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Real Estate Confirm ‘Atlas’ Album With ‘Talking Backwards’ Single

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Real Estate will return just in time for the spring. The New Jersey-bred indie rock outfit will release their long-teased third album, Atlas, on March 4 via Domino. Spanning a total of 10 tracks, the upcoming LP follows 2011’s sublime Days, and, according to an official announcement, it’s the group’s “most collaborative and richly detailed album to date.”

The five-piece — singer-guitarist Martin Courtney, guitarist Matt Mondanile, bassist-singer Alex Bleeker, and new full-time members drummer Jackson Pollis and keyboardist Matt Kallman — recorded Atlas over the summer and fall of 2013 at Wilco’s Chicago studio, the Loft. Producer Tom Schick (Rufus Wainwright, Mavis Staples, Low) helmed the sessions.

Real Estate have also released the record’s first single and music video, “Talking Backwards.” The clip, filmed by Charles Poekel, is a hazy montage of footage recorded in a studio and on the road. The song, meanwhile, is a subtle refinement of what Real Estate does best: It’s a wistful, sun-streaked jangler that finds Courtney lamenting a hopeless miscommunication. “The only thing that really matters,” he sings, “Is the one thing I can’t seem to do.” Watch the video above.

Below you’ll find the cover art for Atlas, which captures a portion of New Jersey’s iconic Alexander’s Mural, created by artist Stefan Knapp. Scroll down further for the album’s track list and Real Estate’s upcoming tour dates. Pre-orders of Atlas are currently offered through iTunes and the Dom Mart, where it’s available on limited edition vinyl with a bonus 7-inch featuring two extra songs: “The Chancellor” and “Recreation.”

Atlas track list:

1. “Had to Hear”
2. “Past Lives”
3. “Talking Backwards”
4. “April’s Song”
5. “The Bend”
6. “Crime”
7. “Primitive”
8. “How Might I Live”
9. “Horizon”
10. “Navigator”

Real Estate tour dates:

February 28 – San Francisco, CA @ Noise Pop Festival
March 1 – San Francisco, CA @ Noise Pop Festival
March 3 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
March 4 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre
March 6 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos
March 8 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
March 9 – Boulder, CO @ Fox Theatre
March 11 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
March 19 – Boston, MA @ The Sinclair
March 20 – Boston, MA @ The Sinclair
March 21 – Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
March 22 – Montreal, QC @ Il Motore
March 23 – Toronto, ON @ Opera House
March 25 – Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre
March 26 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line
March 27 – Chicago, IL @ Metro
March 28 – St. Louis, MO @ Firebird
March 29 – Nashville, TN @ Exit/In
March 31 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
April 1 – Charlottesville, VA @ Jefferson Theater
April 2 – Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club
April 3 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
April 5 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall