Low’s Mimi Parker was interviewed by singer/musician Sharon Van Etten, and you can hear their conversation on NPR’s “All Songs Considered” today [listen here].
In other exciting news, you can now listen to Low’s Ones and Sixes via NPR Music’s “First Listen” (North America), The Guardian (Europe), Les Inrocks (France) and 3voor12/VPRO (Netherlands) in advance of the album release this coming September 11th.
Also in the spirit of (not so) subtle horn-tooting, we should mention that the Ones and Sixes track “What Part of Me” was featured on NPR’s “Heavy Rotation.” WXPN’s Bruce Warren selected the track and says: “’What Part of Me’ is a haunting, simple, pleading new song from the Minnesota band’s forthcoming album Ones and Sixes. Since the early ’90s, the trio has been making quietly gorgeous songs with slow tempos and minimal arrangements. Low’s aesthetic has come to be known as ‘slowcore,’ and while it’s never strayed far from that sound, its members have kept the narrow musical genre in which they work fresh and inspiring. Low continues to evolve on ‘What Part Of Me’: The band picks up the tempo just a bit as Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker harmonize over an evocative melody, asking a simple question that digs into the heart of what commitment means between two people.” (see “Heavy Rotation” August 26th)
Low’s Ones and Sixes releases on CD / LP / DL worldwide Friday, September 11th and, as you might suspect (or demand), it’s also available for pre-order from the Sub Pop Mega Mart, iTunes, Amazon, and Bandcamp. The limited “Loser Edition” of the LP on yellow vinyl will be available from select independent record stores and via megamart.subpop.com (while supplies last).
Tour Dates:
Sep. 04 - Wiltshire, UK - End of the Road Festival
Sep. 05- Stradbally, IE - Electric Picnic
Sep. 18 - Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon*
Sep. 19 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall*
Sep. 21 - Toronto, ON - The Mod Club*
Sep. 22 - Montreal, QC - Bar Le Ritz PDB*
Sep. 23 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall*
Sep. 24 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg*
Sep. 25 - Hamden, Connecticut – The Ballroom at The Outer
Space*
Sep. 26 - Washington, DC - Black Cat*
Oct. 07 - Manchester, UK - Cathedral ^
Oct. 08 - Glasgow, UK - Art School =
Oct. 10 - London, UK - Roundhouse ^
Oct. 12 - Koln, DE - Gebaude 9 =
Oct. 13 - Hamburg, DE – Knust =
Oct. 14 - Copenhagen, DK – Vega =
Oct. 15 - Stockholm, SE – Kagelbanan =
Oct. 17 - Berlin, DE – Lido =
Oct. 19 - Munich, DE – Ampere =
Oct. 20 - Bologna, IT - Teatro Antoniano =
Oct. 22 - Zaragoza, ES - Las Armas =
Oct. 23 - Barcelona, ES – Bikini =
Oct. 24 - Valencia, ES - Deleste Festival
Oct. 26 - Madrid, ES - Teatro Lara =
Oct. 27 - Santander, ES – Escenario =
Oct. 29 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso ^
Oct. 30 – Tourcoing, FR – Le Grand Mix =
Oct. 31 - Brussels, BE – AB +
Nov. 02 – Paris, FR – Le Divan du Monde =
Nov. 11 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue*
Nov. 12 – Omaha, NE – Reverb Lounge*
Nov. 13 - Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge*
Nov. 14 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex*
Nov. 16 - Los Angeles, CA - The Troubadour*
Nov. 18 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall*
Strange Wilds begin ripping their way across North American in support of their debut album, Subjective Concepts, tomorrow night, Thursday, September 25th at Black Lodge in Seattle. The tour keeps on rolling until November 21st, and takes the band throughout the continental U.S.
Newly added tour dates include: October 10th in Athens, OH at Galbreath Chapel; October 14th in Annondale, NY at SMOG at Bard College; October 15th in Brooklyn, NY at the Knitting Factory for Sub Pop & Hardly Art’s CMJ showcase; November 8th in San Diego, CA at the Soda Bar; and November 12th in Bakersfield, CA at Temblor Brewing Company; November 20th in Tacoma, WA at Real Art. (details below)
New to (or already obsessed with) Strange Wilds? Find their YouTube playlist (feat. the official “Pronoia” video) right here.
