Direct from our favorite Pittsburglars (!), The Gotobeds, comes the brand new video for “Cold Gold,” one of the many stand-out tracks from their album Blood // Sugar // Secs // Traffic, which just so happens to be available worldwide tomorrow, dba Friday, June 10th. Please note: Limited supplies of the Loser Edition vinyl LP of Blood // Sugar // Secs // Traffic (on “baby poop” yellow) remain available. FOR THE MOMENT… You should, of course, order yours now!
In a joint statement, the band members (and stars of the video) Eli Kasan, Gavin Jensen, Cary Belback, and “TFP” (who also directed the video) offered the following insight: “‘Cold Gold’ features four grown men performing a highly choreographed dance routine set to beautiful music.” [Sub Pop can confirm that the band has at least one out of three of those locked in.]
Also, these guys are going to be touring this summer and we know they would love to see some of their video dance moves performed by audience members. So! We encourage everyone to get limbered up, head out to see The Gotobeds and show them what you’ve got.
In the meantime, happy Blood // Sugar // Secs // Traffic (almost) release day to you, The Gotobeds!
On Friday, March 18th the highly-trained music industry professionals from Sub Pop Records will host “Back by Zero Demand,” our 2016 SXSW showcase. The event, held at The Blackheart in Austin, will feature performances from Mass Gothic, Cullen Omori, So Pitted, Arbor Labor Union, Porter Ray, and Strange Wilds. The showcase is 21 and over, and doors are at 7:30pm.
BACK BY ZERO DEMAND: Sub Pop’s SXSW 2016 Showcase At The Blackheart/Austin
Arbor Labor Union has announced a U.S. tour in support of their upcoming album, I Hear You, and has made a new track off the album, “Belief’d” available today via Brooklyn Vegan.
I Hear You is set for worldwide release May 13th on CD/LP/DL/CASS through Sub Pop and is available for preorder now Sub Pop Mega Mart, iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Bandcamp and independent retailers near you. LP preorders via megamart.subpop.com will receive the limited “Loser” edition on pink vinyl.
Pittsburgh’s The Gotobeds will release their new album, BLOOD // SUGAR // SECS // TRAFFIC, on CD/LP/DL/CASS worldwide June 10th on Sub Pop. The 11-track album, featuring the brazen lead single “Real Maths/Too Much,” was produced the band and Matt Schor in their friend My War Matt’s basement, and mastered by Matthew Barnhart at Chicago Mastering.
The Gotobeds BLOOD // SUGAR // SECS // TRAFFIC is conveniently available for preorder now at Sub Pop Mega Mart, iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Bandcamp and independent retailers near you. Worth noting: LP preorders at the Mega Mart will receive the limited “Loser” edition on baby poop yellow, while supplies last.
The Gotobeds have scheduled a show preceding the release of BLOOD // SUGAR // SECS // TRAFFIC on April 30th in Columbus, OH at Big Room Bar. More live dates will be announced soon, stay tuned.
Georgian rippers Arbor Labor Union’s “Mr Birdsong” is a 7-minute, psychedelic, joyful rock ‘n’ roll juggernaut that opens I Hear You, their forthcoming Sub Pop debut.
London’s NME premiered the track and had this to say, “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 (see premiere April 25th).”
Arbor Labor Union’s previously announced U.S. tour in support of I Hear You, begins May 14th in West Columbia, SC at New Brookland Tavern and ends June 17th in Athens, GA at the 40 Watt. (Complete tour dates 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 via megamart.subpop.comwill receive the limited “Loser” edition on pink vinyl.
The album features highlights “Radiant Mountain Road,” “Belief’d,” the aforementioned “Mr. Birdsong” and “Volume Peaks.” I Hear You was produced and recorded by Randall Dunn and Arbor Labor Union in the fall of 2015 at Avast Studio in Seattle, WA and mastered by Jason Ward at Chicago Mastering.
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
Kristin Kontrol - aka Dee Dee, leader of internationally acclaimed rock outfit Dum Dum Girls - released a new song today. “Show Me,” with all its synth-sax flourishes and minimal groove, premiered on i-D here.
The track, produced by Kurt Feldman with Danny Meyer on saxophone, is off her debut album, X-Communicate, coming out on May 27 via Sub Pop Records. The album pre-order is underway HERE. Fans who pre-order X-Communicate digitally will instantly receive the title track ”X-Communicate,” as well. Additionally, the limited, blue-vinyl Loser Edition is available to pre-order customers at megamart.subpop.com, and at select independent record stores (while supplies last).
“Show Me” follows the release of the album’s title track ”X-Communicate,” of which Cosmopolitan said “her voice…remains as smoldering as it’s always been,” and Pitchfork noted “the springy cushion of bass arpeggios, synth pads, and ringing guitars smartly borrows from Hi-NRG acts like Evelyn Thomas and Bananarama as well as sleek, wavy brooders like New Order and Pet Shop Boys. But the results are far too opulent to scan as merely retro. If “X-Communicate” were a look on “Project Runway,” it’d find Nina Garcia gushing about how expensive it sounds.”
Kristin also announced her first set of tour dates here, including stops in Brooklyn and Boston – more dates will be announced soon.
Kristin tells her stories using a sonic palette splashed with bold pop melodies, her vocals showcasing a range hitherto unexplored by Kristin. The album was produced by Kurt Feldman (of Ice Choir and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart) and Andrew Miller (who played guitar in the Dum Dum Girls’ last incarnation). Longtime Dum Dum Girls producer Richard Gottehrer (Blondie, The Go-Go’s) provided “sonic consultation,” giving Kristin feedback on the new songs and inspiring her to continually push further. Kristin spoke more about the upcoming album in her recent Sirius XMU interview with Jenny Eliscu HERE.
Dum Dum Girls was Kristin’s guise for the best part of a decade. After posting her bedroom recordings online, she caught the ears of Sub Pop. From there she assembled her group of badass, black-clad cadets and toured the world. Over the course of three albums, four EPs and a bold brace of singles, 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. At the top of 2015, Kristin decided to shed her Dum Dum Girls skin, ditching Dee Dee for her real name, Kristin, and adding Kontrol (a bit of an inside joke between old friends). Inspired by some words of wisdom from Karen O, it may be a leap into the unknown, but little risk means little reward.
