Texas-based American Rock band Remain recently announced their new single “City of July” to be released on July 1st. “City of July” is the first single from their upcoming full-length LP Millennial Nation, which will be available on September 1st. The single draws on the theme of getting to a “place we’ve always wanted to go,” whether that be as individuals, a generation, or a nation.
Writing from a perspective of young individuals still experiencing the growing pains with coming of age both on the individual and societal level, Remain has created a sanctuary for those experiencing the highs and lows of the journey to where they want to be. The song’s narrative sees a group of characters facing a choice at nightfall, to return home to comfort, or to pursue their dreams and seek the “summertime of life.” Ultimately, they set out on a journey to determine the rest of their lives. While still acknowledging the hardship and tragedy in urban America, they leave it all behind in anticipation of what the City of July holds for them. “The City of July may not even be a “place,” it may be a time, a thought, a truth, or an eternity. After all, what does being alive actually mean?”
Millennial Nation is an album centered on what it means to be young in America, and in a way, the album is its own coming of age story.
The title track “Millennial Nation” comments on the cultural and racial differences among us and the dark history that plagues our nation, and reveals hope in the willingness to admit a new day, put in the work to right our wrongs, and move on in the spirit of better days. Each song to follow is a commentary on the journey, the struggle, and the adaptations we all have to make as we navigate the world both personally as individuals, and collectively as a nation.
Over the last few years, Remain has been putting everything they have into this album, experiencing their own periods of growth along the way. After releasing the title track as a single in 2017, Remain continued to write and record in pursuit of creating a full length album; however, after recording “The Heart Beats On” in early 2019, the band realized that they were shaping a new sound and feel for their music. As a result, for the following year, they committed to redefining their sound and fully diving into the creation of their album, and you can hear the degree to which the band intently and meticulously shaped it.
Pre-save “City of July” here.
