Multiple GRAMMY-nominated Austin-bred psychedelic soul duo Black Pumas have announced their forthcoming second studio album, Chronicles of a Diamond, out October 27 via ATO Records, alongside the release of new single/video More Than A Love Song.
The opening track and first song recorded for the record, More Than A Love Song revels in the heightened creative freedom that Black Pumas have brought to Chronicles of a Diamond; after building up a potent momentum with its brisk beats, effervescent strings and brightly buzzing guitar riffs, the long-beloved live staple shapeshifts into a moment of pure, unbridled exultation powered by radiant gospel harmonies and a spellbinding spoken word section.
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Of the track, vocalist Eric Burton shares: “More Than A Love Song is a message I borrowed from my Uncle Steve. As a songwriter and caregiver, he’d listen to me write songs from afar and if I were lucky he’d have a pointer or two for me. ‘Life is more than a love song’”. Shot on location in LA, the accompanying music video was directed by Juliana and Nicola Giraffe. The clip elicits feelings of joy, hope and community – themes also evident in the song – zooming in closely on the beauty and abundance that surrounds us in our everyday life.
On the long-awaited follow-up to their breakout 2019 self-titled debut, Black Pumas endlessly follow their outsized imagination into unexpected directions, harnessing the lightning-in-a-bottle chemistry between Burton and guitarist/producer Adrian Quesada with a transformative sense of joy and chemistry. Heavily influenced by their electric live show, the pair have broadened their stylistic palette to include a dazzling expanse of musical forms: heavenly hybrids of soul and symphonic pop, mind-bending excursions into jazz-funk and psychedelia, starry-eyed love songs seemingly dropped from the cosmos, and more. Wilder, weirder and more extravagantly composed than its predecessor, Chronicles of a Diamond arrives as the fullest expression yet of Black Pumas’ frenetic creativity and limitless vision.
One of the most electrifying new acts to emerge in recent years, Black Pumas first brought their unbridled breed of psychedelic soul to wider attention with the release of their 2019 self-titled debut, setting off a reaction almost as combustible and rapturous as the music itself.
A swell of critical acclaim swiftly followed, with the dup garnering an enviable seven GRAMMY nominations, including Album of the Year for the Deluxe Edition of their eponymous debut, Record of the Year for anthemic single Colors, Best Rock Performance, Best New Artist and more.
The pair are as publicly adored as they are critically celebrated, having also amassed over 450 million total streams for the Gold-certified Colors and selling more than one million album equivalents of their debut LP; their exhilarating live show has seen them since embark on multiple sold-out tours of Europe and North American, and even perform at Joe Biden’s inauguration ceremony.
Visit the Black Pumas website here for the latest info and release details.
