Category: Rock

The Rungs release fun dream-pop single – “Trees”

The Rungs premiere “Trees” video, announce forthcoming EP
Brooklyn, NY indie pop trio a la The Cardigans, The Bird and The Bee, Blondie, Chvrches
Watch & share “Trees” video (YouTube) (PopMatters)  

“Delightfully askance pop music which calls to mind the easy, innocent pop of the Bird & The Bee (and by extension Inara George) and the grin-inducing sounds of the Cardigans. ‘Trees’ flits by in the blink of an eye, leaving behind an infectious melody that is as inspiring as it is memorable.” — PopMatters
“Indie/dream-poppy, bouncy, high-tempo and unafraid to playfully change up its own sound every few seconds. This song is so fun.” — Little Indie Blogs
Brooklyn, NY trio The Rungs premiere the charming video for the lead single off of their forthcoming Everyday Visions EP today via PopMatters. Watch and share “Trees” HERE. (Direct YouTube.)
After recording what was going to be their second EP in 2015, indie-pop band The Rungs scrapped it, created a home studio, and started over from scratch. Now set to release later this summer, the 5-song EP Everyday Visions contains vibrant synth melodies, imaginative vocals, inventive guitar riffs, and a healthy dose of experimentation.
The band, which started as a music therapy project for Mandy Gurung, (vocals, songwriting, guitar, production) by husband Diwas Gurung, (guitar, production, songwriting) grew from a duo to a trio over the course of recording the EP, adding their neighborhood friend Steven Bartashev on drums. In addition to playing in The Rungs, all three members actively collaborate with other artists, frequently producing and recording them in their home studio. With Everyday Visions, the band offers a collection of playful and moody songs inspired by the sounds and stories that surround them in Brooklyn NY.
Everyday Visions will be available for download on August 17th, 2018. Pre-orders are available HERE.
Artist: The Rungs
Album: Everyday Visions 
Record Label: self-released
Release Date: August 17th, 2018
01. Trees
02. King of Books
03. Grindstone
04. Balcony
05. Want You To Know

On The Web:

Clutch releases “How to Shake Hands” from upcoming album.

CLUTCH RELEASE SECOND SINGLE TRACK
FROM THE NEW ALBUM “BOOK OF BAD DECISIONS”
Maryland rockers CLUTCH have released the second single from their upcoming album Book of Bad Decisions as an instant gratification track at iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/book-of-bad-decisions/1376829212&app=itunes) and Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CNYD1R7).  Spotify has it here (http://open.spotify.com/album/0uWlwy6wHD7tGV3FfiVBF0)
In addition, a very limited 7” Picture Disc in a transparent PVC pocket hit stores on June 22nd. “How To Shake Hands” is on the blue side and “Gimme The Keys” on the reverse, green side.
Clutch’s song “How to Shake Hands” traces its lineage back to Ry Cooder and John Lee Hooker via the song “John Lee Hooker for President”.  In that song Ry Cooder impersonates JLH giving a stump speech on what will happen when he becomes President.  Clutch’s original idea of covering the Ry Cooder song was soon abandoned as vocalist Neil Fallon said he couldn’t do the song justice.  Instead, Neil put his own lyrics in the style of Ry Cooder/JLH to a new Clutch song which ended up becoming the fast-paced “How to Shake Hands”.
Each of the single releases from Book of Bad Decisions is accompanied by a Spotify playlist put together by one of the band members.  In this instance guitarist Tim Sult is responsible for surrounding “How To Shake Hands” with other songs to his liking:  “Since Neil mentioned Jimi Hendrix and Bill Hicks in ‘How To Shake Hands’, I decided to make a playlist including both.  Classic guitar playing meets classic comedy.  What could go wrong?”
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
Keep your mind open.
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Live – King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Chicago, IL – June 10, 2018

“Intense,” “hot,” and “fucked up” were all phrases I heard used to describe the sold-out King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard show in Chicago on June 10th.  Fans were lined up down the block in hopes to get early access to the Riviera Theatre’s general admission area for the best spots to watch the show or be in the mosh pit.

