“Future indie classics that reek of modern New York City Charm”
– DIY Magazine
“captures honest-to-god truths in a new light”
– The Line of Best Fit
“a nostalgia-tinged hit, filled with jangly guitars and contagious melodies”
– Wonderland
Following a string of blissful singles, New York’s very own JW Francis finally releases his sophomore album ‘WANDERKID’. The LP is the follow up to his critically acclaimed debut ‘We Share A Similar Joy’, which saw JW firmly mark himself out as New York’s next lo-fi legend gaining mass support from BBC 6Music, Apple Music, Spotify, DIY, The Line of Best Fit, The Independent, HMV, Wonderland, and many others.
After recently completing his trek across the Appalachian Trail, JW is about to hop across the Atlantic and embark on his very own UK headline tour to celebrate the new release. JW will headline venues such as London’s Moth Club, Glasgow’s Hug & Pint, Leeds’ Hyde Park club as well as an In-Store at Rough Trade East on Thursday 11th November.
A collection of 11 irresistible tracks, WANDERKID is a concept album which explores themes of escapism and the urge to break free as JW elaborates;
“WANDERKID is an album about escape. It’s supposed to be a gut punch of a record about an anti-hero named WANDERKID who wants to get OUT: out of his living situation, out of his head, out of his life. This album is like looking out the car window with an urgent desire to be on the other side. It was finished during the most recent global pandemic, so hopefully folks find it relatable.”
Also revealed today is the equally exciting video for the title track, which perfectly sums up the themes of the album visually, finding JW bouncing through locations all over the world. The title track is WANDERKID’S epicentre and was originally written as a motivational theme song for the album’s protagonist;
“I wanted the title track of this album to sound almost like a Power Rangers theme song. Something I could punch the air to and say ‘yeah!’ It’s meant to be a pump-up song written to WANDERKID. Being like ‘you got this!’ but also… I AM WANDERKID, so naturally it’s a bit self-deprecating.”
Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, JW landed in New York City at 19 to study Economics at Columbia University, but not before making stops, stays and stints in Chelsea, Vermont, aged 12 and Paris, France, aged 13. Whilst at Columbia, the troubadour started music blog Rare Candy and founded student-run recording studio CU Records. Musically, JW takes his lead from the greats of the Downtown scene – Patti Smith, The Velvet Underground, Television, Talking Heads, The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs- and is fast emerging at the forefront of the next generation of New York greats.
Download/Stream and Order Vinyl/CD HERE
