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Aug 02, 2023 By Andy Von Pip

Drop Nineteens, who disbanded 30 years ago, have announced their official return. They had released what many regard as a shoegaze masterpiece in the shape of Delaware in 1992 and shared stages with bands like Radiohead, Hole, Blur, PJ Harvey, and Smashing Pumpkins. So when Drop Nineteens ceased to be, their lead singer and songwriter Greg Ackell felt content. He had the rest of his life in front of him to figure out what he wanted to do. Music was behind him and he closed the door.

Yet, in the decades that followed, Drop Nineteens’ legacy grew. The band’s catalogue also found a new audience via streaming, where tracks like “Winona” and “Kick The Tragedy” have racked up millions of streams and reached a new audience, becoming a touchstone influence for the new wave of American shoegaze.

It was in this context that in 2021, a friend from the band’s early days got Ackell on the phone to suggest making some music together, just to see how it felt. Instead of shutting it down like he had been doing over the years, he decided to entertain the prospect. For the first time in nearly 30 years, he picked up a guitar with intent.

The full original lineup of Ackell, Steve Zimmerman, Paula Kelley, Motohiro Yasue, and Peter Koeplin has reunited to create a new album entitled Hard Light (out November 3rd on Wharf Cat Records), the band’s 3rd official LP, and the spiritual successor to Delaware. To mark the announcement, the band is sharing the first single from the album, a track called “Scapa Flow.”

Tracklist

1. Hard Light

2. Scapa Flow

3. Gal

4. Tarantula

5. The Price Was High

6. Rose With Smoke

7. A Hitch

8. Lookout

9. Another One Another

10. Policeman Getting Lost

11. T

Tour Dates

October 10 @ The Atlantis (Washington DC) w/ Greg Mendez

October 11 @ Union Transfer (Philadelphia PA) w/ Horse Jumper Of Love

October 12 @ The Paradise (Boston MA) w/ Greg Mendez

October 13 @ Warsaw (Brooklyn NY) w/ Greg Mendez

October 19 @ The Belasco (Los Angeles CA) w/ Winter

October 22 @ The New Parish (Oakland CA) w/ Winter

DROP NINETEENS SOCIALS

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