Neal Francis' New Album Out Today; Tour Starts Soon
NEAL FRANCIS THIRD STUDIO ALBUM, RETURN TO ZERO,
OUT TODAY VIA ATO RECORDS –
FIRST LEG OF NORTH AMERICAN HEADLINE RUN
BEGINS MARCH 20 IN CLEVELAND, OH
Acclaimed singer-songwriter-pianist Neal Francis has released his highly anticipated third studio album, Return to Zero, today. Francis’ first full-length studio effort in more than three years and most extravagantly realized work so far, Return To Zero sees the Chicago-based singer-songwriter-pianist creating a beautifully strange entangling of timeless rock ’n’ roll and ’70s-era dance music. Merging supremely heavy guitar riffs with lush and pulsating grooves, Francis constructed the album sans digital programming in keeping with his long-standing devotion to all things analog. The album was co-produced by Francis alongside frequent collaborator Sergio Rios and recorded live in the studio with members of his touring band.
PURCHASE/STREAM RETURN TO ZERO
Earlier in the week, Francis shared the hypnotically potent single, “Broken Glass.” The song was sparked from a session featuring Francis on bass and Queens of the Stoneage bassist Michael Shuman on drums, with the two soon conjuring the riff that propels the track forward. With its viscerally charged depiction of lust and self-denial, the darkly majestic epic reaches a stratospheric crescendo at the bridge, when pounding drums meet with Say She She’s near-operatic harmonies. The result is a hugely danceable ode to physical and emotional bonds. An official music video in which Francis gets tormented and tortured before being blown up and "returning to zero” is streaming on YouTube now.
“This tune was born from a jam session with Michael Shuman from Queens of the Stone Age,” says Francis. “He was on drums and I was on bass. It was the first time we met, and not only did we have fun, but left with a complete song. The lyrics were free-form material I had written down about sub/dom relationships in the bedroom.”
LISTEN TO “BROKEN GLASS”
WATCH “BROKEN GLASS” OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
The album was heralded earlier in the year with the premiere of the gorgeously sprawling power pop anthem, “What’s Left Of Me.” A piercingly candid reflection on life on the road co-written with chart-topping Nashville-based songwriter Chris Gelbuda (Sabrina Carpenter, Meghan Trainor, Zac Brown Band), the track is accompanied by an official music video streaming now.
Francis then released his groove-heavy single “Need You Again” which surfaced from an immediate burst of inspiration after he attended a DJ set by Derrick Carter (a Chicago house legend who created a 12-inch remix of “BNYLV” from his second full-length, In Plain Sight). Featuring a guest spot from Grammy-winning guitarist Eric Krasno (Soulive, Lettuce) and beguiling backing vocals from Brooklyn-based discodelic trio Say She She, the result is a glorious entry point into the album’s groove-heavy soundscape which bears influence from George Clinton, Hamilton Bohannon, and other late 70’s proto-house music, unfolding in sinewy riffs and larger-than-life rhythms as Francis narrates a tale of ruinous infatuation. In late 2024, before he announced the album, Francis released the playfully swaggering, deliberately over-the-top confession of romantic desperation, “Back It Up,” which was joined by an official music video directed by Alec Basse.
LISTEN TO “NEED YOU AGAIN”
WATCH “NEED YOU AGAIN” OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
LISTEN TO “WHAT’S LEFT OF ME”
WATCH “WHAT’S LEFT OF ME” OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
LISTEN TO “BACK IT UP”
WATCH “BACK IT UP” OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
aHailed by SPIN as “a mesmerizing performer,” Francis will celebrate Return To Zero with an epic international tour schedule that will see him traversing the globe through 2025 and beyond, with full details to be announced soon. The first leg of North American headline dates begins March 20th in Cleveland, OH, and continues through mid-April. A pair of Japanese headline shows will be followed by a second US headline run, getting underway May 7 on the West Coast. In addition, Francis will also bring his show-stopping live set to an array of festivals around the world, including Byron Bay, Australia’s famed Byron Bay Bluesfest (April 17-20), a two-night stand at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival set for New Orleans, LA’s historic Tipitina’s (May 2-3), and Denver, CO’s Outside Festival (May 31). Additional dates will be announced. For complete details and ticket information, please visit www.nealfrancis.com/tour.
