Author: Nik Havert

I've been a music fan since my parents gave me a record player for Christmas when I was still in grade school. The first record I remember owning was "Sesame Street Disco." I've been a professional writer since 2004, but writing long before that. My first published work was in a middle school literary magazine and was a story about a zoo in which the animals could talk.

Norwegian producer Bjorn Torske releases new single, “Clean Air,” to celebrate 20 years of making music.

BJØRN TORSKE MARKS TWENTY YEAR SOLO CAREER WITH BYEN,
NEW ALBUM OUT JULY 6TH VIA SMALLTOWN SUPERSOUND

LISTEN TO LEAD SINGLE, “CLEAN AIR”
https://youtu.be/MWV9x1Q86dU

Photo Credit – Einar Broch Johnsen
Norwegian producer Bjørn Torske marks the 20-year anniversary of his solo career with Byen, his fifth solo album and first in 8 years, out July 6th via Smalltown Supersound. Recorded over the past year at Torske’s home and studio in Bergen, Byen finds the veteran musician fusing two distinct sides of his catalog—clubby, inviting house music, and side-long pastoral ambience. It continues to show his flair for fusing indelible melody with propulsive rhythms. Upward scaling lead single “Clean Air,” is a mountain-traversing track with piping synths and crisp backbeats laid over a warm, inviting bassline. Listen to it here.

Since the release of his last solo album, 2010’s elegant Kokning, Torske has kept busy with a steady drip of single and EP releases as well as reissues of his first two albums, 1998’s Nedi Myra and 2001’s Trøbbel, and last year’s collaboration with Prins Thomas, Square One. “Apart from having made this album entirely by myself, this was also more planned,” Torske states regarding the differences between Byen and Square One. “My collaboration with Thomas was pretty ad-hoc and messy in its conception, but this album is cleaner and more straightforward—more primed for the dance floor.” Whereas much of Torske’s previous work (including 2007’s Feil Knapp) featured tracks that had been in gestation for years, Byen‘s songs were recorded entirely within the confines of 2017.

“My original idea was to keep things simple and more driven by melodies than has been my wont with the earlier releases,” he states regarding his thematic intentions behind Byen. “Still, I am always considering myself to produce music for DJs, so there is hopefully some material that will find its way to select dance floors.”

Stream Bjørn Torske’s “Clean Air” –
https://youtu.be/MWV9x1Q86dU

Byen Tracklist:
1. First Movement
2. Clean Air
3. Fanfatas
4. Chord Control
5. Gata
6. Night Call
7. Natta
Pre-order Byen –
http://smarturl.it/sts333-byen-bcamp

Download hi-res press images and Byen cover art –
http://pitchperfectpr.com/bjorn-torske/

Byen album art

Clutch’s new album due this September, but the first single, “Gimme the Keys,” is out now.

CLUTCH TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM
“BOOK OF BAD DECISIONS” 
SEPTEMBER 7th
Maryland rockers CLUTCH have announced Book of Bad Decisions as the title of their new studio album.
Book of Bad Decisions, CLUTCH’s 12th studio album is scheduled for a worldwide release on September 7th, 2018 via their own Weathermaker Music label.
The album was recorded at Sputnik Sound in Nashville, TN by producer Vance Powell (Jack White, Chris Stapleton, The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather) and consists of 15 new tracks.
“With Vance Powell as producer we were able to make a very different kind of an album.  The songs feel as if they could jump out of the speakers!” says drummer Jean-Paul Gaster.  Bassist Dan Maines seconds that when he says “Recording in Nashville with Vance Powell gave us a new and fresh approach towards making an album that truly captures the live energy of Clutch in a way I don’t think we’ve done before.”  Guitarist Tim Sult adds “Laying down guitar tracks with Vance was fun and inspiring.  Going through and trying out his and his engineer, Mike Fahey’s collection of vintage amps was one of my favorite recording studio experiences.  I think the outro solo of “Emily Dickinson” turned out particularly great.”
The album cover was designed by renowned photographer Dan Winters.
Book Of Bad Decisions track listing:
1. Gimme the Keys
2. Spirit of ’76
3. Book of Bad Decisions
4. How to Shake Hands
5. In Walks Barbarella
6. Vision Quest
7. Weird Times
8. Emily Dickinson
9. Sonic Counselor
10. A Good Fire
11. Ghoul Wrangler
12. HB Is in Control
13. Hot Bottom Feeder
14. Paper & Strife
15. Lorelei
The first single from Book of Bad Decisions is “Gimme the Keys” and was released May 18th, 2018.  The accompanying lyric video (http://vevo.ly/EXXhw1 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htSvzWy-WcY) was created by David Brodsky.
The song is about the band’s first tour back in 1991, a time where they began to cut their teeth in the live music business, dealt with show cancellations and incidents on the road.  One particular show in a shed surrounded by cornfields in Lawrence, Kansas ultimately turned ugly over a missing microphone and accusations brought by drunk and gun-toting security people at the end of a long day.  “Gimme the keys they can keep the guarantee | Gimme the keys and get the hell out of dodge” is a reflection of the mood of that night.
Pre-ordering the new album Book of Bad Decisions starts today, May 18th at www.pro-rock.com.
This single is the first of four to be released over the next couple of months as an instant gratification track when pre-ordering the album at:
All album formats (CD, 24-page book with CD, 2xLP Standard Black, Limited Colored 2xLP, and 2xLP Picture Disc) will have the same 15 tracks. In addition Weathermaker Music will release two very limited 7” Picture Discs.
“I’ve never been one for nostalgia,” says Neil Fallon, “I’ve always shied away from it.  But after 27 years of this, I realize that there is a wealth of stories to look back upon as lyrical fodder.  As the saying goes, ‘You don’t know where you’re going until you know where you’ve been.’  Not all the songs reference our collective experience as a band, but ‘Book of Bad Decisions’ seemed like an apt name for these various chapters, whether factual, fictitious, or somewhere in-between.”
CLUTCH:
Neil Fallon – Vocals/Guitar
Tim Sult – Guitar
Dan Maines – Bass
Jean-Paul Gaster – Drums/Percussion
For more  information, check out the band’s website:
Official: www.pro-rock.com

Rewind Review: Miss Red – Murder (2016)

I was listening to BBC 6 Music (arguably the best radio station on the planet) last week when I heard a fiery MC with wicked flow, an accent I couldn’t place, and a killer dub/dancehall beat behind her.  I immediately opened my Shazam app and discovered I was listening to Tel Aviv’s Miss Red, teamed up with Kevin “The Bug” Martin.  I searched for more than the track I was hearing, and I found her mixtape – Murder.

Martin provides the weird 16-bit video game-like beats to open the mixtape with “Mad,” and Miss Red is chanting and singing right away with no fear whatsoever as Martin’s beats expand to near-madness levels, almost drowning out Miss Red’s voice.  The title track follows, and it’s a stunner.  If it doesn’t hook you right away, something is wrong with you.  Seriously, get to a doctor, because Red’s squeaky reggae-loving flow is arousing (i.e., “Everywhere I go, the cool get hotter.”).

“No Guns” starts off with horror movie synths before unleashing beats thicker than Leatherface.  The contrast with Red’s reverb-layered rapping is lovely and shocking at the same time.  Martin takes his beats and synths straight into industrial territory on “What Would You Like” while Red sings about sex hot enough to match Martin’s beats.

“Rollercoaster” builds like the machine of its title creeping up the first hill toward a possibly terrifying plunge, but it leaves you stuck at the top in time for “Ganja Man” to come along and either relax you while you’re at the top of the hill or make you more paranoid.  I’m not sure which.  Martin’s beats are a bit “bad trip,” but Red’s vocals are like a scalp massage.  “Sugar” might be about drugs or, to be frank, the taste of Red’s…kisses.  Yeah, let’s go with that.  One thing’s for certain, I’ll go with Martin’s beats all day long on this track.  They’re thick as sorghum and slippery as butter cream icing.

“Lean Back” starts with an air raid siren that morphs into Red’s hypnotizing vocals as she encourages us to relax, listen to good music, and put aside our differences.  Don’t worry, she doesn’t suggest we give up partying or standing up against the Man, because the next song is called “Trash It.”  Martin’s beats sound like distorted rubber bands and Red’s rhymes grow like the She-Hulk.  “Fever” begins with a shimmering harp notes until Martin’s Donkey Kong-stomp beats unload on you.  Red’s vocals swirl around you like smoky ghosts.

Martin keeps surprising you with his loud bursts of synths and beats on “Pull It Up” while Red squeaks, chants, and rhymes in praise of her selector (That’s a Jamaican term for DJ, in case you didn’t know).  Microphone feedback is used as percussion in “Leggo,” and Red stage whispers her creepiest vocals on the album.

The opening of “1 Dog Shot” sounds like a particularly grating alarm clock.  Trust me, you’ll appreciate the wake-up call because Red bursts into the track like she’s crashing through a window on a rope while firing an Uzi.  The beginning of the last track, “Come Down,” almost sounds like a dog barking in a far-off room, and I’m sure that’s no coincidence.  Martin’s beats sound like a pressure cooker ticking off steam and Red hopes that someone will come down and pick her up, perhaps from her blues, perhaps from this plane of existence, or perhaps from the local club for a nightcap.  It fades out quick, so it seems she got her wish.

Murder is hard to describe because it sounds like dancehall, but it also sounds like industrial madness, dubstep trip-outs, and psychedelic dream wave.  In other words, it sounds like something you need to hear right now.  Miss Red’s first album, K.O., is out this July and is already high on my list as something I need to snag as soon as it’s available.

As if Murder wasn’t good enough, Miss Red offers it for free download through her website and her Bandcamp page.  You can’t miss.

Keep your mind open.

 

DJ set list for May 17, 2018

Thanks to all who tuned in for my first WSND show of the 2018 summer.  It was good to be back on air, despite the bumps in the show from getting adjusted to the new equipment.  The new studio in the Duncan Student Center at the University of Notre Dame is impressive.

Here’s my set list from last night:

  1. New Order – Age of Consent
  2. Cassius – Nulife
  3. Caribou – Odessa
  4. The Wiseguys – Ooh La La
  5. Vintage radio ad for the horror film Sisters
  6. UK – In the Dead of Night (requested)
  7. Dave Ganzer – Chain Reaction
  8. Helmet – Diet Aftertaste
  9. Inner Circle – Bad Boys (Major Lazer x Gianni Marino remix – requested)
  10. Shit Robot – Grim Receiver
  11. Denim – Adler Socks (vintage 1960’s radio ad / song)
  12. Skyland Drive-In theatre intermission spot
  13. White Stripes – Death Letter
  14. Spinnerette – Baptized by Fire
  15. Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa – Black Coffee (requested)
  16. Low Cut Connie – Beverly
  17. Elephant Stone – Don’t You Know
  18. Bombay 405 Miles from the Bombay the Hard Way film score compilation
  19. The Beatles – I’m Looking Through You
  20. Neko Case – Margaret vs. Pauline
  21. The New Pornographers – Streets of Fire (live)
  22. Death from Above 1979 – Right On Frankenstein (live)
  23. Earthless – Cherry Red
  24. The Duke Spirit – Send a Little Love Token
  25. The Duke Spirit – Win Your Love
  26. Vintage radio ad for the giallo film Four Flies on Grey Velvet
  27. Sleater-Kinney – The Ballad of a Ladyman

I’ll be on most Wednesday nights at midnight EST over the summer, including this coming week when I’ll have a show highlighting the artists I saw at Levitation Austin this year.

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe before you split.]

Caroline Rose releases new single, “Bikini,” off acclaimed album and adds more tour dates for 2018.

CAROLINE ROSE PRESENTS “BIKINI” VIDEO;
https://youtu.be/MZYtOBkICDg

EXPANDS HEADLINE TOUR IN SUPPORT OF LONER
AND ANNOUNCES FALL TOUR SUPPORTING RAINBOW KITTEN SURPRISE

Caroline Rose has been winning over fans and selling out shows all over the country on her first ever headline tour since releasing LONER this past February via New West. As described by Pitchfork, Rose “uses her mordant wit to confront serious subjects, exorcising trauma with hooks and humor” throughout LONER. It’s an idea masterfully executed with previous singles “Money,” “Soul No. 5,” and “Getting To Me,” recently recognized in the New York Times Magazine’s “New Sentences” column. Today, Rose presents this notion further with the “Bikini” video, which she self-directed along with the “Soul No. 5” video and explains below.
“A lot of my aesthetic tends to be very tongue-in-cheek, so I wanted to take a serious subject, in this case misogyny, and just sort of turn it around to laugh at it. I think satire can be used as an incredible tool to take the power away from the powerful when necessary. It was important to me to make sure the video was body positive. When we think of ‘girls in bikinis,’ the tendency is to see tall white models with perfect bodies. I knew that would be missing the point of the song.

I take a lot of influences from films, and you can see a lot of Almodovar’s influence here. I had a pretty concrete idea to make the video bright and cheerful, kind of like a mix between old TV performances in the ’60s and ’70s and The Price Is Right-esque game shows. Almodovar is a master at using visuals to enhance a serious story. The colors he uses are a lot like the characters–vibrant and flamboyant. Here, I utilize something similar as a creative device to enhance the absurdism of a realistic situation.”

