Urban Outfitters is celebrating 25 years in Seattle with a month-long celebration, and they invited us to join the party!
Throughout the month of April you’ll find Sub Pop pop-up shops in all three Seattle Urban Outfitters store locations: Capitol Hill, Downtown and University Way. We think they look pretty great!
The birthday revelry culminates on Saturday, April 30th, when artists from the Sub Pop family — Portland’s Kyle Craft, Olympia’s Strange Wilds, and Hardly Art’s S — perform at the anniversary bash in UO’s Capitol Hill store at 401 Broadway E, from 6-8 PM. Come for the music; stay for the birthday treats (and opportunities to buy stuff).
Oh hey, we also made a playlist to mark the occasion. Have a listen here:
You can now hear Sam Beam and Jesca Hoop’s Love Letter for Fire, their forthcoming duets record, in it’s entirety via NPR Music’s “First Listen”.
NPR Music says of the album, “Love Letter for Fire was, at least in part, inspired by the pair’s desire to make songs that function as conversations rather than soliloquies, and their work backs that up…With the help of producer Tucker Martine and a smart, subtle band, the two achieve a fine balance — of songwriting sensibilities, of time in the spotlight — in the service of songs that feel at once fresh and timeless (see “First Listen” April 7th-15th).”
Sam Beam and Jesca Hoop’s 2016 headlining tour schedule in support of Love Letter for Fire has been extended through September. This includes a North American trek with support from Marlon Williams (May 17th-June 11th) and a European run (August 28th-September 11th). Sam and Jesca will also appear at End of the Road Festival weekender September 2nd-4th. (complete tour dates below.) Sam and Jesca recently released a short film on the making of Love Letter for Fire. The two discuss the process of how their collaborative album came to fruition and how two people not in love wrote an entire album of love songs. The clip also features exclusive performances of the two in a stripped down and intimate setting [watch it here].
Love Letter for Firewill be available on CD / LP / DL / CASS worldwide April 15th through Sub Pop/Black Crickett Recording Co., and is now available for preorder at Sub Pop Mega Mart, iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, and Bandcamp. LP preorders through megamart.subpop.com will receive the limited Loser edition on Smoke-colored vinyl (while supplies last - we’re almost out as of 4/7/16).
Tour Dates May 17 - Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark* May 18 - Toronto, ON - The Danforth Music Hall* May 20 - New York, NY - The Town Hall* May 21 - Washington, DC - The Lincoln Theatre* May 22 - Boston, MA - The Wilbur Theatre* May 24 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer* May 26 - Atlanta, GA - The Buckhead Theatre* May 27 - New Orleans, LA - The Civic Theatre* May 28 - Dallas, TX - The Kessler Theater* May 30 - Tucson, AZ - The Rialto Theatre* May 31 - Los Angeles, CA - The Fonda Theatre* Jun. 02 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall* Jun. 03 - Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater* Jun. 04 - Seattle, WA - Neptune Theatre* Jun. 05 - Boise, ID - The Egyptian Theatre* Jun. 07 - Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater* Jun. 08 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown* Jun. 09 - Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater* Jun. 10 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall Ballroom* Jun. 11 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall* Aug. 28 - Edinburgh, UK - Edinburgh International Festival Aug. 29 - Bangor, UK - Marine Court Aug. 30 - Dublin, Ireland - Olympia Theatre Aug 31 - Manchester, UK - Royal Northern College of Music Sep. 01 - London, UK - Union Chapel Sep. 02-04 - Salisbury, Larmer Tree Gardens, UK - End of the Road Festival Sep. 07 - Berlin, DE - Passionskirche Sep. 08 - Cologne, DE - Kulturkirche Sep. 09 - Brussels, BE - Botanique-Orangerie Sep. 10 - Groningen, NL - Take Root Festival Sep. 11 - Amsterdam, NL - De Duif * w/ Marlon Williams
[Photo Credit: Shawn Brackbill / Icebox Project Space at Crane Arts Philadelphia]
Beach House’s previously announced “Installation Shows” for April and May will go on sale Thursday, April 7th at 11am (local time) and will be available from the band’s website right over here. These unique shows are interspersed throughout the group’s 2016 headlining spring tour in support of Thank Your Lucky Stars and Depression Cherry.
The remaining “Installation Shows” will be held in art spaces, galleries, community centers, and various alternative venues in the following cities: Austin, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver. Venues will be announced 24-48 hours before each show for those who have purchased tickets.
