Maybe you woke up

today and thought: “At last, it’s

World Poetry Day.”

A special day that

I didn’t know existed

until recently.

Now it’s spring-time at

the airport, with many new

great albums for sale.

A perfect time to

express ourselves and stir you

to buy some stuff here.

To commemorate

this occasion, I asked the

store to write haiku

inspired by the

Danny Bland book of haiku.

So, please enjoy this

jaunt into haiku.

But don’t worry. We plan on

keeping our day jobs.

___________________________________________________________

Shearwater’s protest

flies towards the horizon; lush

powerful, and grand.

He was good as gone

Subconscious day dreamer

Pay him no bother

Mass Gothic’s New York

City nights shine bright, a life

of vast excitement

You nearly killed me

With a tomato plant now

Let’s toast to spring break

Red pill or blue pill?

So Pitted’s Neo sees both

palms melt to acid

Talking to myself

Some things are better off not said

Hungry for a bed

What emanates from

those Gazebos? Whoas or woes?

A dizzy allure

Fuck you Spring. Fuck you

wet dream and fuck you rainbow

over my dead bod.

West coast psych spells spout

from Heron Oblivion’s

tall molten spires

Come to here; products

various music, shirt, disc

option. Next time, yes?

A new career here

Dark pop’s frontier future. Now,

that is Omori

What’s in a haiku?

Feelings wrought in syllables

and lessons to learn.

This Friday, March 18th, the highly-trained music industry professionals from Sub Pop Records will host “Back by Zero Demand,” our 2016 SXSW showcase at The Blackheart in Austin. Featuring performances from Mass Gothic, Cullen Omori, So Pitted, Arbor Labor Union, Porter Ray, and Strange Wilds. This showcase is 21+/doors at 7:30pm.

Cullen Omori’s debut album New Misery comes out next Friday, March 18th, but you can listen to the album in it’s entirety right now via Stereogum.

Stereogum says of the album, “With its romantic melodies, delicate lyrics, and dreamy sounds, New Misery radiates the warmth of a spring day and the enamored freshness of a new love…In songs like “And Yet The World Still Turns” and “Synthetic Romance,” Omori’s pristine voice shimmers over elaborate synths and profound keys, capturing his developed pop sound. Meanwhile, songs like “LOM” and “No Big Deal” feature a danceable guitar that bleeds and blends, creating impressive, twinkling rhythms (see album premiere March 11th).”

Earlier this week, Cullen Omori also shared “Synthetic Romance” from New Misery.  i-D says of the track, “The enigmatic frontman’s taste for bubblegum pop (and just regular bubble gum) has resulted in a standout clutch of solo tracks that he can truly call his own (see track premiere March 8th).”

Omori began working on solo material in early 2014 which has now fully materialized as New Misery, a collection of 11 songs building upon his own musical past while reaching towards the future of what guitar rock could be. His songs marry dark yet blissful pop with vocal melodies and hooks that are at once immediate yet demand to be heard again and again.

Cullen Omori’s previously announce spring tour schedule in support of New Misery resumes March 14th in Columbia, MO at Rose Hall and currently ends April 24th in Toronto, ON at Horseshoe Tavern.He’s also appear at the 2016 edition of SXSW in Austin, Texas (March 16t-19th).  Complete tour dates are below.

New Misery will be available on CD / LP / DL / CASS worldwide next Friday, March 18th, and you can pre-order it now through Sub Pop Mega Mart, iTunes, Google Play, Amazon and Bandcamp. LP pre-orders though megamart.subpop.com will receive the limited “Loser” edition on clear vinyl with black, white and gold swirls (while supplies last).

More on Cullen Omori:
“I had this overwhelming feeling that perhaps the apex of my life both as a musician and as an individual would be relegated to five years in my late teens/early 20s,” says Cullen Omori, who was launched into the music industry when the Smith Westerns, who started in high school in Chicago, became fast-rising indie stars. “This fear really forced me to work hard as to not see the Smith Westerns as an end but as a point along a bigger trajectory.”

While New Misery grew out of a difficult personal and professional time for Omori, he says the title reflects “not so much the distress that comes with failure, but the troubles and complexities that come with any type of success. No matter what you get you’re going to want more, you’re going to want something different. That’s the catch.”

The title track is a dreamy, resonant reflection on these feelings, but is also a guidepost for Omori’s musical evolution. “The song starts slow and then builds with two solos,” he says. “There’s the guitar solo which is very much a Smith Westerns thing. The next solo is on the keyboard, which is a shift to a lot of what I’m trying to do.” Synths play a much larger role in Omori’s new music than in the Smith Westerns’ guitar-fueled rock, as do a wide range of influences including Roxy Music, INXS, Spiritualized, Wilco, Garbage, Hall & Oates, Kate Bush, U2, and Sparks. There’s also a more deliberate pop streak, inspired by the top-40 radio that would play while Omori worked at a medical supply company cleaning stretchers and wheelchairs (read more at Sub Pop).”

