Today, Melbourne’s
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fevershare
their new video for “Sick Bug,”
a stand-out from their freshly released Sub
Pop debut, ”The French Press” EP. The Joe White-sung rocker, with
its effortlessly infectious guitar riff, seems on its surface to be fairly
straightforward in theme, but there is tectonic movement beneath the song’s
accessible sheen. White explains: ”I
was reading Richard Flanagan’s Narrow Road To The Deep North and
the horror of their situation stayed with me for a long time. I wrote this
about how desperately someone could want the simplest of things. The triviality
of us dancing around on a tennis court is fully realized.” The video was
premiered earlier today on The FADER.
The band also recently came off of a successful run of shows at SXSW,
with even Jon Pareles of The New York Times naming Rolling Blackouts
C.F. as one of 12 notable acts to come out of the festival. The band continues
their tour of Australia and head to Europe in September, highlighted by two
sold out shows in London. (Dates and links are below.)
“A
three-guitar front line — plucked, sustained and most often busily strummed —
gives this Australian band its brisk pacing. Topped with semi-spoken,
Dylan-tinged vocals and lyrics that switch between candor and drollery, its
music is like folk-rock wrapped around a post-punk armature.” - The New York Times
“The French Press” EP is available on vinyl, CD and of course digitally from Sub Pop via this here link, and in the bins of finer record stores the world over.
You could (and should also) follow Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever everywhere in the known universe… via Facebook | Instagram | Twitter and here on subpop.com.
Plus New UK Shows Added to 2017 International Schedule.
You’ll surely be pleased (as we are) to see that Father John Misty has unleashed a new video, as hilarious as it is absurd, for “Total Entertainment Forever” off his acclaimed new album Pure Comedy.
In “Total Entertainment Forever” we find George Washington donning a virtual reality helmet and experiencing a simulation wherein Kurt Cobain gets crucified by corporate fascists. The video stars Father John Misty along with Thomas Bayne, Macaulay Culkin, Jack Dishel, Spencer Fox, David Garland, Toby Goodshank, Adam Green, Mical Klip, Tei Shi, and Dan Shure.
“Total Entertainment Forever” was directed by Four Gods and a Baby (Adam Green, Thomas Bayne, Toby Goodshank, Macaulay Culkin), edited by Jordan Galland, and features cinematography by Ryan Foregger with costume design by Cara Alpert and Jessie Abraham.
In also-recent good news, Father John Misty’s incredible stage performances at Coachella drew raves from the likes of The Guardian, L.A. Times, Rolling Stone, USA Today, and more. [watch his inspired performance of ”Ballad of the Dying Man”]. “At the sundown set on the Main Stage, Misty proved that the act is up, and he has found his voice. It’s a gorgeous one. Backed by a small orchestra and a trim-suited live band, Misty looked like he had just got out of the shower after surviving a three-day bender in a luxury hotel. Snakeskin moccasins, sunglasses at night, windswept long hair — every detail was spot-on. But let’s be clear — he’s not kidding anymore. He never was, really, but now he’s devoted all his wit and psychedelic musings into writing the best songs of his life, and playing them beautifully,” says the L.A. Times.
Father John Misty has added UK dates to his 2017 international headlining tour this fall in support of Pure Comedy. The new dates include November 1st in Edinburgh at Usher Hall November 2nd in Glasgow at O2 Academy, November 5th in Manchester at O2 Apollo and November 7th in London at Hammersmith Eventim Apollo.
Father John Misty’s spring & summer international festival schedule includes Glastonbury (June 21st-25th), Down the Rabbit Hole Festival in Ewijk, Netherlands (June 23rd-25th), Roskilde (June 30th), Splendour in the Grass (July 21- 23), Fuji Rock (July 28th - July 30th), Winnipeg’s Interstellar Rodeo (August 18th), and Portland, Oregon’s Project Pabst (August 26th).
