New Zealand songwriter Reb Fountain has signed on with Flying Nun Records for a new album. The self-titled release arrives May 31st and follows Hopeful & Hopeless, the 2017 effort that earned accolades for Best Country Album, Best Folk Album, and Best Country Artist at the New Zealand Music Awards.
The upcoming LP came to fruition at Roundhead Studios, the space founded by Crowded House frontman Neil Finn. Sessions took place for a three-week period and saw Fountain joined by head engineer Sam Gooding and producer Dave Khan. The album’s 10 tracks feature additional contributions from musicians Finn Andrews (David Bowie), Elroy Finn (son of Neil), Ben Woolley of The Yarra Benders, and Logan Compain.
Early single “Faster” dropped last year, and now Fountain has shared “Samson”. The indie folk songwriter has previously been likened to artists such as Nick Cave and Sharon Van Etten, and those comparisons are more than valid given today’s new song, which is shrouded in atmospherics both dark and mystical.
The track is paired with a music video directed by Lola Fountain-Best. The clip follows star Medulla Oblongata (RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 1) as they proudly take center stage, strutting moves in tow. “We wanted the video for ‘Samson’ to feel like a home edit; Medulla, in their room, performing to camera; cutting, pasting and ‘sharing’ with the Internet,” Reb Fountain said in a statement. “There’s a sense of immediacy and vulnerability; we’re drawn into the home and heart space where Medulla both emerges and merges into themself.” Check it out below.
Reb Fountain the album is available for pre-order now. In the lead-up to the record, the Auckland-based artist will make her SXSW debut in March.
Reb Fountain Artwork:
Reb Fountain Tracklist:
01. Hawks & Doves
02. Samson
03. It’s a Bird (It’s a Plane)
04. When Gods Lie
05. Faster
06. Don’t You Know Who I Am
07. Strangers
08. Quiet Like The Rain
09. The Last Word
10. Lighthouse