Last week, Texas’ own Toadies announced its brand-new studio album, The Charmer (Spaceflight Records), set to be released on May 1, 2026. The album was recorded by Steve Albini at Chicago’s Electrical Audio and is among the few projects recorded with Albini before his unfortunate passing that have not yet been released.

Today, the band shares a live in-studio video of the band’s new single, the album’s title track. The bones of “The Charmer” date back to frontman Vaden Lewis’ home-alone pandemic soul searching. With just his guitars, dogs, and endless movies for company, he was finally able to confront and even give name to the self-hatred he’s wrestled with for decades: The Charmer.

“I was afraid that if I lose that part of me that has such self-loathing that I won’t be able to write music anymore,” he explained. “I decided to take that apart and make it a character, The Charmer. If I don’t give that character worth, it’s worthless. But if I do give it worth, I’m worthless.” As the album opines in its lilting, slow-burning title track, ‘It’s only you that keeps me alive … [But] you’d be nothing if it weren’t for me.’

The accompanyingvideo was directed and edited by Emmy-nominated filmmaker and Toadies guitarist Clark Vogeler, capturing the sessions with Albini. He offers, “I knew before we went in to record the new album with Steve Albini we’d be playing together live as much as possible, in contrast to most records which are pieced together layer by layer.  Of course, we knew he was going to capture the sound of what was happening in the room so I took the opportunity to capture images as well.”

Albini’s technique of capturing bands raw and live was the perfect match for the band’s energy, resulting in the classic Toadies sound. Vaden Lewis says, “No computers were used for tracking or mixing, just old school tape and razor blade.” 

Toadies will hit the road this spring with a rotating lineup of support from Local H+, Vandoliers*, and  Sparta^.  The Black Angels will appear on the Dallas date only. All dates listed below.

Live Dates

Apr. 16 – Buda, TX – The Backyard *

Apr. 17 – Cypress, TX – Fio Hill Country Grill *

Apr. 18 – Biloxi, MS – Crawfish Boil  – Miss. Coast Coliseum 

Apr. 19 – New Orleans, LA – Tipitinas *

Apr. 30 – Abilene, TX – Potosi Live +*

May 1 – Christoval, TX – Cooper’s BBQ/LIVE!+*

May 2 – Dallas, TX – Longhorn Backyard =+*

May 3 – Oklahoma City, OK – Tower Theatre +

May 5 – Fayetteville, AR – Ozark Music Hall *

May 7 – Memphis, TN – Graceland Soundstage 

May 8 – Nashville, TN – Eastside Bowl +*

May 9 – Birmingham, AL – Iron City +*

May 12 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade – Heaven +*

May 13 – Asheville, NC – Orange Peel +*

May 15 – Charlotte, NC – The Underground +*

May 16 – Raleigh, NC- The Ritz +*

May 17 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore +*

May 19 – Norwalk, CT – District Music Hall +*

May 20 – Boston, MA – House of Blues +*

May 21 – New York, NY – Webster Hall +*

May 22 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer +*

May 23 – Asbury Park, NJ – The Stone Pony +*

May 27 – Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian Theatre  +*

May 28 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues *

May 29 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogart’s *

May 30 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Intersection +*

May 31 – Chicago, IL – The Vic +*

Jun. 2 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue +*

Jun. 3 – Omaha, NE – The Astro +*

Jun. 5 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theater ^

Jun. 6 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Grand at The Complex +^

Jun. 7 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory +^

Jun. 9 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox +^

Jun. 10 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater +^

Jun. 12 – San Francisco, CA  – The Fillmore +^

Jun. 13 – Los Angeles, The Belasco +^

Jun. 14 – Santa Ana, CA – Observatory +^

Jun. 16 – San Diego, CA – Observatory North Park +^

Jun. 17 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren +^