Rayland Baxter's 'Wide Awake' Out Now On ATO Records: "Perfection...A Huge Leap [That] Dips Into The Rich Tradition Of Witty, Sonically Complex Pop" (NPR Music)

Rayland Baxter’s new LP ‘Wide Awake’ has arrived with a tremendous splash and is out today on ATO Records. The album that NPR Music has called “perfection…a huge leap [that] dips into the rich tradition of witty, sonically complex pop” has also had songs spotlighted by the New York Times and GQ, which named lead single “Casanova” one of their Songs of the Summer 2018. “Casanova” has also been the #1 most added song at Triple A and Americana radio.

Rayland’s had a busy release week, appearing everywhere from the Howard Stern Wrap-Up Show to live sessions with Paste, Relix, and WFUV. Rayland currently has more than 1 million monthly listeners on Spotify; he taped a Singles Session this week and performed a Fans First show in Brooklyn in May. Latest single “79 Shiny Revolvers” has been featured on many Spotify playlists as well, including New Music Friday and Fresh Folk, and also was placed on Apple Music’s Best of the Week playlist.

Watch the animated video for “79 Shiny Revolvers”  

Watch Rayland perform “Casanova” live at Paste Studios in NYC 

Tonight, Rayland hosts an album release show at Bowery Ballroom in NYC to kick off a massive national headlining tour throughout the summer and fall, which also includes back-to-back hometown shows at Nashville’s Basement East July 18-19. He will open several shows on Shakey Graves’ tour August, and will perform alongside Shakey at Red Rocks on August 30.  Full dates below.

‘Wide Awake’ is produced by Butch Walker (Weezer, Pink, Pete Yorn) and features Walker himself on bass, Cage the Elephant’s Nick Bockrath on guitar, Dr. Dog’s Eric Slick on drums, and piano wizard Aaron Embry (Elliott Smith, Brian Eno) on keys. Rayland’s father Bucky Baxter contributes pedal steel, as does original Nashville Cat Lloyd Green.

Listen to ‘Wide Awake’ on all platforms here: http://wideawake.raylandbaxter.com/

PRAISE FOR ‘WIDE AWAKE’

“Perfection…a huge leap [that] dips into the rich tradition of witty, sonically complex pop” – NPR Music

“Bound to be one of the year’s best rock records…modern, American rock music at its finest” – Relix

“His best yet…If you don't know Baxter, you're in for a treat" – Nashville Scene

“A Paul McCartney-style ballad with a plush, full-scale orchestral buildup” – New York Times (on 79 Shiny Revolvers)

"Finally, a song that can unite our very fractured nation!" – GQ (on Casanova)

"A crunchy, Beatles-y track" – Rolling Stone Country (on Casanova)

"Big, psych-jangle production and cynically humorous lyrics” – American Songwriter

WIDE AWAKE TOUR – LEG 1

13-Jul- New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom

14-Jul- Philadelphia, PA - World Café Live

15-Jul- Richmond, VA - Broadberry    

18-Jul- Nashville, TN - Basement East

19-Jul– Nashville, TN – Basement East

20-Jul- Birmingham, AL - Saturn

21-Jul- Atlanta, GA - Terminal West

24-Jul- Toronto, ON - Adelaide Hall

25-Jul- Cleveland, OH - Beachland Tavern

26-Jul- Detroit, MI - Otus Supply

27-Jul- Grand Rapids, MI - The Stache

28-Jul- Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall

29-Jul- Chicago, IL – Taste of Lincoln Avenue

1-Aug- Indianapolis, IN - Hifi

2-Aug- Davenport, IA - Triple Crown Whiskey Bar

3-Aug- St. Louis, MO - Delmar Hall

4-Aug- Lawrence, KS - Bottleneck

5-Aug- Omaha, NE – Slowdown

8-Aug- Boulder, CO – Outdoor Hill Stage

9-Aug- Denver, CO – Bluebird

10-Aug- Crested Butte, CO @ Public House

12-Aug- Ft. Collins, CO – Bohemiam Nights at New West Fest

SHAKEY GRAVES DATES

24-Aug- Salt Lake City, UT - Red Butte Garden w/ Shakey Graves

25-Aug- Missoula, MT - Big Sky Amphitheatre w/ Shakey Graves

26-Aug- Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory w/ Shakey Graves

27-Aug- Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory w/ Shakey Graves

28-Aug- Boise, ID - Knitting Factory w/ Shakey Graves

30-Aug- Morrison, CO - Red Rocks (performing w/ Shakey Graves)

WIDE AWAKE TOUR – LEG 2

1-Sep- Nashville, TN – Live on The Green

5-Sep- Vancouver, BC - Biltmore Cabaret

6-Sep- Bellingham, WA - Wild Buffalo

7-Sep- Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern

8-Sep- Eugene, OR – Hifi Music Hall

9-Sep- Portland, OR - Doug Fir

10-Sep- Bend, OR – Volcanic Theatre Pub

11-Sep- Arcata, CA @ Humboldt Brews

14-Sep- San Diego, CA - Belly Up

15-Sep- Los Angeles, CA - Moroccan Lounge

16-Sep- Templeton, CA - Whale Rock Festival

19-Sep- Sacramento, CA – Harlow’s Night Club

20-Sep- Crystal Bay, NV - Red Room at Crystal Bay

21-Sep- Santa Cruz, CA – Catalyst

22-Sep- San Francisco, CA – August Hall

23-Sep- Sonoma, CA - Harvest Music Festival

28-Sep- Roseland, VA - Devil's Backbone Hoopla

30-Sep- Asbury Park, NJ - Sea Hear Now Festival