Parquet Courts frontman A. Savage has returned with “Thanksgiving Prayer,” his first new solo music since 2017. Along with the single, he announced a solo tour for this fall. Listen to the song and check out the full list of upcoming dates below.
“Thanksgiving Prayer” is an intimate and intricate composition. While perhaps a bit somber at first listen, the lyrics elevate the song with a sense of hope and wonder, conveying Savage’s knack for speaking to complicated emotions. The song feels like light in the darkness — it doesn’t shy away from the turmoil of life, but still finds a way to embrace its beauty.
The single arrived with a corresponding music video directed by Tiff Pritchett. “She had this idea to sort of do a silent film tribute,” Savage explained. “The scene from Renoir’s film Rules of the Game where Danse Macabre is played was referenced, as was Klaus Nomi.” Watch the video below.
In a statement, Savage explained that the song was born out of a meaningful writing session on Thanksgiving Day itself. “It was a pretty special holiday actually, because in fact we were recording this song, but I made everybody take a day off,” Savage said. “[Producer] John Parish and his wife Michelle were kind enough to allow me to take over their kitchen to cook the meal for everyone. Dylan [Hadley, drums] and I were the only Americans, so there was a bit of explaining to do. It was the band, the studio staff and the Parish family, and it was an absolutely lovely day.”
He continued, “I was in awe of the kindness and mercy, and that’s what the song is about: being in awe of humans. When I got back to my room, I was on such a high that I started writing, and this song is what was on the page the next morning, when we recorded it.”
This fall, after a set at the Murmuration Festival in Newport, UK, on September 30th, Savage will hit the road for a North American tour. He’ll kick it off in Portland, Maine on October 20th, go all around the eastern part of the continent, and wrap up in New York City on November 11th. Check out the full list of dates below.
Tickets go on sale Friday, July 14th at 10:00 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster. Once tickets are on sale, you can also find them at StubHub, where orders are 100% guaranteed through StubHub’s FanProtect program. StubHub is a secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand.
“Thanksgiving Prayer” is Savage’s first release since his 2017 LP, Thawing Dawn. It also marks his first release on his new label, Rough Trade Records.
A. Savage 2023 Tour Dates:
09/30 – Newport, Essex, UK @ Murmuration Festival
10/20 – Portland, ME @ SPACE
10/21 – Boston, MA @ Crystal Ballroom
10/22 – Portsmouth, NH @ Press Room
10/24 – Toronto, ON @ Velvet Underground
10/25 – Kalamazoo, MI @ Eccentric Cafe
10/27 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
10/28 – St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club
10/29 – Milwaukee, WI @ Colectivo
10/30 – St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
11/01 – Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups
11/02 – Louisville, KY @ Whirling Tiger
11/03 – Nashville, TN @ Third Man
11/04 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
11/05 – Asheville, NC @ Grey Eagle
11/07 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
11/09 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
11/10 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian
11/11 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom