After a 15 year hiatus, Sunset Rubdown announces their new album “Always Happy To Explode” to be released on Spencer Krug’s own label Pronounced Kroog on September 20th, 2024. The new release will be supported by a North American tour running from October 10th to October 30th, 2024. Twenty years ago, Spencer Krug began Sunset Rubdown as a solo project for his low-fi recordings, distinct from his work with Wolf Parade. By 2005, it evolved into a full band with Michael Doerksen, Jordan Robson-Cramer, and Camilla Wynne. They released their third critically-acclaimed album, Dragon Slayer, in 2008 and played their final show in Tokyo in 2009. After more than a decade apart, Krug had a dream about reuniting the band and emailed the members. They eagerly agreed, leading to a successful reunion tour. With new bassist Nicholas Merz, Sunset Rubdown decided to create a new album, fueled by the fun they rediscovered on tour.
Reappearing Rat, the leading single from Sunset Rubdown’s Always Happy To Explode is an upbeat, acoustic guitar-driven ode to the tiny monster that lives in our heads—the one that makes itself known anytime blessings such as serenity, clarity, or acceptance are on our emotional horizons. “A kind of irresponsible and lazy surrender to the notion that we’re all just stuck with ourselves, this song is for those times you think “Why won’t that person just leave?”, only to realize you’re referring to yourself. For better or worse, we live in our brains. Apparently so does the rat.” Spencer Krug. The recording features Spencer Krug on acoustic guitar and vocals, Camilla Wynne on keyboard / omnichord and vocals, Nick Merz on bass, and Jordan Robson-Cramer on drums. It was recorded, more or less, live off the floor record at a studio called The Noise Floor, under the guidance of producer/engineer Jordan Koop.
It is also accompanied by a music video directed by Vancouver’s Derek Janzen, starring Aaron Read, filmed in various locations in Vancouver, BC. Derek Janzen is an award-winning filmmaker and musician living in Vancouver BC on the unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) nations. His work has been featured in Pitchfork, Vulture, Booooooom, The FADER, Stereogum, NoBudge, and other nice places.