SPIN says of the album, “The quartet combines the droning jams of Luna with the tender tension of Ought (and the squealing yawps of Meat Puppets frontman Curt Kirkwood) on debut album I Hear You, one of the most satisfying full-band records of 2016’s first half. The tracks are long, the six-strings are loud, and the grooves are absolutely transfixing. Though the feeling they produce is old, the songs themselves feel new, just the latest in a proud lineage (see album premiere May 6th-13th).”
Arbor Labor Union’s previously announced U.S. tour in support of I Hear You, begins next Saturday, May 14th in West Columbia, SC at New Brookland Tavern and ends Friday, June 17th in Athens, GA at the 40 Watt. There will be additional live dates announced soon. (Complete tour routing below.)
I Hear You will be available worldwide May 13th on CD/LP/DL/CASS through Sub Pop, and is available for preorder now via Sub Pop Mega Mart, iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Bandcamp and independent retailers near you. LP preorders viamegamart.subpop.com and independent retailers near you will receive the limited “Loser” edition on marbled pink vinyl (while supplies last).
Here’s what The People are saying about Arbor Labor Union:
“It’s seven-plus minutes of stodgy desert rock delivered with a southern drawl that recalls QOTSA’s more groove-based moments, as well as cult Swede act The Soundtrack Of Our Lives. “Go ahead and say out loud: ‘I AM NOT INSANE!!!’” screams singer/guitarist Bo Orr at one point, sounding both insane and hell-bent on alerting the white coat brigade. It’s a swirling, motorik and wilfully heavy beast.” [“Mr. Birdsong”] - NME
“It’s a chugging, ballsy rock squall… that’ll stomp its way straight into your heart.” [“Radiant Mountain Road”] - NOISEY
“Jammy, slightly sludgy indie rock, owing more than a little to the early ’90s, with the impassioned shoutings of Bo Orr.” [ “Belief’d”] -Brooklyn Vegan
“Arbor Labor Union are deeply in hock to a certain strain of garage rock bordering on heavy metal as performed by the likes of The Stooges or Blue Cheer, spiced with a dash of Fall-like post-punk.” [Review, 7/10] - Uncut
“The Georgia outfit seems to have found a strange middle ground between Queens of The Stone Age and The Hold Steady on their new track, with thick chugging rhythms and talk-sing vocals perfect for drives down dangerous roads with reckless friends.” [“Mr. Birdsong”] - Crave Magazine
“Unsurprisingly, I Hear You‘s first single “Radiant Mountain Road” continues the band’s reputation for a raw, furiously passionate sound and aesthetic that draws from Neil Young and Crazy Horse (think of “Cinnamon Girl“), and Pearl Jam (think of “Last Exit,” “Spin The Black Circle,” off Vitalogy and “Blood” off Vs.) as the song was a towering, noisy squall consisting of layers upon layers of chugging power chords, thundering drumming and rumbling bass chords paired with Orr’s howling and shouting above the fray. “Belief’d,” I Hear You‘s latest single is a slow-burning, sludgy power chord number with deeply metaphysical leanings and intensely visual poetic lyrics — in my mind’s eye, I can picture a “stacking of faceless heads into a totem pole,” and looking up to the heavens to see “an army of stars,” and feel “blankets of wind,” while Bo Orr howls lyrics that focus on mysticism and higher states of consciousness within the cosmos, and of our place within it.” [“Belief’d” / “Radiant Mountain Road”] - Joy of Violent Movement
“Regimented, slothful or otherwise, Arbor Labor Union have the habit of eeking out a smoky, barbequed riff and sticking to it with minimal variation for four-to-eight minutes while frontman Bo Orr yelps Bukowskian poetry as if his blackened lungs are about to run out of breath for good. There’s a pleasing half-time intermission that sounds like a Goo-era Sonic Youth instrumental and then it’s back to the alternative indie-rock shanties with earthy beats that are virtually irresistible to air-drum along to. “I am destroyed by the joyful noise,” barks Orr, “And when the volume peaks, then I rejoice”. Amen to that. Back of the net.” [Review] - The Quietus
Tour Dates May 14 - West Columbia, SC - New Brookland Tavern May 15 - Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle Back Room May 16 - Washington, DC - DC9 May 18 - Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie May 19 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge May 20 - Cambridge, MA - Club Bohemia May 21 - Buffalo, NY - The Leopard Lounge at Town Ballroom May 22 - Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop May 24 - Chicago, IL - Schubas May 25 - Madison, WI - The Frequency May 26 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry May 27 - Iowa City, IA - The Mill May 28 - Omaha, NE - Milk Run May 29 - Denver, CO - Lost Lake Lounge May 31 - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court Jun. 02 - Nampa, ID - Flying M Coffee Jun. 03 - Seattle, WA - Barboza Jun. 04 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios Jun. 06 - San Francisco, CA - Rickshaw Stop Jun. 07 - Santa Ana, CA - Constellation Room Jun. 08 - Los Angeles, CA - Bootleg Hi-Fi Jun. 10 - San Diego, CA - Hideout Jun. 11 - Phoenix, AZ - Valley Bar Jun. 13 - Austin, TX - The Mohawk Jun. 14 - Dallas, TX - Club Dada Jun. 15 - Houston, TX - Rudyard’s Jun. 17 - Athens, GA - 40 Watt
Ticket links are yours for the clicking, right over here.
