Country-punk performer Sunny War has been playing music for years, releasing albums like 2014’s Worthless, 2016’s Red, White And Blue, 2018’s With The Sun and Particle War, 2019’s Shell Of A Girl, and last year’s Simple Syrup, plus a 2020 EP Can I Sit With You?.
War’s early years were overshadowed by a vicious struggle with addiction, though, and she has spent stints in sober living facilities in LA neighborhoods like Compton and Venice. It’s now been about 12 years since War unwound herself from the throes of addiction, and she’s since moved from LA to Nashville, where she was born. Today, she is announcing her signing with New West Records, who will release her new album, Anarchist Gospel, in February.
Produced by Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes, Hurray For The Riff Raff), Anarchist Gospel features appearances by Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Allison Russell, David Rawlings, Jack Lawrence of the Raconteurs, Micah Nelson, John James Tourville of The Deslondes, Kyshona Armstrong, Dennis Crouch, The School Zone Children’s Choir, and more.
“I feel like there are two sides of me,” War says of Anarchist Gospel. “One of them is very self-destructive, and the other is trying to work with that other half to keep things balanced.” That’s the central conflict on Anarchist Gospel, which documents a time when it looked like the self-destructive side might win out.
“Everybody is a beast just trying their hardest to be good. That’s what it is to be human. You’re not really good or bad. You’re just trying to stay in the middle of those two things all the time, and you’re probably doing a shitty job of it. That’s ok, because we’re all just monsters.”
War is also sharing a twang-stomping lead single called “No Reason,” which also has a video. Listen and watch below.
TRACKLIST:
01 “Love’s Death Bed”
02 “No Reason”
03 “Shelter And Storm”
04 “I Got No Fight”
05 “Swear To Gawd”
06 “Earth”
07 “New Day”
08 “Baby Bitch”
09 “His Love”
10 “Hopeless”
11 “Higher”
12 “Test Dummy”
13 “Sweet Nothing”
14 “Whole”
TOUR DATES:
2/22 – New York, NY @ Joe’s Pub
2/23 – Washington, DC @ Kennedy Center
2/24 – Kennett Square, PA @ Kennett Flash
2/25 – Fall River, MA @ Narrows Center for the Arts
2/26 – New Haven, CT @ Cafe Nine
2/28 – Portsmouth, NH @ Press Room
3/01 – Portland, ME @ One Longfellow Square
3/02 – Waterbury Center, VT @ Zen Barn
3/03 – Syracuse, NY @ Funk N Waffles
3/04 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Caffe Lena
3/09 – Ashevillle, NC @ Grey Eagle*
3/10 – Columbia, SC @ New Brooklyn Tavern*
3/11 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl*
3/12 – Nashville, TN @ 3rd and Lindsley*
3/14 – Little Rock, Arkansas @ White Water Tavern*
3/15 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Ponyboy*
* w/ Sarah Shook & the Disarmers
Anarchist Gospel is out 2/3 via New West Records. Pre-order it here.
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