Album Premiere: Middle Class Rut, 'Pick Up Your Head'

June 18, 2013

AP and Spotify have partnered today to bring you the first listen to Pick Up Your Head, the latest album by AP Recommended artist Middle Class Rut.

Vocalist/guitarist Zack Lopez says that his childhood played an integral part in the formation of the album.

“My Dad is a Mexican immigrant from Mozambique. I grew up having to wrap his legs in seaweed bulb strands because his blood flow had diminished due to diabetes. The walks from the beach to his bedside felt like miles, and he'd scream, “Recoge Tu Cabeza!” over and over. I never knew how to speak spanish.

“In between the last tour we did as part of the No Name No Color campaign and the first studio sessions we had going into LP2, my Aunt Betty mailed me a box of Hi8 video tapes. Most of them were snuff reenactment scenes from the Nic Cage movie 8MM. Everything else was clips from my childhood. That began the inspiration behind the concept that would become Pick Up Your Head.”

Stream the album below, and if you like what you hear, you can preorder now via iTunes.

Pick Up Your Head is out June 25 through Bright Antenna Records.

Catch the duo live on tour this summer and fall!
(tickets and more information)
June 25 – Chicago, IL @ Subterranean
June 26 – Louisville, KY @ Diamond Pub & Billiards
June 27 – St. Louis, MO @ Vintage Vinyl
June 28 – Sauget, IL @ Pop’s
June 29 – Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club
June 30 – Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest
July 02 – Lansing, MI @ The Loft
July 06 – Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore Detroit (89X Birthday Bash)
July 08 – Richmond, VA @ The Canal Club
July 09 – Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern
July 10 – Nashville, TN@ The End
August 09 – Scranton, PA @ Toyota Pavilion*
August 10 – Hartford, CT @ The Comcast Theatre*
August 11 – Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake Performing Arts Center*
August 13 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center* 
August 14 – Mansfield, MA @ Comcast Center*
August 16 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live*
August 17 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center*
August 18 – Wantagh, NY @ Nikon At Jones Beach Theater*
August 20 – Toronto, ON @ Molson Canadian Amphitheatre*
August 22 – Tinley Park, IL @ First Midwest Bank Pavilion*
August 23 – Noblesville, IN @ Klipsch Music Center*
August 24 – Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Centre* 
August 27 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Zoo Amphitheater*
August 28 – Dallas, TX @ Gexa Energy Pavilion*
August 29 – Woodlands, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion*
August 31 – Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheater*
September 01 – Englewood, CO @ Fiddler’s Green Amphitheater*
September 02 – Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheatre*
September 08 – Ridgefield, WA @ Sleep County Amphitheatre*
September 11 – Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre*
September 13 – Phoenix, AZ @ Desert Sky Pavilion*
September 14 – Chula Vista, CA @ Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre*
September 15 – Irvine, CA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre*