On March 25th, Guerilla Toss will release their Sub Pop debut, Famously Alive. After a decade sprinkling glitter into grit, building a reputation as one of the most ferociously creative art-rock groups working, the upstate New York band have eased fully into their light. This is Guerilla Toss at their most luminescent – awake, alive, and extending an open invitation to anyone who wants to soak it all up beside them.
On the heels of their latest single, “Cannibal Capital,” the band has shared a new video/single for their self-titled track“Famously Alive,” directed by Jonny Kosmo. The song is about “living with purpose and excitement whether you’re famous or not, accepting your strangeness and thriving even if your successes look different than other people’s,” notes the band’s singer and lyricist Kassie Carlson. Multi-instrumentalist and band member Peter Negroponte offers this, “To me, ‘Famously Alive’ means flipping the notion of dying famously to living famously. I also like to think of it as a way to describe living through something traumatic and coming out of it a stronger, wiser person.”
Guerilla Toss have expanded their North American tour, which now begins on Thursday, April 7th in Greenfield, MA with a show at Hawks & Reed, and ends Thursday, May 12th in Kingston, NY at Tubby’s.
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
Tracklisting: 1. Cannibal Capital 2. Famously Alive 3. Live Exponential 4. Mermaid Airplane 5. Wild Fantasy 6. Pyramid Humm 7. Excitable Girls 8. I Got Spirit 9. Happy Me 10. Heathen In Me
In the official video for TV Priest’s “One Easy Thing”, the group’s excellent new single, singer Charlie Drinkwater is a beleaguered 15th-century knight on his return home from battle, and soon after, a solo danse macabre ensues. The darkly comic “One Easy Thing” video was helmed by Joe Wheatley (“Decoration”, “Press Gang”), shot on 16mm black and white stock by director of photography Kristof Brandl. The song is available today worldwide on DSPs from Sub Pop.
Charlie says “Writing ‘One Easy Thing’ was key to unlocking a more direct and personal approach to our songwriting. It’s about dealing with the small things of everyday life; the anxiety, pressures, and battles inside your own headspace - and not being afraid to show this in our songs.”
“One Easy Thing” further ushers in a new direction for the band and will appear on TV Priest’s forthcoming new album, due out on Sub Pop later this year. It follows the recent “Lifesize” b/w ”All Thing” single (their contribution to volume 6 of the Sub Pop Singles Club), and Uppers, the band’s acclaimed, full-length debut, both released in 2021.
What people have said about TV Priest Uppers: “With their wry wit and infectious hooks, this band might just be the future of music (9/10).” God Is In The TV
“Uppers…should rubber stamp TV Priest as one of, if not your favorite new act” - The Line Of Best Fit
“The blistering debut is a collection of delightfully pungent tracks, delivered in all their unashamed, reckless glory.” - CLASH
Ragged yet tight, sprawling yet focussed, it’s a singular vision of a disparate time. It rounds up most of the usual suspects of our Un-UK, the pop culture, the insularity, the lies on the side of a bus, but manages to breathe new life into those old tropes by sheer force of personality (★★★★) - DORK
“[Drinkwater’s] snarling style jostles perfectly with TV Priest’s fuzzed-and-flinty bass-forward style which, at its most brash, recalls McLusky, and at its most swaggering is in line with Iceage and Merchandise…what Uppers really shows is he’s best when he sings. That booming voice of his can carry a tune and is capable of holding a little bravado, too, without sliding too far into melodrama, which comes in handy on dark, brooding tracks like ‘Saintless,’ ‘This Island,’ and ‘Slidewater.’” - Brooklyn Vegan
“The album … is quite possibly the ideal soundtrack to our current climate. It’s harsh, overwhelming and, honestly, pretty fucking funny (8/10).” - Northern Transmissions
“Uppers provides thrills aplenty from a band making their mark during strange times as our new normal sets in, intent on seizing their second chance.” - Beats Per Minute
Sub Pop Records is extremely proud to announce the return (for our 16th year!) of the Sub Pop Loser Scholarship. Further details on the scholarship are below, and even further below is some clarification on what we mean with all this “Loser” business.
Sub Pop Records is offering a grand total of $17,500 in college scholarship money to three eligible high school seniors. There are three scholarships—one for $7,500, and two for $5,000 each. As longtime, proud losers ourselves, we’re exceedingly happy to be able, in some small way, to help further the education of art-enthused misfits from the NW. Individuals from all cultures and communities are encouraged to apply. Applicants must be residents of Washington or Oregon, and graduating seniors on the way to full-time enrollment at an accredited university or college. We are looking for applicants who are involved and/or interested in music and/or creative media and arts in some way. However, you do not need to be pursuing an education in the arts.
To apply: you must submit an essay, one page or less, using any combination of the following questions as a guide (or write something completely your own, be inspired and creative!). Please list the school you are graduating from and the school you plan to attend in the fall at the top of your essay along with your contact information.
- What are you doing in the arts/music field in your community?
- What does being a Sub Pop ‘Loser’ mean to you?
- What are your influences and/or who inspired you to become involved in the arts?
- Describe your biggest failure and explain how it has brought you closer to your goal(s).
- Discuss a special attribute or accomplishment that sets you apart.
- How has your family or community background affected the way you see the world?
- Why should you be the Loser winner?
Applicants are strongly (!) encouraged to send digital links and/or provide hard copies of their artwork, photos of community involvement, radio show links, videos, etc. along with their essay (we have never had a winner who submitted only an essay w/no extras). However, please be aware that Sub Pop will not return any of this material, so please don’t send originals. Sub Pop will give equal opportunity to all applicants who fit the criteria outlined above.
The deadline for applications is Wednesday, March 23rd, 2022.
