it’s not us With Autographed CD Insert

The music of Umphreys McGee unfolds like an unpredictable conversation between longtime friends. Its six participantsBrendan Bayliss [guitar, vocals], Jake Cinninger [guitar, vocals], Joel Cummins [keyboards, piano, vocals], Andy Farag [percussion], Kris Myers [drums, vocals], and Ryan Stasik [bass]know just how to communicate with each other on stage and in the studio. A call of progressive guitar wizardry might elicit a response of soft acoustic balladry, or a funk groove could be answered by explosive percussion. At any moment, heavy guitars can give way to heavier blues as the boys uncover the elusive nexus between jaw-dropping instrumental virtuosity and airtight songcraft.

The conversation continues on their eleventh full-length album, its not us. Umphreys McGee entered I.V. Labs Studio in Chicago in November of 2016 to record what would become the bands eleventh full-length studio album. The result was the most vibrant, mature expression of the bands growing studio prowess to date. We decided to go in for a week, live, eat, and breathe Umphreys McGee, recalls Joel, were known as a strong live band, but we take so much pride in our writing. [In this album] the focus is on that writing.

The first single The Silent Type is powered by a bombastic beat, funkified rhythms, fiery fretwork, and a chantable refrain, introducing its not us with a bright and brilliant bang. Half Delayed builds from airy guitar into an iridescent refrain, meanwhile, the bass strut anthemic beat production and percussive wallop of Looks could be the love child of Nine Inch Nails and Talking Heads. The metallic shredfest outro of Remind Me bleeds effortlessly into the gorgeous acoustic love song You & You Alone.

its not us is Umphreys McGee at its peak prowess, creating music with both precision and emotional content 20 years into a career. Were not going anywhere, says Brendan Bayliss. Were starting to find our identity. I think if you give it a chance, youll be pleasantly surprised.