Premiere: Spafford Go “Hollywood” on Forthcoming Sophomore Album

Spaffnerds rejoice. Five years since Spafford’s self-titled debut studio record, the Arizona jammers are set to return May 4 with their self-released follow-up, For Amusement Only. The quartet unveiled the plaintive lead single, “Leave the Light On,” earlier this month, and are premiering single number two, “Hollywood,” today with Paste.

Like “Leave the Light On,” “Hollywood” looks quietly inward, eschewing the funk guitars and elastic rhythms that underpin Spafford’s marathon live shows in favor of a warm shuffle built atop Andrew “Red” Johnson’s graceful piano and drummer Cameron Laforest’s steady march. Far from a SoCal party anthem, the song takes a leisurely, acoustic approach, complete with a two-part whistling solo. “I’m moving on / Stuck right here in Hollywood / I’m moving on / Safe behind the silver screen,” sings Brian Moss. As the song builds momentum, Moss’s countrified guitar and Jordan Fairless’s buoyant bass come move to the front.

Listen to Spafford’s “Hollywood” here. The single will be available everywhere digitally on Friday.

”’Hollywood’ was a welcomed departure from the more rock-driven styles we usually write in,” the band shared in a statement. “The studio gave us a chance to return the song to its more acoustic driven roots and really let the lyrics and other parts shine.”

Spafford are set to perform at Sweetwater 420 Fest this weekend in Atlanta, with more American dates unfurling from there. You can find those dates below. You can preorder the album here, and you should also check out Spafford’s recent Paste Studio session at our Log Cabin in New York City here:

Spafford Tour Dates
4/20: Atlanta, Ga. – Sweetwater 420 Fest
4/20: Atlanta, Ga. – Variety Playhouse, Sweetwater 420 Official After Party
5/4-5/5: New Orleans – Republic NOLA
5/24-5/27: Chillicothe, Ill. – Summer Camp Music Festival
5/27: Morrison, Colo. – Red Rocks Amphitheater
6/1-6/2: Live Oak, Fla. – Purple Hatter’s Ball
6/7-6/10: Manchester, Tenn. – Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
6/14-6/17: Dover, Del. – Firefly Music Festival
6/28-6/30: Waitsfield, Vt. – Frendly Gathering
7/5-7/8: Quincy, Calif. – High Sierra Music Festival
7/7-7/8: Marshfield, Mass. – Levitate Music & Arts Festival
7/19-7/22: Scranton, Penn. – Peach Music Festival
7/26-7/29: British Columbia, Canada – Element Music Festival
8/2-8/4: Thornville, Ohio – The Werk Out
8/9: Tulsa, Okla – Cains Ballroom *
8/11: Indianapolis, Ind. – The Lawn at White River *
8/16: Orlando, Fla. – House of Blues *
8/17: Miami, Fla. – Fillmore Miami *
8/18: St. Augustine, Fla. – St. Augustine Amphitheatre *
8/23-8/26: – Arrington, Va. – Lockn’

*w/ Umphrey’s McGee