On February 24th, indie rock songwriter Alec Ounsworth will return with a new album as Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Dubbed The Tourist, it will serve as his fifth full-length under the moniker and the follow-up to 2014’s Only Run.
The Tourist was recorded over the course of a week at Dr. Dog’s studio in Philadelphia. Its 10 tracks were engineered by Nick Krill of The Spinto Band and mixed by Dave Fridmann, who assisted on two of CYHSY’s previous LPs. Musically, the album is said to be a “nod” to Ounsworth’s inspirations, such as Tom Waits, Nick Cave, and Paul Simon, and features keyboard-laden cuts alongside more folk-based numbers.
“I wanted to experiment with packing lyrics,” Ounsworth says in a press release. “On this album, the lyrics and vocal melody effectively carry the songs, maybe more than anything else. Elvis Costello does this really well on his song ‘Beyond Belief,’ as does Paul Simon on his solo albums.”
In terms of theme, Ounsworth uses The Tourist to reflect on an emotional last couple of years, describing the songs as a “type of purge.” A “purge of certain emotional confusion that manifested itself in the last several years,” he explains. “I’d rather not say that it was a dark time, but it was a difficult time in my life — among the most difficult. But I needed and need to try to let it go. And this is how I let things go.”
To preview the upcoming effort, Ounsworth has shared “Fireproof,” which he tells NPR is “really a be-careful-what-you-wish-for kind of song.” Stream it down below.
The Tourist Artwork:
The Tourist Tracklist:
01. The Pilot
02. A Chance To Cure
03. Down (is Where I Want To Be)
04. Unfolding Above Celibate Moon (Los Angeles Nursery Rhyme)
05. Better Off
06. Fireproof
07. The Vanity Of Trying
08. Loose Ends
09. Ambulance Chaser
10. Visiting Hours
In support of the LP, Ounsworth will head out on a North American tour beginning in February.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah 2017 Tour Dates:
03/02 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
03/03 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
03/04 – New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge
03/05 – Allston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
03/07 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
03/08 – Columbus, OH @ Skully’s Music Diner
03/09 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Pyramid Scheme
03/10 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
03/11 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
03/12 – Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room
03/14 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
03/15 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
03/16 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux
03/17 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
03/18 – Vancouver, BC @ The Cobalt
03/19 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
03/21 – Sacramento, CA @ Harlow’s
03/22 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
03/23 – Visalia, CA @ Roxy Theatre
03/25 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah
04/18 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar
04/20 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
04/21 – Austin, TX @ The Sidewinder
04/22 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
04/25 – Ybor City, FL @ The Orpheum
04/26 – Miami, FL @ Gramps
04/27 – Orlando, FL @ The Social
04/28 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
04/29 – Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
04/30 – Nashville, TN @ Exit/In
05/02 – Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle
05/03 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle Backroom
05/04 – Richmond, VA @ The Broadberry
05/05 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Cafe
05/06 – Washington, DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel