‘Flicted, the new studio album from award-winning pianist, singer and songwriter Bruce Hornsby, is set for release on May 27 via his own Zappo Productions/Thirty Tigers. Recorded last summer, the new record is the follow up to Hornsby’s acclaimed albums, Absolute Zero and Non-Secure Connection.
In celebration of the forthcoming record, the album’s lead single “Sidelines,” featuring a duet with Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend and Blake Mills on guitar throughout, debuts today alongside an accompanying video. Co-written by Mills and co-produced by Ariel Rechtshaid, Hornsby says, “‘Sidelines’ is a song about hysteria in various forms, starting with the Salem witch trials of the 1600’s then to the present-day pandemic-era panic. It features angular melodic content vocally and a pointillistic middle instrumental section.” Listen to/share it HERE and watch/share the video HERE.
Of the video, director Kitty Ninon Anais Faingold recalls, “I wanted the video to read like visual poetry by using allegorical imagery and a stream of consciousness method of working. I also wanted to give it a hand-crafted feel to emphasize the sensitivity of the song and vulnerability of the lyrics, so I worked with watercolors on thin computer paper which I then took photos of. This gave the animation a lot of texture and a level of DIY analogue imperfection which I think works well with the idea of vulnerability and human emotion.”
‘Flicted completes a trilogy of song collections (Absolute Zero and Non-Secure Connection) based on film “cues” Hornsby composed for writer and director Spike Lee. This unique approach enables him to build upon and explore new stylistic techniques while collaborating with a wide variety of talented artists. On ‘Flicted, Hornsby’s goal was to make a more upbeat record overall, speaking on COVID-19 using the world of science as a recurring influence.
“The album title ‘Flicted relates to this strange time in which we live, when the world is basically, well, ‘flicted,” adds Hornsby.
Co-produced by Hornsby and Tony Berg, the 12-track album features additional production work from Rechtshaid and Wayne Pooley. ‘Flicted also features a duet with Danielle Haim on the pandemic shut-down era piece “Days Ahead” as well as further contributions from Rob Moose who provided several arrangements and performances individually and as a member of yMusic. The record also includes a re-imagining of Chuck Berry’s “Too Much Monkey Business,” marking the first cover song to ever appear on Hornsby’s studio releases.
In addition, Hornsby and his band the Noisemakers will embark on an extensive run of 2022 tour dates. Kicking off on March 26, the tour includes performances at Los Angeles’ Troubadour, Chicago’s Athenaeum Theatre and Cincinnati’s Taft Theatre as well as appearances at the Elkhart Jazz Fest, Rocky Mountain Folk Festival, Strings Music Festival and more. Further 2022 dates will be announced soon, while the current tour routing can be found below.
Based out of Williamsburg, VA, Hornsby first rose to national prominence with The Way It Is, his 1986 Grammy-winning debut album with The Range. The title track became the most-played song on American radio in 1987 while Tupac Shakur’s timeless song “Changes” builds on “The Way It Is” and set the stage for many subsequent versions of the track, including Polo G’s recent single “Wishing For A Hero.” In 1991, Hornsby collaborated with Bonnie Raitt, playing on her iconic hit “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” Additionally, Hornsby was a part-time member of the Grateful Dead from September 1990 to March 1992, performing over 100 concerts in America and Europe. In 2019, Hornsby co-wrote “U (Man Like)” with Justin Vernon for the latest Bon Iver album i,i. Hornsby has also written six full film scores for Spike Lee including his recent Netflix series “She’s Gotta Have It,” and contributed music to five others, including 2021’s NYC Epicenters 9/11→2021½.
The 13-time Grammy nominee has solidified his status as a highly sought-after collaborator. Hornsby’s own 23 albums have sold over 11 million copies worldwide, and he has appeared on over 100 records including releases with Bob Dylan, Don Henley, the Grateful Dead, Stevie Nicks, Ricky Skaggs, Bob Seger, Chaka Khan, Brandon Flowers, Bonnie Raitt, Sting, Mavis Staples, Willie Nelson and more.
‘FLICTED TRACKLIST
Sidelines (with Ezra Koenig and featuring Blake Mills)
Tag
The Hound
Too Much Monkey Business
Maybe Now
Bucket List
Days Ahead (featuring Danielle Haim
Lida
Is This I
Had Enoug
Simple Prayer II (featuring Z. Berg, Ethan Gruska and Rob Moose
Point Omeg
BRUCE HORNSBY & THE NOISEMAKERS LIVE
March 26—Savannah, GA—Savannah Music Festival (Lucas Theatre)
March 27—Augusta, GA—Miller Theater*
March 29—Knoxville, TN—Bijou Theatre*
March 30—Chattanooga, TN—Walker Theatre*
April 1—Birmingham, AL—The Lyric Theatre*
April 2—New Orleans, LA—Hogs For The Cause
June 17— Gethsemane, KY—The Amp at Dant Crossing
June 20—Interlochen, MI—Kresge Auditorium†
June 21—Chicago, IL—Athenaeum Theatre†
June 23—Indianapolis, IN—Rock the Ruins at The Vogue Outdoors‡
June 24—Cincinnati, OH—Taft Theatre†
June 26—Hammondsport, NY—The Pavilion at Point of the Bluff Vineyards†
June 28—Brooklyn, NY—Brooklyn Bowl†
June 30—Vienna, VA—Wolf Trap Filene Center§
August 5—Ojai, CA—Libbey Bowl
August 6—West Hollywood, CA—Troubadour
August 9—Flagstaff, AZ—Pepsi Amphitheater
August 11—Beaver Creek, CO—Vilar Performing Arts Center†
August 12 – 14—Lyons, CO—Rocky Mountain Folk Festival
August 17—Livingston, MT—Pine Creek Lodge†
August 21—San Francisco, CA—Palace of Fine Arts†
August 23—Seattle, WA—Neptune Theatre†
August 25—Portland, OR—Revolution Hall†
October 14—Omaha, NE—Holland Performing Arts Center (An Evening with Bruce Hornsby and the Omaha Symphony)
*w/ Gibb Droll
†w/ CARM
‡w/ Bonny Light Horseman
§w/ Shawn Colvin & CARM
