Toronto duo Japandroids unveiled a big project Wednesday. The group is culminating their nearly 15 years as a band with a live album recorded in Toronto’s historic venue Massey Hall.
Aptly titled Massey F*cking Hall, Japandroids pull from their entire catalog on the 12-track live album. To preview the project’s lively sound, Japandroids shared the live rendition of the 2009 Post-Nothing track “Heart Sweats.”
In a statement alongside the live album’s announcement, Japandroids drummer David Prowse said “Heart Sweats” is one of their most energetic songs to perform: “We’ve always loved playing that one live. It’s just got a great sense of momentum and never fails to get me hyped. During that tour we were playing it second or third in the set. It consistently feels like the moment in the set where I just get that sense of ‘oh yeah we’re cooking now,’ and everything just locks in and we’re ripping through the rest of the set. All the nerves are gone and it’s the moment where we’re just locked in and totally in the zone.”
Prowse continued that playing Massey Hall was a big accomplishment for the band:
“We never thought we’d have the opportunity to play at Massey Hall. It’s the most legendary venue in Canada by far, but it didn’t seem like a natural spot for a band like us to play. It’s a 100+ year old seated theatre, which isn’t the usual type of spot you expect to see Japandroids. Honestly, when we got off the stage that night, I remember feeling a sense of relief and exhilaration, but the whole thing felt like a bit of a blur. It was a very emotional show for me. We were both pretty nervous getting up on that stage.
I really, really miss live shows. I miss playing them and I miss being in the crowd. When you love music, there are few things more uplifting and cathartic than being in a room full of people at a live show. To not have that opportunity to experience live music together with a group of people has been hard to adjust to. It’s disorienting and it makes me sad to think about it. I hope that maybe in some small way people who are feeling similarly can find some solace in this record. They can hear the crowd and listen to us having the time of our lives at a historic venue and maybe that makes life a little easier for a minute, and reminds them that those moments will happen again down the road.”
Listen to “Heart Sweats” above and find the Massey F*cking Hall cover art and tracklist below.
1. “Near To The Wild Heart Of Life”
2. “Fire’s Highway”
3. “Heart Sweats”
4. “Arc Of Bar”
5. “Younger Us”
6. “North East South West”
7. “The Nights of Wine And Roses”
8. “No Known Drink Or Drug’
9. “Continuous Thunder”
10. “Young Hearts Spark Fire”
11. “Sovereignty”
12. “The House That Heaven Built”
Massey F*cking Hall is out 6/19 via Anti. Pre-order it here.
