Bret McKenzie: New Album ‘Freak Out City’ Announced | Exclaim!
- Bret McKenzie, known for his work with the musical comedy duo Flight of the conchords, is releasing a new solo album.
- The album,Freak Out City,took shape during live performances by McKenzie and his band,the State Highway Wonders,across the United States and New Zealand.
- A press release noted that McKenzie's musical influences, including Harry nilsson and Randy Newman, are evident in the album.
Bret McKenzie, of Flight of the Conchords fame, is back with a new solo album, “Freak Out City,” promising a delightful blend of humor and heart. The primary_keyword album, set to drop August 15th via Sub Pop Records, marks a meaningful milestone for the acclaimed musician. the secondary_keyword, “All I Need,” a joyous celebration of love, has already been unveiled as the first single. Featuring a charming music video, the track is a testament to McKenzie’s playful songwriting. The album’s creation involved live performances with McKenzie and his band, the State Highway Wonders, across the US and New Zealand. McKenzie co-produced it with Mickey Petralia. News Directory 3 reports that the fall tour is announced soon. Pre-orders for the album are available now. Discover what’s next from this innovative artist.
Bret McKenzie Announces New Solo Album ‘Freak Out City’
Updated June 03, 2025
Bret McKenzie, known for his work with the musical comedy duo Flight of the conchords, is releasing a new solo album. Titled Freak Out City, the album is scheduled for release Aug. 15 on Sub Pop Records. This marks McKenzie’s second solo venture, following his 2022 album, Songs Without jokes.
The album,Freak Out City,took shape during live performances by McKenzie and his band,the State Highway Wonders,across the United States and New Zealand. McKenzie co-produced the album with Mickey Petralia,a longtime collaborator. Recording took place in both Los Angeles and New Zealand.
A press release noted that McKenzie’s musical influences, including Harry nilsson and Randy Newman, are evident in the album. The release stated that McKenzie “playfully weaves humour and heart into his songs,” creating a unique listening experience.
McKenzie has released “All I Need,” the first single from Freak Out City. The song is described as a “joyful, carefree celebration of love.” The music video features McKenzie and his bandmates in colorful scenes, including crafting, doing dishes, and singing around a campfire.
This is a love song for my wife, Hannah. We’ve been together a long time. We always love each other, but let’s be honest, there are days we love each other more than other days. This song was from one of those days when we were especially in love.
mckenzie also described the recording process for “All I Need,” noting that it was recorded at the surgery Studio in Wellington with Lee Prebble engineering.He added that the song initially had an instrumental outro, but he later added a vocal sing-along part inspired by Paul McCartney.
the song was recorded at the Surgery Studio in Wellington with Lee Prebble engineering. It took a few swings to capture this one,but I love where it landed…I was just rocking out with myself, doing my best Paul McCartney impression. I didn’t seriously think it would make the track… We’re pretty much singing it for the first time when we recorded it.
What’s next
McKenzie and the State Highway Wonders are planning a tour in the fall to promote Freak Out City. Tour dates will be announced soon. the album is available for pre-order on LP, CD, and digital formats.