For this Providence, R.I. native’s upcoming LP, he plans on taking a sonic departure from his previous work. Li(f)e forgoes the boom-bap background of albums such as Human the Death Dance and A Healthy Distrust for a more experimental, rock-oriented sound. And while it’s true Sage Francis always had left-field tendencies, he’s embracing them much more on here.

The perfect example of that is “The Best of Times,” the latest track to display just how different Li(f)e will be. This cut was actually co-written by Francis and French composer Yann Tiersen, who is best known for the Amelie soundtrack, while Brian Deck, who worked with Iron & Wine and Modest Mouse, tackled production duties. The end result is an emotionally driven track that builds from minimalist ambient to a slightly soaring live band atmosphere with Francis delivering autobiographical rhymes.

Li(f)e is due out May 11.



Sage Francis – The Best of Times by antirecords