It was a cool yet humid afternoon and evening.  Fog was high and thick in the city.  You couldn’t see the tops of most buildings.  It was a bit of a surreal image perfect for a psychedelic rock show.  I felt bad for a group of four guys who were asking one of the bouncers for any unclaimed tickets.  They’d driven all the way from Ohio and didn’t know the show was sold out until they arrived.

Unfortunately, I missed Amyl and the Sniffers, as my friend attending with the show with me had a late appointment, but we got in after she went through a near TSA-level search at the door.  We immediately noticed the heat in the place.  A lot of bodies were in there, and the humidity crept in from the streets and into the theatre.  Security was already hauling a sweat-soaked woman who could barely walk out of the stage area as we walked down the foyer.

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard didn’t seem to feel the heat, however.  They only increased it.

The mosh pit started quick.  I didn’t get into this one.  There were so many people there that moving from our spot (between the downstairs bar and the sound booth) to the main floor and pit was nearly impossible.  My friend told me that a lot of the people already looked dehydrated and / or drunk and / or high, and she then remembered that the Spring Awakening electronic music festival had been happening in the city all weekend.  Many had decided to wrap up their weekend with Australian psychedelia after going crazy with dubstep and trance for three days.

King Gizzard ripped through “Lord of Lightning” and got a big reaction for “Rattlesnake”.  One of the high spots of the night for me was hearing a slightly aggressive version of “Sleep Drifter.”  It had an edge to it that you won’t hear on Flying Microtonal Banana.

“Rattlesnake” gets everyone jumping.

The three tracks from Nonagon Infinity got a great response from the crowd, of course.  My friend was describing the show as “intense” by now.  She went to the restroom at one point and came back to tell me, “The real show’s out there (in the foyer).  Some girl is fucked up out there and they’re dragging her and other people outside.”  I made a break for the restroom at one point and discovered the humidity had turned the foyer floor and stairs down to the restroom into a Slip and Slide. I made it there and back without falling, but I’m not sure others were so lucky.

Nonagon infinity opens the door.

I was happy to see the four Ohio guys walk by me with drinks in their hands.  I clapped one on the shoulder and told him I was happy they made it into the show.  The whole crowd was buzzing, both naturally and through chemical means.  My friend was a bit freaked out by part of King Gizzard‘s projections that included a cartoon crocodile flying a biplane.  King Gizzard shows are always wild, and this one was no exception.

Catch them if you can while they’re in the U.S.

Keep your mind open.

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Flasher releases new video and single – “Who’s Got Time?”

FLASHER SHARE VIDEO FOR “WHO’S GOT TIME?”; ON TOUR NOW

CONSTANT IMAGE OUT NOW ON DOMINO RECORDING CO.
(Photo: Amy Breesman)
Washington, DC trio Flasher released their debut album, Constant Image (Domino), less than 2 weeks ago to stunning praise across the board. Today, the band shares a new video for their single “Who’s Got Time?,” a song about the souring of a relationship. The surreal video, directed by Adinah Dancyger, sees the three band members bound through the woods in hazmat suits, ultimately finding themselves. They’re currently on tour in support of Constant Image with Chicago friends Dehd.
WATCH VIDEO FOR “WHO’S GOT TIME?”
http://smarturl.it/WhosGotTimeYT
LISTEN TO CONSTANT IMAGE
FLASHER TOUR DATES

Fri. June 22 – Durham, NC @ The Pinhook w/ Dehd
Sat. June 23 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat w/ Dehd
Thu. July 12 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar
Mon. July 16 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
Tue. July 17 – San Francisco, CA @Rickshaw Stop
Thu. July 19 – Portland, OR @ Bunk Bar
Fri. July 20 – Seattle, WA @ Capitol Hill Block Party
Sat. July 21 – Vancouver, BC @ Fox Cabaret
Mon. July 23 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux
Tue. July 24 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
Wed. July 25 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
Fri. Aug. 10 – Athens, GA @ Georgia Theatre (Athens Popfest)
Mon. Oct. 29 – Berlin, DE @ Cassiopeia
Tue. Oct. 30 – Tue. Hamburg, DE @ Hafenklang
Thu. Nov. 1 – Brussels, BE @ Botanique Witloofbar
Fri. Nov. 2 – Rotterdam, NL @ V11
Sun. Nov. 4 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso (upstairs)
Tue. Nov. 6 – Cardiff, UK @ Clwb Ifor Bach
Wed. Nov. 7 – Sheffield, UK @ Picture House Social
Thu. Nov. 8 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
Fri. Nov. 9 – Glasgow, UK @ The Glad Cafe
Sat. Nov. 10 – Manchester, UK @ Now Wave Venue
Sun. Nov. 11 – Brighton, UK @ The Hope & Ruin
Tue. Nov. 13 – London, UK @ The Lexington
Wed. Nov. 14 – Paris, FR @ L’Olympic Café
Fri. Nov. 16 – Madrid, ES @ La Castanya X at Teatro Barceló
Sat. Nov. 17 – Barcelona, ES @ La Castanya X at Sala Apolo

