Dispatch is back with newly recorded material after a 12-year album-making hiatus, and they have a pair of fresh tunes to show for it.
The band dropped decidedly gushy “Josephine” today, on the heels of releasing roots-rock-rap “Not Messin'” last week. Both are distinctly different flavors from the Boston-bred trio, which last released full-length “Who Are We Waiting For?” in 2000. They broke up in 2004 only to reconcile in 2009 for an impressive number of one-offs…
Dispatch, when they first split, had a farewell show that drew more than 100,000 fans at the Hatch Shell in Boston. Fast forward a few years, and they sold out three shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden in 2010. This weekend was another big moment for the group, as they performed at Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tenn.; they were part of Dave Matthews Band’s Caravan series last year; and they’ll hit up Outside Lands in San Francisco this fall.
For listeners who have never heard of Dispatch, their massive draw comes from a very loyal and vocal community tied closely to jam festivals and road warriors of their type. They also happen to mix in a lot of pop with their brand of crunchy.
All that, and they remain independent. “Circles Around the Sun” will undoubtedly sell extremely well, if you consider their concert draw, and the money they don’t donate (one of their more famous tendencies), they’ll be able to pocket, as the album hits shelves again through their own record label, Bomber Records. Love ’em or ignore them, Dispatch is playing the indie game right.
“Circles Around the Sun” arrives on Aug. 21. Check out videos of their Bonnaroo performance here.