Acclaimed singer-songwriter-pianist Neal Francis shares the hypnotically potent new single, “Broken Glass,” from his just released third studio album, Return To Zero.
“Broken Glass” was sparked from a session featuring Francis on bass and Queens of the Stone Age bassist Michael Shuman on drums, with the two soon conjuring the riff that propels the track forward. With its viscerally charged depiction of lust and self-denial, the darkly majestic epic reaches a stratospheric crescendo at the bridge, when pounding drums meet with Say She She’s near-operatic harmonies. The result is a hugely danceable ode to physical and emotional bonds. A playfully carnal and campy official music video in which Francis gets tormented and tortured by a temptress before an explosive finale is streaming on YouTube now.
“This tune was born from a jam session with Michael Shuman from Queens of the Stone Age,” says Francis. “He was on drums and I was on bass. It was the first time we met, and not only did we have fun, but left with a complete song. The lyrics were free-form material I had written down about sub/dom relationships in the bedroom.”
Francis’ first full-length studio effort in more than three years and most extravagantly realized work so far, Return To Zero sees the Chicago-based singer-songwriter-pianist creating a beautifully strange entangling of timeless rock ’n’ roll and ’70s-era dance music. Merging supremely heavy guitar riffs with lush and pulsating grooves, Francis constructed the album sans digital programming in keeping with his long-standing devotion to all things analog.
Neal Francis will celebrate Return To Zero with an epic international tour schedule that will see him traversing the globe through 2025 and beyond, with full details to be announced soon. The first leg of North American headline dates begins March 20th in Cleveland, OH, and continues through mid-April. For complete details and ticket information, please visit www.nealfrancis.com/tour.
