Beach House have extended their 2016 tour schedule in support of Depression Cherry and Thank Your Lucky Stars. The trek begins January 30th in Singapore at the Laneway Festival and now runs through May 4th in Seattle at the Paramount.
New shows include: Bomb Factory in Dallas, April 9th; ACL Live at Moody Theatre in Austin, April 11th; Tricky Falls in El Paso, April 13th; Marquee Theatre in Tempe, April 14th; Crystal Ballroom in Portland, April 28th; The Vogue in Vancouver, April 30th; And The Paramount Theatre in Seattle, May 4th. Tickets for these shows go on sale Friday, January 15th. The band will also perform at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, CA on Sunday April 17th and Sunday April 24th (ALL DATES BELOW).
And there’s more! You can now watch the entirety of Beach House’s compelling live set from the recent Pitchfork Music Festival Paris (See Pitchfork News Story January 12th).
Depression Cherry and Thank Your Lucky Stars have earned placement on over 50 year-end lists including:
Depression Cherry Blare (CA) Boston Globe (US) Brooklyn Magazine (US) Complex (US) Crack Magazine (UK) Diffuser (US) Drowned in Sound (UK) FasterLouder (AU) Gigwise (UK) Gorilla vs. Bear (US) musicOMH (UK) No Ripcord (UK) NPR Music “Readers Poll” (US) Paste (US) Pitchfork (US) Pitchfork “Readers Poll” (US) PopMatters (US) Pretty Much Amazing (US) Rolling Stone (US) Rough Trade (UK) The Skinny (UK) SPIN (US) Sputnikmusic (UK) Stereogum (US) The Telegraph (UK) Under the Radar (US) Variance (US)
Village Voice “Pazz & Jop” The Vinyl Factory (US)
Thank Your Lucky Stars Blare (CA) Boston Globe (US) Diffuser (US) Drowned in Sound (UK) Gorilla vs. Bear (US) No Ripcord (UK) NPR Music “Readers Poll” (US) Pitchfork “Readers Poll” (US) Pretty Much Amazing (US) Under the Radar (US)
Depression Cherry (released Aug. 28, 2015) is the second consecutive top 10 album for Beach House, coming in at #8 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, and spent 5 weeks at #1 on the CMJ Top 200.
Thank Your Lucky Stars (released October 16th, 2015) entered at #38 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and peaked at #5 on the CMJTop 200 chart.
Beach House’s Thank Your Lucky Stars and Depression Cherry were recorded during the same two-month span, and produced by the band and Chris Coady at Studio in the Country in Bogalusa, Louisiana. Both albums are available now in North America from Sub Pop, in Europe from Bella Union and in Australia from Mistletone.
2016 Tour Dates
Jan. 30 - Singapore, SP - Laneway Festival @ The Meadow, Gardens By The Bay Feb. 01 - Auckland, NZ - Laneway Festival @ Silo Park Feb. 05 - Adelaide, AU - Laneway Festival @ Harts Mill Feb. 06 - Bowen Hills, AU - Laneway Festival @ Brisbane Showgrounds Feb. 07 - Sydney, AU - Laneway Festival @ Sydney College Of The Arts Feb. 13 - Melbourne, AU - Laneway Festival @ Footscray Community Arts Centre Feb. 14 - Fremantle, AU - Laneway Festival @ Esplanade Reserve and West End Feb. 29 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues Mar. 01 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre [Sold Out] Mar. 05 - Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall [Sold Out] Mar. 06 - Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall [Sold Out] Mar. 09 - Montreal, QC - Rialto Theatre [Sold Out] Mar. 11 - Boston, MA - House of Blues [Sold Out] Mar. 14 - New York, NY - Webster Hall [Sold Out] Mar. 15 - New York, NY - Webster Hall [Sold Out] Mar. 16 - New York, NY - Webster Hall [Sold Out] Mar. 18 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer [Sold Out] Mar. 19 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer [Sold Out] Apr. 09 - Dallas, TX - Bomb Factory Apr. 11 - Austin, TX - ACL Live at Moody Theatre Apr. 13 - El Paso, TX - Tricky Falls Apr. 14 - Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre Apr. 17 - Indio, CA - Coachella Apr. 24 - Indio, CA - Coachella Apr. 28 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom Apr. 30 - Vancouver, BC - The Vogue May 04 - Seattle, WA - The Paramount Jun. 01 - Bordeaux, FR - Theatre Barbey Jun. 06 - Nantes, FR - Stereolux Jun. 07 - Toulouse, FR - Bikini Jun. 12 - London, UK - Field Day Jun. 14 - Paris, FR - Casino de Paris Jun. 16 - Aarhus, DK - Northside
So Pitted have shared, “feed me”, a new track from neo, their forthcoming Sub Pop debut.