What people are saying about Cullen Omori:
“Shimmering beauty” [“Cinnamon”/ “New Music of the Day”] - NME

“It’s bittersweet, blissful pop with an ’80s hue - vocal melodies and hooks that are at once immediate yet demand to be heard again and again. Job well done, Cullen.” [“Cinnamon”] - The 405

“Sour Silk” is the combination of sounds you weren’t sure could be mixed, blended into a song that sounds both effortless and endlessly faceted.” [“Sour Silk”] - Stereogum

“His songs marry dark yet blissful pop with vocal melodies and hooks that are at once immediate yet demand to be heard again and again.” [“Sour Silk”] - Northern Transmissions

“Led by dreamy, glimmering guitars, it takes Smith Westerns’ knack for a poppy hook to the next level.” [“Cinnamon”] - Consequence of Sound

Tour Dates
Mar. 14 - Columbia, MO - Rose Hall
Mar. 15 - Norman, OK - Opolis
Mar. 16 - Austin, TX - SXSW - Waterloo Records Day Party (4pm)
Mar. 17 - Austin, TX - SXSW - Under The Radar Day Party / Flamingo Cantina (1:35pm)
Mar. 17 - Austin, TX - SXSW - Paradigm Showcase / The Parish (midnight)
Mar. 18 - Austin, TX - SXSW - Sub Pop Showcase / Blackheart Bar (midnight)
Mar. 19- Austin, TX - SXSW - Urban Outfitters Day Party (4pm)
Mar. 24 - Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall*
Mar. 25 - Madison, WI - High Noon*
Mar. 26 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th St. Entry*
Mar. 28 - Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge*
Mar. 29 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge*
Mar. 30 - Boise, ID - Neurolux*
Apr. 01 - Seattle, WA - Barboza*
Apr. 02 - Vancouver, BC - Fortune Sound Club*
Apr. 03 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir*
Apr. 05 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent*
Apr. 07 - Los Angeles, CA - Teragram Ballroom*
Apr. 08 - San Diego, CA - Casbah*
Apr. 09 - Phoenix, AZ - Valley Bar*
Apr. 11 - Austin, TX - Stubb’s Jr*
Apr. 12 - Dallas, TX - Prophet Bar*
Apr. 13 - Houston, TX - Raven Tower*
Apr. 15 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl*
Apr. 16 - Nashville, TN - High Watt*
Apr. 17 - Columbus, OH - The Basement*
Apr. 18 - Washington, DC - DC9*
Apr. 19 - Philadelphia, PA - Boot & Saddle*
Apr. 21 - Allston, MA - Great Scott*
Apr. 22 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom*
Apr. 23 - Montreal, QC - Le Divan Orange*
Apr. 24 - Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern*
*w/ Living Hour

Tour ticket links are here.

“Valley Clouds” is the official video from Sam Beam and Jesca Hoop’s forthcoming duets record, Love Letter for Fire. The charming new visual tells the story of two outlaws of the karaoke circuit, who deliver an over the top yet vulnerable performance of the song in a Chicago bar. Directed by Erin Elders, the “Valley Clouds” video takes its inspiration from German and Scandinavian cinema of the 60s and 70s, contrasting light-hearted humor with visually intense vignettes (see Pitchfork video premiere March 10th).

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 here].

Love Letter for Fire will be available on CD / LP / DL / CASS worldwide April 15th through Sub Pop/Black Crickett Recording Co.  The album 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). 

Love Letter for Fire features Beam and Hoop on vocals and guitar along with Robert Burger (keys), Eyvind Kang (violin, viola), Glenn Kotche (drums, percussion), Sebastian Steinberg (bass) and Edward Rankin-Parker (cello).  


[Photo credit:  Josh Wool]

Sam Beam and Jesca Hoop previously announced North American tour in support Love Letter for Fire begins Tuesday, May 17th in Ann Arbor, MI at The Ark and ends Saturday, June 11th in Chicago, IL at Thalia Hall. The tour will feature support from Dead Oceans recording artist Marlon Williams.

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*
* w/ Marlon Williams

Find ticket links here.

So Pitted just premiered their official video for “feed me,” a standout from neo (their Sub Pop debut!). The visual, directed by Eleanor Petry, is loosely inspired by Jane Child’s late 80s pop classic (+ video) “Don’t Wanna Fall In Love.” 

LNTV had this to say of “feed me”: “[Drummer/vocalist Liam] Downey stars as a tour guide of sorts, leading us around Seattle by the neon glow of corporate signs and skyscrapers. The uneasy clip…is a not-so-subtle nod to Seattle’s rapid, irreversible growth.

“Downey roams Seattle’s streets and meets a lot of people, casually defiling things as he goes. When he briefly rejoins his bandmates in a barren lobby, it’s clear that fierce and apocalyptic apathy is the their preferred form of communication (see premiere March 9th).”