Rose continues on the road in support of LONER. Several more dates have been added to the previously announced June tour and she’ll tour Europe and the UK in July. She has also been added as support on the September Rainbow Kitten Surprise tour. All dates are listed below. Additionally, Rose has been named WXPN’s “Artist to Watch” for May. Her performance at WXPN’s World Café “Live at Noon” airs tonight.

Watch Caroline Rose’s “Bikini” Video –
https://youtu.be/MZYtOBkICDg

Stream Caroline Rose’s LONER –
http://geni.us/crloner?track=pr
                              
Watch/Listen/Share:
“Soul No. 5” video – https://youtu.be/zzIfmtKSLTE
“Money” video – https://youtu.be/NcOPz7Kby1A
“Getting To Me” – https://youtu.be/9JV4wU9Axsk

Caroline Rose Tour Dates:
Fri. May 18 – Gulf Shores, AL @ Hangout Music Festival
Sun. May 20 – Birmingham, AL @ The Saturn
Mon. May 21 – Knoxville, TN @ Open Chord Music
Thu. May 24 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer ^
Wed. May 30 – Baltimore, MD @ Soundstage ^
Fri. June 1 – Nelsonville, OH @ Nelsonville Music Festival
Sat. June 2 – Toledo, OH @ Maple and Main Festival
Mon. June 4 – Davenport, IA @ Redstone Room
Wed. June 6 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
Thu. June 7 – Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge
Fri. June 8 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
Sat. June 9 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
Tue. June 12 – Seattle, WA @ The Sunset
Wed. June 13 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
Fri. June 15 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
Sat. June 16 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Moroccan Lounge
Thu. June 21 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Jr.
Fri. June 22 – Dallas, TX @ The Rustic
Sat. June 23 – Houston, TX @ The White Oak Music Hall
Mon. June 25 – Kansas City, MO @ Knuckleheads
Tue. June 26 – St. Louis, MO @ Old Rock House
Wed. June 27 – Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest
Sat. June 30 – Woodstock, NY @ The Colony $
Thu. July 5 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
Fri. July 6 – Paris, FR @ Espace B
Sat. July 7 – Belfort, FR @ Eurockennees Festival
Mon. July 9 – Brighton, UK @ The Prince Albert
Wed. July 11 – Manchester, UK @ Gullivers
Thu. July 12 – London, UK @ The Victoria
Sat. July 14 – Bern, CH @ Gurtenfestival
Thu. July 19 – Benicássim, ES @ Festival Internacional de Benicassim
Fri. July 20 – San Sebastian, ES @ Dabadaba
Sat. July 21 – Fitero, ES @ Barranco Festival
Thu. Aug. 2 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere
Fri. Aug. 3 – Portland, ME @ State Theater %
Sat. Sep. 15- Sun. Sep. 16 – Burlington, VT @ Grand Point North Festival
Wed. Sep. 19 – Rochester, NY @ Abilene Bar and Lounge
Thu. Sep. 20 – Lancaster, PA @ Tello 360
Fri. Sep. 21 – Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle
Sat. Sep. 22 – Sun. Sep. 23 – Franklin, TN @ Pilgrimage Festival
Mon. Sep. 24 – Charlottesville, VA @ The Jefferson *
Tue. Sep. 25 – Norfolk, VA @ Norva Theater *
Thu. Sep. 27 – Richmond, VA @ The National *
Fri. Sep. 28 – Port Chester, NY @ The Capitol Theatre *
Sat. Sep. 29 – Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head *
Mon. Oct. 1 – Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom *
Tue. Oct. 2 – Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre *
Sat. Oct. 6 – Providence, RI @ The Strand *
Mon. Oct. 8 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls *
Thu. Oct. 11 – Lexington, KY @ Manchester Music Hall *
Fri. Oct. 12 – Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s *
Sat. Oct. 13 – Indianapolis, IN @ Deluxe at Old National Centre *
Mon. Oct. 15 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Elevation at The Intersection *
Wed. Oct. 17 –  Bloomington, IL @ The Castle Theater *
Sat. Oct. 20 – Fayetteville, AR @ George’s Majestic Lounge *
Sun. Oct. 21 – Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom *
Tue. Oct. 23 – Oxford, MS @ Lyric Theatre *

^ = with Maggie Rogers
$ = with Mitski
% = with Guster
* = with Rainbow Kitten Suprise

