“Fathers, Sons and Brothers” is David’s musical autobiography, celebrating his youth, family, friends and the highs and lows of his lengthy 40-year career in the music business
David’s new lead single “I Wrote A Song Called Take The Skinheads Bowling” drops March 5th and is impacting radio now!
This 3-LP vinyl and 2-CD set combines three of David’s previously online-only released autobiographical solo albums In The Shadow of the Bull, Leaving Key Member Clause, and Vending Machine, and also includes four new previously unreleased songs, as well as four newly re-recorded tracks
He’s been writing songs about people on the fringe for damn near a lifetime. 40+ years of detailing the idiosyncrasies of outcasts, losers, freaks and outliers in society in his two acclaimed, if not totally different, bands – Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven.
David Lowery, chief singer-songwriter and frontman from the aforementioned bands, is now taking a much different approach to his songwriting and is singing about something he’s really never dug that deep into – himself.
On his latest sprawling 28-song solo album, Fathers, Sons and Brothers, Lowery lets his memory, and pen, traverse back to some of his earliest memories as a child in an English seaside town (“Frozen Sea”). Throughout the length of the album, he chronologically takes us through his youth (attending a Spanish bullfight with his family, where he asks “Papa, do they really kill the bull?”) and carries on through his coming-of-age period (re-locating to California’s Coachella Valley with his family in the ’70s, as well as a humorous tale of landing in Disneyland jail after getting sh*t-faced on vodka and mushrooms at the theme park, and standing up to bullies in his disabled sister’s defense).
David recalls moving away from his loving parents’ home (“Mom, I’m Living the Life”), starting a band (“I Wrote A Song Called Take The Skinheads Bowling”) and then goes onto detail an early love that sadly disintegrated due to his own self-described anger and selfishness on, perhaps, the album’s most moving track (“Mexican Chickens”).
The album further delves into the ups and downs of his music careers with both groups (tapping into CVB band tensions on “We Hate You” and Cracker’s quick rise to fame in the early/mid ’90s on “It Don’t Last Long”). He recalls hooking up with his future ex-wife in Richmond, VA (“Pretty Girl from Oregon Hill”), and details friends (Sparklehorse’s Mark Linkous on “Mark Loved Dogs and Babies”), family, children, divorce and more.
By the end of this lengthy, insightful album, you get the feeling that you really know this artist, how he thinks, and have a good sense about who he really is… warts and all. Just as every good autobiography worth its salt does. Thankfully this one just happens to be bound with some truly gorgeous melodies and songs.
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Personal notes on the album from David:
“Over the years, many have encouraged me to write an autobiography. However, it never really appealed to me. Partly because it seemed like I would have to learn an entirely new skill set, but mostly because there is a standard arc to all successful “rock” autobiographies: a tough childhood, a deep passion for music, many obstacles to overcome, relentless striving, and finally, against all odds, success. And that’s not my story.”
“While I have a deep passion for music, I never really struggled. I grew up in a two-parent home. My parents stayed together their whole lives. We didn’t have much, but we never wanted for anything. My father was a career military man but was a sweet and gentle soul. My parents always supported my musical career. The first album I recorded was immediately played on the BBC and later MTV. Within 18 months of releasing the first Camper Van Beethoven album, we were playing arenas with REM. The first song Cracker recorded was immediately in heavy rotation on MTV. And so on. Honestly, I feel like I’ve lived a charmed life.”
“So, in lieu of an uninteresting written autobiography I’ve made this record. I do this not so much to tell my own story but to pay tribute to my mother, father, sisters, extended family, friends, and those who have shared their lives with me. I wanted to sing the songs of the unsung, celebrate friends and family, make amends, and apologize where necessary. It took me nearly 5 years to make this recording and I’m a little sad the process is over. Although much of this I recorded alone during the pandemic I had an amazing set of virtual collaborators spread across 5 time zones and three continents. I couldn’t have done it without them. Thank you, Jim, Leith, Mark, Bryan, Lisa, Jeremy, Luke, Carlton, Thayer, Megan, Pistol, Velena and Bob. Also, thanks to Drew Vandenberg and Jason Nesmith for piecing this all together and making it sound good.”
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David Lowery’s new solo album “Fathers, Sons and Brothers” will be available May 30th as a 3-LP LTD edition vinyl gatefold set with 12-page booklet, a 2-CD set with 20-page booklet, and on digital & streaming platforms via Cooking Vinyl. David’s lead single “I Wrote A Song Called Take The Skinheads Bowling” drops March 5th.
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Fathers, Sons and Brothers Track List:
01-Frozen Sea (new recording)
02-Plaza De Toros
03-Super Bloom
04-Disneyland Jail
05-How Does Your Sister Roller Skate? (previously unreleased)
06-Mom I’m Living the Life
07-I Wrote a Song Called Take the Skinheads Bowling (previously unreleased)
08-Mexican Chickens (new recording)
09-Europass
10-We Hate You
11-Everybody Get a F*cking Day Job
12-Battle of Leros (previously unreleased)
13-Leaving Key Member Clause
14-Piney Woods
15-Let it Roll Down that Hill
16-Pretty Girl From Oregon Hill
17-It Don’t Last Long
18-Fat Little Babies
19-Mark Loved Dogs and Babies
20-Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey
21-Vending Machine
22-Fathers, Sons and Brothers [featuring The Bellrays] (new recording)
23-Yonder Distant Shore
24-Darken Your Door [Richmond version]
25-Giving Tree Father
26-Art Basel
27-Every Time I Try to Get Out
28-Beautiful [Georgia Version] (previously unreleased)
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CRACKER 2025 TOUR DATES:
Wednesday, March 5 – Saturday, March 8 – Cracker CAMP-IN #11 @ 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA (w/ Ike Reilly, The Hackensaw Boys, Jim Dalton, Abe Partridge & others)
Thursday, March 13 – MadLife Stage & Studios, Woodstock, GA
Friday, March 14 – MadLife Stage & Studios, Woodstock, GA
Saturday, June 7 – Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO (with Big Head Todd and Cheap Trick)
CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN TELEPHONE FREE LANDSLIDE VICTORY 40TH ANNIVERSARY SHOWS:
Saturday, April 26 – Camper Van Beethoven – The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA (SOLD OUT)
Sunday, April 27 – Camper Van Beethoven – The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA
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FOR MORE INFO DAVID LOWERY:
FOR MORE INFO ON COOKING VINYL: