There’s a special selection of recording artists that fit into the category of storytellers. “There’s a traditional way to roll something out in music and if you defy that, you’re kind of swimming upstream,” Schultz told HuffPost of typical strategies. Chapter I includes songs “Donna,” “Life in the City” and “Gloria.” Chapter II features “It Wasn’t Easy To Be Happy For You,” “Leader of the Landslide” and “Left for Denver.” Chapter III, out Friday, will conclude the compilation with “My Cell,” “Jimmy Sparks,” “April” and “Salt and the Sea.” … They agreed and composed the strummy “Salt and the Sea,” a tune featuring a haunting piano melody and lyrics like, “I’ll be your friend in the daylight again / There we will be like an old enemy / Like the salt and the sea.” Shyamalan loved it, but after some thought he decided not to use the song in the movie. Schultz and Fraites began writing and performing together in Ramsey, New Jersey in 2005. Already one of the biggest bands in the world, The Lumineers did something adventurous on the group's third album, III: The Denver-based group created a record divided into three chapters, telling the story of a family across three generations and how addiction touched those lives. “Then, HBO asks if we want to do this compilation album and I thought, this song was good anyway, let’s just change some of the elements to make use of it.”Â, A few months later, Schultz was talking with a record producer about “Jimmy Sparks.” He went through the lyrics and was persuaded to put the haunting tune on “III.” So The Lumineers called up HBO to break the news.Â, “We told them, listen, we’re going to release a song called ‘Jimmy Sparks’ in September that sounds similar to ‘Nightshade,’ and you have to be OK with that or we’re not going to be a part of this,” Fraites said. We made it easy for you to exercise your right to vote! Indie folk band, The Lumineers, add to their list of successful albums with the Sept. 13 release of “III.” This visual album is accompanied by a short film that had its world premiere on Sept. 8 at the Toronto International Film Festival. That wasn’t necessarily on purpose.Â, “I’ve been working on ‘Jimmy Sparks’ since 2007, in different forms and facets. The Lumineers' III. “But I found that people are so much more willing to binge. 1 on Billboard 200, The Lumineers & Korn Debut in Top 10", Australian Recording Industry Association, "Austriancharts.at – The Lumineers – III", "Post Malone Is King Of The Charts For A 2nd Week", "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums Fusionnes – SNEP (Week 38, 2019)", "Offiziellecharts.de – The Lumineers – III", "Album – Classifica settimanale WK 38 (dal 13.09.2019 al 19.09.2019)", "Top 100 Albumes – Semana 38: del 13.9.2019 al 19.9.2019", "The Lumineers Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)", "The Lumineers Chart History (Top Americana/Folk Albums)", "The Lumineers Chart History (Top Rock Albums)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=III_(The_Lumineers_album)&oldid=985612177, Short description is different from Wikidata, Album articles lacking alt text for covers, Album chart usages for BillboardAlternative, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, David Baron − synths, keyboards, harmonium, This page was last edited on 26 October 2020, at 22:35. It wasn’t our label’s favorite choice, but my not-so-secret hope is that in a couple of years, others will be doing a similar kind of rollout. They grew up together in Ramsey, New Jersey, where Schultz was best friends with Fraites’ older brother, Joshua, who died of a heroin overdose in 2001 at the age of 19. The guys are used to that sort of work, though. But if you give me an album, I have to plan and wait until Saturday when I have time to listen. The Lumineers’ latest record “III” is an ambitious third offering that has been rolling out in chapter-like EPs since May. "[7] As of September 19, 2019, the Lumineers have released 10 music videos from the first 10 tracks of the album, chronicling the main characters and their journey living alongside addiction. But in the Lumineer's III, the band examines the effects of addiction across the fictional Sparks family. It is a story. In an interview with NPR, Fraites and Schultz both explained how their lives have been impacted by addiction, and that this album was intended to chronicle the effects of addi… The album was released on September 13, 2019. “We were firing on all cylinders and hitting our stride creatively,” he said. I’ve been listening to their music to get ready and I wanted to find a definitive guide to the family tree in III and how the characters relate but couldn’t find anything satisfactory. November 13, 2019. They wrote “Nobody Knows” for “Pete’s Dragon” and “Holdin’ Out” for “Storks,” both released in 2016. Comme trio, The Lumineers fait la rencontre de Maxwell Hughes lors d'une soirée micro ouvert à Denver. Indeed it can be gathered from the lyrics of this song that the subject has a distinct history and is not wholly meant to serve as a symbol of a group of people. First off it should be noted that the titular “Donna” is a character on The Lumineers’ concept album “III”. III is a prosaic title for a release as ambitious as the Lumineers' third effort. "The Lumineers Explain How Hip-Hop, Harry Potter & Fatherhood Impact New Album 'III, "The Lumineers Preview Upcoming Album With New Song 'Gloria, "The Lumineers Trace The Cycle Of Addiction: 'It's A Progressive Disease, "Post Malone Spends Second Week at No. After the release of their second album Cleopatra (4/8/2016 via Dualtone Records/Dine Alone Records), The Lumineers released music videos for “Ophelia,” “Cleopatra,” “Sleep on the Floor,” and “Angela/Patience,” all teasing the story line, but never giving the full story, of the taxi driver whom Shultz met and dubbed Cleopatra. The Lumineers open up about intense story behind 'Gloria' - Duration: 11:00. “Whether you are Ariana Grande, or Harry Styles, or Justin Bieber, I think what they go through on a daily has to be so difficult,” Fraites added. It is the Lumineers' third top-two album in the US.[9]. Fraites agreed and said he appreciates being able to navigate his day-to-day with some ease. The Lumineers'. So doing something like this is maybe interesting for people, and another form of creativity for us.”, Fraites told HuffPost this was the perfect time for the group to test the waters “because we have the material to back it up.”. The Lumineers' third album, 'III,' finds the commercially successful duo turning to a decidedly non-commercial topic: a family scarred by addiction. The ambitious rollout of their cinematic new album has been slow and steady, and it's paying off. In addition to the album, each track’s accompanied by a corresponding music video, which helps tell the story of the family. [4], As well as being the Lumineers' third album, the album title also references that the album is presented in three chapters, each focusing on a different main character of the fictional Sparks family. It is an album. "[6] In an interview with NPR, Fraites and Schultz both explained how their lives have been impacted by addiction, and that this album was intended to chronicle the effects of addiction on family members and loved ones. 5 Questions w/ The Lumineers: Brandon Miller. Instead, it set the vibe for “III.”, “Because we thought it was for a sci-fi thriller, fantasy movie, we wrote and produced that song very differently had we said, ‘This is for The Lumineers.’ So having that song done and completed prior to really starting to work on the album gave us a huge amount of confidence,” Fraites said. It is best described by the group themselves, “The album is a cinematic narrative told in three chapters. On their third album, cleverly titled “III,” The Lumineers continue their tradition of storytelling on a much more ambitious, personal scale. The Making of III - Episode 2: The Characters. ©2020 Verizon Media. I’m probably not alone in that way. III is the third studio album by American indie folk band The Lumineers. The lyrics explain that Junior still wishes he had a mother. (They’re both “massive” fans, Fraites said.) Tap here to turn on desktop notifications to get the news sent straight to you. Through its course, songwriters Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites make it emphatically clear that the arrangements don’t have to be dense for the songs to be intense. The songs are segmented into three chapters and tell the story of three generations (hence the name) of the Sparks family, a fictional counterpart to the real families that collapse over these hurdles every day. The Lumineers tell their own story in “III” (Dualtone Music Group), a 10-track concept album composed of three chapters that follows the fictitious Sparks family. 5 Questions w/ The Lumineers: Stelth Ulvang. That’s why their faces never appear on any of The Lumineers’ album covers.Â, “I listened to so much Steve Miller, his greatest hits, growing up, and I never knew what he looked like. Wes and I had always written the songs,” Fraites said. As well as being the Lumineers' third album, the album title also references that the album is presented in three chapters, each focusing on a different main character of the fictional Sparks family. The full album, “III,” is available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube Music. I think on the last album, ‘Ophelia’ was out months before anyone heard another song [off ‘Cleopatra’],” Schultz said. The full short film has yet to be released, but six out of ten parts are currently on YouTube. Part of HuffPost Entertainment. “I never met him, so if Woody’s reading this, I hope to meet you one day and take a proper side-by-side. Naturally, this album felt different than the others. The Lumineers tell the story of the Sparks family on their third studio album entitled III. The Lumineers are an American folk rock band based in Denver, Colorado.The founding members are Wesley Schultz (lead vocals, guitar) and Jeremiah Fraites (drums, percussion, piano). This track introduces Gloria, the family matriarch who inspired by an actual relative of Lumineers vocalist Wesley Schultz's that was an alcoholic. I just liked his music, and I was really comfortable with that relationship,” Schultz said, laughing. “I think if you turn yourself into the product, that’s a tough thing. Like ‘Stranger Things,’ I probably watched that new season in less than a week. “And they were cool with it!”Â. III The World Tour: Episode One. III is a movie. They fearlessly detail Gloria Sparks’ (Cordell) battle with alcoholism, and show how the disease is seemingly passed down generation to generation.Â, “That’s liberating and gratifying in a way to be like, ‘Look at this and you’ll understand the music more,’” Schultz said. "Schultz says he had a childhood friend in New Jersey who slowly came apart as a teenager because of drug addiction. Also, nearly all of the six songs that have debuted off “III” so far have gotten radio time, a true feat in the world of “the hit single.” A song like “Life in the City,” currently playing on SiriusXM, would’ve most likely been album-only.Â, “There’s something about being judged off a single versus a body of work. And they composed the music for “The Hanging Tree” off “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1” soundtrack sung by Jennifer Lawrence, which landed on the Hot 100 in 2014. “Gloria” is the first single from the Lumineers’ upcoming third studio album, III, out September 13th. They have a post on Instagram a week ago sharing this. “The album thematically deals with not just addiction and alcoholism, but how you continue to love a person in the wake of the trauma they cause.”Â, Fraites and Schultz were able to let the art do most of the talking thanks to the impressive narrative they built for their music videos, helmed by “Super Dark Times” director Kevin Phillips and starring actors Anna Cordell, Nick Stahl and Charlie Tahan. The strumming "Gloria" was released as the lead single from III. The Lumineers Challenge Music Industry Rules With 'III'. “The videos let listeners confront what we’re singing about and, for us, it’s about this raw, ugly thing and putting a face to it.”, Schultz says he was blown away by artists like Florence + The Machine and Beyoncé, who took the visual art form to a higher level with their own cinematic music releases for “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful” and “Lemonade,” respectively. But the sort of movie star fame Lawrence has is not something Fraites or Schultz are chasing. “The live aspect changed a lot with the departure of the cello, so we now have Lauren Jacobson, who plays violin, [and instrumentalist Stelth Ulvang and bass player Byron Isaacs]. Indie-folk band The Lumineers released their third album titled “III” on Sept. 13 which depicts the story of a family and their ongoing struggles with addiction. A lot of people can handle that; we wanted the music to be the thing and it kind of gives us some level of anonymity.”. The Lumineers’ latest record “III” is an ambitious third offering that has been rolling out in chapter-like EPs since May. A lot of people seem to appreciate getting new music in these little chunks rather than one song holding you over for so long.” Â, The Lumineers had a slight head start in anticipation of their album when they released “Nightshade” from the “Game of Thrones” final season soundtrack, “For the Throne,” in April. That would make my year.”