Flock of Dimes today shares new single and video for “Afraid,” the gorgeous opening track from her forthcoming album The Life You Save, out worldwide Friday, October 10th, from Sub Pop.
 
The poignant visual was directed by Spencer Kelly, and stars Jenn Wasner amidst projections of home movies of her younger self.
 
She says of “Afraid,” “This song is an intention, an incantation, a prayer. It says: I accept what has happened, but I refuse to let it dictate the outcome of my life. We all enter this world untainted, and our circumstances dictate the weight that we will have to carry throughout the rest of our lives. For some, this weight is far greater than it is for others. This song is a mantra for those who wish to believe that we can transcend the circumstances over which we had no control.”

Flock of Dimes’ The Life You Save features the aforementioned “Afraid,” along with standouts “Keep Me In The Dark,” “Defeat,” and its lead single and official video for “Long After Midnight.” The tender, single-take visual stars Jenn and is also directed by Spencer Kelly (see July 23rd announcement).
 

Flock of Dimes will support The Life You Save with headlining US tour dates in November and December. The east coast run begins Thursday, November 6th in Philadelphia at Johnny Brenda’s and ends Wednesday, November 12th in Saxapahaw, NC at Haw River Ballroom. The west coast run will start Monday, December 1 in Seattle, WA at Barboza and runs through Friday, December 5th in Los Angeles, CA at Zebulon.

 
The Life You Save is available to preorder now on CD/LP/all DSPs from Sub Pop. LP purchased from megamart.subpop.com in North America, MegaMart Europe in the UK + EU, and your local record store, will receive the limited Loser Edition on Citrus (NA) or Pearl (UK/EU) vinyl (all vinyl color editions whilst stock lasts!)
 
Last week, Jenn announced a new online songwriting workshop through School of Song. The course will be taught online via live Zoom lectures across 4 consecutive Sundays –– September 7th , September 14th, September 21st, and September 28th–– with 2 lecture sessions on each class day to accommodate different time zones: 11 AM PT and 6 PM PT. Recorded lectures will be available and sent out afterwards for those who are unable to attend at those times.
 
Every week, Jenn will give a lecture on subjects specific to her songwriting process. Each class will result in a homework assignment to write a song using the techniques discussed in the lecture. In addition to the lectures, there will be weekly song-sharing sessions composed of peer review and an additional hour of live Q&A with Jenn (see School of Song announcement August 12th).

Today, Sub Pop will digitally release Flock of Dimes’ Head of Roses: Phantom Limb, a collection of unreleased tracks written around the same time as Head of Roses, previously unheard demos, favorite live performances, and covers. 

The selection of live recordings for Head of Roses: Phantom Limb run the spectrum, from solitary to exuberant. Some were made solo, in the summer of 2020, while other tracks are electrified with the energy that comes from a day cooped up making music with your friends. The versions of “Spring in Winter” and “Like So Much Desire,” from Wasner’s 2020 Like So Much Desire EP, were both recorded alone, on a grand piano in the rural sprawl of Pittsboro, North Carolina at Manifold Studios. The undulating, subdued version of “Hard Way” was recorded live for a KEXP session while Wasner was holed up in the Californian desert, and the live versions of “Two,” “One More Hour,” and “Price of Blue” that live on the bonus disc were recorded with the help of Wasner’s friends Mountain Man, Matt McCaughan, Joe Westerlund, Michael Libramento, Alan Good Parker, and Nick Sanborn out at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. There are also covers of two of Wasner’s favorite songwriters — Joan Armatrading’s “The Weakness in Me” and Joni Mitchell’s “Amelia,” the latter featuring contributions from former bandmate Aaron Roche.
 
