[UPDATE 7/24/20]: The Fearless Flyers have officially released their full-length debut album, Tailwinds, on streaming platforms. Listen to the album below:
[Originally published 4/30/20]: The Fearless Flyers have announced the coming release of their first-ever full-length album, Tailwinds. The band—comprised of Vulfpeck bassist Joe Dart and touring guitarist Cory Wong alongside drummer Nate Smith and Snarky Puppy guitarist Mark Lettieri—announced the album by launching a crowdfunding pre-order on qrates. Pre-orders quickly passed the goal of 2000 for the first-pressing, 180g vinyl, which the qrates page notes will be on sale for the “month of May only.”
Nate Smith — drums
Mark Lettieri — small guitar
Cory Wong — medium guitar
Joe Dart — big guitar
Alekos Syropoulos — small sax
Kenni Holmen — medium sax
Grace Kelly — big saxhttps://t.co/AJXk3YIOoZ
— Vulfpeck (@vulfpeck) April 30, 2020
[Image via qrates]
In addition to launching the qrates pre-order page, the band shared a video of the album’s first track, “Nate Smith is the Ace of Aces”. In typical Vulf fashion, the track draws from the band’s previous work (“Ace of Aces” was the first track on the initial Fearless Flyers EP released in 2018). Much like the original “Ace of Aces”, the re-worked “Nate Smith is the Ace of Aces” puts a spotlight on the relentlessly-tight rhythms of the talented drummer, with two big differences: a greatly expanded drum kit for Smith and the addition of the Delta Force, a three-piece horn section.
Watch the live video filmed at Sound City in Van Nuys, CA below:
The Fearless Flyers – “Nate Smith is the Ace of Aces”
[Video: Vulf]
While characteristically sparse for a Vulf Records release, the qrates page does offer a small amount of info on the album. In addition to a tracklisting (see below), the page notes, “After two EPs, The Fearless Flyers are ready for a full length. … Big Sax, Little Sax, Normal Sax … Horn arrangements by hornheads’ Michael Nelson. … Olympic Funk … Stoic yet panicked. … Limited supply … Reserve yours.”
We also know that guitarist Cory Wong had a greater hand than usual in producing the new record, as he posted on Instagram about the experience earlier this year.
The first single has yet to appear on streaming services, although The Fearless Flyers did change the background of their Spotify homepage to the embroidery-style cover of Tailwinds. Here’s hoping this means the new album will hit digital platforms eventually. [Update 5/1/20: “Nate Smith is the Ace of Aces” has made its way onto major streaming services. Listen on Spotify below]:
The Fearless Flyers have only ever played a handful of live shows, but they’ve made them count. In addition to nabbing Jamiroquai‘s Jay Kay for a 2018 sit-in during their first-ever official live show, the Fearless Flyers have appeared at a handful of high-profile Vulfpeck dates including 2019 gigs at Red Rocks and Madison Square Garden.
View the tracklisting below (including what look to be a few more reworked versions of familiar Vulf songs) and head here to place a pre-order for The Fearless Flyers’ Tailwinds on vinyl.