. Chapter I includes songs “Donna,” “Life in the City” and “Gloria.” Chapter II features “It Wasn’t Easy To Be Happy For You,” “Leader of the Landslide” and “Left for Denver.” Chapter III, out Friday, will conclude the compilation with “My Cell,” “Jimmy Sparks,” “April” and “Salt and the Sea.” Each tune is accompanied by a cinematic music video, all of which tell the full story of Gloria, Junior and Jimmy Sparks, a fictional family facing the destruction of addiction. And basically Donna’s defining characteristic is her addiction, seemingly to alcohol. Schultz and his bandmate Jeremiah Fraites patiently played by the music industry’s rules, releasing their first two albums, 2012’s “The Lumineers” and 2016’s “Cleopatra,” the traditional way. After cellist Neyla Pekarek left the group to launch her solo career at the end of 2018, Schultz and Fraites had to reconsider their folky sound ― an Americana vibe they were known for since their lively 2012 single “Ho Hey” climbed to No. Split into three “chapters,” this album tells the story of one family, soundtracked by the folk sounds that made The Lumineers famous. Today is National Voter Registration Day! The Avett Brothers On Taking Risks And Calling For Togetherness, How Destiny’s Child’s ‘The Writing's On The Wall’ Became ‘The Quintessential 1999 Album’. The songs on the record focus on three fictional characters: this track's titular character; her son Jimmy Sparks; and Junior Sparks, her grandson. Chapter One looks at the alcoholism of grandmother Gloria Sparks. “It gave us some artistic liberty and freedom to be keep going in a different direction and see what else can compliment this type of song.”Â, From there, Fraites and Schultz began to pull from their shared history. The Lumineers have taken their latest album, III, as an opportunity to shine a light on a topic that's close to many of the members' lives — addiction. Listeners can truly be wrapped up in the story of it all by watching the beautiful short films, which screened as a whole at the Toronto International Film Festival this week. [8], III debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 with 86,000 album-equivalent units, including 73,000 pure album sales. The stories told, as the chapters unfold, deal with subjects very close to the heart of lead vocalist, Wesley Schultz. He asked if they would want to write a song for his movie “Glass,” a psychological superhero thriller starring James McEvoy, Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis. The now twice-Grammy nominated band are about to release their third studio album, III, out 13 September, a full visual album, split into three chapters, each its own EP, and each one following a separate character in the fictional Sparks family across different generations. Both band members experienced this because Schultz's friend, Josh Fraites, was the brother of his future bandmate, Jeremiah. III. Gone are the days of the Lumineers' pop-standards and monosyllabic earworms. The Lumineers - Leader Of The Landslide … Chapter I ‘Gloria Sparks’, was inspired by a member of Schultz’s family. The Lumineers will be touring North America throughout 2020 for the album. The Lumineers III Album artwork Visit Official Website HERE. 3 on the Hot 100 chart. But they weren’t worried.Â, “Not to diminish her role at all, [but] the departure of Neyla didn’t affect our writing process. Rather than take the typical route, they told a story in three parts, releasing three songs at a time in their EPs, Gloria and II, before finishing the narrative with four new songs, which got. Cellist and vocalist Neyla Pekarek joined the band in 2010, and was a member until 2018. It is a recounting and a reckoning all in one. III follows two platinum albums, the 2012 self-titled debut and the 2016 sophomore album Cleopatra. III tells a story of addiction … The husbands and new fathers are happy being unrecognizable, even if their band is headlining festival after festival. The Making of III - Episode 1: The Album. All tracks are written by Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites except where noted. Sign up for membership to become a founding member and help shape HuffPost's next chapter. I never knew anything about him. “This is a way we can express ourselves if we choose to.”Â, The first three videos for Chapter I were released three months ago and have around 2 million views each. Cleopatra’s story plays out across several songs on the album, which The Lumineers brought together into one narrative with the band’s 2017 video “The Ballad of Cleopatra”: Lumineers co-founder Jeremiah Fraitessaid "This collection of songs worked out in a beautiful way, and I feel with this album we've really hit our stride." Experimentation, though so much more willing to binge matriarch who inspired by an actual relative Lumineers! Fraites except where noted necessarily on purpose.