Rock 'n' roll lifer Lenny Kaye has done a great many things in his 79 years on this planet. Kaye is best-known as the longtime guitarist for the Patti Smith group, and that's enough right there. Kaye has played with Smith for more than 50 years, and his work with her has impacted many generations of punk and alt-rock.
Kaye also released his first solo single way back in 1966. In the '60s and '70s, he wrote for the earliest rock magazines, including Creem, Crawdaddy, and Rolling Stone. He compiled the classic 1972 compilation Nuggets, which immortalized and codified a certain form of proto-punk garage rock. He produced records for people like Suzanne Vega and Soul Asylum, and he co-wrote Waylon Jennings' memoir. He's got a resume! But Kaye has never released a solo album. That's about to change.
This summer, Lenny Kaye will release his solo debut Goin' Local. In a press release, Kaye says, "I feel like I’m a new artist. I think this album will surprise those who think they know me from what I’ve done previously." Patti Smith co-wrote the album track "Solstice," and the LP also includes contributions from Matthew Shipp, Railroad Earth's Tim Carbone, and the Jayhawks' John Jackson. Today, Kaye shares the title track. It's got a big, propulsive riff, and I like the way he playfully drawls out his vocals.
This spring, Lenny Kaye will head out on tour with fellow veterans Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore. Below, check out "Goin' Local," the LP's tracklist, and Kaye's tour dates.
TRACKLIST:
01 "Goin’ Local"
02 "This Love"
03 "If I Were You"
04 "Let’s Make A Memory"
05 "A Friend Like You"
06 "Be That As It May (May Day)"
07 "Solstice"
08 "World Book Night"
09 "Pennsylvania Girls"
10 "Poppy"
11 "The Things You Leave Behind"
12 "Yes I Will"
TOUR DATES:
4/25 - Easton, MD @ Avalon *
4/26 - Annapolis, MD @ Rams Head *
4/27 - Alexandria, VA @ The Birchmere *
4/29 - New York, NY @ City Winery *
4/30 - Ardmore, PA @ The Ardmore *
5/02 - Woodstock, NY @ Levon Helm Studios *
5/05 - Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse *
5/06 - Shirley, MA @ Bull Run *
5/08 - Portsmouth, NH @ 3S Artspace *
5/09 - Bellows Falls, VT @ Opera House *
6/26-27 - Carrboro, NC @ Dex Fest
* with Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore
Goin' Local is out 7/17 on Yep Roc.
