Rolling Stone Send a Tip Conceptually, it’s a bit darker and has more elements the Lumineers fans aren’t used to. Photo: imageSPACE/Shutterstock. The tour supports a 2019 album, "Lumineers III," whose lyrical theme was inspired by band members witnessing and trying to learn from family members’ troubled bouts with addiction. Do I love their new album, III, out September 13? The Lumineers, “III” (Dualtone Music Group) Films, movies, television, books: They all tell stories that allow audiences to see glimpses of themselves. “That’s a form of creativity we’ve never really leaned on [before].” All tracks are written by Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites except where noted. website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Thankfully, the music itself is heavenly, as bare and ominous as a Rothko, as sparse and beautiful as a winter horizon. In III, the Lumineers tackle addiction emphatically, from a very deeper place inside heart. With three bonus tracks that listen almost like the credits rolling, The Lumineers should confidently call III, a masterpiece of epic proportions. “At every one of [my children’s piano] recitals,” he explains during the interview’s introduction, “there would be one or two kids doing ‘Ho Hey.’ That kind of success can kill a band, or it can make you stronger.”. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 73, based on 9 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". This Removed from the context of the rest of the album, “Life in the City” is just that_a narrative of navigating a difficult and lonely city life. It's a beautiful album, and highly appropriate to the needs of these times in all respects. While the story follows the destructive path of addiction as it enters the life of matriarch Gloria in Chapter I, the struggle faced by the family is one recognizable to anyone who’s had a loved one deal with addiction or has faced it themselves. The tale is grounded. For their third album, The Lumineers employ their typical sound with piano and the gruff vocals of Schultz pushing to the front. The amount of love, craft and care that went into this album is paramount. Schultz has a homeless relative who has battled mental illness and addiction and Fraites’ brother passed away after a heroin overdose. The Lumineers know how to attract listeners with their catchy songs and overall positive vibe. After years of treating music videos as mere advertisements for their songs, The Lumineers’ frontman Wesley Schultz had a change of mind when he came across pop star Beyoncé’s 2016 visual album Lemonade.Schultz likely found in Lemonade a powerful journey of culture and ethnicity told through arresting cinematography and melodies. The storyline itself, has moments of hopefulness, but it also makes no promises. The Lumineers staged an outdoors mini-concert for 'Jimmy Kimmel Live,' with the band showcasing songs from their upcoming third album 'III.' The Rolling Stones tickets for their 50th Anniversary Tour blew all other concert tickets out of the water in 2013, pricing at a lofty average of $624 dollars on the secondary market. The Lumineers have told their own story in "III," a 10-track concept album composed of three chapters that follows the fictitious Sparks family. Adds Wes, “We were joking about how people will watch three Games of Thrones episodes in a row, but if you give them a 35-minute album to listen to, they’re like, ‘Whoa, dude — I’ll get to this in a month.’”, Before the band embraced their signature folk-rock sound, they took a far more complex approach to their music, filling it with unique time signatures and complex chord structures. To whip up attention for their newest album, III, the Lumineers released 10 cinematic music videos created by Hollywood director Kevin Phillips. The Lumineers have taken their latest album, III, as an opportunity to shine a light on a topic that's close to many of the members' lives — addiction. Listening to The Lumineers’ self-titled 2012 debut is like having a beer and a shot in a lively local bar at about 10:30 p.m. and swapping stories with some sloshed strangers. The Lumineers have finally dropped their long-awaited album III, a follow up to 2016’s Cleopatra.Like its predecessor, III is a concept album that tells the tale of the Sparks family and how each member struggles with addiction. Retrieved 2019-09-13. “I always admire Jack White’s instincts — his ability to get me interested in what he’s doing,” explains Schultz. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed. As Shiflett points out, an omnipresent hit such as that will either make or break a band. The Lumineers, “III” (Dualtone Music Group) Films, movies, television, books: They all tell stories that allow audiences to see glimpses…. Although it is heavy with both emotion and story, it is far from a flawless album. The studio versions of The Lumineer’s latest songs, which make up their new record III, are most likely the only chance a listener will have to hear the tracks unencumbered.With heaps of playful, fun melodies overdramatic heartfelt, instantly relatable lyrics, the Denver based folk-rockers have created an album of tunes that, when played live, will have hordes of … All rights reserved. It is acoustic, atmospheric songs with some very passionate lyrics and singing. The Lumineers are bringing III: The World Tour with Mt. III: The World Tour is the third concert tour by American folk rock band The Lumineers, in support of their third studio album, III (2019). Because you actually got through to them.”, When “Ho Hey” became an international, multi-platinum hit, the bandmates took their success in stride. ^ The Lumineers - Donna (Part 1 Of 10), retrieved 2019-09-13 – via YouTube ^ a b Caulfield, Keith (September 23, 2019). The Lumineers bring moments of hope, but they recognize the lingering darkness of addiction. It’s a musical, artistic puzzle and short movie, all packaged into one. The tale is grounded. The Lumineers took the stage at The Tonight Show to perform “Life in the City,” a track off their recent third album III, which was released last week.The band gave the song an emotionally resonant acoustic performance, highlighting singer Wesley Schultz’s impassioned vocals. “We saw through the bullshit of the big city game,” says Schultz, referring to the top-tier markets that typically dominate a band’s touring schedule. Retrieved April 7, 2019. “It’s a big blessing, but you also have to fight to get out of its wake,” says the band’s Wesley Schultz of group’s massive hit, on Shiflett’s ‘Walking the Floor’, The Lumineers are this week's guests on Chris Shiflett's 'Walking the Floor' podcast. “Ho Hey” was a phenomenon, selling more than four million copies in less than one year’s time while dominating the charts in multiple formats. YES!!!!!! “I try to tell people starting out, ‘You can live anywhere as a musician,’” he explains. NPR.org. The tracks are not overly produced, giving a raw, emotive feel to each song. And then when you go play that [big-city venue], everybody would be waiting for the next band, or talking, but whenever we’d play the house show, it’s like you had everyone there in the palm of your hand for the hour that you had.”, Schultz’s advice to other burgeoning bands: focus on house shows first. This picture — the life of Gloria, her son Jimmy and her grandson, Junior — is even further illuminated by the heartbreaking short film that accompanies the record. “We were trying to draw a really complicated face, or a skyline or something,” Fraites says. The most exciting and important new albums being released today .while also making sure they didn’t become a one-hit wonder. The Lumineers have told their own story in “III,” a 10-track concept album composed of three chapters that follows the fictitious Sparks family. All rights reserved. “It looks really good on your website — like, ‘I’m playing New York, and this is the venue I’m playing’ — and you take a lot of superficial pride in that, looking at your tour dates all full. There is always a chance that the cycle will end, but to put a pretty little bow around the narrative would be an injustice to the subject. The Lumineer’s third studio album titled III is not just a an album. Tickets are on sale now. Those humble beginnings helped launch one of the biggest careers in modern folk-rock music, and they also dominate the latter half of the Lumineers’ conversation with podcast host Chris Shiflett during this new episode of Walking the Floor. Every online ticket includes a copy of The Lumineers' new album "III" out September 13, 2019. I'm giving it a 9 because it feels a bit It's a beautiful album, and highly appropriate to the needs of these times in all respects. While “III” presents an interesting and personal concept, listeners still might find the album a little gimmicky. While there seems a chance that Junior may escape the cycle of addiction from the generations before him in “Left for Denver,” the ending of the short film is ambiguous, questioning if he does get away. But musicians can kind of live anywhere, because you should be touring while starting out, if you’re trying to spread the word. III moves at a deliberate, nearly dreary pace that forces a listener to pay attention, and while it can take some effort to meet the Lumineers on their own terms, it's nevertheless easy to admire the ambition behind the project. The Lumineers III. The Lumineers have announced a 2020 headlining North American tour in support of their upcoming album III. Copyright © 2021 by WTOP. Background. The tale is grounded. “And at some point, we said, ‘Lets just try to do a circle — let’s do a circle as good as possible,’ and I think we exhausted all these complex ideas and we just got over it.”, While independently touring the country before the career-launching success of “Ho Hey,” the band focused heavily on house shows in smaller towns. Will Hermes Will Hermes Ondara to Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, February 19, 2020. Films, movies, television, books: They all tell stories that allow audiences to see glimpses of themselves. Joy and J.S. The Lumineers III album review. It’s a really big blessing, but you also have to fight really hard to get out of its wake.”, Sarfaad Blend Hip-Hop, Electronic and Metal on Gritty New Song ‘Dog Days’, Letterz Drop Dexterous Debut EP ‘Imagine Salt’, Dynamite Disco Club 022 feat Stalvart John, Carissa and DataBass, Aggressive Tendencies v16.0 ft Godless, Hostilian, Beyond Vengeance, Exclusive Premiere: Undying Inc’s Roaring Return on ‘Glock’, See Warren Mendonsa Explain and Perform Blackstratblues’ Mellifluous New Track, AleXa Drops Piano Ballad ‘Never Let You Go’, How Mumbai DJ Jarryd Nunes Got His Livestream Shows Trending on Mixcloud, #RSHitList: Featuring Sidd Coutto, Raghav Meattle, Rohanmaz And More, Susmit Bose: ‘Most of My Music Was Written Casually’. More details at TheLumineers.com “That’s a form of creativity we’ve never really leaned on [before].” Additionally, the decision to break the album into three easily digestible EPs was influenced by a public whose attention