Dams of the West describes itself as “the bad boy of British tennis” and “probably fifth-wave ska but maybe neo-no soul”. But it’s best defined as the solo project of Chris Tomson of Vampire Weekend. That band’s world pop tendencies are audible in the project’s repertoire, with flecks of Leonard Cohen and Reel Big Fish thrown in for flavor. On February 24, the band will release the album Youngish American, a collection of songs produced by Patrick Carney of the Black Keys. It will include the songs “Death Wish” (streaming) and “Tell the Truth”, for which there are music videos directed respectively by Emily Tomson and Edward Bursch. In March, Tomson will perform as Dams of the West at SXSW in Austin. While rumors of a 2017 Vampire Weekend album are in the air, nothing’s set in stone. – Will Sisskind
