Buick Audra's new single YELLOW is out today!

FROM BA:

Hello, friends!

I’m returning to you today with another piece of new work: YELLOW, the second single from my forthcoming album, ADULT CHILD (out June 13)! YELLOW was the last song written for the project, recorded in a very different way. Here’s the story:

ADULT CHILD was never intended to be a full-length album. In truth, I didn’t know what it was at first. After I released Conversations with My Other Voice in the Fall of 2022, I started to write some songs that felt like new project contenders—the first of which was QUESTIONS FOR THE GODS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR—and I set about recording two of them at Sound Emporium with my band. A year later, I went back into the studio and tracked four more. A six-song EP, I thought. Tidy, concise. I had some idea that I might add an all vocal track later, and maybe a short spoken piece, but it would still likely be an EP. Alas, during the second full-band session for the project, I caught myself doing something. I was speaking ill of myself in front of my collaborators, somewhat jokingly, but not entirely. When I got home that night, I had to sit with that behavior and where it came from. I later wrote YELLOW about it, and recorded it myself.

Jerry Roe is the only other musician on the track, and his drum performance was obtained a bit unconventionally. Instead of playing him the song and having him write a corresponding part, I gave him a set of feels and tempos I was interested in having him play around, and tracked him doing each of those for several minutes at a time. I later cut up those recordings, built the drum part from there, and tracked guitars and vocals over that. He didn’t actually hear the song until it was completed.

There’s more: I received news of my friend Steve Albini’s passing in the middle of building YELLOW, so he’s very much a part of this recording for me. The subject of asking why I beat myself up combined with grieving Steve was a potent combination. And it was all captured here. The video was directed by me; shot and edited by Jerry Roe. It’s about the truths that lay you flat on the ground, and other parts of you that want to help you get back up and live.

I hope you love YELLOW as much as I do. She was the song that made ADULT CHILD an album. I’m quite proud of her.

STREAM YELLOW

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR YELLOW

READ THE GLIDE PREMIERE OF YELLOW

PRE-ORDER ADULT CHILD

My deepest gratitude for all the love around the first single from the album, QUESTIONS FOR THE GODS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. I’ve been waiting a while to share this work with you, and it heartens me to see the early reception. Below are some kind words about that first piece of the ADULT CHILD story!

Also, I wrote an essay for Atwood Magazine about this record, my inherited familial roles, and finally getting some better footing with myself; it’s called “On Learning to Be Proud of My Music as a Firstborn Adult Child Daughter.” It was an honor to have it included in their Women’s History Month Series!

That’s it for now! The next Bandcamp Friday is May 2nd; if you haven’t pre-ordered ADULT CHILD yet, that would be a terrific day to do so! Grab the limited merch while it’s still around!

In the meantime, enjoy YELLOW!

Thank you so much for being here; I appreciate your time and attention,

Buick Audra

P.S. Friendship Commanders are at LEGALIZE LEX in Lexington, KY tomorrow, April 19th! Come say hi!

New Buick Audra single QUESTIONS FOR THE GODS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR out today + ADULT CHILD album coming 6/13!

FROM BA:

Friends!

I’m overjoyed to share two things with you today! The first is the lead single from my forthcoming album! It’s called QUESTIONS FOR THE GODS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR and it’s out everywhere right this second! It’s a song about observing patterns in myself, in my dynamics with other people, and wondering if I have the power to stop—or at least slow the progression—of the tendencies behind these cycles in my lifetime. I’ve said before that I believe it’s one of the best songs I’ve ever written and I meant it. Huge thanks to MAGNET for premiering it today! I am joined by my bandmates Jerry Roe, Lex Price, and Kris Donegan on this track, always a delight to track with them. I directed the video for the single, wanting to depict how my story can sometimes feel: visible on my skin. Enjoy!

