“A record that exposes a new element of vulnerability that makes no sacrifice to their gritty, unshackled punk sound.” ★★★★DORK
“Flare-ups of vibrant noise… taut rhythms and brief but potent guitar flashes are occasionally reminiscent of Jon Spencer or J. Mascis. My Other People sees TV Priest continue to map out their own increasingly intriguing identity.”Kerrang!
“Post-punk propulsion from the London four-piece, with a vocal like a prolonged howl of pain, rage and love.”The Sunday Times
TV Priest’s international touring in support of My Other People resumes tonight, Friday, June 17th in London, UK at Rough Trade East and now runs through Saturday, November 26th in Cologne, Germany at Artheater. For up to date information on tickets, please visit TV Priest.com.
Fri. Jun. 17 - London, UK - Rough Trade East Mon. Jun. 20 - Brighton, UK - Resident* Tue. Jun. 21 - Southsea Portsmouth, UK - Pie & Vinyl* Wed. Jun. 22 - Totnes, UK - Drift* Thu. Jun. 23 - Leeds, UK - The Vinyl Whistle* Sun. Jul. 03 - Hyeres, FR - Pointu Festival Fri. Jul. 22 - Suffolk, UK - Latitude Festival Sun. Jul. 24 - Sienna, IT - TVSpenta Festival Tue. Jul.26 - Brooklyn, NY - Union Pool Wed. Jul. 27 - Philadelphia, PA - PhilaMOCA Fri. Jul. 29 - Montréal, QC - Bar le Ritz PDB Sat. Jul. 30 - Toronto, ON - Monarch Tavern Sun. Jul. 31 - Chicago, IL - Beat Kitchen Thu. Aug. 04 - Happy Valley, OR - Pickathon Fri. Aug. 05 - Happy Valley, OR - Pickathon Sat. Aug. 06 - Vancouver, BC - Fox Cabaret Sun. Aug. 07 - Seattle, WA - Clock-Out Lounge Fri. Sep. 03 - Salisbury, UK - End of the Road Festival Fri. Sep. 09 - Heusden, NL - Misty Fields Festival Sat. Sep. 17 - Leicester, UK - Wide Eyed Festival Mon. Oct. 24 - Nijmegen, NL - Merleyn Tue. Oct. 25 - Groningen, NL - Vera Tue. Oct. 26 - Rotterdam, NL - Rotown Fri. Oct. 28 - Amsterdam, NL - London Calling Festival Sun. Oct. 30 - Bristol, UK - The Louisiana Mon. Oct. 31 - Birmingham, UK - Hare & Hounds Tue. Nov. 01 - Dublin, IE - The Workman’s Cellar Thu. Nov. 03 - Manchester, UK - Yes (Pink Room) Fri. Nov. 04 - Glasgow, UK - Broadcast Sat. Nov. 05 - Leeds, UK - Belgrave Music Hall Mon. Nov. 07 - Cambridge, UK - Portland Arms Tue. Nov. 08 - Leicester, UK - Firebug Bar Thu. Nov. 10 - London, UK - Scala Fri. Nov. 11 - Reading, UK -The Face Bar Sat. Nov. 12 - Southampton, UK - The Joiners Sun. Nov. 13 - Brighton, UK - Green Door Store Tue. Nov. 15 - Paris, FR - TBC Wed. Nov. 16 - Le Havre, FR - Le Tetris Fri. Nov. 18 - Nantes, FR - Stereolux Sat. Nov. 19 - Lille, FR - L’Aeronef Sun. Nov. 20 - Brussels, BE - Botanique Tue. Nov. 22 - Zurich, CH - Bogen F Thu. Nov. 24 - Berlin, DE - Privatvclub Fri. Nov. 25 - Cologne, DE - Artheater * Stripped down performances
My Other People is available worldwide on CD/LP/CS/All DSPs from Sub Pop. LPs purchased through megamart.subpop.com, and select independent retailers in North America will receive the Opaque Pink w/white smoke vinyl version (while supplies last). Meanwhile, LPs purchased in the U.K. and Europe through select independent retailers will receive the album on clear vinyl.