PRAISE FOR CONSTANT IMAGE

“Only one of this week’s albums feels like it alters my entire brain chemistry every time the next chorus hits, and that’s Constant Image.” – Stereogum, Album of the Week

“What’s surprising—and thrilling—about their debut full-length, Constant Image, is that its social commentary would have felt just as timely at any point in the past 30 years.”
– Pitchfork (7.9)

“This D.C.-based trio’s debut has the muscle and melodicism of modern rock’s brainy, brooding pre-grunge era” – Rolling Stone

“The thrill is in the call-and-response, heard on past songs, but here weaponized like an ecstatic hall of mirrors in the final minute of ‘Skim Milk.'” – NPR Music

“The band masterfully produce politically charged tracks situated in tales of the everyday struggle of people living in America’s political seat.” – Exclaim! (8/10)

“They play hook-filled rock songs, influenced by everything from post-punk to new wave via shoegaze and indie dream pop that’ll inspire the kind of exhilaration and joy that only comes from a group of people who fully understand what your day was like.”
– PopMatters (8/10)

“The band’s gentle, impressionistic lyrics contain careful considerations of
how one might survive as an individual enmeshed in late capitalism, but the stakes of
the songs don’t reveal themselves until you’re already immersed in their bright, optimistic energy.” – Bandcamp

Head here to pre-order the deluxe edition LP available exclusively through the Domino Mart. The deluxe features the album on 150g starburst pink and yellow vinyl. Constant Image is also available as a standard LP, CD, and digitally. 

PRE-ORDER PHYSICAL || PRE-ORDER THE DIGITAL

Download hi-res images and bio here: http://pitchperfectpr.com/flasher/

Flasher Online:
https://flasherdc.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/flasherdc/
http://www.dominorecordco.us/artists/flasher/

Keep your mind open.

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Iceage announces new fall U.S. tour dates with Black Lips.

Iceage Announce North American Co-Headline Tour With Black Lips In Support Of Beyondless, Out Now On Matador Records
 (photo credit: Christian Friedländer)

“On their astonishing fourth album, the Danish punk band reach for pop-gothic grandeur with more tenacity and abandon than ever.” — Pitchfork, [Best New Music]

“‘Beyondless’’s achievement is that it preserves what made Iceage powerful and unique while allowing that character to mature into a sound that feels older, wiser, and more emotionally expansive.” — Vulture

“ …Iceage are the greatest rock and roll band in the world.” — Noisey

“A rush of a record, Iceage’s fourth is Iceage’s best.” — Billboard

“Iceage are going places that aren’t reminiscent of anything else right now. And as a result, they’ve given us their best album yet.” — Stereogum [Album of the Week]
Nearing the homestretch of a massive seven-week tour of North America in support of their new album Beyondless (out now on Matador Records), Iceage – composed of Elias Bender Rønnenfelt (vocals, lyrics), Jakob Tvilling Pless (bass), Dan Kjær Nielsen (drums), and JohanWieth (guitar) – are thrilled to announce they’ll return stateside this fall for a co-headline tour with Black Lips. The tour kicks off Mon. Nov. 5th in Vancouver at the Rickshaw Theatre and wraps with what are sure to be two triumphant shows in the Lips’ hometown of Atlanta on Fri. Nov. 23rd and Sat. Nov. 24th at The Earl. A full list of dates are below, with the newly announced shows on-sale this Friday.

