Xtra Mile Recordings and songwriters Frank Turner & Jon Snodgrass are pleased to present: Buddies II: Still Buddies – for release on Friday 13th November 2020 (pre-order).
Ten years ago, the two acclaimed musicians hung out, drank whisky and wrote & recorded an album together called Buddies – a lighthearted hang between friends that became a hit with fans of both artists. Fast forward a decade and the pair are still buddies, so they decided to write a follow-up.
As with the original, Buddies II: Still Buddies was written in just one day, although this time, however, Turner and Snodgrass had to do it over the Internet due to lockdown. With more time on their hands than usual, they were able to flesh out the album, musically, and recruit other buddies – Stephen Egerton (Descendents/ALL) on drums and Todd Beene (Lucero, Chuck Ragan, Glossary) on pedal steel – for added instrumentation. The result is a funny, warm and at times poignant album that’s part talk show, part music.
Touching upon themes such as Jon having children, their travels across the U.S., name-checking other songwriter “buddies” like they did on the original LP and more, the album is a charming and playful reflection on a friendship 10 years on. From the punk-turned-country of the album’s lead single, “Bad Times Good Vibes” to referencing George Carlin’s infamous “Saving The Planet” on “The Fleas,” Buddies II: Still Buddies also stands as the first album Turner has recorded, mixed and mastered entirely on his own. Watch the music video for “Bad Times Good Vibes” over at Rolling Stone HERE or YouTube HERE.
Turner had the following to share about the project and how it came about this year:
“Lockdown has been such a blow to the music industry, and such a drag that we were all looking for things to do. Jon and I have been buddies a long time, and I noticed the 10-year anniversary of our collaborative album was coming up. Technology is such that we were able to reprise the writing method remotely, and indeed it turns out we’ve got a lot better at it in the intervening decade. I’m really, really proud of the record.”
And Snodgrass adds: “BUDDIES II was somehow even more fun to make. It even sounds better too! Frank mixed it & we enlisted Todd Beene & Stephen Egerton. So yeah, 2 more buddies. It’s twice as good, imo. I can’t wait until 2030! It’s gonna be three times better & we’re gonna do it at sea!!”
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Frank Turner is one of the UK’s most successful solo artists of the past decade, selling over one million records worldwide and playing to over two million people from small venues to a sold-out show at London’s famous Wembley Arena. Winner of the AIM (Association of Independent Music) Award for ‘Hardest Working Artist’, and Best Independent Music Festival for his annual four-day event Lost Evenings. Albums England Keep My Bones, Tape Deck Heart and Love, Ire & Song are certified Gold in the UK. Positive Songs For Negative People certified Silver in the UK. Turner’s latest offering, West Coast Vs. Wessex, a split with NOFX, is out now.
Jon Snodgrass is a well-respected figure of the US punk and Americana scene and is a member of Armchair Martian, Drag The River and Scorpios as well as a solo artist. Snodgrass has collaborated with Chad Rex, Hagfish, Descendents, Stephen Egerton, Joey Cape, Lagwagon, Bad Astronaut, Cory Branan, Chuck Ragan (Revival Tour and Hot Water Music), Tim McIlirath (Rise Against), Chris Wollard (Hot Water Music and Ship Thieves), Vinnie Fiorello (Less Than Jake), Scott Reynolds (ALL), Mike Herrera (MxPx), Arliss Nancy, and Jimmy Islip. Snodgrass will release his new album, Tace, on A-F Records on Friday, October 9.
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Buddies II: Still Buddies track listing:
Still Buddies
Retractions
S-Bar
Stephen Plays The Drums
MacBeth
Bad Times Good Vibes
The Age Of A Dog
The Fleas
Hold Me Homie
The Earth Is Flat