As they gear up to release their next studio album, Elevate, genre-defying funk-jazz-soul-hip-hop-psychedelic-jam-art-rock-experimental-avant-garde music titans Lettuce have released their new single “Everybody Wants To Rule The World,” their jazzy take on the Tears For Fears hit featuring Nigel Hall on vocals. PRESS HERE to listen. The latest track off the forthcoming album, due out Friday, June 14th via Lettuce Records, first premiered online via Parade magazine, who noted, “Lettuce takes this familiar tune and spins it with velvety vocals, a laid-back groove, and some sweet horn punctuation. The result is a satisfying dish of trippy vibin’ with a healthy dose of excellent musical interpretation,” following an early listen this week on SiriusXM’s Jam On channel.
“We feel it’s time to put aside our differences, let go of our egos and embrace our society with love, acceptance and a collective perseverance. We know together we can make it, we know that well, so this song is a reminder to live together in harmony,” says bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes of the new song, one of two covers featured on Elevate.
Vocalist and keyboardist Nigel Hall shares, “This is a song I’ve always loved from the movie Real Genius from way back in the day…I’ve always felt a connection with this song, as I never like to sing covers that I can’t relate to. We hope that you enjoy our version as we’ve tried to make it dope, which I think we did.”
“‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’ represents a state of mind that some of us can find ourselves in at any point in our lives,” adds Eric “Benny” Bloom (trumpet). “If we can identify when we are headed in that direction, rising above that one-sided thought process is what our purpose in life should be. Finding your own place in this universe is not easy, but it takes patience, love and kindness. We should always use our will for the greater good and be conscious of when our actions become self-serving.”
Produced by Lettuce and recorded at Colorado Sound Studio outside of Denver with legendary engineer Russ Elevado (D’Angelo, The Roots, Erykah Badu), Elevate, the band’s sixth studio album and first new, original music in three years, is a dynamic showcase of their ever-changing and all-inclusive musical palette. The six-member collective – Grammy-nominated drummer and percussionist Adam Deitch, guitarist Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff, bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes, Grammy Award-winning keyboardist and vocalist Nigel Hall, Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Ryan Zoidis and Grammy Award-winning trumpet player Eric “Benny” Bloom – maintains its eclectic, free-wheeling approach while embracing a progressive and futuristic vibe, with elements of Pink Floyd, the Grateful Dead, Eno and Miles Davis, thanks to their love of improvisational music and arts. Lettuce explores its funk roots in the Tower of Power-like punch of “Ready to Live” (a cover of a song by Cold Blood’s Lydia Pense), the Prince-like swagger of “Royal Highness” and the OG blues-soul of “Love Is Too Strong,” which sees a vocal cameo from Marcus King. Expanded trip-hop sounds create a space age audio-scape on tracks like “Trapezoid,” “Gang 10” and “Purple Cabbage.” Other album highlights include first single, “Krewe,” a western-meets-’60s Ethiopian funk song, and Smirnoff’s nod to Carlos Santana and Trey Anastasio on the Latin-flavored and playfully named “Shmink Dabby.” Full track listing is below. PRESS HERE to pre-order Elevate now.
The road warriors, who will bring their blissful rhythms and sonic grooves to an extensive U.S. tour throughout the year, will officially celebrate the release of Elevate at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Saturday, June 15th with their 4th annual Rage Rocks show featuring two full sets from Lettuce, one of which will be a Jerry Garcia Band cover set, along with support from TAUK and The Soul Rebels. See below for all upcoming tour dates, including headlining and festival dates, and visit www.lettucefunk.com for ticketing details, including VIP information to Elevate the experience. The VIP upgrade includes meet & greet and photo with the band, invitation to attend soundcheck, early venue entry and crowd-free merchandise shopping, signed set list, and Elevate Merch Pack (signed poster, sunglasses, bandana and koozie), in addition to hanging out and spinning vinyl with Lettuce at the VIP Pre-Rage.
Leading up to the release of Elevate, Lettuce has been rolling out a six-part behind-the-scenes series called “The Krewe – A Lettuce Documentary Series,” filmed during the album’s recording process. Click each band member name to watch their interviews and stay tuned to the band’s official YouTube page for the remaining episodes: Erick “Jesus” Coomes, Adam Deitch, Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff, Nigel Hall.
A powerhouse collective made up of world-class master musicians, Lettuce are known for their incendiary live shows, extensive touring, die-hard fans, and massive two-decade-plus career. They are also some of the most highly sought-after musicians in the industry with roots that run deep into the worlds of hip-hop, pop, and beyond working and performing alongside the likes of Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder, Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson, Justin Timberlake, The Fugees, Eminem, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Britney Spears, DJ Quik, Gary Clark Jr., Skrillex, The Game, Talib Kweli, Anthony Hamilton, Solange, Chaka Khan, Redman & Method Man, Robin Thicke, Preservation Hall, Dave Matthews Band, Gov’t Mule, Bob Weir, John Mayer, Aaron Neville, and more.
It’s been more than 25 years since the formation of Lettuce, a democratic ensemble in which there is no leader, but a complete unit that functions as a single entity with plenty of moving parts. The magic continues to grow with the band’s new album, Elevate.
ELEVATE TRACK LISTING
- Trapezoid
- Royal Highness
- Krewe
- Shmink Dabby
- Everybody Wants to Rule The World
- Gang Ten
- Ready To Live
- Larimar
- Love Is Too Strong
- Purple Cabbage
- Trapezoid Dub
LETTUCE TOUR DATES:
May 31 Ozark, AR @ Backwoods at Mulberry Mountain
June 1 Kalamazoo, MI @ Bells Eccentric Cafe
June 15 Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
June 27 Rothbury, MI @ Electric Forest
July 11 Rochester, NY @ Party In the City
July 12 Snowshoe, WV @ 4848 Festival
July 14 Louisville, KY @ Forecastle Festival
July 16 Plymouth, NH @ The Flying Monkey
July 19 Westerly, RI @ Paddy’s Beach Club
July 20 Jay, VT @ Jeezum Crow Festival
July 23 Nantucket, MA @ The Chicken Box
July 24 Nantucket, MA @ The Chicken Box
July 25 Beverly, MA @ The Cabot
July 26 Portland, ME @ State Theatre
July 27 Scranton, PA @ The Peach Music Festival
August 9 Fort Collins, CO @ Bohemian Nights at New West Fest
August 11 Telluride, CO @ Telluride Jazz Festival
September 12 Asheville, NC @ Salvage Station
September 13 Pelham, TN @ The Caverns
September 14 Clemmons, NC @ The Big Pour
September 15 Wilmington, NC @ Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
September 21 Westbury, NY @ The Space at Westbury
November 6 Fayetteville, AR @ George’s Majestic Lounge
November 7 Kansas City, MO @ Truman
November 8 Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
November 9 Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
November 10 Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom
November 14 Columbus, OH @ The Bluestone
November 16 Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz
November 17 Charlotte, NC @ Neighborhood Theatre
November 20 Utica, NY @ The Stanley Theater
November 22 Washington, DC @ The Anthem
November 23 Rocky Mount, VA @ Harvester Center
For more information on Lettuce:
www.lettucefunk.com
