Bleached – the Los Angeles-based rock duo of sisters Jessica and Jennifer Clavin – return with a new single, “Shitty Ballet,” and an accompanying video. “Shitty Ballet” is the first taste of new music from the band since 2016’s “highly melodic and often sunny” (Los Angeles Times) Welcome the Worms and 2017’s Can You Deal? EP.
“Shitty Ballet” is the first studio work from the Clavins relying heavily on acoustic guitars. Written in just a few hours in a deluge of heartbreak, the striking emotion of the demo stuck. They stayed true to its stripped-down original, starting off with minimal instrumentation before bursting through with a full band. The accompanying one shot video, directed by Giraffe Studios, shows the Clavins awash in soft, violet-tinted light, performing as masked ballet dancers, young and old, twirl alongside them.
“Bleached has always been a pretty loud rock band so we felt it was time to explore a more stripped down style of playing,” says Jennifer. “With the vulnerability of the lyrics we decided to carry that into the instruments as well for the first time recording with just an acoustic guitar and vocals. Sonic change is important to us right now. More of that coming soon.”
Bleached will be supporting Refused on the road this May. The band have scheduled an intimate underplay in their hometown of Los Angeles on July 11th at the Moroccan Lounge. More Bleached announcements are on the horizon.
Watch “Shitty Ballet” Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8pGMcSylH4
Bleached Tour Dates: Mon. May 20 – Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theater * Tue. May 21 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant * Wed. May 22 – Lawrence, KS @ Liberty Hall * Fri. May 24 – Denver, CO @ Gothic Hall * Sat. May 25 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Union Events Center * Tue. May 28 – Pomona, CA @ Fox Theater * Fri. May 29 – San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park * Thu. July 11 – Los Angeles, Ca @ Moroccan Lounge *= w/ Refused and The Hives
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“Their most intimate, darkly personal record yet… Taking them out of the doom corner and giving it a raw, post-punk feel. “Raven” sounds like a Satanic, downtuned Steppenwolf, and frankly we can’t get enough.” — Kerrang!
“An intoxicating mix of stoner metal and occultist rock — it’s dark n’ doomy, sure, but it’s also as catchy as fly paper coated in industrial strength glue.” — Metal Sucks
Austin trio The Well share a new track from their forthcoming third album Death and Consolation via Metal Injection. Hear and share “This Is How The World Ends” HERE.
Kerrang Magazine also recently launched lead single “Raven” HERE. Metal Sucks hosted the crushing album opener “Sabbah” HERE.
Death and Consolation is without a doubt a weighty album title, and The Well is among the heaviest heavy psych bands in existence. So when we say that there’s even more darkness and intensity to the band’s third album than previous efforts, take heed. It’s a deep sea diving bell of enveloping heaviness and longing. “This one is a little more personal,” says guitarist/vocalist Ian Graham. “2018 was a strange, dark year. A lot of change going on in my life, there was a lot of depression and coming out of it over the last year. I wanted to call this Death and Consolation, because in life that’s a constant.”
While The Well continue to walk an intriguing line between authentic early 70s doom/heavy psych and frayed weirdness of dark folk – especially with their haunting unison male/female vocals – the new album also adds the stark vibe of post-punk acts like Joy Division and early The Cure. “I feel like this album is almost more gothic. We’re big fans of post-punk,” Graham says. There’s also much less jamming, the songs are tight and concise. And, did we mention, heavy? The band tuned down a full step to C-standard tuning for this album, which gives the proceedings its monstrous sound. Sonically, Death and Consolation picks up where The Well — Graham, bassist/vocalist Lisa Alley and drummer Jason Sullivan — left off with their widely heralded 2016 RidingEasy album Pagan Science.
The band once again recorded with longtime producer/engineer Chico Jones at Estuary Studio in 2018, who has turned the knobs for all three of their albums (Jones engineered the band’s debut album Samsara with producer Mark Deutrom [Melvins, Sunn0)))] in 2013.) Samsara, released late September 2014 was ranked the #1 debut album of 2014 by The Obelisk and Pagan Science among the Best of 2016 from the Doom Charts collective. Likewise, the band’s intense — some even say “possessed” — live performances have earned them featured slots at Austin’s Levitation Fest, as well as tours with Kadavar, All Them Witches, Black Tusk and more. “This album might be a little less produced, because I didn’t want to push technical stuff as much,” Graham says. “I’m so scared of getting too complicated when getting better at guitar. This is still kind of punk rock.”