May 05 - Toronto, ON - Royal Alexandra Theatre [Sold Out] % May 06 - Toronto, ON - Royal Alexandra Theatre [Sold Out] % May 10 - Brooklyn, NY - Kings Theatre [Sold Out] % May 11 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Steel ! [Sold Out] May 13 - Mayer, AZ - FORM Arcosanti Festival May 15 - Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre [Sold Out] % May 24 - Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre # May 26 - Vancouver, BC - Malkin Bowl [Sold Out] # Jun. 07 - Mexico City, MX - Teatro Metropolitan*** Jun. 22 - 24 Oslo, NO - Piknik I Parken Festival Jun. 21 - 25 - Somerset,UK - Glastonbury Festival Jun. 23 - 25 - Ewijk, NL - Down the Rabbit Hole Festival Jun. 27 - Lund, SE - Merejet !! Jun. 28 - Stockholm, SE - Cirkus !! Jun. 30 - Roskilde, DK - Roskilde Festival Jul. 15 - Columbia, MD - Merriweather Post Pavillion & Jul. 21 - Wooyung, AU - Splendour in The Grass Festival Jul. 23 - Sydney, AU - The Metro Theatre [Sold Out] Jul. 24 - Melbourne, AU - Melbourne Recital Centre [Sold Out] Jul. 28 - 30 - Niigata, JP - Fuji Rock Festival Aug. 04 - 06 - Montreal, QC - Osheaga Festival Aug. 18 - Winnipeg, MB - Interstellar Rodeo - The Forks Aug. 19 - Minneapolis, MN - Surly Brewing Festival Field * Aug. 25 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre ** Aug. 26 - Portland, OR - Project Pabst Aug. 31 - Sep. 03 - Dorset, UK - End of the Road Festival Sep. 01 - Sep. 03 - Stradbally, IE - Electric Picnic Sep. 13 - Boston, MA - Blue Hills Pavilion $ Sep. 14 - Port Chester, NY - Capitol Theatre $ Sep. 15 - Philadelphia, PA - Skyline Stage at the Mann $ Sep. 18 - Toronto, ON - Massey Hall ^ Sep. 19 - Royal Oak, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre ^ Sep. 20 - Chicago, IL - Auditorium Theatre ^ Sep. 22 - St. Louis, MO - Peabody Opera House ^ Sep. 23 - Columbus, OH - Palace Theatre ^ Sep. 25 - Asheville, NC - Thomas Wolfe Auditorium ^ Sep. 26 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium ^ Sep. 27 - Atlanta, GA - The Tabernacle ^ Sep. 29 - Austin, TX - Bass Concert Hall ^ Sep. 30 - Dallas, TX - Bomb Factory ^ Oct. 01 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall ^ Oct. 04 - Phoenix, AZ - Orpheum Theatre ^ Oct. 05 - San Diego, CA - The Observatory North Park ^ Oct. 06 - San Diego, CA - The Observatory North Park ^ Oct. 07 - Berkeley, CA - Greek Theatre $ Oct. 11 - Santa Barbara, CA - Arlington Theatre ^ Oct. 12 - Las Vegas, NV - Brooklyn Bowl ^ Oct. 13 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre ^ Oct. 14 - Pomona, CA - Fox Theater Pomona ^ Nov. 01 - Edinburgh, UK - Usher Hall Nov. 02 - Glasgow, UK - O2 Academy Nov. 05 - Manchester, UK - O2 Apollo Nov. 07 - London,UK - Hammersmith Eventim Apollo Nov. 11 - Paris, FR - Le Trianon ^ Nov. 12 - Brussels, BE - Ancienne Belgique ^ Nov. 13 - Utrecht, NL - TivoliVredenburg ^ Nov. 14 - Berlin, DE - Huxley’s ^ Nov. 16 - Milan, IT - Fabrique Nov. 18 - Barcelona, ES - Razzmatazz ^ Nov. 19 - Madrid, ES - La Riviera ^ Nov. 20 - Lisbon, PT - Coliseu dos Recreios ^
% w/ Dams of the West # w/ Entrance ^ w/ Weyes Blood ! w/ Adam Green !! w/ Hamilton Leithauser $ w/ Phosphorescent *w/ Tennis **w/ Jenny Lewis *** w/ Adanowsky & w/ Willie Nelson, Jackson Browne
Today in spectral news: Shabazz Palaces will release Quazarz: Born On A Gangster Star - follow up to Lese Majesty, the group’s critically acclaimed album - worldwide on July 14th through yours truly, Sub Pop Records. The new album featuring highlights “Shine A Light” (ft. Thaddillac), “Since Caya,” and “Moon Whip Quaz” (ft. Darrius) was produced by Knife Knights (aka Ishmael Butler and Erik Blood), recorded and mixed by Blood at Protect and Exalt Labs: A Black Space in Seattle.
