Gemini, Her Majesty marks RX Bandits first new album since 2009’s Mandala. Produced by Jason Cupp (Maps & Atlases, The Elected), it’s due to hit shelves on July 22nd via Mash Down Babylon/INGrooves. This week, the California alt-rockers, who celebrate their 20th anniversary as a band next year, have revealed a new album cut called “Meow! Meow! Space Tiger”.
Unlike the more frenzied “Stargazer”, and despite its oddball title, “Meow! Meow! Space Tiger” is a suave and groovy number, perfect for snacking on some juicy mangoes while exploring the deep, tropical rainforests of Guatemala. According to frontman Matt Embree, it was inspired by a backpacking trip in Central America.
He explained to PureVolume:
“This tune is about facing what you fear most, or rather embracing it and turning it into an aspect of yourself that you admire. It’s about breaking out of the habit of having a victim mentality and instead becoming the catalyst for something greater than yourself. I wrote this song because I went backpacking in Central America for 2 months and would hitchhike frequently. While riding in someone’s car you basically either talk with them or listen to whatever they were listening to before they picked you up. That means I listened to a lot of Reggaeton. I actually kinda grew to like it. Maybe it’s a Pavlovian response: I hear Reggaeton and am reminded of tropical weather, fresh fruit and fish tacos, perfect waves etc. I don’t know but either way this was kind of an RX take on that style of music that seemingly every super friendly guatemalan/costarican/nicaraguan dude was listening to as we bounced and rattled our way over those beloved dirt roads in the general direction that my thumb had previously pointed.”
Listen to the song below:
In support of the new LP, the band have lined up a U.S. summer tour. Consult their full itinerary.
RX Bandits 2014 Tour Dates:
07/11 – St. Petersburg, FL @ State Theatre
07/12 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room
07/13 – Jacksonville, FL @ Underbelly
07/14 – Orlando, FL @ The Beacham
07/16 – Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage
07/17 – Raleigh, NC @ Lincoln Theater
07/18 – Springfield, VA @ Empire
07/19 – Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore
07/20 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
07/22 – New York, NY @ Best Buy Theater
07/23 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues
07/25 – Millvale, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theater
07/26 – Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall
07/27 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
07/28 – Cleveland, OH @ Agora Ballroom
07/30 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
08/01 – Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall
08/02 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Club Sound
08/04 – Seattle, WA @ Neumo’s
08/05 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
08/07 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
08/08 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
08/10 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
08/11 – Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
08/13 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom
08/15 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s East
08/16 – Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey
08/17 – Houston, TX @ The Studio at Warehouse Live