Praise for LONER:

“[LONER is] a wonderful, rollicking beast.” — MOJO

“LONER is a thrillingly odd take on pop, braiding her sardonic lyrics with
off-kilter songs that groove and groan.” —  Boston Globe

“Rose has a newly loosed imagination and a flair for exaggerating the absurdities we’re living with, and the way she’s put them to use is a timely gift.” — NPR Music

“With its mix of sunny melodies and acerbic wit, the material from her newly released LP,
LONER, was frenetic and freewheeling.” —  Rolling Stone

“In an era of endless, ear-numbing streams, LONER grabs your chin and commands your eyes.”
—  Consequence of Sound

“Rose is a fascinating person, and from DIY production trickery to her multi-role star turns in her videos, LONER represents her at her best.” — Stereogum “Artist to Watch”

“an often wickedly funny and winningly sardonic indie-pop act with lots of
surprising musical moves on her new album, LONER.” — Philadelphia Inquirer

“With her newly honed interest in producing, Caroline Rose has made an unwaveringly entertaining album filled to the brim with songs that are at once contemplative and coax the listener to get out of their seat and dance.” — Rookie

“Rose is a joy to behold . . . LONER whacks the listener swiftly upside the head with our red-clad protagonist’s winning charisma, leaving ya dizzy and begging for more.” — Under The Radar

“…a punchier, studio-powered pop sound, packed with danceable beats, prominent synths, big choruses and plenty of swagger. She remains unafraid of singing about serious subjects (capitalism, sexism, death, etc.) but on LONER, she delivers them through a bold, candy-colored filter that’s always intriguing and often irresistible.” —  Paste

Download hi-res press images and cover art –
www.pitchperfectpr.com/caroline-rose/

Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Keep your mind open.
[No need to put on a bikini for updates.  I’ll send them for free when you subscribe.]

Deeper release peppy new single – “Feels” – ahead of May tour.

Deeper Shares New Single “Feels”
Listen Here

Debut Album Out May 25th On Fire Talk Records

U.S. Headline Tour Begins Next Week

[Photo by Alexa Viscius]
Deeper are sharing the latest single, “Feels,” from their forthcoming self-titled debut album (out May 25th on Fire Talk Records). “‘Feels’ was one of those happy coincidence songs. We just set up one day and it came together after about three runs,” explains the band. “We wanted to make a punk song that was more dynamic than most, so the process for this one was different than most of our songwriting. Typically we flesh out ideas until we exhaust where each part could go, but ‘Feels; came together quickly and very naturally. The beauty of how we wrote ‘Feels’ is we never get sick of playing it live.”
Listen To Deeper’s “Feels”:
https://soundcloud.com/firetalk/deeper-feels
Deeper is Nic Gohl (singer and guitarist), Mike Clawson (guitarist), Shiraz Bhatti (drummer) and Drew McBride (bassist). The band honed their sound over the course of 2015 and 2016 in basements, lofts and anywhere that would have them. Call it post-punk, call it indie rock, Deeper is a record that steps in and out of boxes filtered through an unmistakable midwestern lens. It’s observational, poetic and influenced by nuance.

Deeper has made their mark supporting like-minded acts Omni, Protomartyr, Chris Cohen and fellow Chicago powerhouses Whitney and NE-HI along with their own sold out headlining shows and official after parties at Pitchfork Festival and Lollapalooza. Starting next week they will tour North America in support of Deeper and play a record release show at Union Pool in Brooklyn on May 25th.

Deeper Tour Dates:
5.18 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
5.19 – Indianapolis, IN @ State Street Pub
5.21 – Cincinnati, OH @ Northside Tavern (w/ Smut, Café Racer)
5.21 – Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge (w/ Iceage)
5.22 – Atlanta, GA @ 529 (w/ Omni)
5.23 – Baltimore, MD @ EMP Collective
5.24 – Washington, DC @ Comet Ping Pong
5.25 – Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool
5.26 – Boston, MA @ Black Lodge
5.27 – Northampton, MA @ Red Cross
5.28 – Philadelphia, PA @ Everybody Hits
5.29 – Richmond, VA @ Flora
5.31 – Columbus, OH @ Spacebar
6.03 – Chicago, IL @ Do Division Festival

[Deeper artwork]
Keep your mind open.
[I’ll have all the feels if you subscribe.]

