Laura Gibson details new record Empire Builder, shares lead cut "The Cause"

Empire Builder was created following a move from Portland to New York City in 2014 - and named after the iconic train she took from the Pacific North-West to Chicago, which made up part one of her trek.

Gibson moved to NYC to study Creative Writing, but a few months later her progress was impeded; her apartment building, in the city's Lower East Side, was levelled in a gas explosion which killed two and injured many more. Although Gibson wasn't harmed, all her belongings - including instruments, notebooks, and music - were destroyed.

In the time that followed the explosion, Gibson finished her second semester in New York and rewrote lost lyrics thanks to "the help and support from hundreds of friends, fans, and strangers."

Gibson co-produced Empire Builder with John Askew. The album was recorded with a band featuring Dave Depper (Death Cab for Cutie), Dan Hunt (Neko Case), and Peter Broderick. Nate Query of The Decemberists and Alela Diane also contribute.

Empire Builder is released by City Slang on 1 April. It follows 2012 LP La Grande.

Stream "The Cause" below. Check the album's tracklist after, and Gibson's new UK/EU shows after that.

Tracklist:

1. The Cause
2. Damn Sure
3. Not Harmless
4. Empire Builder
5. Five and Thirty
6. The Search for Dark Lake
7. Two Kids
8. Louis
9. Caldera
10. The Last One

April

22 - BE Brussels - Huis 23@AB
23 - NL Utrecht - Tivoli Vredenburg Cloud
25 - UK Manchester - Soup Kitchen
26 - UK London - Hoxton Bar & Kitchen
27 - FR Paris – Point Ephemere* w/ Grant-Lee Phillips
28 - NL Amsterdam - Tuinzaal, Paradiso Noord
29 - NL Nijmegen - Marienburg Church
30 - BE Gent – Trefpunt

May

1 - BE Lessines - Roots and Roses Festival
2 - DE Berlin - Kantine am Berghain
3 - DE Leipzig - Werk 2
5 - AT Graz – Postgarage
6 - AT Vienna - Haus Der Musik
7 - DE Stuttgart – Laboratorium