Get tickets to The Lemonheads at HI-FI on Thursday, December 18th!
After nearly two decades, Evan Dando is back with Love Chant, the first new studio album from The Lemonheads since 2006. And just ahead of the record’s October 24 release via Fire Records, Dando is taking the new songs and the classics on the road, including a highly anticipated stop at HI-FI on December 18. The show promises a rare opportunity to hear one of alt-rock’s most unmistakable voices in such a cherished setting.
Love Chant is more than a comeback, it’s a reflection of years spent writing, relocating, and redefining. Now based in Brazil, Dando recorded much of the album there with producer Apollo Nove, and the songs reflect a sense of expanded perspective and hard-earned clarity. Despite the geographical shift, the record remains deeply rooted in the melodic honesty and vulnerability that made The Lemonheads essential listening for decades.
The album brings together an eclectic, impressive cast of collaborators. Longtime friends like J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr), Juliana Hatfield, and Tom Morgan rejoin Dando on key tracks, alongside newcomers like Nashville singer-songwriter Erin Rae and Bevis Frond’s Nick Saloman. “In The Margin,” the lead single, channels Dando’s signature bittersweet charm; a catchy, riff-laced lament full of teenage revenge fantasy and emotional sharpness.
Other standouts include “Cell Phone Blues,” a nervy, jangling rocker with Dando’s familiar deadpan delivery, and the title track “Love Chant,” a pulsating earworm reminiscent of the Modern Lovers. There’s even a nod to Street Hassle-era Lou Reed on “The Key of Victory,” which features vocals recorded at Abbey Road and spectral harmonies from Erin Rae. These new songs feel at once lived-in and startlingly personal.
Photo by Gareth Jones
Over the past several years, a new generation of artists—including Courtney Barnett, Waxahatchee, and MJ Lenderman have reintroduced Dando’s work to younger fans by covering his songs and praising his melodic instincts and raw lyricism. That continued influence underscores just how vital The Lemonheads remain today, and why Love Chant feels like both a fresh statement and a full-circle moment.
Whether you’ve been spinning It’s a Shame About Ray since the ‘90s or are just discovering Dando’s world-weary charm, this HI-FI show offers the perfect chance to reconnect with one of indie rock’s most enduring figures. Come for the new songs, stay for the nostalgia, and don’t be surprised if you leave with both stuck in your head.
Be sure to get tickets now to see The Lemonheads at HI-FI on December 18th and preorder their album Love Chant.