Long-running funk band Lettuce -- whose members have worked with Kanye West, Solange, the Grateful Dead's Bob Weir, and tons of other big-name musicians -- are releasing their sixth album and first in three years, Elevate, on June 14. The band produced it themselves and recorded it with engineer Russ Elevado (D'Angelo, The Roots, etc), and here's what saxophonist Ryan Zoidis says about it:



We put so much energy into this record. I think I can speak for all of us when I say it’s our favorite sounding record so far. Working with Russ Elevado really highlighted a lot of things — the stylistic elements that were not included in our last recordings. He has a strong relationship in the hip hop, R&B/neo soul and electronic/house genres. It was a great collaboration with him, so you can hear that in our record. We had these super focused mixing sessions where we would go through one song per day in a pecan ranch in the middle of Texas all on analog gear (Sonic Ranch - Adobe Studio). It was great having no distractions during mixing. We mixed 100% analog for the first time ever, so that was a real learning experience. The tracking of the record was special too because Russ pushed us to stretch out and not cut the songs short. For the first time in our recording process, we played and worked through a good handful of the songs for a year before going into the studio. We were more prepared than ever. This record has a 13 and a half minute song in the middle that we’re really proud of called “Gang Ten.” It’s also featuring the current lineup with Nigel on keys, without Kraz or Neal, so it’s a much different sound and a great representation of where we are now. We feel like this is the best place we have ever been as a band and creatively in general.

Bassist Erick "Jesus" Coomes adds:



You can expect to gain a higher level of awareness and a new type of consciousness once you have listened to our new album Elevate. You will find two vocal songs sung by Nigel Hall, a vocal and smoking guitar solo by Marcus King, the standard strict funk you have come to love from us and a few special brand new areas of uncovered psychedelic, galactic, trip-hop movements. You can expect to see us really begin exploring new sacred harmonic grounds, coming into an overstanding of self-awareness as a group and solidifying even more than ever our bond as humans and magicians.

We're premiering the lead single "Krewe," which is a very catchy slice of instrumental funk, and you can hear both the psychedelic influence and the hip hop influence coming through on this one. Zoidis says that "originally it was a nod to Khruangbin and was a cool mashup of what we do, but with a vibe done in our own way," and that this was one of the first songs they mixed and it "helped set the entire aesthetic for the album." He also adds, "The way it came together reminds us of breakdancing in the park. It’s got real breakbeat hip hop vibes." You can stream it below via Spotify, and pre-order the album (and hear "Krewe") at the streaming service of your choice here.

Lettuce also have several tour dates coming up, including a NYC-area show at Port Chester's Capitol Theatre this Saturday (4/20). They'll be joined during their set at that show by special guest John Scofield, and guitarist Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff promises a set "that ranges from late electric Miles Davis, multiple eras of [Scofield's] own work, and various Lettuce repertoire." He adds, "Those tunes are, of course, just the blueprint. Then from each tune…when we open it up, expect the unexpected." Tickets for Saturday's show are on sale now. All dates (including a Long Island show in September) are listed below.

Tracklist

1. Trapezoid

2. Royal Highness

3. Krewe

4. Shmink Dabby

5. Everybody Wants to Rule The World 6. Gang Ten

7. Ready To Live

8. Larimar

9. Love Is Too Strong

10. Purple Cabbage

11. Trapezoid Dub

Lettuce -- 2019 Tour Dates

April 20 Port Chester, NY @ The Capitol Theater

May 2 New Orleans, LA @ The Joy Theater

May 31 Ozark, AR @ Backwoods at Mulberry Mountain

June 1 Kalamazoo, MI @ Bells Eccentric Cafe

June 15 Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre

June 27 Rothbury, MI @ Electric Forest

July 11 Rochester, NY @ Party In the City

July 12 Snowshoe, WV @ 4848 Festival

July 14 Louisville, KY @ Forecastle Festival

July 16 Plymouth, NH @ The Flying Monkey

July 19 Westerly, RI @ Paddy’s Beach Club

July 20 Jay, VT @ Jeezum Crow Festival

July 23 Nantucket, MA @ The Chicken Box

July 24 Nantucket, MA @ The Chicken Box

July 25 Beverly, MA @ The Cabot

July 26 Portland, ME @ State Theatre

July 27 Scranton, PA @ The Peach Music Festival

August 9 Fort Collins, CO @ Bohemian Nights at New West Fest

August 11 Telluride, CO @ Telluride Jazz Festival

September 12 Asheville, NC @ Salvage Station

September 13 Pelham, TN @ The Caverns

September 14 Clemmons, NC @ The Big Pour

September 15 Wilmington, NC @ Greenfield Lake Amphitheater

September 21 Westbury, NY @ The Space at Westbury

November 6 Fayetteville, AR @ George’s Majestic Lounge

November 7 Kansas City, MO @ Truman

November 8 Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue

November 9 Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre

November 10 Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom

November 14 Columbus, OH @ The Bluestone

November 16 Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz

November 17 Charlotte, NC @ Neighborhood Theatre

November 20 Utica, NY @ The Stanley Theater

November 22 Washington, DC @ The Anthem

November 23 Rocky Mount, VA @ Harvester Center