aware of itself. I wanted the music video to feel just like that,” Theo explains. “I loved How I Met Your Mother growing up, and one of my favorite scenes is the two-minute date that Ted takes Stella on. I like to think our music video is an homage to that – to young love and sweaty summer days.”

Theo's musical approach centers on capturing the essence of everyday life and infusing it with a sense of wonder. This ethos permeates his finely crafted folk tunes, infused with just the right amount of rock energy, propelling him to quiet stardom with millions of streams and packed shows.

Kandel initially picked up the violin at four years old. He later found his voice through experimentation with different musical genres, blending indie, pop, and electronic music elements while preserving the folk roots evident in his current work. 

Following a string of "test releases," he made his mark in 2021 with his debut EP, Spin Cycle, earning praise from publications like FLAUNT and Ones To Watch.

Theo continued to evolve his sound, culminating in his 2022 EP, What if it all works out in the end?, featuring standout tracks like "Me & All My Friends Have Got the Blues," reminiscent of folk legends such as Jackson C. Frank and James Taylor. His journey led him to sign with Nettwerk following the release of his stripped-down EP, Somewhere Along the Trail, Vol. 1, with its lead single, "Flight to JFK," amassing over 470k streams to date. Alongside headlining his shows, he supported acts like Evan Honer, ROSIE, and the iconic John Oates.

Tour Dates:

* Supporting Jordy Searcy

~ Headline

Jul 2 // Union Pool // Brooklyn, NY~

Sep 19 // Deep Elllum Art Co. // Dallas, TX*

Sep 20 // Common Grounds // Waco, TX*

Sep 21 // Spiderhouse Ballroom // Austin, TX*

Sep 26 // The Basement East // Nashville, TN*

Sep 27 // Songbirds // Chattanooga, TN*

Sep 28 // 40 Watts // Athens, GA*

Sep 30 // John Emerald Distillery // Opelika, AL*

Oct 1 // Saturn // Birmingham, AL*

Oct 4 // Eddie’s Attic // Decatur, GA~

Oct 5 // Radio Room // Greenville, SC~

Oct 6 // Zanzibar // Louisville, KY~

Oct 22 // Open Chord // Knoxville, TN*

Oct 23 // Cat’s Cradle // Carrboro, NC*

Oct 24 // Richmond Music Hall // Richmond, VA*

Oct 26 // DC9 // Washington, DC*

Oct 27 // Milkboy // Philadelphia, PA*

Oct 28 // The Broadway // Brooklyn, NY*

Oct 29 // The Middle East // Cambridge, MA*

Oct 30 // Portland House of Music // Portland, ME*

Photo Credit: Kate Stephenson

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