The second piece of news is the official announcement of my new album, ADULT CHILD, releasing June 13th, 2025 on Trimming The Shield Records! This is a concept record about identity, estrangement, and trying to outrun my lineage. I think of it as a sonic collage, self-portraiture in songs, pieced together with full band tracks and scaled-back performances. I am the sole writer and producer on the project; it was recorded by Justin Francis and myself; assistant engineering at Sound Emporium was provided by Skyler Chuckry and Joanna Finley; Kurt Ballou mixed it; and Brad Boatright mastered it. I am immensely proud of this work and hope you love listening to it as much as I loved making it.

STREAM QUESTIONS FOR THE GODS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR QUESTIONS FOR THE GODS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR

READ THE MAGNET PREMIERE OF QUESTIONS FOR THE GODS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR

PRE-ORDER ADULT CHILD

I had fun with the merch bundles for ADULT CHILD, naming them after familial roles—several of which apply to me, but I think we’ll all find ourselves in there somewhere. I designed all of the merchandise for this project, wanting the items to feel personal and special, no copy repeating from piece to piece. There’s a Lyrics & Lists notebook with all of the lyrics for the record, but with 40 blank pages for your own work, whatever that may be! I had a cassette by the Dead Kennedys when I was a kid, and one side was blank, to record whatever we wanted onto it. This is my version of that: some of me, some of you! There are even limited edition matches; I fully believe in burning things in this season of life, and am happy to provide some tools of fire! Make art, be loud, keep going. That’s what I’m doing, and I wish the same for you.

I hope you love QUESTIONS FOR THE GODS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR!

Thank you for being here! I appreciate your time and attention,

Buick Audra

March 21st: First single from the new Buick Audra album!

FROM BA:

Happy February, friends!

I hope you’re doing okay! What a time, what a time. Still, we proceed. And as promised, I have news about my new music! Here we go:

The first single from my forthcoming solo album will be released on March 21st! It’s called QUESTIONS FOR THE GODS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR, and it was the first song I wrote for this record. It was the beginning. There is a part of me that can’t quite seem to stop trying certain things, hoping for different outcomes, and negotiating with immovable realities. I come by this tendency honestly—and I’ll get eyeball-deep into exactly why that is over the course of releasing this record—but I still catch myself reaching for new things with old ideas about myself, about other people. This is a song about observing that dynamic, that cycle.

As a casual aside, I believe QUESTIONS FOR THE GODS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR is one of the best songs I’ve ever written—and I’ve written a few. It beats the shit out of me, which tends to be the mark of a good one. If a song makes me sob when I try to track the vocals = decent. It hits bone. Below is a photo from the first day of tracking the new record at Sound Emporium here in Nashville.

There is more to say, more to share, more to show, but for now: 3/21/25. She’s coming! Pre-saving the single would be enormously helpful to me, plus you’ll have it the literal minute it’s released. Thank you in advance for the support!

PRE-SAVE: QUESTIONS FOR THE GODS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR

We shot the video for QUESTIONS FOR THE GODS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR this past Saturday and it was the perfect way to spend a birthday eve. I can’t wait for you to see it. Music meets visual art meets trying to outrun inherited tendencies. All my favorite stuff.

I send you love and solidarity, as always. I send you energy for whatever art or hellraising you have inside of you. And I send you hope. I believe that with every part of ourselves we choose to share, we keep hope alive.

Thank you for being here! I appreciate your time and attention,

Buick Audra

New year, new FC music on the way! First, some shows + a benefit compilation!

FROM FC:

Happy 2025, friends!

How are you? We're okay! We're inching into this new year, trying to be of service when and where we can, and preparing to make a whole lot of noise.  We have a new album on the way! It's big and bold and gets into the idea of belonging (What is it? Where do we find it?). We can't wait to share it with you, and in time, we will! First, we're going to play some shows!

