In thisfirst episode of the dyn-o-mite third season, we answer that ages-old question no one is asking: “What is up with the Sub Pop invasion of Halifax?”
The new and third season of the Sub Pop Podcast begins on Tuesday, May 23rd, 2017, with a new episode to follow every two weeks thereafter. Available through all of the very best podcast distribution points, the Sub Pop Podcast is made at the label’s headquarters in Seattle, Washington by long-time radio so-and-so and verifiable Sub Pop employee, Arwen Nicks, in collaboration with and sometimes overcoming the well-intentioned interference of a handful of other label staffers. Episodes present stories from inside, outside, and adjacent to Sub Pop, Seattle’s premier medium-sized record label. We focus on conversations with our artists past and present, people who work at/with/around Sub Pop, and anyone else willing or reckless enough to talk to us. And same goes for our sibling label Hardly Art.
The Sub Pop Podcast debuted in January of 2016 and its first two seasons featured celebrated artists like… Band of Horses, Chastity Belt, Mudhoney, Shearwater, Jenn Champion, Alex and Victoria from Beach House, Sam Beam from Iron and Wine, Tad from TAD, Benjamin Gibbard from both Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service, Kathleen Hanna, Father John Misty (2 episodes worth!), Jonah Ray, members of CSS and Clipping, and a whole more. We also talked to employees at both Sub Pop and Hardly Art, as well as Sub Pop label honchos Jonathan Poneman and Megan Jasper.
Season three will feature… More conversations with artists, Sub Pop’s “invasion” of Canada, a celebration of Hardly Art’s landmark 10th anniversary, mentions of the Russian mafia, car crashes, birthday parties, musicians who think they should be elected to office, drugs, depression, death, obsessed fans, and at least one cameo from at least one member of Guns and Roses.
Subpop.fm is available to provide you with a convenient means of listening to the new, first episode of this new season, as well as all of the episodes from both previous seasons. There, you can also subscribe to the Sub Pop Podcast, sign up for our email list and get in touch with us (at podcast@subpop.com).
Further persuasion in the form of reviews from listeners…
“Shockingly foul-mouthed and heart-warming at the same time, a great listen!” - someone on iTunes
“I really dig the watercolor art for each episode and I especially loved the two part episode with Josh Tillman; probably the best interview with him I’ve ever heard.” - Dave, who emailed us
“Everybody should listen to the Sub Pop Podcast” - Jonah Ray, host of MST3K and Hidden America
“The Sub Pop Podcast is everything.” - A nice guy named John on Twitter
The Palaceer Lazaro shares this poem from The Shogun Shot, which is said to be Quazarz’ inspiration for the song “Effeminence”:
To Kujuu: dreamer of the second dream
We met walking the web, And that once we breathed the same sea air… Now I think of you forever and never; The Qu’en of all my futures, passed, Tonight the moon is ringed with your name written in chrome, Your splendor enthroned betrothed to my every thought for endless tomorrows, I wish we one day soon to lift upour selves together out of the data mines… And with the children, To taste the gilded air of Purple Cliffs and once again, In log off forever…
“Effeminence” was produced and recorded by The Palaceer Lazaro and Sonny Levine at Dror Lord Studios, with mixing by Levine and Kamal Humphrey at Kamal’s House.
Quazarz vs. The Jealous Machines and Quazarz: Born on a Gangster Star will be released on July 14th on CD / LP / DL / CS and are now available for preorder from Sub Pop here. LP pre-orders for each album from megamart.subpop.com and select independent retailers, will receive the limited “Loser” edition on colored vinyl (…Jealous Machines on mashed-up purple; …Born on a Gangster Star on aluminum). Both albums can be purchased together as a special bundle, and there are also fresh new T-shirt designs associated with each release (one for …Born on a Gangster Star and two for …vs. The Jealous Machines) (read more at Sub Pop).
Shabazz Palaces will support both Quazarz: Born on a Gangster Star and Quazarz vs. The Jealous Machines with international tour dates that span July 13th-16th at Cascadia Festival in Granite Falls, Washington through November 9th-12th at Le Guess Who? Festival in Utrecht, Netherlands.
