Following the recent announcement that their long-awaited new album Dogtown is coming out this December, Facing New York has rolled out a set of new songs off Dogtown: “Gods of the Good Shit” and “Hail Mary.”
“Gods of the Good Shit” swings from a clean riff towards a falsetto-driven refrain from Eric Frederic [vocals, guitar], “I prayed to the Gods of the Good Shit. They led me to you.“
“It’s about relationships,” Omar Cuellar [drums] elaborates. “Part of the reason the record is cohesive is that all three of us came out of these significant relationships and then got into new, very awesome relationships and became fathers and started families alongside each other. That says something special to me about this record and process.”
“We had a real Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants vibe,” laughs Eric.
The smoky street bounce and seismic soloing of “Hail Mary” vividly recounts how, “these random little kids with ice creams in their hands kicked our hungover asses in a flag football game the day after Thanksgiving one year.”
CLICK HERE to watch a behind-the-scenes clip from the recording session for “Hail Mary.”
Dogtown, Facing New York’s first album in 10 years, is set for release December 14th via Nice Life Recording Company. The nine-track collection also includes the album’s previously released title track. Full track listing is below. To celebrate its release, Facing New York will perform two special album release shows in California: December 12th at The Hi Hat in Los Angeles (CLICK HERE for tickets) and December 14th at Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco (CLICK HERE for tickets). A vinyl Dogtown album and Facing New York t-shirt is included with every ticket purchased.
Eric, Brandon and Omar have a brotherhood and friendship that has endured from their beginnings together in the Bay Area. Dogtown affirms the enduring nature of their chemistry. Formed in 2004, the group emerged as a cult favorite in the Northern California scene as they delivered three progressively charged alternative rock releases: Swimming Not Treading [2004], Facing New York [2005], and Get Hot [2008], which drew praise from Stereogum, Alternative Press, AV Club and more. They even built an international following by touring throughout North America, Europe, and Japan. Then, life happened throughout the ensuing decade with ups, downs, trials, tribulations, weddings, deaths, births, and all manner of change, which inspired and informed the music.
Facing New York brings airtight songwriting and direct lyricism to tried-and-true rock tradition. Drawing from a swath of influences that encompasses everything from Soundgarden, The Jesus Lizard, and Yes to Talk Talk, Failure and Shudder To Think, they bring their own distinct and dynamic vibe. The album title Dogtown refers to a neighborhood in West Oakland that is undergoing upheaval, turn over and gentrification. It’s a place where Eric, Brandon and Omar have all spent a lot of their lives. The feel of a gnarly, grisly transformation of a neighborhood is present in the music, a metaphor for all of the change that has transpired in their own lives.