On April 15th, 2022, Sub Pop will digitally release Flock of Dimes’ Head of Roses: Phantom Limb, a collection of unreleased tracks written around the same time as Head of Roses, previously unheard demos, favorite live performances, and covers. In addition to today’s announcement, the official video for new single “It Just Goes On,” co-directed by Jenn Wasner and Spence Kelly, is out now.
Wasner says of ”It Just Goes On”, “This is perhaps one of the most simple and direct songs I’ve ever made (and, also, one of my favorites!)—so it made sense to try and create a video that was similarly straightforward and heart-on-sleeve. I haven’t been to many parties over the past few years (for obvious reasons) so it felt particularly surreal to stage this one with some of my actual friends in Durham, NC. The party was fake but the feelings were real. Thanks so much to my friends for letting me invite them to a party and then force them to watch me be an absolute bummer the entire time.”
The selection of live recordings here run the spectrum, from solitary to exuberant. Some were made solo, in the summer of 2020, while other tracks are electrified with the energy that comes from a day cooped up making music with your friends. The versions of “Spring in Winter” and “Like So Much Desire,” from Wasner’s 2020 Like So Much Desire EP, were both recorded alone, on a grand piano in the rural sprawl of Pittsboro, North Carolina at Manifold Studios. The undulating, subdued version of “Hard Way” was recorded live for a KEXP session while Wasner was holed up in the Californian desert, and the live versions of “Two,” “One More Hour,” and “Price of Blue” that live on the bonus disc were recorded with the help of Wasner’s friends Mountain Man, Matt McCaughan, Joe Westerlund, Michael Libramento, Alan Good Parker, and Nick Sanborn out at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. There are also covers of two of Wasner’s favorite songwriters — Joan Armatrading’s “The Weakness in Me” and Joni Mitchell’s “Amelia,” the latter featuring contributions from former bandmate Aaron Roche.
Among the second disc of bonus material is a Head of Roses beginning – the acoustic demo of “Lightning,” recorded ages ago in the secondary room at Betty’s, before the song hit its final shape on Head of Roses. There’s also a handful of previously-unreleased Head of Roses outtakes – “Wonder” and “Go with Good,” both written at the same time as the rest of the record, but ultimately left on the cutting room floor. And then there’s a kind of postscript: Wasner wrote and recorded “It Just Goes On” in one afternoon at her friend Stella Mozgawa’s studio, and the version that exists here—guitar, bass, vocals and drums—are those first unedited performances of hers, along with some invaluable production contributions by Ethan Gruska. Head of Roses was complete by that time, but she knew this brand new song was still connected to that collection —a last word, a sort of epilogue. In that same way, Phantom Limb serves as a bid adieu, a final reflection on the past two years of Wasner’s songwriting.
Tracklisting: 1. It Just Goes On (Recorded at Sunfair Studios in Joshua Tree, CA)* 2. Go With Good (Recorded at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, NC)* 3. Price of Blue (NPR “Tiny Desk” version; Recorded at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, NC) 4. Through Me (Adult Swim Singles Series contribution; Recorded at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, NC) 5. Wonder (Recorded at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, NC)* 6. Two (Live at Betty’s Version; Recorded at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, NC) 7. Hard Way (Live at KEXP version; Recorded at Sunfair Studios in Joshua Tree, CA)* 8. The Weakness in Me (Joan Armatrading cover; Recorded at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, NC)* 9. Like So Much Desire (Live piano version; Recorded at Manifold Recording in Pittsboro, NC)* 10. One More Hour (Live at Betty’s Version; Recorded at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, NC) 11. Lightning (Acoustic Demo; Recorded in the B room at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, NC)* 12. Amelia (Joni Mitchell cover; Recorded at home in Carrboro, NC & Ko Arts Residency program at The Columns in New Orleans, LA)* 13. Awake for the Sunrise (Live at Betty’s Version; Recorded at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, NC)* 14. Spring in Winter (Solo piano version; Recorded at Manifold Recording in Pittsboro, NC)* *Available for first time on DSPs
Flock of Dimes will also embark on a 6-date headline in support of Head of Roses that runs through late April and early May.
Thu. Apr. 28 - Asheville, NC - Isis Music Hall Fri. Apr. 29 - Saxapahaw, NC - Haw River Ballroom Sat. Apr. 30 - Charlottesville, VA - The Southern Sun. May 01 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar Tue. May 03 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s Wed. May 04 - Brooklyn, NY - Elsewhere Zone One
This coming Friday, March 25th, Guerilla Toss will release their Sub Pop debut, Famously Alive. On the heels of their latest single, “Cannibal Capital” and “Famously Alive” comes the new single “Live Exponential.” The band’s frontperson, Kassie Carlson shares of the song: “The song Live Exponential is about living to the fullest and beyond. It’s about having all the experiences possible and using them to build your understanding of yourself and the world around you. It’s about telling yourself you’re special until you believe it and feeling Godly just for yourself. It’s about severing the primal need for outside approval and taking active action to get what you want and need.”
