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Mar 10, 2020 By Christopher Roberts Nap Eyes

Nap Eyes are releasing a new album, Snapshot of a Beginner, on March 27 via Jagjaguwar/Royal Mountain in partnership with Paradise of Bachelors. Now they have shared another song from the album, “Mystery Calling,” via a strange video for it. They have also announced some new tour dates. Watch the Antoine Lahaie-directed “Mystery Calling” video below, followed by the band’s upcoming tour dates.

In a press release frontman Nigel Chapman had this to say about “Mystery Calling”: “This is another improvised-origin song. On one level it’s basically a description of my homebody ways, and it’s also about the way our mundane routines can seem to pull us away from what I’m referring to as ‘Mystery’ in the song - that is, away from the discovery and creation that seem to be more valuable and important activities in themselves, despite being deemed superficially ‘non-practical.’ Now, this irritation and sense of being drawn away from what’s important is probably mostly illusory. This is because the cosmic mystery is probably accessible even in the midst of the most boring and stressful busywork. At the same time, as any good procrastinator should know, there is quite a lot of good that comes from letting the mind ignore apparently pressing worldly activities in order to let it roam, explore, discover and create.”

Director Lahaie, who was inspired by Blade Runner and Under the Skin, had this to say about the video: “We don’t know whether they’ve been there before, if they’re stuck there and passing time, if they have a purpose or they’re just chilling,” says Lahaie. “It was also important for me to keep it abstract and unresolved. Even though I like to be tongue in cheek I didn’t want to fall into something comedic.”

Previously Nap Eyes shared Snapshot of a Beginner‘s first single, “Mark Zuckerberg,” via a video for the song (which of course tackles the founder of Facebook). Then they shared another song from the album, “So Tired,” via a lyric video. “So Tired” was one of our Songs of the Week.

Nap Eyes features frontman Nigel Chapman, drummer Seamus Dalton, bassist Josh Salter, and guitarist Brad Loughead. Jonathan Low (Big Red Machine, The National) and James Elkington (Steve Gunn, Joan Shelley) produced Snapshot of a Beginner, which was recorded at The National’s Upstate New York Long Pond Studio.

Nap Eyes Tour Dates:

Wed. March 11 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle %
Thu. March 12 - Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West %
Fri. March 13 - Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge %
Sat. March 14 - St. Louis, MO @ Blueberry Hill %
Sun. March 15 - Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room %
Mon. March 16 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater %
Tue. March 17 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge %
Thu. March 19 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos %
Fri. March 20 - Vancouver, BC @ Vogue Theatre %
Sun. March 22 - Victoria, BC @ Lucky Bar
Wed. March 25 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
Fri. March 27 - San Francisco, CA @ Cafe Du Nord
Sat. March 28 - Los Angeles, CA @ Bootleg Bar
Sun. March 29 - San Diego, CA @ Casbah
Mon. March 30 - Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar
Wed. April 1 - Austin, TX @ Barracuda
Thu. April 2 - Dallas, TX @ Three Links
Sat. April 4 - Kansas City, MO @ The Riot Room
Sun. April 5 - Urbana, IL @ Rose Bowl Tavern
Mon. April 6 - Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe
Wed. April 15 - London, UK @ The Moth Club
Thu. April 16 - Liverpool, UK @ Leaf
Fri. April 17 - Glasgow, UK @ The Hug and Pint
Sat. April 18 - Leeds, UK @ Hyde Park Book Club
Sun. April 19 - Birmingham, UK @ Hare and Hounds
Mon. April 20 - Brighton, UK @ The Hope & Ruin
Wed. April 22 - Paris, FR @ Le Point Ephemere
Thu. April 23 - Brussels, BE @ Volta
Fri. April 24 - Rotterdam, NL @ V11
Sat. April 25 - Utrecht, NL @ Ekko
Thu. May 14 - Burlington, VT @ Nectar’s $
Fri. May 15 - Allston, MA @ Great Scott $
Sat. May 16 - Portsmouth, NH @ The Press Room $
Sun. May 17 - Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade $
Tue. May 19 - Washington, DC @ Songbyrd $
Wed. May 20 - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s $
Fri. May 20 - Toronto, ON @ Longboat Hall
Sat. May 20 - MOntreal, QC @ La Sala Rossa
Thu. Aug. 20-Sun. Aug. 23 - Libanus, UK @ Green Man

% = w/ Destroyer
$ = w/ Lionlimb

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