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

Toad the Wet Sprocket's "The Moment" is #1 most added on AAA radio, SXSW 2014 and other tour dates added

I love to hear great things about Toad the Wet Sprocket! "The Moment" is a fantastic song and I'm glad it is connecting with a growing audience too...

2014 MARKS TOAD THE WET SPROCKET’S 25^th ANNIVERSARY: THE BAND ADDS TOUR DATES, INCLUDING SXSW 2014

 

TOAD THE WET SPROCKET’S SINGLE, “THE MOMENT” IS THE #1 MOST ADDED SINGLE IN AAA RADIO 

Left to right: Randy Guss, Glen Phillips, Todd Nichols, Dean Dinning

Listen To “The Moment”

https://soundcloud.com/toad-the-wet-sprocket/the-moment-tml-6-5-2013/s-3UbpC?in=toad-the-wet-sprocket/sets/new-constellation-full-album/s-3UbpC

 

Watch: “All I Want” 

Recorded on the Roof of The Relix Magazine Offices:

http://www.relix.com/media/video/toad_the_wet_sprocket_all_i_want

 

Click here to hear “New Constellation” on RollingStone.com:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/toad-the-wet-sprocket-find-a-new-constellation-song-premiere-20130605

 

Toad the Wet Sprocket’s first single for 2014, “The Moment” is the #1 most added single in AAA Radio this week. They have started the year off strong as they continue to add more tour dates including shows in Santa Cruz, Fresno and Napa. This year marks the band’s Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of forming. They will be celebrating with continued tour dates and events, including their first trip to South By Southwest Music Festival in Austin, Texas.

 

The band best known for charting on Billboard with their beloved hits, “Walk on the Ocean”, “All I Want”, “Something’s Always Wrong”, and “Fall Down” are enthusiastic as ever after an incredible 2013: from experiencing the astounding fan support to release New Constellation through a Kickstarter that was funded in under 24 hours, touring coast-to-coast and appearing in headlines all over the globe, Toad is back. Continuing to collect fans, old and new, Toad will be on the road for dates up and down the West Coast, announcing 13 shows and counting.

 

TOAD THE WET SPROCKET ON TOUR

Jan 29- TEMPE, AZ- Marquee Theatre

Jan 30- FLAGSTAFF, AZ- Orpheum Theater

Jan 31- SALT LAKE CITY, UT- The Depot

Feb 1- STATELINE, NV- South Shore Room at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe

Feb 3- EUGENE, OR- WOW Hall, Community Center for the Performing Arts

Feb 5- BEND, OR- Tower Theatre

Feb 6- PORTLAND, OR- Aladdin Theater

Feb 7- SPOKANE, WA- The Bing Crosby Theatre

Feb 8- SEATLLE, WA- The Showbox

May 1- SANTA CRUZ, CA- The Catalyst

May 2- FRESNO, CA- Tower Theatre

May 3- NAPA, CA- The Uptown Theatre

May 4- SACRAMENTO, CA- Harlow’s

 

About Toad The Wet Sprocket’s 2013 release, New Constellation

 

New Constellation brings all of the sincerity of Toad the Wet Sprocket’s early catalog into the present, with a collection of songs that seamlessly picks up where the band left off in 1997, while also showcasing the band members' individual growth as songwriters and musicians since then.

 

The same creative curiosity that inspired the band to form in 1986 and then to branch out in different directions in 1998 has brought them full circle to come back together again. As Glen Phillips put it, "At some point we would play shows and remember not why we'd broken up, but why we got together in the first place. That made it possible and exciting to move forward again." The result is New Constellation, an album of 11 new songs produced by Mikal Blue. 

 

Bassist Dean Dinning says, "The idea to make this record was born out of the fact that we are really enjoying playing live together again- and adding new songs into the set just makes it that much better.” Phillips added, "We've all been making music outside of the band for a while now. It's amazing to get back together and incorporate all we've learned in the last years but immediately hear the sonic signature that is essentially 'Toad' re-emerge."

 

Toad’s new single and title track, “New Constellation” premiered on Rolling Stone’s site June 5^th, 2013, launching the Kickstarter campaign. In a statement about the track, Glen Phillips said, “After not having recorded as Toad the Wet Sprocket for over 16 years, we finally decided to make a new record for our fans.  "New Constellation" was the very first new song written specifically for the band. After a decade in the folk/singer/songwriter world it was exciting to write with the band in mind. I wanted come up with material that would respect our origins but also respect everything we'd learned in the intervening years. The lyric veers from outer space to patron saints to depression to heroic gestures of love in a quick three minute pop song.” 

