Acclaimed singer-songwriter-pianist Neal Francis has shared “Very Fine, Pts. 1 & 2,” available today at all DSPs and streaming services. Produced in Los Angeles by longtime collaborator Sergio Rios, the horn-blasted soul-powered double single that also features a cover of “Strawberry Letter 23” heralds the Chicago-based artist’s upcoming new EP, Sentimental Garbage, arriving via ATO Records on Friday, November 18. Pre-orders are available now. Rolling Stone Country premiered the songs earlier today.
Sentimental Garbage – which follows last year’s breakthrough sophomore LP, In Plain Sight (ATO) – collects a number of standout tracks recorded during the original album sessions at The Parsonage, Francis’s DIY studio at St. Peter’s Church in Chicago, alongside newly recorded cover versions of classic songs by Shuggie Otis (“Strawberry Letter 23”) and The Three Degrees (“Collage”).
“Sentimental Garbage was the working title of our last LP,” Francis says, “which includes the track of the same name. We ended up calling that record In Plain Sight while removing the title track from the sequence. I knew this was my last chance to slap Sentimental Garbage on a record jacket, the thought of which always brought me great joy. It also works because this record is compiled of bittersweet scraps. I guess we could have also titled the record Burnt Ends.”
LISTEN TO “VERY FINE, PTS. 1 & 2”
LISTEN TO “STRAWBERRY LETTER 23”
PRE-ORDER SENTIMENTAL GARBAGE EP
Sentimental Garbage continues what has already proven a milestone 2022 for Francis, with highlights including a prestigious Americana Music Association Honors & Awards nomination (for “Emerging Act of the Year”), a benefit single with Wilco featuring a live collaboration on their classic, “Theologians,” and debut live appearance on CBS Saturday Morning performing the In Plain Sight highlight, “Can’t Stop The Rain.”
Hailed by SPIN as “a mesmerizing performer,” Francis will mark the arrival of Sentimental Garbage with a wide-ranging live schedule, including a confirmed appearance at this year’s Americana Honors & Awards Show at the legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN on September 14. He will also be playing headline shows, making festival appearances, and starting a North American tour supporting Marcus King set to hit New York City for a two-night stand at the historic Beacon Theatre later this week (September 15-16). A much-anticipated EU/UK tour will follow in November, including headline dates in England, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Italy, and Spain. For complete details and ticket information, please visit www.nealfrancis.com/tour.
NEAL FRANCIS
ON TOUR 2022-2023
SEPTEMBER
15 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre ^
16 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre ^
17 – Columbus, OH – KEMBA Live! ^
20 – Toronto, ON – HISTORY ^
21 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE ^
23 – Grand Rapids, MI – GLC Live at 20 Monroe ^
24 – Madison, WI – The Sylvee ^
25 – St. Paul, MN – Palace Theatre ^
27 – Indianapolis, IN – Egyptian Room at Old National Centre ^
29 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium ^
30 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium ^
OCTOBER
1 – Atlanta, GA – The Tabernacle ^
2 – Atlanta, GA – The Tabernacle ^
4 – Austin, TX – Stubb’s Bar-B-Q ^
6 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren ^
7 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern ^
8 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up Tavern
11 – San Francisco, CA – The Masonic ^
13 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom ^
14 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre ^
15 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre ^
17 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex ^
18 – Denver, CO – Mission Ballroom ^
20 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant ^
21 – Chicago, IL – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom ^
22 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Detroit ^
23 – Cleveland, OH –Agora Theatre and Ballroom ^
25 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore Charlotte ^
26 – Birmingham, AL – Avondale Brewing Company ^
27 – New Orleans, LA – The Fillmore New Orleans ^
NOVEMBER
1 – London, UK – Moth Club
2 – Maastricht, NL – Muziekgieterij
3 – Rotterdam, NL – Bird
4 – Nijmegen, NL – Merleyn
5 – Groningen, NL – Take Root Festival †
6 – Utrecht, NL – de Helling
8 – Antwerp, BE – Trix Bar
9 – Leffinge, BE – De Zwerver
10 – Beauvais, FR – L’ouvre Boite
11 – Saint–Lô, FR – Le Normandy
12 – Bethune, FR – Le Poche
13 – Paris, FR – Please, Please, Please Festival @ La Boule Noire †
15 – Hengelo, NL – Metropool
16 – Hamburg, DE – Häkken
17 – Copenhagen, DK – Råhuset
18 – Malmo, SE – Folk å Rock
19 – Falkenberg, SE – Tryckhallen
20 – Stockholm, SE – Nalen
21 – Oslo, NO – Blå
22 – Bergen, NO – Lille Ole Bull
25 – Berlin, DE – Prachtwerk
26 – Munich, DE – Milla Club
27 – Milan, IT – Spazio Teatro 89
30 – Barcelona, ES – Piñata Music Series @ La Nau
DECEMBER
1-4 – Key West, FL – Coast Is Clear Music & Arts Festival †
2-3 – Lake Wales, FL – Orange Blossom Revue †
JANUARY 2023
2 – Aspen, CO – Belly Up Aspen
FEBRUARY 2023
6-12 – Miami, FL> Puerto Plata, DR>Ocean Cay, BS – Jam Cruise 19
† Festival Performance
^ Supporting Marcus King
