The Dodos have announced their new album Grizzly Peak, and released two songs alongside the announcement, “Annie” and “The Surface.” The new album will be their eighth studio album, due November 12 via Polyvinyl. 

According to BrooklynVegan, the album was written as guitarist/vocalist Meric Long began experiencing the early stages of arthritis in his fingers, threatening his ability to play guitar. Long envisioned the album as a thank you to longtime fans as he had to contemplate the implications of losing the ability to play guitar. Long said, “We had a lot of production goals when we set out to make Grizzly Peak, and the song ‘Annie’ touches on all of them. It’s a song about regret and accountability, as the first song it felt appropriate in disclosing what the intentions of the record are: rediscovering the initial premise for this band, while saying ‘thank you’ to our fans and those we’ve worked with along the way.” The songs come to life with rhythmic instrumentations like guitars, cinematic drums, and light strings. The vocals also sound light and reminiscent of the past, especially with the high tone of his voice. 

The Dodos announced a West Coast tour in support of the album for late 2021, and will play other US cities in early 2022. Their last album, Certainty Waves, was released in 2018. 

Photo credit: Sharon Alagna