Please send all submissions and attachments to scholarship@subpop.com by Wednesday, March 23rd. We will announce the scholarship winners during the first week of April.
What we talk about when we talk about “Loser.”
Here at Sub Pop Records, we use the word “loser” a lot. You may have noticed. We’ve printed it on things we sell (hats, shirts, stickers, mugs, and more!), we call the first, colored-vinyl, limited-edition pressings of the records we release the “Loser Edition,” and every year since 2007 ish we’ve awarded tuition money to college-bound NW high school students through the “Sub Pop Loser Scholarship.” And, it’s possible we take for granted that you guys catch our drift and understand what we mean when we’re all “loser this,” and “loser that.” So! The following…
Sub Pop’s use of the word “loser” goes back to the foundation of the label and is meant as a celebration of unabashedly being ourselves without conforming to any preconceived ideas of “normal.” To be a loser is central to the very idea of underground art and culture - all of it happening and thriving outside of the mainstream, and not necessarily looking for a way in. Bruce Pavitt’s “New Pop Manifesto” in the 1st issue of Subterranean Pop included, “The important thing to remember is this: the most intense music, the most original ideas… are coming out of scenes you don’t even know exist… Only by supporting new ideas by local artists, bands, and record labels can the U.S. expect any kind of dynamic social/cultural change…” And, since 2007 or so, with the Loser Scholarship, we’ve been adding students to that list, and putting our (or, our co-founder, big boss and biggest loser ever, Jonathan Poneman’s…) money where our mouth is. Sub Pop Records strives to bring attention to music and art from the fringes that might otherwise remain marginalized. And, in that same spirit, through our annual Loser Scholarship, we’re looking for art-enthused misfits in NW high schools, losers like us, to help them pay for college. We stand proudly with and support the misfits, weirdos and losers, because we believe that when we’re able to proudly be nothing other than our true selves, we have the ability to make the world stronger, smarter and better.
So, good luck, Losers! And, again, please send all submissions and attachments to scholarship@subpop.com by Wednesday, March 23rd
You can now hear the final installment of the Sub Pop Singles Club Vol. 6, a new single by The Black Tones, out today worldwide on all DSPs from Sub Pop.
Simply put, The Black Tones are like a mixture of Kurt Cobain and cornbread. Consisting of founders/twin siblings Eva Walker on guitar/vocals and Cedric Walker on drums, the blues- and punk-based dynamo continuously project subversion, power and the potential for something new.
The Black Tones’ “The End of Everything” is about just that: the end of the world and, well, eventually the universe. Named after the book The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking) by Katie Mack, the song confronts the fact that, whether it’s the second coming of who or whatever you believe in, this will all end. “Mr. Mines,” named after a black tour-bus guide/driver from Eva and Cedric’s youth, is guided by the light yet hearty vocals of Ednah Holt (Talking Heads/Ritchie Family). The song is heavily influenced by Pink Floyd’s “Great Gig in the Sky” and Jackie Mittoo’s “Ghetto Organ”.
The Sub Pop Singles Club Vol. 6 series includes subscription-only 7” singles by John Waters, Kim Gordon/J Mascis, Jeff Tweedy, Duma, LIDS, Washed Out, Hand Habits, Porridge Radio, Sheltered Workshop Singers, TV Priest, BNH Deluxe, and The Black Tones. Hear music from the series via the Singles Club playlist, and grab one of the last remaining subscriptions here (we only made 1,000 and they’re almost gone!).
We’d also like to remind you that the Sub Pop Singles Club will continue for yet another year! Subscribe to the Sub Pop Singles Club Vol. 7 to get twelve exclusive, limited-to-1,000-copies, colored-vinyl 7” records that you will, undoubtedly, love and adore. Subscribers will get 7”s by Bartees Strange, Party Dozen, Matthew “Doc” Dunn, The William Loveday Intention (feat. Billy Childish!), The Shadracks (feat. the son of Billy Childish!), Sidney Gish, and more TBA. Vol. 7 runs from April, 2022 and ending February, 2023.
The Black Tones “The End of Everything” b/w “Mr. Mines”
Watch the official video for Father John Misty’s “Q4,” the new single from Chloë and the Next 20th Century, his forthcoming new album, directed by Grant James (“I Love You, Honeybear,” “Funtimes in Babylon”) with title design by Rafa Orrico, and typestract animation by Cossa.
On April 14th, 2022, Father John Misty will celebrate the release of Chloë and The Next 20th Century, with a pair of intimate performances presented by Rough Trade and Rockefeller Center at the iconic Rainbow Room.
Entry to the show is free with the pre-purchase of a signed LP edition of Chloë and The Next 20th Century, available for $32.98, on a first-come-first served basis from the online store here. Pre-purchase of the record confirms your RSVP to the show. Availability is limited.
Up to two records may be pre-purchased per person for redemption of two passes to the show.
Rough Trade and Rockefeller Center present Father John Misty at The Rainbow Room April 14, 2022 Early show / 7pm Late show / 9:30pm Rainbow Room (65th Floor) 30 Rockefeller Plaza, NYC
Father John Misty’s first two symphony performances for 2022 — February 25th in Los Angeles at Walt Disney Concert Hall with the LA Phil, and April 7th in London at the Barbican with Britten Sinfonia conducted by Jules Buckley — are now both sold out.
Chloë and The Next 20th Century, which also includes the singles “Funny Girl,” “Goodbye Mr. Blue,” 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.
“Funny Girl,” Chloë and the Next 20th Century’s first single, saw praise upon its release in early January. Rolling Stone offers this, “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’),” while CLASH calls it a “Gorgeous new song” and notes that it’s “sheer Father John Misty - tender, open, and just a touch ironic, the word play is matched to a clipped, neo-classic vocal.”
