John Moreland Announces New Album “LP5” – Releases New Song
For those fans of songwriting that hits so hard you’re apt to fold in two and end up in a fetal position on the floor, John Moreland has been one of your favorite poisons over the last few years. Those who crave Moreland like a drug had to feel their internal clocks ringing that he was about due for another record, and Friday was greeted with a new song with the timely title “East October” (listen below), and the announcement of a new album called LP5 due out February 7th, 2020.
Produced by Matt Pence from Centro-Matic, and recorded in Denton, TX at The Echo Lab, it will be the first time Moreland is not the primary producer on one of his records. The new album also marks John Moreland’s return to Thirty Tigers after releasing his last record via 4AD. The album title “LP5” seems to be in reference to the fact that this is John Moreland’s fifth official solo release.
“I’ve been home a lot more this year and I’ve been writing a lot more,” Moreland said in a recent interview. “I took a little longer this time, but you know, life stuff just got a little more hectic than it was in the past … It was the first time I wasn’t really the producer. It was kind of a group effort– but Matt [Pence] is definitely, he produced it … He helped me out for sure. He helped me get out of my comfort zone and push past things and do things I wanted to do but didn’t quite know how to do in the past. It was a really great experience.”
Centro-Matic and Monsters of Folk drummer Will Johnson also plays on the record, as does Bonnie Whitmore, and Moreland’s traveling sideman John Calvin Abney, who recently released his own album Safe Passage on September 27th which includes an appearance by Moreland. “Very happy for everyone else to get a chance to hear it,” producer Matt Pence said on September 26th after finishing the record. “I am immensely proud. We did real good.”
Over the years John Moreland has won mighty praise from fellow performers and songwriters from Jason Isbell to Miranda Lambert. Miranda has traveled multiple times to see Moreland perform. LP5 is now available for pre-order.
TRACK LISTING:
- Harder Dreams
- A Thought Is Just a Passing Train
- East October
- Learning How To Tell Myself the Truth
- Two Stars
- Terrestrial
- In Times Between
- When My Fever Breaks
- I Always Let You Burn Me To The Ground
- For Ichiro
- Let Me Be Understood
October 18, 2019 @ 11:27 am
Album cover looks like something from New Order. Sounds good.
October 18, 2019 @ 11:32 am
This, Jinks, Dillon Carmichael….my brain can’t precess it all. AAAHHH, THE HUMNITY!!!
October 18, 2019 @ 11:35 am
Brilliant! This guy gives me chills everytime.
October 18, 2019 @ 11:37 am
Love John Moreland. The production and arrangement here are…odd, and I don’t think I like it. I’ll have to try to withhold judgment until the album comes out.
I heard him play a free outdoor show in Springfield, IL this summer. The sound system was terrible, and the stage was set up very poorly for the size of the crowd that was there. Even still, his performance was captivating in its simplicity. I’m not sure how you capture that feeling on a record, but I don’t think this is it.
October 18, 2019 @ 7:29 pm
I thought the production was odd, too.There’s an odd extra beat in there that just throws it off.
But the chorus is great!
October 19, 2019 @ 4:01 am
I like it. You could tell on the last album he was itching at something different with “Love Is Not an Answer”. The base and spacious feel that goes along with East October sounds great to me. It wouldn’t work with every song but It does with this one and I’m glad he’s pushing his boundaries without changing who he is.
October 18, 2019 @ 12:16 pm
Benny: Oh damn, another awesome John Moreland album is coming out; whatever shall I do?
Benny’s Inner Voice: Go out and buy it, Benny!
October 18, 2019 @ 12:48 pm
Awesome.
For my money, this guy is the best songwriter in the game today. Some of his stuff just absolutely tears at your guts in the best way possible.
October 18, 2019 @ 12:52 pm
Excellent. I have been a big fan of Moreland for a while now so I’m glad he has new material coming out.
October 18, 2019 @ 1:52 pm
these lyrics are phenomenal. he’s one of the best. can’t wait for this new album.
October 18, 2019 @ 3:11 pm
Fuckin’ fantastic! One of the best living songwriters!
October 18, 2019 @ 5:45 pm
If it was only about the songwriting…. John Moreland would be the most famous son of a bitch in the world. Just a phenomenal talent. Buy his records.
October 18, 2019 @ 9:08 pm
i guess I don’t mind the song ..its pleasant enough …. i like his voice . but I feel as though I’m listening to a demo . it is lifeless . it lacks dynamics …. and there is some very annoying background noise that i can’t get past .
..and then it ends .
October 19, 2019 @ 6:32 am
Make some eggs and coffee on the stove before the day cranks up again. Then put this on.
Moreland isn’t going to be wheeled out on some awards show next to gym rat Tim McGraw, but the world is a better place knowing Moreland is out there somewhere chewing on a Slim Jim and thinkin’ bout life.
October 22, 2019 @ 7:24 am
hear ya CC ……but I think an artist with something to say does him/herself a disservice in not using tried and true tools of song crafting and production ……or letting the choices , in this respect , undermine their efforts . in fairness , i haven’t heard much else from john …..but as a listener , this particular track doesn’t wet my appetite and gets lost in the din of so much else out there ..primarily because of my aforementioned concern . good writer ….
October 23, 2019 @ 5:12 am
I agree. Great voice and lyrics, annoying drum and background. Brushing the drums would’ve been better. He had me until I heard the band.
October 30, 2019 @ 12:14 pm
Trying to produce like Daniel Lanois and it doesn’t work.
October 19, 2019 @ 5:32 am
I love everything about this, including the production. The cover’s also kinda cool.
October 19, 2019 @ 6:25 am
Country soul.
Otis Redding has a long afterlife. I like this a lot and prefer it to Stapleton. This is “stand closer the stage and feel the word music together” music.
Hope this guy stays healthy.
October 20, 2019 @ 1:39 am
What’s with the percussion that sounds like fireworks in the back ground? 😀
October 22, 2019 @ 7:27 am
exactly ….VERY distracting and adds nothing . brian wilson , george martin ,quincy , phil spector , jimmy webb could find room for over 50 tracks and everything worked beautifully …..
I can’t NOT hear these ”fireworks”” …..
October 20, 2019 @ 5:54 pm
I personally liken this to young men going to war..boys dressed up as men…
Cannons in the background…just my take..
I love it already! I love John Moreland!!
October 21, 2019 @ 7:50 am
I really like this song. I could do without the reverb and echo on the percussion. Maybe the producer is trying to create “atmosphere”? My opinion is it doesn’t need it. For me, it’s not enough to distract me from the rest of the music, but it’s still distracting nonetheless.
October 21, 2019 @ 8:14 am
Not sure I ever curled up in a fetal position on the floor, but when I first discovered John Moreland, a few months before his last album came out, I didn’t listen to anyone else for a month or so, and I listened to him constantly. That doesn’t happen too often. This sounds like a dressed up version of his earlier stuff — not that different, and I can understand why he’d want to branch out a bit. But the voice and the songwriting are still there.
October 22, 2019 @ 8:36 am
The noise in the background sounds like someone’s giving an old reverb tank a gentle whack more or less in time with the rhythm. It must be intentional. To keep the sleepy staggered rhythm from getting soporific? Don’t know. I grew up dropping needles on vinyl. Doesn’t bother me.
October 22, 2019 @ 9:14 am
Come to Europe, John!
October 22, 2019 @ 7:29 pm
This and a tour. Going to be a great spring.
October 30, 2019 @ 12:15 pm
Production trying to be Daniel Lanois and isn’t.