Rostam Announces New Album ‘American Stories’ Featuring Clairo, Shares “Like a Spark”

Former Vampire Weekend member Rostam Batmanglij has announced his third solo album, American Stories, set for release on May 15 via his own Matsor Projects label.¹ The album, his first since 2021’s Changephobia, explores his Persian heritage through an Americana lens.¹

Blending Iranian and American Sounds

American Stories marks the first time Batmanglij has fully explored his Iranian roots in his music, incorporating microtonal melodies and instrumentation from the region into Western guitar chords and song structures.¹ “Pushing the most Iranian elements right up against the most American ones brought me a certain kind of joy,” Batmanglij said.¹ He described being initially thrown off by the combination of microtonal saz melodies and Western guitar chords, but ultimately becoming “addicted to” the resulting sound.¹

Collaborations and Instrumentation

Batmanglij plays acoustic guitar, piano, drums, and percussion on the album.¹ He is joined by a cast of contributors including Iranian-American musician Amir Yaghmai (of The Voidz) on saz, violin, and guitar, and Clairo, who provides vocals on the track “Hardy.”¹ Additional collaborators include Daniel Aged, Paul Cartwright, Gabe Noel, Hamilton Berry, Henry Solomon, Andrew Tachine, and Joey Messina-Doerning.³ Grammy-winning songwriter Tobias Jesso Jr. Likewise contributed co-writing to a couple of tracks.⁴

“Like a Spark” and Upcoming Performances

Batmanglij has premiered a video for the lead single, “Like a Spark,” taken from a forthcoming concert film.¹ The film was shot at Sound City Studio A in Los Angeles and features a live performance with a six-piece band, recorded without click tracks or playback.¹

Tour Dates and Album Artwork

Rostam will tour North America beginning in late May, followed by European dates in September, including a performance at Village Underground in London on September 8.¹ The album artwork features an image of the American flag presented upside down, a symbol Batmanglij notes has been used by groups across the political spectrum.¹ He expressed interest in the conversation the image sparks, calling it “fundamentally American.”¹

‘American Stories’ Tracklist

• “Like A Spark”
• “Back Of A Truck”
• “Different Light”
• “Hardy”
• “Forgive Is To Realize”
• “To Feel No Way”
• “The Road To Death”
• “Come Apart”
• “The Weight”

Pre-sale for tour tickets begins on Wednesday, March 11, with general sale starting on Friday, March 13.³ Rostam also recently shared the original pre-Vampire Weekend version of “Campus,” which will be released on a limited-edition seven-inch vinyl on May 15, coinciding with the album release.³