A group of lucky fans received a text message from Citizen on Monday, April 27, tipping them off to an intimate show at Oblivion, a 150-capacity venue in Los Angeles. The set would be energetic and high-octane, a deliberate nod to the DIY grit that has shaped Citizen’s legacy. The Toledo-based powerhouse would soon officially let the rest of the world in on a not-so-little secret: their new studio album, Halcyon Blues, will drop August 7 via Run for Cover.
The announcement accompanied the release of the record’s lead single, “Highs and Lows,” a track perfectly capturing the band’s current trajectory. A bit of a slow burn, anchored by pulsing bass lines and eventually rupturing into a massive chorus, the track introduces fans to an album that lead vocalist Mat Kerekes described on his Instagram stories as “melancholic” and “overall moody.”
Directed by Josh Pfaff, the accompanying music video reinforces the song’s status as a top-tier contender for the anthem of the summer. Self-recorded by Kerekes in his home studio, Halcyon Blues aims to bridge the gap between Citizen’s eras. It’s a record that seeks to combine the raw urgency of their early work with the melodic masterpiece of 2023’s Calling the Dogs.
“I see Citizen as this long-term creative project where there’s always somewhere new to go,” guitarist Nick Hamm told Soundsphere Magazine.
“A lot of bands try to do anything they can to be the hottest thing of the moment, and we’ve just never operated like that. We’ve trusted that people who like our band will want to come along.”
Citizen is supporting the release of their upcoming album with an explosive world tour. It kicks off with two nights at Chicago’s Thalia Hall featuring support from Anxious, Hotline TNT, Rocket, and Cryogeyser. From there, the band heads to the UK and Europe alongside Modern Color, followed by an Australian run in February 2027 with Drug Church. Tickets can be found here.
After 17 years, Citizen still feels like a band with something to prove — and if “Highs and Lows” is any indication, they’re still at the absolute top of their game.
Halcyon Blues tracklist:
1. “Good Fortune”
2. “I Can See You From Here”
3. “Halcyon Blues”
4. “Is It In My Brain”
5. “Always The Last One to Leave”
6. “Either Way”
7. “Matador”
8. “Ether”
9. “Smooth Talker”
10. “Highs and Lows”
11. “Anne”
Citizen 2026/2027 tour dates:
05/16 – Columbus, OH @ Historic Crew Stadium
06/14 – Washington, DC @ Warped Tour
06/25 – Long Beach, CA @ Warped Tour
08/18 – Chicago, IL @Thalia Hall *
08/19 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall *
08/21 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall *
08/22 – Cleveland, OH @ Globe Iron *
08/23 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE *
08/25 – Toronto, CA @ Danforth Music Hall*
08/28 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel *
08/29 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer *
08/30 – Boston, MA @ Citizens House of Blues *
09/01 – Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore Silver Spring *
09/02 – Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa *
09/04 – St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Live *
09/05 – Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution *
09/07 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade (Heaven) *
09/09 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s *
09/10 – Dallas, TX @ The Bomb Factory *
09/11 – San Antonio, TX @ The Aztec Theatre *
09/13 – Mexico City, MX @ Warped Tour *
09/15 – Mesa, AZ @ The Nile Theater *
09/17 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium *
09/18 – San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom *
09/19 – Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades *
09/21 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom*
09/22 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo *
09/24 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Rockwell at The Complex *
09/26 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre *
09/28 – St. Louis, MO @ The Hawthorn *
09/30 – Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater *
10/01 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave *
10/02 – Detroit, MI @ The Majestic Theatre *
10/24 – London, UK @ Earth Hall ^
10/25 – Leeds, UK @ Stylus ^
10/27 – Glasgow, UK @ TV Studio ^
10/28 – Manchester, UK@ Academy 2 ^
10/29 – Bristol, UK @ The Prospect Building ^
10/31 – Hamburg, DE @ Gruenspan #
11/02 – Berlin, DE @ Columbia Theater #
11/03 – Cologne, DE @ Die Kantine #
11/04 – Haarlem, NL @ Patronaat #
02/26 – Brisbane, AU @ The Tivoli $
02/27 – Sydney, AU @ Liberty Hall $
02/28 – Melbourne, AU @ Forum $
03/03 – Adelaide, AU @ The Gov $
03/04 – Perth, AU @ Magnet House $
* with Anxious, Hotline TNT, Rocket, Cryogeyser
^ with Modern Color, thistle.
# with Modern Color
$ with Drug Church
