King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have announced Chunky Shrapnel; a feature length music documentary film and accompanying Double LP to be released in April 2020.
The album will be released digitally on April 24th with vinyl pre-orders available on April 10th. The film will premiere online April 17th.
“Chunky Shrapnel was made for the cinema but as both concerts and films are currently outlawed, it feels poetic to release a concert-film digitally right now. Get the loudest speakers you’ve got, turn ‘em up and watch Chunky on the biggest telly you can find. Get heaps of snacks and convert your lounge room into a cinema.” Stu Mackenzie
A musical road movie dipped in turpentine, Chunky Shrapnel is a point of view/on stage experience from the perspective of King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. Once a song begins, just like the band, you’re stuck in the adrenaline fueled quick sand that there is no escape from. The film’s contention is clear from the outset, it’s going to be a “journey” not a “lecture”, an incurved experience rather than a linear one.
The band, nor the film-makers were interested in making a self congratulatory “behind the scenes expose” film. It was a direct decision to keep the inner workings of the band’s personality at arms length, it is the music they were interested in exploring. The approach was taken that the film’s protagonist should be the “on stage” performances, that was the focus. With this, they abandoned multiple cameras and cross cutting during performances, turning the camera into a vehicle for the audience to experience the show through, rather than placing them in a crowd or side of stage. At 96 minutes, Chunky Shrapnel more than earns its length. At times gently holding your hand and at other times smashing a bottle over your head and dumping your body in a heaving crowd. There is an inevitability to the film, a driving, ever accelerating spiral that climaxes in a 15 minute medley that spans four countries.
Chunky Shrapnel is directed by John Angus Stewart and scored by Stu Mackenzie.
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[Thanks to Flightless Records for this press release.]
Chicago-based band Melkbelly will release PITH, their multidimensional and strikingly textural new album, on April 3rd via Wax Nine / Carpark Records. Today, they offer a new single/video, “Sickeningly Teeth,”which follows previously released singles “Humid Heart” and “LCR.” In conjunction, they share dates for their recently rescheduled North American tour.
“Sickeningly Teeth” is in step with Melkbelly’s unabashed loudness and is “a cough syrup induced self-reflection.” Miranda Winters’ bright vocals are delayed and hazy over raucous instrumentation and periodic tempo shifts.
The accompanying video was directed by Marty Schousboe (Joe Pera Talks With You), who also created the videos for Melkbelly’s “Bathroom at the Beach” and “Kid Kreative.” The “Sickeningly Teeth” video completes the Melkbelly Trilogy and is an obvious homage to the greatest trilogy of all time, “The Matrix”. It stars, among others, John Reynolds (Search Party), and is tastefully laden with delightful gross-outs. WATCH MELKBELLY’S VIDEO FOR “SICKENINGLY TEETH” https://youtu.be/ghumw7Ji-P4
PITH was summoned from a place of mourning following the loss of a close friend. Miranda Winters drew from diverse scenes—Grimm-like children’s stories too dark for kids; thorny, mossy forests—to create stories that feel distinctly Melkbellian: philosophically strange, strikingly textural, funny and sad and open-hearted.
Recording in two short sessions six months apart, the band worked with longtime collaborator Dave Vettraino, this time at Bloomington, Indiana’s Russian Recording. Alongside an arsenal of rock gear and airy synth layers coaxed from a Moog Prodigy, PITH’s was refined by the studio’s collection of rare Russian tube mics, which were placed in every corner to capture Melkbelly’s compelling intensity. WATCH THE VIDEO FOR “HUMID HEART” https://youtu.be/4hMYGDBE7sg
MELKBELLY TOUR DATES Sat. Aug. 15 – Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village Tue. Aug. 18 – Toronto, ON @ Baby G Wed. Aug. 19 – Montreal, QC @ La Vitrola Thu. Aug. 20 – Providence, RI @ Columbus Theater Sun. Aug. 23 – Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool Wed. Aug. 26 – Washington, DC @ Comet Ping Pong Thu. Aug. 27 – Philadelphia, PA @ Boot & Saddle Fri. Aug. 28 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Roboto
PRAISE FOR MELKBELLY
“’LCR,’ the album’s lead single, exhibits their chaotic finesse — it’s an intricately put-together tower of noise, filled with bleary moments of relief from leader Miranda Winters” – Stereogum
“‘Humid Heart’ is adrift in a mesh of interlocking bass and guitar. The chords seem to link up and split on a whim, the aural equivalent of that push-pull of normality that comes with sudden loss. It all comes to a head in the final freakout, which ends like an abrupt snap back to reality.” – Consequence of Sound
“At the helm of Why Bonnie, Blair Howerton writes glossy, synth- and string-inflected guitar-pop songs that fit a mighty, beating heart underneath all the gleaming hooks.” – NPR Music
“‘Voice Box’ is hazy and swooning, a gorgeous introduction to Why Bonnie’s new era that’s equal parts gauzy and fried.” – Stereogum
“…dreamy and immediate rock songs in the style of, say, Alvvays or TOPS, are arresting because of this constant push-pull; each track is like a Sisyphean walk towards dream-pop heaven” – The FADER
Ahead of the release of their new EP, Voice Box, out April 10th via Fat Possum, Austin-based band Why Bonnie share a new single/video, “Athlete.” Following the recently-released title track, Breeders-inspired “Athlete” endeavors self-doubt in a blistering metaphor of failed sportsmanship. Over loud, anthemic guitar and crashing percussion, frontwoman Blair Howerton sings “about the frustration of not being able to keep up with the ‘team’ and learning to laugh when you fumble.“
Its accompanying video, directed by Alex Winker, is essentially a charming, fun day for the band filmed on VHS. “‘Athlete’ is the most ‘rock and roll’ track on the EP so we wanted to make a video that embodied that, but also felt like casual, day-in-the-life footage,” says the band. “Kind of like watching a home movie that you found in a box in your parents’ attic, but instead of you as a three-year old on the soccer field, you’re a grown adult with about the same skill level.”
