Artist: The Revivalists
Album: Pour It Out Into The Night
Single: The Long Con
Eight-piece rock band, The Revivalists, have released their latest single, “The Long Con”, from their upcoming album, Pour It Out Into The Night. The single is currently available for streaming anywhere you get your music, and the album will be released June 2nd, 2023.
The Revivalists consist of David Shaw on lead vocals and guitar, Zack Feinberg on guitar, Andrew Campanelli on drums, George Gekas on bass, Ed Williams on pedal steel guitar, Rob Ingraham on saxophone, Michael Girardot on keyboard and trumpet, and PJ Howard on drums and percussion.
The band’s philanthropic umbrella fund, Rev Causes, “is a fund that supports the essential work of organizations dedicated to reviving and investing in our communities, our health, and our environment. By donating a portion of our ticket sales, and through fan donations and a variety of fundraising efforts, we aim to assist these exciting organizations in building a better future”.
According to the band, Pour It Out Into The Night is a life-affirming album about living in the moment that offers both an unburdening and an appreciation for the here and now, fueled by lessons in gratitude and life realizations. As the world came to a standstill in the years since their last album, personal experiences and life challenges abounded, with band members having their first children, getting married, and navigating the mental hurdles of lockdown.
Of the single, David Shaw says, “The Long Con is a song for the marginalized, the underrepresented and taken advantage of. It’s heartbreaking to see what’s happening in our country. I wanted to write a song that we could all sing together at our concerts, and truly feel connected and aligned. It’s a song for the people”.
Pour It Out Into The Night consists of twelve tracks: Kid; Don’t Look Back; Good Old Days; Down In The Dirt; The Long Con; Only You; Alive; Wait For The Sun; When I Got You; How We Move; Say Goodbye; and Pour It Out Into The Night. The track “Kid” has also been released as a single. The song has a music video on YouTube and is available for streaming anywhere you get your music.
After listening to both singles, “The Long Con” and “The Kid” are pretty different. “The Kid” is has a folk-rock sound—it reminds me Mumford and Sons (especially their more recent songs)—while “The Long Con” is heavier, aggressive, and anthemic. “The Long Con” also sounds very techy—like a watered-down version of Rage Against The Machine.
While I did enjoy the sound of the song, I can’t help but feel that “The Long Con” is the same kind of performative activism we’re seeing more and more of in the media. The Revivalists sing vague lyrics about an extremely broad topic—there’s a lot of words with very little actual meaning. I would also love to know more about how The Revivalists contribute to bettering the lives of the vulnerable populations they’re singing about (and profiting from). While they promote their charity fund Rev Causes, they don’t actually state what percentage of their ticket sales go to the charities they’re working with.
Overall, I wasn’t a fan of “The Long Con”. But you can check out The Revivalists on their website and TikTok.
