Angelo de Augustine releases new LP ‘Angel in Plainclothes’ on Asthmatic Kitty
Angelo de Augustine |Photo credit: Wendy Fraser
“(An album) filled with beautifully otherworldly reflections on life’s transience.” - The Guardian
"A songwriter of rare power, 'Empty Shell' points to further treasures on the upcoming album." - CLASH
"Beautifully serene" - Stereogum
"Something so beautiful it can't be ignored" ★★★★★ - Shindig
"The sound of a grateful soul on the other side of recovery... There is a gentle healing touch to Angel in Plainclothes” - Uncut
★★★★ - MOJO
Angelo De Augustine's new LP Angel in Plainclothes is out today via Asthmatic Kitty alongside the new single ‘The Cure,’ featuring co-production and drums by Jonathan Wilson (Angel Olsen, Father John Misty), and Thomas Bartlett on Wurlitzer. The only song on the record to feature a co-producer, ‘The Cure’ reflects on how chronic illness can often mirror the cycle of addiction (“I’ll give you wings and fill your breath / Take your life and give you death / And I’ll take till nothing’s left”).
Listen to Angel in Plainclothes
Watch ‘When I Come Back To Earth’ film
In support of the album, De Augustine will embark on his first US tour in seven years starting May 1st. Each night of the tour will feature a full band program with different special guest musicians, and Hannah Frances will support the shows; a full itinerary is listed below.
A revered songwriter, who built a cult audience before emerging into broader public consciousness with his 2019 LP Tomb and a 2021 collaborative album he made with Sufjan Stevens entitled A Beginner's Mind, De Augustine's latest album chronicles a multi-year-long journey of healing and renewal.
Written, recorded, arranged, produced, and mixed by De Augustine at his recording studio, A Secret Place, Angel in Plainclothes emerged from a radically different mental and emotional space. “When I made Toil and Trouble I was in a really bad state, having just been released from the hospital and only about halfway through the recording of the album. I had accepted that I was going to die and that I should do all I could to finish the record,” says De Augustine. “I didn't believe that I was going to survive the illness, let alone ever make music again. The experience unfortunately broke me and everything that I thought that I knew or could count on,” he further explains. “With this new record, I’m trying to pick up the pieces of who I was and figure out who I am now. I am on a journey where I feel like I may have been given a second chance at life, and I’d like to live it.”
Angelo created the album’s sound with a wide array of musical instruments- a largely antique collection, including such oddities as a Marxophone (a fretless zither played with metal hammers), and a bowed Aquarion (a marimba-esque instrument equipped with glass keys). Along with contracting a string arranger Oliver Hill ( whose credits include Kevin Morby and Helado Negro). De Augustine enlisted the help of musicians like harpist Leng Bian, background vocalist/percussionist Wendy Fraser, and past collaborator Thomas Bartlett (producer of De Augustine’s 2019 breakthrough album Tomb, who’s worked with such eclectic artists as St. Vincent and Bebel Gilberto). “I had to prioritize my health, which meant being easier on myself and allowing other musicians in to help lighten the load.”
In sharing Angel in Plainclothes with the world, Angelo aims to provide hope to others in times of deep despair and suffering. “One of the most helpful things that kept me going was the people in my life telling me that everything was ultimately going to be okay. I hope these songs end up having the same kind of effect on people out in the world, and help them know that miracles are possible.”
Pre-order/pre-save Angel in Plainclothes
Tracklist
Empty Shell
Pet Cemetery
Spirit of The Unknown
The Cure
Mirror Mirror
Cosmic Ride
The Universe Was Our Mother
With a Love So Kind
Pictures On My Wall
Goodbye Baby Blue
Tour Dates
5/1/26 - Los Angeles, CA - Sid the Cat Auditorium
5/2/26 - San Francisco, CA - Swedish American Music Hall
5/5/26 - Portland, OR - Polaris Hall
5/6/26 - Seattle, WA - Triple Door
all dates w/ Hannah Frances
Angelo De Augustine Links
Instagram | Bandcamp | YouTube | Website
