North Mississippi Allstars will release Set Sail tomorrow via New West Records. The 10-song set was produced by Luther and Cody Dickinson and follows their Grammy Award Nominated 2019 album Up and Rolling. Set Sail features an appearance by Stax Records legend William Bell on the album standout “Never Want To Be Kissed” (which Bell also co-wrote and co-produced). Set Sail has been met with critical acclaim with The Associated Press saying “The North Mississippi Allstars have mastered their métier and pin the meter on Set Sail. The 10 tunes from brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson and their casual collective are loose but tight, playful and joyful, high-flying but grounded in a groove." Mojo Magazine said, “...North Mississippi Allstars capture the lightning in a bottle groove that marks out all the best Southern Soul,” and Uncut Magazine awarded Set Sail 8 out of 10 Stars. Holler exclaimed, “Like the timely arrival of superheroes. Just when you needed them most, North Mississippi Allstars return with a lively injection of positivity and uplifting roots funk to rescue us all” while No Depression said “Set Sail is their most soulful, funky creation to date…”
Today, American Songwriter premiered Set Sail in its entirety alongside a feature with Luther Dickinson. Hear the album in full, a day ahead of its release, HERE.
After 25 years, twelve albums, four Grammy Award nominations, and sold out shows everywhere, North Mississippi Allstars open up their world once again on Set Sail, welcoming other family into the fold. As sons of the legendary producer and musician Jim Dickinson, Luther and Cody Dickinson started the band in 1996 as a loose collective of like-minded second-generation musicians who shared a local repertoire and regional style. Over the years, the lineup has shifted by design, and with Set Sail, they mined the talents of Jesse Williams on bass and Lamar Williams, Jr., the son of Allman Brothers bassist Lamar Williams, Sr, on vocals. During the Allman Betts Band Family Revival, the Dickinsons first linked up with Lamar, becoming fast friends and collaborators, paving the way for Set Sail.
“The chemistry we have with this lineup is powerful,” observes Luther. “We are all second-generation musicians and share a telepathic, relaxed ease about creating and performing. I believe music is a form of communion with our loved ones and conjuring this vibe with members of musical families can be inspirational. Lamar and I are like-minded. I’ve never had the pleasure of working with a singing partner like Lamar. He has a true-blue quality in his musicality that will pull you in and break your heart. At the same time, Jesse grew up playing music with his brothers and his father—as did we. He plays like a sibling. I’m drawn to musical families, regardless of style. Playing with second- or third-generation players allows us an easy unspoken musical dialog. It’s not a big thing; it’s just what we do. We never had to figure out what it means and takes to be a musician. We all inherently know.” He continues, “Each generation has to reinvent itself and shed the skin of the elders. On Set Sail, we feel as if we’ve once again ‘broken the code,’ and know what we want and how to get it.”
Set Sail continues the band’s tradition of creating roots music that displays remarkable variety. The record sizzles with hard yet understated groove, grown folk music. Luther’s wide-ranging guitar style features jazz riffs, psychedelic sounds, and soulful slide. Drummer and multi-instrumentalist Cody draws on roots music, rock, jazz, rap, and other styles to create rhythms that propel the band’s sounds and move it forward. Their two aesthetics combine to create the band’s unique style, “Primitive Modernism,” melding the new and the old. Luther notes, “We leaned into our other greatest influences: folk, soul, and psychedelic rock, but everything we play feels like North Mississippi.”
North Mississippi Allstars’ initial 2022 tour dates in support of Set Sail will launch next week on February 1st in Solana Beach, CA. Please see all dates below.
Set Sail will be available across digital retailers tomorrow. Standard Compact Disc and Vinyl editions will be released on April 1st. A limited “Gotham Color” vinyl & compact disc edition featuring exclusive variant packaging & a download with two unreleased bonus tracks will be available at Independent Retailers. An autographed & limited “Cloudy Day” Blue vinyl edition and a limited, autographed compact disc edition are both available for pre-order NOW via NEW WEST RECORDS.
North Mississippi Allstars Set Sail Track Listing
1. Set Sail part I (Featuring Lamar Williams Jr.)
2. Bumpin’
3. See the Moon (Featuring Lamar Williams Jr. and Sharisse Norman)
4. Outside (Featuring Lamar Williams Jr.)
5. Didn’t We Have a Time
6. Never Want To Be Kissed (Featuring William Bell)
7. Set Sail part II (Featuring Lamar Williams Jr.)
8. Juicy Juice
9. Rabbit Foot (Featuring Lamar Williams Jr.)
10. Authentic (Featuring Lamar Williams Jr.)
North Mississippi Allstars On Tour:
February 01 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up
February 02 - Venice, CA - Venice West
February 03 - Sacramento, CA - Harlow’s
February 04 - Crystal Bay, NV - Crystal Bay Club
February 05 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent
February 06 - Felton, CA - Felton Music Hall
February 08 - Boise, ID - Egyptian Theatre
February 09 - Bend, OR - Tower Theatre
February 10 - Eugene, OR - Hult Center for the Performing Arts
February 11 - Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater
February 12 - Seattle, WA - Nectars
June 01 - London, UK - Lafayette
June -03 - Suffolk, UK - Red Roster Festival
June 06 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Paradiso Noord