Guerilla Toss have expanded their North American tour, which now begins on Thursday, April 7th in Greenfield, MA with a show at Hawks & Reed, ending at the Waking Windows Festival in Winooski, VT in May. See below for a full list of dates.
Thu. Apr. 07 - Greenfield, MA - Hawks & Reed Fri. Apr. 08 - Catskills, NY - Avalon Lounge Sat. Apr. 09 - New Haven, CT - Space Ballroom Wed. Apr. 13- Richmond, VA - Richmond Music Hall Thu. Apr. 14 - Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle Fri. Apr. 15 - Atlanta, GA - Aisle 5 Sat. Apr 16 - Nashville, TN - The Blue Room @ Third Man Records Sun. Apr. 17 - Louisville, KY - Zanzabar Tue. Apr. 19 - Milwaukee, WI - Cactus Club Wed. Apr. 20 - Chicago, IL - The Empty Bottle Thu. Apr. 21 - Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop Fri. Apr. 22 - Toronto, ON - The Garrison Sat. Apr. 23 - Montreal, QC - Bar Le Ritz P.D.B Mon. Apr. 25 - Portland, ME - Space Tue. Apr. 26 - Somerville, MA - Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Wed. Apr. 27 - Providence, RI - Columbus Theatre Thu. Apr. 28 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s Fri. Apr. 29 - Queens, NY - TV Eye Sat. Apr. 30 - Queens, NY - TV Eye Wed. May 11 - Washington, DC - DC9 Thu. May 12 - Kingston, NY - Tubbys Fri. May 13 - Winooski, VT - Waking Windows Festival Sat. May 14 - Winooski, VT - Waking Windows Festival Sun. May 15 - Winooski, VT - Waking Windows Festival
What people are saying about Guerilla Toss:
“Camp art-pop songs matching Kassie Carlson’s surreal lyrics with burbling synths and booming basses, it might snag GT the audience they crave” -MOJO
It’s pop in the sense that it bursts through your speakers like neon bubblegum filled with big open guitar chords and it’s weird in the sense that it’s got extreme metal vocals growling along to the anthemic sugar-rush chorus- Stereogum [Best New Tracks]
…sees them undergoing another really exciting sound change and it’s some very funky weirdo pop music that I’m excited to hear the band dive into.-The Needledrop
“Playful tropical drums and glitches underscore Kassie Carlson’s unnerving harmonies, clashing with fuzzy guitars.” [“Cannibal Capital”] - Paste
“simultaneously their most accessible and most unabashedly maximalist record” - The Wire
“…” Famously Alive” is a full-throttle pop track [Famously Alive] - FADER
“Cannibal Capital’ leads the way, merging distorted guitars with heavenly vocals and layered of DIY electronics.” - Clash
“From the second bar, you know you are about to be floored by yet another ferociously bold offering.” - Podcart
Sub Pop is elated to announce the signing of Greek Artist, Σtella to their iconic roster of artists. Hailing from Athens, Greece, Σtella has proven herself a strong storyteller, an old-school pop paean to the pangs and raptures of love.
On her latest offering, “Charmed” Σtella shares: “We strive to charm, and to be charmed. Mirroring each other’s desires like birds-of-paradise in a tropical forest, dancing wildly to impress a potential mate. But despite our best efforts, things don’t always go as planned…
This song was recorded between London and Athens and was produced by Redinho from Swet Shop Boys.
Σtella’s forthcoming full length for Sub Pop will be released later this year and we’ll have a lot more to say about that very soon. In the meantime, please enjoy this sonic sampling of what’s to come. Click here to listen.
What people have said about Σtella: “Σtella’s honey-rich vocals overlie a crisp, no-frills backing that has echoes of classic ’60s pop” - Line of Best Fit
Sub Pop is elated to announce the signing of the famed PNW duo, Quasi. Janet Weiss and Sam Coomes are the enduring perennial Portland two-piece Indie Rock and Roll band behind nine beloved albums and countless raucous performances. The world they inhabit is both strange and familiar like an alien riding a minibike. Although both Sam and Janet have played in numerous seminal musical outfits throughout the past several decades (Sleater-Kinney, Heatmiser, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Elliott Smith, Wild Flag, Jon Spencer and the HITmakers, etc.), Quasi remains their centerpiece for creativity and camaraderie. Quasi’s distinct perspective, unwavering and playful, pits sweet vocal harmonies against dark, off-center, personal lyrics. Throughout their almost 30 year history, Quasi has pioneered countless profound songs that are part fearless folk art and part piranha.