What people are saying about TV Priest: “There’s a strong crackle of big-collared ’90s nylon shirting – Tindersticks, Pulp, Nick Cave, Morphine – as singer Charlie Drinkwater darkens the corners: “Off that map there are monsters / off that map there are madmen.” [“Limehouse Cut”] - MOJO
“On these new tracks, vocalist Charlie Drinkwater continues to resemble Joe Talbot, but I can just as easily hear Nick Cave, Jim Morrison, and Protomartyr’s Joe Casey in those bellows. His bandmates sound spry and adventurous, brimming with ideas and kinetic energy.” [“Bury Me In My Shoes”] - Stereogum
“The music has a real wielding tone throughout buzzing guitars and yelled vocals offering itself up with plenty of on the side feels.” [“Bury Me In My Shoes”] - Closed Captioned
“Frontman Charlie Drinkwater makes a startling statement. “I’m going to take these clothes off now,” he sings, offering up an image that seems to reveal the very core of this stunning new offering.” [“One Easy Thing”] - Far Out
“Charlie Drinkwater’s vulnerable side comes to the fore in ‘One Easy Thing’, with a voice that lends itself as capably to emotive ballads as it does to hook-heavy punk” [“One Easy Thing”] - Riot Mag
“Thoughtful and metronomic in equal measure, the plucking guitar chords at the forefront of the sonics with a mesmeric rhythm which is almost hypnotic in its delivery.” - [“Limehouse Cut”] -Backseat Mafia
“Stark and sinister, this track is a Nick Cave-esque lament on urban displacement and a longing for beautiful landscapes.” - [“Limehouse Cut”] - The Times
“Beautifully sparse in it’s opening refrain, the track points to a change of direction for the band. Sonically, the new single seems lighter than their previous output, aligning more with the booming British Post-Punk scene than with their krautrock inspired roots.” [“One Easy Thing”] - When The Horn Blows
“The song is dark, a rock with a riff that is pleasant, Charlie Drinkwater’s vocals over the top are reminiscent of Johnny Cash. The song evokes the feeling of exhaustion without being exhausting to listen to.” [“One Easy Thing”] - ASBO Magazine
Father John Misty is sharing the official video for “Buddy’s Rendezvous,” directed by filmmaker and photographer Emma Elizabeth Tillman (TheHistory of Caves; The Wheel) and is a highlight from Chloë and The Next 20th Century, his internationally acclaimed new album.
Emma says of the video, “‘Buddy’s Rendezvous’ is a world unto itself. It is a place out of time. My dream for the video is that it would surrender itself to the power of the song. An unnamed man (played by Craig Stark), fresh out of jail and down on his luck makes his way across the fractured landscape of Los Angeles to meet his daughter (played by Arrow DeWilde). All the while he is beset by memories of a more innocent time. Despite her hesitance, his daughter and her boyfriend (played by Gilbert Trejo) agree to meet her father and find moments of sadness and sparks of tenderness in the connection made. Although the video and the song can be considered love letters to Los Angeles, the themes are universal. Disappointments, regrets, forgiveness, tenderness, perseverance, and love. The incredible performances by Arrow, Craig, Gilbert, and David Haley all coalesce to bring this vision to life. Cinematography by James Wall on 16mm evokes the down and out feeling of LA, merging past and present. This video could not have been accomplished without the talent of producer Bria Little and creative director and editor Jonathan King.”
Also out today is Lana Del Rey’s gorgeous cover of “Buddy’s Rendezvous,” available now on all DSPs. Her interpretation of the song was previously only available as a 7” single included with the limited edition box set of Chloë and The Next 20th Century.
Father John Misty’s Chloë and The Next 20th Century and its singles are earning “Best Albums” and “Songs of 2022 (So Far)” placement from the likes of Stereogum, The Guardian, Consequence, The Current, Uproxx (Steve Hyden), and more.
Father John Misty’s previously announced international headlining tour schedule in support of Chloë and The Next 20th Century begins Saturday, June 26th, 2022 and runs through Friday, March 17th, 2023. A current list of dates below.
