Truman Sinclair wrote his first song at eight years old, cut his teeth in Chicago’s emo and metal scenes, moved to Laurel Canyon at 14, and spent years honing his craft across 300-plus live gigs before anyone outside his circle knew his name. ‘Rivers Of Sugar And Blood,’ his debut EP for Capitol Records and Polydor Label Group, is out now, and it makes a compelling case that all of that time was well spent.
The six-track EP is entirely self-written, self-produced, and self-recorded, with Sinclair playing most of the instruments himself. “Rivers of Sugar and Blood is about depression and ups and downs and how the actions taken in those moments affect friendships and life,” he says. “I think it is so hard to simply keep your head these days.” That candour runs through every track, from the rage-and-heartbreak meditation of “river of blood” to the poignant “chemical smile,” which captures a friend’s battle with mental illness with real compassion and precision.
New track “dust to dust” is the EP’s centrepiece, a cinematic, slow-burning piece of alt-country storytelling that showcases Sinclair’s slack vocals and clear-eyed lyricism at their sharpest. “It’s a song about growing up and watching friends around you win and lose, and the tenderness and coldness that comes with that,” he explains. The Fader calls it “a rousing, coming-of-age tale,” while Clash Magazine hears “Laurel Canyon work…with those gilded 70s reference points set against the indie rock of his Chicago youth.” Both readings are correct.
The EP also includes previously acclaimed singles “dustland” and “sugar,” both of which earned multiple plays on BBC Radio 1. Sinclair’s tour schedule is equally impressive. He’s currently opening for Tyler Ballgame across the UK and Europe through April 29th in London, then joins Courtney Barnett’s North American tour from May 1st through May 22nd, wrapping in Toronto at History.
‘Rivers Of Sugar And Blood’ Tracklisting:
- ‘river of blood’
- ‘chemical smile’
- ‘dust to dust’
- ‘dustland’
- ‘sugar’
- ‘sam & marylou’
Truman Sinclair Tour Dates (supporting Tyler Ballgame):
Apr 13 – Berlin @ Kantine am Berghain
Apr 14 – Cologne @ Stadtgarten
Apr 18 – Brussels @ Rotonde at Botanique
Apr 20 – Paris @ Boule Noire
Apr 22 – Leeds @ Brudenell Social Club
Apr 23 – Glasgow @ King Tuts
Apr 25 – Manchester @ Deaf Institute
Apr 26 – Bristol @ The Fleece
Apr 29 – London @ Scala
Truman Sinclair Tour Dates (supporting Courtney Barnett):
May 1 – Austin, TX @ RADIO/EAST
May 2 – Houston, TX @ White Oak
May 3 – Dallas, TX @ Studio
May 5 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
May 6 – Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
May 8 – Brooklyn, NY @ Kings Theatre
May 9 – Brooklyn, NY @ Kings Theatre
May 10 – Washington, DC @ Anthem
May 12 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore
May 13 – Boston, MA @ Roadrunner
May 15 – Madison, WI @ The Sylvee
May 16 – Minneapolis, MN @ Palace Theater
May 19 – St Louis, MO @ Hawthorn Theater
May 20 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
May 21 – Detroit, MI @ The Majestic
May 22 – Toronto, ON @ History