LEON III Shares New Single BRUSHSTROKES, Blending Country and Psychedelia
The track mixes rootsy instrumentation with hazier, psychedelic textures.
LEON III has released a new single titled BRUSHSTROKES, a track described as merging dusty country textures with psychedelic sound.
Today, Leon III (say it 'Leon the Third') is thrilled to share 'Brushstrokes,' the latest release off the forthcoming album Candy Cigarettes, due out on September 18.
Word of mouth, underground buzz, and a fiercely loyal following has been the story of Leon III so far. With Candy Cigarettes, the band's fourth studio album, Leon III continues to build on that momentum with its most fully realized collection of songs to date.
Recorded over two years with the band's core touring lineup and produced by Mark Nevers (Silver Jews, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy), Candy Cigarettes is equal parts psychedelic road trip, pedal steel-soaked country, and widescreen rock record. It's an album that fully embraces contrast while remaining unmistakably Leon III.
With Andy Stepanian, the visionary behind Howler Brothers, and Mason Brent at the helm, Leon III has quietly become one of the underground's best-kept secrets. Built on unforgettable live shows, enduring songs, and a fiercely independent spirit, the band's growth has come naturally—one fan at a time.
Following the release of 'Invisible Ink,' Leon III returns with 'Brushstrokes,' the latest preview of Candy Cigarettes. The song is a eight minute tour de force that showcases the band's ability to weave between rich rock and jam band inventiveness. And, there's a big payoff at the end with some full-on electronic dance vibes.
About Leon III
Someone once dubbed Leon III a 'southern Pink Floyd.' That's fair enough - mostly due to the fact that their albums are built for repeated, deep listens and sequenced to reveal themselves over time. But Brent's lead guitar is more Jimmy Page than Gilmour, prone to unruly dissonance, feedback and, sometimes, unhinged shredding. And Stepanian's songwriting is more personal, a jigsaw puzzle filled with rich turns of phrase touching on envy, faith, longing, rising up and crashing down.
Leon III's sound has evolved and sharpened since their 2018 eponymous debut. The first three releases included a rotating cast of players including some megas from the indie world like William Tyler and Matt Pence (Centro-matic, Jason Isbell). But, Leon III has steadily solidified their recording and live show line up over the years and it shows.
This band knows each other well and the result is a spectrum of sound ranging from nuanced and quiet to mind mending. Although there's psychedelia here, there's no trace of the aimless wandering or mumbo jumbo sometimes associated with that genre. And, despite some country leanings here and there, the record eschews the cliches and well-worn paths of some of today's Americana.
Photo Credit: Sean Mathis | Download high-res
Photo Credit: Sean Mathis | Download high-res
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