2022: Summer/Fall (North America + South America) Sat. Jun. 26 - Greenfield, MA - Green River Festival Fri. Jul 08 - Des Moines, IA - 80/35 Music Festival Sun. Jul. 31 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre w/ The Colorado Symphony * Wed. Aug. 03 - San Diego, CA - Humphreys Concerts By The Bay * [Sold Out] Thu. Aug. 04 - San Diego, CA - Humphreys Concerts By The Bay * Fri. Aug. 05 - Las Vegas, NV - The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas * Sat. Aug. 06 - Phoenix, AZ - The Van Buren * Mon. Aug. 08 - Oklahoma City, OK- The Criterion * Tue. Aug. 09 - Kansas City, MO - Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland * Thu. Aug. 11 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall * Fri. Aug. 12 - Austin, TX - Moody Amphitheater * Sat. Aug. 13 - New Orleans, LA - Orpheum Theater * Sun. Aug. 14 - Dallas, TX - The Factory in Deep Ellum * Thu. Aug. 18 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Forever Cemetery * [Sold Out] Fri. Aug. 19 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Forever Cemetery [Sold Out] Sat. Aug. 20 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater * Tue. Aug. 23 - Eugene, OR - McDonald Theatre * Thu. Aug. 25 - Vancouver, BC - Orpheum * Fri. Aug. 26 - Port Townsend, WA - THING Festival Sat. Aug. 27 - Portland, OR - Pioneer Square * Mon. Sep. 12 - Columbus, OH - KEMBA Live! * Tue. Sep. 13 - Philadelphia, PA- The Met Philadelphia * Thu. Sep. 15 - Louisville, KY - Bourbon & Beyond Festival Fri. Sep. 16 - Richmond, VA - Brown’s Island * Sat. Sep. 17 - Asheville, NC - Rabbit Rabbit * Mon. Sep. 19 - Charleston, SC - The Riviera Theater * [Sold Out] Tue. Sep. 20 - Washington, DC - The Anthem * Thu. Sep. 22 - New York, NY - Radio City Music Hall w/ The New York Pops * Fri. Sep. 23 - Boston, MA - Leader Bank Pavilion * Sat. Sep. 24 - Bridgeport, CT - Sound on Sound Festival Mon. Sep. 26 - Montreal, QC - MTELUS * Tue. Sep. 27 - Toronto, ON - Roy Thomson Hall * Thu. Sep. 29 - Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre * Fri. Sep. 30 - Saint Paul, MN - Palace Theatre * Sat. Oct. 01 - Saint Paul, MN - Palace Theatre * Mon. Oct. 03 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater * Tue. Oct. 04 - Indianapolis, IN - Clowes Memorial Hall * Thu. Oct. 06 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium * Fri. Oct. 07 - Atlanta, GA - The Eastern * Sat. Oct. 08 - Durham, NC - DPAC * Sun. Nov. 06 - Sao Paolo, BR - Primavera Sound Sat. Nov. 12 - Buenos Aires, AR - Primavera Sound Sun. Nov. 13 - Santiago, CL - Primavera Sound Thu. Nov. 17 - Bogotá, CO - Coliseo Live ^ Sun. Nov. 20 - Mexico City, MX - Corona Capital
* w/ Suki Waterhouse ^ w/ Arctic Monkeys
2023: Late Winter/Spring (Europe) Sat. Feb. 25 - Oslo, NO - Sentrum Scene Tue. Feb. 28 - Stockholm, SE - Cirkus Thu. Mar. 02 - Denmark, DK - KB Hallen Fri. Mar. 03 - Berlin, DE - Columbiahalle Sat. Mar. 04 - Amsterdam, NL - AFAS Live Mon. Mar. 06 - Brussels, BE - Ancienne Belgique Tue. Mar. 07 - Paris, France - Salle Pleyel Thu. Mar. 09 - London, UK- O2 Academy Brixton Mon. Mar. 13 - Gateshead, UK - Sage Gateshead Wed. Mar. 15 - Glasgow, UK - Barrowlands Thu. Mar. 16 - Glasgow, UK - Barrowlands Fri. Mar. 17 - Manchester, UK - O2 Apollo Manchester
Chloë and The Next 20th Century is out now worldwide from Sub Pop and in Europe from Bella Union.