NEAL FRANCIS – TOUR 2025
MARCH
14 - Chicago, IL - The Wieners Circle
20 – Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom & Tavern
21 – Pittsburgh, PA - Mr. Smalls Theatre
22 – Toronto, ON - The Axis Club
26 – Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair
27 – New York, NY - Webster Hall
28 – Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
29 – Portland, ME - State Theatre
APRIL
1 – Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
2 – Charleston, SC - Charleston Music Hall
3 – Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
4 – Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
5 – Nashville, TN - Brooklyn Bowl Nashville
8 – Oklahoma City, OK - Beer City Music Hall
9 – Kansas City, MO - Knuckleheads Saloon
10 – St. Louis, MO - Atomic
11 – Louisville, KY - Headliners Music Hall
12 – Indianapolis, IN - The Vogue Theatre
17-20 – Byron Bay, Australia – Byron Bay Bluesfest *
24 – Tokyo, JP – Shibuya Club Quattro
25 – Osaka, JP – Umeda Shangrila
MAY
2 – New Orleans, LA – New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival @ Tipitina’s *
3 – New Orleans, LA – New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival @ Tipitina’s *
7 – Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up Tavern
8 – Los Angeles, CA - The Bellwether
10 – Stateline, NV - Harrah’s Lake Tahoe
13 – Chico, CA - Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
15 – Bend, OR - Volcanic Theatre Pub
16 – Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
17 – Seattle, WA - Neumos
31 – Denver, CO – Outside Festival *
JUNE
6 - Jackson, MS - Cathead Jam
14-15 - Columbia, MD - All Good Now Festival *
19 - 22 - Stanley, ID - Sawtooth Valley Gathering *
20 - Livingston, MT - Pine Creek Lodge
JULY
22 - Deerfield, MA - Tree House Brewing Company - Deerfield
OCTOBER
31 - Nijmegen, Netherlands
NOVEMBER
2 - Hamburg, Germany - Bahnhof Pauli
3 - Berlin, Germany - FRANNZ Club
6 - London, UK - Islington Assembly Hall
7 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club
8 - Manchester, UK - Manchester Academy 3
9 - Glasgow, UK - Stereo
11 - Bristol, UK - Thekla
13 - Paris, France - La Bellevilloise
15 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Tolhuistuin
* Festival Appearance
ABOUT NEAL FRANCIS:
Neal Francis’s music is an intoxicating blend of funk, soul, and rock that evokes the glory days of the late 60s and 70s but is undeniably fresh. Francis has been making music at the piano since the age of four, sitting in with countless Chicago bands as a teenager before setting out on his own solo career. His 2019 debut album, Changes, swiftly drew lavish applause, hailed as “the reincarnation of Allen Toussaint” by BBC Radio 6 and lauded by KCRW, which raved, “What do Dr. John, Leon Russell and boogie woogie piano have in common? Neal Francis is the answer.”
Francis’s acclaimed second LP, In Plain Sight, followed in 2021. Highlighted by the top 5 Americana radio favorite, “Can’t Stop The Rain,” the album once again earned international praise from such publications as MOJO, which wrote, “Francis digs deep on guileless rock and soul with bold flourishes, a la Lowell George or Randy Newman.” A wide range of prestigious accolades also followed, including a 2022 Americana Music Honors & Awards nomination for “Emerging Act of the Year” as well as top Libera Awards nominations in both 2022 and 2024.
A remarkably gifted live performer, Francis has sold out headline shows across the globe, shared the stage with Wilco and members of The Meters, supported the likes of My Morning Jacket, Marcus King, and Black Pumas, appeared at major festivals such as Bonnaroo, Fuji Rock, Newport Folk, Bourbon & Beyond, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, and Lollapalooza, lit up CBS This Morning with an electrifying three-song “Saturday Sessions,” and even performed at historic venues like Carnegie Hall. The dazzling power of Francis’s energetic live performances was officially captured for posterity with 2023’s double live album and concert film, Francis Comes Alive, which GRAMMY.com noted “could've been cut in 1973 or 2023 — as if The Band, The Meters, Wings and Dr. John had become unstuck in time.”
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Photo Credit: Jack Karnatz