Death and Consolation will be available on LP, CD and download on April 26th, 2019 via RidingEasy Records. Pre-orders are available HERE.
THE WELL TOUR 2019: 04/24 Dallas, TX @ Club Dada * 04/25 Austin, TX @ Barracuda * – album release party 04/27 Austin, TX @ Independence Brewery 04/28 Austin, TX @ Waterloo Records 04/29 San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger 05/01 Omaha, NE @ Slowdown * 05/02 Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive * 05/03 Phoenix, AZ @ Yucca Tap Room 05/04 Los Angeles, CA @ House of Machines 05/05 Long Beach, CA @ Alex’s Bar 05/06 Sacramento, CA @ Blue Lamp 05/07 Nevada City, CA @ Cooper’s 05/08 San Francisco, CA @ Elbo Room 05/09 Portland, OR @ High Water Mark 05/10 Seattle, WA @ Substation 05/11 Vancouver, BC @ Static Jupiter 05/12 Calgary, AB @ Palomino 05/13 Edmonton, AB @ Temple 05/14 Winnipeg, MB @ The Windsor 05/15 Minneapolis, MN @ Cabooze 05/16 Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews 05/17 Colorado Springs, CO @ Triple Nickle 05/18 Taos, NM @ Monolith on the Mesa Fest 05/19 El Paso, TX @ Monarch * w/ Monolord
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“. . . a compact reflection on loss, queer desire, and the endurance of sacred native traditions. Though Mother of My Children captures a specific moment in Paul’s life, it has the power to stick around for a long time.” — Pitchfork, Best Rock Albums of 2018
“There’s a universality to Paul’s soul-searching, a yearning that transcends the boundaries between people and speaks to the human condition in general.” — Stereogum, 40 Best New Bands of 2018
“Paul has a knack for making very specific, personal anecdotes feel universal.” – Paste, 20 Best New Artist of 2018
Black Belt Eagle Scout, the project of Portland-based multi-instrumentalist Katherine Paul, will release the “Loss & Relax b/w Half Colored Hair” 7” single April 26th via Saddle Creek.
“Loss & Relax” is an ode to Paul’s ancestors, past, present, and future, and informed by the experience of traveling home. It was first written in Anacortes following the recording of 2018’s Mother of My Children when Paul was particularly full of emotion and pride. The song was held off Mother of My Children for further exploration and continued to evolve as it was performed live by various members of Paul’s band.
As described by Paul: “As I was writing the guitar line, I kept seeing the water of the Salish Sea and the local ferries drifting people in and out of place. Ferries are such a beautiful part of my childhood and served as a major form of transportation. Thinking about my home and how canoes have turned into ferries is a sad, but also beautiful thought. Nowadays with Canoe Journeys, canoes are alongside ferries, roaming our waters to lands, sharing customs and culture. That is what I think about now when I listen to the fully recorded version of the song. I see a strong and fierce community of my people continuing to thrive in whatever comes our way. That is how I feel about myself, a survivor and thriver of this land, a water protector, a womxn, the future.”
The record’s B-side, “Half Colored Hair”, is a love song that explores the preciousness of moments we share with others. Together, the two songs display the next-step in what Black Belt Eagle Scout first instigated last year on Mother of My Children, while also providing an intriguing glimpse into what we have to look forward to in the years to come. As previously announced, Black Belt Eagle Scout will tour North American extensively, including dates supporting Julia Jacklin. All dates are below.
