Fugazi spinoff the Messthetics have announced a collaborative album with jazz saxophonist James Brandon Lewis. Simply titled The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis, it’s out March 15 via jazz label Impulse! Records.
The Messthetics are the instrumental trio featuring Fugazi’s rhythm section (bassist Joe Lally and drummer Brendan Canty) alongside experimental jazz guitarist Anthony Pirog. Their collaborative album with Lewis was recorded over two days at a Maryland studio with engineer Don Godwin.
Pirog and Lewis have a long-standing collaborative relationship, which led to the Lewis joining the band on stage in 2019 and 2021. The saxophonist said of playing with Fugazi’s rhythm section, “Growing up in the D.C. area, Brendan and Joe are familiar with go-go, with all of the stuff from the area. So I will say that the time feel — it don't get no better than that. It's like a well-oiled machine playing with them.”
Get a taste of the album by checking out the new single “Emergence” below. Scroll past that to see the Messthetics’ tour schedule.
The band will spend the spring on the road, with most of the shows featuring James Brandon Lewis, including Canadian stops in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal in May.
The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis:
1. L'Orso
2. Emergence
3. That Thang
4. Three Sisters
5. Boatly
6. The Time Is The Place
7. Railroad Tracks Home
8. Aesthenia
9. Fourth Wall
The Messthetics 2024 Tour Schedule:
3/21 Boise, ID - Treefort Music Fest ^
3/23 Knoxville, TN - Big Ears Festival ^
3/25 Nashville, TN - Blue Room ^*
3/26 Atlanta, GA - The Earl ^
3/27 Asheville, NC - Eulogy ^
3/28 Raleigh, NC - Kings ^
3/29 Washington, DC - Black Cat ^
3/30 Philadelphia, PA - Solar Myth ^
5/06 Pittsburgh, PA - Club Cafe
5/07 Cincinnati, OH - MOTR Pub
5/09 St. Paul, MN - Turf Club
5/10 Milwaukee, WI - Cactus Club
5/11 Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall ^
5/12 Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon ^
5/13 Kalamazoo, MI - Bell's Eccentric Cafe ^
5/14 Toronto, ON - Velvet Underground ^
5/15 Ottawa, ON - The 27 Club ^
5/16 Montreal, QC - Bar Le Ritz ^
5/17 Keene, NH - The Thing in The Spring ^
5/18 Somerville, MA - Crystal Ballroom ^
5/19 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom ^
^ featuring James Brandon Lewis
* with bar italia
