Judah & the Lion have released a deluxe version of their latest album, The Process. The original record dropped in May and is a concept album reflecting the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.
“Really, the deluxe is a part of the whole picture for us,” mandolinist Brian Macdonald tells ABC Audio. “We just wanted to save some of those special ones.”
The deluxe adds five songs to an album that already boasts 19 tracks. In their release strategy with The Process and its expanded version, frontman Judah Akers hopes fans will be able to embrace the message of the album as a whole while also putting a spotlight on the individual songs.
“Obviously this concept is a bigger kind of concept, and we wanted to let each song have its heyday,” Akers explains. “So that’s the reason we decided [to release] five singles, 10 more songs outside the instrumentals, and then we’re like, ‘We want these other songs to have a moment, as well.'”
As for presenting listeners with a 24-song album — even if four are instrumental interludes — Akers acknowledges that’s a tall order.
“I know it’s long,” he says. “But hang in there with me.”
Judah & the Lion will launch a U.S. headlining tour in October.
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