Each show will have Beach House performing in their original formation (as a duo), within a special installation the band created for this tour. A majority of the material will focus on tracks from Thank Your Lucky Stars, Devotion, and their self-titled debut. Images from previous installations shows can be viewed here: http://nyti.ms/1N5mKF9.
Beach House’s 2016 North American and European tour schedule resumes Saturday, April 9th in Dallas at the Bomb Factory and has now been extended through August 27th-28th at FYF Music Fest in Los Angeles.
Depression Cherry (released Aug. 28, 2015) is the second consecutive top 10 album for Beach House, coming in at #8 on theBillboard 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.
2016 Tour Dates
Installation Shows (All venues TBA) Tickets on sale Thursday, April 7th at 11am (local time) Apr. 10 - Austin, TX Apr. 21 - Los Angeles, CA Apr. 26 - San Francisco, CA Apr. 29 - Portland, OR May 03 - Seattle, WA
For links and more on the “Installation Shows,” please visit beachhousebaltimore.com. Theatre / Club Performances Apr. 09 - Dallas, TX - Bomb Factory Apr. 11 - Austin, TX - ACL Live at Moody Theatre [Sold Out] Apr. 13 - El Paso, TX - Tricky Falls Apr. 14 - Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre [Sold Out] Apr. 17 - Indio, CA - Coachella [Sold Out] Apr. 19 - Pioneertown, CA - Pappy &Hariett’s [Sold Out]* Apr. 20 - San Pedro, CA - Warner Grand Theatre [Sold Out] Apr. 24 - Indio, CA - Coachella [Sold Out] Apr. 28 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom [Sold Out] Apr. 30 - Vancouver, BC - The Vogue [Sold Out] May 04 - Seattle, WA - The Paramount Jun. 01 - Bordeaux, FR - Theatre Barbey Jun. 03 - Barcelona, ES - Primavera Sound Jun. 05 - Nimes, FR This Is Not a Love Song Jun. 06 - Nantes, FR - Stereolux Jun. 07 - Toulouse, FR - Bikini Jun. 10 - Porto, PT - Primavera Sound Jun. 12 - London, UK - Victoria Park Jun. 13 - Bexhill, UK - De La Warr Pavillion Jun. 14 - Paris, FR - Casino de Paris Jun. 17 - Hilvarenbeek, NL - Best Kept Secret Jun. 18 - Aarhus, DK - Northside Jul. 15 - Chicago, IL - Pitchfork Music Festival Jul. 16 - Chicago, IL - Pitchfork Music Festival Jul. 17 - Chicago, IL - Pitchfork Music Festival Aug. 05 - Happy Valley, OR - Pickathon Aug. 06 - Happy Valley, OR - Pickathon Aug. 07 - Happy Valley, OR - Pickathon Aug. 12 - Eau Claire, WI - Eaux Claires Music Festival Aug. 13 - Eau Claire, WI - Eaux Claires Music Festival Aug. 27 - Los Angeles, CA - FYF Festival Aug. 28 - Los Angeles, CA - FYF Festival * w/ J. Mascis
New music from Goat is always a time for celebration, and we are excited to announce the band’s return with a 7” of brand new material.
Last year Goat released the single “It’s Time for Fun” which saw the band experimenting with drum machines, which brought a different pulse to their tribal psych. This desire to explore new sounds continues with their new single “I Sing in Silence.” But instead of plugging in new instruments the band have unplugged and created an addictive groove with mostly un-amped, acoustic instruments.
Elastic guitar lines, woodblock percussion, and flutes which drive the song are enveloped by one of the strongest vocal deliveries by the bands enigmatic singers, resulting in a powerful and catchy psych-pop number.
The B side, an instrumental called “The Snake of Addis Ababa,” is a looping, North-African mantra played on a teasing, fuzzed guitar, underpinned by a djembi groove. The repetitive riff is disrupted by piano that freely solos over the groove, and a pounding drum lifts the song to a seriously head-nodding conclusion.
This single is further proof that, in a world of similar sounding and similar looking psych bands, Goat are standing completely out on their own and we are all the better for it.
