Songwriter Benjamin Tod didn’t have a particular time or event in mind when he sat down to write Lost Dog Street Band’s new single, “If You Leave Me Now,” a neon-lit reflection on consequence and love. “It came to be from a lifetime of bad decisions and I overcame the last few years,” remembers Tod. “Don’t go punching mirrors / You may find more than what you bargained left behind,” he sings in the song’s first verse. “The opening line refers to the fact that anytime we lose self control and thrash objects around us, what’s left behind is much worse than the original problem.”
“I love the tempo and progression of this song,” says Tod, whose new Lost Dog Street Band album, Survived, is due out April 26th via Thirty Tigers. “It is probably my favorite to sing in general from this record.” As fun as the tune is to sing, there’s also a weight to the stories it holds. “It’s so much easier to get a bottle or a bag of dope than deal with the complexities of life and love,” says Tod, referring to the last verse of “If You Leave Me Now.” “Using is something you can enjoy with no effort and gives a feeling you can simply buy. It’s a rough psychology to change. I’m certainly happy to be on the other side of this song.”
Fans can check out the video for “If You Leave Me Now” today at this link, stream or purchase here and listen to Lost Dog Street Band’s previously-released single “Brighter Shade” right here. Pre-order or pre-save Survived ahead of its April release here.
In addition to today’s single release, Lost Dog Street Band have also added three May tour dates supporting Trampled By Turtles in the Carolinas and Virginia. These will of course follow the band’s touring behind the release of Survived which kicks off on April 18th in Detroit. A full list of tour dates can be found below or at lostdogstreetband.com.
More About Survived: The new, reinvigorated direction of Lost Dog Street Band began in the recording process when Tod decided to swap out their traditional recording style of overdubbing parts in favor of recording everything live. It was an experience he was introduced to during his solo album and found the process so successful that it, in part, led to his decision to revive Lost Dog. “We were able to finish the entire album in five days, and it has a remarkable energy to it,” Tod explains.
“Benjamin and I, both individually and together, have been through some professionally grinding and demoralizing personal times over the past five years,” Ashley Mae explains. “To take a step back from that over the past year and realize, ‘Wow, we held it down and withstood that, and we survived that,’ was a really good, bright, shining moment. It was the high point during a demoralizing time.” As such, Survived is a saving grace, a phoenix rising from the ashes. “This record means everything,” adds Tod. “It just feels like salvation.”
Survived Tracklist:
Brighter Shade
Lifetime of Work
Divine To Be
Last Train
Muhlenberg County Line
Son of Tennessee
Lonely Old Soul
Hubbardville Store
If You Leave Me Now
Survived
Catch Lost Dog Street Band On Tour:
4/18 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrew’s Hall
4/19 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Theatre
4/20 - Pittsburgh, PA - Thunderbird Cafe and Music Hall - SOLD OUT
4/21 - Columbus, OH - The Bluestone
4/23 - Morgantown, WV - Metropolitan Theatre
4/24 - Rochester, NY - The Essex
4/26 - Portland, ME - State Theatre
4/27 - South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground Ballroom
4/29 - Boston, MA - Royale
5/1 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
5/3 - Philadelphia, PA - Brooklyn Bowl
5/4 - Washington, DC - The Howard
5/5 - Charlottesville, VA - Jefferson Theater
5/8 - Charleston, SC - Music Farm
5/10 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel - SOLD OUT
5/11 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre
5/12 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
5/29 - Greeneville, SC - Peace Center*
5/30 - Cary, NC - Koka Booth Amphitheatre*
5/31 - Union Hall, VA - The Coves Amphitheater*
6/1 - Lexington, KY - Railbird Festival
* Supporting Trampled By Turtles
