13th Floor New Song Of The Day: Greg Fleming – Tourists For A Day

We’ve got a new one for you from Greg Fleming today and it’s called Tourist For A Day.

It looks like Greg and his band , The Working Poor, have a new album in the works. Here’s the record company blurb with details:

Tourists for a Day  – the first track from a new album – was written about being stuck in Auckland City and trying to see a familiar friend through new eyes. The song was part of an initiative by his music publisher Songbroker to help artists after Covid hit – 28 artists were funded to record a song. 

The track – produced by Wayne Bell and Fleming was recorded – between lockdowns – at Mt Eden’s Lab studios in one session.

“We went in knowing we had to come out with a finished track by 7pm… it was touch and go for a minute but we got there. Indeed we went back and did another track a few weeks later under the same time limits – sometimes deadlines are good things!”

But, he says, it’s been a hell of a year.

“Everybody’s feeling it in some way but I wanted to write something positive and upbeat. This song takes a bitter-sweet ride around a mostly empty and tourist-free Auckland city. It’s a song about appreciating every moment and seeing the beauty in the everyday sights, sounds and especially the people you share them with.”

Greg’s music has been reviewed enthusiastically at US site No Depression and his most recent album, 2018’s Get Off at Lincoln made many critics best of the year list. 

His new album is being recorded now and is out early 2021.

About Greg Fleming and The Working Poor

Greg’s first show was opening up for Texan legend Townes Van Zandt since then he’s built up a reputation as a razor sharp songwriter – adept in a wide range of styles and settings. The Working Poor are one of Australasia’s finest, forward-thinking rock bands. Their album To Hell With These Streets made the top 10 best albums of 2016 at elsewhere.co.nz . 2018 saw the release of the highly acclaimed Get Off at Lincoln (2018) – which again enjoyed 4 star reviews both at home and internationally.

Read more about Greg at audioculture

“Fleming knows how to set up a scene and get his little vignettes across within the length of a typical pop song (perhaps he could teach Dylan a thing or two…)” Marty Duda 13^th Floor

“these songs move from observational to internal narratives and present hard and often uncomfortable truths about what we have allowed ourselves to become. Our country as it shouldn’t be? Gripping stuff.” Graham Reid, Elsewhere

In a country of fake folkies, Fleming is a consummate songwriter (‘Edge of the City’ was one of my favourite albums of 2012), a no-nonsense poet of Auckland’s urban sprawl… Like the great country songwriters (Townes, H. Williams I, George Jones) Fleming uses the everyday as fertile material — it doesn’t need a whole lot else.” Grade A  ReallyReal Review, Nov 2016

“To Hell With These Streets is the most confident and most sonically engaging, as well as the most disgruntled album he’s made. But what’s extra impressive is the continuity with the rest of the music he’s made this decade. Greg Fleming is on a roll, and long may he roll.” Nick Bollinger The Sampler Radio NZ