Nation of Language sign to Sub Pop, share “Inept Apollo” & announce fall tour

Nation of Language have signed to Sub Pop and released their first single for the label. “Inept Apollo” is an instantly appealing synthpop track, melodic and understated. It’s a grower.

“Work is a respite from pain. Whether it’s a paying job or just the thing you pour yourself into, having a direction to move in, finding a flow state, it can move focus away from the heaviness of the heart,” says frontman Ian Devaney. “So after life’s losses, in moments of despair, we resolve time and time again to dive headfirst into the work as best we can. But the artistic process also tends to be when imposter syndrome rears its ugly head – when I find my inner monologue spiraling: ‘this is the best coping mechanism I have at my disposal and I’m not even qualified to be doing it.’”

“Inept Apollo” comes with a terrific video by John MacKay that hearkens back to the late-’90s heyday of directors like Michel Gondry. Devaney says it’s “an homage to creative pursuits, and in some ways came to represent the feeling of living in a city as an artist. The video feels like walking through an old warehouse in Brooklyn, full of practice spaces and studios, each room occupied by artists striving to express and understand themselves and their place in the world. No matter how bizarre the act may seem or how much self-doubt or pain runs through the mind of the creator, the beautiful thing is the striving and continuing on, rather than the final product or any notion of “success.” The power of creation belongs to all of us; requires the approval of none.” Watch the video below.

Nation of Language have also announced a fall tour which has them out with Greet Death, Westerman, and Deeper. That kicks off with a three-night stand at Brooklyn’s Warsaw on September 18-20 with “very special guests” still TBA. They’re also got a few shows this summer opening for Death Cab for Cutie. All dates are listed below.

Nation of Language – 2025 Tour Dates
Sat. May 17 – Los Angeles, CA – Cruel World Fest
Sun. May 18 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Block Party
Thu. Jul. 31 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena **
Sat. Aug. 02 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena **
Tue. Aug. 05 – Chicago, IL – Chicago Theater ** [Sold Out]
Wed. Aug. 06 – Chicago, IL – Chicago Theater ** [Sold Out]
Thu. Aug. 21 – Hamden, CT – Space Ballroom !
Fri. Aug. 22 – Woodstock, NY – Bearsville Theater !
Sat. Aug. 23 – Portland, ME – State Theatre !
Thu. Sep. 18 – Brooklyn, NY – Warsaw
Fri. Sep. 19 – Brooklyn, NY – Warsaw
Sat. Sep. 20 – Brooklyn, NY – Warsaw
Sun. Sep. 21 – Boston, MA – Royale #
Tue. Sep. 23 – Detroit, MI – The Majestic #
Wed. Sep. 24 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall #
Fri. Sep. 26 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue #
Sat. Sep. 27 – Milwaukee, WI – Turner Hall Ballroom #
Mon. Sep. 29 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown #
Tue. Sep. 30 – Kansas City, MO – The Truman #
Thu. Oct. 02 – Denver, CO – The Gothic Theatre #
Sat. Oct. 04 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory #
Sun. Oct. 05 – Missoula, MT – Top Hat #
Wed. Oct. 08 – Vancouver, BC – The Pearl ^
Sun. Oct. 11 – Portland, OR – Revolution Hall ^
Mon. Oct. 13 – San Francisco. CA – The Fillmore ^
Fri. Oct. 17 – San Diego, CA – Music Box *
Tue. Oct. 21 – Austin, TX – Mohawk *
Wed. Oct. 22 – Dallas, TX – The Studio at The Bomb Factory *
Thu. Oct. 24 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall *
Sat. Oct. 25 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse *
Sun. Oct. 26 – Chapel Hill, NC – Cat’s Cradle *
Mon. Oct. 27 – Richmond, VA – The Broadberry *
Wed. Oct. 29 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer *
Thu. Oct. 30 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club *
Fri. Nov. 07 – Dublin, IE – Opium
Sat. Nov. 08 – Manchester, UK – O2 Ritz Manchester ^
Sun. Nov. 09 – Glasgow, UK – St. Luke’s ^
Tue. Nov. 11 – Cardiff, UK – Tramshed ^
Wed. Nov. 12 – London, UK – The Roundhouse ^
Fri. Nov. 14 – Paris, FR – Elysee Montmartre ^
Sat. Nov. 15 – Amsterdam, NL – Melkweg ^
Sun. Nov. 16 – Nijmegen, NL – Doornroosje ^
Tue. Nov. 18 – Cologne, DE – Gloria ^
Wed. Nov. 19 – Hamburg, DE – Uebel & Gefährlich ^
Fri. Nov. 21 – Berlin, DE – Columbiahalle ^
Sat. Nov. 22 – Munich, DE – Technikum ^
Sun. Nov. 23 – Milan, IT – Magazzini Generali
Wed. Nov. 26 – Barcelona, ES – Razzmatazz
Thu. Nov. 27 – Madrid, ES – La Riviera
Fri. Nov. 28 – Lisbon, PT – LAV

** w/ Death Cab For Cutie
! w/ Safe Mind
# w/ Greet Death
* w/ Deeper
^ w/ Westermann