On Friday, Adrian Galvin (known to fans as Yoke Lore) is releasing his long-awaited debut album Toward a Never Ending New Beginning. And while for some artists, "long-awaited" is a bit of an exaggerated term, that is truly the case for Galvin, who has released a series of singles and EPs since 2016.
"I guess it was always gonna happen eventually," says Galvin with a grin, speaking with Variance ahead of the new record, which is out today via Yell House Records. "We're just living in a singles world and I've been playing along to the tune that everyone else is working with. Honestly, it felt easier for me to release singles and EPs, like, financially and just practically, it was way simpler of an operation."
He says part of the wait was also because he feels he was still learning the industry and what kind of artist he wanted to be, especially in this extremely fast-paced music world. "Now I have a bit more experience and money and hopefully credibility. And I think I'm ready," he says.
Of the lengthy title, Toward a Never Ending New Beginning, Galvin says he's sort of leaving it up to fans to determine their own meaning, but for him, it's reflective of his current outlook in life.
"It's kind of a challenge or a prescription for myself," the singer admits of the new record, in which he chronicles his own personal journey through weaknesses, changes and growth. "It's about treating each change as a rebirth and viewing each shift you make as part of an evolution."
Galvin is also cautious not to sound as if he's figured everything out, quick to point out this record is somewhat about "[dressing] for the job you want," noting: "I'm not there yet, but this is kind of like me faking it until I make it."
There's probably no better example of that sense of anxiousness and doubt than on the song "Enough," one of the newly released tracks on the album, which Galvin says is one of the "simplest songs on the record" but also a very personal one.
"It's just like, the fear of fucking up," he says, a direct nod to the lyrics. "The fear of overthinking it, like I do a lot of the time. I second-guess myself and take myself out of the moment, worrying about my own insecurities and anxieties. And this song is a reminder to me that it's enough—you're enough. And try not to worry about it so much."
Galvin says he's taking a lot of comfort in the feedback he's been getting from fans, especially as he has spent a significant part of this year on tour, including shows this week in Seattle and Vancouver before a massive run of dates in Australia, Europe and the U.K.
"It's been crazy," he says. "People already know the words to 'Enough.' And I haven't released this song yet. So it's crazy seeing people sing it back to me. And I'm like, 'How did you get—how do you even know the words?' But it's been really cool. This tour has been great, and it's been my biggest yet. The biggest rooms I've played so far, and it's been my first bus tour. It's that mixture of exhaustion and elation."
He continues: "I'll have people messaging me afterwards and they're like, 'Where is the after-party, man?' And I'm just like, uh, yeah, it's me in my bunk, passing out so I can get some sleep before I have to drive to the next city. It's a lot of work but it's also like—I'm where I feel like I'm supposed to be right now. And I feel really lucky and blessed."■
Yoke Lore's tour dates:
Sept. 22 - Showbox - Seattle, WA
Sept. 23 - Hollywood Theatre - Vancouver, BC
Oct. 4 - The Brightside Brisbane - Fortitude Valley, Australia
Oct. 5 - The Great Club - Marrickville, Australia
Oct. 6 - The Lansdowne Hotel - Sydney, Australia
Oct. 7 - The Gasometer Hotel - Melbourne, Australia
Oct. 8 - Shotkickers - Thornbury, Australia
Nov. 9 - The Andrew J Brady Music Center - Cincinnati, OH *
Nov. 12 - Capitol Theatre - Davenport, IA *
Nov. 13 - Liberty Hall - Lawrence, KS *
Nov. 16 - JJ’s Live - Fayetteville, AR *
Nov. 17 - Minglewood Hall - Memphis, TN *
Nov. 18 - Orpheum Theatre - New Orleans, LA *
Jan. 16 - Academy Green Room - Dublin, IR
Jan. 18 - Oran Mor - Glasgow, UK
Jan. 19 - The Deaf Institute - Manchester, UK
Jan. 20 - Headrow House - Leeds, UK
Jan. 22 - Patterns - Brighton, UK
Jan. 23 - Scala - London, UK
Jan. 25 - Les Etoiles Theatre - Paris, FR
Jan. 26 - Trix Bar - Antwerp, BE
Jan. 27 - Bitterzoet - Amsterdam, NL
Jan. 29 - Yuca - Cologne, DE
Jan. 30 - Prinzenbar - Hamburg, DE
Feb. 1 - Nalen Klubb - Stockholm, SE
Feb. 2 - Belleville - Oslo, NO
Feb. 4 - Lille Vega - Copenhagen, DK
Feb. 5 - Privatclub - Berlin, DE
Feb. 6 - Hydrozagadka - Warsaw, PL
Feb. 7 - Loftas - Vilnius, LT
Feb. 9 - Cafe v Lese - Prague, CZ
Feb. 11 - Ampere - Munich, DE
Feb. 12 - Zurich - Switzerland, CH
* supporting The Head and The Heart
