Photo by Ward & Kweskin

Today, Los Angeles-based rock and rollers Dawes shared a sprawling nearly 10-minute single off their upcoming album Misadventures of Doomscroller, due to release on July 22. The new LP marks the group’s eighth studio album and was produced by longtime collaborator Jonathan Wilson– known for his work with Billy Strings, Father John Misty and Angel Olsen–and acts as a valorous new approach for Dawes, evincing a more ambitious, exploratory approach towards recording than ever before.

“We’ve always prided ourselves on being minimalists. With this record we set out on being MAXIMALISTS,” said Dawes frontman Taylor Goldsmith of the project in a press release. “Still a quartet. Still not letting these songs hide behind any tricks or effects. But really letting the songs breathe and stretch and live however they want to. We decided to stop having any regard for short attention spans. Our ambitions go beyond the musical with this one.”

“Someone Else’s Café/Doomscroller Tries to Relax” serves as the opening track on the album. Along with the release of the lead single, Dawes have quietly released a live performance of the album months ahead of its release, available starting today through Sunday, May 8 at midnight. Enjoy it here.

Of the single Goldsmith said, “The first half of this song could be about tyrants. But it could also be about anyone who thinks that a little more control is gonna make everything ok. The second half is a response to that developing reality of the first half. The world might be a scary place sometimes but, to some degree, I want to believe I can decide how I respond to it. Every time a take was completed felt like a major accomplishment.

“It being 10 minutes really raised the stakes. Didn’t wanna be the guy to mess up in minute 7 or 8 with everyone playing flawlessly up to that point. This whole album, and this song especially, felt a little beyond our comfort zone and I’m really proud of what that’s done to the music. I like to think that you can hear the eye contact, that you can hear us thinking on our feet. It’s already become a top 5er to play live. Happy to finally have it out in the world.”

“We wanted a musical drama, an ensemble cast with linked arms kicking highly; a transcription of a band meeting we haven’t even had yet,” added bassist Wylie Gelber. “Eight legs and eight arms, in a room, stretching deeper than we ever knew we could…The Intros have Outros. The Outros have Bridges.”

Dawes are set to kick off their 2022 tour on May 11 with a performance at The Whiskey X @ Industry City in Brooklyn, N.Y. – they have dates scheduled through Sept. 25. During their tour, they’ll hit festivals, play with Phil Lesh & Friends and have a string of dates with The Head and The Heart. See the full list of dates below.

Pre-order Misadventures of Doomscroller here.

Listen to “Someone Else’s Café / Doomscroller Tries to Relax” below:

DAWES TOUR 2022

MAY

11 – Brooklyn, NY – The Whiskey X @ Industry City

21 – Prescott, AZ – Pure Imagination Festival *

JULY

4 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage †

29 – Yuzawa, JP – Fuji Rock Festival *

AUGUST

1 – Austin, TX – ACL Live at The Moody Theater ^

2 – Austin, TX – ACL Live at The Moody Theater ^ (SOLD OUT)

4 – Houston, TX – Lawn at White Oak ^

5 – Dallas, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory ^

6 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Criterion ^

8 – Salt Lake City, UT – Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre ^

9 – Boise, ID – Outlaw Field at the Idaho Botanical Garden ^

11 – Missoula, MT – KettleHouse Amphitheater ^

12 – Seattle, WA – Marymoor Park ^ (SOLD OUT)

13 – Seattle, WA – Marymoor Park ^

16 – Portland, OR – McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheater ^

18 – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl ^

19 – Berkeley, CA – Greek Theatre ^

20 – Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre ^

22 – San Diego, CA – Humphreys Concerts By The Bay ^ (SOLD OUT)

23 – San Diego, CA – Humphreys Concerts By The Bay ^

27 – Tisbury, MA – Beach Road Weekend *

28 – Bridgeview, IL – Sacred Rose *

SEPTEMBER

16 – Toronto, ON – Phoenix Concert Theatre

24-25 – Franklin, TN – Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival *

* Festival Performance

† w/Phil Lesh & Friends

^ Supporting The Head and The Heart