by Andrew Sacher

Bob Nanna (photo by Katie Hovland)



Bob Nanna is a busy man. Not content with just releasing the first Braid album in 16 years this year and a new 7" with his band Lifted Bells with Mathew from Their/They're/There and others (out this week, streaming below), he'll also be releasing the first new album since 2005 with his solo project, The City on Film. (Not to mention he's recently played solo shows and duo shows with his wife as Jack & Ace.) The new album's called La Vella and it will be out December 16 via Topshelf (pre-order). The premise for the album is he "sourced stories from 9 fans" via his custom songwriting website, Downwrite.com, "and turned them into tracks on this new album." He recorded it backed by Kyle Geib and Seth Engel, both of whom he plays with in Lifted Bells.

The first single, "You Wild Thing (An Illuminous Life)," "tells of a chance meeting and a bonding over The Pogues, Ted Leo, and gym shoes." While sometimes Bob is in a more stripped down mode for The City on Film, this one sounds like it could have been right off that new Braid record. Good thing he's been so prolific lately because he's clearly got a lot of jams in him right now. That track premieres in this post -- check it out, with the artwork and tracklist, below.

The City on Film's only upcoming dates at the moment are The Fest this weekend and two hometown Chicago shows. Lifted Bells are playing a Fest show too. All TCoF dates are listed below.



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The City on Film - "You Wild Thing (An Illuminous Life)"



Tracklist:

You Wild Thing (An Illuminous Life)

Noise Machines

Take The Ghosts

I Blindly

Remember To Breathe

Stray

Kill It!

ZZZ

Easy Living Rooms

NY Movie

Andorra La Vella

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The City on Film -- 2014 Tour Dates

November 02 - Gainesville, FL - The Fest - High Dive (full band)

November 07 - Chicago, IL - Township (full band)

December 20 - Chicago IL - Metro (solo)

Bob with Braid at MHOW in July (more by Mimi Hong)



Bob with Lifted Bells in Chicago in August (more by Jeff Ryan)



And here's that new Lifted Bells single...