DIY had this to say about it, ”neo is one of 2016’s early head-turners, a first work that brings an eerie sense of purpose to sludgy, rough-edged punk.” … “The group deal in strange abstractions on their first work, employing dark, chugged guitar lines and vocals that sound like they’ve been zapped in a mad scientist’s lab. Capable of hypnotising and exploding in one fell swoop, they bring something different to the table. Case in point - ‘Feed Me’, a bizarre twist on guitar-led norms. Feedback plays as much of a part as the slimy, dragged-out pace (see track premiere Wednesday, January 6th).
The band have also just added European tour dates to their 2016 tour schedule, beginning March 4th in Paris at Mecanique Ondulatoire and ending March 12th in Berlin at West Germany.
Their U.S. tour continues this Friday, January 8th, with a show in Brooklyn at Palisades and ends January 12th in Philadelphia at First Unitarian Church. Highlights along the way include a few dates with label mates METZ and Startime International recording artists Bully (January 9; 11-12). Additionally, the band will appear at SXSW. (detailed tour info below)
You can also watch the band’s live performance of “rot in hell”, which was filmed at The Echo in Los Angeles for Red Bull Sound Select’s “30 Days in LA Festival (see Pitchfork TV November 24th).”
Sub Pop will release neo on CD / LP / DL worldwide on February 19th, 2016. You can (and should) preorder now from Sub Pop Mega Mart, iTunes, Amazon, Bandcamp and Google Play. And remember: LP preorders of neo through megamart.subpop.com will receive the limited “Loser” edition on white vinyl while supplies last. There will also be a time-limited edition T-shirt, hand-bleached by So Pitted, that is available only during pre-order so time, as they say, is of the essence.
More about So Pitted’s neo: These eleven tracks are lean and snarling rebukes, torch songs not in the traditional, unrequited-love sense, but songs that will torch your fucking house down. Screams and howls overtake chants and muttering, equal parts dejection, rejection, and convection, the hot, muggy air circling continuously. It’s fuzzy, angular, throbbing, and pounding, and still, ingrained in the songs by their makers, breathes that catchy quality present in so much of the music they love. Songs like “holding the void,” “rot in hell,” and “woe” crash over and over, turning under themselves like waves, but as the measures tick off, the dog-eared melodies and familiar themes begin to reveal (read more at Sub Pop).
