The long-awaited return of Alvvays continues to be one of this summer’s most pleasant surprises. Their latest single “Easy on Your Own?” is our second preview of Blue Rev (Oct. 7, Polyvinyl), the band’s first new album in five years.
Alvvays shared Blue Rev’s opener “Pharmacist” upon its announcement last month, and now follow up with the album’s second track, “Easy on Your Own?” It’s another brisk blast of the band’s signature dream-pop sound, with complex textures not previously found in their discography. Molly Rankin’s vocals sit lower in the mix than usual, entering alongside synth buzz and forceful low end before buzzing glide guitar envelops her voice a la My Bloody Valentine. When her singing does burst through in the choruses, it hits like a ray of sunshine through the clouds, even though her lyrics (where discernible) describe a long-term relationship so damaged, it might not be worth saving. The song shudders to a stop in under three minutes, another concise stunner seemingly designed to reward repeat listens.
Alvvays recorded their follow-up to 2017’s Antisocialites in October 2021, working with Shawn Everett (The War on Drugs, Kacey Musgraves) in Los Angeles. As we wrote of “Pharmacist,” the band’s Blue Rev singles so far “might as well be the Big Bang, exploding outward to form the beginnings of a new era of Alvvays.”
The band have a U.S. tour set for the fall, kicking off next week at Courtney Barnett’s touring Here and There Festival in Chicago. They’ll share a bill with The War on Drugs at Morrison, Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheater in September before criss-crossing the U.S. in October and November, with support from Slow Pulp.
Check out Alvvays’ “Easy on Your Own?” visualizer (created by Colby Richardson) below and find their tour dates further down.
Alvvays Tour Dates:
August
16 – Chicago, IL @ Here and There Festival – The Salt Shed
September
19 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheater #
October
14 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre $
15 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Ave. $
18 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot $
19 – Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory $
20 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom $
21 – Eugene, OR @ McDonald Theatre $
22 – Seattle, WA @ The Moore Theatre $
24 – Arcata, CA @ Arcata Theatre Lounge $
26 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore $
27 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore $
29 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern $
30 – San Diego, CA @ Observatory North Park $
November
02 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater $
04 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall – Downstairs $
05 – Dallas, TX @ The Studio at The Factory $
07 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse $
08 – Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works $
09 – Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel $
11 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club $
12 – Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall $
15 – New Haven, CT @ College Street Music Hall $
16 – New York, NY @ Kings Theater $
18 – Boston, MA @ Roadrunner $
(# – w/ The War on Drugs)
($ – w/ Slow Pulp)
