Utah-based indie-pop group The National Parks wants their music to spark memories of listeners’ own outdoor adventures. Brady Parks (vocals, guitar), Sydney Macfarlane (vocals, keys), Cam Brannelly (drums), and Megan Parks (violin)—breathe in inspiration from the world around them and exhale cinematic indie folk-pop powered by soaring harmonies, organic orchestration, and luminous electronics. “I’m spiritually connected when I’m in nature and when I’m listening to music,” says the band’s violinist Megan Parks. “We hope you hear the connection between nature and music, too.” On March 3, The National Parks will expand their vision yet again on their fifth full-length album, 8th Wonder. (The National Parks, 2023)

Bonus Points: The National Parks snuck all of the Natural Wonders of the World into the lyrics of “8th Wonder.” Can you pick out all seven of them? Fans can hear “8th Wonder” now and pre-order or pre-save 8th Wonder ahead of its March 3 release.

In addition to the album announcement, The National Parks have also announced the Spring leg of their 2023 8th Wonder Tour. Stops include The Troubador in Los Angeles and Antone’s in Austin. A full list of tour dates can be found below or online.

At the top of 2022, The National Parks hopped on Zoom for a “New Year’s Resolutions meeting,” which galvanized their next step and the vision for the album became completely clear. The band discussed their ambitions for the year ahead and ultimately decided they wanted to focus more on their core identity for the next LP. That connection with the natural world became the thematic center of the writing process. “We’ve stepped into what The National Parks is,” Sydney elaborates. “We basically said, ‘This is who we are and who we have always been.’ We decided to show who we are without trying to prove anything. I think it’s our best work.”

“Angels,” the album’s first single and opening track, sets the tone for what is to come. The layered, evocative song centers on breaking free of expectation and searching for adventure on the open road—a sentiment that threads through the rest of the album.

In the end, The National Parks welcome everyone into a much bigger and more wonderful musical world. “When you hear this, we hope you feel like you stepped outside,” Brady Parks leaves off. “We hope you discover the spirit of the unknown and the adventure of life with all its ups and downs. This album is about embracing it all and living life to the fullest.”

8th Wonder Tour Spring 2023 Dates:
Friday, March 17 – Salt Lake City, UT – Union Events Center
Friday, April 21 – Rexburg, ID – Romance Theater
Saturday, April 22 – Boise, ID – Treefort Music Hall
Tuesday, April 25 – Portland, OR – Mission Theater
Wednesday, April 26 – Seattle, WA The Crocodile’s Madame Lou’s
Friday, April 28 – Berkeley, CA Cornerstone
Saturday, April 29 – Santa Cruz, CA The Atrium
Thursday, May 4 – San Diego, CA Voodoo
Friday, May 5 – Los Angles, CA Troubadour
Tuesday, May 9 – Houston, TX The Bronze Peacock at House of Blues – Houston
Wednesday, May 10 – Austin, TX – Antone’s
Thursday, May 11 – Dallas, TX – Kessler
Friday, May 12 – Oklahoma City, OK – 89th Street OKC
Saturday, May 13 – Denver, CO – Bluebird