What have “the people” said about So Pitted? Glad you asked: “Ragged, nonlinear, a little dangerous, “rot in hell” was one of the first tracks So Pitted wrote together, and the video is funny and surreal, featuring a friend of the band playing various band members. It feels like being at home at a basement show, ready to hit your head on a low ceiling bringing your amp down the stairs, buzzing with a little bit of nausea and excitement. It burns with the urgency of the music you need to make or you’ll crumple, music you’d be making whether other people heard it or not.” [“rot in hell”] - Impose
“It’s grimy and tormented all right, but intent on subverting the many adolescent cliches and connotations that come with grunge.” [“rot in hell”] -The Guardian
“…A raucous, inspiring noise, the buzzsaw melody is matched to wailing feedback - imagine Bikini Kill set against early Mary Chain and you’d probably be in the same ballpark.” [‘rot in hell”] - Clash Music
“…making a name for themselves with a sneery, warped, post-apocalyptic punk sound and wild stage show.” - Brooklyn Vegan
“So Pitted’s set called to mind Metz, Minutemen, Big Black, Pere Ubu, and Nirvana at their wildest” - FLOOD
“[A] Seattle trio who are basically unmatched in terms of sheer gonzo ingenuity. Live, the band combines anarchic heaps of guitar and childish melodies with plodding, sludgy rhythms. They understand just how powerful their live show is, too” - Portland Mercury
“What’s special and unique about So Pitted is that they not only clench to the demonic punk downpour and logger-heavy rock of the Northwest, but also to the nihilistic musical cannibalism of San Francisco weirdos Chrome and late-’90s San Diego artcore groups like the VSS and the Gravity Records camp. There’s a caustic demo quality to their sound that’s alien and distorted, liquidated to move units at the Gross Out. It’s not only thorny, horny, and repulsive, but angular, tangled and mangled.” - The Stranger
Tour Dates Jan. 08 - Brooklyn, NY - Palisades Jan. 09 - Boston - The Sinclair * Jan. 11 - Washington, D.C. - Rock & Roll Hotel * Jan. 12 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church * Mar. 04 - Paris, FR - Mecanique Ondulatoire Mar. 05 - Amsterdam, NL - Butcher’s Tears Mar. 07 - London, UK - The Shacklewell Arms (Free Show) Mar. 08 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Games Room (Free Show) Mar. 10 - Lille, UK - La Peniche Mar. 11 - Brussells, BE - Homepluged Mar. 12 - Berlin, DE - West Germany Mar. 15 - Austin, TX - SXSW Mar. 16 - Austin, TX - SXSW Mar. 17 - Austin, TX - SXSW Mar. 18 - Austin, TX - SXSW Mar. 19 - Austin, TX - SXSW Mar. 20 - Austin, TX - SXSW * w/ METZ + Bully
DIY had this to say about the song, “Latest track Only Child is a vast escape. Every last note is thrown into the skies, every giant declaration worthy adventure. More than anything, this is loud. Tone it down if you want, but the song and the record sound best when they’re pushed to the limit.” (see track premiere January 11th).” Note: German fans can listen via VISIONS Magazin.
Shearwater’s 2016 North American and European tour in support of Jet Plane and Oxbow begins February 3rd in Austin, TX at North Door and currently ends March 26th in Portland, OR at Mississippi Studios. Main support will come from Barsuk recording artist Laura Gibson (March 16th - 19th). See the full tour listing below.
Jet Plane and Oxbow is now available for pre-order through Sub Pop Mega Mart, iTunes, and Amazon. LP preorders though megamart.subpop.com will receive the limited “Loser” edition on blue colored vinyl while supplies last.
Oh and hey, pre ordering Jet Plane and Oxbow earns you immediate access (as of Jan. 8th) to stream the album before its street date, and provides access to an exclusive Shearwater podcast, “Headwaters,” which features demos and outtakes from the new record and a conversation between Meiburg and WNYC’s John Schaefer (host of New Sounds and the Soundcheck podcast). An edited version compiled and broadcast by Schaefer is available for streaming on the WNYC site.
[Photo Credit: Sarah Cass]
More about Shearwater:
This is definitely Shearwater’s biggest and loudest record—it’s easy to imagine these songs roaring from the stage—but it’s also their most detailed and intricate one. Front man Jonathan Meiburg and producer/engineer Reisch (who also recorded 2012’s Animal Joy and the off-the-cuff collaborations of 2014’s Fellow Travelers) spent two years crafting Jet Plane and Oxbow with help from drummer Cully Symington, longtime Shearwater associates Howard Draper and Lucas Oswald, and tourmates Jesca Hoop, Abram Shook, and Jenn Wasner.
But their secret weapon this time is film composer and percussionist Brian Reitzell, whose soundtracks include The Virgin Suicides, Lost in Translation, The Bling Ring, and 30 Days of Night. Reitzell’s arsenal of strange instruments emphasizes Jet Plane and Oxbow’s cinematic depth and scope, and reflects the band’s choice to anchor the record in the era when digital technology was just beginning to transform the world of recorded music. In Shearwater’s hands this doesn’t feel like nostalgia; the racing synths and hammered dulcimers of heart-pounding opener “Prime” or the addled motorik of “Radio Silence” sound more like a metaphor for our own bewildering moment (read more at Sub Pop).