Rewind Review: Caribou – Swim (2010)

Canadian DJ, producer, and mathematician Dan Snaith, otherwise known as Caribou, released Swim in 2010, and I’m not sure how I missed it.  I actually hadn’t heard of him until he was slated to perform at the cancelled Levitation Music Festival in 2016.  I had hoped to catch his set there, as I was impressed with the few songs I heard while researching him ahead of the festival, but Mother Nature had other plans.

So, I put him on a list of bands and artists whose discographies I need to explore deeper, and I finally got around to picking up a copy of this album.  I don’t know why I waited two years, because Swim is excellent.

Starting with the hip and groovy “Odessa,” Snaith punctuates dance floor bass with strange bird cry-like sounds while he sings about a woman striking out on her own.  “Sun” (the only lyric in the song, repeated over and over) bounces, thumps, and glistens with house beats and shining synths.  The synths on “Kaili” are a bit distorted, but it works for the building tension of the song (which seems to be about another woman in Snaith’s life, this one dealing with illness and possibly approaching death).

“Found Out” is full of quirky beats and synths that sound like doors being slammed in a video game (and the jingle bells are a great touch).  “Bowls” is lush with its slightly Asian bells, strings, and synths.  I’m not sure if the title of “Leave House” means Snaith wanted to leave house music behind and explore other genres of electronica in 2010, but it wouldn’t surprise me if that’s the case.  He explores many avenues on Swim, so it makes sense that he constantly wants to expand his boundaries and skill set.  It reminds me a bit of Alan Parsons Project tunes with Snaith’s vocal work and the synth bass.

The album mellows out with the last three tracks.  “Hannibal” and “Lalibela” are almost dream-house, and “Lalibela” is especially trippy with Snaith’s reverberated vocals.  “Jamelia” is sci-fi lounge jazz mixed with warped house beats, almost like a space station night club is keeping the beats going while the station wobbles in orbit.

Snaith has plenty of other material out there, and Swim is intriguing enough to make me want to seek out more of his work.  It might intrigue you as well.

Keep your mind open.

[Swim over to the subscription box and drop in your e-mail address, won’t you?]

 

Here Lies Man unleash new single, “That Much Closer to Nothing,” from upcoming album.

