“…the band has stood out as masters of experimentation, blending the cheery pop-punk of their adolescence with hip-hop production, space-y techno, and serendipitous voice modulation.” –VMAN
“Indeed, this is very weird shit. But it rules.” –KERRANG!
“With Waterparks’ fifth studio album on the way, the hype is only continuing to build. Awsten Knight is looking outwards – turning to collaboration to expand upon the band’s already versatile and experimental sound.” –ALTERNATIVE PRESS
“…a bold step into sprawling new territory.” –NME
“…stadium-sized singalong anthems” –ALLMUSIC
(January 26, 2023) – LOS ANGELES, CA – Pop/rock three-piece Waterparks are excited to share that their much-anticipated fifth full-length studio album INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY will be out on Friday, April 14, 2023 via Fueled By Ramen. In celebration of the announcement, the band have also unveiled “REAL SUPER DARK,” the fourth-released single from the LP. The fiery, experimental song showcases a heavier side of the group, while infusing elements of pop, punk, and rock into their signature genre-bending sound. Ahead of the official release, Waterparks also played “REAL SUPER DARK” during their 2022 tour dates to enthusiastic reactions from fans. The track is an exciting at hint at much more to come from the full-length effort. Stream the new track HERE, watch the companion visualizer HERE, and pre-order INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY HERE.
In his exclusive interview with Kerrang!, frontman Awsten Knight revealed about the forthcoming record, “I think that it does everything that Waterparks does best, and it expands. There are pieces that feel like they could have been on any other albums, but then there’s elements of it that full-on expand past anywhere we’ve been before. I think there’s a perfect balance between the poetry that you’d find on [2018 album] Entertainment versus the blunt crazy shit that you’d find on FANDOM. It’s a perfect melding of all of it.”
To preview the new project, Waterparks unveiled a string of high-energy tracks in 2022 in the midst of various global tour dates, including a U.S. cross-country run on the Nothing Matters Tour with recent collaborator blackbear. In October, the band shared the incendiary “FUCK ABOUT IT” (feat. blackbear), following the confessional, diaristic “SELF-SABOTAGE,” which was given a fresh take with a collaboration featuring Good Charlotte. “SELF-SABOTAGE” debuted after Waterparks’ debut single with Fueled by Ramen “FUNERAL GREY,” marking the trio entering their newest era – stepping into an elevated sound and enhanced aesthetic that builds upon their half a billion career streams and highly-engaged, global fanbase. Their last album Greatest Hits also earned the no. 5 spot on the Billboard Rock and Alternative chart.
In support of INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, Waterparks will also embark on their massive North American headline run this spring. Dubbed the “PROPERTY TOUR,” the massive 30-date trek launches on Friday, April 28 in Anaheim, CA and hits major cities including Chicago, New York, Boston, and more before wrapping in the summer at Los Angeles’ Fonda Theatre on Tuesday, June 13. Nearly half the tour is already SOLD OUT, and due to popular demand, second shows in Chicago and LA were recently announced. Additionally, the trio will be playing two U.S. festival performances later in the year at When We Were Young in Las Vegas (Oct.) and Adjacent Festival in Atlantic City, NJ (May). All tickets are currently available on Waterparks’ official website, and the full routing can be found below.
WATERPARKS
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY – Arriving Friday, April 14, 2023
5/31/23 – Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre [SOLD OUT]
6/2/23 – Orlando, FL @ House of Blues
6/3/23 – Tampa, FL @ Jannus Live
6/4/23 – New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues
6/6/23 – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live – Ballroom
6/7/23 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s
6/8/23 – Dallas, TX @ Studio at The Factory
6/10/23 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
6/11/23 – San Diego, CA @ Observatory North Park
6/13/23 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre [SOLD OUT]
6/14/23 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
10/21/23 – Las Vegas, NV @ When We Were Young Festival
ABOUT WATERPARKS:
Waterparks—composed of Awsten Knight [vocals, guitar], Otto Wood [drums], and Geoff Wigington [guitar]—manically move forward, shucking and jiving between fits of rock, alternative, and electronic with pop ambition and hip-hop’s bold and blatant disregard for the rules. The Houston trio has landed the covers of Alternative Press, VMAN, KERRANG!, Rock Sound, and more, and have garnered support across DSPs, finding themselves on numerous New Music Fridays and countless rock/alt playlists. In addition to accumulating half a billion total career streams, the band has also topped the Billboard Emerging Artists chart. Waterparks’ unique and genre-blending sound puts them in a lane all their own, melding rock, pop, hip-hop, alternative, indie, electronic, and even R&B.