[Photo courtesy of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport]
May 1st, 2016 was a major milestone for the well-intentioned, hard-working and lovably bumbling music industry professionals at Sub Pop Records. Somehow we have managed to open and sustain a retail location at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, FOR TWO ENTIRE YEARS!
And, today, aka Monday, May 9th, we’re going to make a party about it.
Hard to believe? Totally! And yet, here we are, ushering the Sub Pop Airport Store into its terrible twos. To mark this momentous (and, somewhat improbable) occasion, we’re low-key celebrating in grand fashion TODAY inside that very store. Herewith a glimpse at what travelers/revelers might find within these 4-ish walls…
Free Cupcakes!
Free CD Samplers of recent Sub Pop and Hardly Art musical selections!
Actual DJ’s spinning actual records from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM!
Delicious and free Cupcakes!
Limited Ed. Vinyl for sale! (not free, but reasonably-priced)
The opportunity to take your own photo in our Nirvana photo-op cut-out thingy!
Oh, the Cupcakes! (free, and also a while-they-last situation)
Plus: from 12:00 noon until about 2:30 PM, the soon-to-be world famous and already-wildly-entertaining Sub Pop Podcast will be on-site, interviewing customers, store and airport employees, and passersby asking such incisive questions as, “What is Sup Pop anyway?” Nothing at all could go wrong with this plan, amiright? Hilarious hi-jinks will almost certainly ensue!
The Sub Pop Airport Store 2nd Anniversary Party and Opportunity to Buy T-shirts, Records, CDs, Tapes, Posters, Travel Items, Etc. at Regular Price takes place on Monday, May 9th. You should totally come.
Flight of the Conchords are very pleased to announce support acts for their upcoming “Flight of the Conchords sing Flight of the Conchords Tour,” welcoming comedians Arj Barker, Sub Pop label mate Eugene Mirman, David O’ Doherty and Kurt Braunohler as direct support (select dates).
“A tour, you say? Well, I suppose I still have a bandana around here, somewhere…” so says Arj Barker, Australia’s favorite American comic.
Eugene Mirman says of the reunion with his former castmates, “It is a pleasure to reunite with my TV tenants and tour America once again. It’s nice to see that they are alive and allowed to leave their country full of wizards and people living in trees. I look forward to fixing their faucet every night on tour. I also look forward to putting lipstick on them in their sleep.”
Meanwhile, Irishman David O’Doherty offered this anecdote, “I am incredibly excited to go on the road with FOTC. I played some piano in their first show at The Edinburgh Fringe in 2002 and some nights there were more people on stage (3) than there were in the audience. Fingers crossed that won’t happen this time.”
Kurt Braunohler chimes in, “I’m excited beyond words to open for Flight of the Conchords! Really beyond words! To fully communicate my excitement I’ll be giving out full body massages before each show (while burning a “Margarita Time” Yankee Candle, as Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” plays).”
