Gearing up for their first live shows in 16 months, Arkells deliver a new track, Swing Swing Swing, from their highly anticipated album Blink Once due 22nd Septembervia Universal Music Canada, available for pre-save and pre-order now. The five-piece have also released the official music video for Swing Swing Swing, which can be viewed here.
“There’s a tradition in gospel and soul music where you find these transcendent chordal arrangements that make you feel everything at once,” says frontman Max Kerman. “That’s what we were chasing with this song – throw some blistering trumpet in there and we have something that feels very new to us. The title and video nod to a motif of ‘3s’ and it felt right to put it out, heading into our big 3-night outdoor homestand at Budweiser Stage, as we get back on-stage for the first time since the world shut-down.”
“My favourite songs have three key ingredients: they make you wanna 1) sing and 2) dance and 3) have a cry all at once,” says Kerman. “Hopefully each ‘Swing’ in this song can do that for you, and you’ll actively feel all 3 if you’re coming to a show this weekend.”
Arkells triumphant return to live music – for three once-in-a-return-from-pandemic history making nights at Toronto’s Iconic Budweiser Stage, begins Friday August 13th. Previously announced as a two-night affair, a third show was added to meet the overwhelming demand and enthusiasm for a return to live music this summer.
“Each night will be its own unique moment as we mark this special occasion. We’ve got a lot of songs to re-learn!” says frontman Max Kerman. “It’s been a long haul, but we kept telling ourselves to be patient – when shows come back, we’re going to do it big, and we’re going to do it right. This event is billed as a long-weekend because it’ll feel like a celebration that we’ve yearned to have together. There’s no better place for it.”
Blink Once, a bi-coastal project which was recorded in LA and completed in Toronto, includes hit single, You Can Get It featuring K.Flay, which has charted in the #1 spot at Canadian Alternative Radio for 4 weeks and is their fifth #1 at the format. You Can Get It was prominently featured in the E3 launch of the Forza Horizon 5 video game trailer this summer. Blink Once also includes #1 track Years In The Making, One Thing I Know, as well as All Roads, which serves as the soundtrack to #TogetherAgain, a Canadian national vaccine awareness PSA to combat vaccine hesitancy.
BLINK ONCE OUT 22ND SEPTEMBER 2021
PRE-ORDER BLINK ONCE ON VINYL OR CD, HERE
PRE-SAVE BLINK ONCE HERE
ASSETS AVAILABLE HERE
Cover art designed by Arkells guitarist, Mike DeAngelis
BLINK ONCE TRACKLIST:
Liberation
You Can Get It (ft. K.Flay)
All Roads
Strong
One Thing I Know
Truce
Nobody Gets Me Like You Do
Swing Swing Swing
No Regrets
Years In The Making
Arm In Arm