After a short delay, Sam Champion will release

Heavenly Bender, its sophomore studio
album, on June 15 via North Street Records. The
Brooklyn-based group, which features longtime
RANA drummer Ryan Thornton, has been working on
the disc for nearly four years. The group says:
‘During this godblessed time the Champ went from
wearing their influences Tom Petty, Booker T &
The MG’s, and Crazy Horse on their sleeves to
amalgamating all those old good songs into
something great and new.’ The quartet will
preview the Heavenly Bender material on
April 23 at New York’s Mercury Lounge.