Canadian Band Altameda Releases Single in Anticipation of Upcoming Album

On Friday, Toronto-based band Altameda shared a new single entitled "Neon (& That's Why)" from their forthcoming album, Born Losers. Recorded in Toronto by Thomas D'Arcy (Neko Case, The Sheepdogs) and mixed in Portland, OR by Tucker Martine (My Morning Jacket, Whitney, R.E.M.), the full length is set for release on April 15 via Missing Piece/Pheromone Records. The sparkling track finds the band searching for an escape, envisioning someplace exciting where they can get away from their humdrum realities; the accompanying music video matches the bright serenity of the song, embellished with the grain, fuzz and RGB correction reminiscent of a 70's PBS documentary. Listen to "Neon (& That's Why)." Pre-Save Born Losers.

"The song conceptually tackles the sentiment of leaving your hometown for the presumably greener pastures of some proverbial promise-land," explains Altameda's Troy Snaterse. "Based loosely on a conversation my partner and I had at a local bar next to the cigarette vending machine, we discussed the pros and cons of packing up and starting a new life. The idea that you could have the ability to become a more crystallized version of yourself, without the burden of geographical limitations."

This is the album's fourth single, following previous tracks "Dead Man's Suit," "Nightmare Town" and "Wheel Of Love." Under the Radar premiered the latter, saying "the track finds the band reflecting on the constant passage of time, but where ["Dead Man's Suit"] meditated on mortality, here the band explores the titular wheel of love. Snaterse and Grice recall moments of fondly remembered joy, calling to mind vignettes with friends, family, and lovers and tracing them through the years. Meanwhile, keening pedal steel and gorgeous strings back the pair's nostalgic reverie, evoking the warmth and comfort of the song's treasured memories." The singles have received further praise from FLOOD and Quiet Down Magazine and landed on numerous Spotify playlists including Fresh Folk, Folk & Friends and Chill + Atmospheric.

Altameda is Troy Snaterse (guitar, vocals) and Erik M. Grice (drums). Founded initially as a solo project for Snaterse, Altameda quickly garnered early acclaim with the release of their 2016 full-length debut, Dirty Rain. Altameda's ambitious 2019 sophomore effort, Time Hasn't Changed You, was met with continued praise on both sides of the Atlantic - the CBC's Grant Lawrence even proclaimed them "the best Canadian band I have heard in a while."

Where past Altameda records showcased the sound of a rock and roll band cutting loose live in the studio, Born Losers is an exercise in craftsmanship and restraint, one that relies on subtlety over brute force as it learns to let go and fully embrace the present. Snaterse wrote much of the lyrics during a tumultuous stretch in which he nearly lost his father to a stroke, only to lose his 18-year-old stepbrother just weeks later in a tragic accident. The resulting emotional upheaval permeates the music in ways both painful and transcendent, with raw, candid performances often arriving wrapped inside gorgeous, gently atmospheric arrangements.

This summer, Altameda will embark on a US tour supporting The Zombies. The band will also make an appearance at the revered SXSW festival in Austin, TX.

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Photo Credits: Colin Medley

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