Strange Wilds’ Subjective Concepts is available now on CD / LP / DL at the Sub Pop Mega Mart, iTunes, Amazon and Bandcamp. All customers who order the LP version of Subjective Concepts from megamart.subpop.com and Bandcamp will receive the limited “Loser Edition” on white vinyl while supplies last. (There’s a new T-shirt design available too)
[ Photo courtesy of the band ]
What do ‘They” say about Strange Wilds? Here are some good words:
“Pronoia is the opposite of paranoia, essentially the happy delusion that there is a conspiracy that exists to help people. It’s also the name of the hellish four-minute blast of noise that’s the best song on this debut album by Seattle trio Strange Wilds. The follow-up to 2014’s four-track ‘Wet’ EP, Subjective Concepts sounds like it was raised on ‘Bleach’-era Nirvana and aligns the band with their Washington peers Milk Music and Naomi Punk. They build a monumental wall of hardcore noise on ‘Egophillia’, before taking a wrecking ball to it and screaming wildly into the mess. Elsewhere, there are tight grooves on ‘Disdain’ and ‘Terrible’, and the guttural riffs on ‘Starved For’ offer plenty for bleeding gums to gnaw on.” -NME
“Touch And Go-style post rock with early grunge.” - The AV Club
“Northwestern American trio tap into grunge’s collective unconscious, channelling crushing riffs and ancestral memories of hardcore.” MOJO
“Loud, sneering, and heavy-set, Subjective Concepts could come wrapped in a rain-soaked plaid shirt.” - LOUD & QUIET
“Taut, virile hardcore punk with a seething intelligence… It’s an absolute gem.” - CLASH MUSIC
“An undeniably exciting listen.” - UNCUT
“With their excellent full-length debut, this savage young trio offers a stiff reminder of those bygone halcyon days when Chad Channing drummed for Nirvana instead of Dave Grohl. But while the barbed, razor-sharp riffs and tightrope bass thuds of Bleach largely inform the scrappy nature of key tracks like caustic opener “Pronoia” and the pensive “Oneirophobe,” there is an influential undercurrent of the signature sounds of their own city back in the day as well. Shades of K Records classics from Beat Happening and Some Velvet Sidewalk additionally factor into the more melodic elements of Subjective Concepts, particularly within the structures of college radio-ready songs like “Don’t Have To” and “Lose and Found.” - PASTE
“They are a powerful outfit, and Subjective Concepts is cohesive and fierce.” - Pitchfork
“Toggles between a coiled-snake groove and the kind of full scream-along ferocity that makes you want to thrash around in a small, dark room with a bunch of sweaty strangers. This is noisy, heavy, grimy music, and it’s great.” [“Pronoia”] - Stereogum
“A sludged-out mess of hardcore that slam dances with the Seattle label’s past and it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see them on a tour run that’s stacked with Mogwai, METZ, or Pissed Jeans” [“Pronoia”] - BLARE
“‘Starved For’ sounds exactly like what you’d want to be listening to if you lived inside of a Tony Hawk Pro Skater game.” - Noisey
Tour Dates
Sep. 25 - Seattle, WA - Black Lodge Sep. 26 - Vancouver, BC - The Biltmore Sep. 27 - Portland, OR - They Know Sep. 30 - Olympia, WA - Old School Oct. 01 - San Francisco, CA - Hemlock Oct. 02 - Los Angeles, CA - The Smell Oct. 03 - Tempe, AZ - Time Out Lounge Oct. 04 - Albuquerque, NM - Sister Oct. 05 - Denver, CO - Rhinoceropolis Oct. 06 - Omaha, NE - West Wing Oct. 07 - Columbia, MO - Cafe Berlin Oct. 08 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverwest Public House Oct. 09 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle Oct. 10 - Athens, OH - Galbreath Chapel Oct. 11 - Detroit, MI - Marble Bar Oct. 12 - Cleveland, OH - Now That’s Class Oct. 13 - Pittsburgh, PA - Spirit Oct. 14 - Annondale, NY - SMOG at Bard College Oct. 15 - Brooklyn, NY - Knitting Factory (Sub Pop / Hardly Art CMJ Showcase) Oct. 16 - Brooklyn, NY - Union Pool (Strange Victory Touring CMJ Party) Oct. 17 - New York, NY - Aviv Oct. 18 - Montreal, QC - Turbo Haus Oct. 19 - Toronto, ON - Smiling Buddha Oct. 20 - Rochester, NY - Bug Jar Oct. 21 - Albany, NY - The Low Beat Oct. 22 - Providence, RI - Aurora Oct. 23 - Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie Oct. 24 - Washington, DC - The (sea) Lab Oct. 26 - RIchmond, VA - Strange Matter Oct. 27 - Asheville, NC - Tiger Mountain Oct. 28 - Atlanta, GA - Drunken Unicorn Oct. 30 - Miami, FL - Kill Your Idol Oct. 31 - Gainesville, FL - Fest 14 / The Atlantic Nov. 01 - Jacksonville, FL - Rain Dogs Nov. 02 - New Orleans, LA - Siberia Nov. 03 - Houston, TX - Walter’s Downtown Nov. 04 - Austin, TX - Beerland Nov. 06 - Tucson, AZ - Hotel Congress Nov. 08 - San Diego, CA - Soda Bar Nov. 09 - Fullerton, CA - Continental Room Nov. 10 - El Centro, CA - Strangers Nov. 11 - Los Angeles, CA - All Star Lanes Nov. 12 - Bakersfield, CA - Temblor Brewing Company Nov. 13 - Oakland, CA - 1-2-3-4 Go Records Nov. 14 - Santa Rosa, CA - Atlas Coffee Company Nov. 16 - Reno, NV - The Holland Project Nov. 17 - Salt Lake City, UT - Diabolical Records Nov. 18 - Boise, ID - Neurolux Nov. 19 - Portland, OR - Bunk Bar Nov. 20 - Tacoma, WA - Real Art Nov. 21 - Seattle, WA - The Highline
For more tour information + ticket links, please go here.
Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires deliver their distinct brand of Southern Rock to the people as their U.S. tour kicks off this week in support of recent single “Sweet Disorder” and Dereconstructed the group’s acclaimed 2014 album.
Got yer tickets but you just can’t wait for the show? Have a listen to the album right over here.
Their trek begins tomorrow night, September 25th in Lexington, KY at Cosmic Charlies and has been extended through Saturday, November 7th in Whitesburg, KY at Appalshop. The group will also be joined by Saddle Creek recording artists Pujol for select dates (as you’ll see below).
Single “Sweet Disorder!” was produced by Tim Kerr, cut by Jeremy Ferguson, mixed by Bains and Ferguson at Battletapes in Nashville, TN. The b-side, “Stars,” a Primitons cover, was recorded by Lee on Lee’s phone in Atlanta, GA and shined up by Ferguson, also at Battletapes.
Both “Sweet Disorder!” and Dereconstructed are available for purchase from Sub Pop Mega Mart, iTunes, Amazon, and your friendly neighborhood record shop.
What do The People have to say about Dereconstructed?
“Dereconstructed, the band’s second album, ponders Southern identity in a welter of cranked-up guitars, bristling drums and rasping, hollering vocals. It’s pandemonium with a conscience.” - New York Times
“A terrific album.” [4/5 Stars] - The Guardian
“If there’s one tradition Bains and the Glory Fires unquestioningly uphold, it’s the Friday-night custom of burning down the house.” - NPR Music
“It’s a dirty-sounding album, full of scuzzy red-line guitars and overdriven vocals, but even all that speaker-busting grit doesn’t hide the alluring melodies Bains threads among the mayhem.” - Paste
“Bains likes to rock. He and the Glory Fires wrap his commentaries, ruminations, and invective in what he calls “real Alabama rock ’n’ roll,” a raging burnpile of garage and Southern rock, dirty, supercharged blues and soul, Stonesy groove, Crazy Horse howl, and punk slam. With these songs, Bains surely wants to make you think; he surely will make you shake.” - The Boston Globe
Bains hails from Birmingham, a city torn apart by some of the South’s most tragic events, and the singer isn’t shy about assailing the shortcomings and flaws, while also delivering a dose of don’t-forget-where-you’re-from pride. It’s fiercely intelligent stuff with a raucous sound.” [Best Album of 2014] - Garden & Gun
Tour Dates:
Sep. 25 - Lexington, KY - Cosmic Charlies*
Sep. 26 - Louisville, KY - Zanzabar*
Sep. 27 - Champaign, IL - Pygmalion Festival
Sep. 28 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle *
Sep. 29 - Grand Rapids, MI - Pyramid Scheme *
Sep. 30 - Detroit, MI - UFO Factory *
Oct. 01 - Pittsburgh, PA - Smiling Moose *
Oct. 02 - Lancaster, PA - Lizard Lounge *
Oct. 03 - Brooklyn, NY - Baby’s All Right *
Oct. 04 - Providence, RI - Aurora *
Oct. 05 - Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie *
Oct. 06 - Morgantown, WV - 123 Pleasant Street
Oct. 07 - Washington DC - Black Cat (Backstage)*
Oct. 08 - Harrisonburg, VA - Clementine Cafe *
Oct. 09 - Charlotte, NC - Milestone
Oct. 10 - Greenville, SC - Fall For Greenville
Oct. 20 - Oxford, MS - Proud Larry’s
Oct. 21 - Little Rock, AR - White Water Tavern