Tonight, Iceage perform in Omaha before making their way towards the east coast. They’ll cap off their current tour with a sold out show in Brooklyn at Market Hotel on Thu. June 28th.

Watch/Listen/Share:
“The Day The Music Dies” Video – http://mat-r.co/TheDayTheMusicDies
“Catch It” Video –  http://mat-r.co/CatchIt
“Pain Killer” feat. Sky Ferreira – http://mat-r.co/PainKiller
“Take It All” –  http://mat-r.co/TakeItAll

Iceage Tour Dates (new dates in bold):
Mon. June 18 – Omaha, NE @ Waiting Room *
Tue. June 19 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St Entry *
Wed June 20 – Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club *
Fri. June 22 – Detroit, MI @ El Club *
Sat. June 23 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace *
Sun. June 24 – Ottawa, ON @ The 27 Club *
Mon. June 25 – Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rossa *
Tue. June 26 – Portsmouth, NH @ 3S Artspace *
Wed. June 27 – Boston, MA @ The Sinclair *
Thu. June. 28 – New York, NY @ Market Hotel *
Fri. July 6 – Valle D’tria, IT @ Viva Festival
Sat. July 7 – Kutna Hora CZ @ Creepy Teepee Festival
Thu. July 12 – Lake Bank, HU @ Bankito Festival
Sat. July 14 – Anykščiai, LT @ Devilstone Festival
Fri. July 20 – Tisvilde-fiskerleje, DK @ Musik i Lejet Festival
Thu. Aug. 30 – Gdansk, PL @ Sounddrive Festival
Fri. Aug. 31 – Hamburg, DE @ Off The Radar Festival
Thu. Aug. 30 – Sun. Sep. 2 – Tollard Royal, UK @ End of the Road Festival
Mon. Sep. 3 – Birmingham, UK @ Hare And Hounds
Tue. Sep. 4 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
Thu. Sep. 6 – Glasgow, UK @ The Great Eastern
Fri. Sep. 7 – Dublin, IE @ Workmans Club
Sat. Sep. 8 – Cardiff, UK @ Clwb iFor Bach
Sun. Sep. 9 – Manchester, UK @ Gorilla
Mon. Sep. 10 – Brighton, UK @ The Haunt
Tue. Sep. 11 – Rotterdamn, NL @ Rotown
Wed. Sep. 12 – Cologne, DE @ Blue Shell
Thu. Sep. 13 – Heidelberg, DE @ Karlstorbahnhof
Fri. Sep. 14 – Leffinge, BE @ Leffingeleuren Festival
Thu. Sep. 20 – Århus, DK @ Tape
Fri. Sep. 21 – Ålborg, DK @ Studenterhuset
Sat. Sep. 22 – Århus, DK @ Tape
Mon. Sep. 24 – Helsinki, FI @ Tavastia
Tue. Sep. 25 – Oslo, NO @ John Dee
Wed. Sep. 26 – Stockholm, SE @ Debaser
Thu. Sep. 27 – Göteborg, SE @ Pustervik
Fri. Sep. 28 – Odense, DK @ Kansas City
Sat. Sep. 29 – Copenhagen, DK @ Journey Festival
Fri. Oct. 26 – Porto, PT @ Hard Club
Sat. Oct. 27 – Lisbon, PT @ Jameson Urban Routes Festival
Sun. Oct. 28 – Sevilla, ES @ Sala X
Mon. Oct. 29 – Madrid, ES @ El Sol
Tue. Oct. 30 – Barcelona, ES @ Le [2]
Thu. Nov. 1 – Lyon, FR @ Le Sonic
Thu. Nov. 1 – Sun. Nov. 4 – Torino, IT @ club to club festival
Fri. Nov. 3 – Zurich, CH @ Rote Fabrik
Mon. Nov. 5 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre # ^
Tue. Nov. 6 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox # ^
Wed. Nov. 7 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom # ^
Fri. Nov. 9 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall # ^
Sat. Nov. 10 – Pomona, CA @ The Glass House # ^
Sun. Nov. 11 – Tustin, CA @ Marty’s On Newport # ^
Mon. Nov. 12 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent Theater # ^
Tue. Nov. 13 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues # ^
Wed. Nov. 14 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom # ^
Fri. Nov. 16 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater # ^
Sat. Nov. 17 – Austin, TX @ The Mohawk # ^
Sun. Nov. 18 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall Downstairs # ^
Mon. Nov. 19 – New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks # ^
Tue. Nov. 20 – Birmingham, AL @ Saturn # ^
Fri. Nov. 23 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl # ^
Sat. Nov. 24 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl # ^
Sun. Nov. 25 – New York, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Tue. Nov. 27 – New York, NY @ Elsewhere

* = with Mary Lattimore
# = with Black Lips
^ = with Surfbort

Purchase Beyondless – http://smarturl.it/Beyondless

Keep your mind open.

