Today, Pete Francis releases his new single “Can’t Get On With It,” a psychedelia-tinged meditation on the mental health struggles that dogged him throughout much of his adult life, from forthcoming album PTRN SKY!, out May 12 via Noble Steed Music. The record is Francis’ first full-length solo release since his 2019 departure from Dispatch, the alternative roots powerhouse he helped form in 1995.
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“‘Can’t Get On With It’ is about feeling stuck in obsessive thoughts, and replaying painful conversations over and over again,” shares Francis. “I’m working to free myself, and this song expresses my desire to change and find agency.”
PTRN SKY!’s album opener, “Can’t Get On With It” finds Francis singing about being stuck, unable to move past the paralyzing weight of depression and anxiety. But over the LP’s next nine tracks, Francis is finally able to move forward, realizing that in order to step into the light, you have to go through the darkness first. Airy first single “Scared Without Your Love” is one of those tracks, and it’s a rumination on the universal fear of going through life alone that received praise from Jambase and Ghettoblaster.
Produced by Scott Jacoby (Coldplay, Vampire Weekend), PTRN SKY! functions both as an account of how Francis healed and as an agent of healing itself. In addition to therapy and medication, Francis used songwriting as a means of self-care, inhabiting a stream of consciousness style unlike anything he had previously done. Rather than penning the lyrics first, Francis channeled the emotions evoked in the music, inviting the synthesizer and drum loop-heavy sonic landscapes to guide the words that eventually came out.
Francis first rose to fame in the late ‘90s as one of the founding members of Dispatch. The trio recorded and toured extensively, experiencing an expeditious rise that helped rewrite the rulebooks for modern indie bands after becoming the first of which to sell out Madison Square Garden. In the years following, Francis’ battle with depression and anxiety became increasingly difficult, and at 31, he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. In 2019, Francis made the decision to permanently step away from the band to focus on his health and wellbeing.
Now, Francis is gearing up for the release of his first full-length solo record since 2010 and a select number of dates across the Northeast. See a full list of dates below and at https://www.petefrancis.com/shows-2.
Pete Francis 2023 Tour Dates
April 15 – Westerly, RI @ The Knickerbocker Music Center
May 7 – Portsmouth, NH @ The Music Hall Lounge
PTRN SKY! Tracklist
1. Can’t Get On With It
2. Scared Without Your Love
3. Brighter Days
4. PTRN SKY!
5. All Your Tears
6. Eyes Of The Jungle
7. Fall Into Your Heart
8. Bring Me Some Water
9. Mind Over Mind
10. Wild Heart