Our first dates of the year are all in North Carolina in early February! We're looking forward to playing some familiar and new places with our pals in Bluething. Join us if we're coming anywhere near you! We're also thrilled to announce that we're hitting the beloved LEGALIZE LEX festival in Lexington KY on April 19th! Should be a loud, fuzzy time.

ALL TICKETS HERE

We've had California on our minds for weeks now. We send our love to everyone dealing with displacement and loss related to the fires. We're so happy to have been able to contribute a track to this compilation, LOVE LOS ANGELES: A Charity Compilation in Aid of the 2025 Los Angeles Wildfires Benefiting the Mutual Aid LA Network, which is out today, January 24th! This project was put together by Hit the North Records and is exclusively available on Bandcamp. You can hear our song OF THE WE (Steve Albini Mix) alongside some powerful other music. Please support it if you can!

Cover art by Adam Sabolick

We're so grateful you're here! As always, we stand with the LGBTQIA+ community, with immigrants, with Indigenous communities, with all seeking reproductive freedom, with survivors, with disabled people, with Black, Brown, Asian, and all POC. We're afraid of what's to come, too, but we will not obey in advance. We will also not look away. We love you, we're with you. You are safe with us. Now and forever.

In solidarity,
Buick & Jerry, FC

UPCOMING SHOWS:

💎02.05.25 - Charlotte, NC @ Snug Harbor

💎02.06.25 - Greensboro, NC @ Flat Iron

💎02.07.25 - Winston-Salem, NC @ Hoots Beer Co.

💎02.08.25 - Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506

💎02.09.25 - Raleigh, NC @ Slim's

* * *
💎04.19.25 - Lexington, KY @ Al's Bar / LEGALIZE LEX

Two FC shows this weekend + first tour of 2025 announced!

FROM FC:

Friends!

We hope you're having a scenic late Autumn wherever you are. We've been home in Nashville for the past month finishing our brand-new album! Buick just wrapped the vocals this past week. Now the project is back in Kurt Ballou's hands and will be mixed by the end of the year! We truly can't wait to share it with you.

In the meantime, we're going to play some shows! Our last two events of 2024 are this weekend: Friday, December 6th at DRKMTTR in Nashville and Saturday, December 7th at Boggs Social & Supply in Atlanta! You coming?

Then, in early February, we're heading out for our first shows of 2025, all in North Carolina! Stoked to be hitting some cities we haven't played in a while—and some we've NEVER played (what's up, Winston-Salem?)!

Speaking of North Carolina, we're honored to have a track on this incredible, massive compilation, CAVERNS OF GOLD, released on November 1st! This project benefits Beloved Asheville, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing relief and long-term support for the community as the Western North Carolina region rebuilds from hurricane damage earlier this year. The compilation boasts a wide range of artists, from REM to us, and we were more than happy to contribute our track DESPERATELY SEEKING (Steve Albini Mix) to such an important and urgent cause. Please support it if you can!

That's it for now! We hope to see you at the shows! We've so appreciated your support and presence in our lives this year. Let's go out on a loud note!

In solidarity,

Buick & Jerry, FC

💎12.06.24 - Nashville, TN @ DRKMTTR

💎12.07.24 - Atlanta, GA @ Boggs Social & Supply

* * *

💎02.05.25 - Charlotte, NC @ Snug Harbor

💎02.06.25 - Greensboro, NC @ Flat Iron

💎02.07.25 - Winston-Salem, NC @ Hoots Beer Co.

💎02.08.25 - Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506

💎02.09.25 - Raleigh, NC @ Slim's

Friendship Commanders' October tour dates start Friday, 10/4!

FROM FC:

Happy October!
In just a few days, we'll start playing some shows, and we'd love to have you there! This month finds us in the Southwest, the West Coast, the Middle Left (is that a term?), and the Midwest, still supporting our album MASS which just turned one year old! We'll also be playing a little from the BILL album in honor of Steve Albini and our July release of his mixes of that project—plus some brand-new work! Join us!