Tour Dates
Feb. 03 - Austin, TX - North Door (w/ Marmalakes) Feb. 04 - Dallas, TX - Club Dada (w/ Marmalakes) Feb. 06 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge (w/ Jib Kidder) Feb. 10 - Berlin, DE - Frannz Club Feb. 11 - Copenhagen, DK - Loppen Feb. 12 - Hamburg, DE - Molotow Feb. 13 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso Noord Feb. 14 - Brussels. BE - Botanique Feb. 16 - Lille, FR - L’Aeronef Feb. 17 - London, UK - Islington Assembly Hall Feb. 18 - Bristol, UK -The Fleece Feb. 19 - Leeds, UK - The Brudenell Social Club Feb. 20 - Glasgow, UK - King Tuts Feb. 21 - Newcastle, UK - The Cluny Feb. 23 - Dublin, IE - Button Factory Feb. 24 -Manchester , UK - Night & Day Feb. 25 - Brighton, UK - The Haunt Feb. 26 - Paris, FR - Point Ephémère Feb. 27 - Zurich, CH - Bogen F Feb. 28 - Fribourg, CH - Nouveau Monde Mar. 04 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent Mar. 05 - Los Angeles, CA - Roxy Mar. 10 - Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel Mar. 12 - Brooklyn, NY - Bell House Mar. 16 - Pittsburgh, PA - Club Cafe** Mar. 17 - Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern** Mar. 18 - Ferndale, MI - The Loving Touch** Mar. 19 - Chicago, IL - Schubas** Mar. 22 - Minneapolis, MN - Turf Club Mar. 25 - Seattle, WA - The Crocodile Mar. 26 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios ** w/ Laura Gibson
Sub Pop Slurps the Best Soups at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
One of the most important questions I get asked while working at the airport isn’t, “How do I get to my rental car?” or “Is there a smoking section in here?” or “Are you the Duty Free store?” but rather, “What is the best food in the airport?” A person who has just met me has now put his or her stomach in my hands. It presumes that I am closer to a ‘foodie’ than a garbage rat, and it’s not a question I take lightly.
So, what is the best food in the airport? It depends on what kind of food you like. Do you have time to kill and cash to spend on a ‘nice’ meal? Do you want a gut-punch of food that will ensure you pass out during your flight? Do you want some kind of regional fare to the Seattle-Tacoma area? Does flying make you nervous, ergo, you want comfort food with no surprises? Are you vegetarian? Those are just some of the questions that run through my head when confronted by the question of where to eat in the airport, but lately, I’ve only had one type of food on my mind.
Soup.
It’s warm, flavorful, hearty but not too-filling, and usually can be found at an affordable price point (although I can’t wait for the day that I have three martini lunches at Anthony’s on the regular). I know what you’re probably thinking, “There can’t be that many soup options at the airport.” Well, guess what, there are so many soup options at the airport, it’ll make your fuckin’ head spin. I asked some of my co-workers for their favorite soups at the airport, and learned more about soup than most folks will ever need to know in their lifetime. So, here’s a practical knowledge bomb that will help you fight off the winter doldrums before your next flight:
Waji’s Udon Noodle Soup: Here’s what you get with their udon noodle soup: A delicate broth, thick noodles, fish cake, and the longest cylinder container I’ve ever eaten out of. Getting to Waji’s involves a trek down to the end of the C Concourse, but it’s definitely worth it.
Wolfgang Puck Gourmet Express: I’ve heard rave reviews of their butternut squash soup, a dish I haven’t yet tried, but I was quite impressed by their cup of tortilla soup, which came with nice flourishes like cilantro, avocados, and a complimentary roll.
Dish D’Lish Soup of the Day: Part of the fun of going to Dish D’Lish is the surprise of what kind of soup they’ll have that day. With our store being open 7 days a week, our staff has tried to come together to decipher Dish D’Lish’s daily soup schedule, but we’ve yet to crack the code, and we’re always left in suspense. We have been treated to the likes of chicken and rice stew, cream of artichoke soup, and even a curry. (Dish D’Lish, if you are reading this, please bring back the curry).
Maki of Japan Miso Soup: It’s miso soup. When done right, miso transcends all description. What more can you want?
