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
John Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech, and gaming culture since 1998. With over 25 years of continuous digital publishing experience, he has written thousands of hands-on game and record reviews, conducted in-depth hardware field testing, and analyzed digital media monetization trends. His work prioritizes first-hand evaluation and long-term product testing.
Beats: Independent Music, PC Gaming & Peripherals, Consumer Tech, Webmaster Tools
Testing & Ethics: All hardware, software, and media reviews are conducted through hands-on evaluation in accordance with NeuFutur’s editorial independence standards; sponsored consideration is strictly excluded from editorial ratings.
Contact: editor@neufutur.com