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Clutch announces new U.S. tour dates with Sevendust.

CLUTCH ANNOUNCE BOOK OF BAD DECISIONS TOUR DATES WITH
SEVENDUST AND TYLER BRYAN & THE SHAKEDOWN
June 19th, 2018 – Clutch has just announced US/Canada Fall tour dates for their “Book Of Bad Decisions Tour 2018.”  Clutch is making the following special offer for this tour:  The price of a ticket when purchased in advance online includes a physical CD copy of Clutch‘s new album “Book of Bad Decisions.”   Fans will receive information on how to redeem the album after purchasing the advance ticket online.  Offer valid through 10/29/18, open to US residents only.  Not valid on Resale tickets.  Offer only valid for Clutch headline dates.  Festivals, Canadian headline dates and the October 13th date with System of a Down are exempt from this offer.  Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, June 22nd at 10AM local time and will be available at www.pro-rock.com and www.facebook.com/clutchband.
Supporting the tour will be Sevendust and Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown.
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.
Clutch Book Of Bad Decisions Tour with Sevendust and Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown:
Sun/Sep-16  Chicago IL  Riotfest **
Tue/Sep-18  St Paul, MN  Myth Live
Wed/Sep-19  Kansas City, MO  Uptown Theater
Fri/Sep-21  Houston TX  House of Blues
Sat/Sep-22  San Antonio TX  River City Rock Fest **
Sun/Sep-23  Dallas, TX  Gas Monkey Live
Tue/Sep-25  Orlando, FL  House Of Blues
Thu/Sep-27  Norfolk, VA  The NorVa
Fri/Sep-28  Raleigh, NC  The Ritz
Sat/Sep-29  Atlanta, GA  The Masquerade *
Sun/Sep-30  Louisville, KY  Louder Than Life **
Tue/Oct-02  Denver, CO  Ogden Theater
Wed/Oct-03  Salt Lake City, UT  The Depot
Fri/Oct-05  Boise, ID  Knitting Factory
Sat/Oct-06  Spokane, WA  Knitting Factory
Sun/Oct-07  Seattle, WA  Showbox SODO
Mon/Oct-08  Vancouver, BC  Commodore Ballroom
Tue/Oct-09  Portland, OR  Roseland Theater
Thu/Oct-11  San Francisco, CA  The Regency Ballroom
Fri/Oct-12  Los Angeles, CA  El Rey Theater
Sat/Oct-13  San Bernardino, CA  Glen Helen Amphitheater w/SOAD ***
Sun/Oct-14  San Diego, CA  North Park/Observatory
Mon/Oct-15  Tempe, AZ  The Marquee
Wed/Oct-17  Tulsa, OK  Cain’s Ballroom
Thu/Oct-18  Sauget, IL  Pop’s Nightclub
Fri/Oct-19  Grand Rapids, MI  20 Monroe Live
Sat/Oct-20  Detroit, MI  The Filmore Detroit
Sun/Oct-21  Pittsburgh, PA  Stage AE
Tue/Oct-23  Toronto, ON  Rebel
Thu/Oct-25  Worcester, MA  The Palladium
Fri/Oct-26  New York, NY  Irving Plaza
Sat/Oct-27  New York, NY  Irving Plaza
Sun/Oct-28  Philadelphia, PA  Electric Factory
*= no Sevendust
** = festival date / Clutch and festival bill only
*** = date w/ System of a Down/ no Sevendust
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:
Keep your mind open.
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Here Lies Man – You Will Know Nothing

Here Lies Man was introduced to me via their label (RidingEasy Records) with the following question – “What if Black Sabbath played Afrobeat?”

I’m not sure I can sum up HLM’s sound better than that.  They’re from Los Angeles (and consist of members of Antibalas), so it’s tempting to say there’s a touch of southern California rock and surf in there.  However, the majority of their sound is a blend of heavy riffs and Afrobeat rhythms.  It works.  Good heavens, does it work.

The heavy organ and crunchy guitar of “Animal Noises” get things off to a great start.  It sounds like a couple wild boars grunting alongside jungle birds.  It also cuts out and then fades back in with delicate psychedelic brush strokes.  “Summon Fire” could probably do exactly that under the right circumstances.  The guitar licks are hot enough, and the drums are perfect for a dance around the fire while spinning a spear overhead.  The lyrics are belted out like something from Parliament Funkadelic.  “Blindness” is a mostly instrumental with great organ / keyboard work throughout it, especially on the gothic fade-out that would make Bauhaus proud.

“That Much Closer to Nothing” is a good, yet bleak, way to describe living.  The title and the sludge-like riffs are nihilistic at first, but then blossom with an infectious energy that let you know that letting go of all your trappings is a good thing.  Those Sabbath influences are front and center on “Hell (Wooly Tail).”  The bass slithers, the guitars chug, the drums bubble, and the keys melt.  The songs ends with a child’s voice telling us to “Look in the mirror.”  It lends a bit of creepiness to the title of the next track – “Voices at the Window.”   The song is like a fog through which you see what may or may not be a deer along the road as you’re driving at 65mph.  In other words, it’s misty and a bit frightening.

The choppy, fuzzy sounds of “Taking the Blame” are heavy and will get your neck moving like a bobble head figure.  “Fighting” was the first single off the record, and choosing it was a no-brainer.  The groove on it is excellent and belongs at the top of your next workout playlist.  “Floating on Water” follows, and its one of the best psychedelic dream-rock songs of the year.  It like concentric ripples in a mountain lake.  “Memory Games” brings Cream to mind with its floor-stomping blues-based groove.  The closer is the lovely “You Ought to Know” – an instrumental that puts together shoegaze, stoner rock, psychedelia, and space rock / lounge.

You Will Know Nothing is the type of album that you can put on a loop and listen to three times in a row without getting bored.  It’s funky, heavy, and a great cure for anything ailing you right now.

Keep your mind open.

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Protomartyr drop new single ahead of “Consolation” EP due tomorrow.

PROTOMARTYR SHARE “YOU ALWAYS WIN” FEAT. KELLEY DEAL

“CONSOLATION E.P.” OUT TOMORROW ON DOMINO

Tomorrow marks the release of the new EP from Protomartyr, “Consolation E.P.,” on Domino Recording Co. Earlier today, Beats 1 premiered the song “You Always Win,” which, like previous shared single “Wheel of Fortune,” features vocals from Kelley Deal.  Protomartyr’s Joe Casey said the following about the final song on the EP:

“You Always Win” is the last song on our EP. That reminds me of three things. First; “good things come to those that wait”. I think that’s what is called an adage. I don’t know if waiting through three other quality songs counts, but I think it might. Second; this quote: “I did not get my Spaghetti-O’s; I got spaghetti. I want the press to know this.”

That’s the last words of some murderer, apparently. I think that means this song could have been something out of a can. Sure, murderers would have liked it fine but this is good, musical spaghetti. And the reason it’s spaghetti brings me to my third thought: Kelley Deal made this song great. It could have been flat circles in tomato gravy. Kelley, in her genius, elevated it to the thing you are hearing now. Beautiful sound pasta? I suppose.

Kelley Deal had this to say of “You Always Win”:

I listened to Protomartyr’s demo for “You Always Win” and thought of Sinatra and old Las Vegas. The band were into it, so Mike Montgomery and I worked with Lori Goldston (cello), Jocelyn Hach (viola) and Evan Ziporyn (bass clarinet) to create the sound of candy-coated corruption for Joe’s characters to inhabit. “It’s what I must do.”

