Song is from forthcoming sophomore album
Grammy-nominated duo Black Pumas push their distinctive artistry to soaring new heights on their new single, “More Than A Love Song.” The song is the first track to be unveiled from the Austin duo’s highly anticipated sophomore effort, Chronicles of a Diamond, set for release on October 27th on ATO Records.
Earning an impressive career total of seven Grammy Award nominations, including Album Of The Year, singer/songwriter/producer Eric Burton and guitarist/producer Adrian Quesada once again harness their lighting-in-a-bottle chemistry on “More Than a Love Song.” Effortlessly displaying their heightened creative freedom, Black Pumas build potent momentum on their new single with brisk beats, effervescent strings, and brightly buzzing guitar riffs. As it builds, “More Than A Love Song” erupts into pure unbridled exultation, powered by radiant gospel harmonies and a spellbinding bit of spoken word from Burton. The track opens the electrifying new album and was the first piece recorded for Chronicles of a Diamond.
Co-written by Burton and Quesada, “More Than A Love Song,” was produced by Quesada and co-produced by Burton, with additional production by Grammy-winning John Congleton. Explaining the lyrical content, Burton comments, “’More Than a Love Song’ is a message I borrowed from my Uncle Steve. As a songwriter and caregiver, he’d listen to me write songs from afar and if I were lucky he’d have a pointer or two for me. ‘Life is more than a love song.’”
Shot on location in Los Angeles, the music video was directed by Juliana and Nicola Giraffe. The clip elicits feelings of joy, hope, and community – themes also evident in the song — zooming in closely on the beauty and abundance that surrounds us in our everyday life. As the video progresses, we see Black Pumas performing, intercut with a series of stylized photographic vignettes that present each character’s role in the larger portrait of the community, culminating in a jubilant celebration.
Chronicles of a Diamond brings the band’s singular vision to life with more power, passion, and daring originality than ever before. Produced by Quesada and primarily mixed by six-time Grammy Award winner Shawn Everett (Alabama Shakes, The War on Drugs), the ten-song LP finds Burton taking the role of co-producer and infusing his free-spirited musicality into every track.
One of the most electrifying new acts to emerge in recent years, Black Pumas has made a major cultural impact, selling one million albums worldwide. Their smash single “Colors,” is a gold-certified anthem, and was nominated for Record of the Year, amassing over 450 million streams and hitting No. 1 at AAA radio. Burton and Quesada first discovered their once-in-a-lifetime chemistry back in 2017, after Quesada began searching for a potential collaborator and connected with Burton through a mutual friend. Thanks to the potent collision of their distinct sensibilities—Burton is a self-taught musician who got his start busking in his native Los Angeles, Quesada is a Grammy winner whose background includes playing in Latin-funk orchestra Grupo Fantasma—Black Pumas were on their way. Their meteoric rise saw them playing exhilarating live shows and sold-out multiple tours across North and South America and Europe, as well as performances at the Grammy Awards and President Biden’s inauguration, multiple television appearances and winning the Emerging Act of the Year from the Americana Music Association in 2020.
