Pedro the Lion have surprise-released a new album titled Havasu. Out today via Polyvinyl and Big Scary Monsters, it’s the second in a series of five albums that started with 2019’s Phoenix. Stream it below.
Havasu sees the band reuniting with co-producer and engineer Andy D. Park, who also worked on Phoenix. Band leader David Bazan wrote, arranged, and performed most of the instruments on the record himself, with contributions from live drummer Sean T. Lane on every track, synths from longtime collaborator Andy Fitts, and a guitar riff on opener ‘Don’t Wanna Move’ from live guitarist Erik Walters. “I was psyched to open this record with it,” Bazan said in the press bio, which was penned by Speedy Ortiz’s Sadie Dupuis. “I’m trying to have a flow between the records, so if people want to engage with that, there’s something there.”
Although the last three albums in the series are not fully written, Bazan sees Phoenix and Havasu together as a “completed exposition in a traditional three-act structure,” according to press materials. “I want to paint a picture of how my family and parents and everyone I love got co-opted by nationalistic, authoritarian religion,” he explained. “I’m planting the seeds for that, and my own culpability is part of it.”
To support the album, Pedro the Lion will embark on a US tour later this spring. Find the full itinerary below.
Pedro the Lion 2022 Tour Dates:
Apr 12 – Kansas City, MO – Record Bar #
Apr 13 – Tulsa, OK – The Vanguard #
Apr 14 – Dallas TX – Granada Theater #
Apr 15 – Austin, TX – Mohawk #
Apr 16 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall #
Apr 18 – Birmingham, AL – Saturn #
Apr 19 – Nashville, TN – Basement East #
Apr 20 – Atlanta, GA – Terminal West #
Apr 21 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle #
Apr 23 – Washington, DC – Black Cat #
Apr 24 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer #
Apr 25 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg #
Apr 26 – Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall #
Apr 28 – Millvale, PA – Mr. Smalls Theatre #
Apr 29 – Columbus, OH – Skullys #
Apr 30 – Indianapolis, IN – The HI-FI #
May 1 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall #
May 3 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line #
May 22 – Boise, ID – Neurolux &
May 23 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge &
May 25 – Denver, CO – The Gothic &
May 27 – Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom &
May 28 – Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room &
May 29 – Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory &
May 31 – San Francisco, CA – The Independent &
Jun 2 – Portland, OR – Revolution Hall &
Jun 3 – Seattle, WA – Showbox &
# with Oceanator
& with Charlotte Cornfield
