"Most people, when they hear my name, think of polemical anthems born in struggle," Bragg said. "I often find myself having to remind people that I am also the 'Sherpa of Heartbreak,' writing songs about the struggle to maintain our relationships with those we love the most. It is fitting that Tooth & Nail should be my next release after the re-issue of the Billy Bragg & Wilco collaboration as, stylistically, it is the follow-up to Mermaid Avenue that I never made."
The album was recorded live, without overdubs, in five days, a method not employed by Bragg since his 1983 debut, Life's a Riot With Spy Vs. Spy. It was recorded at Henry’s basement studio in Pasadena early last year and features Bragg on vocals and acoustic guitar. Other musicians include Greg Leisz (Bon Iver) on pedal steel guitar, Patrick Warren (Lana del Rey) on keyboards, Jay Bellerose (Regina Spektor) on drums and David Piltch (Ramblin’ Jack Elliot) on upright bass.
For more about Bragg, and to get a download of "Handyman Blues," a track off the new album, visit his official website.
Check out the album's complete track listing, and Bragg's new tour North American dates, below the video.
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Tooth & Nail track listing:
01. January Song
02. No One Knows Nothing Anymore
03. Handyman Blues
04. I Ain't Got No Home
05. Swallow My Pride
06. Do Unto Others
07. Over You
08. Goodbye, Goodbye
09. There Will Be A Reckoning
10. Chasing Rainbows
11. Your Name On My Tongue
12. Tomorrow's Going To Be A Better Day
Billy Bragg North American Tour:
3/14 – 3/16 – SXSW – Austin, TX 3/23 – Gothic Theatre – Englewood, CO 3/24 – KiMo Theatre – Albuquerque, NM 3/26 – The Crescent Ballroom – Phoenix, AZ 3/28 – El Rey Theatre – Los Angeles, CA 3/29 – Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA 3/30 – Petaluma, CA – McNear's Mystic Theatre 4/02 – Aladdin Theatre – Portland, OR 4/03 – Neptune Theatre – Seattle, WA 4/04 – Alix Goolden Hall – Victoria, BC 4/05 – Vogue Theatre, Vancouver, BC 4/06 – Live at the Royal – Nelson, BC 4/08 – MacEwan Hall – Calgary, AB 4/09 – Orr Centre – Regina SK 4/10 – Garrick Centre – Winnipeg, MB 4/12 , 13 – City Winery – Chicago, IL 4/15 – The Englert Theatre – Iowa City, IA 4/17 – The Belcourt Theatre – Nashville, TN 4/19 – Cat's Cradle – Carrboro, NC 4/20 – Keswick Theatre – Glensdale, PA 4/21 – Mountain Stage – Morgantown, WV 4/22 – Rams Head Theatre – Annapolis, MD 4/26 – State Theater – Ithaca, NY 4/27 – Town Hall – New York, NY 4/28 – Berklee Performance Center – Boston, MA 4/30 – The Southgate House Revival – Cincinnati, OH 5/01 – The Ark – Ann Arbor, MI
Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
