Pete Francis (of Dispatch) Announces New Album 'PTRN SKY!'

Pete Francis announces new album PTRN SKY!, out May 12 via Noble Steed Music. The record is Francis' first full-length solo release since 2010 and his 2019 departure from Dispatch, the alternative roots powerhouse he helped form in 1995.

Along with the announcement, Francis shares the airy first single "Scared Without Your Love." Built upon a cascading guitar riff and a bouncy drum loop, the track touches upon the universal fear of going through this life alone.

"'Scared Without Your Love' is about trying to find my true voice and breaking old, codependent habits," Francis shares. "Sometimes in toxic relationships we get too comfortable to realize how bad things have gotten - for me, part of the healing process was about recognizing negativity and realizing the need to grow into a stronger version of myself."

Recorded at home in Connecticut and produced by Scott Jacoby (Coldplay, Vampire Weekend), PTRN SKY! finds the acclaimed songwriter and multi-instrumentalist reckoning with the depression and anxiety that have dogged him for most of his adult life, functioning both as an account of how Francis healed and as an agent of healing itself.

In addition to therapy and medication, Francis used songwriting as a means of self-care, inhabiting a stream of consciousness style unlike anything he had previously done. Rather than penning the lyrics first, Francis channeled the emotions evoked in the music, inviting the synthesizer and drum loop-heavy sonic landscapes to guide the words that eventually came out.

Francis first rose to fame in the late '90s as one of the founding members of Dispatch. The trio recorded and toured extensively, experiencing an expeditious rise that helped rewrite the rulebooks for modern indie bands after becoming the first of which to sell out Madison Square Garden.

In the years following, Francis' battle with depression and anxiety became increasingly difficult, and at 31, he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. In 2019, Francis made the decision to permanently step away from the band to focus on his health and wellbeing. During his time with Dispatch, he released a series of widely lauded solo albums, but PTRN SKY! feels different. It's here where he's finally able to step through the darkness and into the light.

This month, Pete Francis will play a select number of shows throughout the Northeast. Find a full list of tour dates below and at this link.

Pete Francis 2023 Tour Dates

February 8 - New York, NY @ City Winery
February 9 - Philadelphia, PA @ City Winery
February 16 - Boston, MA @ City Winery
February 24 - Mashpee, MA @ Naukabout Brewery and Taproom
February 25 - Mashpee, MA @ Naukabout Brewery and Taproom
May 7 - Portsmouth, NH @ The Music Hall Lounge

Photo Credit: Shervin Lainez