The Voice Box EP follows 2018’s In Water EP, which eulogized Howerton’s older brother, who passed away years prior. Follow-up Nightgown expanded the effort, pulling lush Mazzy Star and Cranberries influences. Voice Box celebrates unhindered expression through beguiling, propulsive guitar pop. Fuzzed-out guitars and crystalline vocals drive a tough-edged struggle in the space between suppression and artistic liberty. Howerton explains: “It encapsulates a disconnect between my inner and outer world, and not being able to express myself authentically because of that. But, ultimately knowing I will crash and burn if I don’t.”
Why Bonnie is the dazzling, full-band emotional release of Howerton. In a decisive step to start performing her backlogged material, Howerton moved back home to Texas after graduating college in 2015. In Austin, Howerton joined lifelong best friend Kendall Powell, who she met in preschool. Powell’s classical piano chops swapped to synth for the new project. Both active in the Austin scene, guitarist Sam Houdek and bassist Chance Williams later joined to complete the lineup. Watch the Video for “Voice Box” https://youtu.be/Ptt9ZEne38Q
Warp Records is pleased to announce their new signing, Brighton-based five-piece Squid – comprised of Louis Borlase (guitars/vocals), Ollie Judge (drums/vocals), Arthur Leadbetter (keyboards/strings/percussion), Laurie Nankivell (bass/brass) and Anton Pearson (guitars/vocals). In conjunction with the announcement, Squid present their richly percussive and sonically shifting new single, “Sludge,” which sees the band opening up their sound with the experimentation and playfulness that made them such an exciting prospect when they burst on the scene just over a year ago.
Thematically, Squid’s previous releases — “The Cleaner,” “Houseplants” and “Match Bet” — have been more character driven with Squid looking at the people around them, but on “Sludge” the band is in a more introspective state of mind; simultaneously seeking a wider commentary, but approaching it with an idiosyncratic precision and a lighthearted demeanor.
“Sludge” was initially conceived during a soundcheck while supporting seminal post-punk group Wire, a fitting way to begin this new chapter for a band who have built so much of their reputation on their incendiary live shows. The track sees the band team up again with Dan Carey, who was recently deemed “Producer of the Year” by the Music Producers Guild.
This wild and restless creativity points the way forward for more exciting things to come from Squid. As FADER commented, “Just when you think the British five-piece have settled into a groove and aligned themselves to a sound, they flip the script and hit you with something new.”
Squid Tour Dates: Tue. April 14 – Amsterdam, NL @ Amsterdam Arena with Foals Fri. April 17 – Rotterdam, NL @ Motel Mozaique Sat. May 16 – Leicester, UK @ Wide Eyed Sun. May 17 – Dublin, IE @ Eastbound Sun. May 24 – Paris, FR @ Villette Sonique Sat. May 30 – Neustelitz, DE @ Immergut Festival Wed. June 3 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound Fri. June 5 – London, UK @ Wide Awake Festival Fri. June 12 – Sun. June 14 – Bergen, NL @ Best Kept Secret Fri. June 12 – Sun. June 14 – Helsinki, FI @ Sideways Festival Wed. July 1 – Roskilde, DE @ Roskilde Festival Sat. July 4 – Belfort, FR @ Eurockeennes Wed. July 22 – London, UK @ Scala (RESCHEDULED) Thu. Aug 6 – Haldern Rees, DE @ Haldern Pop Mon. Aug 10 – Prague, CZ @ Underdogs Wed. Aug 12 – Hamburg, DE @ Molotow Skybar Fri. Aug 14 – Oya, SE @ Oya Festivalen Wed. Aug. 19 – Sun. Aug. 23 – