Song appears on upcoming new album
Multi-Platinum, Grammy Award-winning rock band Portugal. The Man release new song, “Thunderdome [W.T.A]” featuring Black Thought & Natalia Lafourcade. The song is the third song released from the band’s long-awaited new album, Chris Black Changed My Life, produced by Jeff Bhasker (Beyonce, Harry Styles, Sza, Mark Ronson), due out June 23rd.
“While I was waiting to see if / when my jaw was ever going to heal, it felt like there was either way too much time to reflect, while there was not nearly enough time to do the things I wanted to do with my music, so I began to really sink into other people’s stories and their favorite playlists. Something that really had a huge impact was a playlist that Josue Foto made me, and a song that absolutely shined that I kept coming back to was Hasta la Raiz by Natalia Lafourcade. A haunting melody sung by a voice with so much power and expressiveness. Of course, Natalia is huge, but to me it was brand new. I listened to it non-stop,” the band shares.
They continue, “Flash forward a bit, and we’re down at sonic ranch with Jeff Bhasker, making the rounds, and hanging with Adanowsky. And he’s introducing us to everybody. So many people coming in and out of the room, as we’re working in studio A, and then he introduces me to Natalia. As the night goes on, we start pulling up tracks; who’s working on what, who’s collaborating with who, and then I hear Hasta la Raiz, and I put it together. Oh my god, you’re Natalia Lafourcade! This song changed my life!
“We asked, we begged to get Natalia on a track, and when it all came together, it was magic. She has a once in a generation voice, and every time i hear it, it still reminds me of how important it is to listen to your friends favorite music, and to surround yourself with people who have great taste, especially if they’re sharing stuff you’ve never heard. It just might change your life.”
The band made their triumphant return in early March with the infectious first single, “Dummy,” which has spent nine weeks in the top 10 at alternative radio. “Dummy” arrived with an official music video directed by Noel Paul and starred the band’s new, honorary member, Tank Dog. Created by Wes Hubbard (Wooden Cyclops) and John Gourley, Tank Dog is PTM’s newest sidekick.
Following the release of “Dummy,” the band shared “Champ,” the Jeff Bhasker produced song which incorporated a re-imagining of legendary Grammy Award-winning musician Edgar Winter’s 1971 hit, “Dying to Live.”
Chris Black Changed My Life is the band’s first full length album since the release of their Platinum-certified, 2017 album, Woodstock. The album’s opening song, “Heavy Games II” featuring Jeff Bhasker, teased the forthcoming album with a companion visual featuring and produced by Bhasker. The album is dedicated to the band’s late friend and honorary band member, Chris Black.
The band teamed up with collaborators Paul Williams (John Lennon, David Bowie, Mac Miller), Sean Leon, Asa Taccone, Black Thought, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Jeff Bhasker (Beyonce, Harry Styles, SZA, Mark Ronson) and Natalia Lafourcade on the highly anticipated album.
The Portland-based rockers will follow the release of the album with very few headline shows for 2023. Featuring a career spanning set, each show will take place at an iconic venue this summer, including Portland’s Edgefield, Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre, New York City’s Radio City Music Hall and Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl.