The “Shine A Light” lyric video (as seen above) was directed by Cristina T. Bercovitz and Jonathan Snipes of Clipping.
Quazarz: Born On A Gangster Star serves as both an introduction and tells the tale of Quazarz, a sentient being from somewhere else, an observer sent here to Amurderca to chronicle and explore as a musical emissary. What he finds in our world is a cutthroat place, a landscape where someone like him could never quite feel comfortable amidst all the brutality and alternative facts and death masquerading as connectivity.
The Palaceer of Shabazz Palaces says of his extraterrestrial persona: “I, Quazarz, Born On A Gangster Star, son only of Barbara Dream Caster and Reginald The Dark Hoper - he who rides on light - dreamer of the seventh dream and kissed eternal by Awet the Sun Scented - who far from home I found my same self differents in those constellies that be Dai at my weap-side immediate and all us Water Guild affiliates who revelries in the futures passed recordings and ceremonies flexing resplendent in the Paradise Sportif armor - raising these musics a joy/cry that way into these aquadescent diamondized ethers of the Migosphere here on Drake world. Welcome To Quazarz.”
Quazarz: Born On A Gangster Star is now available for preorder on CD / LP / DL / CS from Sub Pop right over here. LP pre-orders through megamart.subpop.com and select independent retailers, will receive the limited Loser edition on colored vinyl. There will also be a new T-shirt design available.
Quazarz: Born On A Gangster Star Tracklisting: 1. Since C.A.Y.A 2. When Cats Claw 3. Shine a Light (feat. Thaddillac) 4. Dèesse Du Sang 5. Eel Dreams (feat. Loud Eyes Lou) 6. Parallax (feat. The Palaceer Lazaro) 7. Fine Ass Hairdresser 8. The NeurochemMixalogue 9. That’s How City Life Goes 10. Moon Whip Quäz (feat. Darrius) 11. Federalist Papers
Shabazz Palaces will support Quazarz: Born On A Gangster Star with North American tour dates that currently span May 13th through September 17th. The tour will include stops in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin, Dallas, Atlanta, Montreal, Brooklyn, Washington, D.C. Philadelphia and more. Additionally, festival appearances include Upstream Music Fest (May 13th), and Chicago’s Riot Fest (15th-17th).
May 13 - Seattle, WA - Upstream Music Fest + Summit 2017 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. 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. 02 - Montreal, QC - Theatre Fairmount Sep. 05 - Boston, MA - The Sinclair Sep. 06 - Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw Sep. 07 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer Sep. 08 - Washington, DC - Black Cat Sep. 11 - Asheville, NC - The Grey Eagle Tavern & Music Hall Sep. 15 - Chicago, IL - Riot Fest at Douglas Park Sep. 16 - Chicago, IL - Riot Fest at Douglas Park Sep. 17 - Chicago, IL - Riot Fest at Douglas Park
More on Shabazz Palaces Quazarz: Born On A Gangster Star
2017 tour schedule begins May 23rd with sold-out show at New York’s The Apollo Theatre
“Arabian Heights” is the driving new track from The Afghan Whigs’ forthcoming album, In Spades, which will be out in stores and on the airwaves May 5th. This new song exudes the gutbucket exoticism of Houses of the Holy and Physical Graffiti writ large, driven by drummer Patrick Keeler’s bravura, tribal cadences. Greg Dulli says of Keeler’s contribution, “Rick [Nelson, who engineered the album] got incredible drum sounds, and what Patrick does on that song is a master class in drumming.”
