Chicago composer and multi-instrumentalist Ben LaMar Gay has announced his new album Yowzers. Before the full thing is out in June, he's shared its title track today, which also serves as the album opener.
Yowzers features Gay with the core members of his quartet: Tommaso Moretti (drums, percussion, voice), Matthew Davis (tuba, piano, bells, voice), and Will Faber (guitar, ngoni, bells, voice). Of the title, Gay says in a press release:
“Yowzers” was a word and a sound that came to mind while observing the intersection of humor and horror in our present reality. On one side of a coin flip, “Yowzers” is a deep sigh that quietly exits the body after facing the absurd. On the other side, it is a cry of amazement at how many secrets were left behind to help us endure and transcend the absurdity.
"Yowzers" does carry a bit of absurdity to it, as the vocalist repeat "ain't gonna snow no more" over and over until it feels like a mantra, a grandiose piano melody swirling around it. Listen to it and see the full album tracklist below.
TRACKLIST:
01 "yowzers"
02 "the glorification of small victories"
03 "there, inside the morning glory"
04 "roller skates"
05 "for Breezy"
06 "I am (bells)"
07 "promontory"
08 "John, John Henry"
09 "damn you cute"
10 "cumulus"
11 "touch"
12 "leave some for you"
Yowzers is out 6/6 via International Anthem.