The duo is hard at work on their Sub Pop debut, but until then you can catch the band live as they embark on a 28 date North American run, playing shows with Superchunk and Jon Spencer & the Hitmakers. Sam and Janet will be pulling double duty on the dates with Jon Spencer & the Hitmakers, Janet drumming and Sam singing and playing keyboards/synths in both bands. See below for a full list of shows and stay tuned for more information on new music.
Tour Dates: Sat. Mar. 26 - Boise, ID - Treefort Music Fest Mon. Apr. 04 - Seattle, WA - Neumos * Tue. Apr. 05 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall * Mon. Apr. 11 - Buffalo, NY - Rec Room ^ Tue. Apr.-12 - Toronto, ON - Lee’s Palace ^ Wed. Apr. 13 - Detroit, MI - El Club ^ Thu. Apr. 14 - Chicago, IL - Schubas ^ Sat. Apr. 16 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th St. Entry ^ Mon. Apr. 18 - Omaha, NE - The Waiting Room ^ Tue. Apr. 19 - Denver, CO - Globe Hall ^ Wed. Apr. 20 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge ^ Thu. Apr. 21 - Boise, ID Neurolux ^ Fri. Apr. 22 - Portland, OR - Dante’s ^ Sat. Apr. 23 - Vancouver, BC - The Fox Cabaret ^ Sun. Apr. 24 - Seattle, WA - Madame Lou’s ^ Tue. Apr. 26 - San Francisco, CA - Bottom Of The Hill ^ Wed. Apr. 27 - Los Angeles, CA - The Echo ^ Thu. Apr. 28 - San Diego, CA - The Casbah ^ Fri. Apr. 29 - Tucson, AZ - 191 Toole ^ Sat. Apr. 30 - Phoenix, AZ - Valley Bar ^ Sun. May 01 - Santa Fe, NM - Tumbleroot Brewery ^ Mon. May 02 - Colorado Springs, CO - The Black Sheep ^ Tue. May 03 - Wichita, KS - WAVE ^ Wed. May 04 - Kansas City, MO - recordBar ^ Thu. May 05 - St. Louis, MO - Blueberry Hill Duck Room ^ Fri. May 06 - Indianapolis, IN - The Hi-Fi ^ Sat. May 07 - Louisville, KY - Zanzabar ^ Sun. May 08 - Charlottesville, VA - The Southern ^
Last week, Father John Misty released “Goodbye Mr. Blue,” the bittersweet and tender new single from Chloë and the Next 20th Century, and delivered a gorgeous performance of the song on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Today, you can watch the official video directed by Noel Paul (“Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings”), which is an elliptical portrait of a family reunion, and was shot in and around Sofia, Bulgaria in September 2021.
New York Times says of “Goodbye Mr. Blue”, “Josh Tillman’s sharp lyricism often aims for the head…but here he goes straight for the heart. ‘Goodbye Mr. Blue’…is a simulacrum of the ’70s singer-songwriter sound; Harry Nilsson is an obvious touchpoint, but there are also shades of Jim Croce and even John Denver in the song’s fingerpicked guitars and chatty warmth. ‘That Turkish Angora is ’bout the only thing left of me and you,’ Tillman croons, filtering a story of a relationship’s slow, inevitable end through the death of the titular pet cat. It’s sweet, a little funny, and then ultimately devastating, as Tillman repeats an increasingly elegiac refrain, ‘Don’t the last time come too soon?” (see “The Playlist” March 11th, 2022)
Chloë and The Next 20th Century, which also includes the singles “Funny Girl,” “Q4,” and “Kiss Me (I Loved You),” and will be available April 8th, 2022 worldwide from Sub Pop and in Europe from Bella Union. All formats of Chloë and the Next 20th Century are available for preorder now from Sub Pop, Bella Union (UK/Europe), and select independent retailers in North America.
Chloë and the Next 20th Century and its singles are seeing early praise from the likes of MOJO, who in its 4-star review, said “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.” Uncut says of the album, “Another multi-faceted triumph… Chloë and the Next 20th Century contains songs that go right to the gut with their instant melodic charm, and are deeply striking thanks to their sumptuous arrangements, exceptional playing and emotional pull (8/10).”
PASTE calls “Q4” “gorgeous and absurd; in other words, it’s quintessential Father John Misty.” Rolling Stone offers this of “Funny Girl”, “A lovely, languid gem that shows Tillman quietly reintroducing himself — with a little help from an orchestral arrangement that echoes old Hollywood…in classic Misty fashion, leaves us quizzically charmed (“Song You Need To Know”).” The FADER says ‘Funny Girl’ is a “lush and romantic ballad…and shows that there’s much more to Josh Tillman… (‘20 Best Rock Songs Right Now’).”
