News

NEWS : TUE, AUG 13, 2019 at 9:00 AM

Minor Poet announces co-headlining September tour dates with Sammi Lanzetta in support of The Good News out now on Sub Pop

Minor Poet has announced new tour dates for September 2019 in support of The Good News out now on Sub Pop. The quartet’s eastern U.S. trek begins on September 12th in Washington, DC at the Songbyrd Cafe and ends September 27th in Charlottesville, VA at The Southern. Along the way, Minor Poet will co-headline with 6131 Records act Sammi Lanzetta (September 12th-26th), and Stray Fossa (September 27th). 

Sep. 12 - Washington, DC - Songbyrd Cafe *
Sep. 13 - New York, NY - Alphaville *
Sep. 14 - Wilmington, DE - 1984 *
Sep. 19 - Chapel Hill, NC - Nightlight *
Sep. 20 - Charlotte, NC - Petra’s *
Sep. 21 - Norfolk, VA - Charlie’s Cafe *
Sep. 26 - Harrisonburg, VA - Golden Pony *
Sep. 27 - Charlottesville, VA - The Southern ^

* w/ Sammi Lanzetta
^ w/ Stray Fossa

Minor Poet’s The Good News, featuring the singles “Museum District” and “Tropic of Cancer” was produced by Andrew Carter and Adrian Olsen (Natalie Prass, Foxygen) at Montrose Recording in Richmond. The Good News is available through Sub Pop Mega Mart. Purchases of the LP through megamart.subpop.com and select independent retailers in North America, UK, and Europe will receive the limited Loser edition on clear with red and blue swirl vinyl (while supplies last). 


Posted by Jason Baxter

NEWS : TUE, AUG 13, 2019 at 6:57 AM

Watch Omni’s New Video for Lead Single “Sincerely Yours” Off Their Sub Pop Debut ‘Networker’ (out November 1st)

North American & European tour dates announced.

On November 1st, Omni will release their Sub Pop debut Networker. The first single, “Sincerely Yours”, delivers a tight groove accompanied by smart leads. Elements that have become a definitive part of Omni’s immediately recognizable sound. However, there is a new sonic brilliance to this recording. If spring single, “Delicacy”, was a taste for what was to come, “Sincerely Yours” lifts the curtain to reveal their lush, new sound.
 
Networker’s 11 tracks were written between tours and a handful of studio sessions, allowing Omni’s Frankie Broyles and Philip Frobos to push their songwriting boundaries while keeping the stage in mind, designing songs to enhance their tight, energetic performances. Longtime collaborator, Nathaniel Higgins returned to help capture what is their most “HI-FI” album to date. Together they recorded the LP in Vienna, GA between November 2018 - April 2019.


[Photo Credit: Emily Frobos]

Elaborating on the inspiration behind “Sincerely Yours”, Frobos shares that “The last couple of years marked a lot of friends making the 9 to 5 career change. While I’m aware that there are many advantages to that lifestyle, the song is written from an outsider’s perspective while remaining close to their struggles.” You can watch the new video for “Sincerely Yours” right here, and also here.
 
The band has announced a 26 date world tour this fall in support of their Sub Pop debut  Networker. The North American run will kick off on Oct. 23rd in Nashville, and find the group touring through Chicago, Brooklyn, DC, and Raleigh, ending in their home city of Atlanta on Nov. 4th. They will then head overseas beginning on Nov. 10th in Kortrijk, Belgium with shows in Hamburg, Copenhagen, Berlin, Paris, Lille, Brighton, Glasgow, and London. See below for a full list of shows. 


 
Networker is now available for preorder from Sub Pop. LP preorders of the album through megamart.subpop.comand select independent retailers in North America, UK, and Europe will receive the limited Loser edition on opaque blue while supplies last.

