Joey Cape releasing 'Let Me Know When You Give Up' (stream a track)

Lagwagon/Bad Astronaut frontman and long-running solo artist Joey Cape is releasing a new solo album, Let Me Know When You Give Up, on July 5 via Fat Wreck Chords (pre-order). Joey produced the album himself, and it features contributions from frequent collaborators like Asher Simon and Brian Wahlstrom, as well as Neil Hennessy (The Lawrence Arms), Matt Riddle (Face To Face, No Use For A Name, etc), Zach Quinn (PEARS), and others. The album title was inspired by “the culmination was things like Brexit and Trump and a lot of these nationalist parties that are coming about in the world right now,” but “the idea behind the title was more hopeful than negative,” Joey says. “The phrase just came out of me at some point – I just said it, but what I meant was more like, ‘Hey – let me know when you give up and we’ll go grab a beer and talk about pizza!”

Joey further explains that album “is conceptually about giving up a losing fight.” “Even more so, it’s about quality of life. I believe we make a better contribution to our world, when we abstain from the madness. The argument pulls us away from being individuals. It’s empowering to let go. The message is simple… when you are done with the fight, give me a call. I’m tired and I want to enjoy the rest of my life, as should you.”

The lead single is “I Know How To Run,” which premieres below. It’s a fine dose of punk-rooted folk music that should appeal to longtime fans of Joey Cape’s work, as well as fans of likeminded artists like Chuck Ragan and Tim Barry, and it was written “in reaction to the current social debate and it’s divisive nature,” Joey says. “People seem more concerned with argument than the outcome. The un-winnable fight defines them. You do not necessarily have to stay and fight. Leaving the conversation is a viable option. As a last resort, you can always run figuratively or literally.” Listen below.

Joey is also touring Europe this summer, and those dates are listed below.

Tracklist
Let Me Know When You Give Up
Daylight
I Know How To Run
Fighting Atrophy
Before My Heart Attack
Possession
Andalusia
The Love Of My Life
Fall Down
You Should Always
The Last Word

Joey Cape — 2019 Tour Dates
August 3 in Duffel BE @ Brakrock Festival
August 4 in Paris FR @ Gibus Club
August 6 in Berlin DE @ Cassiopeia
August 7 in Hamburg DE @ Knust
August 8 in Osnabruck DE @ Bastard Club
August 9 in Wiesbaden DE @ Schlachthof
August 10 in Dresden DE @ Groove Station
August 11 in Vienna AT @ B72
August 14 in Innsbruck AT @ pmk
August 15 in Regensburg DE @ Tiki Beat
August 16 in Stuttgart DE @ Universum
August 17 in Nalbach DE @ AkustikOpen
August 18 in Cologne DE @ Helios37