Tyler Ballgame

Rough Trade Records will release the debut album "For the First Time, Again" by Tyler Ballgame on January 30, 2026. The album comprises twelve songs that are deeply rooted in classic rock, indie and Americana - carried by Ballgame's distinctive voice and his talent for catchy melodies. His songs tell stories that are touching, captivating and encouraging, all in the spirit of the message to believe in one's true self.

The new single "I Believe In Love", an anthemic song somewhere between Lennon and Orbison, is now available with a video shot by Ballgame's friends and roommates Joey Casale and Victoria Gagnaire Stein. The song was recorded live and was the first track Ballgame consciously wrote for an upcoming album - a turning point in his career. Producer Jonathan Rado had advised him to write "the greatest song in the world". Ballgame then sat down at his kitchen table for two days - the result is an ode to love and its sometimes foolish sides.

The album was created in collaboration with renowned producers and multi-instrumentalists Jonathan Rado (Foxygen, Miley Cyrus, Weyes Blood) and Ryan Pollie (Los Angeles Police Department). Both are self-confessed "analogue fetishists" and have given Ballgame's songs a warm, organic sound: acoustic guitars, soulful rhythms, colorful keyboards, brass, lush harmonies - recorded with the same technique that characterized albums of the 60s and 70s. There was also support from drummer Amy Aileen Wood (Fiona Apple) and bassist Wayne Whitaker.

The roots of "For the First Time, Again" go back to a difficult time: during the pandemic, Ballgame was stuck depressed in his parents' basement in New England. And yet he always knew that music was his path - shaped by a mother who was a music teacher, by his passion for classic rock and by the affirmations of his time at Berklee College of Music. Nevertheless, the big breakthrough did not come at first.

His low point: nights in Rhode Island bars with a cover band. Finally he took the plunge: he took an office job in Los Angeles, a city he had never set foot in before. In his luggage: the books by Eckhart Tolle and Alan Watts - and the hope of finding himself. He was soon playing at open-mic sessions on Venice Beach and found a community that encouraged him. "The move was the best thing that ever happened to me," says Ballgame. "It showed me how important it is to take risks and believe in yourself. That's what my album is all about."

After a year of small successes and a growing fan base, he finally met Pollie and Rado. They enthusiastically asked him to make an album immediately. Within a very short time, Ballgame was writing new songs - including the already released single "Got A New Car", which is now also part of the album.

With "For the First Time, Again", Tyler Ballgame presents a work that gives hope, acceptance and joy, but also strength for difficult times. Ballgame himself summarizes it this way: "In order to heal, we have to let ourselves fall into the experience." With its melodies, its wisdom, its infectious optimism - and that voice - the album is just that: an experience.

An event organized by prime entertainment GmbH.