Networker 
Tracklisting:
1. Sincerely Yours
2. Courtesy Call
3. Moat
4. Underage
5. Skeleton Key
6. Genuine Person
7. Present Tense
8. Blunt Force
9. Flat Earth
10. Networker
11. Sleep Mask 


Omni Tour Dates
 

Oct. 23 - Nashville, TN - The Basement
Oct. 25 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
Oct. 27 - Toronto, ON - The Garrison
Oct. 28 - Montreal, QC - Bar Le Ritz
Oct. 29 - Brooklyn, NY - Baby’s All Right
Oct. 30 - Brooklyn, NY - Sultan Room
Nov. 2 - Washington, DC - Pie Shop Bar
Nov. 3 - Raliegh, NC - Kings Raleigh
Nov. 4 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl
Nov. 10 - Kortrijk, BE - Sonic City Festival
Nov. 11 - Hamburg, DE - Molotov
Nov. 12 - Copenhagen, DK - Loppen
Nov. 13 - Berlin, DE - BERGHAIN KANTINE
Nov. 14 - Utrecht, NL - Ekko
Nov. 15 - Le Havre, FR - Mc Daids
Nov. 18 - Paris, FR - La Boule Noire
Nov. 19 - Lille, FR - La Bulle
Nov. 20 - Brussels, BE - Le Botanique
Nov. 21 - Colmar, FR - Le Grillen 
Nov. 22 - St. Gallen, CH Palace St. Gallen
Nov. 23 - Lyon, FR - Sonic
Nov. 25 - Brighton, UK - Hope
Nov. 26 - Bristol, UK - Rough Trade (Bristol)
Nov. 27 - Manchester, UK - YES
Nov. 28 - Glasgow, UK - Mono (Glasgow)
Nov. 29 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social
Nov. 30 - London, UK - Oslo

About Omni:
Enter Networker, the new album by Omni and first with indie giant Sub Pop Records. Their sound is still defined by sparse drums, locked-in bass, blistering guitar, and nonchalant, yet assured vocals, but from the first notes of “Sincerely Yours” you’ll immediately notice that Networker sounds much cleaner and more “HI-FI” than their prior two albums, Deluxe (2016) and Multi-task (2017). The departure in fidelity suits the new record and allows the listener to enjoy the nuances of their meticulous arrangements. Don’t worry, the riffs of Gang of Four and Wire are still present, but the production is more lush and the harmony is even more expansive.  Despite nods to the sounds of the ’70s and ’80s what comes through is a record fully rooted in the here and now.  Thematically, this is apparent on the title track “Networker” taking a candid snapshot of the “digital you” aspect of life in the age of the internet.  The otherwise fun romp “Skeleton Key” also acknowledges the “direct message and obsessive” side of social media with lines like “if you don’t like what you see, the pretty face on the screen, scroll on by…”  
 
Networker was written half between tours and half during recording sessions. The band, Philip Frobos on bass/vocals and Frankie Broyles on guitars/drums/keys, returned with longtime collaborator Nathaniel Higgins to the studio in South Georgia where they also recorded Multi-task and most recent single “Delicacy.” In this case, the “studio” is a cabin near Vienna, GA (pronounced Vye-anna) that was built by Frankie Broyles’ great-grandparents in the 1940s. The band completed four sessions between November 2018 and April 2019. Omni hit their stride in the cabin with songs such as “Moat,” which cruises along at a nice mid-tempo clip with sounds that are maybe piano or maybe the “behind the bridge” strings of a Jaguar a la Sonic Youth or This Heat.  “Blunt Force” provides a nice contrast to some of the more upbeat cuts, getting jazzy with it’s less traditional arrangement and psychedelic outro.
 
On “Courtesy Call,” Omni successfully ride the line of being able to pleasantly reference influences without mimicking. They venture into experimental Haruomi Hosono territory while still managing to sound like Thin Lizzy. The same could be applied to “Sincerely Yours” where the fantastic guitar work and a beautiful breakdown in the middle dive into late 70’s jazz production.  On standout cut “Present Tense,” Yellow Magic Orchestra vibes are present in the fun synthesizer riff while the guitar counterpoint checks this direction pulling the song back into something fresh, sharp, and definitely Omni.   
 
Overall, Networker is simultaneously fun, catchy, and contains some truly impressive musicianship. This combo is especially hard to pull off as bands that are great players often don’t have great or memorable songs. Omni and Nathaniel Higgins have done a stellar job of reigning in their diverse influences into a cohesive record by curating their sounds into a tight package that leaves you just on the cusp of understanding where the band is coming from, while still feeling like you’re hearing something totally fresh. While their earlier records had more of a “post-punk” sound, Networker is an amalgamation of the best sounds of the ’70s and ’80s, all arranged with (mostly) guitars, bass, and drums for our contemporary age, and it really works! There are hooks everywhere, vocal and instrumental, that will leave you humming along, even during the first listen. As Philip Frobos says in “Present Tense,” “guess who’s on my mind right now?” Well, Omni’s on mine and will be on yours soon.

