The Oblivians Make a Thoughtful Return in ‘I’ll Be Gone’ – Song Premiere
Click to listen to the Oblivians’ “I’ll Be Gone”
Though the Oblivians haven’t released new material in over 15 years, singer-songwriter Greg Cartwright says their new album, Desperation, was a natural step for the trio.
“Over the years, as we would occasionally reunite for a festival or special occasion, the idea began to grow in the back of my mind: the idea of making a new record,” he tells Rolling Stone. “Because as much as we enjoyed playing together, the thing I missed the most was creating together. So that’s what we did.”
Here you can get a first listen to the Desperation track “I’ll Be Gone,” which talks about change over time and addresses everything from breakups to haircuts. “There ain’t no way to know/ How life will change you so,” they sing. “Let’s rock & roll as we get old/ We will before too long.” The stalwart, self-aware Memphis trio delivers the message in the familiar punk-rock-blues style of their previous albums – including their last, 1997’s Play Nine Songs With Mr. Quintron. The album was engineered by Collin Dupuis at Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound in Nashville.
Desperation will be released on June 4th on In the Red Records. The Oblivians will embark on a tour to promote it in late spring and early summer, but dates have not been released yet.