Dispatch Drops New Album ‘Yellow Jacket’, Kicks Off 33-City Summer Tour

Dispatch released Yellow Jacket, their ninth album, on June 6 through Bomber Records/AWAL Recordings. "For us, this album is a way to acknowledge what our culture is facing and the effects of the abuse of power," said vocalist Chadwick Stokes in a statement according to Rock Cellar Magazine. He formed this successful indie rock band with fellow vocalist Brad Corrigan. Both band members also play a variety of other instruments.

The album has 11 songs, and Craig Welsch was the producer at Boston's Rear Window Studios, where most tracks came to life. "Whisk Me Away" features a lead guitar intro similar to the Allman Brothers Band, and guest stars shine on two tracks. John Butler adds flair to "Trinket," and Ani DiFranco joins in on "Everyone's In the Street." 

Brad Corrigan's film, Ileana's Smile, inspired "Darker Light," the album's final song. Dave Matthews Band's Stefan Lessard adds his touch to this moving track. The documentary and song are about the struggles of a young girl in Nicaragua, and both help raise awareness for child vulnerability. The movie tells the origin story of Love Light + Melody, a charity founded by Stokes in 2007.

The band is part of a massive summer tour that started on the same day as the new album release in Charlotte, North Carolina. It will have 33 shows nationwide, and stops will include Red Rocks in Colorado, The Rooftop at Pier 17 in New York, the Bonnaroo Festival in Tennessee, Summerfest in Wisconsin, and the Levitate Music and Arts Festival in Massachusetts. 

Dispatch will play with John Butler, G. Love & Special Sauce, and Donavon Frankenreiter at different locations, and the final show happens on August 8 in Dillon, Colorado. For tickets and a detailed tour schedule, you can visit Dispatch's website.