Beecher’s Soups: While Beecher’s Handmade Cheese might be well-known for its mac n’ cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches, they also offer more than just a nominal tomato soup. There’s a tasty french onion soup, complete with croutons and cheese that can stand alone, along with a rotating seasonal; at publication, the seasonal is a nice vegetarian chili. Is Chili a soup? A stew? Who cares. Pair it with a bread roll and you’re set.
Wendy’s Chili: OK, so if I’m gonna include Beecher’s chili here, then I have to throw in Wendy’s chili, as well. If you haven’t eaten it in a while, Wendy’s chili packs more of a punch, with meat and plenty of beans. (They don’t call it Rich & Meaty Chili for nothing). Order it off the value menu with a side salad and baked potato, and you’ve got a 3 course meal for under 10 bucks.
Qdoba Mexican Gumbo: So while we dive into the stew realm, Qdoba’s gumbo is a playful concoction for when your typical enormous burrito gets boring. (But I’m pining for the day that they roll out a pozole).
Ivar’s vs. Anthony’s Clam Chowder: Look, I’ll be upfront with you all. I might love soup, but overall, clam chowder grosses me out. Something about the milky creaminess of it just never sounds appetizing to me, but maybe one of these days I’ll come around. Ivar’s and Anthony’s, two venerable local Seattle seafood chains with locations in the airport, both serve clam chowder, and I feel obligated to include it here. Simply put, a Seattle-Tacoma International Airport soup list wouldn’t be complete without their inclusion, but you’ll have to try these out for yourself.
The Staff of the Sub Pop Airport Store Pick Their Favorite Light in the Attic Releases
Beginning this month, the Sub Pop Airport Store has unveiled its newest addition: a staff picks section! On a semi-regular basis, we, the illustrious and expert curatorial airport store staff, will be highlighting and showcasing different albums that we really, really, really, like. For our inaugural staff picks, we decided to all choose albums from Light in the Attic, a Seattle record label that specializes in re-issuing criminally under-appreciated music. In honor of this being our first round of staff picks, I asked my fellow co-workers, “Why did you pick the album that you picked?” Here’s what they said…
(Be sure to check out the Spotify playlist down below, which contains our favorite tracks from these albums.)
Betty Davis: Betty Davis
Audrey says: “Betty Davis is a psychedelic funk queen who pushed boundaries and broke stereotypes in the name of self expression. With the encouragement of T-Rex singer Marc Bolan, she switched from writing songs for others to songwriting for herself. This self titled album released in 1973 is the first of three albums that are so freaky and badass, religious groups protested her shows and radio stations banned some of her songs. She was really a musician ahead of her time.”
Lizzy Mercier Descloux: Press Color
Rachel says: “I first found Lizzy Mercier Descloux’s Press Color in a rare record store super score! Someone had sold a bunch of their no wave/Ze Records titles like Contortions, Mars, and Teenage Jesus and the Jerks. Press Color was one of my favorites because it’s so fun and danceable. Thanks to Light In The Attic Records for reissuing this great record!”
The Free Design: Stars/Time/Bubbles/Love
Josh says: “Funk-filled, family friendly, kite flying, wholesome harmonies, only god itself could have reissued as heavenly a record. But since god is not real, it must be the goodly folks at Light in the Attic and to them I give thanks and praise.”
Monks: The Early Years 1964-1965
Jacob says: The Monks’ 1966 one-off album Black Monk Time is an out of time, anti-Vietnam war, proto-art-rock oddity, made by some forward thinking discharged American GI’s stationed in Germany (playing and honing their skills at some of the same wild nightclubs the Beatles had made a name for themselves in a few years prior), that while probably not being directly influential, at the very least predicted, and works as a critical jump-off point for a lineage of still to come conceptual agitating greats like Devo and the Residents. I would consider the album an artistic equal to Zappa’s Freak Out!, also from 1966, and a distant relative to more recently recognized, and ahead of their time, Los Saicos, from Peru.
This brings me to my Light In The Attic showcase selection: Monks’ The Early Years.
