The ever-prolific Denton, Texas, songwriter Will Johnson is back with Centro-matic for Candidate Waltz.
After more than a dozen Centro-matic outings – not to mention solo albums, the side project South San Gabriel, a collab with Jason Molina for Secretly Canadian in 2009, and a stint drumming for a Monsters of Folk tour – Will Johnson has plenty left to give, and Candidate Waltz is full of his classic, aching roots-inflected indie rock.
In an interview with Aquarium Drunkard, Johnson says he wrote most of the songs on bass guitar, and there’s a rhythmic drive on the record where everything – the guitars, piano, drums – seems to follow the odd-kilter rhythms of that low end origin.
“Estimate x3” sees how far Johnson can stretch his ragged voice, while “Only In My Double Mind” could be a lost-and-found gem from ’70s country, slicked up with crunchy drums and tasty over-driven guitars. Then there are some nice minor chord turns, a la MOF bro Jim James, in “Shadow, Follow Me,” which has to be the most sublime thing on Candidate.
Candidate Waltz is out now via Thirty Tigers. Johnson plays Grimey’s in-store today in Nashville, and Centro-matic plays The Basement tonight, with more dates below.
Wednesday 06/22 – Grimey’s Records @ 6pm (Will Johnson solo)
Wednesday 06/22 – The Basement – Nashville, TN
Thursday 06/23 – The Earl – Atlanta, GA
Friday 06/24 – Athfest – (in front of the) 40 Watt Club – Athens, GA
Saturday 06/25 – Local 506 – Chapel Hill, NC
Sunday 06/26 – DC9 – Washington DC
Tuesday 06/28 – North Star Bar – Philadelphia, PA
Wednesday 06/29 – Great Scott – Cambridge, MA
Thursday 06/30 – The Mercury Lounge – New York, NY
Friday 07/01 – Mohawk Place – Buffalo, NY
Saturday 07/02 – Beachland Tavern – Cleveland, OH
Sunday 07/03 – Schubas – Chicago, IL
Tuesday 07/05 – Euclid Records – St. Louis, MO @ 5pm (Will Johnson solo)
Tuesday 07/05 – Off Broadway – St. Louis, MO
Thursday 07/07 – Dan’s Silverleaf – Denton, TX
Friday 07/08 – Fitzgerald’s – Houston, TX
Saturday 07/09 – Cactus Records @ 1pm (Will Johnson solo)
Sunday 07/10 – Waterloo Records @ 5pm (full band)
Sunday 07/10 – The Mohawk – Austin, TX