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Today, Brooklyn-based, Metro-Detroit-bred singer-songwriter, Charlie Burg, shares dynamic single "Ooh! Sumthin' New" out everywhere now ahead of his debut LP, Infinitely Tall, due out August 19 available for pre-order now via FADER Label. In support of the album, Burg will hit the road this fall across the EU, UK and North America from September through November. Get tickets now via charlieburg.world/tix. In celebration of the (oo! sumthin') new single, get a limited edition t-shirt in collaboration with Everpress now here.
"Ooh! Sumthin' New," is a bright groove where Burg introduces a protagonist who craves a change of pace–new surroundings, new people and more than anything, authenticity. The upbeat instrumental is juxtaposed by lyrics that critique the world around him, namely, the damaging effects of social media, and the world these apps fabricate. Over mellow guitar, he sings, "Let me hang out with your friends / These industry players always playing pretend / You’re an artist, and you look great / But your Instagram’s not a personality trait."
Burg explains the track, fitting in with themes of the forthcoming project, "...simultaneously celebrates and laments the rootlessness of youth. That contradiction is what this chapter is all about. A cheerful spirited instrumental is paired with lyrics of criticism and resentment. The world of social media makes the protagonist feel like a poser and a fraud, mostly because of how much they subscribe to and partake in its evils. The protagonist desperately wants a change of pace, which is ironic in the face of their desire for solid ground to stand on."
Swiftly, about half-way through the track, the pace of the track itself kicks into overdrive, with an electric guitar solo that rips through the previously soft vocals. In a move that matches the song's messaging, Burg adds, "I dare the listener to allow me to abruptly switch genres throughout the course of the song." He even rewards listeners who make it to the end by excitedly speaking over the instrumental like he's speaking to friends, "Now this part, if you made it to this part, man, then you made it to the best part of the song," concluding with a playful countdown and a smooth instrumental outro.
Charlie Burg's forthcoming 15 track LP, Infinitely Tall, is told in three chapters, each tied to a specific place–from his childhood house in Detroit, to college in Syracuse, and now, life in New York City. The project explores the various spaces in one's life that may make, break, shape and uplift, using lush soundscapes that blend genres and transcend location, age, space and time. In addition to co-producing the project with Mike Malchicoff, (Bo Burnham, Niall Horan, Kids See Ghosts and King Princess), Burg plays nearly every instrument on the LP.
Speaking to the chapter book structure of the album, Burg's goal was to design a body of work that mirrored the stages of his own life and the places that have shaped him throughout his life thus far, Burg explains, "I formatted this album in a three-chapter layout, with each group of five songs representing a different space in my life. The first is representative of the dreamlike nostalgia of one’s hometown; the second embodies a college house and the free spirit and recklessness of young adulthood; the third is city life, an ejection from youth into adulthood, and the endlessness that stretches out before you in the smoky urban expanses."
On the debut record, Charlie Burg says, "The album is a reflection on spaces – namely houses – and the ways that we are shaped by our physical surroundings. "Infinitely Tall" is a phrase from the final track of the album which was born out of a jam session with my friend Rebecca in my hometown years ago. As I reflected on the concept of the album that phrase accurately encapsulated the feeling I had when thinking about home. We might change. Home might change. But some things never die."
Today's release follows the previously released "Chicago (Take It or Leave It)," a track that is carried by a smooth electric guitar and sweet, soulful vocals and feels like running into an old friend. Its accompanying video, directed by Jabari Canada and edited by Wesley Sanchez, shows Burg playing a lonely pizza shop employee and after making the pie, hand-delivers the box to an anonymous doorstep to reveal the physical record sitting inside the box to conclude the video.
Previous releases have caught the attention of countless major tastemakers, including Matt Wilksinson of Beats 1, who premiered "Channel Orange In Your Living Room," says the single is Burg's "most self-assured track yet." Burg has also been included on Spotify heavy-hitter playlists like Lorem, Pollen and Fresh Finds, among others. Over the span of his recent releases, Burg has received a slew of support from Wonderland, NME, DORK, Ones to Watch and many more. Already a touring veteran at age 25, Burg has hit the road with the likes of Ashe, Jeremy Zucker, and Moonchild, with an ever-growing list of accomplishments showing no signs of slowing down. Plus, April and May 2022 saw sold out shows for Burg from LA's Troubadour to New York's Bowery Ballroom, complete with a crowd surf to "Dancing Through the Mental Breakdown" here.
Most recently, Burg played to a lively, packed crowd at NYC's Bella Ciao–a pizzeria in Manhattan's Little Italy–a perfect complement to the pizza-themed recent release. With support from rising pop singer Mia Gladstone, the surprise show's proceeds went to Keep Our Clinics, a fundraising campaign for independent abortion clinics across the U.S.
"Ooh! Sumthin' New," out everywhere now, allows Charlie Burg to expand the boundaries of traditional genres and song structure where he craves a change of pace–literally and figuratively–as the track transforms several times. He rejects the fabricated world that social media creates in search meaningful, real connections. Layered, cinematic and his most realized work yet, the forthcoming Infinitely Tall is the vehicle through which Burg redefines what home might look like as he makes his way through his twenties, away from the homes he once knew, and building new ones. The expansive 15 track, three chapter album is available for pre-order now and due out August 19 via FADER Label.
Don't miss Charlie Burg live on tour across the EU, UK and North America this fall. Tickets are on sale now at charlieburg.world/tix. Plus, to celebrate the new single, limited edition t-shirts in collaboration with Everpress are on sale now here. Connect with Charlie on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube to keep up with the rising musician.
Listen: "Chicago (Take It Or Leave It)"
Watch: "Chicago (Take It Or Leave It)" (Official Video)
Listen: "Break The Rhythm"
Watch: "Break The Rhythm" (Lyric Video)
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