‘Flicted, the latest album from keyboardist, singer, and songwriter Bruce Hornsby is out now via his own Zappo Productions/Thirty Tigers. The album was coproduced by Hornsby and Tony Berg and features contributions from Ezra Koenig (Vampire Weekend), Danielle Haim (Haim), Ethan Gruska, Z. Berg, Rob Moose (Mumford & Sons) and yMusic, as well as additional production work from Ariel Rechtshaid and Wayne Pooley.
To celebrate the new release, Hornsby shared a self-directed video for the song “Days Ahead” featuring Danielle Haim. He previously released a video for “Sidelines”, which features Ezra Koenig on vocals and Blake Mills on guitar. The video was directed by Kitty Faingold.
‘Flicted is the third in a series of three collections of songs based on music composed for filmmaker Spike Lee (Absolute Zero and Non-Secure Connection were the first two). Hornsby’s goal for the album was to make a more upbeat record overall, speaking on COVID-19 using the world of science as a recurring influence.
“The album title ‘Flicted relates to this strange time in which we live, when the world is basically, well, ‘flicted,” he explained.
The album hears the veteran musician push into unmarked territory, experimenting with unique sonic textures and rhythms and deep, contemplative lyrics. His irreverent sense of humor also shines through, for instance in the lyrics to “The Hound”, which say “You could be forever known / As the guy in the locker room who popped the bone / Or the guy in math who shit his pants / Or had the wet spot at the cotillion dance /At the cotillion dance / This is the age of thick skin / It’s all in fun, don’t be sensitive / Let it go, have a ball / This is the age of thick, thick skin / Thick skin.”
Hornsby resists the temptation to confine himself to a single genre, venturing into hip-hop and dance music with tracks like “Too Much Monkey Business”, “Maybe Now”, and “Bucket List”. For those who know Bruce primarily as a piano player, these songs in particular will come as a surprise. “Point Omega” meanwhile offers melodious reflections on nature’s mysteries with a jazzy swing: “Neutrinos go through the earth / How do we know? We just know—studies show.”
Hornsby and his band the Noisemakers will embark on an extensive run of 2022 tour dates beginning in June with stops at Brooklyn Bowl in New York, the Troubadour in L.A., Athenaeum Theatre in Chicago, and Taft Theatre in Cincinnati. The band will also make appearances at Elkhart Jazz Fest, Rocky Mountain Folk Festival, Strings Music Festival and more. Additional 2022 dates will be announced soon.
‘Flicted is now available on all streaming platforms. Watch the video for “Days Ahead” and stream ‘Flicted in players below, and scroll down to view the album trackless and tour dates.
Bruce Hornsby – “Days Ahead”
Bruce Hornsby – ‘Flicted