Baroness’ highly-anticipated new album, Purple, releases Friday Dec. 18 and is currently streaming via a variety of partners as part of a fan-fueled #FindPurple promotion.
Pre-order packages for Purple, which feature instant downloads of “Morningstar,” “Shock Me” and “Chlorine & Wine” as well as a limited edition colored vinyl version of the new album, two picture discs, t-shirts and other unique items are available now via this link: http://smarturl.it/dpurple. Digital pre-orders, which also include instant downloads of “Morningstar,” “Shock Me” and “Chlorine & Wine,” are available via iTunes and AmazonMP3.
“After releasing a lengthy and investigative record like Yellow & Green we all felt that we needed to make something much more direct and immediate,” explains band founder and singer/guitar player John Baizley of the approach behind Purple.
“We wanted to write with our normal focus on artistry, balanced against an increased level of energy and focus,” he said. “It was important for us to write our new songs with the type of enthusiasm and expressiveness that could act as a counterpoint to the album’s dark themes.”
As a result, he said the music came out in an intense, heavy and sonically captivating in a new way, which was important, “loathe, as we are to fall into any kind of complacency pitfall or formulaic songwriting routine,” Baizley said.
Purple is the most fully realized representation of our intention as a band; considering the amount of physical and mental energy spent writing it, we have accomplished something which would have seemed impossible to us a couple of years ago.”
The band recorded the 10-song album with producer Dave Fridmann (The Flaming Lips, MGMT) at the helm.
“He’s been on the top of my list since day one,” Baizley said. “I never thought he’d work with us. I absolutely worship his recordings.”
Purple also marked the first time Baizley and Pete Adams (guitar, vocals) recorded with their 2013 recruited rhythm section of Nick Jost (bass) and Sebastian Thomson (drums), something the foursome discussed in the behind-the-scenes clip “Fifty Percent” (see below.)
“I don’t think it’s too often you can replace two people in your band like that and have it work out just right off the bat, like clockwork,” said Adams of Jost and Thomson.
That clip is one of ten videos the band has shared in recent months, documenting the making of Purple both with footage but also candid interviews with the band members.
