The Rocket Summer announce “Of Men and Angels” release date

Another successful tour wraps up this weekend for The Rocket Summer, as frontman, songwriter and multi-instrumental mastermind Bryce Avary looks ahead to the release of his long-awaited second major label album release on Island Records, “Of Men and Angels,” scheduled to arrive February 23, 2010.

In advance of the album release, the 4-song EP You Gotta Believe was issued by The Rocket Summer in October, at the same time its title track premiered on AlternativePress.com as the new single. Coinciding with the EP release, The Rocket Summer returned to the road, for a 34-city North American tour. On January, 9 2010 Bryce Avary will be joining the “Heavy and Light” benefit show in Orlando, FL at The House of Blues. “Heavy and Light” show is meant to challenge, inspire and encourage people. Move them with songs and stories with a taste of community.

The video for “You Gotta Believe” is set to premiere Today music. The clip was directed by award winning director Randy Scott Slavin. A sneak-peak at the ‘making of the video’ for “You Gotta Believe” can be viewed at www.therocketsummer.com

In addition to “You Gotta Believe,” the EP includes “Hills and Valleys” (which will be issued as the second single at the time of the album release next year), “Light” and the non-album bonus track, “The Fight.” The album was produced by Bryce Avary (who played all of the instruments on the album), and co-produced and engineered by CJ Eiriksson, who served as engineer on Do You Feel, the first major label album release by TRS on Island.

“Of Men and Angels” and You Gotta Believe follow-up The Rocket Summer’s Island debut, Do You Feel, released July 2007. After the release of “So Much Love,” as an advance track, the album’s title tune single “Do You Feel” eventually broke through at Alternative and Modern Rock radio in the summer of 2008, while TRS headlined the sold-out Alternative Press tour and graced the cover of AP’s magazine as well. TRS then headed out on a successful six-week North American tour with Phantom Planet, Secret Handshake, and the Morning Light, plus two sold out headline tours in the UK. When describing TRS, Austin City Limits stated, “We’re not talking simple acoustic solo stuff here. The music Bryce makes as the Rocket Summer is lush, explosively catchy and artful power pop that hints at a new Brian Wilson or Prince in the making. Keep an eye out on this one.”