Tank and the Bangas premiered their upcoming album Green Balloon on NPR’s First Listen, showcasing their ongoing growth and consistent breakthrough of music boundaries. The anticipated new album is out May 3 via Verve Forecast.
The five-piece band wowed NPR Music’s First Listen, who said, “There’s no record quite like Green Balloon, and no band quite like Tank and the Bangas.” The album will consist of 17 songs, featuring 75 minutes of about 30 creative contributors, recorded in almost ten different studios. “They make music without boundary on instruments ranging from sax, flute, cello, vocal scratches, keyboards, synths, real drums, fake drums, a djembe, and, of course, the poetry, philosophy, comedy and voice that is Tarriona ‘Tank’ Ball,” said NPR.
The five members of Tank and the Bangas make up of ‘Tank’ Ball (lead singer), Norman Spence (bass), Merell Burkett (keyboards), Joshua Johnson (drums) and Albert Allenback (alto saxophone, flute). With appearances at Coachella, Bonnaroo, Newport Folk Festival, a win for NPR’s Tiny Desk contest with their single “Quick,”,gaining a spot on Rolling Stone’s list of “10 Artists You Need to Know” who called them, “A secular church experience, with freewheeling improvisational chops and positive vibes”, and most recently, performing their single “Nice Things” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Tank and the Bangas are a band to look out for.
“It’s like colors or something,” said The Bangas. “Everything we’re influenced by we don’t have a problem putting on a record because we don’t feel like we’re stuck in one lane.” Ball added, “When we’re creating, we are creating. We never say: that sounded too blues-y, that sounded too country, that’s too hip-hop. It’s just that’s what this feels like, so let’s push that feeling to its completion, make it feel good.” The band is pushing the pedal on their creation abilities and will not stop anytime soon.
Tank and the Bangas will be at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on May 4, 2019 in support of the release. More performances will come after at Boston Calling, Firefly Music Festival, Fortress Festival, Rhythm N’ Blooms Music Festival and more.
Tickets can be found here. Listen to the album here. See below for complete track list & tour dates.
GREEN BALLOON TRACKLIST
- Colors Introduction
- Spaceships
- Dope Girl Magic
- Ants
- Hot Air Balloons (feat. Alex Isley)
- Forgetfulness
- Get Up Interlude (feat. Robert Glasper)
- Too High Prelude
- I Don’t Get High
- Happy Town (feat. Pell)
- Nice Things
- Smoke.Netflix.Chill.
- Floating Interlude
- Mr. Lion
- In London Interlude (feat. Robert Glasper)
- Lazy Daze (feat. Robert Glasper)
- Colors Change