Here Lies Man share new single from forthcoming album You Will Know Nothing
Antibalas members “if Black Sabbath played Afrobeat”
Hear & share “That Much Closer To Nothing” (YouTube) (Bandcamp)
Los Angeles quintet Here Lies Man share a new single from their forthcoming anticipated sophomore album today via Bandcamp and YouTube. The album, You Will Know Nothing will be released June 15th via RidingEasy Records.
Back in March, the band dropped the first song, “Fighting” via YouTube.
Here Lies Man play the prestigious Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona, Spain later this month before hitting the road with Earthless in June. Later in Fall, the band hits the massive Desert Daze festival in Southern California. Please see current dates below.
Here Lies Man took the music world by storm in 2017 with their self-titled debut positing the intriguing hypothesis: What if Black Sabbath played Afrobeat?
Rough Trade named Here Lies Man in their prestigious Top 10 Albums of 2017. BBC 6 & Classic Rock Magazine deemed it among the year’s best, as well as countless other press outlets singing its praises.
This June, the L.A. band comprised of Antibalas members quickly follow their auspicious debut with the even more thoroughly realized album You Will Know Nothing. Its 11 tracks expand upon the band’s exploration of heavy riff-based rock and psych within the ancient rhythmic formula of the clave.
“We’re very conscious of how the rhythms service the riffs,” explains founder and vocalist/guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Marcos Garcia (who also plays guitar in Antibalas) of the band’s sound. “Tony Iommi‘s (Black Sabbath) innovation was to make the riff the organizing principle of a song. We are taking that same approach but employing a different organizing principle: For Iommi it was the blues, for us it comes directly from Africa.”
Sonically, on You Will Know Nothing the dynamic range is thicker, crisper and more powerful. It glistens as much as it blasts. The songs are even catchier, more anthemic, and the production reflects that of a band truly come into its own. Lyrically, it’s an equally more conceptualized effort that reflects upon states of being and consciousness – a driving force that carries throughout the words and moods of all of the band’s releases, interconnected to their trancelike music. Here Lies Man have honed their sound and their focus, and soon, you will truly know Nothing.
“We wanted to go deeper with the sonic experience,” says Garcia. “Even though it sounds more hi-fi than the first record, it was important that it didn’t sound too polished.”
While You Will Know Nothing certainly maintains its gritty grooves, there’s an interesting conceptual mathematics to the entire proceedings. “There are interludes between each song that are 2/3 to 3/4 of the tempo of the previous song,” Garcia says. “The reason it breaks down to 2 over 3 or 3 over 4 is that everything in the music rhythmically corresponds to a set of mathematical algorithms known as the clave. The clave is an ancient organizing rhythmic principle developed in Africa.”
“We dove deep into the texture of the music, beyond the groove and the riff,” says HLM cofounder and drummer Geoff Mann (former Antibalas drummer and son of jazz musician Herbie Mann.) “Although something might sound like one instrument, there are subtle layers shifting through. It’s definitely a headphone album.”
Garcia and Mann recorded the album much like they did the debut, at their own L.A. studio on a Tascam 388 8-track tape machine. Congas were later recorded by percussionists Richard Panta and Reinaldo DeJesus. Then, Garcia went to NY to record interludes with former Antibalas keyboardist Victor Axelrod. Mixing took the most time in order to find the proper sonic space for each layer of musical detail, with first album engineer Jeremy Page mixing the drums and the band tackling the remainder while also juggling a hectic touring schedule.
Here Lies Man has already spent much of early 2018 on tour, with dates supporting Antibalas and Fu Manchu as well as a headlining trek through the EU & UK. Many summer festival dates and headline tours await later in the year as Here Lies Man continues its infectious charge onward.
You Will Know Nothing will be available on LP, CD and download on June 15th, 2018 via RidingEasy Records.
HERE LIES MAN LIVE 2018:
05/22 San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
05/23 Visalia, CA @ Cellar Door
05/27 Palm Springs, CA @ Ace Hotel
05/31 Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound Festival 
06/05 Asheville, NC @ Mothlight *
06/06 Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade *
06/07 Spartansburg, SC @ Ground Zero *
06/08 Orlando, FL @ Wills Pub *
06/09 Tallahassee, FL @ The Wilbury *
06/10 Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon *
06/12 Houston, TX @ White Oak Upstairs *
06/13 Austin, TX @ Barracuda *
06/14 Ft Worth, TX @ Ridgela Room *
06/15 Memphis, TN @ Growlers *
06/26 Seattle, WA @ Nectar Lounge
06/27 Bellingham, WA @ The Shakedown
06/28 Vancouver, BC @ Fox Cabaret
06/29 Portland, OR @ Star Theater
06/30 Grant’s Pass, OR @ The Haul
07/01 Chico, CA @ Naked Lounge
07/02 San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel
07/05 Los Angeles, CA @ Resident DTLA
08/24 Hudson Valley, NY @ Huichica Festival
08/31 Los Angeles, CA @ Levitt Pavillion (MacArthur Park)
10/12-14 Lake Perris, CA @ Desert Daze 2018
* w/ Earthless

Artist: Here Lies Man
Album: You Will Know Nothing
Label: RidingEasy Records
Release Date: June 15th, 2018
01. Animal Noises
02. Summon Fire
03. Blindness
04. That Much Closer
05. Hell (Wooly Tail)
06. Voices At The Window
07. Taking the Blame
08. Fighting
09. Floating On Water
10. Memory Games
11. You Ought To Know

On The Web:

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Ric Wilson releases new single from “Banba” EP due May 18th.

Ric Wilson Shares “Sinner” (feat. Kweku Collins, Nick Kosma & Rane Raps)
https://soundcloud.com/ricwilsonisme/sinner-feat-kweku-collins-rane-raps-nick-kosma/

New EP, BANBA, Out May 18th on Innovative Leisure
(photo credit: Michael Salisbury)

“Ric Wilson Turns a Crisis of Conscious Into Charming Funk-Rap” — Pitchfork, on “Split”

“With his witty wordplay laid over soulful instrumentals, Wilson produces some of the most exciting new music to come out of Chicago.” — Chicago Tribune’s Red Eye

“If you’ve yet to experience the jubilance of Ric Wilson, jump back and get familiar with one of our favorite young guns in the game.” — Okayplayer
Chicago’s own Ric Wilson is set to release his new EP, BANBA, on May 18th via Innovative Leisure. Today, he’s pleased to share the project’s newest single, “Sinner” (feat. Kweku Collins, Nick Kosma & Rane Raps), which premiered earlier this morning via Complex.

“No one’s perfect. We’re all a shit show, trying to be better people everyday,” says Ric. “This song is about trying to get there.

Me and Kweku have been friends for years and have always been talking about doing a song together, I finally reached out and sent a track that I thought made sense. That’s usually how stuff goes in Chicago.”