Speaking of new work, we spent some of September in Salem, MA making our fourth LP with Kurt Ballou! Buick still has to sing the album, but the instrumental work has been recorded and we can't wait to share it with you before too long!

Last, to celebrate the second anniversary of her solo album Conversations with My Other Voice, Buick released the audio for her in-studio performance of Simply Said (Live at Sound Emporium). Enjoy!

That's it for today! We appreciate your continued support and will see some of you soon!
Buick & Jerry, FC

💎10.04 - Houston, TX @ Black Magic Social Club

💎10.05 - Arlington, TX @ Growl

💎10.06 - El Paso, TX @ Mona Bar of Modern Art

💎10.08 - Tucson, AZ @ Groundworks

💎10.09 - Las Vegas, NV @ The Dive Bar

💎10.10 - Los Angeles, CA @ Knucklehead Hollywood

💎10.12 - Santa Fe, NM @ Tumbleroot

💎10.13 - Laramie, WY @ Ruffed Up Duck Saloon

💎10.14 - Lawrence, KS @ Replay Lounge

💎10.16 - Kansas City, MO @ Union Library

💎10.18 - Fort Wayne, IN @ The Brass Rail

Simply Said (Live at Sound Emporium) by Buick Audra out today!

FROM BA:

To mark this second anniversary of Conversations with My Other Voice being released to the world, I have made Simply Said (Live at Sound Emporium) available on all streaming platforms!

I wrote Simply Said at my brother’s house in Massachusetts—and he heard me writing it. He’d occasionally yell, “Yeah Bu!” from the other room. Months later, when I demo’d it, I had two guy friends sing with me on the song’s refrain “and I don’t have to take care of you.” When I recorded it for CWMOV, I asked eight other women in music to join me on the same refrain; both are lovely renderings. But this tendency of mine to add other voices to this song interests me. The song is about a pivotal moment where I realized my entire life’s existence was not, in fact, about taking care of other people—but rather, about figuring out what taking care of myself looked like, an ongoing exploration. So why the additional voices? Because it’s hard to enact a thing, even when you know it to the bone. It’s hard to be alone with some songs, even the ones about autonomy.

In this solo electric performance, it’s just me, the truth, and my 1969 SG named Boundary. I think it’s the most befitting of the work. This song is evergreen for me and I’m proud to share this recording. It was written and performed by me, recorded and mixed by Justin Francis, and mastered by Dan Shike. Sound Emporium is my studio home in Nashville, and a place of musical legend. It was an honor to record this there.

Stream the song here!

Buy Conversations with My Other Voice (album w/accompanying memoir) here!

Buy my t-shirts and other merch here!

There’s also a live studio video shot by Jerry Roe here!

I do have a new solo album on the way, and I can’t wait to share that with you all soon. Until then, enjoy Simply Said (Live at Sound Emporium)!

My other project, Friendship Commanders, is still touring in support of our album, MASS this Fall! October tour dates begin on the 4th! Hope to see you out there if we’re coming near you! All dates below.

Thanks for you continued time and attention; I so appreciate you,

Buick Audra

BILL - The Steve Albini Mixes by Friendship Commanders OUT TODAY! Plus, Fall tour dates announced!

FROM FC:

Hello, friends!
We're thrilled to share BILL - The Steve Albini Mixes with you today! These are Steve's original analog mixes of our second album, beautiful in their loud, singular glory. They're being released today to celebrate Steve's life and work on what would have been his 62nd birthday. We hope you love them!

New Noise premiered the album today and published a new essay by Buick about what made working with Steve so special. It's called "It Wasn't Just the Mics; It Was the Man. Why I Loved Making the BILL Album With Steve Albini." Enjoy!

🔊Buy physical media & high-quality downloads for this release here!

🔊Stream the album here!

🔊Watch the visualizer for OUTLIVE YOU (Steve Albini Mix) here!

🔊We're celebrating the release this Friday, July 26th at DRKMTTR in Nashville. Please join us! Get tickets here!