At first, a listener familiar with Black Monk Time may be slightly disappointed with these demos lack of finished lyrics, or all out vocal assaults found on the album proper. But that is actually part of the strength and distinction that makes the demos these GI’s made so very interesting; the sheer chunky rhythmic monotony and minimalist organ-preset style jungle-tom drumming, and what I see as the secret ingredient to their sound: the snare drum doubled up by nearly-indiscernible, textural muted banjo strikes. All of this is to the forefront on these demos. The Stooges had their single repetitive piano note through a song, and the Monks had their transparent banjo, damn it! To put this all in context, the Monks pre-date the full swing of Jazz Rock Fusion, and Progressive rock drumming; it would be another 6-7 years until Krautrock bands learned to unlearn and play-on-purpose the simplified, minimal, ‘Motorik’ beat. I sincerely wonder if whoever it was who approached CAN’s Jaki Leibezeit and profoundly stated “you must play monotonous” had been lucky enough to have seen the Monks do it first.”
Honey Ltd: The Complete LHI Recordings
Kane says: “Good harmonies.”
Public Image Ltd: First Issue
Olivia says: “PiL broke the punk paradigm with this first album. Punk was now carte blanche, not just a sped up tempo with a fashion shtick. I can’t listen to this without thinking about how Seattle was channeling punk on its own terms years later. I think we were really inspired by this post-punk freedom! Punk rock should ALWAYS be about freedom. That includes being free to call out any particular icon, steal their booze and comfy chair, and throw salami on their bus if necessary…”
Marcos Valle: Marcos Valle
Javier says: “I just really like the flavors presented here. Thumpy, warm melodic bass lines, very chill vocals, mostly in Portuguese, tasteful touches of piano chords and the drumming is just straight up groovy. I have no idea what these songs are about but there are some really delightful flute bits and psychedelic touches sprinkled throughout. Just a solid little nugget of good Bossa Nova made in 1970. Sign me up!”
Various Artists: I Am The Center: Private Issue New Age In America, 1950-1990
Ben says: “Trading in the ‘sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll’ for crystals, eastern philosophies and incense (and well, ok, maybe not trading away all of the drugs…) New Age wasn’t about fame and fortune. Instead, it explored the boundaries of music: From Gregorian chants to gongs, and from chimes and bells to synths. I Am The Center covers 40 years of New Age, focusing mostly on home-made recordings and unheralded-in-their-own-time artists. (While also leaving out soft heavy hitters like Yawni and Enya (a.k.a, the soundtrack to my childhood road-trips)). Let these CDs help you open your third eye, align your chakras, or even relax while paying your taxes (if possible).”
Various Artists: Native North America (Vol. 1): Aboriginal Folk, Rock, and Country 1966–1985
I say: “Vancouver-based record archaeologist Kevin “Sipreano” Howes spent 15 years searching for music from the Indigenous peoples of Canada and the northern United States, and Native North America is the culmination of his efforts. Taking cues from the genres of “folk, rock, and country” that ruled over popular music in the latter half of the 20th century, you will hear Arctic garage rock from the Nunavik region of northern Quebec, melancholy Yup’ik folk from Alaska, and hushed country blues from the Wagmatcook First Nation reserve in Nova Scotia, among many other sounds and locales. Listening to this staggering compilation reminds me of the work that Bruce Pavitt did with the original Sub Pop fanzines, scouring for artists outside of the major cultural hubs of North America, and discovering vibrant, enriching, and totally unique regional music.”
Various Artists: Summer Records Anthology (1974-1988)
Chase says: “Summer Sound Studios was a Toronto-based record label started by Jerry Brown that produced some of the first notable Canadian reggae artists. This compilations covers releases from ‘74-‘88 and includes alternate masters and some previously unheard takes, all of which are really great! Stand out tracks include, “Right, Right Time,” “Warrior,” and “Dreadlock Lady”. A must buy if you’re trying to warm up this winter.”