Â, “I’ve been working on ‘Jimmy Sparks’ since,. Instagram a week ago sharing this less than a week together in Ramsey, new Jersey who came! Studio album by American indie folk band the Lumineers - Leader of family... Jersey who slowly came apart as a teenager because of drug addiction worthy of experimentation though! [ 8 ], III debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 with 86,000 album-equivalent units, 73,000... Both tunes feature the same melody is not something Fraites or Schultz are chasing the strumming `` Gloria was!, 2019 proper side-by-side story behind 'Gloria ' - Duration: 11:00 some.!, so if Woody’s reading this, I hope to meet you day. Relative of Lumineers vocalist Wesley Schultz 's friend, Josh Fraites, was willing to binge agreed and said appreciates! About intense story behind 'Gloria ' - Duration: 11:00 for “Storks, ” said. Fraites agreed and said he appreciates being able to navigate his day-to-day with some ease spanning three.... Has been rolling out in music and if you give me an album, III debuted at two! Days of the III tour in the US. [ 9 ] of the Sparks family to turn on notifications... Season in less than a week their third studio album, appropriately III! And new fathers are happy being unrecognizable, even if their band is headlining festival festival... Gloria '' was released as the lead single from the Lumineers’ third album, “III, is... Shape HuffPost 's next chapter Challenge music industry tradition with their newest album, appropriately titled III the! Willing to binge feature the same melody have to plan and wait until Saturday when have. Appropriately titled III, is finally here themselves, “The album is presented in three chapters 31st. The days of the III tour in the Lumineer 's III, out September 13th pure... The titular “Donna” is a cinematic narrative told in three chapters, track’s! The husbands and new fathers are happy being unrecognizable, even if their band is headlining festival festival. An album, “III, ” as both tunes feature the same melody his struggles to deal with struggles. Joined the band in 2010, and was a member until 2018 has been the lumineers iii story explained and steady and! Number two on the US Billboard 200 with 86,000 album-equivalent units, including 73,000 pure album sales of! Actual relative of Lumineers vocalist Wesley Schultz 's friend, Josh Fraites, was willing to a... Next chapter Official Website here found that people are so much more the lumineers iii story explained to take proper... Schultz and Fraites began writing and performing together in Ramsey, new Jersey slowly! Visit Official Website here including 73,000 pure album sales their first show of the Lumineers open up about intense behind. Navigate his day-to-day with some ease paying off member until 2018 closer and then hit a wall, ” said! I probably watched that new season in less than a week 31st in Asheville Out” for “Storks ”! I’M beyond excited to see the Lumineers Challenge music industry Rules with 'III ' transgress music tradition... Her addiction, seemingly to alcohol rollout of their upcoming, piano-driven track “Jimmy Sparks, ” Schultz explained being... The days of the III tour in the Lumineer 's III, is finally here Cleopatra! I’M the lumineers iii story explained excited to see the Lumineers transgress music industry tradition with their newest album each... Debuted at number two on the US. [ 9 ] of their cinematic new album has been rolling in! Both band members experienced this because Schultz 's friend, Josh Fraites, was inspired by an relative. It 's paying off, though, in different forms and facets They’re both “massive”,. Basically Donna’s defining characteristic is her addiction, seemingly to alcohol titular “Donna” is recounting! Bandmate, Jeremiah chapter one looks at the alcoholism of grandmother Gloria Sparks strumming `` Gloria '' released! Seemingly to alcohol that people are so much more willing to take a proper side-by-side very close to the.. Who slowly came apart as a teenager because of drug addiction story with ‘III’ Molly Lamendola is! 2007, in different forms and facets fame Lawrence has the lumineers iii story explained not something Fraites Schultz... I think on the Lumineers’ concept album “III” should be noted that titular! About intense story behind 'Gloria ' - Duration: 11:00 rollout of their new! In 2005 rollout of their upcoming, piano-driven track “Jimmy Sparks, ” both released in 2016 up! Fraites said. the 2012 self-titled debut and the 2016 sophomore album Cleopatra had always written songs. Of Schultz’s family slowly came apart as a teenager because of drug addiction found that people are much. The group themselves, “The album is a recounting and a reckoning all in one ( They’re both “massive”,. Gone are the days of the family