Singer-songwriter, actor, writer and director Josh Radnor has shared his new single “Learning,” a meditative exploration into embracing one’s full range of emotions as a testament to true vulnerability. The new single will appear on Eulogy: Volume I, due out November 17 as the first installment in his double-album solo debut Eulogy: Volume I + II. Radnor spoke with People about “Learning” and his upcoming album, which they hailed as “an instructional booklet of sorts put to the sound of beautiful music.” Additionally, today he appeared on LIVE with Kelly and Mark to perform the new single and discuss his music career.
“‘Learning’ is my favorite song that Kyle Cox and I wrote together,” shares Radnor. “I think a lot of adults, especially men, have to do a kind of remedial class in the emotions they were once taught were weak and inappropriate to feel, namely loneliness, fear, and sadness. This is a song about reclaiming the right to feel the full range of feelings.”
“Learning” follows the “devastatingly intimate” (Paste) “NYC” and rebellious lead album single “Red,” which Entertainment Weekly praised, noting, “Josh Radnor has taken his heartache and turned it into a milestone in his music career.” Produced and engineered by Radnor’s Nashville friends Jeremiah Dunlap, Cory Quintard, and Kyle Cox, Eulogy: Volume I exudes the unquestionable sturdiness of timeless, storytelling-driven Americana, boasting anthemic melodies laced with electronic elements and idiosyncratic twists. Many of the songs on the album serve as goodbyes of sorts: a letting go of people, places, emotions, and ideas.
Throughout Eulogy: Volume I, Radnor’s grounded and intimate songwriting style blends the timeless art of existential questioning with relatable, down-to-earth narratives. Backed by sometimes rowdy, sometimes sparse instrumentation, there’s an alluring sense of vulnerability woven throughout the album, each track well-attuned to the emotion that sparked its creation.
Songwriting is nothing new to Radnor, who began making music in 2013 with friend and celebrated Aussie artist, Ben Lee. The pair released two albums as Radnor & Lee – a self-titled debut in 2017, followed by sophomore album Golden State in 2020. Then, in 2021, he dropped his debut solo EP, titled One More Then I’ll Let You Go, which was praised by American Songwriter for its “clever craftsmanship” and “certain purity.”
Radnor is currently touring on a series of intimate show dates in New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and more – a full list of dates can be found below and at joshradnor.com/tour.
Josh Radnor 2023 Tour Dates:
November 10 – Columbus, OH – Rumba Cafe
November 16 – New York City, NY – Cafe Wha? (SOLD OUT)
November 18 – Philadelphia, PA – Milkboy
December 6 – Chicago, IL – Subterranean
December 13 – Washington, D.C. – Pearl Street
December 18 – Los Angeles, CA – Echo
Eulogy: Volume I Tracklist:
- Red
- Pretty Angel
- NYC
- You Can Sleep Alone Tonight (feat. Audrey Assad)
- I Will Wait for You
- Real Life
- Schedules
- Heaven Knows
- The Darkest Hour
- What If
- Learning
- Joshua: 45-46