Jul. 13-16 - Granite Falls, WA - Cascadia Festival Aug. 16 - Portland, OR - The Star Theater* Aug. 18 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall* Aug. 19 - Los Angeles, CA - The Regent Theatre* Aug. 20 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom* Aug. 21 - El Paso, TX - Lowbrow* Aug. 23 - Austin, TX - Mohawk (Outdoor Stage)* Aug. 24 - Dallas, TX - Club Dada* Aug. 25 - Baton Rouge, LA - Spanish Moon* Aug. 26 - Atlanta, GA - Terminal West* Aug. 27 - Charleston, SC - Music Farm* Aug. 28 - Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle* Aug. 30 - Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups* Aug. 31 - Detroit, MI - El Club* Sep. 01 - Toronto, ON - Lee’s Palace* Sep. 02 - Montreal, QC - Theatre Fairmount* Sep. 03 - Quebec City, QC - Le Cercle Sep. 05 - Boston, MA - The Sinclair* Sep. 06 - Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw* Sep. 07 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer* Sep. 08 - Washington, DC - Black Cat* Sep. 09 - Baltimore, DC - Ottobar* Sep. 11 - Asheville, NC - The Grey Eagle Tavern & Music Hall Sep. 15 - 17 - Chicago, IL - Riot Fest at Douglas Park Nov. 09-12 - Utrecht, NL - Le Guess Who? Festival *w/ Porter Ray
Quazarz: Born on a Gangster Star and Quazarz vs. The Jealous Machines will be released next week, Friday, July 14th worldwide through Sub Pop
NPR Music’s “First Listen” is now streaming Shabazz PalacesQuazarz Born On A Gangster Star and Quazarz vs. The Jealous Machines in their entirety. Listen/hear:
Quazarz: Born on a Gangster Star -> n.pr/2sJKO1d Quazarz vs The Jealous Machines -> n.pr/2sJxWby
NPR Music’s Rodney Carmichael says in the …Born On A Gangster Star review, “In thermodynamics, black bodies are both perfect absorbers and emitters of radiant energy. That seeming contradiction would not be lost on one Palaceer Lazaro, better known as Ishmael Butler of Shabazz Palaces, who continues to find far-out ways to reflect and refract the sound and fury of popular culture and contemporary blackness.”
And in the accompanying …vs The Jealous Machines review, Carmichael offers this, “Shifting the paradigm isn’t Palaceer Lazaro’s point. Rather, it’s the pervading pointlessness that Quazarz vs. The Jealous Machines and accompanying album Quazarz: Born On A Gangster Star put on blast. When the self-proclaimed aliens begin to rule the industry, it’s natural for anyone with an original voice to feel a true sense of alienation. And therein is where the irony — and Shabazz Palaces’ genius — lies.”
Quazarz vs. The Jealous Machines and Quazarz: Born on a Gangster Star will be released on July 14th on CD / LP / DL / CS and are now available for preorder from Sub Pop here. LP pre-orders for each album from megamart.subpop.com and select independent retailers, will receive the limited “Loser” edition on colored vinyl (…Jealous Machines on mashed-up purple; …Born on a Gangster Star on aluminum). Both albums can be purchased together as a special bundle, and there are also fresh new T-shirt designs associated with each release (one for …Born on a Gangster Star and two for …vs. The Jealous Machines) (read more at Sub Pop).
“The ‘Quazarz’ suite is an unequivocal triumph.” [9/10] -Loud & Quiet
Shabazz Palaces will support both Quazarz: Born on a Gangster Star and Quazarz vs. The Jealous Machines with international tour dates that span July 13th-16th at Cascadia Festival in Granite Falls, Washington through November 9th-12th at Le Guess Who? Festival in Utrecht, Netherlands.
Jul. 13-16 - Granite Falls, WA - Cascadia Festival Aug. 16 - Portland, OR - The Star Theater* Aug. 18 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall* Aug. 19 - Los Angeles, CA - The Regent Theatre* Aug. 20 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom* Aug. 21 - El Paso, TX - Lowbrow* Aug. 23 - Austin, TX - Mohawk (Outdoor Stage)* Aug. 24 - Dallas, TX - Club Dada* Aug. 25 - Baton Rouge, LA - Spanish Moon* Aug. 26 - Atlanta, GA - Terminal West* Aug. 27 - Charleston, SC - Music Farm* Aug. 28 - Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle* Aug. 30 - Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups* Aug. 31 - Detroit, MI - El Club* Sep. 01 - Toronto, ON - Lee’s Palace* Sep. 02 - Montreal, QC - Theatre Fairmount* Sep. 03 - Quebec City, QC - Le Cercle Sep. 05 - Boston, MA - The Sinclair* Sep. 06 - Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw* Sep. 07 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer* Sep. 08 - Washington, DC - Black Cat* Sep. 09 - Baltimore, DC - Ottobar* Sep. 11 - Asheville, NC - The Grey Eagle Tavern & Music Hall Sep. 15 - 17 - Chicago, IL - Riot Fest at Douglas Park Nov. 09-12 - Utrecht, NL - Le Guess Who? Festival *w/ Porter Ray
NPR Music says of the album: “Beach House has spent 13 years and six albums perfecting a hazy dream-pop sound that’s as versatile as it is enduringly, endearingly simple. Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally make brooding, deliberately paced music that still sparkles and sweetens in surprising ways — a contradiction summed up by the title of one of Beach House’s best records, Depression Cherry…Given its title, B-Sides And Rarities is upfront about being an exercise for enthusiasts, completists and other loving obsessives. But more casual fans shouldn’t shrug it off, either. Beach House has mounted a marvelous career on its ability to set a gloomy electro-pop mood without losing touch with its brighter side — and that gift stays on full display throughout this shaggily appealing assortment of orphaned gems [link here].”