Oct. 22 - Dallas, TX - Three Links
Oct. 23 - San Antonio, TX - Paper Tiger
Oct. 24 - Austin, TX - Mohawk
Oct. 25 - Houston, TX - Walter’s
Oct. 26 - Baton Rouge, LA - Chelsea’s
Oct. 27 - New Orleans, LA - Siberia
Oct. 28 - Tallahassee, FL - Club Downunder *
Oct. 29 - Orlando, FL - Will’s Pub *
Oct. 30 - Tampa, FL - Crowbar
Oct. 31 - Jacksonville, FL - Burro Bar *
Nov. 01 - Gainesville, FL - The FEST
Nov. 05 - Raleigh, NC - Slim’s
Nov. 06- Richmond, VA - The Extravaganza @ Broadberry
Nov. 07 - Whitesburg, KY - Appalshop
* w/ Pujol
For more information + ticket links, please go here.
Speaking of exciting news: Up Records (via Sub Pop) will reissue Built To Spill’s much loved classic There’s Nothing Wrong with Love, the second full-length album released by the legendary indie rock band. It was originally released September 13, 1994 on the Up Records label with the stellar line-up of Doug Martsch, bassist Brett Nelson, and drummer Andy Capps, with Phil Ek producing. The album features enduring singles “In the Morning,” “Car,” and “Distopian Dream Girl.”
There’s Nothing Wrong With Love will be available October 30th from Up Records - distributed through Sub Pop - and is now available for preorder from Sub Pop Mega Mart.
On a related note, theThere’s Nothing Wrong With Love playlist is also available for your audio visual consumption, featuring official videos for “In The Morning,” “Car,” “Fling,” and “Big Dipper” via Up Records YouTube channel [view it here]
There’s Nothing Wrong with Love was exceptionally well received by critics upon its release. It went on to earn “Best Albums of 90’s” notices from the likes of Pitchfork, PASTE, SPIN, and has sold nearly 140k copies to date. This new, vinyl edition is the first time the album has been available on vinyl since its original run. Let the rejoicing commence!
What people have said about There’s Nothing Wrong With Love:
“Built To Spill’s Doug Martsch put Boise, Idaho, on the musical map with sprawling guitars, nasally vocals and heartfelt lyrics. Before the group fleshed out their sound with the guitar bits, BTS won over listeners with these straightforward, poignant songs. It’s an intimate glimpse inside one of indie rock’s great songwriters before he found himself.” [90 Best Albums of the 90’s] - PASTE
“The second album by Doug Martsch’s long-running band is a declaration of his awesome powers as a songwriter and guitarist…There’s Nothing Wrong With Love is the work of an artist who gets to treat Boise, Idaho, as a rock capital because he can outplay anyone: The sheer variety of instrumental textures Martsch crams into these songs’ riffs and fills and raw solos is amazing on its own.” - Wondering Sound
“True or false: Doug Martsch is the Peter Frampton of 1990s indie? Sure, he might not have the hair, the tight pants, or the voice box, but it’s difficult to think of another soul more worthy of resident guitar god; maybe J Mascis, but he never brought the pop side like King Framp. That’s the side most in evidence on There’s Nothing Wrong With Love, before Martsch started bringing the sprawl in spades. Humble, wry song-tales about heads-up-seven-up, Albertson’s stir-fry, and Bowie-hating stepdads abound, while earnest tracks like “Twin Falls” and “Big Dipper” set the pace for the entire Northwestern indie-pop scene.” [Top 100 Albums of the 1990’s”] - Pitchfork
“…Their second full-length and first genuinely great record…There’s Nothing Wrong With Love is the sound of scrappy mountain manchildren toying with their powers, pushing the limits of their form, setting the table for future tours de force.” - STEREOGUM
“The second album by Boise, Idaho’s Built to Spill was the cuddliest little guitar epic of the decade. Just as the luster was wearing off the grunge gold rush, singer guitarist Doug Martsch challenged slacker cynicism with basement-band symphonies that turned his own private Idaho into indie rock’s last unknown territory.” [Greatest Albums of the 90’s] - SPIN
“…Love is an absolute classic from the decade..” [“Dusting ‘Em Off”] - Consequence of Sound
Melbourne’s mighty Deaf Wish will bring their thunderous live show stateside this October in support of Pain. The tour begins October 6th in Chicago at Township and ends October 24th in Seattle at Black Lodge.
