Wednesday announce new album 'Rat Saw God' & tour, share "Chosen To Deserve"

January 18, 2023

Asheville, NC indie rock band Wednesday have announced their anticipated new album, Rat Saw God, the followup to 2021’s great Twin Plagues and their first for Dead Oceans (Phoebe Bridgers, Japanese Breakfast, Mitski, etc). The album comes out April 7, and vinyl pre-orders are up now.

The album includes “Bull Believer,” the explosive, grungy, eight-minute song that Wednesday released last year, and new single “Chosen To Deserve” finds Wednesday continuing to go big. This one simultaneously embraces their love of alt-country and shoegaze, and it’s a little calmer and breezier than “Bull Believer,” but at six minutes, it’s still an ambitious, sprawled-out song and it’s only making us anticipate this new album even more.

“‘Chosen to Deserve’ is a writing exercise I gave myself to try to recreate the iconic song by Drive-By Truckers ‘Let There Be Rock’ but with my own experiences from growing up and fucking around and getting into stupid shit,” says singer/songwriter Karly Hartzman. “The video directed by Spencer Kelly shows the setting of my upbringing and antics: my parents’ neighborhood in Greensboro, NC and Lake Myers RV Resort.” Check it out below.

Wednesday have also announced a lengthy tour, including two North America runs and one in Europe and the UK. The first North American leg is with Cryogeyser and the second is with Tenci, and other cool bands are joining along the way like Mannequin Pussy, Advance Base, All Dogs, and Toner. (Also: All Dogs are back?!)

The leg with Tenci hits NYC on June 20 at Music Hall of Williamsburg. All dates are listed below.

Tracklist
1. Hot Grass Smell
2. Bull Believer
3. Got Shocked
4. Formula One
5. Chosen To Deserve
6. Bath County
7. Quarry
8. Turkey Vultures
9. What’s So Funny
10. TV in the Gas Pump

Wednesday — 2023 Tour Dates
4/26 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl *
4/27 – Birmingham, AL – Saturn *
4/28 – New Orleans, LA – Gasa Gasa *
4/30 – Dallas, TX – Club Dada *
5/1 – Austin, TX – The Ballroom *
5/3 – Albuquerque, NM – Sister Bar *
5/4 – Tucson, AZ – Club Congress *
5/5 – Los Angeles, CA – Teragram Ballroom !
5/6 – San Francisco, CA – Independent *
5/8 – Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios *
5/9 – Vancouver, BC – Fox Cabaret *
5/10 – Seattle, WA – Barboza *
5/11 – Spokane, WA – Lucky You Lounge *
5/13 – Boise, ID – The Shredder *~
5/12-14 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Block Party
5/15 – Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge *
5/17 – Kansas City, MO – Record Bar *
5/18 – St. Louis, MO – Off Broadway *
5/19 – Little Rock, AR – Sticky Fingers Rock N Roll Chicken Shack *
5/20 – Memphis, TN – Growlers *
5/21 – Nashville, TN – Basement East *
5/27 – Berlin, DE – Schokoladen
5/28 – Groningen, NL – Vera
5/29 – Amsterdam, NL – Paradiso Upstairs
5/31 – Brussels, BE – Witlof Bar
6/1 – Paris, FR – L’International
6/3 – Barcelona, ES – Primavera Sound
6/5 – Manchester, UK – YES Basement
6/6 – London, UK – Lexington
6/7 – Bristol, UK – Rough Trade
6/9 – Porto, PT – Primavera Sound
6/10 – Madrid, ES – Primavera Sound
6/15 – Charlotte, NC – Neighborhood Theatre #
6/16 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle #
6/17 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer @#
6/18 – Washington, DC – Black Cat #
6/20 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg #
6/21 – Cambridge, MA – Sinclair #
6/22 – Montreal, QC – Bar Le Ritz #
6/23 – Toronto, ON – Horseshoe Tavern #
6/24 – Grand Rapids, MI – Pyramid Scheme %
6/26 – Chicago, IL – Metro #
6/27 – Milwaukee, WI – Cactus Club #
6/28 – Minneapolis, MN – Turf Club #
6/30 – Columbus, OH – Ace of Cups #
7/1 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel #