Pack your bags, music lovers — New Translations just dropped their highly-anticipated full-length debut album, Vacation, and it’s the ultimate destination for genre-blurring bops and emotional deep dives. Out today (February 14) via War Buddha/Warner Records, the album marks a milestone moment for the buzzing Nashville-based alternative band, who are ready to take listeners on a trip through 11 tracks filled with lovelorn new wave, glitchy beats, and anthemic hooks.
“This project is a massive milestone for us,” frontman Oliver Pierce tells Celeb Secrets in an exclusive Q&A. “A debut album was never considered in the realm of possibility when Isaac [Middleton] and I started working together on this project 10 years ago, so to be here now on the doorstep is terrifying and exciting, to put it mildly.”
At its core, Vacation is more than just an album—it’s a sonic home for those who feel like they don’t quite fit in. “I think we’re all little weirdos, ya know?” Pierce says. “At the end of the day, all I’d like to do is provide a common space for people to be a little freak <3.”
Tracks like “Coldest Century” and “Voided Velvet” exemplify this ethos. “Coldest Century” began as a “s**tty little demo” before evolving into an ethereal anthem built at local audio wizard Thad Kopec’s house and fine-tuned in bassist/producer Ben Dunn’s Studio 4115. “Thematically, the song deals with finding the person you want to go into the bomb shelter with when it all goes down,” Pierce explains. “I think the album as a whole is a series of vignettes dealing with romanticism, family, and self-discovery in the weird time we’ve found ourselves alive in.”
Meanwhile, the collaboration with Michigander on “Voided Velvet” happened thanks to producer Jared Corder, who played matchmaker between the artists. “We knew we wanted a feature on the track, and the song fit Jason’s [Michigander] voice like a little glove,” Pierce shares. “He’s the indie rock king, and to have him lend his talents on the track sends it through the roof in my opinion.”
New Translations refuse to be boxed in, embracing contradictions in their music to create something truly unique. “Vacation specifically plays around with a fun musical contradiction by combining ‘wall of sound’ shoegaze guitar with synth-pop grooves,” Pierce says. “Tracks like ‘Sheriff’ really push that boundary of what music can be. When you have a melting pot of inspiration, it happens whether you want it to or not.”
Their boundary-pushing tendencies stem from their home base of Nashville, a city famous for country music but also teeming with underground creative energy. “While country music and Broadway are the face of Nashville, the heart of Nashville lies in places like The Basement, The East Room, and Soft Junk,” Pierce explains. “These venues have become beacons for local artists to workshop new material, throw ragers, and try to (respectfully) one-up each other seven days a week.”
Recording Vacation was just as much of a journey as the music itself. The band tracked the album at Polychrome Ranch, a rescue ranch an hour outside of Nashville, where they were surrounded by donkeys, pigs, dogs, and other animals. “So much love was put into the production by Jared Corder, and it wouldn’t be the same without him,” Pierce says.
Some hidden gems made their way onto the record, too. “We tracked the vocals for ‘Sally’ late at night, and I stood on the back porch, so the crickets at the end of the song are live from the ranch (and their day rate was outrageous),” he jokes. And in true rock-and-roll fashion, the band had a special ritual: “We played a ‘Butt Rock’ anthem every time we finished tracking a part—and that’s a whole lotta butt.”
New Translations are already taking Vacation on tour, currently supporting Arts Fishing Club before their headlining album release show at The Blue Room in Nashville on February 22, 2025. Then, they’ll hit the road with Rainbow Kitten Surprise and Vlad Holiday.
As for the future? “Probably retire after this one, but it’s been fun!” Pierce jokes. “We’ve been in the studio tinkering with where our hearts are telling us to go sonically for the next chapter, but we’d like to live in this current chapter for a second too.”
So, what are you waiting for? Vacation is out now — press play, pack your bags, and let New Translations take you somewhere unforgettable.
LISTEN TO “VACATION” HERE:
