About
The strongest bonds never bend, break, or burst. Such a bond forms the bedrock of anything worth fighting for, whether it be a family, a friendship —or a band. The Revivalists retain this union 15 years into their impressive career as they prepare to unleash their strongest material yet. Standing together, this eight-piece rock 'n' roll collective has made the journey from hole-in-the-wall marathon gigs to sold-out shows at hallowed venues a la Radio City Music Hall and Red Rocks Amphitheater, multiplatinum success, numerous national television performances, and more than 800 million streams. Along the way, the musicians —David Shaw [lead vocals, guitar], Zack Feinberg [guitar], Andrew Campanelli [drums], George Gekas [bass], Ed Williams [pedal steel guitar], Rob Ingraham [saxophone], Michael Girardot [keyboard, trumpet], and PJ Howard [drums, percussion]— never lost sight of where they came from. It shows on their fifth full-length offering, Pour It Out Into The Night (Concord Records).
"Music, art, and creativity are a rallying point," Andrew observes. "That's what our band name and songs try to speak to. Being in communion with other people is what this is all about. That we can share this experience with others through music is something that we are so grateful for."
"This band is one of the biggest representations of love in my life. It's love personified. And what we've created has turned into something bigger than all of us. It's still mind-boggling to me to this day," marvels David.
The Revivalists make the kind of rock 'n' roll that grabs you and doesn't let go, whether for a joyful release or a pensive observation about life. Pour It Out Into The Night is a life-affirming album about living in the moment, fueled by lessons in gratitude and life realizations. As the world came to a standstill in the years since their last album, Take Good Care, personal experiences and life challenges abounded, with band members having their first children, getting married, and navigating the mental hurdles of lockdown.
"Art can revive and make life feel vibrant," says Andrew. "Live music can especially do that. When we first started out, we were watching New Orleans rebuild after Katrina, and fight to keep the city's spirit alive. In a way, that's what we're seeing now, except on a global scale. Everybody realizes what they almost lost, and it happens to be many of the things New Orleans is known for – being with friends, experiencing things good and bad, building fulfilling relationships, and going to concerts and restaurants. It boils down to the zest for life - that's what our band name and music are all about."
"In society, and as individuals, some tend to look to the past as an example of where we should go, wishing things were how they used to be. Some look to the future for where we should be, hoping for positive change. But sometimes, we need to take stock of the people in our community; our neighbors, friends, and family. Sometimes we need to just care for others in the present moment. I started to work on being present and enjoying what is happening now because I didn't know what tomorrow would hold," says Michael.
Throughout 2020, the band wrote, recorded, and shared ideas with each other while David created many of the demos that would begin to lay the foundation for the album. The band’s process for this record was the most self-guided one yet. David and Zack began writing together at David’s home studio as well, resulting in the lead single “Kid,” as the band spent countless hours crafting the music between themselves before bringing it to a producer. They laid down demos in their practice space in New Orleans at Fountainbleau and at Marigny Studios, often with Mack Major (assistant engineer, pre-production). After this period of creative explosion, The Revivalists stole away to the magical backdrop of Vermont in 2022 to record for two weeks in the dead of winter with GRAMMY Award-winning producer Rich Costey [Muse, Foster the People, Death Cab for Cutie], who produced Pour It Out Into The Night with co-production from David, Zack, and the rest of the band.
“We knew this album needs to be who we are and what we're about. For us, it was about getting back into a room and playing together. I wrote with Zack a lot for this album. It was so nice to be able get back into pure Revivalists form. It feels like a coming home kind of vibe,” shares David.
"Rich cares just as much as we do," affirms Ed. "We had the opportunity to stop, pause, reflect, and slow down, which gave us the time to prepare for the album. Usually, we're going 1,000 miles per second on tour, but we really took a breath and thought about our next move. It made us the most prepared we've ever been, and I think we got the best body of work out of it."
"Rich is a beast mixer and rock ‘n’ roll producer," says David. "This record combined many old and new elements. We're coming of age but still have this wild passion."
You can hear the passion on tracks like the first single and opener "Kid." On the track, piano peeks through bright acoustic guitar. Meanwhile, a bold beat powers the chantable chorus, "Hey kid, just sing the songs that wake the dead, then you keep them ringing in your head," as a guitar lead hums.
"To me, 'Kid' is about capturing the essence of life," shares David. "We all go through ups and downs. Sometimes, we don't believe in ourselves. We've got skeletons in the closet trying to drag us down. But you've got to believe in yourself. You've just got to live for the spirit. Nothing good ever comes easy. If you don't have hope, what do you have?"
"As you get into new phases of life, you're always learning, growing, having new experiences, trying to achieve something. Everyone has an inner child, or like many of us in the band, we have our own children now, and this song is just saying 'hey, you got this" to anyone in any generation who may need to hear that," says George.
"David and I wrote the bulk of 'Kid' on January 6, 2021. My wife was one month pregnant with our twins, and I had a fire lit under my ass to write a great song," Zack says with a laugh. "But also, we were getting real-time updates on the insurrection at the Capitol. There was a lot of intense energy swirling around us that day as we were trying to stay focused on this exciting, beautiful thing we were channeling.”
Elsewhere, "Good Old Days" builds towards a breezy refrain punctuated by rapturous horns, a shuffling rhythm, and a soulful group harmony. Originated during a late-night writing session between David and Zack, the hook assures, "These are the good old days."