 

PRAISE FOR NEW CONSTELLATION:

“ ‘New Constellation’ rides a simple guitar and vocal melody adorned with chimes into a shimmering, devotional chorus that recalls the halcyon days of college rock sing-alongs.” Rolling Stone

 

“That the band in question is not only one of the greatest hit-machines of the “alternative nation,” but well worth revisiting...This band — one you may have overlooked 10-odd years ago — is giving you ample opportunity to catch the rerun. So we advise, friends, that you take it.” - MTV Hive

 

“From the album's revelling opener to the more contemplative track, "The Moment," it is clear that the band has fully returned..."New Constellation" continues to build this Santa Barbara, Calif., band's legacy. It doesn't sound like 15 years passed between records, and here's hoping there will be more albums to come. From the fan response, it is evident Toad the Wet Sprocket never should have stopped making records together in the first place. Welcome back.” - ABC News

 

“The fantastic record picks up where the band’s career left off in the late ’90s; its acoustic-electric guitar blends, lyrical introspection and longing harmonies feel timeless, not nostalgic.”- Salon

 

“[New Constellation is] an 11-song cycle that sounds comfortable in its own skin. Sporting an immaculate production by Mikal Blue, the album is dense with sonic nuance, sublimely executed vocal harmonies, and expert performances...the record marks a welcome return to the heart-on-the-sleeve sincerity that marks the band's best work.” - Talkhouse

 

 

Read more about the Kickstarter Campaignon Billboard.com (http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1567367/toad-the-wet-sprocket-caught-off-guard-by-fan-support-for-new-album)

Toad the Wet Sprocket impresses in full-scale return

Glen Phillips at the Observatory on Aug. 25, 2013. 

Toad the Wet Sprocket is back.
Although the band has performed a few shows here and there since returning from its 1998 hiatus in 2006, the band has completed work on its sensational forthcoming studio effort New Constellation (I'll have plenty more to say about the disc around the time of its release on Oct. 15) and performed a stellar headlining concert at the aptly-titled Observatory in Santa Ana last night, Sunday, Aug. 25. Lead singer Glen Phillips took the stage just after 9:35 p.m., pleased by the strong welcome: "Hi, I remember you."

Performing a marathon-length set of 22 songs spanning old and new material, the Santa Barbara-spawned quartet opened with "The Moment," a driving and evocative song off New Constellation that blended Phillips' emotive vocals, textured guitars (Todd Nichols' work was superb throughout the night) and an artful mix of sections that flowed magically together. 
Other new songs were also performed during the set. The fiery "California Wasted," Americana-tinged "The Eye" and infectious title track also struck home, rivaling the band's masterworks that graced 1994's Dulcinea and 1997's Coil.

The audience was entirely tuned in throughout the 100-minute performance, greeting well-known hits and favorite album tracks with big cheers but then quieting to listen to the nuanced performance of each song. I've seen the band a number of times stretching back to the mid-1990s and can't recall a concert as rewarding as their focused performance at the Observatory last night. The guest work of Jonathan Kingham on mandolin, keyboards and lap steel added to the richness of the songs.

From the breezy country feel of "Good Intentions" to the haunting "Fly From Heaven" and weighty "Something's Always Wrong," the strong material was delivered with a renewed fire that extended beyond the artful arrangements, interesting solos and wonderful harmonies. 
The encore was spiced up during a faithful visit to David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust," where Phillips shared lead vocals with Lee-Phillips moved into the night-ending "Walk on the Ocean." A magic night to be sure.

Opening the night was the trio Grant Lee Buffalo, who I hadn't seen before. I was very impressed by the threesome's hour-long set of original roots-meets-alt rock approach. In particular, I was impressed by Grant Lee-Phillips' ability to power his 12-string acoustic guitar as if it was an electric instrument - blazing lead solos and all. My favorite song, "Jupiter and Teardrop," showcased an expansive and artful reading. I hope to get to see the trio (which also includes bassist Paul Kimble and drummer Joey Peters) again soon.

Read writer George A. Paul's comprehensive review of the show on his Music Minded blog here.

Set list: Toad the Wet Sprocket at the Observatory

Main set: The Moment / Woodburning / Good Intentions / Crowing / Windmills / New Constellation / Fly from Heaven / All I Want / Whatever I Fear / Come Back Down / Nightingale Song / Something's Always Wrong / The Eye / Crazy Life / Jam / California Wasted / Brother / Fall Down

Encore: Come Down / I'll Bet on You / Ziggy Stardust (David Bowie cover) / Walk on the Ocean