The Magpie Salute -- Rich Robinson, Marc Ford, John Hogg, Sven Pipien, Matt Slocum and Joe Magistro -- released "For The Wind" last Friday (7/6) alongside an exclusive premiere with Billboard.com. The new song marks the second track, following "Send Me An Omen," from the band's anticipated debut studio album, HIGH WATER I, set for a worldwide release on Friday, August 10th via Eagle Rock Entertainment (U.S.), Mascot Label Group (Europe/Australia/New Zealand) and Sony (Japan). Listen to "For The Wind" on all DSPs including Spotify and YouTube. Fans can pre-order the album via the band's online store here.
"It's a lot about the systems in place in the world," Rich Robinson told Billboard.com's Gary Graff of "For The Wind," which was written by Robinson and John Hogg. "The systems that have been in place as it pertains to creation of any kind. Music or books or fine arts or anything down the line have been flooded with greed and with bankers that get involve and tell artists how they can sell more if they write this way. And then basically you're just an entertainer; you let these pseudo-cynical people write these songs about jeans and Chevys and beer and whatever the hell people write about. That system being in place is constantly at odds with natural creativity. People see they can make a little bit of money, you make them a lot of money they start inserting themselves more because they want you to keep making them money. It's always been that way, but it seems more fervent than ever now."
"Feel the chill to the bone
And the wind keeps blowing
Onward to the new horizon
Weakness withering
And the road keeps rolling
We have come alight
And the ice is gone"
The band is now touring North America all summer and into the fall with headlining performances and dates as part of Gov't Mule's "Dark Side of the Mule" tour alongside The Avett Brothers, in addition to more shows with Gov't Mule in August plus shows with Blackberry Smoke. For all tour dates and to purchase tickets, click here.
Produced by Rich Robinson and recorded at Dark Horse Studios in Nashville, TN, the 12-song HIGH WATER I represents a musical union of swaggering rock 'n' roll, psychedelic blues, and campfire-worthy storytelling that first took flight in 2016 when Robinson assembled the band for a now seminal Woodstock gig. The group went on to sell out four consecutive nights at The Gramercy in New York City in January 2017 chronicled with a historic Guitar Player cover featuring the two six-stringers. By the top of 2018, the band delivered a total of 77 seismic sets worldwide comprised of a 170-song repertoire of covers, Black Crowes' tunes, and solo material. Acclaim came from Guitar World, Relix, and more, while Rolling Stone summed it up succinctly as "Explosive." A second new studio album HIGH WATER II will be released in 2019. Details to come on that at a later date.