So Pitted’s neo is now available on CD / LP / DL / CASS worldwide from Sub Pop. So Pitted’s neo is available for purchase from Sub Pop Mega Mart,iTunes, Amazon, Bandcamp and Google Play. LP preorders of neo through megamart.subpop.com will receive the limited “Loser” edition on white vinyl.

So Pitted is in the midst their first European tour, which resumes tonight, March 9th in Brighton,UK at Green Door Store and ends March 12th in Berlin, DE at West Germany.  The band will then return to the U.S., for a series of shows in Austin, Texas for SXSW 2016 (March 18 - 20) and the remainder of their March tour. Highlights include: She Shreds Day Party at Studium (March 18th /1pm); Sub Pop Showcase at Blackheart Bar (March 18th / 11pm); FLOOD Day Party at Cedar Street Courtyard (March 19th / 1pm). (current tour dates below.)

neo has garnered praise from the likes of Pitchfork, FLOOD, Consequence of Sound, The Stranger, Seattle Weekly, Seattle Times, DIY, The Guardian, Uncut, Drowned in Sound, Brooklyn Vegan, Impose, Loud & Quiet, The Skinny, CLASH and more. 


What people have said about So Pitted:
“Minimalist force is what Seattle punk band So Pitted does. They excel at it. On neo, their debut, the trio sound like the proverbial (mechanical) bull in a china shop—except that bull is intentionally there to fuck up some fine dinnerware and is determined to have a hell of a time doing it.”  - Pitchfork

“Catharsis and candor are embedded in these explosive tracks. So Pitted tap into the void that the likes of Black Flag and Nirvana looked into and saw themselves in.” - Consequence of Sound 

“It’s grimy and tormented all right, but intent on subverting the many adolescent cliches and connotations that come with grunge.” -  The Guardian

“Maddeningly loud, loosely formed, disgusting like a romantic weekend trip down the local sewers.” - DIY

“Their primal, scrappy rock and roll scrapes all optimism from your soul until you just don’t care about anything anymore.” [8/10]  -Drowned In Sound 

“…A barbed tarpit of sound.” - Loud & Quiet

“Snotty, snarling and belligerent.” - Uncut

“neo is part debut-album, part audio assault.” [4/5] - Upset 

“It’s early in the year to make this sort of claim, but we can say with confidence that in ten months’ time you’ll be looking back on neo as one of 2016’s best debuts, by some distance.” - The Skinny

“…A raucous, inspiring noise, the buzzsaw melody is matched to wailing feedback - imagine Bikini Kill set against early Mary Chain and you’d probably be in the same ballpark.” - CLASH

“Quite simply, neo is noise rock like nothing else.” - London In Stereo

“…Making a name for themselves with a sneery, warped, post-apocalyptic punk sound and wild stage show.” - Brooklyn Vegan

“…Buzzing with nausea and excitement. [rot in hell] burns with the urgency of the music you need to make or you’ll crumple, music you’d be making whether other people heard it or not.” - Impose

“So Pitted are poised to start a riot that’s very much their own.” -Record Collector

“The triad has haunted Seattle’s DIY underground since 2010, sometimes playing three shows a week (seemingly re-dying their hair a different color for each), honing an incredibly loud, atonal style of neo-grunge, equal parts confusing and enthralling. Koewler plays her guitar through a bass amp to achieve the band’s defining metallic low-end scuzz. Rodriguez, plucking out chaotic leads on his heavily effected guitar, barks unintelligibly feral screeds into a microphone so hard that his veins often look as though they’ll pop. Downey usually performs with self-fashioned pipe-cleaner antennae sticking out from his head. He occasionally switches places with Rodriguez to mumble his own strange songs, a left-field take on ’80s New Wave filtered through a filthy meat grinder.”  - Seattle Weekly

“Boldly going where no rock band has gone before—and fucking around a bit, too.” [“Breaking” feature] - FLOOD

Tour Dates
Europe
Mar. 09 - Brighton, UK - Green Door Store
Mar. 10 - Lille, UK - La Peniche
Mar. 11 -Brussells, BE - Homeplugged 
Mar. 12 - Berlin, DE - West Germany

SXSW / Austin, TX
Mar. 18 - She Shreds Day Party @Studium / 2108 Rosewood Ave. (1pm)
Mar. 18 - House Show / 9402 Rowlands Sayle Rd (4:30pm)
Mar. 18  - Sub Pop Showcase @ Blackheart / 86 Rainey St. (11pm)
Mar. 19  - FLOOD Showcase @ Cedar Street Courtyard / 208 W 4th St (1pm)
Mar. 19 - Beeswax Booking & Hive Mind PR Day Party @ Wonderland / 1104 E 6th St (2:30pm)
Mar. 20 - Beerland / 711 Red River St (9pm)

Northwestern US
Mar. 23 - 27 - Boise, ID - Treefort Music Fest 
Mar. 26 - Missoula, MT - The Palace**
Mar. 27 - Spokane, WA - The Bartlett**
** w/ Diarrhea Planet

Find yer ticket links right over here.