Thu. April 18 – Sioux Falls, SD @ Total Drag Records Fri. April 19 – Madison, WI @ Communication # Sat. April 20 – Bloomington, IN @ Culture Shock ^ Mon. April 22 – Athens, OH @ Union Bar and Grill Tue. April 23 – Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade * Wed. April 24 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom * Thu. April 25 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s * Fri. April 26 – Allston, MA @ Great Scott * Sat. April 27 – Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz PDB * Sun. April 28 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern * Tue. April 30 – Washington, DC @ DC9 * Wed. May 1 – Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter * Thu. May 2 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle – Back Room * Thu. May 3 – Charlotte, NC @ Snug Harbor * Sat. May 4 – Atlanta, GA @ 529 Club * Mon. May 6 – Nashville, TN @ Third Man Records * Tue. May 7 – Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups Wed. May 8 – Chicago, IL @ Schuba’s * Thu. May 9 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry * Fri. May 10 – Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge * Sat. May 11 – Kansas City, MO @ recordBar * Mon. May 13 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge * Tue. May 14 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge * Fri. May 17 – Vancouver, BC @ The Fox Cabaret * Sat. May 18 – Everett, WA @ Fisherman’s Village Music Festival * Sat. May 18 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern * Sun. May 19 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios * Tue. May 21 – San Francisco, CA @ Swedish American Hall * Wed. May 22 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy * Thu. May 23 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom * Mon. June 3 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada * Tue. June 4 – Austin, TX @ Barracuda * Wed. June 5 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall * Thu. June 6 – New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa * Thu. Aug. 1 – Sun. Aug. 4 – Happy Valley, OR @ Pickathon # = w/ Disq ^ = w/ Lala Lala *= w/ Julia Jacklin
“Equal parts Black Flag and Thin Lizzy.” — Rolling Stone
“Combines elements of hard rock, punk, metal, psychedelic, garage rock and more for a powerful sound that’s both heavy and catchy.” — Consequence of Sound
Los Angeles skate-rock trio The Shrine share the first track from their forthcoming Cruel World EP via Consequence of Sound’s Heavy Consequence. Hear and share “Dance On a Razor’s Edge” HERE.
The band also announces a huge EP release and tour kickoff party in downtown L.A. on April 19th at House of Machines. The release party also features the Paranoyds and DJ sets by artist Shepard Fairey, Tony Accosta and Judith Priest. The Shrine then play shows in Toronto and New York City before heading to Europe for shows surrounding their performances at DesertFest London and DesertFest Berlin. Please see all dates below.
The Shrine return in May with Cruel World, a filthy groove that sends a nod to both ZZ & Sabbath while attacking the atrocities of the modern age. On this 4 song EP the Venice, California rockers have grown heavier & simpler in a primitive yet defiant way. The Shrine come across more aware and in control of their power, mixing their favorite 70’s & 80’s in a fresh way that you don’t quite hear in today’s digital landscape. Cruel World was mixed at Henson Studios by Tom Syrowski (who won a Grammy in 2018 for his work with Mastodon).
From their warehouse skate parties and guitar shop beginnings in Venice, California to their Ozzfest appearances, Slayer/Ghost/Dinosaur Jr. support slots and repeat headline Japanese and Australian tours, The Shrine have thrived in the cemetery that is the music industry. On top of an official Dogtown Skateboard and a signature Converse shoe, and their debut TV performance on Norman Reedus’ Ride show on AMC; their last album cover was illustrated by Shepard Fairey. The world renowned street artist is a Shrine fan who hand-picked the band to headline his Damaged art show in Los Angeles to 8000 people.
Shepard Fairey on The Shrine: “The things that attracted me to skateboarding, punk, and metal in the 80s were their complete rejection of mainstream conformity and their embrace of aggression, rebellion, and do-it-yourselfing ripped to shreds danced on the razor’s edge. As subcultures became accepted and co-opted over the years, I craved music and a scene with the raw intensity of Black Flag, Black Sabbath, Suicidal Tendencies, Motorhead, the Circle Jerks, etc.. When I discovered The Shrine I realized that the kind of feral, sleazy, high-octane, fun as hell band and scene that I was looking for was out there, not in their 50s, but in their 20s. The warehouse record release party for The Shrine’s Rare Breed was the most awesome steaming pile of sweaty, surly, rock gods and goddesses in denim and leather I’ve been to in years! There were more kick-ass rock and skate t-shirts in that room than I’d seen in the last five years in Echo Park and Silver Lake combined. I’ve seen a lot of great shows in my life, but to have that particular crowd pogoing and stage diving to The Shrine with Nik Turner from Hawkwind on stage improvising psychedelic punk saxophone was pretty surreal. Someone dove on my head and sprained my neck at one point but I was so hopped up on adrenaline that I didn’t feel it much until the next day. So yeah, I guess I could say the Shrine shred and I think they’re OK.”
The Shrine recently added their new bass player Corey Parks (Nashville Pussy, Chelsea Girls). “We had jammed with Corey before on a Motorhead cover, and she actually took me to hang out with Lemmy in the studio during their final album,” says frontman Josh Landau. “There isn’t anyone else we could imagine doing The Shrine with other than Corey now. She brings a touch of class, charisma, and fire to the stage that pushes our chemistry into a whole new epic realm.”