Furthermore from Rolling Stone: “Baltimore’s dream-pop magicians offer up every previous non-LP studio track they’ve made – 14 in all. The result, unsurprisingly, is another beautifully sculpted, Fifties-goths-in-amber Beach House LP. Which isn’t to say there aren’t surprises like the snarling guitar that transforms the alternate single version of Teen Dream’s wistful “Used to Be” into something much fiercer. And “Rain in Numbers,” recorded just weeks after the band formed, is the sound of a sound being born.”
You might also like to not miss the new video for “Chariot” (from B-Sides and Rarities) which was directed by the band. The visual acts as a rumination on the creation, cultivation, and confusion of narratives in media.
Beach House’s B-Sides and Rarities can be purchased on CD / LP / DL / CS in North America from Sub Pop right here, in Europe from Bella Union, and Australia from Mistletone. LP orders in North America through the Sub Pop Mega Mart and select independent retailers will receive the Loser Edition on crystal clear vinyl (while supplies last).
Light Information will be available in Canada from Flemish Eye and the rest of the world from Sub Pop on September 8th.
In Chad VanGaalen’s new animated video for “Pine and Clover”, a shapeshifter is born with the inability to form memories. It transforms into whatever creature or object it senses to be closest to it in the moment, but cannot remember what it was previously. It seems to have no sense of self, whatsoever. Or as VanGaalen humorously theorizes it: “This is what humans will end up being, or possibly have been.”
Created by VanGaalen, the “Pine and Clover” video is a combination of hand drawn drawn animation (cell animation), claymation, and paperless 2D animation. As the singer describes it: “The style and economy of the animation is governed by my ability to sit in a chair and draw for as long as I possibly can without being distracted by my beautiful vegetable garden. Because of the garden and its beauty, I have been inspired to make most of the environments similar to what I see in the garden, so needless to say there is a lot of lettuce.”
Chad VanGaalen’s “Pine and Clover” is one of the highlights from Light Information, the creative polymath’s sixth album.
Read more about Chad Van Gaalen (bio by Evie Nagy) at subpop.com, and follow Chad everywhere in the known inter-verse via Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.
[Photo Credit: Marc Rimmer]
In other fantastical (but also very factual) news: on September 8th, Sub Pop will repress VanGaalen’s Infiniheart, his beloved and long out of print (on vinyl) 2005 debut on 2xLP and Turquoise vinyl. And now at long last, Chad VanGaalen’s discography (Shrink Dust, Infiniheart, Skelliconnection, Soft Airplane, and Diaper Island) is available for the first time time ever on Bandcamp.
Light Information is available for preorder now on CD / LP / DL / CS from Sub Pop and Flemish Eye. LP pre orders of the album from megamart.subpop.com and select independent retailers will receive the limited Loser edition on crystal clear vinyl (while supplies last). There will also be a new T-shirt design available for your bundling pleasure.
Chad VanGaalen’s previously announced fall 2017 international tour dates in support of Light Information span October 15th in Utrecht, Netherlands at EKKO through December 8th in Montreal, Quebec at The Fairmount.