"The message is, 'I have to appreciate this. It might not last forever'," Zack reveals. "This song actually started in 2018. I was imbibing as one does on Mardi Gras. We were hanging with friends all day and probably walked the length of the city two times over. We went back to David's house to unwind and ended up putting the basis for the tracks down on a demo. That melody stuck in my head when I went to bed. I was thinking about what an amazing day it was, and even though there's always uncertainty about what the future has to bring, we just have to recognize and appreciate that these are the good old days. Now that I am a dad to twin babies, there are so many moments that are beautiful yet fleeting, and you can’t forget that. So it is a useful exercise in gratitude.”
Michael adds, "I connected with 'Good Old Days' while caring for my infant daughter during the pandemic. We didn't know what each day would bring or if I could ever resume working and touring. But I was able to be home and be a full-time parent and see all these moments that I may have otherwise missed. I really got to be there for my family. During that difficult time, it made me so thankful for my family and friends and how we could be there for each other. I'm just really grateful to be able to be a musician and for where we are in our career as a band. I want to appreciate this moment."
"Don't Look Back," pulls sonic inspiration from David's early punk-rock days and quickly became a fan-favorite when it debuted live before its release. The song is about getting up every day and moving ahead. "The urgency of the song is reflected in how we recorded it. We did only 3 takes, so it's really raw," says David.
Between sparse keyboard murmurs, "Only You" begins with a confession, "I don't know how to back down. It's not in my DNA."
"It was a tune I had to write for myself because I was in such a tough place mentally, spiritually, and physically," David admits. "The one thing that pulls me through is the music. Leaning on it has saved my life multiple times. It's the reason I'm still here today."
A gospel-style chant gives way to a punchy groove on the politically charged "The Long Con" amped up by waves of distortion.
Horns swoon in between skyscraping piano through the pensive and powerful "Alive." The refrain cuts deep for David as he promises, "We were the ones who were always going to make it out alive."
"I pulled a lot from my life," he goes on. "It's my old life mixed with my current situation and a theme of coming alive in the chorus. There are a lot of things going on that could easily take you down. Music kept me up and alive."
The album concludes with the title track. Through plucks of a dusty acoustic guitar, it offers a delicate denouement wrapped in warm strings.
"Mid-pandemic, I was often going out into my studio at 2AM," remembers David. "There was a dark and weird energy. If I woke up after midnight not feeling good, I'd go to the studio and literally pour it out into the night. I was just strumming with the microphone on and not really thinking. I have spent a lot of time honing my craft, but I still feel like so much of it is this unconscious thing that happens. When I get the chills, then I know it's something that I have to chase. This was one of those tunes. It was a song to make me realize all is not lost. It's okay. We went through this thing and came out on the other side, and that's why the song breaks into a sunrise."
Adds Zack, "The title Pour It Out Into The Night, like a lot of the songs, is about an unburdening - whatever it is, get it off your chest and don't worry about the mess. Whatever is going on, let it go, share it – you have to keep moving forward."
PJ elaborates, "You're outside alone at night with nobody but the stars. So, you're literally pouring out your heart. You're giving it to the world and your friends. When you put positive things out into the world, most of the time it comes back to you."
The Revivalists believe in contributing something positive to the world. In recent years, they established their philanthropic umbrella fund, Rev Causes, to support organizations dedicated to reviving and investing in our communities, our health, and our environment. They span issues such as anti-gun violence, climate change, human rights, mental health, natural disaster relief, cancer, education, and the arts. By donating a portion of ticket sales, through fan donations, and a variety of other fundraising efforts, the band assists multiple national and local organizations in building a better future. Current organizations benefitting from Rev Causes include The National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, Kids Join The Fight, the New Orleans Mission, Communities in Schools (Gulf South), and the ACLU of Louisiana.
David adds, "It's super important to give back, and we all feel the same way. We now have this platform where we can shine a spotlight and help bring attention and funds to the issues we feel passionately about. It's a huge part of who we are."
Following Vital Signs [2010] and City of Sound [2014], the group broke through on their own terms with 2015's Men Amongst Mountains. The smash single "Wish I Knew You" earned a RIAA double-platinum certification and impressively crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100. They've incited the applause of everyone from Rolling Stone, NPR, Billboard, and SPIN to Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, Buzzfeed, and Forbes. On the road, they've headlined legendary venues coast-to-coast, opened for The Rolling Stones, and graced the bills of Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Governors Ball, and New Orleans Jazz Fest, among others. Plus, they've delivered standout television performances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel LIVE!, TODAY, Austin City Limits, ELLEN, and more. Following 2018’s Take Good Care, which featured two #1 Adult Alternative hits “Change” and “All My Friends” (also a Top 5 Alternative hit), their total streams exceeded half a billion—rare for a rock band (of any era). In 2020, they unveiled the Made In Muscle Shoals EP accompanied by a mini-doc (recorded and filmed at the legendary FAME Studios in Alabama), followed by Made In Muscle Shoals Vol. 2 in 2022. Of the latter, Rolling Stone wrote it "combines the group's anthemic, uplifting brand of roots rock with northwest Alabama's trademark gritty soul."
On Pour It Out Into The Night, The Revivalists continue with their intention to uplift.
"Hopefully, these songs can help people find comfort and feel inspired that they will get to the other side of a hard time. Or if they are going through a good time, maybe it can help them be appreciative and take a moment to enjoy life," says Zack.
"I want these songs to help people feel peace at the end of the day because we are all in this together. We all go through things at different times in our lives. I was certainly going through some things, and was thinking a lot about everyone going through something when I was writing. I hope that the album makes people feel a nostalgic hopefulness that is rooted in living in your truth and living for who you are and what you're about," concludes David.