In further exciting news, The Afghan Whigs will be performing a sold out show at The Apollo Theater in Harlem, NY on Tuesday, May 23rd. “We are thrilled to be performing at The Apollo,” Dulli remarked. “So many of my heroes both musical and otherwise have graced the stage there and it will be our honor to do so as well.”
The Afghan Whigs have also announced their first set of dates in support of In Spades in Europe. The band will visit 17 countries this summer including performances at Primavera Sound and Northside Festival. Ed Harcourt will be supporting on all European headline shows. (See dates below.)
In Spades is now available for preorder on CD / 180 gram-LP / CS / DL from Sub Pop over here. The album, led by the single “Demon In Profile” and the aforementioned “Arabian Heights,” alongside standouts “Oriole,” “Copernicus,” and “Toy Automatic,” is the follow-up to the band’s internationally acclaimed Do to the Beast. In Spades, written and produced by Greg Dulli, was recorded in New Orleans, Los Angeles, Memphis and Joshua Tree.
LP pre-orders of In Spades will receive the “Loser” edition on 180-gram, white-chocolate vinyl (while supplies last). A new T-shirt design, along with cassette versions of The Afghan Whigs’ classic Sub Pop albums Up In It and Congregation, are now also available.
[Photo Credit: Chris Cuffaro]
Treat yourself: watch this video for lead track, “Demon In Profile,” directed by longtime collaborator Phil Harder.
The Afghan Whigs Tour Schedule May 23 - Harlem, NY – The Apollo Theater [Sold Out] May 26 - Manchester, UK - Cathedral May 27 - Glasgow, UK - ABC May 28 - Dublin, IE - Academy May 30 - London, UK - Koko Jun. 01 - Barcelona, ES - Primavera Sound Festival Jun. 03 - Bologna, IT - Zona Roveri Jun. 04 - Zagreb, HR - Tvornica Kulture Jun. 06 - Warsaw, PL - Palladium Jun. 07 - Berlin, DE - Kesselhaus Jun. 09 - Aarhus, DK - Northside Festival Jun.10 - Oslo, NO - Vulkan Jun.12 - Hamburg, DE - Gruenspan Jun.13 - Frankfurt, DE - Batschkapp Jun.14 - Antwerp, BE – Trix [Sold Out] Jun.15 - Brussels, BE - Ancienne Belgique [Sold Out] Aug. 04 - Vienna, AT - WUK Aug. 05 - Prague, CZ - Lucerna Music Bar Aug. 06 - Zurich, CH - Mascotte Aug. 08 - Munich, DE - Backstage Halle Aug. 09 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso Aug. 10-12 – Gothenburg, SE – Way Out West Festival Aug. 13 – Helsinki, FL – Flow Festival
We’ve been bustling hard at the Airport Store in preparation for the 10-year anniversary of Sub Pop’s sister label, Hardly Art. To commemorate this special occasion, which coincides with National Poetry Month, I’ve decided some light verse is called for…
- Descriptions of Joe Casey: “Protomartyr are awesome, but they look like three scared teens who started a band with their alcoholic uncle.” “He’s like an inverse Bono.”
- Strangely revealing synth pop for your magical journey into the darkness.
It has been and continues to be a true honor representing all the local weirdos, punx, queers, poets, and female artists of Hardly Art at our store. We’re looking forward to what’s coming next*! The future is already someone’s dream.:)
XO
Olivia Saint
Assistant Store Manager
*Speaking of what’s coming next… how ‘bout not one but TWO celebratory birthday shows, this coming May 18th and 19th at Seattle’s Chop Suey?! Details are here.