A 22 year-old community activist and artist based on the Southside of Chicago, Ric got his start with the legendary YCA (Young Chicago Authors), the Chicago-based storytelling and poetry organization which helped launch the likes of Saba, Jamila Woods, Chance The Rapper, Vic Mensa, Mick Jenkins, Noname, and many others. BANBA is Wilson’s first release since 2017’s acclaimed Negrow Disco EP (stream here).

For those in the Chicago area, Ric will celebrate BANBA with a special EP release show at Lincoln Hall on Sat. June 2nd. Tickets are on-sale now.

Listen to “Sinner” (feat. Kweku Collins, Nick Kosma & Rane Raps) — 
https://soundcloud.com/ricwilsonisme/sinner-feat-kweku-collins-rane-raps-nick-kosma/

Listen to “Split” (feat. Sen Morimoto) — 
https://soundcloud.com/ricwilsonisme/split-feat-sen-morimoto-prod-hirsh-2/s-FcagV

Pre-order BANBA — 
http://smarturl.it/ricwilson_BANBA

Keep your mind open.

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Levitation Music Festival Recap – Day Four: Old friends, new friends, old habits, new stains

We started the fourth day at the Levitation Music Festival with another tradition – the Sunday gospel brunch at Threadgill’s restaurant.  It’s a pretty good deal, and the music always sound good.  The band there this year was the Levites, and they were having a great time.

The first band we saw at the festival was Acid House Ragas, which consists of DJ Al Lover on synths and beats and can-we-call-him-a-friend-by-now? Rishi Dhir on sitar.  They got the festival off to a nice start with meditative drone music.

Acid House Ragas at Stubb’s BBQ.

We left Stubb’s to grab a bite at the Moonshine Cafe, which serves “southern comfort food.”  Holy cow.  That was some of the best blackened catfish I’ve had in a long time.  After stuffing our bellies, we returned to Stubb’s in time to almost bump into Christian Bland of the Black Angels and Christian Bland and the Revelators.  This was the fifth time I’ve met him, and I thanked him again for the festival.  He and his bandmates help curate it, and I told him it was our fourth year there and we already had tickets for Levitation France in the fall.  He thanked me and was excited to hear we were going to the fall festival.  He’s always in a good mood whenever I bump into him.

We caught most of the set from the Brian Jonestown Massacre.  My wife flipped out when she realized band member Joel Gion was “the tambourine guy from Gilmore Girls.”  They put on a set to an always appreciative crowd, and frontman Anton Newcombe encouraged all of us to quit using pesticides in order to save bees.  We also met up with James from Ancient River and his wife, Nakia, while there.  We hadn’t seen them since 2014, and I hadn’t seen James since 2015 when he and his bandmate, Alex, played a gig in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.  It was great to catch up with them and meet friends of theirs from England who were also at the show.

Brian Jonestown Massacre

Mr. Newcombe later walked through the crowd during the Black Angels‘ set, shaking hands with yours truly and many other fans.  The woman behind me gave him a big hug and her boyfriend also shook hands with him.  It made that woman’s night.  They talked about it for another ten minutes at least.

The Black Angels, as always, put on a great set.  They started with “Young Men Dead,” their usual closer, and kept tearing it up from there.  Lead guitarist Christian Bland shredded more than usual, and drummer Stephanie Bailey was once again an unstoppable beast.

The Black Angels

We headed to Barracuda to catch synth-punks POW!.  Unfortunately, we missed most of their set, but what we did hear was a fun and raucous.  Their weird cover of the Addams Family theme was a nice treat.

POW! in your face

Following them were Oh Sees, who I’ve been wanting to catch for years.  James told me he’d seen them perform the previous night and said it was an impressive, high energy set.  Sure enough, all the hype you’ve heard is true.   A mosh pit broke out within the first four bars and I was soon in it.  Various drinks were flying, people were crowd surfing, and my shoes were a stained, dirty mess by the end of it.  It was a great way to end the festival on a high note and leave us with enough energy and hunger to grab a late night pizza slice on the way back to our car.

Oh Sees

It was a nice return for Levitation Austin.  The town, and the festival, needed a good comeback.  Multiple people at the festival agreed with me that the vibe there is always good.  You don’t see or meet a lot of jackasses at this festival, which is always a plus (but, good grief, why are people still smoking cigarettes in 2018, and especially in the middle of a crowd?).

See you in France this fall?

Keep your mind open.

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