Hot Mustard is set to return with a sonic boom as they unveil Monster Season, their highly anticipated third album. The album’s debut single, “Birdwatcher,” releases today, accompanied by an eye-catching music video that offers a tantalizing taste of what’s to come.

Monster Season follows the duo’s previous critically acclaimed albums that drew national attention from outlets like Relix, Glide Magazine, Jazz Weekly, KUTX, and KCRW. This new project pushes the envelope even further with its blend of jazz-tinged funk, crunchy boom-bap, and psychedelic soul, showcasing the duo’s signature approach of combining familiar sounds in unique ways.

The rhythmic heartbeat of Monster Season is powered by a dynamic pairing of drummers. AJ Hall, known for his work with John Cleary and the Monster Gentlemen and as a hip-hop beat supplier to producers like The Alchemist, teams up with local groove master Wes Powers to forge an intensely deep, groovy foundation. Returning to enrich Hot Mustard’s sound are Jordan McLean (Antibalas) and Dave “Smoota” Smith (TV on the Radio) on horns, while Matt Bauder (Arcade Fire, Father John Misty) makes a dazzling debut on bass clarinet in “Birdwatcher,” adding an electrifying touch to the track.

The “Birdwatcher” video, conceptualized by Hot Mustard’s Jack Powell and Nick Carusos and animated by Powell of Opus Thimble Studios, tells an allegorical tale of a birdwatcher who becomes entangled in unforeseen circumstances, leading him deep into an enigmatic forest. Powell shares, “It’s really just a simple allegory about getting caught up and losing sight of one’s passions; these things tend to unintentionally draw from deeply personal experience. For Hot Mustard, I try to strike a balance between ‘enjoyable to watch’ and ‘thought-provoking,’ ideally invoking introspection without demanding it. That’s the vibe of the Hot Mustard music for me—the deepness is in there but it’s not always in your face.”

Monster Season brings together an array of talent, featuring musicians who have performed with icons such as Aaron Neville, Roger Waters, Arcade Fire, Amy Winehouse, and many more. With this lineup, Hot Mustard cements their place as a boundary-pushing act in the contemporary music landscape.

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Watch the “Birdwatcher” Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3k23drdHr8