Returning from a 6-year hiatus, The Ongoing Concept is barreling ahead with another energetic release and music video, “Feel Again.”
The band — brothers Dawson Scholz [vocals, guitar], Kyle Scholz [vocals, keys, percussion], and Parker Scholz [drums] along with TJ Nichols [vocals, bass], and Andy Crateau [vocals, guitar] — recently announced its fourth album Again via Solid State Records. Not only is this the first taste of new music from the band since 2017 but it also marks the return of the original lineup.
“‘Feel Again’ was the first song we started writing and ended up taking the longest to finish,” says Dawson.
“We were all rusty from not writing together in years, and this song really brought us all back and jump-started our creative flow. There was a lot of growing up and healing that happened between the time the original guys left and when they returned, and this song really showcases that, lyrically. It really brought us all closer, and showed us all how much we have matured over the years and how much we missed creating art through our music.”
About the new record, he says, “We wanted to go back to our roots. The goal was to do an homage to our earlier albums, while moving forward. We tapped into the old mindset and combined it with where we’re at now. If we were going to get back together, we knew it couldn’t be underwhelming. We needed to give the fans music that was on par with what we were doing a decade ago, but evolved.”
The Ongoing Concept integrate “lyrics and Easter Eggs” from previous albums into the record’s framework, embodying the title quite literally. “Thematically, the songs are continuations,” Dawson affirms. “Every single song has its own vibe even though some of the lyrics may be connected to older tunes.”
Again is set to release March 31 and is now available for pre-order.
The band will also be hitting the road on a 9-date tour that includes Audiofeed Festival in July. Grab your tickets from their website.
The Ongoing Concept 2023 Tour Dates
4/7 — The Big Dipper — Spokane, WA
4/8 — Mano Oculta — Portland, OR
4/9 — The Shredder — Boise, ID
628 — The King Room — Denver, CO
6/29 — John Barleycorn’s — Wichita, KS
6/30 — The Rino — Kansas City, MO
7/1 + 7/2 — Audiofeed Festival — Urbana, IL
7/3 — Reverb Lounge — Omaha, NE
7/5 — Kilby Court — Salt Lake City, UT
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