For Donovan Wolfington, the journey to its second album was a difficult one. Having lost a member before the recording process started, the group lost another during the mastering process, plus the owner of the studio the band was recording in died from a bone marrow disorder during the album’s recording. It’d be easy to expect the product of these sessions to be dispiriting, but How To Treat The Ones You Love puts its focus on the light at the end of that dreary tunnel. Topshelf Records will release the album on August 21, but The A.V. Club is premiering one the album’s tracks, “Solo Cup,” below. The song’s first 10 seconds are a dead ringer for Death Cab For Cutie’s “Crooked Teeth,” but it quickly splits off with spacey riffs and a rattling bass line that makes something triumphant out of its difficulties.
Pre-orders for How To Treat The Ones You Love are available now through Topshelf Records.
Donovan Wolfington tour dates
Aug. 6—Heaven’s Gate—New Orleans, Louisiana
Aug. 7—Big Sleepy’s—Jackson, Missouri
Aug. 8—Murphy’s—Memphis, Tennessee
Aug. 9—Exponent Manor—Nashville, Tennessee
Aug. 10—1818 Lincoln—Cincinnati, Ohio
Aug. 11—Now That’s Class!—Cleveland, Ohio
Aug. 12—Downstairs (at Subterranean)—Chicago, Illinois
Aug. 13—Uncle Stu’s Haunted Waterpark—Moline, Illinois
Aug. 15—TBA—Denver, Colorado
Aug. 17—Feral House—Boise, Idaho
Aug. 18—Black Lodge—Seattle, Washington
Aug. 19—Anarres—Portland, Oregon
Aug. 20—San Jose Rock Shop—San Jose, California
Aug. 21—Highway Tattoo—Cotati, California
Aug. 22—One Fam—Oakland, California
Aug. 24—Programme—Orange County, California
Aug. 25—Sinbad’s Hookah Lounge—Corona, California
Aug. 26—TBA—San Diego, California
Aug. 27—Cafe 101—El Centro, California
Aug. 28—TBA—Los Angeles, California
Aug. 29—Trunk Space—Mesa, Arizona
Aug. 30—Blaze Place—Albuquerque, New Mexico
Sept. 1—Gatsby’s Mansion—Denton, Texas
Sept. 2—Holy Mountain—Austin, Texas
Sept. 3—The Summit—Houston, Texas