American Football Release New Single “Uncomfortably Numb,” Announce Tour Dates

Iconic emo band American Football have released a new single, “Uncomfortably Numb,” ahead of their forthcoming third album, American Football (LP3). This newest track features accompanying vocals from Hayley Williams of Paramore, who pops up on the impending album’s tracklist alongside Slowdive’s Rachel Goswell and Land of Talk’s Elizabeth Powell.

LP3, due out March 22 via Polyvinyl, is the band’s second release since their 2014 reunion, and offers a contrast from their previous records. Notably, the album will not feature cover photography of the Urbana, Ill., home that has appeared on the band’s previous album covers so famously as to spark fan pilgrimages and photo ops. Rather, the band has opted for imagery (still by photographer Chris Strong) of Urbana’s misty hillsides. This conscious visual break signals American Football’s move in a bolder, more unfamiliar direction.

“I feel like my lyric writing has changed a lot over the years,” said frontman Mike Kinsella in a statement. “The goal is to be conversational, maybe to state something giant and heavy, but in a very plain way. But, definitely in this record, I keep things a little more vague.”

Released alongside the new single are tour dates—including a hometown release show in Chicago—and a video (dir. Atiba Jefferson) featuring cameos from actor/comedian Blake Anderson, professional skateboarder Paul Rodriguez and Samhain drummer London May. VIP album preorder bundles are available now, while tour pre-sales are set to go live this Thursday, Jan. 24, at 10 a.m. ET.

Listen to “Uncomfortably Numb” below, and revisit previous single “Silhouettes” and the details of American Football (LP3) here.

American Football 2019 Tour Dates:

March
20-24 – Boise, Idaho @ Treefort Music Festival
30 – Chicago, Ill. @ Metro (Album Release Show)

May
10 – Arcosanti, Ariz. @ Form Festival
12 – Los Angeles, Calif. @ The Regent Theater
13 – San Francisco, Calif. @ Great American Music Hall
15 – Portland, Ore. @ Wonder Ballroom
16 – Vancouver, B.C. @ Imperial
17 – Seattle, Wash. @ Showbox SoDo
19 – Sain-Thérèse, Que. @ Santa Teresa Music & Arts Festival
21 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ Union Transfer
22 – Boston, Mass. @ Paradise Rock Club
23 – Washington, D.C. @ The Black Cat
24 – Brooklyn, N.Y. @ Warsaw

June
22 – Salt Lake City, Utah @ Metro Music Hall
23 – Denver, Colo. @ Summit Music Hall
25 – Santa Fe, N.M. @ Meow Wolf
27 – Dallas, Texas @ Trees
28 – Austin, Texas @ The Mohawk
29 – Houston, Texas @ White Oak Music Hall