Photos: THE ALBERT SQUARE Releases Sophomore Album I (WISH I COULD) TALK TO PEOPLE

San Jose indie rock project THE ALBERT SQUARE has released its sophomore album, I (Wish I Could) Talk To People., out now via Asian Man Records. Alongside the album, the band shared a video for focus track 'It Takes a Genius,' featuring Randy Moore (Bones Shredder) on lead guitar.

Photo Credit: Leslie Hampton

I (Wish I Could) Talk To People. is a record about the mental, physical, and emotional toll of isolation. Written over the last five years, the album finds songwriter Sim Castro confronting the fears and anxieties that accompany loneliness and, ultimately, the ways we choose to cope and move through them. From no longer feeling comfortable in your own skin, to the fear of dying alone (and not being found), to lamenting the days when a solution felt hidden in a bottle of whiskey, the album digs into some of our most deeply held anxieties. It's a record for anyone who has struggled to make sense of their own fears or felt like they were facing them alone.

'I think this record really represents my growth as a songwriter over the last five years and I've often found the best way for me to process my own fears and anxieties is to make a record that then becomes a living diary,' says Castro. 'I hope that by vocalizing all the stuff that scares the hell out of me, I can make someone feel slightly less lonely, a little more seen or, at the very least: pumped to listen to a banger of a record for 36 minutes. Can't win 'em all, I suppose.'

Tracked at Washateria Recordings in Portland, Oregon with longtime collaborator Henry Chadwick and mixed and mastered by Jack Shirley (Joyce Manor, Jeff Rosenstock) at The Atomic Garden in Oakland, I (Wish I Could) Talk To People. features a core lineup of Castro (guitar, vocals), Chadwick (drums), Evan Bailey (keys), and Benjamin Brackett (bass), with additional contributions from friends Jeff Rosenstock, Ben Katzmann, Randy Moore (Bones Shredder), Hannah Eagle (Bat Boy), Lizzie Killian (Teens in Trouble), MC Cunningham (The Dreaded Laramie), and Meredith Edgar. Together, the musicians expand The Albert Square's melodic indie-punk foundation across a 14-song record that moves between anxiety, isolation, dark humor, and the persistent desire for human connection.

The Albert Square has also announced a run of US tour dates this fall, kicking off September 25 in Richmond, CA, followed by a hometown album release show September 26 at Jade Cathay in San Jose. The dates culminate with an appearance at FEST 24 in Gainesville, FL on October 25.

I (Wish I Could) Talk To People. is now streaming on all major platforms.

Tracklist

If I could, I would…

Underpass

Choking to Death Alone in My Apartment

Bridges

It Takes a Genius

Nihilism Mile

Bless This Mess

Doom Loop Dumpster Fire

Waking Dream

Herald! The Taco Bell Prince!

White Knuckling

Uptown

Hold Your Breath

Talk to People.

Tour Dates

September 25 - Richmond, CA @ The Planetarium

September 26 - San Jose, CA @ Jade Cathay – Album Release Show

October 2 - Olympia, WA @ Le Vouyer

October 3 - Seattle, WA @ Black Lodge

October 4 - Portland, OR @ TBA

October 17 - Washington, DC @ Quarry House Tavern

October 18 - Philadelphia, PA @ Ortliebs

October 19 - Richmond, VA @ Northside Grille

October 25 - Gainesville, FL @ FEST

About The Albert Square

Hailing from San Jose's DIY scene, The Albert Square is the songwriting project of Sim Castro. After the 2015 release of I (Assume I) Know What I'm Doing., Castro took a hiatus from the band to focus on other creative projects. In the interim, he has developed his craft writing, playing and touring with such notable bands as: Kitty Kat Fan Club, Ogikubo Station, Cloudbusters and Teens in Trouble.

Drawing inspiration from DIY pals such as: Hard Girls, Jeff Rosenstock and the Sidekicks, The Albert Square mixes melody, imagery and pop sensibility with fuzzy guitars and punk energy.

Following last year's EP Swallow You Whole, Castro joins the roster of Asian Man Records with his second full length album I (Wish I Could) Talk to People., a collection of songs highlighting the physical, mental and emotional toll of isolation.

As the world spins further off its axis, the record finds beauty and appreciation in the minutiae of interpersonal relationships, human connection and the longing to communicate.

With a distinctive sound that bridges the gap between indie rock and punk, The Albert Square returns to the musical fold, once again, as a voice of solidarity in a world gone awry.

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