Funky reggae artists Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad have just announced a brand new album release! Titled Make It Better, the Rochester, NY-based group has put together one of their finest releases yet. The new album is due out on September 16th, and sees the Dub Squad taking a new approach to writing music, working economically with busy schedules yet delivering songs with an absolute purpose. The band really does want to Make It Better, and they’re doing so with great music and positive energy.
Singer/bassist James Searl spoke about the new album, saying “There is a lot of intention in this release. We had a purpose to prove to ourselves recording this album. We wanted to know that we could put our heads down and do good work fast. It was a great release artistically. It uniquely sounds the most progressive of anything we have ever done while also sounding the most like our first album.”
To get you in the mood for this new album, we’re honored to premiere the first single “Live And Travel.” Written by guitarist/vocalist Dylan Savage, the song focuses on “a person’s long journey making their way home to be with loved ones. It’s a love song not only for family and those close to us, but for the nature and beauty that surrounds us everyday.”
Listen to the new GPGDS single, “Live And Travel,” below!
Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad will release Make It Better on September 16th on Rootfire Cooperative, and you can find pre-orders here! The band will be touring throughout the summer and fall, including an album release party on September 10th in their hometown of Rochester, NY. The full Make It Better tour schedule can be seen below, and you can find out more about the band on their official website.
Make It Better Tour Dates
Aug 18: Richmond, VA – The Broadberry
Aug 19: Asheville, NC – New Mountain Theater
Aug 20: Elkins, WV – Camp Barefoot
Aug 21: Cincinnati, OH – Woodward Theater
Sep 4: Salisbury, MA – SurfSide Salisbury Beach
Sep 10: Rochester, NY – Anthology
Sep 16: Hammonton, NJ – Camp Jam in the Pines
Oct 4: Cambridge (Boston), MA – Middle East
Oct 5: Brooklyn, NY – Knitting Factory Brooklyn
Oct 6: Washington, DC – Gypsy Sally’s
Oct 7: Harrisburg, PA – The Abbey Bar at ABC
Oct 8: Syracuse, NY – Westcott Theater
Oct 12: Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe Live Downstairs
Oct 13: Albany, NY – The Hollow
Oct 14: Ithaca, NY – The Dock
Oct 15: Buffalo, NY – Tralf Music Hall
[Photo credit: Stephen Reardon]