Casper Skulls Announce Debut Album Mercy Works, Share New Song “You Can Call Me Allocator”
The Toronto band’s album is out this fall.
Casper Skulls, a Toronto band weaving an unpredictable orbit around post-punk, will release its debut album Mercy Works on November 3. Today, the band shares the new single "You Can Call Me Allocator" with The FADER. The track is a comedown from the comparatively more raucous Lips & Skull EP, which was produced by Shehzaad Jiwani of Greys and dropped last October. But despite the gentle pace and drunkenly swaying harmonies, "Allocator" dives deep into the problems of false allies, cultural exploitation, and other concerns a rock band can find itself surrounded by.
“'You Can Call Me Allocator' was the first song we wrote for Mercy Works," the band's Neil Bednis told The FADER over email. "It sets the tone for the rest of the record. It's about legacy and mortality and how both past and present culture can affect that legacy.
"The title is a play on '(You Can) Call Me Al' by Paul Simon and the song was specifically inspired by the lines 'Where's my wife and family? What if I die here? Who'll be my role model?'. The lines had me thinking about Paul Simon himself and Graceland, which was also the name of Elvis' mansion in Memphis and where his funeral was held. The song specifically focuses on Elvis as an example. Many people see him as an iconic, rare talent but as time progresses and the cultural climate shifts it becomes more apparent that that talent was built on other people’s ideas. When I think about Elvis, Paul Simon's record and that song, I sometimes wonder if they will continue to hold the same sort of positive legacy they once had."
Mercy Works is out November 3 via Buzz Records. Preorder it here. Listen to "You Can Call Me Allocator" below followed by the band's upcoming tour dates.
Casper Skulls tour dates
9/07 - Toronto, ON - The Horseshoe Tavern*
9/08 - Guelph, ON - eBar*
9/15 - Montreal, QC - POP Montreal @ Escogriffe
9/21 - Windsor, ON - Phog Lounge*
9/22 - London, ON - Call The Office*
10/17 - Ottawa, ON - Dominion
10/20 - Halifax, NS - Halifax POP @ Seahorse Tavern
10/21 - Fredericton, NB @ Capital (w/ Partner)
11/02 - St. Catherine’s, ON - Warehouse
11/10 - Chicago, IL - Subterranean (w/ And The Kids)
11/11 - Cincinnati, OH - MOTR
11/12 - Pittsburgh, PA - Spirit
11/13 - Washington, DC - Comet Ping Pong
11/14 - Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie
11/16 - Brooklyn, NY - Alphaville (w/ Baked, Bueno)
* w/ Julie & The Wrong Guys