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Trying Not to Have a Thought, out September 12 via Saddle Creek, isnt just Algernon Cadwalladers first album since 2011s Parrot Flies, its their first with the original lineup since 2008s Some Kind of Cadwallader. Shortly after that debut, drummer Nick Tazza and guitarist Colin Mahony departed; Algernon broke up in 2012 and stayed dormant until their feverishly anticipated 2022 reunion.Theres a certain magic to this original form, says vocalist-bassist Peter Helmis. No one expected new music, but as they rehearsed, ideas emerged, and the seeds of Trying Not to Have a Thought took root. Im kind of hearing in my head what this persons already doing, recalls guitarist Joe Reinhart of their rekindled chemistry.Written across two retreats, Washingtons Snoqualmie and Pennsylvanias Poconos, the album was tracked at Pachyderm Studios and Reinharts Headroom in Philadelphia. Rather than sounding forced, its warm, lively, and effortlessly hooky. Fans will recognize Algernons DNA, yet the record feels uncoupled from trends: Joan of Arc and Pavement in a blender is where we end up, Reinhart jokes.Lyrically, Helmis moves from abstract prose to explicit themes: grief (Hawk), protest (Revelation 420), capitalisms failures (Million Dollars), and the MOVE 9 tragedy (Attn MOVE). The title reflects resisting mental overload amid chaosand the bands instinctive bond. This is just what comes out of us when these four people get in a room, Helmis says.Press photo - Scott Troyan
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