Fresh off their Culture Clash world tour, the Aristocrats rewrote their own rules for their third studio album, Tres Caballeros, which is slated for release in late June.
After two fairly raw trio albums, guitarist Guthrie Govan (Steven Wilson, Asia/GPS), bassist Bryan Beller (Joe Satriani, Dethklok) and drummer Marco Minnemann (Steven Wilson, Joe Satriani) set up camp at Sunset Sound studios in Hollywood, where Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones and Van Halen recorded landmark albums.
The result: Nine new compositions of greater sonic depth and breadth than ever before, with unique textures and lush layering, augmenting the band’s ability to improvise individually and as a group at the highest levels.
But not to worry—it’s all still tempered with a steadfast refusal to take themselves too seriously, and the Aristocrats are still having more fun than a fusion band has any right to have.
“We’ve learned a lot since we started this band—four years, three studio albums, two live DVDs and about a billion notes ago," says guitarist Guthrie Govan. "I think our latest offering reflects this in all kinds of ways.
“The decision to road-test our new material in front of a live audience before commencing the recording process; the choice to record in a studio that had some thoroughly inspiring rock and roll "mojo"; our sudden urge to become more bold and experimental with overdubs rather than feeling pressure to record exclusively in a strict “trio” format ... all of this has had some kind of positive effect on the way the new record came out. Plus, I think the material on this album is some of the most interesting stuff we’ve ever written for each other, so here’s hoping our noble listeners will like the finished product as much as we do!”
The Aristocrats also have announced summer tour dates, and you can check them out below. They'll be supported by fellow rock/fusion power trio the Travis Larson Band.
Details on each date can be found on the Aristocrats website calendar page.
The Aristocrats Tres Caballeros North America Tour, Summer 2015:
Mon 6-Jul Sacramento, CA Harlow's
Tues 7-Jul San Francisco, CA Slim's
Wed 8-Jul Santa Cruz, CA Don Quixote's
Fri 10-Jul Portland, OR Star Theater
Sat 11-Jul Seattle, WA Studio Seven
Sun 12-Jul Vancouver, BC, CANADA Rickshaw Theatre
Tues 14-Jul Boise, ID Reef
Wed 15-Jul Salt Lake City, UT Club X
Fri 17-Jul Denver, CO Quixote's True Blue
Sat 19-Jul Omaha, NE Slowdown
Mon 20-Jul Des Moines, IA The Gaslamp
Tues 21-Jul St. Paul, MN The Amsterdam Bar And Hall
Fri 24-Jul Chicago, IL Reggie's
Sat 25-Jul Indianapolis, IN Birdy's
Sun 26-Jul Cincinnati, OH The Mad Frog
Tues 28-Jul Cleveland, OH Beachland Ballroom
Wed 29-Jul Pittsburgh, PA Hard Rock Café
Thur 30-Jul Columbus, OH Skully's
Fri 31-Jul Detroit, MI Token Lounge
Sat 1-Aug Toronto, ON, CANADA Mod Club
Sun 2-Aug Ottawa, ON, CANADA The Rainbow Bistro
Tues 4-Aug Montreal, QC, CANADA TBD
Wed 5-Aug Woodstock, NY Bearsville Theater
Fri 7-Aug Boston, MA The Middle East
Sat 8-Aug New York City, NY Irving Plaza
Sun 9-Aug Philadelphia, PA North Star Bar
Mon 10-Aug Washington, DC Jammin' Java
Tues 11-Aug Raleigh, NC Pour House
Thur 13-Aug Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall
Fri 14-Aug Atlanta, GA TBD
Sat 15-Aug Nashville, TN The High Watt
Sun 16-Aug St. Louis, MO Old Rock House
Mon 17-Aug Kansas City, MO The Scene
Tues 18-Aug Tulsa, OK The Vanguard
Thur 20-Aug Houston, TX Fitzgerald's
Fri 21-Aug Austin, TX The Roost
Sat 22-Aug Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX The Sanctuary
Mon 24-Aug Albuquerque, NM Launchpad
Wed 26-Aug Phoenix, AZ Club Red
Thur 27-Aug Mexicali, MEXICO Teatro De Estado
Fri 28-Aug San Diego, CA TBD
Sat 29-Aug Corona/Big Bear, CA TBD
Sun 30-Aug Los Angeles, CA King King