Cruel World will be available on vinyl and download, released on May 3rd, 2019 via Eliminator Records. Pre-orders are available.
THE SHRINE TOUR 2019: 04/19 Los Angeles, CA @ House of Machines – EP release party & tour kickoff 04/23 Toronto, ON @ Baby G 04/24 NYC, NY @ Baby’s All Right 04/26 Munich, DE @ Backstage 04/27 Kaprun, AT @ Castle 04/30 Zurich, CH @ Z7 05/01 Savigliano, IT @ ARCI Mezcal 05/02 Marseille, FR @ Cabaret Aleatoire 05/03 London, UK @ Electric Ballroom – DesertFest UK 05/04 Berlin, DE @ Arena – DesertFest Berlin 05/05 Karlsruhe, DE @ Alte Hackerei 05/09 Bilbao, ES @ Kafe Antzokia 05/10 Madrid, ES @ White Lab 05/11 Barcellona, ES @ Rocksound
“[‘Into The Iris’ EP is] equal parts protest, post-impressionist imagery, even reactionary as it responds to the world around it—it’s a culmination and a dismantling at once.” – LA Record
“Into the Iris is a Wire-like collision of angular chords and shards of noise that are occasionally topped with compelling shout-along choruses.” – LA Weekly
“With a wave of twitchy, heavily distorted guitars, lead vocalist Will Ivy exudes a stark, smirking calmness amongst the electrifying storm.” – Paste on “Shouting At The Wall”
Flat Worms – the Los Angeles-based trio of bassist/vocalist Tim Hellman (Thee Oh Sees), drummer Justin Sullivan (Night Shop), and guitarist/ vocalist Will Ivy (Dream Boys) – share a video for “Into The Iris,” the title track from their recently released EP, out now via Drag City imprint, GOD? Records. “Into The Iris” is a frenzied, high-energy track about channeling inspiration. The video was recorded at their record release show at Zebulon in Los Angeles, and presents the band’s frenetic live performance. Directed by Joshua Erkman, the video also features lighting tricks by Ty Segall.
The “Into The Iris” EP was recorded by Ty Segall in his home. The six tracks comprising the EP are a persistent, determined response to an apocalyptic era, one that sees deserted strip malls and surreal headlines. The EP follows their self-titled album, released via Castle Face in 2017.
Flat Worms will tour the west coast in support of the “Into The Iris” EP. They will play dates in Europe later this summer. All dates are below.
Watch “Into The Iris” Video – https://youtu.be/nHtDMkrH8OM
Listen to “Shouting At The Wall” – https://youtu.be/6dEDRwJwT7U
Purchase “Into the Iris” EP – http://www.dragcity.com/products/into-the-iris
Flat Worms Tour Dates: Tue. April 23 – Seattle, WA @ Screw Driver Wed. April 24 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios Fri. April 26 – Chicago, CA @ Valley Fever Festival Sat. April 27 – San Francisco, CA @ The Knockout Sun. April 28 – Ventura, CA @ The Tavern Mon. April 29 – Los Angeles, CA @ Non Plus Ultra Sat. June 22 – Paris, FR @ La Maroquinerie Sun. June 23 – Brighton, UK @ TBD Mon. June 24 – Manchester, UK @ Yes (Pink Room) Thu. June 27 – Glasgow, UK @ Broadcast Fri. June 28 – Newcastle, UK @ The Cluny Sat. June 29 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club Sun. June 30 – Nottingham, UK @ Rescue Rooms Mon. July 1 – Bristol, UK @ Fleece 2P Tue. July 2 – London, UK @ Dingwalls
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Flat Worms will tour the west coast in support of the “Into The Iris” EP. They will play dates in Europe later this summer. All dates are below. Watch “Into The Iris” Video – https://youtu.be/nHtDMkrH8OM
Listen to “Shouting At The Wall” – https://youtu.be/6dEDRwJwT7U
Purchase “Into the Iris” EP – http://www.dragcity.com/products/into-the-iris
Flat Worms Tour Dates: Tue. April 23 – Seattle, WA @ Screw Driver Wed. April 24 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios Fri. April 26 – Chicago, CA @ Valley Fever Festival Sat. April 27 – San Francisco, CA @ The Knockout Sun. April 28 – Ventura, CA @ The Tavern Mon. April 29 – Los Angeles, CA @ Non Plus Ultra Sat. June 22 – Paris, FR @ La Maroquinerie Sun. June 23 – Brighton, UK @ TBD Mon. June 24 – Manchester, UK @ Yes (Pink Room) Thu. June 27 – Glasgow, UK @ Broadcast Fri. June 28 – Newcastle, UK @ The Cluny Sat. June 29 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club Sun. June 30 – Nottingham, UK @ Rescue Rooms Mon. July 1 – Bristol, UK @ Fleece 2P Tue. July 2 – London, UK @ Dingwalls
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The title of Priests‘ excellent new record, The Seduction of Kansas, refers to a 2004 book by Thomas Frank entitled What’s the Matter with Kansas? That book discussed how the political leanings of Kansas more or less predicted the political leanings of the country at large for a century. Priests hail from the nation’s capital and are thus front and center for the political circus there, so it’s no surprise that The Seduction of Kansas lashes out at elitism, “bro” culture, 1%’ers, xenophobia, consumerism, and pretty much everything John Carpenter predicted in They Live.
