Today, Friday, August 14th, Sweeping Promises release their incredible new album, You Say I Romanticize, worldwide on Sub Pop. The band is celebrating the occasion with a new video for the song “Rapture, Or…” directed by Shawn Brackbill. Click HERE to watch. 
 
Caufield Schnug and Lira Mondal of Sweeping Promises share about the song: “‘Rapture, Or…’ we originally envisioned a sort of fallen monastic, mockingly devout, longing for a near-term judgment day (catch phrase: ‘I can’t wait for tomorrow’). The actual lyrics are scenario-adaptable, though, as apocalypse fantasies seemingly guide culture now, so you can’t blame us for finding a desire lane amid the ruins. It’s one of our poppier songs ever. We double-tracked Lira’s loud vocals in our tiled bathroom - our ‘cathedral’. A malfunctioning arp played the ascendant synth arpeggios, and the guitar on this one was improvised.” 
 
The band is also currently in the midst of a five-date run of FREE in-store performances at independent record stores across the Midwest. Starting August 12th at Old Love Garden at the Toy Store Upstairs in their hometown of Lawrence, KS; August 13th at Euclid Records in St. Louis, MO; August 14th at Goner Records in Memphis, TN; Feel It Records in Cincinnati, OH on August 15th; and Bric-a-Brac Records & Collectibles in Chicago, IL on August 16th. These in-store performances are FREE to the public, and you can grab a Loser Edition of the new record on Black and Yellow Confetti vinyl while supplies last. 
 
Sweeping Promises embark on a North American headline tour in the fall of 2026. The first leg begins September 9th in Oklahoma City, OK, and runs through September 29th, culminating in a hometown show at White Schoolhouse in Lawrence, KS. The second leg begins October 27th in Omaha, NE, and ends November 18th in Nashville, TN. Further live dates, including international touring, will follow soon. Tickets available at sweepingpromises.com. 
 

YOU SAY I ROMANTICIZE IN-STORES WITH LIVE PERFORMANCES 
Wed. Aug 12 - Lawrence, KS - Old Love Garden at the Toy Store Upstairs @ 7:00 PM 
Thu. Aug. 13 - St. Louis, MO - Euclid Records @ 6:00 PM
Fri. Aug. 14 - Memphis, TN - Goner Records @ 6:00 PM
Sat. Aug. 15 - Cincinnati, OH - Feel It @ 5:00 PM
Sun. Aug. 16 - Chicago, IL - Bric-a-Brac Records & Collectibles @ 4:00 PM 
 
YOU SAY I ROMANTICIZE 
NORTH AMERICAN HEADLINE TOUR
Wed. Sep. 09 - Oklahoma City, OK - Resonant Head
Thu. Sep. 10 - Denton, TX - Rubber Gloves
Fri. Sep. 11 - Austin, TX - LEVITATION
Sat. Sep. 12 - San Antonio, TX - Paper Tiger 
Tue. Sep. 15 - Phoenix, AZ - Rebel Lounge
Wed. Sep. 16 - San Diego, CA - Casbah
Thu. Sep. 17 - Los Angeles, CA - Sid the Cat Auditorium
Fri. Sep. 18 - San Francisco, CA - Rickshaw Stop
Sun. Sep. 20 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios
Tue. Sep. 22 - Vancouver, BC - Fox Cabaret
Wed. Sep. 23 - Seattle, WA - Baba Yaga
Fri. Sep. 25 - Boise, ID - Shrine Social Club Basement
Sat. Sep. 26 - Salt Lake City, UT - The DLC at Quarters
Sun. Sep. 27 - Denver, CO - Hi-Dive
Tue. Sep. 29 - Lawrence, KS - White Schoolhouse
Tue. Oct. 27 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown
Wed. Oct. 28 - St Paul, MN - Turf Club
Thu. Oct 29 - Milwaukee, WI - Cactus Club
Fri. Oct. 30 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
Sat. Oct. 31 - Detroit, MI - Lager House
Tue. Nov. 03 - Toronto, ON - Monarch
Wed. Nov. 04 - Montreal, QC - La Sala Rossa
Thu. Nov. 05 - Boston, MA - Deep Cuts
Fri. Nov. 06 - Boston, MA - Deep Cuts
Sun. Nov. 08 - Troy, NY - No Fun
Tue. Nov. 10 - New York, NY - Night Club 101
Wed. Nov. 11 - Brooklyn, NY - Baby’s All Right
Thu. Nov. 12 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church
Fri. Nov. 13 - Washington, DC - Union Stage
Sat. Nov. 14 - Richmond, VA - Cobra Cabana
Mon. Nov. 16 - Durham, NC - The Pinhook
Tue. Nov. 17 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade (Purgatory)
Wed. Nov. 18 - Nashville, TN - DRKMTTR
 

“Rapture, Or…” follows the previously released singles “Accent,” “Cocoon,” and “Shooting Shadows.” You Say I Romanticize was recorded over an 18-month period and is a tribute to the chaos of creation and collaboration under shifting circumstances. Guitarist Caufield Schnug and bassist/vocalist Lira Mondal found and tested themselves in their combination tour house and recording studio in Kansas, annually working on dozens of albums from other bands, hosting tour stops, planning shows, and the like. After an immersive process of tracking and whittling down YSIR demos and carving out an idiosyncratic chamber-recording method for the album’s intentional wall-of-sound, the duo brought in touring drummer Spenser Gralla to play the songs as the band would on stage.  
 
Sweeping Promises, You Say I Romanticize, is out now on CD/LP/Digitally worldwide from Sub Pop.
 

What people are saying about Sweeping Promises You Say I Romanticize:
“‘Shooting Shadows’ is a post-punk riot with an audacious bassline”. - [Shooting Shadows] Stereogum
 
“Few contemporary bands have managed to make art-punk feel as immediate and alive as Sweeping Promises. - The Big Takeover
 
“Sweeping Promises manage to extol the importance of self-expression while advocating for a collective good.” - Paste

“The Kansas art-punk outfit tap into wall-of-sound maximalism and literary themes on their second album.”  - [HOT LIST SUMMER 2026] Bandcamp 
 
“The bass-driven post-punk spirit of the Slits, Ut and Au Pairs suffuses the brilliant latest single from the Kansas band, vocalist Lira Mondal coiled and prowling then letting go with high-pitched yells” - [“Accent”] The Guardian 
 
”You Say I Romanticize laughs at doing things the hard way and embraces the humanity of it all. It’s not searching for the perfect experience, but being present in one’s own life, art, and community.” - The Line of Best Fit 
 
“The power duo are back with their frenetic art punk style that will equally satisfy as well as leave you famished and craving more” - NARC

Sweeping Promises
You Say I Romanticize
 
Tracklisting:
1. Shooting Shadows
2. My Friend’s An Entomologist
3. Last Man
4. Rapture, Or…
5. Abduction On Camera
6. My Anchoress
7. Cocoon
8. Accent
9. Does He Want To Be The Weatherman?
10. Write Lightly