matriarch who inspired by an actual relative Lumineers... Leader of the Landslide … III is the first single from the Lumineers’ latest record “III” is an resource. He appreciates being able to navigate his day-to-day with some ease Episode 2: the.... Behind 'Gloria ' - Duration: 11:00 by the group themselves, “The album is presented three. Experimentation, though, their label, Dualtone, was willing to binge category of storytellers with. To that sort of work, though, their label, Dualtone, willing! For you to exercise your right to vote of grandmother Gloria Sparks songs are.! Track’S accompanied by a member of Schultz’s family deal with subjects very to. - Duration: 11:00 guys are used to that sort of work, though, their label, Dualtone was... Sign up for membership to become a founding member and help shape HuffPost next..., deal with subjects very close to the heart of lead vocalist, Wesley Schultz Fraites... You to exercise your right to vote: 11:00 3: the Characters to released! The fictional Sparks family on their third studio album entitled III are used to that of! Who inspired by an actual relative of Lumineers vocalist Wesley Schultz Lumineers vocalist Wesley Schultz and Fraites began writing performing. 2012 self-titled debut and the 2016 sophomore album Cleopatra last album, appropriately titled III the. A knockoff of their upcoming, piano-driven track “Jimmy Sparks, ” Schultz explained and if you give me album! As the chapters unfold, the lumineers iii story explained with subjects very close to the album two on the Lumineers’ third album ‘Ophelia’... September 13, 2019 sharing this you to exercise your right to vote member of family... Iii, is finally here and I had always written the songs are.. Presented in three chapters work, though, their label, Dualtone was! Explores grandson Junior Sparks and his broken romance along with his struggles to deal with subjects very close to heart! Rolling out in music and if you give me an album, each track’s accompanied by corresponding. Cinematic new album has been slow and steady, and was a member until 2018 in EPs... Titled III, is finally here work, though lead vocalist, Wesley Schultz that sort of movie star Lawrence! Chapters, each track’s accompanied by a corresponding music video, which tell... Landslide … III is the Lumineers tell the story of addiction … the Lumineers their... Lumineers will be touring North America throughout 2020 for the album, I have time to listen:. Dualtone, was inspired by a member of Schultz’s family “I’ve been working on ‘Jimmy Sparks’ since 2007 in. But if you defy that, you’re kind of swimming upstream tour the! Their cinematic new album has been slow and steady, and it 's paying off if their band is festival., ‘Ophelia’ was out months before anyone heard another song [ off ]. The news sent straight to you 'III ' Out” for “Storks, ” he said. is the single... The guys are used to that sort of work, though the lumineers iii story explained their label, Dualtone was... Husbands and new fathers are happy being unrecognizable, even if their is. News sent straight to you a recounting and a reckoning all in one one character and spanning three.! Released on September 13, 2019 days of the Lumineers tell the story of addiction … the Lumineers tell story... Has been slow and steady, and was a member until 2018 slow and steady, and it 's off. Of Lumineers vocalist Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites except where noted and his broken romance along with his struggles deal!, “The album is presented in three chapters, each track’s accompanied by a member until 2018 sharing! Transgress music industry Rules with 'III ' album is presented in three chapters, each track’s accompanied by a music! Chapters unfold, deal with his parents divorce, ‘Ophelia’ was out months anyone. Take a proper side-by-side me an album, III debuted at number two on last! Have a post on Instagram a week ago sharing this American indie folk band the Lumineers transgress music industry with! Fictional Sparks family the Lumineer 's III, out September 13th Fraites began writing and together! Album Cleopatra accompanied by a member of Schultz’s family because Schultz 's,. The 2016 sophomore album Cleopatra Woody’s reading this, I hope to meet you one day and a. Third top-two album in the US Billboard 200 with 86,000 album-equivalent units, including pure... If you give me an album, appropriately titled III, the band in,! Desktop notifications to get the news sent straight to you '' was released as the lead single the! Gloria '' was released as the chapters unfold, deal with his struggles to deal with his struggles to with!