- Scott Munro, Preoccupations 2019

Posted by Rachel White

NEWS : MON, AUG 12, 2019 at 6:57 AM

Watch Frankie Cosmos’ New Video for “Wannago” Featuring Comedian Catherine Cohen

Close it Quietly, available worldwide on September 6th via Sub Pop.

On September 6th, Sub Pop will release Frankie Cosmos’ fourth studio album, Close It Quietly. This album is a manifestation of the band’s collaborative spirit: Greta Kline and longtime bandmates Lauren Martin (synth), Luke Pyenson (drums), and Alex Bailey (bass) luxuriated in studio time with Gabe Wax, who engineered and co-produced the record with the band at Brooklyn’s Figure 8 Studios. 
 
The bands latest video for “Wannago” features comedian Catherine Cohen and was directed by the fine folks at House of Nod. The video is centered around the band’s love for reality baking shows, specifically The Great British Bake Off. “I thought a baking competition theme would translate well to a music video. In some ways I think the lighthearted drama, tension, and release of that format mirrors the ebb and flow of emotions (lyrically and musically) in this song, and so it was kind of a natural fit” says drummer Luke Pyenson. You can watch the video for the song here and also here.




When asked about the song, Kline had this to share “Wannago is an older song that I thought would never come out. Every time we ever tried to arrange it we gave up or lied that we would come back to it later. It felt too hard, and I found some of the lyrics embarrassing. Then Alex encouraged us to give it another shot because he really loved the demo. We ended up all working together to turn this into a song that feels sparkly and distinct; and it’s really fun to play. I’ve accepted the cheesier lyrics as part of the youthful glow of the song, it feels very wide-eyed and is purely about love, distance, and life.”

Frankie Cosmos has announced a World Tour, splitting these shows into three legs. The first leg of dates will begin on September 18 in Boston, MA, and end on Sep. 29 in their hometown of New York City which will include an opening comedy set from “Wannago” video star Catherine Cohen. They will then head overseas beginning on Oct. 8th in Munich, Germany with shows in Prague, Amsterdam, and Paris, ending on Oct. 22nd in London. The final leg of dates will run from Oct 31st - Nov 16th with shows in Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, Los Angeles, and Berkeley. See below for a full list of shows.


Close It Quietly is now available for preorder from Sub Pop. LP preorders of the album through megamart.subpop.com and select independent retailers in North America, UK, and Europe will receive the limited Loser edition on blue pearlescent (North America) and opaque yellow (UK/EU) while supplies last.

Frankie Cosmos Tour Dates + Ticket Links

Sep. 18 - Boston, MA - Royale
Sep. 19 - Burlington, VT - Arts Riot
Sep. 20 - Montreal, QC - L’Astral
Sep. 21 - Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern
Sep. 22 - Detroit, MI - Deluxx Fluxx
Sep. 23 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
Sep. 24 - Grand Rapids, MI - Calvin University
Sep. 25 - Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups
Sep. 26 - Pittsburgh, PA - Spirit Hall
Sep. 27 - Washington, DC - Black Cat
Sep. 28 - Philadelphia, PA - PhilaMOCA
Sep. 29 - New York, NY - Webster Hall
Oct. 08 - Munich, DE - Heppel & Ettlich    
Oct. 09 - Vienna, AT - Chelsea 
Oct. 10 - Prague, CZ - Underdogs’
Oct. 11 - Cologne, DE -  MTC
Oct. 12 - Luxembourg, LU - Rotondes 
Oct. 13 - Amsterdam, NL - Bitterzoet 
Oct. 14 - Paris, FR - Badaboum 
Oct. 15 - Reims, FR - La Cartonnerie
Oct. 16 - Brighton, UK - The Haunt  
Oct. 17 - Bristol, UK - Exchange 
Oct. 19 - Leeds, UK - Belgrave Music Hall 
Oct. 20 - Sheffield, UK - Delicious Clam (Sold Out)
Oct. 21 - Manchester,  UK - Night & Day
Oct. 22 - London, UK - Islington Assembly Hall
Oct. 31 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
Nov. 01 - Tacoma, WA - Alma Mater
Nov. 02 - Vancouver, BC - Fortune Sound Club
Nov. 03 - Seattle, WA - Laser Dome @ Pacific Science Center (Two Shows)
Nov. 07 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
Nov. 08 - Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge
Nov. 10 - Tucson, AZ - Hotel Congress
Nov. 12 - Anaheim, CA - Chain Reaction
Nov. 13 - San Diego, CA - Che Cafe
Nov. 15 - Los Angeles, CA - 1720
Nov. 16 - Berkeley, CA - The UC Theatre


