Thao & The Get Down Stay Down – "Temple"
Thao Nguyen has been making reliably great music for over a decade now as Thao & The Get Down Stay Down. In May, she’ll release Temple, her fifth full-length album — the follow-up to 2016’s A Man Alive. It’s the first album she’s self-produced, alongside bandmate Adam Thompson.
“I have divided myself into so many selves. I am nervous, but hopeful that in belonging to myself, I can still belong to my family, and my Vietnamese community, especially the elders,” she said in a press release about the album. “I believe that shame has made my work more general, when I’ve always wanted to be specific. This record is about me finally being specific. If you listen to my music, I want you to know who you are dealing with.”
Today, she’s sharing its lead single and title track, a groovy and lush song about the devastation Vietnam experienced as it was torn apart by war. “I lost my city in the light day/ Thick smoke, helicopter blades,” she sings in the chorus. “Why would I bother to remember when our people, baby, die and live again?” It comes along with a video directed by Jonny Look. Watch and listen below.
TRACKLIST:
01 “Temple”
02 “Phenom”
03 “Lion On The Hunt”
04 “Pure Cinema”
05 “Marauders”
06 “How Could I”
07 “Disclaim”
08 “Rational Animal”
09 “I’ve Got Something”
10 “Marrow”
TOUR DATES:
06/17 Tacoma, WA @ Alma Mater
06/18 Vancouver, BC @ Imperial
06/19 Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre
06/20 Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
06/22 Sacramento, CA @ Harlow’s
06/24 Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern
06/25 Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
06/26 Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
06/27 San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
07/15 Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line
07/16 Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
07/19 Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge
07/21 Cincinnati, OH @ The Woodward Theater
07/22 Millvale, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre
07/23 Toronto, ON @ Longboat Hall
07/24 South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground Ballroom
07/25 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
07/28 New York, NY @ Webster Hall
07/29 Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts
07/30 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
07/31 Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
08/01 Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
08/02 Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
08/04 Houston, TX @ Studio at Warehouse Live
08/05 Austin, TX @ Emo’s
08/06 Dallas, TX @ Trees
08/07 Oklahoma City, OK @ Tower Theatre
08/08 Kansas City, MO @ Grinders at XRDS
08/10 Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
08/11 Salt Lake City, UT @ The State Room
Temple is out 5/15 Ribbon Music. Pre-order it here.