8:00pm - Thursday, Jun 1, 2023

Oxford, Mississippi fuzz 'n' scuzz trio BASS DRUM OF DEATH (John and Jim Barrett, Ian Kirkpatrick) today share a new single "Say Your Prayers", off of their upcoming album, "Say I Won't", out March 24th via Sonic Unyon Records/Fat Possum Records.

Following the footsteps of the album title, the aptly named and suitingly toned, “Say Your Prayers” is a collaboration with Mike Kerr of Royal Blood that's sure to become your next favorite 'sing in the shower' tune. A midtempo bruiser that finds Barrett snarling, “The wolf is in your bed/But the Devil’s knocking at your door.” It’s all attitude, with mountains of sludge-slathered riffs, tangled harmonies courtesy of brother Jim Barrett, and a stomping beat fit for a movie car chase scene.

“That song is about seeing somebody at a party and knowing it’s bad news,” says Barrett, “a kind of Medusa-like situation. It’s about temptation and succumbing to it, and the consequences of that. I guess in a way it’s a breakup song.”

On February 3rd, the band released their video for the anthemic single, "Everybody's Gonna Be There". The video is a collage of footage from the band's recent tour of the UK, Ireland and Europe, and a beautiful tribute to the beloved tour manager, Dr. Kiko, who passed away in November. Watch / listen to the single HERE.

"Say I Won’t" is the first Bass Drum of Death album written, demoed, and recorded with the touring band, instead of bandleader John Barrett doing everything on his own. He found a freedom in working with collaborators that wasn’t available to him before, opening different aspects of the songwriting. It was a process of live recording, layering on different parts and overdubs, and then stripping it all back to the bones of the song, keeping the raw wild heart of the music intact.

“My first two records were made entirely by me alone with my gear, my laptop, and a Snowball USB mic,” says Barrett. “They were just made quickly, cheaply, as an excuse to tour. I wanted to take my time with this record. Make something good that I was proud of in itself.”

The band recorded the new record with Patrick Carney of The Black Keys at Audio Eagle Studios in Nashville and the result is a groove-oriented, 1970’s-indebted collection of rock songs, with tempos set for cruising and scuzzy guitars galore. There’s an energy and vitality to the music that feels in line with the best of the Bass Drum songs, but with an added boost that comes from new bandmates and a new perspective. The album finds a reinvigorated Barrett firing at all cylinders, backed by his best band yet. It’s Bass Drum of Death at their loosest and scuzziest and most tuneful, a true rock record in all the right ways – a throwback by way of moving forward, sporting a maturity and swagger that comes from a decade of playing music on the road and surviving to tell about it. More than anything, "Say I Won’t" is a blast to listen to, music built for driving with your stereo cranked.