What People Are Saying About Father John Misty’s Chloë and the Next 20th Century: “Over his 10-year career as Father John Misty, we’ve seen this wild orchid of an artist gradually bloom into a generational singer-songwriter…Chloë and the Next 20th Century serves as a gorgeously crafted highlight reel of the singer’s many previous styles and guises.” ★★★★★ NME
“Chloë and the Next 20th Century is his best yet. He still takes his cues from the great storytellers of the 1970s but this effort is also on thrall to glamor of old Hollywood and the jazzy show tunes of the 30s and 40s. Pianos twinkle and strings swirl. The singing is warm and rich.” ★★★★★ The Mail on Sunday
“One of the best albums of the year.”Variety
“Pop’s funniest storyteller is back at his best.”★★★★ The Guardian
“Another breakthrough for Tillman — as a lyricist, as a melodicist, as a singer, as a builder of worlds.” Uproxx
“Album number 5 from Father John Misty is his most widescreen yet… astonishing music full of big ideas… A triumph.” ★★★★★ Shindig
“A ravishing magnum opus… he creates a world all his own (9/10).” The Sun
“Stunningly melodic… Tillman’s voice sounds fantastic throughout… It feels like an artist who’s spent time wondering what the point was, making peace with what he does, even – or especially – if it involves escapism. Sinking into Chloë and the Next 20th Century’s lush, sepia-toned arrangements, escaping with him is a pleasure (“Album of the Week”).” ★★★★ The Guardian
“For such a project to come off, the compositions have to feel like standards, with chord progressions and whistleable tunes that become more interesting with repeated listens. And Mr. Tillman pulls it off.” Wall Street Journal
“Tillman’s writerly skills would have shone in any era… He offers a moving reminder of the beauty of life’s impermanence…As Chloë and the Next 20th Century sees Father John Misty escaping into his own parallel Hollywood reality, it’s highly entertaining to slip in alongside him.” ★★★★ MOJO
“On Chloë and the Next 20th Century, Father John Misty is transporting himself to another world; it sounds pretty damn sweet over there.” ★★★★ ½ DIY
“Father John Misty’s Chloë and the Next 20th Century is filled with deeply imaginative arrangements and sophisticated, textured songwriting (9/10).” PopMatters
“Chloë represents a very stark, yet impressive left turn for Tillman, a record that sees him grow not only as a narrative lyricist, but also a master arranger (8.8/10)” PASTE
“The student has become the maestro (B+).”Entertainment Weekly
“With delicate orchestral arrangements, a dead Turkish Angora, and an overlying Old Hollywood theme, Chloë and the Next 20th Century is the most un-Misty-like album yet. We’re OK with that.” Rolling Stone
“Even though we’ve spent 10 songs becoming accustomed to Chloë’s milieu, Tillman upends that comfort on the 11th song. Ultimately, Chloë and the Next 20th Century signifies something larger. Father John Misty will always be interesting.” SPIN
“Father John Misty’s new album is unlike anything he’s ever done before, in the best possible way…This latest one is excellent, and if anything, it serves as proof that Tillman doesn’t need the crutch of the FJM role. Maybe now, five years after he first contemplated killing him, he can finally let Father John Misty rest in peace.” Inside Hook
“A cinematic masterpiece. With a full orchestra at his heels, Father John Misty’s fifth album is likely to be one of the classiest and most ambitious records of the year; only he could pull this off.” ★★★★ DORK
“An epic, orchestral album that recalls the Golden Age of Hollywood (9/10).” Hot Press
“Achingly beautiful melodies, lyrics embed with ennui and romanticism, vocals of extraordinary richness… yes, it’s another Father John Misty album” ★★★★ Sunday Times
“A talented and original musician stepping outside expectations.... Influences from past epochs of Los Angeles bohemia can be heard, but Tillman inhabits his Father John Misty persona so confidently that the songs transcend pastiche.” ★★★★ Financial Times
