These days, Rhode Island-based comedian Ray Harrington is feeling a bit burned out. And he’s ready to tell you why.
On September 8, Harrington releases his sophomore stand-up album Overwhelmed, and effort that has a lot to compete with in comparison to his first record, 2013’s The Worst is Over, which reached Number 2 on the iTunes Comedy chart. On this new release, Harrington riffs on everything from the inactivity of camping to “Pudging,” and after a few setbacks and bumps in the road, Harrington is equal parts relieved and excited to finally realize the release.
“Mostly, I’m just filled with a sense of relief, to be honest,” he tells Vanyaland. “This hour came together during the making of [critically-acclaimed documentary] Be A Man, and having this hour in my head along with the film, and a baby who was rapidly becoming a toddler was a bit insane, hence the title.”
Recorded at The Rockwell in Davis Square, Harrington brought along two comics who he felt were great in their performances prior to the taping. You don’t hear the openers on the record, but Harrington, in the spirit of thankfulness, gives credit to the venue and duo for setting the tone for the evening. “[The Rockwell] is such a great venue and the comics that put on the show, Nick Chambers and Al Park, are amazing. I was excited to go from the oversold comedy club vibe of the first album to a smaller, more intimate vibe of a small theater.”
Overwhelmed was produced by Stand Up! Records, and is now available for pre-order on iTunes. Check out all of Harrington’s upcoming appearances, including gigs at Cabot Comedy Club in Chicopee, via his website, and view the Overwhelmed, by Pia Guerra, below.
Featured photo courtesy of the artist.