LISTEN TO “YOU ALWAYS WIN”
https://youtu.be/VVLp32EjrSo

PRE-ORDER “CONSOLATION E.P.”
http://smarturl.it/ConsolationEP

PROTOMARTYR TOUR DATES
Fri. June 15 – Beijing, CN @ Yue Space
Sat. June 16 – Shanghai, CN @ YYT
Sun. June 17 – Seoul, KR @ V-Hall
Wed. June 20 – Kuala Lumpur, MY @ Live Fact
Thu. June 21 – Jakarta, ID @ Rossi Musik
Sat. June 23 – Athens, GR @ Ejekt Festival
Fri. July 6 – Modena, IT @ Arti Vive
Sat. July 7 – Chiusi, IT @ Lars Rock Fest
Sun. July 22 – Los Angeles, CA @ Shrine Expo Hall w/ My Bloody Valentine
Sat. Aug. 11 – Haldern, DE @ Haldern Pop Festival
Sun. Aug. 12 – Luxembourg, LU @ Rotondes
Mon. Aug. 13 – Dusseldorf, DE @ Zakk
Tue. Aug. 14 – Bremen, DE @ Tower Musikclub
Thu. Aug. 16 – Nijmegen, NL @ Doornroosje
Fri. Aug. 17 – Biddinghuizen, NL @ Lowlands Festival
Sat. Aug 18 – Hasselt, BE @ Pukkelpop Festival
Sun. Aug. 19 – St. Malo, FR @ La Route Du Rock
Tue. Aug. 21 – Dudingen, CH @ Bad Bonn
Wed. Aug. 22 – Zurich, CH @ Mascotte
Fri. Aug. 24 – Schorndorf, DE @ Club Manufaktur
Sat. Aug 25 – Charleville Mezieres, FR @ Cabaret Vert Festival
Sun. Aug. 26 – Ramsgate, UK @ Ramsgate Hall
Tue. Aug. 28 – Sheffield, UK @ Picture House Social
Wed. Aug. 29 – Hebden Bridge, UK @ Trades Club
Thu. Aug. 30 – Liverpool, UK @ O2 Academy 2
Fri. Aug. 31 – Salisbury, UK @ End of the Road Festival
Thu. Aug. 30 – Sun. Sept. 2 – Vlieland, NL @ Into the Great Wide Open
Mon. Sept. 3 – Groningen, NL @ Vera
Fri. Sept. 28 – Detroit, MI @ MOCAD Homestead w/ Deerhunter

PRAISE FOR RELATIVES IN DESCENT

“Political, environmental, epistemological, social, familial and individual anxieties fuel the latest songs by Protomartyr, a band from Detroit that has been reclaiming the jagged, muscular dissonances of post-punk for 21st-century America.”
– The New York Times (Album of the Week)

“A slow-burn apocalypse of ennui and injustice crackles through the sensational fourth album from these Detroit post-punks.” – The Guardian (5/5 stars)

“Brooding and abrasive, the Detroit post-punk group’s new LP isn’t for the faint of heart – but beauty lies in its 12 knotty, pummeling tunes.” – Entertainment Weekly

“Over the course of four full-length albums, the Detroit-based band has produced a collection of lyrically dense, deeply philosophical (and usually very loud) songs that grapple with some of life’s thorniest questions: What does it mean to be human? What is truth? What is the nature of good and evil?” – NPR Music

“Consolation E.P.” is available to pre-order now on limited pressing yellow/white starburst vinyl via Domino, and limited pressing gold vinyl via your local independent record store.

“Consolation E.P.” Domino pre-order: http://smarturl.it/ConsolationEPMart
“Consolation E.P.” Digital pre-order: http://smarturl.it/ConsolationEPDL

Relatives In Descent Domino Mart: http://smarturl.it/RIDMart
Relatives In Descent iTunes: http://smarturl.it/RIDDownload

Keep your mind open.
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Deap Vally release new surfy single, “Get Gone,” and new UK and Europe tour dates.

Power rock duo Deap Vally have a new road trippy single, “Get Gone,” just in time for summer and their upcoming tour through the UK and Europe.  They’re also working on a new record, which is nothing but great news.  Catch them if you can.