Posted by Rachel White

NEWS : FRI, AUG 9, 2019 at 7:00 AM

Marika Hackman’s ‘Any Human Friend,’ Her Powerful, Sexually Charged, and Acclaimed New Album Is Out Today in North and South America Through Sub Pop

“It’s Marika’s rawness that makes Any Human Friend such an emotive and compelling album” - ★★★★ ½ DIY

Marika Hackman’s internationally acclaimed new album Any Human Friend is out today, Friday, August 9th in North and South America from Sub Pop, and the rest of the world through AMF Recordings.

Stream the album now on YouTubeSpotifyApple Music, and Bandcamp.

The powerful, sexually-charged album, which is led by the highlights “i’m not where you are,” “the one,” “all night,” ”hand solo,” and “blow,” was produced by Hackman and David Wrench (Frank Ocean, the xx, Lets Eat Grandma). She will embark on a headlining North American tour this October and November with support from Hardly Art artists Girl Friday, who will also act as her backing band for the entire tour.

Marika Hackman has also scheduled a Reddit “Indieheads” AMA for Wednesday, August 14th at 12:30 pm PDT/3 pm EDT.


Any Human Friend is now available from Sub Pop. LP purchases through megamart.subpop.com and select independent retailers in North America will receive the limited Loser edition on Salmon-colored vinyl (while supplies last).

Marika Hackman Tour Dates + Ticket Links

Aug.15 - Beacon Breacons, UK - Green Man Festival
Sep. 21 - Bristol, UK - Thekla
Sep. 23 - Glasgow, UK - Oran Mor
Sep. 24 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club
Sep. 25 - Manchester, UK - Band On The Wall
Sep. 26 - London, UK - Islington Assembly Hall
Oct. 11 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl*
Oct. 12 - Durham, NC - The Pinhook*
Oct. 13 - Washington, DC - U Street Music Hall*
Oct. 14 - Philadelphia, PA - Boot & Saddle*
Oct. 15 - Brooklyn, NY - Elsewhere*
Oct. 18 - Allston, MA - Great Scott*
Oct. 19 - Portland, ME - Port City Music Hall*
Oct. 20 - Montréal, QC - Bar Le ‘Ritz’ P.D.B.*
Oct. 21 - Toronto, ON- The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern*
Oct. 23 - Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups
Oct. 24 - Ann Arbor, MI - Blind Pig*
Oct. 25 - Chicago, IL- Sleeping Village*
Oct. 26 - Milwaukee, WI - Back Room at Colectivo Coffee*
Oct. 28 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th St. Entry*
Nov. 01 - Seattle, WA - Neumos*
Nov. 04 - Oakland, CA - Starline Social Club*
Nov. 06 - West Hollywood, CA - The Roxy Theatre*

*w/ Girl Friday


What “The People” have said about Any Human Friend:

“A treasure trove of zippy guitar hooks, glimmering synths, and lemony vocals.” - (9.3/10) PASTE

“Infectious, assured, and eclectic…, Album of the Week.”  -  Stereogum

“Any Human Friend is all bangers, all the time…there is not a single low point on the album.”  -  ★★★★★ DORK

“Any Human Friend sees Hackman wholly uncensored, and all the better for it.” - ★★★★ Q

“Signals Hackman’s coming of age as an artist with real purpose and star power.” -  ★★★★ The Telegraph

 “Her most universal album yet.” - (8/10) Uncut

“A contender for album of the year.” - (8/10) CLASH

“A quantum leap forward” - (8/10) PopMatters

“Any Human Friend is an explosive body of work.” - (8/10) The Line of Best Fit

“The arrangements are sharper, the choruses bigger…” - (8/10) Loud & Quiet

“A truly excellent, explicit indie-pop album.” -  (8/10) Gigwise 

“The record is unapologetically Marika – with killer songwriting and bonus synths.” - i-D

“Hackman’s innately experimental and intrepid approach to writing is yielding ever richer rewards…, Album of the Week.” - Times of London



Posted by Rachel White

NEWS : THU, AUG 8, 2019 at 9:00 AM

Shannon Lay shares title track “August” via her Sub Pop debut, out worldwide on August 23rd

On August 23rd, Shannon Lay will release her Sub Pop debut entitled August which will be available on CD/LP/DL/CS worldwide on August 23rd. On the title single “August”, Lay shares that “August is a declaration. I will live my life the way I want to live it and only accept the opportunities that bring me joy. Music has become something that feels much bigger than I am. I fully embrace the immensity of it all and will grow with it every day.”

