On Oct. 18, Sweet Crude will premiere its first single with Verve Records at Tipitina’s, following the release and success of their first full-length album, 2017’s Créatures. 

Part of Sweet Crude’s mission is to keep Louisiana French alive through art, so the band often uses its bilingualism to its benefit, famously code switching throughout many of the band’s songs. This process not only gives the band a distinctive sound but also helps the band accomplish its goal of cultural growth. The band’s new single, “Rougarou,” is no different, taking its name from the French werewolf legend, which spread in southern Louisiana from the confluence of French immigrants.

“We are not trying to ‘preserve’ Louisiana French,” says Sweet Crude’s website. “We are trying to continue it. We want to highlight a part of who we are and show that language itself can be a musical instrument.”

In speaking with OffBeat.com, the band says “We certainly enjoy burying Easter eggs in the lyrics, but really it comes down to what sounds the best in each instance. We switch languages mid-sentence not only because we love to celebrate multilingualism but because some things sound, say, snappier in French or perhaps more melodious in English. We see it as letting our culture try on new clothes, but we hope the music speaks for itself, no matter the language.”

Fitting for an October release, “Rougarou” goes into “a cinematic, trippy darkness that we were excited to explore,” says the band. “Our future catalog will not only delve into the dark recesses of our conscience but also explode out the other end like a rainbow rocket. We are doing everything at 200% these days.”

Givers will perform with Sweet Crude for the Oct. 18 show. Doors for the event open at 9 p.m., and the show starts at 10 p.m. Tickets are $18. For more information about the show and ticket prices, visit Tipitina’s website, here.