Chicago’s Ax and the Hatchetmen have expanded their debut record today with ‘So Much to Tell You (Deluxe),’ out now via Arista Records, adding three new tracks to the original LP and dropping an official video for the New York City-inspired single “Cheesecake.” The deluxe edition rounds out a project that Atwood Magazine called “a dynamic, exhilarating debut LP” and closes the chapter on the band’s first full-length statement.
The three new additions each carry their own weight. “French Press” is a song about appreciating love before it disappears, driven by urgency and genuine emotional honesty. Frontman Axel Ellis puts it plainly: “Getting ghosted is never fun. All you want is to figure it out and talk but that’s exactly what you can’t do.” “Belt Loops” is a cover of producer Jake Sinclair’s early 2000s band The Films, reimagined with a horn section. Both tracks, along with “Cheesecake,” were recorded at Memphis Magnetic Recording in Tennessee.
“Cheesecake” is the deluxe edition’s centerpiece video, a woozy, jangly, brass-laced track backed by full-band handclaps and Beach Boys-style harmonies. It guest stars Axel’s own father, offering a glimpse into the future with a knowing wink. The original LP already boasts serious pedigree, produced by Jake Sinclair and featuring Albert Hammond Jr. of The Strokes on “Blurry Lights” and a long-lost Rivers Cuomo demo woven into the sunny “7×9.”
The band has a strong run of live dates ahead, including two hometown nights at The Salt Shed supporting Royel Otis in July, a slot at Milwaukee’s Summerfest, a New York appearance at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn, and a September date at Red Rocks Amphitheatre supporting The Revivalists. These are not small rooms for a band still on their debut record.
‘So Much to Tell You (Deluxe)’ Track List:
- “Red Carpet”
- “Flagstaff”
- “Love Songs”
- “7×9”
- “Lucy”
- “Oasis”
- “Blurry Lights”
- “Hotel Room”
- “Model Citizen”
- “Sunscreen”
- “Stay // Honestly”
- “New Years”
- “French Press”
- “Belt Loops”
- “Cheesecake”
Ax and the Hatchetmen Live Dates:
Apr 02 – Sacramento, CA @ Sacramento State University
Apr 08 – West Lafayette, IN @ Loeb Playhouse
Jul 03 – Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest
Jul 13 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed *
Jul 14 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed *
Jul 18 – New York, NY @ BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn *
Sep 25 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre ^
- supporting Royel Otis
^ supporting The Revivalists