Illiterate Light announced their debut EP, “Sweet Beast”, will be arriving January 18, sharing a new single, “Nuthin’s Fair”, prior to its release this Friday, December 7. The Virginia duo of guitarist/vocalist Jeff Gorman and drummer/vocalist Jake Cochran are back on the road this month, currently supporting Post Animals (dates below) along with confirming 2019 appearances at the SXSW Music Conference and Shaky Knees Festival.

Sweet Beast is the cry of an uncontrollable hidden inner self: hidden because the good comes with the bad, and love comes with imperfections. Recorded in 2018, in both Richmond, VA and Nashville, TN, sessions for the record were deliberate… in and out and done. No messing around… just pure momentum and a desire to experiment. Translating Illiterate Light’s live show’s excitement to the studio was aided by Adrian Olsen (Natalie Prass/Foxygen) and Vance Powell (Jack White/Chris Stapleton), who knew exactly how to move with the raw energy and push the guys into new sonic territory. From political hopelessness to longing for love, Sweet Beast is a cathartic call for the modern moment.

On “Nuthin’s Fair”, Gorman shouts, “I swear nuthin’s fair and no one cares... I’m giving up!” Discussing, he notes, “It feels like the world needs hope right now. This song (climaxing with the line “I hate it all”) is downright angst-y and hopeless, but the truth is that when you’re down, it’s so damn helpful to say you’re down. And when we’re all down, it’s incredible to scream it at the top of our lungs and hear a thousand others scream along together.”

“Nuthin’s Fair” follows the tracks, “Growin’ Down” and “Better Than I Used To”, the latter of which, was featured in NPR Music’s “Heavy Rotation: 10 Hot Summer Songs” column and has over 300k plays over all platforms to date.

Gorman and Cochran have known each other for the better part of a decade through various creative evolutions. Along with the organic farm in the Shenandoah Valley, the two have toured the mid-Atlantic by bicycle, living in small communities while pursuing modes of alternative education. Their eclectic background is mirrored in their sound and lyricism, floating between postmodern confusion and vibrant optimism. Though shaped by the DIY music scene of their hometown of Harrisonburg, VA, the duo has grown immensely through immersion in the thriving communities of both Richmond and Nashville.

Tour Dates:

12/05 – Athens, GA @ Georgia Theater ^

12/06 – Tallahassee, FL @ The Wilbury ^

12/07 – Gainesville, FL @ High Dive ^

12/08 – Tampa, FL @ Crowbar ^

12/09 – Orlando, FL @ Will’s Pub ^

12/10 – Jacksonville, FL @ Jack Rabbits Live ^

12/12 – Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge ^

01/27 – Richmond, VA @ Broadberry %

05/03-05 – Atlanta, GA @ Shaky Knees Festival

^ Post Animal

% Mt. Joy

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