On August 15, Bret McKenzie will return with Freak Out City, which is his forthcoming sophomore album worldwide from Sub Pop. The album is a fresh collection of songs the artist developed, while performing live across New Zealand and the United States with his eight-piece band The State Highway Wonders.

The influence of his musical heroes Harry Nilsson and Randy Newman resonates again on this record, where McKenzie playfully weaves humor and heart into his songs. Recorded in both Los Angeles and New Zealand, the album was co-produced by the singer and his long-time collaborator, Mickey Petralia. It was also mixed by Michael Harris at East West Studios and mastered by Ruairi O’Flaherty at Nomograph Mastering in Los Angeles.

Freak Out City features the singles “Shouldna Come Here Tonight,” the title track “Freak Out City” and today’s offering, “All I Need.” While talking about the ditty, McKenzie says: “This is a love song for my wife, Hannah. We’ve been together a long time. We always love each other, but let’s be honest, there are days we love each other more than other days. This song was from one of those days when we were especially in love.
It started on the piano with the chorus. From the very beginning, I could hear the horn stabs and the band sound in my head. I loved the chorus so much I started performing the song live before I’d finished the verses.”

The artist adds: “I remember around this time I watched the new Beatles documentary ‘Get Back’. George Harrison has a song idea, but doesn’t have the lyrics, and John Lennon’s advice is to just sing the word ‘pomegranate and the lyrics will come eventually.’ Hilarious. I loved this advice. So, for the entire tour, I sang ‘pomegranate’ where I had a gap in the verse. It became known as ‘All I Need (The Pomegranate Song.)”

Freak Out City Tracklist

1. Bethnal Green Blues
2. Freak Out City
3. The Only Dream I Know
4. All the Time
5. That’s the Way the World Goes ‘Round
6. All I Need
7. Eyes on the Sun
8. Too Young
9. Highs and Lows
10. Shouldna Come Here Tonight