Phil Cook People Are My Drug

Phil Cook releasing new LP, touring with Daniel Norgren (who has other dates)

Megafaun’s Phil Cook is releasing a new solo album, People Are My Drug, on June 1 via Psychic Hotline/Thirty Tigers (pre-order), and he just released the rootsy lead single “Steampowered Blues.” Phil says:

“Steampowered Blues” is the first song I wrote for PEOPLE ARE MY DRUG. I’ve long been drawn to the swing and swagger of New Orleans’ step rhythms. The left-right bass lines get my feet stepping, whereas the drums channel my hip movements and the weightless carefree melodies often coax my arms from my sides toward the sky. Lyrically, it’s playful in a way that I can get behind. Tamisha Waden and Chastity Brown’s vocal expressions are stunning. The payoff when Mountain Man enters at the end of the double-time chant makes me cheer every time. Within my mortal body and experience, this music is my church.

Phil’s brother and longtime collaborator Brad Cook produced it, and Phil recorded it with his backing band The Guitarheels (drummer JT Bates, bassist Michael Libramento and pianist James Wallace). Amelia Meath (Sylvan Esso, Mountain Man) co-wrote “Miles Away,” and the No BS! Brass Band play on “Life.”

Phil is also touring this year, including West Coast dates with Sweden’s Daniel Norgren, and East Coast dates with presumably other acts TBA. The East Coast shows include on at Brooklyn’s Rough Trade on June 10. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (4/6) at 10 AM with an AmEx presale starting today (4/4) at noon. All dates are listed below.

As for Daniel Norgren, while he’s been making albums and touring for over a decade, he only made his US debut at Pickathon 2016, and he went on his first-ever US tour last year (maybe you caught the show at NYC’s Bowery Ballroom with William Tyler in October). That tour coincided with the first-ever US releases of Daniel’s albums The Green Stone (2015), Alasbury (2015), and Buck (2013). For the uninitiated, Daniel’s songwriting is influenced by Americana but his musical backdrop relies more heavily on atmosphere than on a traditional acoustic guitar setup (Bon Iver fans may dig). You can stream those three albums below.

In addition to the West Coast dates with Phil Cook, Daniel Norgren has more North American shows this year, including a return to Pickathon (which Phil Cook also plays), Newport Folk Fest, and a return to NYC’s Bowery Ballroom on July 26. Tickets for the NYC show are on Citi presale now and the public on-sale begins Friday (4/6) at noon. All of Daniel’s dates are listed below.

Along with the announcement of Daniel Norgren’s tour, he posted a live video of him playing a new song, “So Glad.” You can watch that below too.

Phil Cook — 2018 Tour Dates
4/7 Durham, NC – The Pinhook
6/8 Washington DC – Songbyrd
6/10 Brooklyn, NY – Rough Trade
7/31 Los Angeles, CA – Teragram Ballroom*
8/1 San Francisco, CA – The Independent*
8/3-5 Happy Valley, OR – Pickathon
8/7 Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern*
8/8 Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern*

* with Daniel Norgren

Daniel Norgren — 2018 Tour Dates
WED 4 JULY Stora Scenen, LisebergGothenburg, Sweden
THU 5 JULY – SAT 7 JULY Skankaloss Festival 2018 Gagnef, Sweden
THU 26 JULY The Bowery BallroomNew York, NY, US
SAT 28 JULY Newport Folk Festival 2018Newport, RI, US
SUN 29 JULY Horseshoe TavernToronto, ON, Canada
TUE 31 JULY Teragram BallroomLos Angeles, CA, US*
WED 1 AUGUST The IndependentSan Francisco, CA, US*
THU 2 AUGUST – SUN 5 AUGUST Pickathon 2018Happy Valley, OR, US
TUE 7 AUGUST The Tractor TavernSeattle, WA, US*
WED 8 AUGUST The Tractor TavernSeattle, WA, US*

* – w/ Phil Cook