The album opens with the hard-hitting “Jesus’ Son,” which is both a reference to Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground (who are definite post-punk influences on Priests) and a middle finger to douchebags who think they can get away with anything (i.e., “I am Jesus’ son. I’m young and dumb and full of cum. I am Jesus’ son. I think I’m gonna hurt someone.”) because they’re rich dudes. The title track practically has the subliminal “CONSUME” message from They Live woven through it as vocalist Katie Alice Greer sings about how corporations and mass media try to seduce us every day and convince us that they are really all we need.
“Youtube Sartre” is a slick takedown of dehumanizing technology and online trolls (and G.L. Jaguar’s guitar work on it is excellent – blending shoegaze and post-punk riffs). Drummer Daniele Daniele takes over the vocals on the sexy / scary “I’m Clean” – a song about a murderess who snaps after the pressures of modern society finally become too much for her to bear. Bassist Janel Leppin’s groove on it is the sheath and Daniele’s vocals are the knife. “Ice Cream” is almost an industrial goth track thanks to the creepy fuzz bass and Daniele’s machine-like beats.
The snappy “Good Time Charlie” is about the U.S. war machine and how war is, for some, damn good money. Daniele comes back to sing lead on “68 Screen” – a sharp song about objectification with the rhythm section going to the forefront and Jaguar smartly backing them up because he knows how damn good Leppin and Daniele are working together.
In an interesting turn, Priests follow a song about objectification of women and being held up to standards found in media with a song called “Not Perceived” – a song about how easy it is to fade into loneliness and obscurity despite having access to devices that let us connect to anywhere in the world in a few seconds. “I’m a haunted house made of marrow and bone.” is one of the best, and for some people, truest lyrics of the year regarding the subject of loneliness and being disenfranchised.
Greer gets her Patti Smith groove on in “Control Freak” – a track that comes at you like a thunderstorm. Leppin’s rumbling bass is the thunder, Jaguar’s guitar the lightning, Daniele’s drums the driving rain, and Greer’s voice the raging wind. “Carol,” on the other hand, is almost a dreamy cruise on a summer day…but with a hint of mystery you can’t quite describe. The album ends with “Texas Instruments” – a lyrically searing takedown of xenophobia with Jaguar’s guitar work coming back to the lead with roaring riffs.
This is one of the best albums of the year so far. It’s packed with intriguing lyrics that reveal more with each listen and is a vital diary of modern times in not only the nation’s capital, but the rest of the country.
WATCH “GOOD TIME CHARLIE” https://youtu.be/nEN_GTab-ro
WATCH “THE SEDUCTION OF KANSAS” https://youtu.be/coR59SSPWv8
Priests, the Washington, D.C. rock trio consisting of drummer Daniele Daniele, vocalist Katie Alice Greer, and guitarist G.L. Jaguar (and joined live by bassist Alexandra Tyson) share “Jesus’ Son” from their forthcoming album, The Seduction of Kansas, out April 5th via Sister Polygon Records. They also share an accompanying a new music video, presenting the band giving a dramatic staged-performance with a filter of muted colors. Following the tightly wound “Good Time Charlie” and their purest pop song to date, “The Seduction of Kansas,” “Jesus’ Son” is a grand-scale rock statement.
