Protomartyr have a new album coming, and instead of a standard rollout, they handed the microphone to Iggy Pop.
The Detroit post-punk band announced Hotel Usona, due September 25 on Domino, with a note from Pop that reads less like a press release and more like a rock elder blessing a strange new sermon. Pop called the band “very, very skilled musicians and creators” and, in peak Iggy mode, said the idea of a Protomartyr felt “kind of like Jesus.”
The album announcement also arrived with a video for the lead single “Sounds We Cannot Hear,” built around a hibachi-themed visual that gives the rollout some knowingly oddball flair. For fans who like their post-punk dramatic, dry and a little sideways, that tracks.
Hotel Usona was recorded with producer Dave Fridmann, whose name alone will perk up ears among listeners tuned into widescreen, textured rock records. Protomartyr’s current lineup remains singer Joe Casey, drummer Alex Leonard, bassist Scott Davidson and multi-instrumentalist Greg Ahee.
Pop did not keep the praise modest. He described the record as “Wagnerian” and compared its feel to Tristan and Isolde, while singling out Casey’s voice and the band’s ability to move through rhythm and harmony without sounding forced.
The new record runs nine tracks, including “The Old Hotel,” “Converts,” “The Knife Dream,” “Feed the Sewer” and “Checking Out.” Protomartyr are also set to support the release with fall dates across North America and Europe.
For a band that has built its following patiently, the endorsement lands like a very Detroit passing of the torch. Or, as Pop put it, “There’s a lot of content here.”