Alan Vega, Alex Chilton, Ben Vaughn: Cubist Blues
Brent says: “Coming from a vinyl completest of all things Big Star and Suicide, it took a LITA reissue to finally bring “Cubist Blues” to my ear holes. Not to mention It was only pressed once in Spain twenty years ago and would set you back at least a hundred bucks. I discovered Alex’s Chilton’s output from the 1980’s and began to avoid it for the most part. I admire the company he kept and his taste for self-destruction: if you haven’t seen the footage of his performance with the Panther Burns live on the Marge Thrasher show, do so now: https://youtu.be/2U-k32L0KCc
I can’t help but think of one of Gene Vincent’s last albums, I’m Back and I’m Proud, when listening to “Cubist Blues”, which was produced by Kim Fowley, who also collaborated with Ben Vaughn. I want to think of this as a ‘art rock’ record, but that might just be the fact that Vega is a sculptor and Chilton’s parents owned a gallery. This is my pick of this month mostly because I usually only want to listen to Suicide, and so I figured I’d see what happened.”
Mass Gothic have shared an official video for “Every Night You’ve Got To Save Me”, the iridescent new single from their forthcoming, self-titled debut. The exuberant visual, directed by Addison Post (Colleen Green, Solvey), follows group members Noel Heroux and Jessica Zambri on a wild night out in Manhattan.
Stereogum says of “Every Night You’ve Got To Save Me”: “A jaunty pop track with shades of Dexy’s Midnight Runners, the New Pornographers, and the Shins. The song is incredibly winsome on its own, and the effect is only amplified by director Addison Post’s video, which features Heroux and Zambri chilling in NYC locales ranging from bar to sidewalk to bathtub (see video premiere January 11th).”
Mass Gothic will be available on CD / LP / CASS / DL worldwide February 5th through Sub Pop, and is now available for preorder from Sub Pop MegaMart, iTunes, Amazon, Bandcamp, and Google Play. LP preorders from megamart.subpop.com will receive the limited “Loser” edition on banana yellow vinyl (while supplies last).
Mass Gothic’s previously announced 2016 headlining tour begins February 4th in Philadelphia at Johnny Brenda’s and currently ends March 19th in Austin at SXSW. A complete list of tour dates might be found below. (spoiler: it’s down there.)
More about Mass Gothic: This year marks the release of Mass Gothic, the Massachusetts-bred, New York-based singer/songwriter’s self-titled Sub Pop debut. Written and recorded at home over four months during the winter of 2014-2015, it’s a stunning reminder of not just Heroux’s own remarkable talents as singer and songwriter, but how unbridled creativity can both sound and feel as well: Before Hooray For Earth had quickly become a fully-functioning band, it began as a solo project. No pressure or compromises—just Heroux, a four-track, and an irrepressible urge to “jot down all of the noise and music floating around in my head” and make it available to other people. “All I wanted to do was whatever I do when I’m alone and I’m unconcerned with what anyone else wants or expects,” he says. “I did my best to let go, and what came out was pure, uncut. It reminded me of the first few times I made music, when I was a young kid. I didn’t set any rules and I had zero expectations.”
The result is an expansive, often exhilarating set of guitar-driven pop that required very little editing when it was done (read more at Sub Pop).
[Photo Credit: Shawn Brackbill]
Tour Dates Feb. 04 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s* Feb. 05 - Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop* Feb. 06 - Chicago, IL - Schuba’s Tavern* Feb. 08 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry* Feb. 11 - Boise, ID – Neurolux* Feb. 12 - Seattle, WA - Columbia City Theatre* Feb. 13 - Portland, OR - Bunk Bar* Feb. 14- San Francisco, CA - Rickshaw Stop* Feb. 16 - Los Angeles, CA – Bootleg* Feb. 18 - Denver, CO - Lost Lake* Feb. 19 - Kansas City, MO - Riot Room* Feb. 21 - Louisville, KY – Zanzabar* Feb. 22 - Cincinnati, OH - MOTR Pub* Feb. 23 - Pittsburgh, PA - Club Café* Feb. 25 - Allston, MA - Great Scott* Feb. 26 - Providence, RI - Columbus Theatre* Feb. 27 - Brooklyn, NY – Palisades* Mar. 10 - Washington, DC - Black Cat Mar. 12 - Savannah, GA - Savannah Stopover Mar. 16 - Austin, TX - SXSW Mar. 17 - Austin, TX - SXSW Mar. 18 - Austin, TX - SXSW Mar. 19 - Austin, TX – SXSW *w/ Mazed