AND THEN: we're going on tour! Assorted dates throughout August, September, and October have just been announced! Check to see if we're hitting your city - we'd LOVE to see you!

We'd give anything for Steve to be here among us. But in his absence, we hope you'll celebrate his life and work by turning this music up. Way up. Thank you,  Steve! And thanks to all of you for being here with us, we appreciate you!
Buick & Jerry, FC

BILL - The Steve Albini Mixes
Produced by Steve Albini and Friendship Commanders
Recorded and mixed by Steve Albini at Electrical Audio, Chicago IL
Mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, Portland OR

All songs by Buick Audra
(Buick Audra Music / BMI)

Buick Audra - guitar and vocals
Jerry Roe - drums, bass, and harmony vocals

Front cover photo by Zach Barocas, color edited by Buick Audra
Graphic design and layout by Buick Audra and Ric Simenson

OUTLIVE YOU (Steve Albini Mix) by Friendship Commanders out today!

FROM FC:

Happy July, pals!
We're happy to share OUTLIVE YOU (Steve Albini Mix) with you today, the only single we're releasing ahead of BILL - The Steve Albini Mixes, which will be out on July 22nd; it would have been Steve's 62nd birthday. OUTLIVE YOU was Steve's favorite song on the album. We think you can hear that in his terrific mix.

Jerry made a beautiful visualizer for the song which is bookended by some studio footage of Steve tracking OUTLIVE YOU. 

The folks at Treble kindly premiered the track today!

If you're new to us, here's the story of this record:
In late 2017, we set up shop at Electrical Audio in Chicago for a week to make our second album, BILL, with Steve Albini. The version that was released on October 5th, 2018, was mixed by Jerry. But the original mixes were done by Steve himself. Like the recordings, those mixes are analog, performed live in the studio. We always planned on releasing the Albini mixes. Always. But we kept writing and releasing new work and the right moment never seemed to present itself. We didn’t imagine that Steve would ever pass. It was a joy to make this record with him, and his mixes are reflective of the loud, lovely time we all had together. They’re guitar-forward, angular, and dynamic. And now it’s time to share them. The album was written about complicated grief, but losing Steve has given way to clean, uncomplicated grief. So, this release feels different this time around. More loving. More pure. We offer this work up in celebration of his life and many legacies.

If you'd like to buy the album, you can do so here.
If you'd like to pre-save/pre-add it, you can do so
here.

Last, we're playing a hometown show to celebrate the release of the full record on July 26th at DRKMTTR. Get tickets here!

Thanks for being here, we hope you love OUTLIVE YOU!
Buick & Jerry, FC

FC's Spring tour dates & Chicago Music Exchange session!

FROM FC:

Happy 2024, friends!

Here we go! After a brief but restful winter break, we're happy to be back making loud music. Here's our live session at the legendary Chicago Music Exchange to kick off the year! We had a killer time there, we're so grateful to be part of what they do—and proud to know that we're the loudest band they've ever recorded! Here are four songs from MASS!

Next up: we're playing some shows! Very soon! Thrilled to be returning to some of our favorite cities in March and April. We'll see you soon, pals in Kansas City, Youngstown, and Pittsburgh!

03.21 - Kansas City, MO - Minibar

04.05 - Youngstown, OH - Westside Bowl

04.06 - Pittsburgh, PA - Squirrel Hill Sports Bar



Here's a new interview as well as a rave review of MASS in The Whole Kameese; enjoy!

And last, in their mighty list published in January, Everything Is Noise named MASS as one of the Best Albums of 2023! So grateful.

May we all make noise and stand for justice and equity in this season and beyond. May we all be brave in the face of dominance and harm.

Thank you for being here; let's have a powerful year!
Buick & Jerry, FC

Photo by Anna Haas

Background photo by Pete Duvall // Forefront photo by Anna Haas

Background photo by Pete Duvall