Old 97s & Rhett Miller - two new albums (Nov 2018)

The first track from Rhett Miller's forthcoming album "The Messenger" is now out:

Full album due Nov 9th.

Rhett Miller’s The Messenger track listing:

1. “Total Disaster”
2. “Did I Lose You at I Love You”
3. “Wheels”
4. “You Were a Stranger”
5. “The Human Condition”
6. “Close Most of the Time”
7. “I Used to Write in Notebooks”
8. “Permanent Damage”
9. “I Can’t Change”
10. “Bitter/Sweet”
11. “We’re in Trouble”
12. “Broken”

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He'll also be opening (solo) for his own band, The Old 97s on a number of shows this fall, and they'll be releasing an album the following week (Nov 16th), "Love the Holidays" which will feature original holiday material, also penned by Rhett...

Old 97’s’ Love the Holidays track listing:

1. “Love the Holidays”
2. “I Believe in Santa Claus”
3. “Gotta Love Being a Kid (Merry Christmas)”
4. “Snow Angels”
5. “Christmas Is Coming”
6. “Wintertime in the City”
7. “Rudolph Was Blue”
8. “Here It Is Christmastime”
9. “Hobo Christmas Song”
10. “Auld Lang Syne”

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Damn, I'd love to see one of these shows, but they're just a little too far to drive with potential winter weather:

11/28 – Seattle, WA – The Neptune w/Rhett Miller solo
11/29 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom w/Rhett Miller solo
11/30 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore w/Rhett Miller solo
12/1 – Los Angeles, CA – The Troubadour w/Rhett Miller solo
12/2 – Solana Beach, CA – The Belly Up w/Rhett Miller solo
12/6 – Richmond, VA – The National w/Rhett Miller solo
12/7 – Philadelphia, PA – TLA w/Rhett Miller solo
12/8 – Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live! w/Rhett Miller solo
12/9 – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair w/Rhett Miller solo
12/13 – Asbury Park, NJ – The Wonder Bar w/Rhett Miller solo
12/14 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza w/Rhett Miller solo
12/15 – Pittsburgh, PA – Mr Smalls w/Rhett Miller solo
12/29 – Dallas, TX – Statler Ballroom w/Rhett Miller solo​

 

Too early for Xmas?

 

Yes, it's too early for CHRISTmas (it's not even Halloween yet, come on!), but sounds good to me! I'm in for the Christmas album.

 

seeing them at Pappys early December. Can't wait. Used to work together. Love those guys.

 

Btw, newbury comics has signed booklets for Rhett’s album...

 

Too Far to Care stands as one of the great albums of the 1990s. I have long loved the Old 97s. I'm ready to celebrate Christmastime with them.

 

I don't see another thread on Rhett's latest album, The Messenger, but it's my favorite thing he's done with or without the The Old 97's in a long time. A really great collection of songs and the most consistent thing he's released (to my ears) since Blame It On Gravity. He also tones down some of the vocal affectations that can be a little off-putting to me. It's easy to take Rhett and the Old 97's for granted. They always tour. There's always new material, and even a casual fan like me finds 2-3 new songs every year that join the catalogue of old favorites. And Rhett's matinee idol looks probably make it harder to some critics and fans to take him as seriously as his body of work merits. "I Used To Write In Notebooks" and "The Human Condition" from his new solo album are as good as anything he's ever done. Highly recommended to even casual fans like me.