The Accidentals Announce ‘Vessel’ LP with “Go Getter” a Folk-Pop Tour de Force (premiere)

The Accidentals are back in full force with a new album, Vessel, out on 1 October. Today, PopMatters premieres the lead single from the folk-pop power trio’s latest. “Go Getter” is a relentlessly forward-driving track in its arrangement and themes. Musically, it’s a natural evolution for the Michigan trifecta, featuring a delectable blend of guitar, violin, cello, and percussion from Sav Buist, Katie Larson, and Michael Dause. The reverberation of plucking violin strings recalls Andrew Bird, and Larson’s deft cello is just as present in the mix, giving the tune a weightier punch.

Buist takes the hearty vocal lead in a song that the Accidentals say is about mental health. She says of the tune, “Sometimes you have to ‘do’ something to get through something. ‘Go Getter’s’ line, ‘Shake off the pressure / Sometimes you gotta burn it down to build it better,’ is letting go of the heavy and allowing yourself to be present.”

A mindful meditation on forward momentum, the song is fittingly perseverant. Its chorus soars, featuring gorgeous, soaring harmonies and zestier percussive movements. Hope tinges its outer lining, all coming together to make for a captivating listen that makes the wait for Vessel a challenging one.

“Go Getter’s” music video exudes charm, detailing an ’80s-era, Goonies­-esque adventure for the trio. It’s an outlandish quest for the elusive goat in a slice of the Accidentals multiverse where they’re almost more like a myth. Besides making for a good laugh, this “Goat Getter” plot features vivid direction courtesy of Brian Michael Raetz. A familiar face joins them in Fun.’s Andrew Dost, who plays their older sibling and notorious Michigan musician-chef Jack Fivecoate.

Vessel was co-produced by John Congleton (St. Vincent, Lana Del Rey) and Tucker Martine (Decemberists, First Aid Kit). Inspired by a multitude of genre-based influences, it’s a meshing of cerebral, accessible folk-pop and brash, vibrant alt-rock. It’s a tale of persistence amidst the COVID-19 pandemic; rather than shut down production on Vessel, the Accidentals transformed their attic space into a top-notch recording space. Together, they finished the LP off on their own. The album boasts a swath of instruments from the multi-faceted musicians, including viola, bass, acoustic and electric guitar, mandolin, and banjo.

Its full tracklist includes fan-favorite songs like “Marrow” and “Wildfire”, as well as a slew of brand-new tunes.

TRACKLIST

1. “Vessel”
2. “Go Getter”
3. “Wildfire”
4. “Rollercoaster”
5. “Marrow”
6. “Count the Rings”
7. “The Line”
8. “Damascus Blades”
9. “Slow And Steady”
10. “Cityview”
11. “Fractals”
12. “Waste”
13. “Simple Terms”
14. “Bird’s Eye View”

On Vessel and “Go Getter”, the Accidentals say, “The whole album is about perspective. It’s about the parallax effect of feeling like you’re moving in slow motion while simultaneously things are flying by at an incredible pace. Depending on where you’re standing, your perspective on what’s really happening changes. If you simply widen your viewpoint, things become clearer.”

“‘Go Getter’ is all about not getting bogged down in the details. Each single’s art on the Vessel album is a piece of the final album art. When the album comes out, the whole picture is revealed. Vessel is about letting go of the small stuff and keeping an eye on the wider perspective. ‘Go Getter’ just feels like it embodies the spirit of the album; it says, ‘we’ve got this.’”

The Accidentals dedicate “Go Getter” to Noah Gray and Miles Braun.

In support of Vessel’s release, the Accidentals are currently on tour through early November.

TOUR DATES

July 16 – Bentonville, AR – The Momentary

July 18 – Fort Worth, TX – The Post @ River East

July 24 – Austin, TX – Together Again Benefit Concert @ The Long Center

July 28 – Mackinac Island, MI – Silver Birches

July 29 – Mackinac Island, MI – Marquette Park

July 30 – Petoskey, MI – Bay View Music Festival

Aug. 5 – Kentwood, MI – Kentwood City Hall

Aug. 6 – Appleton, WI – Mile of Music Festival

Aug. 19 – Mount Pleasant, MI – Max & Emily’s Summer Concert Series

Aug. 20 – Hastings, MI – Thornapple Plaza

Aug. 21 – Fort Wayne, IN – C2G Music Hall

Aug. 26 – Beulah, MI – Beulah Park

Aug. 27 – Howell, MI – Concerts at the Courthouse

Aug. 28 – Aurora, IL – Roots Music Festival

Aug. 29 – Chillicothe, IL – Blue Ridge Community Farm

Aug. 31 – Cambridge, IL – Cambridge Schools

Sep. 1 – Cambridge, IL – Cambridge Schools

Sep. 2 – Goshen, IN – Ignition Music Garage

Sep. 3 – Columbus, OH – Natalie’s Grandview (Music Hall and Kitchen)

Sep. 10 – Chatfield, MN – Chatfield Center for the Arts

Sep. 11 – Wisconsin Rapids, WI – Friends of Rapids Music Festival

Sep. 18 – Sanford, NC – Carolina Indie Fest

Sep. 19 – Charleston, WV – Mountain Stage

Sep. 29 – Traverse City, MI – Traverse City Opera House 

Sep. 30 – Traverse City, MI – Traverse City Opera House

Oct. 1 – Bay City, MI – State Theatre

Oct. 2 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark                     

Oct. 3 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Tavern

Oct. 7 – Petoskey, MI – Great Lakes Center For The Arts (Blissfest)

Oct. 8 – Cheboygan, MI – Cheboygan Opera House (Blissfest)

Oct. 9 – Grand Rapids, MI – Calvin University

Oct. 10 – Chicago, IL – City Winery

Oct. 13 – Benton Harbor, MI – Lake Michigan College Mendel Center

Oct. 14 – Wakeman, OH – Riverdog Concert Series   

Oct. 16 – Pawling, NY – Daryl’s House

Oct. 17 – Boston, MA – Club Passim

Oct. 20 – New York, NY – City Winery Loft

Oct. 21 – Holyoke, MA – Gateway City Arts

Oct. 22 – Albany, NY – The Linda                                              

Oct. 23 – Ogunquit, ME – Jonathon’s                                                         

Oct. 24 – Bridgeport, CT – Voices Cafe Presents @ The Bijou       

Oct. 26 – Philadelphia, PA – Ardmore Music Hall

Oct. 27 – Annapolis, MD – Ramshead Tavern

Oct. 28 – Washington, D.C. – City Winery Main Room

Oct. 30 – Charlotte, NC – Evening Muse

Oct. 31 – Atlanta, GA – City Winery Main Room

Nov. 3 – Nashville, TN – City Winery Main Room

Nov. 7 – Memphis, TN – The Quonset