Europe Oct. 15 - Utrecht, NL - EKKO Oct. 16 - Rotterdam, NL - Rotown Oct. 17 - London, UK - Oslo Oct. 18 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club Oct. 20 - Hamburg, DE - Molotow (Sky Bar) Oct. 21 - Copenhagen, DK - Stengade Oct. 22 - Berlin, DE - Kantine am Berghain Oct. 24 - Düdingen, CH - Bad Bonn Oct. 25 - Lyon, FR - Le Sonic Oct. 26 - Amiens, FR - La Lune des Pirates Oct. 27 - Paris, FR - Point Ephemere Oct. 28 - Nantes, FR - SOY Festival Oct. 29 - Tourcoing, FR - Le Grand Mix Oct. 30 - Luxemburg, LU - Rotondes Oct. 31 - Gent, BE - NEST
North America Nov. 09 - Vancouver, BC - The Biltmore Cabaret Nov. 10 - Seattle, WA - Sunset Tavern * Nov. 12 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir * Nov. 14 - San Francisco, CA - The Chapel * Nov. 15 - Los Angeles, CA - Satellite Club * Nov. 16 - San Diego, CA - Soda Bar * Nov. 17 - Phoenix, AZ - Valley Bar * Nov. 19 - Denver, CO - Hi Dive * Nov. 20 - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court Nov. 30 - Toronto, ON - Lee’s Palace Dec. 01 - Detroit, MI - El Club ** Dec. 02 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle ** Dec. 03 - Indianapolis, IN - The Hi Fi ** Dec. 05 - Pittsburgh, PA - Club Cafe ** Dec. 06 - Brooklyn, NY - Rough Trade NYC ** Dec. 07 - Allston, MA - Great Scott ** Dec. 08 - Montreal QC - Fairmont** *w/ NE-HI **w/ Un Blonde
The first US Hot Snakes tour in six years happens November 8th-18th, 2017; Fan pre-sales begin TODAY at hotsnakes.shofetti.com.
[Photo Credit: Rick Froberg]
We’re incredibly excited to share the news that Hot Snakes – the band comprised of Rick Froberg, Jason Kourkounis, John Reis, Mario Rubalcaba, and Gar Wood – have signed to Sub Pop for the world! We will release the group’s first new album since 2004’s Audit in Progress, as well as reissue their exceptional catalog – Audit…, Suicide Invoice and Automatic Midnight – in the Spring of 2018.
These influential post-hardcore all-stars – boasting members of Pitchfork, Rocket From the Crypt, Drive Like Jehu, Earthless, Obits, Burning Brides, OFF!, The Delta 72, and more – have released three of our favorite rock records of the past 20 years. And soon enough that’ll be four…
While we wait for new tunes, Hot Snakes have just scheduled headlining tour dates (their first new shows since 2011!), which begin November 8th, 2017 in Long Beach at Alex’s Bar and run through November 18th, 2017 in Philadelphia at Underground Arts. The trek includes stops in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Brooklyn, Boston, and Philadelphia.
Early pre-sales for these shows begin today, August 14th at noon ET, with tickets on sale to general public Thursday, August 17th at 12pm EST. For up to date ticket information, please visit hotsnakes.shofetti.com.
Nov. 08 - Long Beach, CA - Alex’s Bar Nov. 09 - Los Angeles, CA - The Troubadour Nov. 10 - San Francisco, CA - The Chapel Nov. 11- Portland, OR - Star Theatre Nov. 12 - Seattle, WA - Chop Suey Nov. 15 - Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel Nov. 16 - Brooklyn, NY - Bell House Nov. 17 - Boston, MA - Middle East - Boston Nov. 18 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts
There’s no time like the present to obsessively follow news of the Hot Snakes variety via Facebook, or right here on subpop.com.
More on Hot Snakes from Swami John Reis:
Hot Snakes formed in 2000, after the release of their first record, Automatic Midnight. They were John Reis, Jason Kourkounis, Rick Froberg, and Gar Wood. The band’s sound represented a return to the unrealized past of its members. This time their musics would be direct, undraped and rock ‘n’ roll while still maintaining the dense and turbulent character of the members’ previous work (“hard” labor). In April or May of that year, Hot Snakes found their live sound and established themselves as primo, down-stroke warlords.
Wikipedia says that in 2002 the band released their second album, Suicide Invoice. The album exhibited Hot Snakes slightly larger palate in mood and dissonance. People enjoyed the shows and listening to the recorded music. But, strain from controversy and fame would reveal cracks in the worn hides of these old road dawgs. Exit Jason Kourkounis to focus on other musics.
In 2004 Mario Rubalcaba joined the band and Hot Snakes released their third and last studio album, Audit in Progress. An increased attraction to dissonance surfaced as the band spiraled downward into a mid-life punk crisis. Yet, more shows were played and enjoyed and the band visited many cities all over the world. By 2005, the band had stopped performing.
2011 saw the return of Hot Snakes. The band appeared on the premier festival circuit. Both drummers performed with the band on the songs which they each recorded. The reformation proved the band to still be in the top 5. They discussed writing new material and building upon this revitalized momentum. After an additional 6 years of discussions, Hot Snakes returned to the studio in 2017 to commence recording. And, lucky for all of us, 2017 finds Hot Snakes charging back, renewed, playing shows and planning for the release of a new album in 2018 on Sub Pop Records.