“Inclusive, playful and connective.” ★★★★ NARC
“Chloë.. is maximum Misty from tip to twinkly toe… As woodwinds flutter and strings swoon, Tillman’s voice rises to the occasion: his rich, warm delivery pulls you into the songs, barbed asides and beautiful melancholy impeccably balanced… Tillman’s writing brims with story-song riches, countering 21st-century cynicism with old-school romanticism.”★★★★Record Collector
“Fans who fell in love with Tillman’s sharp social commentary will find plenty to hone in on, but the lush sounds take some of the bite out of his clever barbs and cynical perspectives on love and connection. Even with the strong, considered design of his previous albums, Father John Misty has never sounded so pleasant.” ★★★★ All Music
“For all their evocations, the dreamscapes on Chloë are not actually nostalgic. Instead, the songs seem to underline the artist’s gallows humor at our collective doom, repeating various destructions of humanity — both on the scale of an endless century and every love affair.” Consequence
“The band—including frequent collaborators Drew Erickson and Jonathan Wilson, plus a string quartet and eleven orchestra members—play with silvery poise and high drama. The characters may be odious and dissolute, but the way Misty sings about them is delightful, from the debonair delivery of ‘Chloë’ to the little retro-microphone vibrato that creeps into ‘Kiss Me.’” Pitchfork
“Josh Tillman’s new album is a foray into old Hollywood that goes down like a smooth martini (B+).” The AV Club
“Sophisticated orchestral pop… utterly delectable… a luxuriously irresistible affair (8.3/10).” Far Out
“Right from the start, ‘Chloë’ raises the curtain on an MGM Tinseltown of muted trumpets and colourised aesthetic… a romantic and intriguing world to fall into.” ★★★★ The Telegraph
“These are smart, amusing songs with sumptuous instrumentation.” The New Statesman
“It’s a big, bold, beautiful statement that doesn’t hit you over the head but gently and carefully makes its way into your heart (8/10).” Northern Transmissions
“Affecting and nuanced… these are warm, gentle, and often stunning songs that charm before they have the time to creep up on you.” ★★★★ Our Culture
“Brilliant and moving… His vivid, imaginative fifth album swerves between lounge jazz and romantic reveries.” - PROG
“Unmistakably a Father John Misty record, he ranges across a number of styles with panache… It’s great to have Tillman back in all his grandiose brilliance.” ★★★★ - Morning Star
Today you can hear “Dave’s Place,” a new offering from Bret McKenzie’s Songs Without Jokes, his full-length, solo debut, out August 26th, 2022, worldwide through Sub Pop.
McKenzie says of the track, “Like most of my songs I wrote this one night at home in Wellington while strumming away on my guitar. I then worked with producer Mickey Petralia in L.A. to develop the initial idea. What started off as a three chord country song, came out the other side an eighties Blade Runner, Dire Straits-esque jam. The song is called “Dave’s Place” after the late Dave Bianco. Dave was an amazing audio engineer I worked with on various occasions in L.A., but he sadly passed away not long before I started making this record. Dave had a studio in the North Hollywood he referred to as ‘Dave’s place’. After he passed I finally worked there and this is the track that came out of that session. I sometimes think Dave is watching over this one.”
McKenzie, along with his seven-piece band, has scheduled international headlining shows for the fall of 2022 in support of Songs Without Jokes, beginning September 2nd in Nelson, New Zealand at Trafalgar Center and currently ending Sunday, November 20th in Atlanta, Georgia at the Eastern. For more information on tickets please visit https://bretmckenzie.co.nz/tour/.
