Bruce Hornsby Announces New Album ‘’Flicted’ & Shares Single Featuring Ezra Koenig & Blake Mills

Bruce Hornsby will release a new album entitled, ‘Flicted, on May 27 via his Zappo Records imprint. The acclaimed keyboardist unveiled “Sidelines,” the album’s lead single and opening track featuring Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig and singer-songwriter Blake Mills.

Once again, Hornsby built upon film “cues” he prepped for director Spike Lee on the 12-track album to finish a trilogy that started with 2019’s Absolute Zero and continued with 2020’s Non-Secure Connection. Recorded last summer, Bruce co-produced ‘Flicted with Tony Berg. Ariel Rechtshaid and Wayne Pooley provided additional production work.

“On ‘Flicted, Hornsby’s goal was to make a more upbeat record overall, speaking on COVID-19 using the world of science as a recurring influence,” noted press materials. “The album title ‘Flicted relates to this strange time in which we live, when the world is basically, well, ‘flicted,” explained Bruce.

Both Absolute Zero and Non-Secure Connection featured collaborations with a number of musicians and the trend continues on ‘Flicted. HAIM’s Danielle Haim, yMusic’s Rob Moose, Koening, Mills, Z. Berg and Ethan Gruska each contributed to the upcoming LP. Additionally, Bruce Hornsby included a cover on one of his albums for the first time, as ‘Flicted features Hornsby’s take on the Chuck Berry classic “Too Much Monkey Business.”

Blake Mills co-wrote “Sidelines” with Bruce Hornsby and plays guitar on the song and other ‘Flicted tracks. “Sidelines’ is a song about hysteria in various forms, starting with the Salem witch trials of the 1600s then to the present-day pandemic-era panic,” Hornsby told Stereogum. “It features angular melodic content vocally and a pointillistic middle instrumental section.”

Watch the “Sidelines” video directed by Kitty Ninon Anais Faingold below:

‘Flicted Tracklist

1. Sidelines (with Ezra Koenig and featuring Blake Mills)
2. Tag
3. The Hound
4. Too Much Monkey Business
5. Maybe Now
6. Bucket List
7. Days Ahead (featuring Danielle Haim)
8. Lidar
9. Is This It
10. Had Enough
11. Simple Prayer II (featuring Z. Berg, Ethan Gruska and Rob Moose)
12. Point Omega