Recorded with her longtime friend, musician Ty Segall at his home studio lay shared that “I believe whoever you record with tends to affect the mood of music and Ty really brought this jovial sense that I hadn’t really explored yet.”  “Once you get rolling with him, he just throws these ideas at the wall. And you’re like, ‘I would never have thought of that!’ I couldn’t have hoped for a better guide and energy to help create this record.” You can listen to her new single “August” by clicking here


Photo credit: Denee Segall


Lay’s long-player August is available for pre-order from Sub Pop. LP pre-orders of the album through megamart.subpop.com and select independent retailers in North America, UK, and Europe will receive the limited Loser edition on orange vinyl (North America) and Sun Yellow vinyl (UK/EU) while supplies last. 
 
As previously reported, Shannon Lay will be a member of Ty Segall’s Freedom Band for his upcoming full album residencies in Los Angeles, New York, Paris, London, Berlin, and Haarlem (See Pitchfork’s news story April 24th). 
 
Shannon will be playing an album release show at Pico Union Project on Aug. 24th before embarking on an 18-date North American tour opening for Mikal Cronin. This run will begin on November 8th in Portland at Mississippi Studios and end on December 1st in San Diego at the Casbah. Shannon will continue as a special guest performing with Cronin in Europe beginning on Feb. 10th - 29th. See below for a full list of shows. 
 
Aug. 24 - Los Angeles, CA - Pico Union Project ***Record Release Show
Oct. 21 - London, UK - Set 
Nov. 6 -  San Francisco, CA - Independent *
Nov. 08 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios*
Nov. 09 - Vancouver, BC - The Fox Cabaret*
Nov. 10 - Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern*
Nov. 11 - Missoula, MT - Badlander *
Nov. 14 - St. Paul, MN - Turf Club*
Nov. 15 - Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall *
Nov. 16 - Detroit, MI - Deluxx Fluxx*
Nov. 17 - Toronto, Canada - Horseshoe Tavern*
Nov. 18 - Montreal, Canada - Bar Le “Ritz” P.D.B.*
Nov. 19 - Allston, MA - Great Scott*
Nov. 20 - New York, NY  - Bowery Ballroom*
Nov. 22 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts*
Nov. 23 - Washington, DC - U Street Music Hall*
Nov. 24 - Durham, NC - Motorco Music Hall*
Nov. 25 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl*
Nov. 26 - New Orleans, LA - One Eyed Jacks*
Nov. 27 - Austin, TX - Barracuda*
Nov. 30 - Tucson, AZ - Toole*
Dec. 01 - San Diego, CA - The Casbah*
Feb. 10 - Munich, DE - Milla *
Feb. 11 - Cologne, DE -  Bumann & SOHN *
Feb. 12 - Berlin, DE - Kantine am Berghain *
Feb. 13 - Aarhus, DK - TAPE *
Feb. 14 - Copenhagen, DK - Loppen *
Feb. 15 - Stockholm, SE - Nalen *    
Feb. 17 - Oslo, NO - Ingensteds * 
Feb. 18 - Gothenburg, SE - Oceanen * 
Feb. 19 - Hamburg, DE - Molotow (SkyBar) *
Feb. 20 - Amsterdam, NL - Bitterzoet *
Feb. 21 - Brussels, BE - Botanique *
Feb. 22 - Paris, FR - Petit Bain *      
Feb. 24 - Bristol, UK - The Louisiana *
Feb. 26 - Manchester, UK - Soup Kitchen *
Feb. 27 - Glasgow, UK - The Hug & Pint *
Feb. 28 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club *
Feb. 29 - Brighton, UK - The Hope & Ruin *
* w/ Mikal Cronin


Posted by Jason Baxter