Among the second disc of bonus material is a Head of Roses beginning – the acoustic demo of “Lightning,” recorded ages ago in the secondary room at Betty’s, before the song hit its final shape on Head of Roses. There’s also a handful of previously-unreleased Head of Roses outtakes – “Wonder” and “Go with Good,” both written at the same time as the rest of the record, but ultimately left on the cutting room floor. And then there’s a kind of postscript: Wasner wrote and recorded “It Just Goes On” in one afternoon at her friend Stella Mozgawa’s studio, and the version that exists here—guitar, bass, vocals and drums—are those first unedited performances of hers, along with some invaluable production contributions by Ethan Gruska. Head of Roses was complete by that time, but she knew this brand new song was still connected to that collection —a last word, a sort of epilogue. In that same way, Phantom Limb serves as a bid adieu, a final reflection on the past two years of Wasner’s songwriting.
 
Flock of Dimes’ previously announced six-date headline in support of Head of Roses begins April 28th in Asheville, NC at Isis Music Hall and ends May 4th at Brooklyn, NY at Elsewhere Zone 1.
 
Thu. Apr. 28 - Asheville, NC - Isis Music Hall
Fri. Apr. 29 - Saxapahaw, NC - Haw River Ballroom
Sat. Apr. 30 - Charlottesville, VA - The Southern
Sun. May 01 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
Tue. May 03 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s
Wed. May 04 - Brooklyn, NY - Elsewhere Zone 1

This Friday, April 15th, 2022, Sub Pop will digitally release Flock of Dimes’ Head of Roses: Phantom Limb, a collection of unreleased tracks written around the same time as Head of Roses, previously unheard demos, favorite live performances, and covers. You can now hear “Go With Good”, a new offering from the release.
 
Wasner says of the song, “‘Go With Good’ is about making peace with those moments in which what we believe we want for ourselves doesn’t end up aligning with what life actually has in store for us. It’s about trying to step outside of ourselves enough to see and accept things as they truly are— letting go of the illusion of control that keeps us stuck, and revising the false narratives that we may have constructed to protect ourselves from pain.”
 
The selection of live recordings for Head of Roses: Phantom Limb run the spectrum, from solitary to exuberant. Some were made solo, in the summer of 2020, while other tracks are electrified with the energy that comes from a day cooped up making music with your friends. The versions of “Spring in Winter” and “Like So Much Desire,” from Wasner’s 2020 Like So Much Desire EP, were both recorded alone, on a grand piano in the rural sprawl of Pittsboro, North Carolina at Manifold Studios. The undulating, subdued version of “Hard Way” was recorded live for a KEXP session while Wasner was holed up in the Californian desert, and the live versions of “Two,” “One More Hour,” and “Price of Blue” that live on the bonus disc were recorded with the help of Wasner’s friends Mountain Man, Matt McCaughan, Joe Westerlund, Michael Libramento, Alan Good Parker, and Nick Sanborn out at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. There are also covers of two of Wasner’s favorite songwriters — Joan Armatrading’s “The Weakness in Me” and Joni Mitchell’s “Amelia,” the latter featuring contributions from former bandmate Aaron Roche.
 
Among the second disc of bonus material is a Head of Roses beginning – the acoustic demo of “Lightning,” recorded ages ago in the secondary room at Betty’s, before the song hit its final shape on Head of Roses. There’s also a handful of previously-unreleased Head of Roses outtakes – “Wonder” and “Go with Good,” both written at the same time as the rest of the record, but ultimately left on the cutting room floor. And then there’s a kind of postscript: Wasner wrote and recorded “It Just Goes On” in one afternoon at her friend Stella Mozgawa’s studio, and the version that exists here—guitar, bass, vocals and drums—are those first unedited performances of hers, along with some invaluable production contributions by Ethan Gruska. Head of Roses was complete by that time, but she knew this brand new song was still connected to that collection —a last word, a sort of epilogue. In that same way, Phantom Limb serves as a bid adieu, a final reflection on the past two years of Wasner’s songwriting.
 
Flock of Dimes’ previously announced six-date headline in support of Head of Roses begins April 28th in Asheville, NC at Isis Music Hall and ends May 4th at Brooklyn, NY at Elsewhere Zone 1.
 
