The Dead South Announce 4th Studio Album; Share New Video

“If time heals everything…” The Dead South introduce their fourth studio album with “Tiny Wooden Box,” a song that gets right into it with a big hypothetical. The first single and video from forthcoming Chains & Stakes, out February 9, 2024, shows the four-piece in top form in a rolling, roiling “State Trooper” style finger-picked nail-biter.

On “Tiny Wooden Box,” The Dead South confront the challenges of returning home from two angles: existential and actuarial. The true story starts with a phone call, an offer from an insurance agent too good to refuse. As the song contemplates the cost of life’s last one-way ticket, the mood spirals, growing more ominous and anxious. Propelled by the chugging acoustic guitar, “Tiny Wooden Box” picks up speed as it hurtles head on through uneasy thoughts; group “ooh ahs” boom like heavy thunder with bolts of off-kilter banjo. 

Shot on the Historic Graham Ranch deep in the Alberta Badlands, the video for “Tiny Wooden Box” sets the band in an awe-inspiring landscape, a visual antithesis of the song’s smaller – much smaller – setting. Directed by Edmonton-based Jeremy Chugg, “Tiny Wooden Box” sets the scene for Chains & Stakes with its mix of grandeur and graveyard, close calls and resolve. As night falls over ridge and river, The Dead South make a deal with the Reaper for another day.

Six Shooter Records will release Chains & Stakes worldwide on February 9, 2024.

CHAINS & STAKES TOUR DATES

2023

London, UK: Roundhouse, Oct 27

Manchester, UK: O2 Apollo, Oct 28

Newcastle, UK: O2 City Hall, Oct 29

Edinburgh, UK: Usher Hall, Oct 30

Belfast, UK: Ulster Hall, Nov 1 *SOLD OUT

Dublin, IE: Vicar Street, Nov 2 *SOLD OUT

Wolverhampton, UK: Civic Hall, Nov 4

Nottingham, UK: Rock City, Nov 5 *SOLD OUT

Cambridge, UK: Corn Exchange, Nov 7

Portsmouth, UK: Guildhall, Nov 8

Bristol, UK: Marble Factory, Nov 9 *SOLD OUT

Plymouth, UK: Plymouth Pavilions, Nov 10

2024

Cleveland, OH: TempleLive Masonic, Feb 12

Pittsburgh, PA: Stage AE, Feb 13

Silver Spring, MD: The Fillmore, Feb 14

Philadelphia, PA: Franklin Music Hall, Feb 16

Norfolk, VA: The NorVa, Feb 17

Charlotte, NC: The Fillmore, Feb 18

Atlanta, GA: The Eastern, Feb 19

Austin, TX: ACL Live at the Moody Theatre, Feb 21

Dallas, TX: The Factory, Feb 22

San Antonio, TX: Aztec Theatre, Feb 23

Houston, TX: House of Blues Houston, Feb 24

Memphis, TN: Minglewood Hall, Feb 26

Fayetteville, AR: JJ’s Live, Feb 27

Tulsa, OK: Cain’s Ballroom, Feb 28

Steamboat Springs, CO: Winter WonderGrass, Mar 1

Perth, AU: Metropolis Fremantle, Mar 20

Adelaide, AU: Hindley Street Music Hall, Mar 21

Melbourne, AU: Forum Melbourne, Mar 23

Melbourne, AU: Forum Melbourne, Mar 24

Brisbane, AU: Fortitude Music Hall, Mar 26

Tyagarah, AU: Byron Bay Bluesfest, Mar 29

Sydney, AU: Enmore Theatre, Apr 2

Sydney, AU: Enmore Theatre, Apr 3

Auckland, NZ: Powerstation, Apr 5

Wellington, NZ: San Fran, Apr 6

Wellington, NZ: San Fran, Apr 7

Hamburg, DE: Sporthalle, May 30

Berlin, DE: Zitadelle Spandau, June 1

Leipzig, DE: Clara-Zetkin Park, June 2

Prague, CZ: Žluté Lázně, June 4

Bratislava, SK: Stars Auditorium, June 5

Budapest, HU: Budapest Park, June 6

Cologne, DE: Palladium, June 11

Wiesbaden, DE: Schlachthof, June 12

Munich, DE: Zenith, June 13

Paris, FR: Salle Pleyel, June 18

 

 ABOUT THE DEAD SOUTH

The Dead South have never been about constant reinvention, but about full commitment to their own way. With confidence in their sound and style and trust in each other, The Dead South arrive at the cusp of explosive global success in an enviable, and well-earned, position: total autonomy. It doesn’t really matter what you call it – progressive bluegrass, alternative Americana, country, folk and western, what matters is that this is their music, and people from all different backgrounds, beliefs, experiences, languages and ages love it.

True blue right through, The Dead South don’t shy away from ruffling traditionalists’ feathers from time to time, as they flawlessly execute banjo rolls and lightning fast mandolin tremolos, 3-part harmonies and songs of classic themes -murder ballads, disloyalty, ghosts and the like, all with a wink and a smile. As they continue their climb to the top, The Dead South have learned an important lesson: If you’re going to be outsiders, you’d better be great.

The story of Chains & Stakes, The Dead South’s fourth studio album, is the story of a band that has grown more adventurous and assured with each release. To make their new collection, they met Sugar & Joy producer Jimmy Nutt at Panoram Studios in Mexico City, where the team convened to record 13 songs full of plot twists, family trees, grudges, insurance scams, bacon, burials, banjo riffs and more. Chains & Stakes is truly a “Dead South” collection in the balance of darkness and levity that has come to define their unmistakable sound.

Confirmed by the passion of their Dead South cosplaying fans, who go to concerts in the band’s signature look, this four-piece acoustic set from the middle of the Canadian prairies have found their people. Good Company, as they call themselves, is a global community of vastly dissimilar folks who might not see eye to eye, but who stand shoulder to shoulder at the gigs.