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Singer-songwriter Justin Sullivan, who records under the name Night Shop, is releasing his debut full-length, In The Break, on Woodsist/Mare Records on Sept. 14.
Over the last 16 years, Sullivan played with acts like The Babies, Kevin Morby and Flat Worms before taking a stab at his own solo material. He’s already released a self-titled EP and two singles from the album, “The Ship Has Sailed” and “The One I Love,” and he just unveiled the third on Wednesday, “My Love.” The plucky guitars have an instantaneous catchiness and a cheerful bounce to them as Sullivan’s understated vocals unsuspectingly reel you in with tried-and-true melodies and a comforting breath of conviction. It’s really hard to imagine anyone disliking Sullivan’s romantic, rootsy rock ‘n’ roll as he pines for his lover and projects meaningful bona fides (“my love ain’t the kind that dies”).
The accompanying video for “My Love” was filmed at the Vineland Drive-In Theater in the City of Industry, Calif. and also includes personal footage shot by Sullivan on tour with several bands over the past 16 years.
In the middle of touring in 2016, Sullivan became worn down by the strain and hardship of being on the road for so long, so he decided to take a year-long break. During that year, he started writing his own music for the first time—In The Break’s title is a nod to this period of his life and the common ethos that his songs share. “It reminded me of how it felt when my friends and I were all first getting excited about music,” Sullivan says. “We’d work our jobs and go through the mechanics of life and music was an escape-time we’d steal for ourselves in the midst of the chaos of living and figuring out who we were.”
Night Shop is set to tour with Waxahatchee and Anna St. Louis next week, followed by a hometown release show at L.A.’s Permanent Records and October dates with his Mare Records labelmate Shannon Lay.
Listen to “My Love” below and check out Sullivan’s upcoming tour dates further down. You can preorder In The Break via iTunes here or on vinyl here.
Night Shop Tour Dates:
September
05 – Athens, Ga. @ Georgia Theater – Athens, GA *
08 – Washington, D.C. @ Miracle Theater *
09 – Brooklyn, N.Y. @ The Bell House *
10 – New York City, N.Y. @ Le Poisson Rouge *
12 – Pittsburgh, Pa. @ The Warhol *
13 – Nelsonville, Ohio @ Stuart’s Opera House *
14 – Cleveland, Ohio @ Survival Kit Gallery *
15 – Toronto, Ontario @ Bloor Street United Church *
16 – Grand Rapids, Mich. @ Wealthy Theater *
18 – Mineral Points, Wis. @ Mineral Points Opera House *
20 – Lincoln, Neb. @ Lincoln Calling *
21 – Lawrence, Kan. @ The While Schoolhouse *
29 – Los Angeles, Calif. @ Permanent Records Highland Park #
October
04 – Tucson, Ariz. @ Hotel Congress ^
06 – Austin, Texas @ Hotel Vegas ^
07 – Dallas, Texas @ Club Dada ^
08 – Nashville, Tenn. @ The End ^
10 – Chicago, Ill. @ Empty Bottle ^
11 – Minneapolis, Minn. @ Mortimer’s ^
12 – Lawrence, Kan. @ Decade ^
16 – Los Angeles, Calif. @ Zebulon ^
(* w/ Waxahatchee & Anna St. Louis)
(# w/ Anna St. Louis)
(^ w/ Shannon Lay)