This summer the band will be busy writing, recording, and blowing people’s minds across Europe’s greatest stages. Confirmed dates at time of going to press:
Tour Dates Jun. 01 - Barcelona, ES - Primavera Sound Jun. 11 - Eindhoven, NL - Eindhoven Psych Lab Jun. 12 - London, UK - Field Day Jun. 17 - Duisburg, DE - Traumzeit Festival Jun. 19 - Gaou Island/Six-Fours, France - Pointu Festival Jul. 09 - Liege, BE - Les Ardentes Festival Jul. 10 - Gent, BE - Cactus Festival Jul. 22-24 - Barcelos, PT - Milhões de Festa Sep. 03 - End of the Road Festival / UK
You can now listen to Kyle Craft’s “Eye of a Hurricane,” a standout from Dolls of Highland, his forthcoming Sub Pop debut. American Songwriter says of the track: ““Eye of a Hurricane” starts Dolls… with a sudden jolt of energy, courtesy of the song’s ragtime piano lick. The keys continue to drive the track, as the distorted guitar works to add a sense of eeriness to the song. All the while, Craft displays the full prowess of his vocal range, hitting high notes that hark back to glam rock vocals of the ’70s (see premiere March 29th).”
Rolling Stone also included Kyle Craft in its “10 New Artists You Need To Know” feature, and had this say of his music: “A swamp bar jukebox loaded with British glitter and Seventies Southern rock; a crawfish boil aboard ELO’s spacecraft (see RollingStone.com March 24th).”
Kyle Craft’s just-announced U.S. tour schedule in support of Dolls of Highland spans April 1st in Seattle at the Barboza (for Sub Pop Records 28th Anniversary Party) through May 30th in Salt Lake City, UT at Kilby Court. Highlights for the tour include: album release shows at Seattle’s The Sunset (April 28th) and Portland’s Doug Fir (April 29th); A week-long run supporting Fruit Bats (May 19th-25th); And a show in Denver at Lost Lake Lounge with label mates Arbor Labor Union (May 29th). You’ll find a complete list of dates below.
Dolls of Highland comes out on CD / LP / DL / CASS worldwide April 29th through Sub Pop, and is now available for preorder from Sub Pop Mega Mart, iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, and Bandcamp. LP preorders from megamart.subpop.com will receive the Loser edition on pink vinyl with black swirl (while supplies last).
Dolls of Highland was written, recorded and produced by Craft, mixed by Brandon Summers and Benjamin Weikel of The Helio Sequence at the Old Jantzen Building in Portland, and mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound.
What “The People” have said about Kyle Craft: “Craft admits his voice sounds a good deal like Bob Dylan’s, and that his muse has come to him many, many times. Still, “Lady of the Ark” hints that Craft’s music is so full of its own weird singularity that he’s on to something far beyond idol worship.” - Billboard
““Pentecost” sees Kyle Craft…return to his hometown in Louisiana, haunted by the ghost of a friend who took his own life. Paired with his knack for great melodies, it demonstrates Craft’s emotional power as a songwriter.” [“Pentecost” / “All Songs Considered”] -NPR Music
“With inviting, yet imperfect vocals and a jangly guitar melody, “Lady of the Ark” is a sweeping goodbye to a long-term relationship. It’s somehow warm, melodic, and rough at the same time.” [The Weeks Best Tracks”] - FLOOD
“Like many artists from the South, Craft has a conflicted relationship with the region’s cultural duality, a topic he tackles on “Lady Of The Ark.” Shrouded in guitars and organ, he caustically wails, “Swing low, low sweet heathen / Swing for the wretch and the rock and roll kid,” a line he says he wrote in response to the “shame, shame thing that ‘church folk’ tend to do so often,” and which doesn’t sit well with Craft. “Roam this earth repeat it / All this sin until this wicked world makes sense in time,” he defiantly growls near the song’s end. Craft’s roaming days may be done for now, but “Lady Of The Ark” shows his music as wild-eyed and restless” - [“Lady of the Ark” / “Songs We Love”] - NPR Music
Tour Dates Apr. 01 - Seattle, WA - The Crocodile Apr. 28 - Seattle, WA - The Sunset Apr. 29 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir May 19 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent* May 20 - Los Angeles, CA - Roxy* May 21 - San Diego, CA - Casbah* May 22 - Phoenix, AZ - Valley Bar* May 24 - Austin, TX - Parish* May 25 - Dallas, TX - Three Links* May 26 - Shreveport, LA - Bears on Fairfield May 29 - Denver, CO - Lost Lake Lounge** May 30 - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court *w/ Fruit Bats ** w/ Arbor Labor Union
