Existential Risks And Returns, the first album from Cincinnati rock mainstays Vacation since 2018’s Mouth Sounds #2699, is dropping next week on the venerable Salinas Records. According to the band, this set marks a shift from the last several LPs, which found them “indulging some of their heavier Guided By Voices tendencies.” This time singer-guitarist Jerri Queen brought fully crafted songs to the group, resulting in a tracklist of straight-ahead rockers Vacation believe represent a callback to their mid-2010s form.

New single “Luminary Jerry” is as direct and hearty as that description implies — a little bit Japandroids, a little bit Replacements, and yeah, still a little bit GBV. “I did my job and I did it well!” goes the opening lyric, and although what follows is a character sketch, the same could be said for the writing, recording, and performance here.

According to the band, this track “feels like far-off astronauts strumming from within the clouds on jet-packs, with chariots of driving guitar and edifying melody guiding them through the stratosphere. All we can do is what we love, and the details are going to differ from person to person, but ultimately all we can do is work hard and play hard, and in the end you have to fight for yourself and inform yourself.”

Hear “Luminary Jerry” below along with previous single “Colored By Numbers.”

TRACKLIST:
01 “Color By Numbers”
02 “Ripe”
03 “Controlled Burn”
04 “Luminary Jerry”
05 “Lame Loss”
06 “Liberty Tax Statue Man”
07 “Deaf Years”
08 “Quantum Cafe”
09 “Scull In Lace”
10 “User Error”
11 “VFTA”
12 “Road Kill Cactus”

Existential Risks And Returns is out 8/6 on Salinas. Pre-order it here.