Fri. Sep. 02 - Nelson, NZ - Trafalgar Centre Sat. Sep. 03 - Christchurch, NZ - Town Hall Sun. Sep. 04 - Dunedin, NZ - Town Hall Mon. Sep. 05 - Invercargill, NZ - Civic Theatre Thu. Sep. 08 - Wellington, NZ - Opera House Mon. Sep. 12 - Whanganui, NZ - Royal Whanganui Opera House Tue. Sep. 13 - Hastings, NZ - Opera House Wed. Sep. 14 - Auckland, NZ - Town Hall Thu. Sep. 22 - Birmingham, UK - Town Hall Fri. Sep. 23 - Leeds, UK - O2 Academy Mon. Sep. 26 - London, UK - Eventim Apollo Thu. Sep. 29 - Nottingham, UK - Royal Concert Hall Sat. Oct. 01 - Portsmouth - Guildhall Mon. Oct. 03 - Cardiff, UK - St Davids Hall Tue. Oct. 04 - Edinburgh, UK - Academy Wed. Oct. 05 - Newcastle, UK - O2 City Hall Fri. Oct. 07 - Manchester, UK - O2 Apollo Sun. Oct. 09 - Dublin, IE - The National Stadium Fri. Oct. 14 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground Sat. Oct. 15 - Boston, MA - Berklee Performance Center Mon. Oct. 17 - Philadelphia, PA - Fillmore (seated) Wed. Oct. 19 - Williamsburg, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg Thu. Oct. 20 - Port Chester, NY - Capitol Theatre Fri. Oct. 21 - Washington DC - Lincoln Theatre Sat. Oct. 22 - New York, NY - Webster Hall Mon. Oct. 24 - Montreal, QC - Corona Theatre Tue. Oct. 25 - Toronto, ON - Queen Elizabeth Theatre Wed. Oct. 26. - Detroit, MI - Royal Oak Fri. Oct. 28 - Chicago, IL - The Vic Theatre Sat. Oct. 29 - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater Sun. Oct. 30 - Minneapolis, MN - Fitzgerald Theater Wed. Nov. 02 Denver, CO - Ogden Theater Thu. Nov. 03 - Salt Lake City, UT - Eccles Theater Sun. Nov. 06 - Seattle, WA - The Moore Mon. Nov. 07 - Vancouver, BC - The Vogue Theatre Wed. Nov. 09 - San Francisco, CA - Fillmore Fri. Nov. 11 - Los Angeles, CA - Theatre at the Ace Hotel Sat. Nov. 12 - San Diego, CA - Magnolia Sun. Nov. 13 - Phoenix, AZ - Orpheum Theater Tue. Nov. 15 - Dallas, TX - Factory Studio (Canton Hall) Wed. Nov. 16 - Austin, TX - Paramount Theater Thur. Nov. 17 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live Sat. Nov. 19 - Nashville, TN - James K. Polk Theater Sun. Nov. 20 - Atlanta, GA - The Eastern
Songs Without Jokes is available to preorder now from Sub Pop. LP preorders through megamart.subpop.com, select independent retailers in North America, UK and Europe will received the limited Loser Edition on blue vinyl (while supplies last).
Songs Without Jokes, which features the aforementioned “Dave’s Place,” along with lead single “A Little Tune,” and highlights “If You Wanna Go,” and “America Goodbye,” was produced by Mickey Petralia and McKenzie, mixed by Darrell Thorpe, with songs recorded at East West Studios and United Recordings, and mastered by Dave Ives at 101 Mastering in Los Angeles.
Following their triumphant live debut at NYC’s TV Eye in March 2022 and explosive shows at SXSW before Kevin Whelan injured his knee during a performance, Sub Pop recording artists AEON STATION are announcing a round of live shows this Summer. Their live performance as hailed by The Aquarian “created magic… It was like a sporting event where deep in your bones you knew your favorite team or athlete was not just going to win, but achieve something extraordinary.”
Kicking off July 9th at Chicago’s Square Roots Festival where they are sharing the stage with friends Guided By Voices, they will be performing more shows in August and September on the coasts.
July 9 – Chicago @ Square Roots Festival August 12 – San Francisco @ The Independent (tickets) August 13 – Los Angeles @ The Echo (tickets) August 26 – NYC @ Le Poisson Rouge (tickets) August 27 – Boston @ Brighton Music Hall (tickets) September 23 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios (tickets) September 24 – Seattle @ Tractor Tavern (tickets)
Surprising an unsuspecting public last Summer with the news of Aeon Station’s debut release (this was the first new music from any of The Wrens since 2003’s critically adored album Meadowlands), Observatory’s (released in December 2021) effect was immediate and overwhelmingly positive. Pitchfork lauded, “Whelan’s instincts are exquisite. His melodies are sweet, but never overstated. His songs rise and swell, but it’s never too much, always just enough.” Referencing The Wrens’ long-awaited follow up, SPIN proclaimed, “Though this isn’t a Wrens album, which is what many of their extremely patient fans had hoped for, it’s certainly a great consolation prize.” Calling the album “arresting,” Wall Street Journal contributes their praise, “The album’s essential idea, embodied in both the words and Mr. Whelan’s gesture to form this band and get his songs out there, is that endurance matters above all.”
