Rui Gabriel of the band Lawn has announced his debut solo album, Compassion, which will be out June 21 via Carpark. He co-produced the album with Nicholas Corson. It’s a little different than the post-punk he made in Lawn. “I wanted to do a solo record to prove to myself that I could sing,” says Gabriel, adding, “Compassion is a record about change. It’s a coming-of-age record but for somebody who’s coming of age into their thirties.”
The album includes his recent single “Target” and the new single is “Summertime Tiger,” a sunny, jangly earworm which features Stef Chura. “‘Summertime Tiger’ is sung from the point of view of someone who is not qualified at all to advise on healthy living, but does it anyway,” says Gabriel. “The song title is taken from the concept of a ‘regional tiger,’ which is a period of intense growth that countries like South Korea and Ireland experienced at the turn of the 20th Century. Summer is the slowest time of the year for New Orleans and tons of service industry employees tend to both earn less money and work fewer hours, so the idea was that a ‘summertime tiger’ was the patronizing urge to encourage someone to work on themselves during a time when they’re practically unemployed.”
Watch the “Summertime Tiger” video, directed by Jimmy Whispers and Zack Shorrosh, below.
Rui will be on tour this summer, including a Brooklyn show at The Broadway on June 27 with Kolb and Foyer Red. All dates are listed below.
COMPASSION
1. Dreamy Boys
2. Target
3. Church of Nashville
4. Hunting Knife
5. Summertime Tiger
6. If You Want It
7. Change Your Mind
8. Eyes Only
9. End Of My Rope
10. Money
RUI GABRIEL – 2024 TOUR DATES
Thu. June 20 – Nashville, TN @ DRKMTTR
Fri. June 21 – Bloomington, IN @ Blockhouse ^
Sat. June 22 – Chicago, IL @ Gman Tavern ^
Tue. June 25 – Detroit, MI @ PJs Lager House
Thu. June 27 – Brooklyn, NY @ The Broadway
Fri. June 28 – Philadelphia, PA @ Tin Can
Sat. June 29 – Washington, DC @ Cool Ranch
Mon. July 1 – Asheville, NC @ Static Age
Tue. July 2 – Athens, GA @ Flickers *
Wed. July 3 – Atlanta, GA @ 529 *
Sun. July 6 – New Orleans, LA @ Saturn Bar
^ w/ Wishy
* w/ O Key