This is the third solo LP from Nicolay, a man-about-town who’s been a member of The Hold Steady, World/Inferno Friendship Society, Balkan-jazz carnies Guignol, and a touring member of Against Me!. He paired up with producer Oktopus, of the innovative New Jersey industrial/hip-hop group dälek, to move beyond the singer-songwriter world to create a dark, explosive, and cinematic opus of personal and political anger. The album stitches together an anthemic Pogues-meets-Arcade Fire opener, a Smithsian jukebox weepie, Orson Welles-quoting pop-punk and more with a unifying thread of activism and personal struggle.
Franz Nicolay Tour Dates:
Oct 22 – First Unitarian Church Chapel – Philadelphia, PA (w/ Erik Petersen)
Oct 23 – IOTA – Arlington, VA
Oct 24 – Emerald Lounge – Asheville, NC
Oct 25 – WonderRoot – Atlanta, GA
Oct 26 – Flicker Bar – Athens, GA
Oct 27 – Burro Bar – Jacksonville, FL
Oct 28 – The Fest – Gainesville, FL @ CMC (w/ Kevin Seconds, Kepi Ghoulie, more)
Nov 2 – Maxine’s – Hot Springs, AR
Nov 3 – Foam – St. Louis, MO
Nov 4 – Riot Room – Kansas City, MO
Nov 6 – Lion’s Lair – Denver, CO
Nov 7 – Kilby Court – Salt Lake City, UT
Nov 9 – Berbati’s Pan – Portland, OR
Nov 10 – Comet Tavern – Seattle, WA
Nov 12 – Manny’s – Billings, MT
Nov 13 – Aquarium – Fargo, ND
Nov 14 – Triple Rock – Minneapolis, MN
Nov 16 – Rathskeller – Madison, WI
Nov 17 – Grindhouse – Griffith, IN
Nov 18 – Township – Chicago, IL
Nov 19 – Lager House – Detroit, MI
Nov 27 – Le Poisson Rouge – New York, NY
“Nicolay’s skill at playing punk sage on one song and slightly troubled troubadour on the next is really something special.” – Pitchfork
“Nicolay’s persona as storyteller is something between Peter Hammill with a Mohawk and ’70s-era Tom Waits. Like those master songsmiths, Nicolay serves it up hot, no matter what musical milieu is on the menu.” – Alternative Press
“The strength of the album comes from Nicolay’s uncanny ability to tell a story…Put on your headphones and let Franz Nicolay transport you to his world of Luck and Courage.” – Zink Magazine
“You owe it to yourself to spend plenty of quality time with Franz Nicolay’s sophomore release…Who knew he was one great devil of a songwriter?” – My Old Kentucky Blog
4/5 “Sprawling but fleet-footed…its execution is beguiling.” – Q Magazine
“Superbly crafted.” – Delusions of Adequacy