Toad the Wet Sprocket releases concept video for 'California Wasted'

As long-time readers know, Toad the Wet Sprocket is one of my all-time favorite bands. Today brings word that the quartet has released another video from its latest album, the wonderful 'New Constellation.' I just watched the video and it's great! Here is the official media release...

TOAD THE WET SPROCKET'S VIDEO FOR 'CALIFORNIA WASTED'

PREMIERED ON PASTE

From left: Dean Dinning, Todd Nichols, Randy Guss, Glen Phillips

Yesterday, Toad the Wet Sprocket's video for "California Wasted" premiered on Paste Magazine online. The video, directed by Matthew Ward and Ryan Chan, shows the band members in beautiful California setting, unable to be present, distracted by phones and newspapers. Said Ward, " The concept came from what the song implied: wasting away in California."Said Glen Phillips from Toad, "Enjoy, and make sure you occasionally look up from your smartphone and see the world around you."

New Constellation, Toad the Wet Sprocket's first independent album since their debut LP was released 25 years ago, came out of the gate with premiere items on Rolling Stone and Billboard, and was crowd-funded with a campaign that reached its goal amount in less than 24 hours and went on to reach 5 times the original goal amount. The fans continue to fuel the engine as they hit the road, coast-to-coast with friends and fan-favorites Counting Crows. The first three singles from the album have seen a strong response at radio, and received rave reviews, and their recent activity has seen their timeless hits such as "All I Want," "Something's Always Wrong," "Walk on The Ocean," and "Fall Down" return to the charts. Their most recent single, "California Wasted," was released last week and is already on the top 10 most added list at AC.

In celebration of their 25th Anniversary, and in conjunction with the summer tour, Toad is featuring new items on their site including 25th Anniversary Toad merchandise. They will also be posting lyric videos to some of the classic Toad hits on their YouTube channel. Fans should also check the band’s new website for additional dates around the Counting Crows tour.

“We’re honored to be on the road with Counting Crows on the summer of our 25th anniversary. We recently released New Constellation, our first album in 16 years. Adam Duritzis partially responsible - five years after we broke up, he asked us to reform and play a few shows opening for Counting Crows,” said lead vocalist and guitarist Glen Phillips. “That tour was the first crack in the ice, and now we are back together, touring again with the band that first encouraged us to give it another go.”

Toad the Wet Sprocket (Glen Phillips on lead vocals and guitar, Dean Dinning on bass and vocals, Todd Nichols on lead guitar and vocals, and Randy Guss on the drums) share in the kind of musical chemistry that can only come from meeting in high school and writing, recording and touring on albums over the course of those 25 years. After Bread & Circus, they followed with Pale in 1990, fear in ’91, Dulcinea in 1994, and Coil in 1997, as well as some compilation and rarities compilations along the way. While most will feel the comforting familiarity of the Billboard-charting hits, “Walk on the Ocean”, “All I Want”, “Something’s Always Wrong”, and “Fall Down”, new fans will also be well familiar with their new hits such as “California Wasted” which continues to climb the charts as well. Even with a period of the band members weaving in and out of each other’s musical lives, the same creative curiosity that inspired the band to form in 1986 has brought them full circle to come back together again. It’s official: TOAD IS BACK.

TOAD THE WET SPROCKET TOUR DATES:

Aug 27- WELLFLEET, MA- Beachcomber
Aug 28- HARTFORD, CT- Infinity Hall
Aug 29- NORWALK, CT- Norwalk Concert Hall
Aug 30- NEWBURYPORT, MA- Riverfront Music Festival
Oct 11- SOLVANG, CA- Solvang Festival Theater
Nov 8- SOLANA BEACH, CA- Belly Up Tavern
Nov 14- LAS VEGAS, NV- Brooklyn Bowl Vegas
Nov 15- SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA- Coach House
Nov 20- KANSAS CITY, MO- Uptown Theater
Nov 21- WICHITA, KS- Orpheum Theatre
Nov 22- DENVER, CO- Ogden Theatre
Nov 23- ASPEN, CO- Wheeler Opera House
Nov 29- LOS ANGELES, CA- The Fonda Theatre