Thu. Apr. 28 - Asheville, NC - Isis Music Hall
Fri. Apr. 29 - Saxapahaw, NC - Haw River Ballroom
Sat. Apr. 30 - Charlottesville, VA - The Southern
Sun. May 01 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
Tue. May 03 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s
Wed. May 04 - Brooklyn, NY - Elsewhere Zone 1

On April 15th, 2022, Sub Pop will digitally release Flock of Dimes’ Head of Roses: Phantom Limb, a collection of unreleased tracks written around the same time as Head of Roses, previously unheard demos, favorite live performances, and covers. In addition to today’s announcement, the official video for new single “It Just Goes On,” co-directed by Jenn Wasner and Spence Kelly, is out now.
 
Wasner says of ”It Just Goes On”, “This is perhaps one of the most simple and direct songs I’ve ever made (and, also, one of my favorites!)—so it made sense to try and create a video that was similarly straightforward and heart-on-sleeve. I haven’t been to many parties over the past few years (for obvious reasons) so it felt particularly surreal to stage this one with some of my actual friends in Durham, NC. The party was fake but the feelings were real. Thanks so much to my friends for letting me invite them to a party and then force them to watch me be an absolute bummer the entire time.”
 
The selection of live recordings here run the spectrum, from solitary to exuberant. Some were made solo, in the summer of 2020, while other tracks are electrified with the energy that comes from a day cooped up making music with your friends. The versions of “Spring in Winter” and “Like So Much Desire,” from Wasner’s 2020 Like So Much Desire EP, were both recorded alone, on a grand piano in the rural sprawl of Pittsboro, North Carolina at Manifold Studios. The undulating, subdued version of “Hard Way” was recorded live for a KEXP session while Wasner was holed up in the Californian desert, and the live versions of “Two,” “One More Hour,” and “Price of Blue” that live on the bonus disc were recorded with the help of Wasner’s friends Mountain Man, Matt McCaughan, Joe Westerlund, Michael Libramento, Alan Good Parker, and Nick Sanborn out at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. There are also covers of two of Wasner’s favorite songwriters — Joan Armatrading’s “The Weakness in Me” and Joni Mitchell’s “Amelia,” the latter featuring contributions from former bandmate Aaron Roche.
 
Among the second disc of bonus material is a Head of Roses beginning – the acoustic demo of “Lightning,” recorded ages ago in the secondary room at Betty’s, before the song hit its final shape on Head of Roses. There’s also a handful of previously-unreleased Head of Roses outtakes – “Wonder” and “Go with Good,” both written at the same time as the rest of the record, but ultimately left on the cutting room floor. And then there’s a kind of postscript: Wasner wrote and recorded “It Just Goes On” in one afternoon at her friend Stella Mozgawa’s studio, and the version that exists here—guitar, bass, vocals and drums—are those first unedited performances of hers, along with some invaluable production contributions by Ethan Gruska. Head of Roses was complete by that time, but she knew this brand new song was still connected to that collection —a last word, a sort of epilogue. In that same way, Phantom Limb serves as a bid adieu, a final reflection on the past two years of Wasner’s songwriting.
 
Tracklisting:
1. It Just Goes On (Recorded at Sunfair Studios in Joshua Tree, CA)*
2. Go With Good (Recorded at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, NC)*
3. Price of Blue (NPR “Tiny Desk” version; Recorded at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, NC)
4. Through Me (Adult Swim Singles Series contribution; Recorded at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, NC)
5. Wonder (Recorded at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, NC)*
6. Two (Live at Betty’s Version; Recorded at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, NC)
7. Hard Way (Live at KEXP version; Recorded at Sunfair Studios in Joshua Tree, CA)*
8. The Weakness in Me (Joan Armatrading cover; Recorded at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, NC)*
9. Like So Much Desire (Live piano version; Recorded at Manifold Recording in Pittsboro, NC)*
10. One More Hour (Live at Betty’s Version; Recorded at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, NC)
11. Lightning (Acoustic Demo; Recorded in the B room at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, NC)*
12. Amelia (Joni Mitchell cover; Recorded at home in Carrboro, NC & Ko Arts Residency program at The Columns in New Orleans, LA)*
13. Awake for the Sunrise (Live at Betty’s Version; Recorded at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, NC)*
14. Spring in Winter (Solo piano version; Recorded at Manifold Recording in Pittsboro, NC)*
*Available for first time on DSPs
 