In further exciting news, the June 28th Forest Hills Stadium show will feature support from Barker as well as John Hodgman and Demetri Martin. Meanwhile, the July 20th Forest Hills Stadium show will include Mirman alongside Hodgman and Michael Che.
“I am very excited about doing this show. Flight of the Condors is the best bird-based, Australian comedy band around,” offers Demetri Martin.
And this from John Hodgman, “I am thrilled to rejoin my brilliant and foreign friends THE FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS. I have long considered myself “The fifth Conchord” and have been touring profitably under that name for several years. I am grateful they have dropped the lawsuit.”
For a complete list of support acts and performance dates, view the full routing below.
The fast-selling “Flight of the Conchords sing Flight of the Conchords Tour,” is their first since co-headlining 2013’s “Oddball Comedy & Curiosity Tour.” The Grammy Award-winning folk comedy duo has new material in the works, which they’ll showcase exclusively at these shows. The amphitheatre and concert hall tour will also make stops in Chicago, Philadelphia, Cleveland, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Seattle, Denver, Atlanta, and more.
The “Flight of the Conchords sing Flight of the Conchords Tour” now spans June 9th in Port Chester, NY at the Capitol Theatre and ends July 27th in Los Angeles, CA at The Greek Theatre.
More on Flight of the Conchords support acts: Arj Barker is best known for his role as “Dave” on Flight of the Conchords HBO series. He is also co-creator of the hit off-broadway show the Marijuana-logues. A parody of the Vagina Monologues. As a stand-up he reached record sales at the Melbourne comedy festival and tours Australia playing to sold-out crowds at large theatres. His youtube clips have generated millions of views. If you’re not already an Arj Barker fan, you soon will be.http://www.arjbarker.com/
Eugene Mirman is currently known as the voice of “Gene” on Fox’s Emmy award-winning Bob’s Burgers. He’s also supporting I’m Sorry, You’re Welcome, his acclaimed 9-volume, 7-LP comedy set out now worldwide on Sub Pop. Mirman has also appeared on Flight of the Conchords HBO series, Adult Swim’s Delocated, and has had two comedy specials on Comedy Central. His latest comedy special is available on Netflix. Mirman is also a frequent co-host of Neil deGrasse Tyson’s science show Star Talk.http://www.eugenemirman.com/
Dublin, Ireland’s David O’ Doherty is both a comedic novelist and recording artist whose most recent show was entitled David O’Doherty: We Are All in the Gutter, But Some Of Us Are Looking at David O’Doherty. http://www.davidodoherty.com/
Kurt Braunohler is a comedian, skywriter, and jet-skier, who has committed his career (perhaps foolishly) to “inserting absurdity into stranger’s lives to make the world a better place. He has been seen (or heard) on Bob’s Burgers, The New Girl, @midnight, Comedy Central Presents, Drunk History and more. He currently hosts The K Ohle with Kurt Braunohler podcast on the Nerdist network.http://kurtbraunohler.tumblr.com/
Michael Che is an award-winning comic, best known as a writer and co-anchor of Saturday Night Live’s iconic “Weekend Update.” He’s been named one of Rolling Stone’s “50 Funniest People,”Buzzfeed’s “50 Hottest Men in Comedy,” and Variety’s “Top 10 Comics To Watch,” and is quickly leaving his mark on the media landscape. http://michaelche.com/
John Hodgman is a writer, comedian, and actor best known for his “Resident Expert” and “Deranged Millionaire” segments on The Daily Show and as the “PC” in a series of commercials for Apple computers. http://www.johnhodgman.com/
Demetri Martin is the former star of Comedy Central’s Important Things With…, in addition to being a New York Times best-selling author and actor. He recently made his directorial debut with the acclaimed Dean, which won Tribeca’s Founders Award for “Best Narrative Feature.” http://live.demetrimartin.com/
Tour Dates Jun. 09 - Port Chester, NY - The Capitol Theatre [SOLD OUT] * Jun. 11 - Cleveland, OH - State Theatre [SOLD OUT] * Jun. 12 - Philadelphia, PA - Mann Center for Performing Arts * Jun. 13 - Washington, DC - Wolf Trap Filene Center * Jun. 14 - Columbus, OH - Palace Theatre [SOLD OUT] ** Jun. 16 - Detroit, MI - Fox Theatre [SOLD OUT] ** Jun. 17 - Minneapolis, MN - Orpheum [SOLD OUT] ** Jun. 18 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theatre [SOLD OUT] ** Jun. 19 - Chicago, IL - Pritzker Pavilion [SOLD OUT] ** Jun. 22 - Redmond, WA - Marymoor Park Concerts [SOLD OUT]** Jun. 23 - Vancouver, BC - Orpheum [SOLD OUT] ** Jun. 24 - Portland, OR - Keller Auditorium [SOLD OUT] ** Jun. 25 - Portland, OR - Keller Auditorium [SOLD OUT] ** Jun. 27 - San Francisco, CA - The Masonic [SOLD OUT] * Jun. 28 - San Francisco, CA - Shoreline Amphitheater ! Jul. 01 - Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl [SOLD OUT] % Jul. 02 - San Diego, CA - Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre at SDSU [SOLD OUT] % Jul. 03 - Phoenix, AZ - Comerica Theatre ^ Jul. 05 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre [SOLD OUT] ^ Jul. 07 - Kansas City, MO - Starlight Theatre ^ Jul. 09 - Austin, TX - Bass Concert Hall [SOLD OUT] ^ Jul. 10 - Austin, TX - Bass Concert Hall [SOLD OUT] ^ Jul. 11 - New Orleans, LA - Saenger Theatre [SOLD OUT] ^ Jul. 12 - Atlanta, GA - Chastain Park Amphitheatre [SOLD OUT] ^ Jul. 14 - Nashville, TN - Ascend Amphitheater * Jul. 16 - Boca Raton, FL - Mizner Park Amphitheatre * Jul. 17 - St. Augustine, FL - St. Augustine Amphitheatre * Jul. 18 - Cary, NC - Koka Booth Amphitheatre * Jul. 20 - New York, NY - Forest Hills Stadium # Jul. 22 - Newport, RI - Newport Folk 2016 (Fort Adams State Park) [SOLD OUT] Jul. 23 - Boston, MA - Blue Hills Bank Pavilion [SOLD OUT] ** Jul. 24 - New York, NY - Central Park SummerStage [SOLD OUT] ** Jul. 26 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre * Jul. 27 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre [SOLD OUT] *
Support Legend * w/ Arj Barker ** w/ Eugene Mirman ^ w/ David O Doherty % w/ Kurt Braunohler # w/ Eugene Mirman, John Hodgman, Michael Che ! w/ Arj Barker, John Hodgman, Demetri Martin
Goat have premiered the official video for “I Sing In Silence,” the A-side from their forthcoming single. The new visual was directed by Henrik Nyblom and Christofer Högberg. The directorial duo had this to offer about the video: “It was an intense experience where we could visualize our art. It’s a short trip of the life spectre. Look close and you might find easter eggs.”
Stereogum premiered the video and had this to say, “Through its distorted filmography, the video incites a celebration of this brightness and of the quiet and calm that exists, too. As a hooded figured engages with the jovial beauty in the world, they illustrate just how powerful the connectivity of it all can be…The song itself is a folksy psych-pop lope that could almost pass for Woods covering Animal Collective, so a trek into nature is highly appropriate here (see video premiere Monday, May 9th).”
Goat have also extended their previously announced 2016 European tour schedule through the fall. The tour now spans June 1st in Barcelona with a performance at Primavera Sound Festival and runs through October 14th in Paris at Cabaret Sauvage. (Tour dates below.)
About Goat’s “I Sing In Silence” b/w “The Snake of Addis Ababa” single: New music from Goat is always a time for celebration, and we are excited to announce the band’s return with a 7” of brand new material. Preorder is now available here (North America only), and is also available in ScandinaviaviaStranded/Universal Swedenand rest of the world viaRocket Recordings
Last year Goat released the single “It’s Time for Fun” which saw the band experimenting with drum machines, which brought a different pulse to their tribal psych. This desire to explore new sounds continues with their new single “I Sing in Silence.” But instead of plugging in new instruments the band have unplugged and created an addictive groove with mostly un-amped, acoustic instruments.
