The String Cheese Incident & SCI Fidelity Records are pleased to announce the release of Believe, the 7th studio album from SCI, due out April 14, 2017. The album is the first to come out of their just-opened Sound Lab Studio and the follow-up to 2014’s A Song in My Head, their first new album in close to a decade. Like that release, Believe was produced by Talking Heads’ keyboardist Jerry Harrison, and includes nine, brand-new, original tunes, most of which were the product of a fruitful week-long songwriting retreat in Sedona, AZ back in 2015.
In anticipation of Believe, SCI has teamed up with PledgeMusic to offer fans access to exclusive bonus content and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the record, as well as limited edition items and VIP experiences available only to “pledgers” who pre-order the record. Visit PLEDGEMUSIC.COM/SCI for more info.
Reversing their usual process, SCI created and recorded the songs before introducing them in concert. The band’s eclectic palette of styles has never been more apparent – from the funky wah-wah guitar laced with tribal percussion of the title track and the “catchy little number” that is the sing-along single, “Sweet Spot,” to the country/hip-hop hybrid of “Get Tight,” the Eagles homage of “Down a River,” with its Appalachian a cappella chanting, the Beatles/Pink Floyd psychedelia of “Flying” and the Afro-Caribbean reggae riddims of “Beautiful.”
Each of the individual members’ musical influences come shining through – Bill Nershi’s love of roots Americana, southern rock and British music; Michael Kang’s affinity for primal soul; Keith Moseley’s country, classic rock and bluegrass; Kyle Hollingsworth’s funk and singer/songwriter folk, and Jason Hann and Michael Travis’ African beats and electronic collaborations (as in their band EOTO).
“My One And Only”, penned by keyboardist Kyle Hollingsworth, features Bonnie Paine of Elephant Revival on vocals and was intended to be a road song. “It seemed similar to her style and we fell into the concept of it being a long distance letter to a loved one,” explains Kyle. “With images from staring out the window of a bus to thoughts of coming home, the song found its place.”
Hear / Share “My One And Only” at Soundcloud | Spotify | AppleMusic
The past few years have found SCI moving the focus from their always-hectic touring schedule – which includes curated annual festivals like Electric Forest in the summer and Hulaween in the fall, interspersed by assorted Incident collaborations with the likes of Lauryn Hill, the Doobie Brothers, Big Gigantic and Zac Brown Band – to a more regular schedule of releasing studio albums. Independent from the very start, SCI now boasts not only their own record label (SCI Fidelity Records), but a recording studio as well, which has unleashed their creative juices.
“The idea of just turning the key, walking in and recording has given us a new perspective,” says bassist Keith Mosley. “We can now lay down a new song and put it out without waiting to complete the full album. It also shortens the time between conception and realization to release and ultimately, playing it live.”
“What’s liberating for us is having the freedom to be creative without worrying about wasting time and watching the clock,” adds Kang. “Being a democracy can be exhausting sometimes because of the amount of negotiation. Having our own place to record and rehearse enabled us to relax a bit and do things on our own terms. Even if the pressure to create great music is still there. After 25 years, it’s about time we put as much energy into the recording as we do live performances.”
SCI has been on the cutting-edge of the DIY philosophy since their very start, and Believe offers the fruits of the band’s spirit of self-sufficiency. You could even say they’ve hit that “Sweet Spot,” though don’t expect String Cheese to remain in any one place for too long.
The band begins the Winter Carnival 2017 – Roots Revival Tour in March (which is already sold out) before the April Spring Cheese 2017 shows and festivals through the summer. A full list of tour dates can be found below.
SCI Tour Dates
Mar 03 – Boulder, CO – Fox Theatre **Sold Out**
Mar 04 – Boulder, CO – Fox Theatre **Sold Out**
Mar 07 – Aspen, CO – Belly Up **Sold Out**
Mar 08 – Aspen, CO – Belly Up **Sold Out**
Mar 10 – Crested Butte, CO – The Eldo **Sold Out**
Mar 11 – Telluride, CO – Club Red @ Telluride Conference Center **Sold Out**
Mar 12 – Telluride, CO – Club Red @ Telluride Conference Center **Sold Out**
Mar 14 – Park City, UT – Park City Live **Sold Out**
Mar 15 – Park City, UT – Park City Live **Sold Out**
Mar 17 – Crystal Bay, NV – Crystal Bay Club Casino **Sold Out**
Mar 18 – Crystal Bay, NV – Crystal Bay Club Casino **Sold Out**
Mar 19 – Crystal Bay, NV – Crystal Bay Club Casino **Sold Out**
Apr 05 – St. Paul, MN – Palace Theatre
Apr 06 – St. Paul, MN – Palace Theatre
Apr 07 – Madison, WI – Orpheum Theatre **Sold Out**
Apr 08 – Madison, WI – Orpheum Theatre **Sold Out**
Apr 13 – Austin, TX – Stubb’s
Apr 14 – Austin, TX – Stubb’s
Apr 15 – Austin, TX – Stubb’s
Jun 16 – Hunter, NY – Mountain Jam
Jun 17 – Hunter, NY – Mountain Jam
Jun 18 – Hunter, NY – Mountain Jam
Jun 22 – Rothbury, MI – Electric Forest Festival
Jun 23 – Rothbury, MI – Electric Forest Festival
Jun 24 – Rothbury, MI – Electric Forest Festival
Jun 25 – Rothbury, MI – Electric Forest Festival
Jun 29 – Rothbury, MI – Electric Forest Festival
Jun 30 – Rothbury, MI – Electric Forest Festival
Jun 31 – Rothbury, MI – Electric Forest Festival
Jul 01 – Rothbury, MI – Electric Forest Festival
Jul 02 – Rothbury, MI – Electric Forest Festival
Aug 24 – Arrington, VA – Lockn’ Festival
Aug 25 – Arrington, VA – Lockn’ Festival
Aug 26 – Arrington, VA – Lockn’ Festival
Aug 27 – Arrington, VA – Lockn’ Festival
