Umphrey’s McGee has announced details for a new studio album, You Walked Up Shaking In Your Boots But You Stood Tall And Left A Raging Bull. Out on July 16th via the band’s Nothing Too Fancy label, the album will consist of songs commonly used to open Umphrey’s shows. Along with the announcement, Umphrey’s McGee has shared “Leave Me Las Vegas”.
Per All Things Umphrey’s, 10 of the 12 tracks have commonly been used to open live shows dating back to 2/19/09, with the debut of “Catshot”. The remaining two songs—”Le Sac” and “Restrung”—have not been performed live. Many familiar tracks appear on the album, including “Tango Mike”, “Nipple Trix”, “There’s No Crying In Mexico”, and more.
Many of these songs now see a hybrid performance to open concerts, as the band walks out to pre-recorded versions of the song before joining in live. In a note attached to the announcement, the band explains the rationale behind putting out a studio album of songs commonly used to open live shows, all while the band’s in-person appearances are extremely limited. In a wholesome way, Umphrey’s McGee appears to be trying to capture some of that live energy that takes hold of a room when the lights go down.
The volume of chatter grows, the temperature rises, and the buzz in the room grows palpable. A flicker, then darkness as the house lights descend . . . the anticipation, the excitement that you’re about to experience something unknown, together.
The opening notes of the walk-on music leap from the line array, instantly setting the mood.
It’s live. It’s on.
The feeling of those shared experiences has been sorely missed. The physical community displaced, longing for that connection together. Born from the live experience, forged from the pandemic, that desire to be together served as the impetus for this record. The irony isn’t lost on us that it took a year of home isolation to record a studio album inspired by live use. Recorded from afar, one by one, none of us together for a single note of the recording. The universe sure has a great sense of humor.
YOU WALKED UP SHAKING IN YOUR BOOTS BUT STOOD TALL AND LEFT A RAGING BULL is an album designed to put the wheels in motion, to get up and get after it.
What are you waiting for?
As for the album’s comically long title, the inspiration came from a sit-in guitarist Jake Cinninger did with Los Lobos when the SoCal rockers opened for UM during a New Year’s Eve run at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom.
“I go up there, get comfortable, start getting into it, finally make some eye contact with [David] Hidalgo and he gives me the go-ahead to blaze a solo,” Cinninger said in a press release. “I start out meek and mild, and dial it up to bronco mode.”
Cinnengar put on a show, as he’s known to do, so much so that rhythm guitarist Cesar Rosas came up to him after the show and said, “You walked up shaking in your boots, but you stood tall and left a raging bull.” Umphrey’s McGee thought that was a better title than Foreplay.
Along with a digital release on streaming platforms, You Walked Up Shaking In Your Boots But Stood Tall And Left A Raging Bull will be available on vinyl in tandem with limited edition merch packages. Click here to pre-order and scroll down to listen to the studio cut of “Leave Me Las Vegas”. Scroll down to see a full tracklist and album art.
Umphrey’s McGee – “Leave Me Las Vegas”
[Video: Umphrey’s McGee]