span continues to wane. Their newest album, III, is a glorious explosion that reminds fans what folk rock is really about: unflinching storytelling.The new project follows one family's story of addiction through three generations. The Lumineers have told their own story in “III,” a 10-track concept album composed of three chapters that follows the fictitious Sparks family. “I always admire Jack White’s instincts — his ability to get me interested in what he’s doing,” explains Schultz. Copyright © 2021 The Associated Press. III debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 with 86,000 album-equivalent units, including 73,000 pure album sales. ^ "The Lumineers Trace The Cycle Of Addiction: 'It's A Progressive Disease ' ". The folk-rock band will play 30 arenas and amphitheaters across the U.S. and Canada, beginning February 1st in Asheville, North Carolina and wrapping June 12th in Mansfield, Massachusetts. The Lumineers have this uncanny ability to make folk songs sound like pop ones. You’ve gotta fight really hard, for this fortunate thing that gave you so much, to get out of it. I’d love to see them dive into darker depths and other subjects away from love in a future album. All in all, the breadth of the project is remarkable. The Lumineers have told their own story in “III,” a 10-track concept album composed of three chapters that follows the … The Lumineers, “III” (Dualtone Music Group). It is not just for fans of the band it is for fans of art, beauty and storytelling. Below, we’ve rounded up several highlights from the conversation. Track listing. III tells a story of addiction in three acts. Ever since I saw them open up for U2 in New Jersey during their Joshua Tree tour, I was very intrigued by this band. WTOP.com | Alexa | Google Home | WTOP App | 103.5 FM, Tyler Hubbard, Tim McGraw call for unity on new duet, Luisi’s term with Dallas Symphony extended through 2028-29, New this week: ‘MLK/FBI,’ Why Don’t We and ‘Prodigal Son’, Maryland activates Phase 1b of COVID-19 vaccine rollout, Loudoun Co. pauses plan for return to in-person learning, as staff vaccinations begin, DoD marketplace aims to shield supply chain from adversarial capital, Deputy defense chief to be temporary acting DoD secretary, OPM urges DC-area feds to reconsider commute plans with heightened security next week, Coast Guard sets up recruiting corps to deal with struggling numbers. It felt different to put the album out, and what better way to do something different than with Kevin?”, The Lumineers chose to structure III as a combination of three unique “chapters,” effectively breaking the album into a trio of EPs. Check out our album review of Artist's The Lumineers on Rolling Stone.com. To attempt it is to seem trite. Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you. The band turns a new page with the album III, whose creation and promotion is also detailed during the Walking the Floor interview. But within the larger story, it is part of Gloria’s battle, as the city entices her with drugs, alcohol and sex. I'm giving it a 9 because it feels a bit preachy instead of personal/emotional, but it gets the core of the emotional journey to peace of mind right. Lyrically, The Lumineers use searing imagery, painting a picture with each song. “I always pictured it like it was this upright statue, and you’re in its shadow, and you’ve gotta get out from underneath it and get back in the sun,” Schultz says of “Ho Hey.” “If you don’t, then you’re in the dark. The tour began in Gulf Shores on May 19, 2019, and was set to conclude in Austin on September 18, 2020. They take the stringed sensibilities and emotional sensitivities of Americana music and, somehow, make it feel like Top 40/ mainstream radio. Like Joni and Patti, the Lumineers achieve that which few performers convincingly can: the merging of art with popular appeal. “For me and Wes,” explains Fraites, “the album sonically feels differently. The band’s long-time member Neyla Pekarek, who played cello and sang backing vocals, left the band last year. It is the Lumineers' third top-two album in the US. The Lumineers III Dualtone/Decca [2019] Album Review: The Lumineers’ third outing, helpfully titled III, finds the songwriting duo of Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites attempting to take their folk-song storytelling up a notch. The Lumineers chose to structure III as a combination of three unique “chapters,” effectively breaking the album into a trio of EPs. But also, house shows are far more valuable when you’re starting out. Their show was pretty uneventful, but their style is what captured me. “Actors don’t have that luxury. It’s an appropriate ending, as it mirrors the reality of addiction. Simplifying their approach was a conscious decision. The stunning visual vignettes bring lines to life, such as when Schultz sings, “A little boy was born in February/ You couldn’t sober up to hold a baby” and you watch Gloria fall, clutching her wine glass, with the baby playing on the floor close by. Now, The Lumineers have blown that formula of catchy inoffensiveness to pieces. April 5, 2012 8:35PM ET The Lumineers By. . We’d play a few times in a row as house shows, and the next time, if we did play a venue, all those people actually knew the music and they’d pay the money and they’d come to the show. The album has garnered both positive and mixed ratings from critics. It’s also a narrative that writers Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites know intimately. 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