country westerns forgive the city

Country Westerns announce new album (listen to "It's a Living"), touring with Titus Andronicus

Country westerns
photo: Angelina Castillo

Nashville’s Country Westerns are back with Forgive the City, their second album, which is out April 28 via Fat Possum. Like their 2022 debut, it was produced by Matt Sweeney. “Overall, it’s about partnerships,” says frontman Joseph Plunket. “Though never planned as a concept, writing the last few songs (sometimes in the studio) I started to realize that none dealt with romantic relationships in any direct way. They’re intense songs about friendships, fellow travelers, even business associations—how exciting they can be when things begin and how disappointments, betrayals or shared success can leave just as much a mark on your life as romantic love. In the end that’s all a band is, right?”

You can check out the jangling, rough-and-tumble “It’s a Living” now. “It’s meant to be a tribute to musicians and travelers who are waiting for the road to open. And also a promotion of forgiveness in general,” says Plunket. “It’s about the last go around and wondering what’s left out there. An encouragement to those who have to push through and keep moving and also an acknowledgement of a time to lay it down. It has pretty obvious vibes of a pandemic spent in Nashville and the actual lyrics are less pretentious than this description. I wrote it on my Danelectro 10-string which gives it a cool aggressive jangle.” Watch the video below.

Country Westerns have a few Southeast dates this month and will hook up with Titus Andronicus for a North American tour starting in March. The tour end with shows at NJ’s Asbury Lanes on April 7 and Brooklyn’s Elsewhere on April 8. All dates are listed below.

country westerns forgive the city

Forgive the City:
1. Knucklen
2. Speaking Ill Of The Blues
3. Grapefruit
4. Money On The Table
5. Wait For It
6. Country Westerns
7. It’s A Livin’
8. Something Goes Wrong
9. Cussin’ Christians
10. Where I’m Going
11. Hell
12. Marinero

COUNTRY WESTERNS – 2023 TOUR DATES

January
21 – The E.A.R.L. – Atlanta, GA ^
22 – World Famous – Athens, GA
23 – Static Age – Asheville, NC
26 – The Five Spot – Nashville, TN
27 – Over Yonder – Savannah, GA
28 – Cherry Street Tavern – Chattanooga, TN

March
2 – Bottom Lounge – Chicago, IL #
3 – High Noon Saloon – Madison, WI #
4 – Turf Club – St. Paul, MN #
5 – The Aquarium – Fargo, ND #
7 – The Newberry – Great Falls, MT #
8 – Lucky You Lounge – Spokane, WA #
9 – The Fox Cabaret – Vancouver, BC #
10 – Sunset Tavern – Seattle, WA #
11 – Mississippi Studios – Portland, OR #
14 – Harlow’s – Sacramento, CA #
15 – The Chapel (Patio) – San Francisco, CA #
16 – The Catalyst Atrium – Santa Cruz, CA #
17 – The Teragram Ballroom – Los Angeles, CA #
18 – The Casbah – San Diego, CA #
21 – Rebel Lounge – Phoenix, AZ #
22 – Launchpad – Albuquerque, NM #
23 – Globe Hall – Denver, CO #
28 – Slowdown – Omaha, NE #
29 – Gabe’s – Iowa City, IA #
31 – The Bishop – Bloomington, IN #

April
1 – Big Room Bar – Columbus, OH #
4 – Black Cat – Washington, DC #
5 – Ottobar – Baltimore, MD #
6 – Underground Arts – Philadelphia, PA #
7 – Asbury Lanes – Asbury Park, NJ #
8 – Elsewhere – Brooklyn, NY #

^ – w/The Schizophonics
# – w/Titus Andronicus