Will Butler has shared his first solo tracks since his departure from Arcade Fire, as well as a host of US tour dates.
You can take a listen to the two songs below, the slow-burning ‘A Stranger’s House’ and the intense, dramatic ‘Nearer To Thee’. ‘A Stranger’s House’ also comes with an intense and gothic video starring Butler himself.
The two songs are released today via Merge Records, and will be supported with a run of North American tour dates in August with his five piece band. You can find tickets here, and full dates below.
Will Butler will play:
AUGUST
11 – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair
12 – Montreal, QC – Theatre Fairmount
13 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
14 – Pittsburgh, PA – Club Cafe
19 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Made
20 – Washington, DC – DC9
21 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
After Arcade Fire returned in March with news of their sixth album ‘WE’, and a video for its first single ‘The Lightning I, II’, Butler confirmed on social media that he had left the band.
In a series of tweets posted on March 19, Will revealed that he had left the band at the end of last year, saying that it was “time for new things” and that the band remain his “friends and family”.
“Hi friends— I’ve left Arcade Fire,” he wrote. “I left at the end of last year, after the new record was complete. There was no acute reason beyond that I’ve changed—and the band has changed—over the last almost 20 years. Time for new things.”
He added: “Thank you to anyone who’s come out to AF shows, or bought a record, or loves our music. It’s meaningful to be part of your lives. Thank you to the crew, staff, management, label people, bands, artists, and friends who have helped bring our vision to life for so many years. The band are still my friends and family. I’ll be around! See you around!”