“The mythology of a rock band relies heavily on building a captivating arsenal of visual signifiers, one of which is often a ‘live performance’ music video. I put quotations around live performance because usually these are theatrically staged pantomimes of what the band would like the viewer to believe the actual live experience of their work to be like. We decided to try our hand at this as an expression of our identity— we are, in fact, a rock band— and so, we pay homage to those who have come before us (Blink 182, the Stone Roses, the Smiths, and perhaps most explicitly here, Nine Inch Nails). So now you know, in case you didn’t before: we are a rock band. Hope you enjoy the song and video. As for the song itself, we are of course nodding to Lou Reed’s declaration that he felt ‘just like Jesus’ Son’ way back when, a statement that launched a thousand others who perhaps too have felt like the son of god at one point or another. Many inquiring minds have already said they’d like to know who the song is about, it is certainly an apocalyptic sci-fi tale of epic proportions… perhaps it is about more than just a person? We hope you enjoy it.”
The Seduction of Kansas probes the realities and mythologies of America in 2019. For The Seduction of Kansas, the band took a decidedly less hermetic approach – collaborating with someone outside of their DC-based community for the first time. Finding a kindred spirit in producer John Congleton (Angel Olsen, St. Vincent), the band spent two weeks recording at his Elmwood Studio in Dallas. They also enlisted help from primary bassist and fourth songwriting collaborator, multi-instrumentalist Janel Leppin, who played on the band’s previous album, Nothing Feels Natural. The songwriting process found the group once again analyzing the textures and scopes of albums as aggressive as they are introspective, like Massive Attack’s Mezzanine, Portishead’s Third, and Nine Inch Nails’ Downward Spiral.
Priests will soon embark on a North American tour. Later, they will tour extensively in Europe before returning stateside.
PRIESTS 2019 TOUR DATES Mon. April 15 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer Tue. April 16 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere Thu. April 18 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair Fri. April 19 – Montreal, QC @ Casa Del Popolo Sat. April 20 – Toronto, ON @ The Garrison Sun. April 21 – Detroit, MI @ El Club Mon. April 22 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall Thu. April 25 – Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon Fri. April 26 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry Sat. April 27 – Omaha, NE @ Reverb Sun. April 28 – Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews Tue. April 30 – Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop Wed. May 1 – Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups Sat. May 11 – Brighton, UK @ The Great Escape Sun. May 12 – Bristol, UK @ Rough Trade Mon. May 13 – Manchester, UK @ YES (Pink Room) Tues. May 14 – Glasgow, UK @ The Hug and Pint Wed. May 15 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club Thu. May 16 – London, UK @ 100 Club Fri. 17 May – Lille, FR @ Aeronef Sat. 18 May – Paris, FR @ Supersonic Mon. 20 May – Brussels, BE @ Botanique (Witloof Bar) Tue. 21 May – Cologne, DE @ Bumann & Sohn Wed. 22 May – Munich, DE @ Import/Export Thu. 23 May – Zurich, CH @ Rote Fabrik Fri. 24 May – Heidelberg, DE @ Queer Festival (Karlstorbahnhof) Sat, 25 May – Amsterdam, NL @ London Calling Mon. 27 May – Aarhus DK @ Tape Tue. 28 May – Copenhagen, DK @ Loppen Wed. 29 May – Berlin, DE @ Kantine am Berghain Thu. 30 May – Hamburg, DE @ Hafenklag (Goldener Salon) Fri. 31 May – Hilvarenbeek, NL @ Best Kept Secret Festival Sat. 1 June – Neustrelitz, DE @ Immergut Festival Sat. June 15 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club Sun. June 16 – Durham, NC @ The Pinhook Mon. June 17 – Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn Tue. June 18 – New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa Thu. June 20 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall Fri. June 21 – Austin, TX @ Barracuda Sat. June 22 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada Mon. June 24 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sister Tue. June 25 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar Wed. June 26 – San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar Thu. June 27 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom Sat. June 29 – Oakland, CA @ Starline Social Club Mon. July 1 – Portland, OR @ Polaris Hall Tue. July 2 – Vancouver, BC @ The Bitmore Wed. July 3 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos Sat. July 6 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court Sun. July 7 – Denver, CO @ Lost Lake Tue. July 9 – Kansas City, MO @ The Record Bar Wed. July 10 – St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
PRAISE FOR “GOOD TIME CHARLIE” “The group’s unique twist on rock music has always resisted easy categorization, and these new singles find them continuing to stretch themselves in exciting ways.” – Stereogum
“It’s a heavy topic delivered with a heavy sound, yet Priests still manage to make the song a rollicking good time for all of us, not just Charlie.” – Paste
“‘Good Time Charlie’ sounds like a spaghetti western in a neon hellscape, in the absolute best way possible.” – The FADER
PRE-ORDER THE SEDUCTION OF KANSAS Sister Polygon pre-order – http://sisterpolygonrecords.bigcartel.com iTunes Pre-order – https://apple.co/2TvJs3c
As Partner puts it, “‘Les ailes d’un ange’ (or ‘Angel’s Wings’ in English) is a song based on a poem by Cedric Sims. It is a collaboration in the style of Elton John and Bernie Taupin. It was also inspired by the grand themes and powerful performances found in Céline Dion songs, so we made a French version too.
