DIRTY SIDE DOWN

TO BE RELEASED BY ATO RECORDS ON MAY 25TH

New York, NY – Dirty Side Down, the 11th studio album from Widespread Panic is set for a May 25th release on ATO Records. Dirty Side Down is comprised of 12 songs that incorporate Panic’s unique blend of rock, jazz and blues inspired textures into songs flowing with melody, rhythm and emotion.

After 24 years, Widespread Panic remain one of America’s best live bands, and most successful touring acts. Aside from their legendary live shows, they continue to raise the bar in their genre through their songwriting, and Dirty Side Down is a prime example. Band members John Bell (vocals/guitar), John Herman (keyboards/vocals), Jimmy Herring (lead guitar), Todd Nance
(drums/vocals), Domingo Ortiz (percussion) and Dave Schools (bass/vocals)
combine their efforts by writing, or co-writing, 10 of the album’s 12 tracks.
Songs, such as the dark, multi-layered opener “Saint Ex”, the boogie blues of
“Jaded Tourist” or the laid back Southern nature of “When You Comin” home
showcase Widespread Panic’s dynamic range as songwriters and musicians.

One of the highlights of Dirty Side Down is the hauntingly beautiful cover of “This
Cruel Thing” written by the late Vic Chesnutt, whose songs the band has
recorded and performed for years. Widespread Panic has previously
collaborated with Chesnutt on two albums under the name Brute. “I guess
Widespread Panic and Vic aren’t quite done with each other yet.”, says Panic
lead singer John Bell.

Dirty Side Down was produced John Keane along with Widespread Panic. Keane
also engineered, mixed and mastered the album, as well as contributed pedal
steel and acoustic guitar.

Both The Whigs “In the Dark,” and the Drive-By Truckers “The Big To-Do” albums are being released on March 16th and they are now available for Pre-order!

All pre-orders of “In the Dark” and “The Big To-Do” will receive an immediate Premium DRM-free 320kbps MP3, FLAC, or Apple Lossless download “Kill Me Carolyne” and “In the Dark” or “Birthday Boy” and “Working This Job.” The entire full digital album will be delivered to you on March 16th. All physical goods will be shipped to deliver to you by March 16th.

Add an exclusive t-shirt to any pre-order for $15. ONLY AVAILABLE to those who pre-order. Check out reviews here:

The Whigs “In the Dark”
Drive-By Truckers “The Big To-Do”

Vanity Fair reviews The Whig’s new album, “In The Dark”…the verdict, buy it! Check out exactly what they had to say about it.

Buy It, Steal It, Skip It: Music Releases for the Week of March 1

The Whigs In the Dark (ATO)
Whatever happened to all the death and sex and ear-splitting guitars in rock music? In contrast to wimpy indie-rock singers channeling their inner M.F.A. student while asleep at the wheel of their Fenders, The Whigs, out of Athens, Georgia, sound like a whiskey-soaked bolt of electricity coming through your speakers. For a trio, The Whigs are loud, like turn-down-the-volume-on-my-iPod loud, part of which should be credited to their beastly drummer, Julian Dorio, whose drum skins take a more persistent beating than the Detroit Lions. The Whigs have all the elements of a boozy rock band—a scratchy-throated lead singer, no-fuss chord progressions, the constant stammer of crash cymbals—but it’s hard to deny their pop sensibilities, which is what makes them instantly likeable: My ears hurt, but, wow is this catchy. On In the Dark, the third release from the band, there is enough unabashed pop laced with sweaty southern thrashing to whet any rock and roll fan’s appetite.
Verdict: Buy it