Flock of Dimes will also embark on a 6-date headline in support of Head of Roses that runs through late April and early May.
 
Thu. Apr. 28 - Asheville, NC - Isis Music Hall
Fri. Apr. 29 - Saxapahaw, NC - Haw River Ballroom
Sat. Apr. 30 - Charlottesville, VA - The Southern
Sun. May 01 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
Tue. May 03 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s
Wed. May 04 - Brooklyn, NY - Elsewhere Zone One

Today, June 16th, Flock of Dimes is releasing Live at Betty’s, a two-song live EP featuring Head of Roses standouts “One More Hour” and “Two,” which is available at all DSPs from Sub Pop. The songs were recorded live with a full band - which includes members of Mountain Man and Sylvan Esso - at Betty’s in Durham, North Carolina in the Spring of 2021. Wasner recorded the acclaimed Head of Roses at the studio in the summer of 2020, and these performances bring the songs to life in the very space in which they were conceived.
 
The Live at Betty’s EP also celebrates the announcement of Flock of Dimes’ first headlining US tour dates in support of Head of Roses this fall. The tour begins Tuesday, October 5th and runs through Monday, October 11th, and will include stops at Richmond Music Hall in Richmond (VA), Ottobar in Baltimore (MD), Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw (NC), Johnny Brenda’s in Philadelphia (PA), and Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn (NY). Her live band for these shows will include Matt McCaughan (Bon Iver), Alan Good Parker (Natalie Prass, Matthew E. White), and Michael Libramento (Hiss Golden Messenger, Dr. Dog, Floating Action), who also performed on the Live At Betty’s release. See a full list of dates below.
 
Flock of Dimes’ Head of Roses is available now on CD/CS/DSPs worldwide through Sub Pop. The album was produced by Nick Sanborn (Sylvan Esso) and Wasner, engineered by Bella Blasko with additional engineering by Sanborn, mixed by Ari Picker and Blasko, and mastered by Huntley Miller. The album features appearances from guitarist Meg Duffy, Bon Iver’s Matt McCaughan, Wye Oak’s Andy Stack, and Landlady’s Adam Schatz. Head of Roses follows the release of Like So Much Desire, her acclaimed digital EP released June 2020 on Sub Pop.
 
Flock of Dimes’ Head of Roses has earned praise from international outlets including New York Times, The Guardian, The Independent, Sydney Morning Herald, NPR’s Weekend Edition, Uncut, PASTE (“Best Albums of April”), NPR Music (“New Music Friday” and “Best Albums of April”), Stereogum, Pitchfork, SF Chronicle, Guitar World, Under the Radar, and more. The album also spent 2 weeks at #1 on the NACC 200 college charts.
 
Recently, Stereogum included Head of Roses on its “Best Albums of 2021 (So Far),” and said, “We all know Jenn Wasner doesn’t miss, but her new Flock Of Dimes album is particularly masterful…From the scathing churn of “Price Of Blue” to fragile reckonings like “Lightning” or dreamlike yearning in “One More Hour,” she traces the mechanics of heartbreak and the arc of grief. She emerges from loss not just with a new understanding of herself, but one of the best albums of her career.” SPIN included the album on its “30 Best Albums of 2021” (So Far), and offered this, “Shifting away from the electropop of her debut, Head of Roses is full of spacious guitar compositions, designed to draw attention to Wasner’s silky voice — a winsome instrument used to deliver rough truths. “Hope is still keeping my head above water/ ‘Til the moment before I choke,” she sings with Dolly Parton-ish longing on “Awake for the Sunrise.” Wasner may be striving for joy, but roses can’t grow without dirt.”
 
