“C’est La Vie,” the new single from seminal psych-guitar masters The Church, continues the retro-futuristic narrative that began with the release of the title track from their upcoming album The Hypnogogue (Communicating Vessels), out February 24, 2023. Reading like a short story from visionary science fiction author Philip K. Dick, (“A Scanner Darkly,” “Electric Dreams”), the dystopian fable revolves around the mythic machine that extracts music directly from subconscious dreams.
While the single “The Hypnogogue” introduces characters “Sun Kim Jong” (Korean scientist/occult dabbler and creator of the aforementioned contraption) and her love interest/rockstar “Eros Zeta” who wants to employ the machine to revive his flailing career, “C’est La Vie” continues the narrative which serves as a cautionary tale from Zeta’s agent not to mess with The Hypnogogue. “His manager has heard some bad rumors about it and he doesn’t want his boy all strung out on this unknown thing,” explains Steve Kilbey, the bassist, vocalist, and founder of The Church. “Musically, the song is a fast-paced rocker very much initiated by our guitarist Ian Haug. But it has plenty of twists and turns and ends up fading away in a delicate and winsome way.”
“The Hypnogogue is the most prog rock thing we have ever done. ‘We’ve also never had a concept album before,” he says. “It is the most ‘teamwork record’ we have ever had. Everyone in the band is so justifiably proud of this record and everyone helped to make sure it was as good as it could be. Personally, I think it’s in our top three records.”
Entering their fourth decade of making music and playing live shows with all the fierce creative energy of their early years, The Church have announced a North American tour that kicks off on March 11th in Los Angeles and circles the States, concluding on April 8th in Pelham, TN (tour dates below).
TOUR DATES
Mar 11 Los Angeles, CA The Belasco – Ticket link
Mar 12 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up Tavern – Ticket link
Mar 14 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall – Ticket link
Mar 16 Portland, OR Aladdin Theater – Ticket link
Mar 17 Tacoma, WA Elks Temple Ballroom – Ticket link
Mar 21 Englewood, CO Gothic Theater – Ticket link
Mar 23 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line Music Hall – Ticket link
Mar 25 St Louis, MO Delmar Hall – Ticket link
Mar 26 Chicago, IL Thalia Hall – Ticket link
Mar 28 Kent, OH Kent Stage – Ticket link
Mar 29 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts – Ticket link
Mar 30 New York, NY Gramercy Theater – Ticket link
Mar 31 Boston, MA The Sinclair – Ticket link
Apr 1 Hartford, CT Infinity Hall – Ticket link
Apr 3 Asbury Park, NJ Asbury Lanes – Ticket link
Apr 4 Alexandria, VA Birchmere Music Hall – Ticket link
Apr 5 Norfolk VA The Norva – Ticket link
Apr 6 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle – Ticket link
Apr 8 Pelham, TN The Caverns – Ticket link
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