| Townie | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | X Ambassadors |
| Cover: | X Ambassadors Townie cover art.jpg |
| Released: | April 5, 2024 |
| Studio: | The Outlier Inn, Catskill, New York |
| Length: | 47:02 |
| Label: | |
| Producer: |
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| Prev Title: | The Beautiful Liar |
| Prev Year: | 2021 |
Townie is the fourth studio album by American rock band X Ambassadors. It was released on April 5, 2024 by Virgin Records, following their third studio album The Beautiful Liar (2021).[1] [2] The album revolves around band members Sam and Casey Harris' childhood living in Ithaca, New York. Stylistically, it deviates from the electronic heavy sound of The Beautiful Liar by incorporating acoustic guitar-led melodies and less production. The band embarked on the Townie Tour in promotion of the album.[3]
The genesis for the creation of the album stemmed from Todd Peterson, music teacher and mentor of Sam and Casey Harris, passed away in 2021.[4] After returning to Ithaca for the first time in many years, the band began recording and producing the album with most songs being already written. It is also the first album self-produced by the band.[5]
"No Strings" was released as the lead single from Townie on January 19, 2024 alongside the announcement of the album.[6] A snippet of the demo of the song was released on the band's YouTube channel on January 2, 2023.[7] As the closer of the album, it describes the notion that you cannot escape from who you are.
"Your Town" was released as the second single on February 16, 2024.[8] The song is dedicated to the Harris' childhood music teacher and mentor Todd Peterson who passed away in 2021. It also contains a voicemail Sam Harris received from Peterson weeks before his passing.
"Half-Life" was released as the third single on March 15, 2024.[9] It is a love song dedicated to Sam Harris' wife.
"Follow the Sound of My Voice" was released as the fourth and final single on March 29, 2024.[10] The song describes Casey Harris' blindness and his family's relationship with it.
Townie received positive reviews from critics. Matt Collar of AllMusic gave the album a 4 out of 5 stars and wrote that "X Ambassadors may have left Ithaca in search of greater glory, but Townie shows just how much they've carried their hometown and its people with them on the way". He praised the songs "Sunoco", "Your Town", and "Follow the Sound of My Voice".
All tracks are written by Sam Harris, Casey Harris, Adam Levin, and Russ Flynn. All tracks are produced by X Ambassadors. Additional writers and producers are included below.