Grammy award-winning and multi-platinum selling rock band Soul Asylum is set to release their highly anticipated 13th studio album, Slowly But Shirley, this fall, 2024. Known for their dynamic blend of punk energy and heartfelt melodies, Soul Asylum’s new album promises to deliver a rich array of musical styles, from raucous rockers with guitar-fueled firepower to delicate heartfelt tunes. Collaborating once again with producer Steve Jordan (Rolling Stones, John Mayer, Robert Cray, Keith Richards), who worked on their 1990 album And the Horse They Rode In On, Soul Asylum recorded live at the Terrarium in Minneapolis, capturing an authentic and vibrant sound. The album’s lead single, “High Road,” is out today, offering fans a taste of the band’s latest sonic evolution.
The album’s title and cover pay homage to Shirley “Cha Cha” Muldowney, a pioneering drag racer who inspired Pirner during his youth. “When I was a kid, I loved drag racing,” he says. “And she was the first woman of drag race. It meant a lot to me that she was willing to stand up against all these men in racing. My manager called her up, and she gave us her blessing, which means a whole lot to me because she was a childhood hero.”
“High Road” exemplifies the band’s talent for crafting infectious rock anthems. After years of perfecting the arrangement, Dave Pirner, who spent what felt like “forever” tinkering with the song and moving around different parts, describes it as a “Frankenstein kind of situation that hopefully finally makes sense.” Mission accomplished: It’s exactly the sort of gloriously ramshackle rocker that Soul Asylum does so well, complete with a melodic chorus hook.
Slowly But Shirley opens with the powerful track “The Only Thing I’m Missing,” showcasing the band’s signature sound with a scorching guitar line and a buoyant tempo, setting the tone for the rest of the 11 tracks. The album features an eclectic mix of songs, including the psychedelic pop of “You Don’t Know Me,” the funky groove of “Tryin’ Man,” and the grungy power pop of “Freeloader.” Renowned musician Ivan Neville (The Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, Keith Richards), who has played on prior Soul Asylum albums and tours, once again adds his keyboard magic on several tracks, enhancing the album’s depth and texture.
Frontman Dave Pirner reflects on the recording process, noting the influence of past experiences. “You come into the studio with everything you’ve learned from previous record-making experiences,” Pirner says. “That can’t help but guide you and make it a better, more efficient process.”
Soul Asylum’s legacy spans over four decades, highlighted by their breakthrough album Grave Dancers Union, which went double platinum and featured the Grammy-winning hit “Runaway Train.” Despite challenges and changes, the band has remained a vital force in the rock scene, continually evolving while staying true to their roots. Slowly But Shirley is a testament to their enduring spirit and creative prowess.
Soul Asylum’s early indie success led to the band entering the major-label mainstream with 1988’s Hang Time, and its 1990 follow-up And the Horse They Rode In On, before achieving a platinum-level commercial breakthrough with 1992’s Grave Dancers Union (certified 3x platinum), and 1995’s Let Your Dim Light Shine. Grave Dancers Union featured the international hits “Runaway Train,” which won a 1994 Grammy as Best Rock Song, and “Black Gold,” while Let Your Dim Light Shine (platinum) spawned the hit “Misery.” After 1998’s Candy from a Stranger, Soul Asylum returned to action in 2006 with The Silver Lining, Delayed Reaction six years later, and most recently with 2016’s Change of Fortune. In April 2020 they released a new studio album, Hurry Up and Wait, and enjoyed fan and critical acclaim worldwide landing the band their highest Billboard Chart position since 1995’s Platinum-selling Let Your Dim Light Shine. That same year, Pirner also published the acclaimed Loud Fast Words, a book of his lyrics accompanied by commentary and essays about each Soul Asylum album and song.
Slowly But Shirley Track Listing:
1. The Only Thing I’m Missing
2. High Road
3. You Don’t Know Me
4. Freeloader
5. Tryin’ Man
6. Freak Accident
7. If You Want It Back
8. Waiting on the Lord
9. Trial By Fire
10. Makin’ Plans
11. Sucker Maker
12. High & Dry
Soul Asylum On Tour:
7/12/24 – Calgary, AB – Calgary Stampede
7/14/24 – Baldwin, MI – Cannabash 2024
7/20/24 – St. Paul Park, MN – Minnesota Yacht Club Festival
7/26/24 – Columbus, OH – Ohio State Fair *
7/27/24 – La Porte, IN - La Porte Lake Fest
8/19/24 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre +
8/21/24 – San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger
8/22/24 – The Woodlands, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion +
8/23/24 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion +
8/24/24 – Rogers, AR – Arkansas Music Pavilion +
8/26/24 – Oxford, MS – The Lyric Oxford
8/27/24 – Pelham, AL – Oak Mountain Amphitheatre +
8/28/24 – Tampa, FL – MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre +
8/30/24 – Jacksonville, FL – Daily’s Place +
8/31/24 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre +
9/1/24 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheatre +
9/3/24 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel
9/4/24 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live +
9/5/24 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center +
9/6/24 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center +
9/8/24 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage +
9/10/24 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center +
9/11/24 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island +
9/13/24 – Marion, IL – MTN Dew Park +
9/14/24 – Milwaukee, WI – American Family Insurance Amphitheater +
9/15/24 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center +
9/21/24 – Louisville, KY – Bourbon & Beyond
9/30/24 – Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater ^
10/1/24 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Grand at The Complex ^
10/3/24 – Spokane, WA – Spokane Live ^
10/5/24 – Vancouver, BC – Vogue Theatre ^
10/6/24 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre ^
10/8/24 – Portland, OR – Revolution Hall ^
10/10/24 – San Francisco, CA – Regency Ballroom ^
10/11/24 – Los Angeles, CA – Regent Theatre ^
10/12/24 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues ^
10/13/24 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre ^
10/15/24 – El Paso, TX – Lowbrow Palace ^
10/16/24 – Odessa, TX – Ector Theatre ^
10/17/24 – Austin, TX – Mohawk ^
10/18/24 – Oklahoma, OK – Tower Theatre ^
10/20/24 – Kansas City, MO – The Truman ^
10/21/24 – St. Louis, MO – Delmar Hall ^
10/22/24 – Columbus, OH – The Athenaeum Theatre ^
10/24/24 – Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Smith’s ^
10/25/24 – Homer, NY – Homer Center for the Arts ^
10/26/24 – New Haven, CT – District Music Hall ^
10/28/24 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer ^
10/29/24 – New York, NY – Webster Hall ^
10/31/24 – Portland, ME – State Theatre ^
11/1/24 – Rutland, VT – Paramount Theatre ^
11/2/24 – Montreal, QC – Beanfield Theatre
11/4/24 – Ottawa, ON – Bronson Centre
*with Stone Temple Pilots
+with STP and Live
^with The Juliana Hatfield Three
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