Massachusetts Duo Handsome Ghost Shares “April Song” ; Self-Titled LP Out August 25

Today, Handsome Ghost, the dynamic duo from Massachusetts renowned for their captivating music, is thrilled to share their dreamy new single, “April Song.” Accompanied by a mesmerizing music video directed by Nick Noyes, the release promises to transport listeners to a world of contemplation. The track is lifted off their self-titled album out August 25th via Nettwerk.

“April Song” invites listeners to embark on a voyage through ethereal soundscapes and introspective lyrics. Drawing inspiration from their experiences on the road, the duo captures the essence of late-night drives during tours, where the urgency to reach the next show or the longing for the comfort of home amplifies the ferocity of emotions. The track serves as a catalyst for moments of profound lucidity that often arise during these overnight expeditions. With the lyrics, “Yeah I’ve been here before / And that’s what’s been holding me back,” Handsome Ghost’s insightful lyrics reflect on the conflicts and questions that accompany a life dedicated to music, ultimately culminating in the realization that the journey is a unique and irreplaceable one.

Handsome Ghost shares this about “April Song,”

“There are a handful of times on every tour when we need to drive through the night to make it to the next show in time. Or maybe it’s to book it back home after six weeks out, when everyone is pining for their own beds. ‘April Song’ is about those overnight drives, and the moments of intense clarity that they tend to bring about. There have been many, many times throughout my fifteen years in music, where I’ve been driving at 4am, alone on the road (minus the truckers) thinking “what the hell am I doing with my life?” All the while knowing that I wouldn’t trade it for anything. A life in music is a life unlike any other – but it doesn’t come without conflict or questions. This theme is present throughout most of our upcoming record, maybe most explicitly in ‘April Song’.”

WATCH & SHARE “APRIL SONG” MUSIC VIDEO

Directed by Nick Noyes, the “April Song” music video aims to portray the feeling of being trapped and the difficulty of breaking free. The video artfully conveys the transformation of a seemingly enjoyable experience into a nightmarish ordeal with the main character symbolically trapped in a scenario resembling a Handsome Ghost show.

Of the music video Handsome Ghost reveals,
“For ‘April Song,’ we didn’t want to make a typical performance video. So instead of having the band play in front of hundreds of adoring fans, we had them play to one (actress Aria Bryan) who didn’t want to be there. The video itself is about being stuck, and not being able to find your way out. And about how something fun can turn into a nightmare. Our record in a lot of ways is about our complicated relationship with music. Sometimes, it feels like you’re going through the same motions repeatedly in perpetuity. When we were brainstorming what we should do for the video, we focused on the lyric ‘I’ve been here before’ with the main character stuck in something like purgatory.”

The underlying theme of self-reflection and exploration of purpose permeates the upcoming record. It’s an album grappling with becoming stuck in a kind of never-ending adolescence while everyone around you is growing in some way. Handsome Ghost reflects on the journey of how being musicians have contributed to the complexities of their own adulthood. They look back at the bittersweet times, wondering if it was more bitter or sweet in the aftermath.

Tim Noyes of Handsome Ghost reveals this about the album,
“On the songwriting for the record, at some point it hit me that I had been playing in bands for a very, very long time. I realized that music, for better or for worse, had become the defining element of my adult life. Countless tours and making records – I’ve had incredible experiences over the years that very few people get to have. But as a result, I have found myself stuck in some sort of partial state of adulthood and I recognize the impact that years in music have had on the other parts of my life. The songs on the album are an examination of those years spent pushing the musical rock up the musical hill, and where it’s all led me. I’m less trying to answer the question of ‘was it all worth it?’ – though, for the record, I think it has been – and more just noting how it all happened, and documenting the good, the bad, and the ugly that I witnessed along the way.”

“April Song” follows the 2023 singles “Like You Lost Your Mind,” “Birch Trees,” and “Call Me When You’re Pulling Up.” See below for Handsome Ghost’s full set of tour dates with Chris Staples this fall. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit: https://www.handsomestghost.com/tour

“April Song” is available at all digital retailers here:
https://handsomeghost.ffm.to/aprilsong

Tour Dates:

9/18 – Zürich, CH @ El Lokal

9/19 – London, UK @ Oslo

9/20 – Newcastle, UK @ The Grove

9/21 – Glasgow, UK @ Broadcast

9/22 – Edinburgh, UK @ Sneaky Pete´s

9/24 – Dublin, IE @ Sugar Club

9/25 – Manchester, UK @ Gullivers
9/27 – Paris, F @ L’Archipel

9/28 – Rotterdam, NL @ Theater Walhalla
9/29 – Berlin, BE @ Zwolle
9/30 – Zwolle, NL @ Theodorakapel

10/1 – Hamburg, DE @ Aalhaus

10/3 – Copenhagen, DK @ Stengade

10/4 – Stockholm, SE @ Kulturhuset StadsteaternHandsome Ghost LP Tracklisting:
1. April Song
2. Like You Lost Your Mind
3. Heaven Isn’t Long For You
4. Call Me When You’re Pulling Up
5. Neptune
6. Boy
7. Tonight Comes Around Again
8. Even On The Darkest Days
9. Figure 8
10. Birch Trees
11. Tiny Cracks And Pieces

More Info:

Comprised of singer/songwriter Tim Noyes and multi-instrumentalist/producer Eddie Byun, Massachusetts duo Handsome Ghost communes in a creative call-and-response, answering each other’s personal and musical confessions, thoughts, and questions sonically. Underpinned by these two perspectives, the music tempers otherworldly production with organic performances, raw arrangements, and nostalgic warmth with future-facing wonder.

Since starting the band in 2014 in Massachusetts, Handsome Ghost has released three EPs, two full-length albums, and built an extensive touring history sharing stages with the likes of SYML, Yoke Lore, flor, Grizfolk, Frances Cone, In The Valley Below, among others.

Together, they’ve quietly enchanted, engaged, and entranced audiences. In 2014, they shared debut single “Blood Stutter,” which has surpassed 20M streams and initially paved the way for the Steps EP the following year. 2016 saw Handsome Ghost pick up the pace with The Brilliant Glow EP highlighted by the fan favorite “Eyes Wide.” In between touring nonstop, they revealed their 2018 full-length debut Welcome Back, housing “Fool,” “Reckless Love,” and more.

In 2020, the pair unveiled Some Still Morning, representing a sonic shift for the band to a more acoustic sound, while still staying true to their roots and Handsome Ghost’s unique sound. Their single “Weeds” eclipsed 5M Spotify streams as the LP incited critical applause. The band has been lauded by the likes of Under The Radar, Billboard, NYLON, Relix, Culture Collide, TALKHOUSE, Atwood Magazine, PopDust, American Songwriter, and more.

After amassing tens of millions of streams and receiving widespread acclaim, Handsome Ghost’s forthcoming album Handsome Ghost further cements the band in the alternative/indie space and is a beautiful body of work true to their authentic sound. At the same token, it’s their most personally revealing album to date. The collection of songs touch upon the past, the good old days, the perennial ups and downs of not only being a musician but the trials and tribulations of adulthood. The record was born out of the pandemic, but its themes are universal and explore temporary happiness, fate, feeling out of sync, and more.