Bret McKenzie (‘Flight of the Conchords’) Releasing ‘Songs Without Jokes’ Solo LP 8/26, Shares Song

On Aug. 26, Bret McKenzie, half of the New Zealand comedy/music duo Flight of the Conchords (in addition to acclaimed songwriting for The Muppets, The Simpsons and beyond), will release his first solo album, Songs Without Jokes.

It’s precisely what its title suggests: An album of original material from McKenzie that stands apart from the quirky irreverence of his television show and albums with his Flight of the Conchords colleague Jemaine Clement.

Songs Without Jokes will be released by Sub Pop, and on Wednesday it was previewed with a song called “A Little Tune.” Here’s its music video:

Explained McKenzie about the album in a statement:

“Post-Conchords, I’d been working on songs for the Muppets films, and during a session I had the thought that it would be fun someday to work on some songs that weren’t for someone else, that don’t have to tell a story or be funny or continue the narrative plot, checking all the boxes for the character in the movie. I thought it’d be fun to do a record like that, something different.”

The track listing for Songs Without Jokes:

1. This World
2. If You Wanna Go
3. Dave’s Place
4. Here for You
5. That’s L.A.
6. Up in Smoke
7. Carry On
8. A Little Tune
9. America Goodbye
10. Tomorrow Today
11. Crazy Times

Click here to pre-order Songs Without Jokes on CD from our Rock Cellar Store
Click here to pre-order Songs Without Jokes on LP from our Rock Cellar Store

McKenzie, backed by a seven-piece band, has a run of tour dates coming up in support of the record. 

The dates, which start in early September at home in New Zealand:

Fri. Sep. 02 – Nelson, NZ – Trafalgar Centre

Sat. Sep. 03 – Christchurch, NZ – Town Hall

Sun. Sep. 04 – Dunedin, NZ – Town Hall

Mon. Sep. 05 – Invercargill, NZ – Civic Theatre

Thu. Sep. 08 – Wellington, NZ – Opera House

Mon. Sep. 12 – Whanganui, NZ – Royal Whanganui Opera House

Tue. Sep. 13 – Hastings, NZ – Opera House

Wed. Sep. 14 –  Auckland, NZ – Town Hall

Thu. Sep. 22 – Birmingham, UK – Town Hall

Fri. Sep. 23 – Leeds, UK – O2 Academy                   

Mon. Sep. 26 – London, UK – Eventim Apollo

Thu. Sep. 29 – Nottingham, UK – Royal Concert Hall           

Sat. Oct. 01 – Portsmouth – Guildhall

Mon. Oct. 03 – Cardiff, UK – St Davids Hall

Tue. Oct. 04 – Edinburgh, UK – Academy

Wed. Oct. 05 – Newcastle, UK – O2 City Hall

Fri. Oct. 07 – Manchester, UK – O2 Apollo                 

Sun. Oct. 09 – Dublin, IE – The National Stadium

Fri. Oct. 14 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground

Sat. Oct. 15 – Boston, MA – Berklee Performance Center

Mon. Oct. 17 – Philadelphia, PA – Fillmore (seated)

Wed. Oct. 19 –  Williamsburg, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg

Thu. Oct. 20 – Port Chester, NY – Capitol Theatre

Fri. Oct. 21 – Washington DC – Lincoln Theatre

Sat. Oct. 22 – New York, NY – Webster Hall

Mon. Oct. 24 – Montreal, QC – Corona Theatre

Tue. Oct. 25 – Toronto, ON – Queen Elizabeth Theatre

Wed. Oct. 26. – Detroit, MI – Royal Oak

Fri. Oct. 28 – Chicago, IL – The Vic Theatre

Sat. Oct. 29 – Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theater

Sun. Oct. 30 – Minneapolis, MN – Fitzgerald Theater

Wed. Nov. 02 Denver, CO – Ogden Theater

Thu. Nov. 03 – Salt Lake City, UT – Eccles Theater

Sun. Nov. 06 – Seattle, WA – The Moore

Mon.  Nov. 07 – Vancouver, BC – The Vogue Theatre

Wed. Nov. 09 – San Francisco, CA – Fillmore

Fri. Nov. 11 – Los Angeles, CA – Theatre at the Ace Hotel

Sat. Nov. 12 – El Cajon, CA (San Diego) – Magnolia

Sun. Nov. 13 – Phoenix, AZ – Orpheum Theater

Tue. Nov. 15 – Dallas, TX – Factory Studio (Canton Hall)

Wed. Nov. 16 – Austin, TX – Paramount Theater

Thur. Nov. 17 – Houston, TX – Warehouse Live

Sat. Nov. 19 – Nashville, TN – James K. Polk Theater

Sun. Nov. 20 – Atlanta, GA – The Eastern