“This song is about going down to “hell” to face your greatest fears. The song explores how, by having the courage to face your fears head on, you find you possess a strength you never knew. In order to craft this song, we had to face our greatest fears as artists. So form imitates content. Facing our fears is never easy, but there is life on the other side of fear. It’s so important to remind ourselves of this. We hope our listeners can be reminded of this fundamental truth and enjoy the ride!”
Paste Magazine says “it’s a power ballad complete with triumphant strings, an electric guitar solo and some serious glam. But don’t mistake the bells and whistles for overzealousness—Partner never take themselves too seriously.” Listen to “Les ailes d’un ange” HERE
Earlier, Partner shared the video for “Long and McQuade,” an ode to the Canadian music store chain (Watch the video HERE), and the country-bumpkin “Tell You Off” (which you can listen to HERE).
Saturday the 14th, out April 5th, follows Partner’s 2017 debut, In Search of Lost Time ,which landed on NPR, Stereogum, Noisey, Exclaim, and CBC Music year end lists. Pre-order Saturday the 14th HERE.
Bibio, the project of Stephen Wilkinson, shares the second single, “Old Graffiti,” from his upcoming album, Ribbons, which will be released on April 12th via Warp Records.
Wilkinson’s writing process typically starts with a guitar; “There’s at least one in nearly every room of my house,” he discloses. However, on “Old Graffiti” he opted for percussion as the starting point, later adding bass guitar, clavinet and vocals to the shuffling rhythm to build a slice of warm, hazy pop. Each instrument is tempered by Bibio’s imagination; take the clavinet, when Bibio recorded it, he imagined some undiscovered ‘60s French pop track, or the Brazilian-esque shuffling groove created by the brushwork on the snare drum, which was inspired by listening to old Batucada and Capoeira recordings. Adept at pairing these influences, Wilkinson explains: “Like many of my tracks, the influences are mixed and come from quite unrelated sources, but I think that’s true of a lot of modern music, on the surface it might seem like it’s referencing a specific era, but it’s actually referencing several, and doing so from a more distant perspective, a perspective that might not have been as wide several decades ago. Rather than relying on sampling old records to get ‘that sound,’ I like to get to the bare bones and create the parts from scratch, there’s more freedom in doing that, also the challenge of getting the instruments to take on the appropriate timbre and quality is satisfying to get right. I use a mixture of new and vintage gear and instruments to achieve this and processes that I’ve developed myself since my bedroom studio days.” Tracks like “Old Graffiti” are the work of decades of listening and contemplation, and serve as a welcome homecoming of the polymorphic songcraft that Bibio is known for.
Ribbons is Stephen Wilkinson’s ninth album to date and follows the release of his ambient atmospheric project, Phantom Brickworks. Wilkinson’s sound in his latest work can be seen as an extension of the structured songwriting he explored last on 2016’s A Mineral Love, yielding folkloric charm and a mostly acoustic-led approach that looks to ‘60s and ‘70s psychedelia, soul, ambient, electronic and his own field recordings for inspiration.
A self-taught musician, singer and producer, Wilkinson plays nearly all of the instrumental parts on the album and unveils new instruments to his palette, bringing in mandolins, fiddle and other stringed instruments which give a new flavor to his music.
