Acclaimed actor, comedian, writer and producer John Early has announced the album release for Now More Than Ever, out September 13th via Lookin' For My Denim Records/Thirty Tigers. Expanding upon his critically acclaimed HBO comedy special, Early’s long-awaited first comedy album features four brand new cover songs from Early and his live band The Lemon Squares, along with an exclusive, album-only set from Early’s beloved alter ego, Vicky with a ‘V.’ With Early’s unique blend of cutting commentary, pop star swagger, and all-around loveable hilarity, Now More Than Ever harkens back to a time when Sandra Bernhard covered Sylvester (and charted!), when Bette Midler dueted with Bob Dylan, when Babs sang Bowie, or when Isaac Hayes made The Carpenters sound sexy.
“I’ve been performing comedy and music with my long suffering band The Lemon Squares for over 10 years now, and I always assumed that there was no way to capture the magic of our live shows,” explains Early. “But listening to this album takes me right back to that sweaty night in downtown Brooklyn, which felt something like being a crazed preacher at a tent revival. I’m so excited for people to hear the Vicky with a ‘V’ set that we had to cut from the HBO special for time. And I am so, so pumped about our new cover songs which I think are genuinely good and stanky. I would also like to put it on permanent record that I did the Madonna rap in one take.”
In the end of Early’s underscored rant on the emptiness of millennial culture, he pleads to the Brooklyn crowd, “We have to get serious! Before it’s too late! And our gravestones read: Because Cancer.” This album is an attempt, in all its silliness, to get serious. Now More Than Ever is Early’s sincere and abundant offering back to the culture of thoughtful critique, heartfelt music, and infectious joy, firmly cementing his place as the godfather of millennial alt-comedy.