YUKON BLONDE BRINGS CRITICAL HIT HOME TO KELOWNA
JULY 17 AT WATERFRONT PARK, ISLAND STAGE WITH BAHAMAS
NEW ALBUM, CRITICAL HIT, OUT JUNE 22 VIA DINE ALONEWATCH YUKON BLONDE PERFORM “LOVE THE WAY YOU ARE” ON CBC q HERE
“Erratic and lovesick.” – Noisey
“If Wayne Coyne teamed up with Phoenix.” – Clash
“Would feel at home on a 1980s John Hughes soundtrack.” – SPIN
“An inherently sunny quality, drawing heavily from 1970s American radio rock.” – NPR
“Forget the folk, what we have here is harmonized rock with considerable punch.” – Consequence of Sound
With three full length LPs to their name, including 2010’s self-titled debut, 2012’s Tiger Talk, and 2015’s On Blonde, Vancouver psych rock outfit Yukon Blonde have cemented their status as a Canadian powerhouse, earning comparisons to The Flaming Lips and Phoenix, delivering a welcomed throwback to the 1970’s glory days of rock’n’roll. After linking up with producer Tony Hoffer (The Kooks, Beck, Air) for their upcoming fourth album Critical Hit, out June 22 via Dine Alone Records, they’re aiming to show that Yukon Blonde is much more than just rock, incorporating elements of electronica and erratic pop with their familiar garage rock sound.
The 13-track album is a deeply personal proposition on dating in the digital age. The record channels the varying emotions experienced while navigating the sometimes treacherous waters of today; It’s sometimes tenuous, sometimes depressing, and sometimes jubilant. “It’s hard to do a song by song breakdown, because as much sarcasm and wit as there is on this record, there is some intensely private shit in the lyrics too, and sometimes the vibe is just more our obsession with synthesizers and drum machines, aesthetics over lyrics,” vocalist Jeff Innes says.
After sharing the erratic lovesick synth-pop anthem “Crazy“, the surf rock tinged track “Emotional Blackmail“, and the garage party anthem “Love The Way You Are“, Yukon Blonde recently shared a fourth single “Too Close To Love“ from their forthcoming album. Opening with nostalgic ’80s tinged, pulsating synths, “Too Close To Love” epitomizes the feeling of the record and sits comfortably between a guitar heavy post-punk and club ready dance music aesthetic. Inspired by Milan Kundera’s The Unbearable Lightness of Being the track ruminates about the heaviness of decisions when dealing with matters of love.
Following a recent European tour with The Rural Alberta Advantage and a performance at CBC Music Festival in Toronto a few weeks back, they’re hitting the festival circuit in Canada this summer and will bring their unbridled and acclaimed live performance home to Kelowna on July 17 at Waterfront Park, Island Stage.
LISTEN AND SHARE “TOO CLOSE TO LOVE” HERE
LISTEN AND SHARE “LOVE THE WAY YOU ARE” HERE
WATCH AND SHARE “EMOTIONAL BLACKMAIL” HERE
YUKON BLONDE TOUR DATES
Jul 7 – Calgary, AB @ Calgary Stampede
Jul 14 – Ottawa, ON @ Mooney’s Bay Beach
Jul 17 – Kelowna, BC @ Island Stage, Waterfront Park
Jul 27 – Bengough, SK, @ Bengough Regional Park
Aug 10/11 – Kingston, ON @Wolfe Island
Aug 17/18/19 – Rock Creek, BC – Ponderosa Music Festival
Sep 7-9 – Vancouver, BC @ Skookum Festival