In case you missed it: We suggest you experience the visual odyssey for “On” directed by Vincenzi Vandella, who describes it thusly: “Rainbows, Snakes, Chrome, Champagne. A live broadcast from the Deaf Wish cathedral.”
Allow us to also mention that Pain is available for purchase on CD / LP / DL from Sub Pop Mega Mart, iTunes, Amazon, and Bandcamp. LP orders from megamart.subpop.com will receive the limited Loser edition on clear, black marbled vinyl (while supplies last).
Tour Dates Oct. 06 - Chicago, IL - Township Oct. 07 - Columbus, OH - Double Happiness Oct. 08 - Cleveland, OH - Now That’s Class Oct. 09 - Detroit, MI - Marble Bar Oct. 10 - New York, NY - Cakeshop Oct. 11 - Brooklyn, NY - Alphaville Oct. 12 - Washington, DC - DC9 Oct. 13 - Asheville, NC - Lazy Diamond Oct. 14 - Atlanta, GA - Eyedrum Oct. 15 - Memphis, TN - Murphy’s Oct. 16 - New Orleans, LA - Sidney’s Saloon Oct. 17 - Austin, TX - Sidewinder Oct. 18 - Austin, TX - Trailer Space Records Oct. 19 - Phoenix, AZ - The Rebel Lounge Oct. 20 - Los Angeles, CA - House of Gods Oct. 21 - Oakland, CA - 1-2-3-4 Go! Records Oct. 22 - San Francisco, CA - Hemlock Oct. 23 - Portland, OR - They Know Oct. 24 - Seattle, WA - Black Lodge
For more information + ticket links, please go here.
Release day has arrived for Goat’s 7” single, “It’s Time For Fun,” one of the first batch of new tunes from the group since their critically-acclaimed second album Commune was released last September.
Goat have scheduled a handful of live appearances this fall, taking their legendarily earth-shaking live show to Greece and Australia. (tour dates below)
“It’s Time For Fun” is now available digitally and on 7” vinyl in North America from Sub Pop Records, iTunes, and Amazon. [It’s also available in Scandinavia via Stranded Rekords, and via Rocket Recordings in the rest of the world.]
About Goat’s “It’s Time For Fun” single:
The winter months following that release saw the band return to their village of Korpilombolo in Sweden to start anew on fresh material, and this two-track single collects the first fruits of this work.
However, these two songs were not recorded in their native land - instead Goat decided to hit the studio on a recent excursion to the Americas. The A-side ‘It’s Time For Fun’ was recorded in New York whilst B-side ‘Relax’ was committed to posterity in Sao Paolo.
New York seems a fitting location for the recording of ‘It’s Time For Fun’ as the spirit of ESG and early ‘80s No Wave runs through the skittering drum machines, dubby basslines, fuzzy synth and the haunted chants of the vocals.
Its flip-side ‘Relax’ mainlines a similar vibe, yet this reflective instrumental marries ‘Future Days’ like drum machine, tribal percussion, grooved-out bass and a fan-driven organ solo that gyrates elegantly in a manner akin to a North African Heldon or Fripp & Eno.
[ photo by Ante Johansson ]
Tour Dates
Oct. 17 - Athens, GR - Gagarin Festival
Nov. 28 - Gothenburg, SE - Gothenburg Film Studios
