Acclaimed indie-pop band Lucius’ highly anticipated new self-titled album is out now via Fantasy Records. Stream/purchase HERE. In celebration of the release, the official music video for album track, “Final Days,” is also debuting today. Watch the video, directed by Aaron Caleb Eisenberg and produced by Sound + Vision Co., HERE.
Of the song, Lucius’ Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig, share, “‘Final Days’ begins our album. At home, sitting in the back yard, saying goodbye to the beloved tree that canopied the backyard, knowing the next day it would have to be cut down. Did she know it was coming? Was there a tree heaven she’d be welcomed to? Where does mother nature go after it dies? The questions led us to think of experiences like this in the human realm. It became more of an analogy as we were experiencing, simultaneously, births of children and the passing of a parent, feeling this delicate balance of life. The song is the perfect start of our record, both rooted and vulnerable, at once. And the knowing that it can and will take on different meanings in our lifetime.”
Throughout their acclaimed career, Laessig and Wolfe have become some of the most sought-after collaborators in popular music, having performed and recorded with artists such as Joni Mitchell, Brandi Carlile, John Legend, The Killers, Harry Styles, Sheryl Crow and many more. Now, with the release of Lucius, they’re poised for a long-overdue breakout, as they return with a record that cements them as a musical force entirely on their own.
Produced by Lucius’ Dan Molad, the new album marks a full circle moment for the group (Laessig, Wolfe, Molad and Peter Lalish) as they return to their roots, writing and recording without seeking outside influence—their first time doing so since their debut over a decade ago. Across these eleven tracks, Lucius explores deeply personal topics, such as relationships, grief and life’s complexities, with a vulnerability only made possible due the familial nature of the band.
Lucius was recorded between Los Angeles’ Altamira Sound and Molad’s home studio, Sounds Like A Fire, which has since become inoperable after being impacted by the devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area earlier this year.
Reflecting on the project, Lucius shares, “Our fourth studio album is the four of us, just as we first started recording together as a band. It’s raw and honest and feels like coming home; something that resonates deeply in this moment of our lives. We are home in so many senses of the word; in the last couple of years we’ve started setting roots, finding life partners, building families, growing gardens. We got dogs, (you can hear them in the background if you listen close). We wrote songs about life and relationships. We recorded them in our home studios. We saw the beginnings and endings of life cycles while making this record, the beauty and fragility of the human experience. So it’s only fitting that this album is self-titled, it’s our story, who we are now and how we got here. Welcome to our living room.”
Known for their captivating live performances, Lucius will kick off their “The Gold Rush Tour” next week, which includes stops at New York’s Irving Plaza (sold-out), Los Angeles’ The Wiltern, Philadelphia’s Union Transfer, Chicago’s The Salt Shed, Denver’s Ogden Theatre, Seattle’s Showbox, San Francisco’s The Warfield and more. Additionally, they will join Mumford & Sons for two shows at New York’s Forest Hills Stadium in August and perform at Newport Folk Festival and All Things Go Festival this year. See below for complete tour itinerary. Full details can be found at www.ilovelucius.com.
Lucius features collaborations with a few close friends—The War on Drugs’ Adam Granduciel (“Old Tape”), Dawes’ Taylor Goldsmith (“Stranger Danger”), Madison Cunningham (“Impressions”) and Ethan Gruska (“Impressions”)—as well as contributions from Luke Temple (electric guitar, “Do It All For You”), Rob Moose (strings, “At the End of the Day”) and Evan Smith (flutes, “At the End of the Day”).
Lucius, their fourth studio album, follows the band’s acclaimed 2022 record, Second Nature, which was produced by Brandi Carlile and Dave Cobb. Released to overwhelming acclaim, the Los Angeles Times praised, “dazzling…Second Nature mines an ’80s-pop sound with lush synths and sleek disco grooves under the women’s laser-guided vocals,” whileVariety declared, “with Second Nature…they’re no longer 20 feet or even a couple of yards from stardom, but re-claiming the spotlight for themselves” and Relix proclaimed, “stunning…a 10-song, smart-pop masterpiece.” Most recently, Lucius celebrated the 10-year-anniversary of their debut album, Wildewoman, with the release of Wildewoman (The New Recordings)—an expanded version of the record that features new versions of the 12 original tracks, including collaborations with friends Carlile, Marcus Mumford and Devon Gilfillian.
LUCIUS TRACK LIST
1. Final Days
2. Gold Rush
3. Do It All For You
4. Mad Love
5. Stranger Danger
6. Hallways
7. Old Tape (feat. Adam Granduciel)
8. Impressions (feat. Madison Cunningham)
9. Borderline
10. Orange Blossoms
11. At the End of the Day
LUCIUS CONFIRMED TOUR DATES
May 5—Nashville, TN—Flat Box Top at The Pinnacle (WNXP Anniversary Show)
May 6—St. Louis, MO—Delmar Hall*
May 7—Iowa City, IA—The Englert Theatre*
May 9—St. Paul, MN—Palace Theatre*
May 10—Madison, WI—Majestic Theatre* (SOLD OUT)
May 11—Detroit, MI—The Majestic*
May 13—Pittsburgh, PA—Mr. Smalls Theatre*
May 15—New York, NY—Irving Plaza* (SOLD OUT)
May 16—Washington, D.C.—Lincoln Theatre* (LOW TICKETS)
May 17—Carrboro, NC—Cat’s Cradle* (LOW TICKETS)
May 19—Charlotte, NC—Neighborhood Theatre*
May 20—Richmond, VA—The National*
May 22—Philadelphia, PA—Union Transfer*
May 23—Woodstock, NY—Bearsville Theater* (SOLD OUT)
May 24—Boston, MA—Boston Calling
June 14—Croton-on-Hudson, NY—Hudson River Music Festival~
July 18—Trumansburg, NY—Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival
July 19—Ottawa, ON—Ottawa Bluesfest
July 20—Guelph, ON—Hillside Festival
July 22—Deerfield, MA—Tree House Brewing Company+
July 23—Portland, ME—The State Theatre
July 24—Bar Harbor, ME—Criterion Theatre^
July 27—Newport, RI—Newport Folk Festival
August 8—Forest Hills, NY—Forest Hills Stadium#
August 9—Forest Hills, NY—Forest Hills Stadium#
September 26—Columbia, MD—All Things Go Music Festival
October 17—Indianapolis, IN—The Vogue
October 18—Chicago, IL—The Salt Shed
November 11—Phoenix, AZ—Crescent Ballroom
November 12—Santa Fe, NM—The Lensic
November 14—Denver, CO—Ogden Theatre
November 15—Salt Lake City, UT—The Depot
November 17—Seattle, WA—Showbox
November 18—Portland, OR—Wonder Ballroom (LOW TICKETS)
November 20—San Francisco, CA—The Warfield
November 21—Los Angeles, CA—The Wiltern
*with special guest Victoria Canal
+with special guest Neal Francis
#supporting Mumford & Sons
~special acoustic set feat. Jess Wolfe, Holly Laessig and Taylor + Griffin Goldsmith
^with special guests Spencer Albee and Zachary Bence