“Almost every song Black Midi performs unfolds in surprising ways, one riff quickly switching to another, one mellow passage blooming into caustic screams and dissonant guitars, songs constantly collapsing in on themselves and being born again.” – Stereogum, “Band To Watch”
“Black Midi are less interested in proving themselves the future of indie rock than in imagining indie rock from the future” – Pitchfork
“They were one of the most talked about groups at SXSW this year, and for good reason—Black Midi laid waste to every stage they stepped onto and damn near burned the city to the ground.” – Paste, “The 20 Best Acts We Saw at SXSW 2019”
“[black midi]’s twisted, slow-burn arrangements, noisy spasms of guitar and panicked vocals conjured visions straight out of a horror movie…” – Chicago Tribune, “12 best up-and-coming bands and artists at SXSW”
Enigmatic London-based black midi shares a caustic new single, “Crow’s Perch,” via Rough Trade Records. The accompanying video, directed and edited by Vilhjálmur Yngvi Hjálmarsson, also known as susan_creamcheese, reflects the track’s frenetic energy, juxtaposing saturated graphics and peculiar scenes with mundane images.
Since forming just over a year ago, black midi — Geordie Greep (vocals/guitar), Cameron Picton (bass/vocals), Matt Kelvin (guitar/vocals) and Morgan Simpson (drums) — have quickly cemented their reputation as one of the hottest new underground bands, following a string of sold-out UK live dates and surprise shows punctuated by constantly shifting sets and blistering musicianship. Recently, the band played their first North American live shows, were named a standout act at SXSW and sold out their first two shows in New York.
Available digitally and as a CD-R single, “Crow’s Perch” is the follow-up to black midi’s “eerily precise and austere” (Pitchfork) “Speedway” single. The “Speedway” single was accompanied by an EP of remixes by Proc Fiskal, Kwake Bass, and Blanck Mass. The 300 copies of their first-ever single, “bmbmbm,” released on Dan Carey’s label, Speedy Wunderground, sold out instantly and had to be re-pressed within the first week.
black midi will return stateside this July to play the Bowery Ballroom in New York, Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, and Minneapolis. All upcoming tour dates are below.
Watch black midi’s “Crow’s Perch” Video — https://youtu.be/A-6hI2Mnb3s
black midi Tour Dates: Sat. April 6 – Brussels, BE @ BRDCST Sat. April 20 – Rotterdam, NL @ Motel Mozaique Sun. May 5 – Manchester, UK @ Sounds From The Other City Thu. May 9 – Sat. May 11 – Brighton, UK @ The Great Escape Festival Sat. May 25 – Totnes, UK @ Sea Change Thu. May 30 – Nimes, FR @ This Is Not A Love Song Festival Fri. May 31 – Düdingen, CH @ Bad Bonn Kilbi Sat. June 1 – Neustrelitz, DE @ Immergut Festival Wed. June 5 – Thu. June 6 – Gothenburg, SE @ Garden Festival Sat. June 8 – Sun. June 9 – Paris, FR @ Villette Sonique Mon. June 10 – Moers, DE @ Moers Festival Sat. June 15 – Bergen, NO @ Bergenfest Tue. June 18 – London, UK @ EartH (Concert Hall) Thu. June 20 – Bristol, UK @ Fiddlers Fri. June 21 – Liverpool, UK @ Phase One Sat. June 22 – Glasgow, UK @ Mono Sun. June 23 – Nottingham, UK @ Contemporary Space Fri. July 5 – Roskilde, DK @ Roskilde Festival Fri. July 5 – Sun. July 7 – Moscow, RU @ Bolь Festival Fri. July 12 – Madrid, ES @ Mad Cool Festival Sun. July 14 – Nijmegen, NL @ Valkhof Festival Thu. July 18 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom Sun. July 21 – Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival Mon. July 22 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry Tue. July 23 – Madison, WI @ The Terrace at University of Wisconsin Fri. July 26 – Hyéres, FR @ Midi Festival Fri. Aug. 2 – Sun. Aug. 4 – Katowice, PL @ Off Festival Sun. Aug. 4 – Waterford, IE @ All Together Now Thu. Aug. 8 – Sat. Aug. 10 – Rees Haldern, DE @ Haldern Pop Sat. Aug. 10 – Oslo, NO @ Øya Festival Fri. Aug. 16 – Viana do Castelo, PT @ Paredes de Coura Fri. Aug. 16 – Sun. Aug. 18 – Biddinghuizen, NL @ Lowlands Festival Sat. Aug. 24 – Gueret, DR @ Check In Party Fri. Aug. 29 – Sun. Sept. 1 – Dorset, UK @ End of the Road Festival Thu. Sept. 19 – Paris, FR @ La Boule Noire Mon. Oct. 7 – Berlin, DE @ Lido Tue. Oct. 8 – Hamburg, DE @ Kampnagel Wed. Oct. 9 – Cologne, DE @ Bumann & Sohn
