The Tubs Drop New Album ‘Hard Life,’ Unveil North American Tour & Single

The Tubs have announced new album, Hard Life , which will be out September 11 via Merge. It’s their first for the label and features contributions from longtime collaborators (and former bandmates) Lan McArdle (vocals), George Nicholls (guitar), and Rachel Kenedy (keyboards).

The first single is “Who’s Gonna Love You Now?,” another sparkling earworm about self-doubt that The Tubs are very good at. “This is a sort of Northern Soul, Royal Headache influenced pop number with organs,” says singer/guitarist Owen Williams. “The lyrics are from my scold persona – it’s a kind of anti-sexual freedom, pro-monogamy song. I sermonise that the other Owen will end up lonely and unhappy if he takes a grass is greener approach to life, moves to London and so on. I think the scold doesn’t live in London. Whereas I and the classic Tubs persona do.” Listen below.

The Tubs will be back in North America this fall and their tour is bookended with NYC-area shows: Tubby’s Kingston on October 15 and Le Poisson Rouge on November 11. Tickets for all dates go on sale Friday, June 26 at 10 AM local time. Check out their full tour schedule below.

Hard Life:

1. Hard Life

2. Who’s Gonna Love You Now?

3. If You Don’t Love Me

4. Stoop to Me

5. Heaven or London

6. Didn’t I Say?

7. Do Yourself a Favor

8. Now and Then

9. The Way It Goes

10. Hell

11. In Your Place

12. As Long as You Leave

The Tubs Tour Dates

Thu. Oct. 15 – Kingston, NY @ Tubby’s

Fri. Oct. 16 – Medford, MA @ Deep Cuts

Sat. Oct. 17 – Montreal, QC @ L’Esco

Sun. Oct. 18 – Toronto, ON @ The Garrison

Mon. Oct. 19 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop

Wed. Oct. 21 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle

Thu. Oct. 22 – Milwaukee, WI @ X-Ray Arcade

Fri. Oct. 23 – Minneapolis, MN @ Cloudland Theater

Mon. Oct. 26 – Seattle, WA @ Baba Yaga

Tue. Oct. 27 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios

Thu. Oct. 29 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop

Fri. Oct. 30 – Los Angeles, CA @ Zebulon

Sat. Oct. 31 – Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room

Sun. Nov. 1 – Phoenix, AZ @ Linger Longer Lounge

Tue. Nov. 3 – Austin, TX @ The 13th Floor

Wed. Nov. 4 – Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves

Fri. Nov. 6 – Atlanta, GA @ The EARL

Sun. Nov. 8 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle Back Room

Mon. Nov. 9 – Washington, DC @ Songbyrd

Tue. Nov. 10 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s

Wed. Nov. 11 – New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge

_Originally reported by [Brooklyn Vegan](https://www.brooklynvegan.com/the-tubs-announce-new-album-and-north-american-tour-share-whos-gonna-love-you-now/)._