Tour Dates
Fri. Aug. 27th - Charlotte, NC -  Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre ^
Tue. Oct. 05 - Richmond, VA - Richmond Music Hall
Thu. Oct. 07- Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
Fri. Oct. 08 - Saxapahaw, NC - Haw River Ballroom
Sun. Oct. 10 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s
Mon. Oct. 11 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
^ w/ My Morning Jacket
 
What people are saying about Head of Roses:
“More than anything she’s released before, Head of Roses makes room for the multiplicity of Wasner’s artistic voice. None of the singles sound anything alike — not the springy, off-kilter pop of ‘Two’ nor the slow-burning, psych-rock of ‘Price of Blue’ — and none of them quite prepare the listener for the gorgeously subdued second half of the album, which features several of the most stirring ballads Wasner has ever recorded. The common element holding all of these disparate parts together is her luminous, jewel-toned voice.” - New York Times
 
“Through blistering indie-rock songs and sparse, tender ballads, Head of Roses mines the dissolution of a romantic relationship to reveal the interconnections between loss and love, and between heartbreak and healing.”[“The Best Music of April”] - NPR Music
 
“An album that is as deeply introspective as it is creatively bold and ambitious (8/10).” - Uncut
 
“[Head of Roses] sees her incorporating her multifarious musical styles into a bright fusion of organic, dreamy rock and electronic pop.” [“22 albums we can’t wait to hear in April”] - The AV Club
 
“The album is — as you might expect — strikingly beautiful throughout.” - Stereogum
 
“Her second full-length outing, Head of Roses, is a triumphant signifier of professional and personal growth.”  ★★★★ - The Independent
 
“A dazzling and harmonious display of styles and influences.” ★★★★ - The Sydney Morning Herald
 
”Head of Roses feels like an emotional journey where every new feeling, moment of rest and sonic surprise is hard-won.” [8.1/10] - PASTE
 
“Head of Roses is a journey toward healing and marks another strong entry in Flock of Dimes’ growing catalog of work.” ★★★★ - All Music
 
“The record is a stylish yet starkly honest amalgam of Wasner’s soul-searching introspection and multi-instrumental wizardry, merging dappled synth lines and woozy six-strings into bright cathartic compositions.” - Guitar World
 
“A project that ups the ante in her musical complexity… The impact is hypnotic.” - CLASH
 
“An album of subtle yet emotionally resonant songs.’ - Dusted
 
“The best material from the North Carolina artist’s prolific musical universe in years.” - SF Chronicle
 
“Not only a sonic delight, but a lyrical treasure trove full of personal truths that strike a universal chord (83/100)” - Beats Per Minute
 
“All hail Jenn Wasner. Whether it’s as one half of Baltimore dream pop combo Wye Oak or her solo project Flock of Dimes, Wasner’s songs take their time, fully enveloping you in reverb-drenched vocals and soaring electric guitars. From the first fuzzy riff to the closing staticky feedback breakdown, “Price of Blue” is heavy and immersive, delivering a standout track on an album with zero skips.” - Men’s Health
 
“Wasner’s command of grace for herself and others ultimately becomes a source of soothing as Head of Roses unfolds. Layers push aside to reveal a core scented with forgiveness and healing. Flock of Dimes has become the vehicle for Wasner’s most personal reflections, which makes it the one to treasure most.” - Under the Radar
 
“…Jenn Wasner’s second solo album sounds confident. Textural layers of guitar and synth offer depth, yet allow her voice to lead the way.” - Pitchfork

Flock of Dimes
Live at Betty’s
 
Tracklisting:
1. Two
2. One More Hour