Japandroids announce final album + share new song "Chicago"

Today, Vancouver duo Japandroids — Brian King (guitar, vocals) and Dave Prowse (drums, vocals) –have announced that their fourth and final album, Fate & Alcohol, will be released on October 18th via ANTI- Records.

The album will conclude the breathtaking visceral journey of rock ‘n roll that include 2009’s Post-Nothing, 2012’s Celebrating Rock and 2017’s Near to the Wild Heart of Life. The new album acts as a return to form and a thrilling step forward, and is a monument to the chemistry they’ve honed over nearly two decades side-by-side. Fate & Alcohol is the Japandroids bowing out while truly being on top.

Additionally, out today from the record is “Chicago” — a song whose sheer momentum feels inevitable and a perfect taste of what’s to come from Fate & Alcohol.

“On our last record we wanted to broaden the definition of a Japandroids song,” King says, “and purposely left our demos quite open and malleable so that we had more flexibility to experiment in the studio. At the time, this approach was new and exciting, and inspired us to be bolder, to take more chances. We were aiming for a more cinematic take on our signature sound. This time, we made certain that every song ripped in our jam space before Jesse ever heard it. If you listen to our first demo of “Chicago,” it’s obviously much rougher than what you hear on record, but it’s all there. Even on a blown-out iPhone recording, the energy was obvious, and the feeling cut through loud and clear.”

Listen to “Chicago” below and pre-order Fate & Alcohol here.

When asked to reflect on their career and all they’ve accomplished, both Prowse and King are hesitant to think in terms of legacy. They consider Fate & Alcohol a parting gift to fans, because Japandroids have approached every recording as fans themselves, from influences and ethics to artwork and merch. “I don’t think we’re the most technically proficient band in the world,” Prowse says. “And we’re not the most original-sounding or challenging band in the world. But we’ve always put a lot of passion into what we do, and I think that’s resonated with a lot of people. And I’m really grateful that we could be that band for people, in the same way that so many bands were for us.”

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