For a band that has already seen so much success in such a short amount of time, one wouldn’t think Akron/Family would be looking to change things up. But as we recently learned, the folk rockers will do just that when they release their fourth studio effort, Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free, on May 5th via Dead Oceans Records.
Billed as the next chapter for the band, the album, which marks the first new release since the departure of founding member Ryan Vanderhoof last fall, the album will see Akron/Family take the do-it-yourself route, forgoing the assistance of producers and engineers in favor of an independent, self-release. The result is an album 
evoking material that is more “focused, powerful and unified” than any of the band’s previous work. Consisting of 11 tracks, Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free seeks to convey these attributes with a rather diverse sound; styles ranging from “primal punk rock” and pyschedalic to “heavy free jazz” and “lush” folk can be heard throughout. Hey, now that we think about it, the title ain’t half bad…
Ahead of the release, the trio will spend most of March on the road, highlighted by a Chris Darrow tribute show in Santa Monica, CA, two nights at South by Southwest and an appearance at Las Vegas’ Neon Reverb Festival.
Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free Tracklist:
01. Everyone Is Guilty
02. River
03. Creatures
04. The Alps & Their Orange Evergreen
05. Set ‘Em Free
06. Gravelly Mountains of the Moon
07. Many Ghosts
08. MBF
09. They Will Appear
10. Sun Will Shine (Warmth of the Sunship Version)
11. Last Year
Akron/Family 2009 Tour Dates:
03/01 – Santa Monica, CA @ McCabe’s Guitar (Chris Darrow Tribute)
03/06 – San Francisco, CA @ Hemlock Tavern
03/07 – San Francisco, CA @ Hemlock Tavern
03/08 – San Francisco, CA @ Hemlock Tavern
03/09 – Santa Cruz, CA @ Brookdale Lodge
03/10 – Los Angeles, CA @ Steve Allen Theatre
03/11 – Los Angeles, CA @ Steve Allen Theatre
03/12 – Los Angeles, CA @ Steve Allen Theatre
03/13 – Las Vegas, NV @ Neon Reverb Festival
03/17 – Denver, CO @ Oriental Theatre
03/18 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
03/19 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
03/22 – Hamilton, ON @ The Casbah
03/23 – Toronto, ON @ Sneaky Dees *
03/24 – Toronto, ON @ Sneaky Dees *
03/25 – Montreal, QC @ II Motore *
03/26 – Montreal, QC @ II Motore *
03/27 – New York, NY @ The New Museum
03/28 – Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool
03/29 – Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool
* = w/ Born Ruffians