Mandolin Orange will release their highly anticipated new album, Blindfaller, on September 30 via Yep Roc Records. The release builds on the acclaim of the band’s breakthrough Yep Roc debut, This Side of Jordan (2013), and last year’s Such Jubilee (2015). Blindfaller is now available for pre-order. Stream the first single “Wildfire.”
While staying true to their Americana sound, the new album tackles modern day themes seen in our daily headlines. The North Carolina duo—comprised of Emily Frantz (fiddle/vocals) and Andrew Marlin (mandolin/vocals)—recorded the album in a one week break from touring at Rubber Room Studio in Chapel Hill, NC. “We wanted different vibes and different intuitions on these tracks,” Marlin says, “and I feel like we really captured that.” To bolster their message and sound on Blindfaller the duo added a full band, which features Clint Mullican on bass, Kyle Keegan on drums, Allyn Love on pedal steel, and previous collaborator, Josh Oliver, on guitar, keys, and vocals. Speaking to their recording process Frantz notes, “We talked about the feel of each song and pointed out loosely who was going to be taking solos, but it was mostly a lot of fresh takes, a lot of eye contact and a lot of nods and weird winks.”
Founded in 2009, Mandolin Orange has built a noteworthy catalog of recordings. The band’s 2013 release This Side of Jordan garnered critical acclaim such as NPR, who called the album “effortless and beautiful,” and American Songwriter, who said it was “honest music, shot through with coed harmonies, sweeping fiddle, mandolin, acoustic guitar and the sort of unfakeable intimacy that bonds simpatico musicians like Gillian Welch and David Rawlings.”
Their 2015 follow-up, Such Jubilee, furthered their standing with inclusion in Rolling Stone’s “30 Great Country Albums of 2015 You Probably Didn’t Hear,” NPR’s Folk Alley’s “Best of 2015 Listener’s Poll,” and Amazon’s “Best of the Next 2015.” The record was #1 on Magnet’s “Top 10 Indie Roots Albums of 2015” and Paste called it “an album full of blissful moments.”
On the road, the band has built a dedicated following with extensive touring including appearances at Austin City Limits, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Newport Folk Festival, and Pickathon. The duo is currently performing select dates this summer with an album release tour to be announced soon. See below for current dates.
BLINDFALLER TRACK LIST
- Hey Stranger
- Wildfire
- Picking Up Pieces
- Lonesome Whistle
- Echo
- Cold Lover’s Waltz
- My Blinded Heart
- Hard Travelin’
- Gospel Shoes
- Take This Heart of Gold
MANDOLIN ORANGE LIVE
July 14—The Shakedown—Bellingham, WA
July 15 & 16—Vancouver Folk Music Festival—Vancouver, Canada
July 22—Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival—Trumansburg, NY
July 23 & 24—Hillside Music Festival—Guelph, Canada
July 25—The Arbor Loft—Rochester, NY
July 26—9th Ward at Babeville—Buffalo, NY
July 27—Club Helsinki—Hudson, NY
July 28—Gateway City Live—Holyoke, MA
July 30—Ossipee Valley Music Festival—Hiram, ME
July 31—Prescott Park Arts Festival—Portsmouth, NH
August 7—Keystone Bluegrass & Beer Festival—Keystone, CO
August 18—Millenium Park Summer Music Series—Chicago, IL
August 20—Hoxeyville Music Festival—Wellston, MI
August 27—Moon Tower Music Festival—Lexington, KY
September 4—Strawberry Music Festival—Tuolumne, CA
September 16— Big Top Chautauqua— Bayfield, WI^
September 17—Festival Palomino—Shakopee, MN
September 18—Door Community Auditorium—Fish Creek, WI^
*with Horse Feathers
^with Elephant Revival
Tags: Mandolin Orange