Devin Townsend has just released uplifting new single ‘Gratitude’, together with a video that follows Devin exploring Canada’s beautiful woodland, ahead of his latest studio album, PowerNerd, due 25th October via InsideOutMusic.
“’Gratitude’ is a simple song in the vein of ‘Life’ or ‘Stagnant’ (from Ocean Machine and Terria, respectively) that acts as a simple way to continue the theme of PowerNerd,” explained Townsend.
During the making of this album, there were a lot of hurdles that we went through as a family, and the tendency to look at ones lot in life from the vantage point of being a victim seems to be an easy hole to fall into. I wrote this song during a very difficult time, yet the idea of gratitude is not meant to be ironic in any way. I’m grateful for the lessons, I’m grateful for the swings and roundabouts of life, I’m here for it.
“Retaining equilibrium during challenging times is a job in and of itself, and in a sea of nihilistic thoughts, having ones creative output as a tangible expression of gratitude is in many ways the whole point for me at this stage. In any event: I feel like I’m dumb as a rock, and life is so incredible and absurd, that I just feel the urge to say ‘Thank you’ for all of it. If the quality of people who surround me and this work is of any indication, we’re pointed in the right direction. Thanks.”
Available digitally, you can check out the video here at RAMzine.
Devin Townsend’s career is one of many distinct eras. He’s been the leader of Strapping Young Lad, the lynchpin of the Devin Townsend Project and the co-architect of country duo Casualties Of Cool, all while maintaining his prolific and lauded solo project. Now, the polymath’s newest era starts with the aforementioned PowerNerd.
“It was a conscious thing,” Townsend said of his brand-new album, the music on which he wrote in just 11 days. “I thought, ‘I’ve spent so much time overthinking every aspect of my work – what would happen if I didn’t?’ Maybe I would have the opportunity to be a bit more direct with what it is that I’m trying to do. I really wanted to see if I could cut through some of the meandering.”
A song that embodies that, is the album’s title track – that features a guest spot from Jamey Jasta – and you can watch the video for it here at RAMzine, and stream the track and order the album here.
Aggression isn’t the only thing to come from PowerNerd’s 11 episodic tracks. ‘Dreams Of Light’, by comparison, is an evocative and dynamic four-minute ballad. ‘Younger Lover’ calms down from an explosive opening to lush verses of synths and singing, whereas ‘Falling Apart’ and ‘Jainism’ add texture after texture on top of dulcet, acoustic introductions.
Where PowerNerd’s music was written in less than a fortnight, its lyrics were refined over a far longer period of time into a narrative about strength and healing. On ‘Falling Apart’, Townsend commands himself to “keep the tension under control”. Subsequent song ‘Gratitude’ declares “You’ve got to believe that things will only get better.” These uplifting messages even play into the record’s title, as he explained: “I would say that a powernerd would be somebody that has a tendency that society has deemed weak or not valuable, whether that’s empathy or being an insular person or an introvert, and turns that into a type of personal power. It’s like, ‘OK, yeah, I’m sensitive to this, that and the other thing, but man, I am going to pull through! I am going to do things with that sensitivity that are rooted in strength.’”
PowerNerd will be available on several different formats, including a limited 2CD+Blu-ray artbook (featuring the album, bonus tracks and Townsend’s first ever Dolby Atmos mix), limited 2CD Digipak in O-card, standard CD, gatefold LP & digital album. Album artwork was created by longtime collaborator Travis Smith.
The full tracklisting for the main album is as follows: ‘PowerNerd’, ‘Falling Apart’, ‘Knuckledragger’, ‘Gratitude’, ‘Dreams of Light’, ‘Ubelia’, ‘Jainism’, ‘Younger Lover’, ‘Glacier’, ‘Goodbye’ and ‘Ruby Quaker’.
As well as express strength through adversity, PowerNerd will open the door to Devin’s immediate future. Its positivity and succinctness will soon be contrasted by follow-up The Moth – self-described as “orchestral, over-the-top, dark and uncomfortable” – and the “alien weirdness” of finale Axolotl. Both efforts have already been written, and together the trilogy will express the mind-boggling range of this man’s musical talent.
Devin Townsend will be performing live acoustic dates in the UK with Myles Kennedy this November, dates listed below, with tickets available here.
DEVIN TOWNSEND ACOUSTIC TOUR DATES WITH MYLES KENNEDY
Nov 25: Glasgow SWG3
Nov 27: Manchester Academy
Nov 29: Nottingham Rock City
Nov 30: Birmingham, O2 Academy
Dec 02: Cardiff, Great Hall
Dec 03: London O2 Forum Kentish Town