Joined by his Wrens bandmates drummer Jerry MacDonald and guitarist Greg Whelan (both of whom also play on the album), Aeon Station is rounded out with NYC/NJ indie rock veteran Lysa Opfer (Gramercy Arms, Big Lake) and guitarist/producer/author Tom Beaujour.
Referencing the injury that sidelined the band for the Spring while his leg healed, Whelan concludes: ”After the minor setback during SXSW which was one in a long line of rocker injuries, we can’t wait to see you at a show!”
Σtella directs and stars in the official video for “Nomad,” a new offering from Up and Away. Filmed overnight on a traditional Greek fishing boat sailing the Aegean Sea, the “Nomad” video finds Σtella singing in the shadows, with the visual perfectly capturing the longing and heartbreak in the song.
Up and Away will be available this Friday, June 17th on Sub Pop. The Athens-based painter, visual artist, and performer presents a vintage-flecked pop paean to the pangs and raptures of love. Exploring growth, change, and Σtella’s personal and musical journey so far, it proves Heraclitus was right; you never step in the same river twice.
MOJO says Up and Away “is warmer and grittier than its ’80s-polished predecessors, infused with the ’50s/’60s trad folk and hybrid pop records her grandparents and parents spun for her. UK producer Tom ‘Redinho’ Calvert, meanwhile, brings knowledge of ’60s soul traditions, creating myriad twists on two seemingly opposing strands, starting with the title track’s bouzouki/(zinger-style) kanun laced with a Motown beat. The album’s spiritual/lyrical core is ‘Manéros,’ Greece’s traditional love-struck ballad, ironically the title of the LP’s sole instrumental, and the only moment of pure Balkan, just as ‘The Truth Is’ aims for shimmering soul – a sound fit for Dusty - but then Up and Away overall feels something like Σtella In Memphis (★★★★).” Uncut had this to say, “Athens-based songwriter and painter Σtella combines traditional Greek instruments - the bouzouki and kanun are both present - with ‘70s/’80s-inspired disco; pop feel, creating a Eurovision-like mood that you probably wouldn’t expect to find on a Sub Pop release. The lack of top-line sheen, though, ensures this album retains a rough edge without sacrificing any intrinsic appeal. The poppy title track ensures the album gets off to a memorable start, and Σtella soon finds an intoxicating groove on ‘Maneros’ before bringing some indie jangle to ‘Another Nation.’ The highlight is the catchy summer charmer ‘Titanic,’ which floats on an effortless whistling. Meanwhile, DJ Mag raves, “Future-retro pop perfection… impossibly catchy and effortlessly intoxicating.”
Gorilla Vs. Bear says, “As on super dreamy recent single “Charmed”, Σtella hooks up again with London producer Redinho here to conjure an elegant and sophisticated union of vintage Greek music and sleek modern pop. But while “Charmed” was all balmy, laid back groove, [“Up and Away” is] a decidedly more rousing affair.” Meanwhile, Brooklyn Vegan calls the track “joyous, effervescent…”, and High Clouds says of “Up and Away,” “This vintage vibe is definitely palpable in the title track, a tale of consuming romance driven by blistering blasts of bouzouki.” Of “Charmed”, Impose offers this, “The beauty is that such songs have evolving and powerful lives that match the times. Σtella…succeeds in this modified pop crafting with her latest track.”
Tracklisting: 1. Up and Away 2. Nomad 3. Manéros 4. Charmed 5. Another Nation 6. Black and White 7. Titanic 8. The Truth Is 9. Who Cares 10. Is It Over
