Fruition Embraces Fearless Love On New Single “I??m Not Afraid”; Tucker Martine-produced 'Something More' Out August 28
The Portland-based Americana band's eighth studio album arrives on Bloodshot Records, produced by Grammy-winner Tucker Martine.
Americana band Fruition has released 'I'm Not Afraid,' the third single from their upcoming eighth studio album SOMETHING MORE, due out August 28 on Bloodshot Records. The track, which features anthemic harmonies and guitars, explores unconditional love and the instinct to protect someone else above oneself, with band member Jay Cobb Anderson describing the song's emotional core in a statement accompanying the release. SOMETHING MORE was produced by Grammy winner Tucker Martine, known for his work with The Decemberists, My Morning Jacket, and First Aid Kit, and was recorded over seven days at his Flora Recording and Playback studio in Portland, Oregon.
'I'm Not Afraid' is driven by an undeniable sense of conviction, anthemic harmonies, and soaring guitars. The song explores the transformative power of unconditional love, the rare moment when protecting someone else becomes more instinctive than protecting yourself. 'You should be, but for some reason you're not,' Jay Cobb Anderson explains. 'I guess this time it's different. Her eyes glow in otherworldly light. Each breath she takes is a gift. You're not scared to hurt her because, at the very core of your soul, you know that you were put here to protect her. It's coded in your DNA, coursing through your veins. It's written in the stars. Every life you've lived and died has brought you here. If this ship goes down, you'll gladly sink with it. So, what's there to be frightened of?'
Produced by Grammy winner Tucker Martine (The Decemberists, My Morning Jacket, First Aid Kit), SOMETHING MORE was recorded over seven days at his Flora Recording and Playback in Portland. Considered a 'sixth member' by the band, Martine's studio became an instrument itself, with the band drawing on his collection of vintage instruments and analog gear to create atmospheric textures and arrangements as eclectic as the songs themselves.
'We walked in there like kids in a candy shop,' says Mimi Naja. 'We were drawn to all of Tucker's weird gear. We couldn't have made an album like this — an album about growth, evolution, and maturity — without that enthusiasm, that space, and that guy.' Martine's playful imagination and nuanced expertise, along with his inventive approach, helped inform many decisions throughout the recording process. 'We pushed each other, we supported each other, and we came together to make something intentional, something brave and vulnerable, and something timeless,' says the band.
Of SOMETHING MORE, the band notes: 'This album is the culmination of almost two decades of making music as Fruition,' explains Jay Cobb Anderson. 'We set out to show the world what we've learned along the way, both musically and personally, but perhaps more importantly, the album makes a point to be honest about the things we've had to UNLEARN. The truth of this album is found in kicking old habits, letting go of control, interrogating our motives, and approaching each session with fearless, open hearts.'
That spirit of openness is woven throughout the record. Fruition approached SOMETHING MORE with a deeper sense of collaboration than ever before, writing together during retreats in Colorado and Southern California, embracing vulnerability as a creative strength. With autobiographical lyrics that tackle uncertainty, acceptance, and the band's long journey from past to present, SOMETHING MORE is the next chapter: a collection of lessons absorbed, trust deepened, and a band fully embracing what they've become.
In support of SOMETHING MORE, Fruition continues its North American tour with dates throughout the summer and fall. The run includes stops at Higher Ground in Burlington, VT; Brighton Music Hall in Boston; Le Poisson Rouge in New York City; 3rd & Lindsley in Nashville; and Pearl Street in Washington, DC, among others. The run also includes appearances at several festivals, including David Shaw's Big River Get Down, Smalltown Gathering, The Moonshiner's Ball, and the fifth annual Cavefest, where performances will be filmed for the Emmy Award-winning PBS Series The Cavern Sessions. Tickets are on sale here.
Featuring Jay Cobb Anderson (vocals, guitar, pedal steel), Kellen Asebroek (vocals, keyboard, guitar), Jeff Leonard (bass), Miriam 'Mimi' Naja (vocals, mandolin, guitar), and Tyler Thompson (drums, percussion), Fruition has spent nearly two decades forging its own path through roots music. Hailed by Billboard as 'one of America's most compelling roots acts,' the band has shared stages with CAAMP, The Wood Brothers, Jack Johnson, and John Craigie, and performed at iconic festivals and stages, including Red Rocks, Bonnaroo, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Levitate Music Festival, Calgary Folk Music Festival, and Kaslo Jazz Etc. Summer Music Festival, WinterWonderGrass, and the Northwest String Summit.
Photo Credit: Molly McCormick
Photo I.D.- L to R: Tyler Thompson, Kellen Asebroek, Jay Cobb Anderson, Miriam 'Mimi' Naja and Jeff Leonard
Fruition Tour Dates
July 25 — David Shaw's Big River Get Down — Hamilton, OH
August 1 — Big Rail Brewing — Grove City, PA
August 2 — The Garrison — Toronto, ON
August 4 — Sportsmen's Park — Buffalo, NY
August 6 – Higher Ground – Burlington, VT
August 7 — Colony — Woodstock, NY
August 8 — Press Room — Portsmouth, NH
August 11 — Eagleview Concert Series — Philadelphia, PA
August 14 - WYEP Neighborhood Concert Series - Pittsburgh, PA
August 15 — Brighton Music Hall — Boston, MA
September 25 — Smalltown Gathering — Salida, CO
September 26 – The Caribou Room – Nederland, CO
September 29 — Reverb Lounge — Omaha, NE
September 30 — Knuckleheads Saloon — Kansas City, MO
October 2 – Old Town Hall — Chicago, IL
October 3 — Shank Hall — Milwaukee, WI
October 4 — The Acorn — Three Oaks, MI
October 6 — 3rd and Lindsley — Nashville, TN
October 8 — The Grey Eagle — Asheville, NC
October 9 — The EARL — Atlanta, GA
October 10 — The Moonshiner's Ball — Livingston, KY
October 11 — Cavefest — Pelham, TN
November 10 — High Noon - Madison, WI
November 11 — Turf Club — Minneapolis, MN
November 13 — Wildwood — Iowa City, IA
November 14 — Turntable — Indianapolis, IN
November 15 — Music Box Supper Club – Cleveland, OH
November 18 — Le Poisson Rouge — New York, NY
November 20 — MilkBoy — Philadelphia, PA
November 21 — Pearl Street — Washington, DC
SOMETHING MORE follows two previously released singles from the album, 'Reason To Live' and 'Oh Well.' The band's North American tour is currently underway ahead of the album's August 28 release date.
Photo Credit: Molly McCormick // download hi-res photo here