Elastic guitar lines, woodblock percussion, and flutes which drive the song are enveloped by one of the strongest vocal deliveries by the band’s enigmatic singers, resulting in a powerful and catchy psych-pop number.
The B side, an instrumental called “The Snake of Addis Ababa,” is a looping, North-African mantra played on a teasing, fuzzed guitar, underpinned by a djembi groove. The repetitive riff is disrupted by piano that freely solos over the groove, and a pounding drum lifts the song to a seriously head-nodding conclusion.
This single is further proof that, in a world of similar sounding and similar looking psych bands, Goat are standing completely out on their own and we are all the better for it.
Tour Dates
Jun. 01 - Barcelona, ES - Primavera Sound Jun. 11 - Eindhoven, NL - Eindhoven Psych Lab Jun. 12 - London, UK - Field Day Jun. 17 - Duisburg, DE - Traumzeit Festival Jun. 19 -Gaou/Hyeres, FR - Ile du Pointu Festival Jul. 09 - Liege, BE - Les Ardentes Festival Jul. 10 - Gent, BE - Cactus Festival Jul. 22-24 - Barcelos, PT - Milhões de Festa Aug. 28 - Turin, IT - Torino Today Festival Sep. 03 - Dorset, UK - End of the Road Festival Oct. 07 - Malmö, SE - Babel Oct. 08 - Köpenhamn, DK - Den gråhal Oct. 10 - Köln, DE - Stadtgarten Oct. 11 - München, DE - Ampere Oct. 12 - Berlin, DE - Berghain Oct. 13 - Heidelberg, DE - Karlstorbahnhof Enjoy Jazz Oct. 14 - Paris, FR - Cabaret Sauvage
Shabazz Palaces immersive new video for “Dawn In Luxor” - a standout track from the group’s critically acclaimed album Lese Majesty - pairs stunning cinematography and VFX, with footage courtesy of the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Hubble and Cassini missions. Director Stephan Gray dubs the new visual a “daydream on a nightwalk,” and the result is as mesmerizing as you’d imagine.
New to or already obsessed with Shabazz Palaces? Treat yourself to this YouTube Playlist.
ICYMI: Shabazz Palaces previously announced summer tour schedule runs June 4th through September 17th 2016. Highlights include: August 4th and August 8th supporting Radiohead’s Los Angeles shows (!!!) at the Shrine Auditorium; August 13th at Eaux Claires Festival in Eau Claire, Wisconsin; August 27th at Brooklyn’s Afropunk Festival; And three U.S. west coast shows: September 15th-16th in Oakland at Fox Theatre and September 17th at the Hollywood Bowl with Flying Lotus, George Clinton + Parliament Funkadelic and Thundercat.
Shabazz Palaces’ Lese Majesty, is currently available for purchase on CD / 2xLP / CD from Sub Pop Megamart, iTunes, Amazon, Bandcamp and an independent record store near you.
Today marks the record release of Kristin Kontrol’s debut album, X-Communicate, which you can now stream in its entirety and purchase (definitely purchase!) right here at the Sub Pop Mega Mart.
Perhaps it bears repeating (or, communicating again?) that Kristin Kontrol is the new project from Kristin Welchez – fka Dee Dee, leader of internationally acclaimed rock outfit Dum Dum Girls, whose most excellent recordings can also be found on this very label. Throughout the best part of a decade, Dum Dum Girls morphed from the girl group-gone-bad moves of debut album I Will Be (2010), to the comparatively plush, noir-pop of 2014’s Too True. Now she’s shed her skin, ditching Dee Dee – the name she assumed for Dum Dum Girls – for her given name, Kristin, and giving us Kristin Kontrol’s X-Communicate.
Stereogum has noted about the album, “Kristin Kontrol is radically different from anything we would’ve expected from Welchez as Dee Dee. It draws on various strains of pop from various eras, collapsing them together into slick, infectious synth-pop…X-Communicate and the evolution into Kristin Kontrol show Welchez becoming an absolute machine when it comes to hooks.”
Kristin Kontrol will be kicking off an East Coast tour on June 15 at BSP in Kingston, NY and follow that short headline run with dates opening for Garbage in July. See below for itinerary.