June 22 – Southside Festival @ Neuhausen ob Eck, Germany  TICKETS
June 23 – Hurricane Festival @ Scheessel, Germany  TICKETS
June 24 – Cafe De Zwerver @ Leffinge, Belgium TICKETS
June 27 – The Grand Social @ Dublin, Ireland TICKETS
June 28 – The Limelight @ Belfast, Ireland TICKETS
June 30 – Queens of The Stone Age and Friends @ Finsbury Park, United Kingdom TICKETS
July 1 – The Plug @ Sheffield, United Kingdom TICKETS
July 2 – Castle & Falcon @ Birmingham, United Kingdom TICKETS
July 3 – Muni Arts Centre @ Pontypridd, United Kingdom TICKETS
July 8 – Pointu Festival @ Six-Fours-Les-Plagues, France TICKETS
July 10th – Atles Hallenbad Feldkirch @ Feldkirch, Austria TICKETS
July 11th – Full Hit of Summer @ Vienna, Austria TICKETS

Keep your mind open.

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Howard release new single, “Your Honor,” from album due September 14th.

Howard Announce New Album, Together Alone, Out September 14th on Fashion People; Watch Video For First Single, “Your Honor”
https://youtu.be/JXRHCs5ZZms
(photo credit: Sonya Kitchell)

“The video’s kitschy collage-style animation, as well as the zany, exaggerated expressions of the band’s characters, elevate the classic outsider-falls-for-girl narrative into something refreshing and whimsical.” — NPR Music on “Your Honor” video

“…a stellar introduction…” — Stereogum on Religion

“Slow building electronics swirl forward, urging you to get wrapped up in the call to prayer that is Feibusch’s vocals.” — Consequence of Sound on Religion
Howard, the Brooklyn-based outfit composed of Howard Feibusch (guitar, vocals), Alex Chakour (guitar, synth, backup vocals), Myles Heffernan (bass), and Chris Holdridge (drums), are thrilled to announce their new album, Together Alone, out September 14th on Fashion People.

The video for the album’s first single, “Your Honor,” was directed by Joey Abisso and premiered on NPR Music earlier this morning. He says, “We wanted to strike a unique balance between elegant, zany, and playful, which led to the ‘Life Magazine,’ Monty Python, construction paper visual combo of the final video. The weird little story came about pretty organically alongside the visual style…it was a lot of fun directing everyone to make silly facial expressions at various angles and dropping the results onto their animated bodies.” Watch the video below.

Watch Howard’s “Your Honor” video — 
https://youtu.be/JXRHCs5ZZms
Together Alone follows Howard’s debut album, 2015’s Religion, and it’s companion EP, Please Recycle. It’s the first album from 30-year-old multifaceted bandleader Howard Feibusch’s project to be recorded with the full band that so capably toured behind Religion; it’s also an aching, restless, and altogether lovely document of the paradoxical sensation in which we feel more isolated than ever in the face of increasing togetherness and connectivity—a modern sentiment wrapped in music that’s timeless in its timbre.

Together Alone finds Howard venturing further out of their comfort zone and using their full-band capabilities to their greatest advantage—a full-bodied warmth, aided by horn contributions from the famed Daptone musical family. No sonic stone is left unturned here, from the gently rollicking and subtly psychedelic “Mothers Wedding” (shared last fall) to the brittle, dusty desert rock of “Oh Dear Brother.” You can hear a variety of influences here, from the winsome sounds of Athens’ Elephant 6 collective to Amnesiac-era Radiohead and the distant lullabies of the Everly Brothers—but they all coalesce to form a sound that is truly its own. It’s untethered from the present and applicable to the plight of humanity at large—but it represents Feibusch and his band finding themselves, too, necessary hope for anyone who’s ever dreamed of turning the thoughts in their heads into something tangible and real.

Listen/Share:
“Mother’s Wedding” stream (first single from Together Alone) — https://spoti.fi/2xJ1Wab
“Ooh Baby Baby” stream (Smokey Robinson cover) — https://spoti.fi/2sFVyuK
“Tracks of My Tears” stream (Smokey Robinson cover) — https://spoti.fi/2Jku2dv
Stream Religion (2015) — https://spoti.fi/2xHCulr
Stream Please Recycle EP (2016) — https://spoti.fi/2HkDHyG



Pre-order Together Alone — https://listentohoward.bandcamp.com/

Download hi-res images & album art — http://pitchperfectpr.com/howard/

(Together Alone Cover Art)

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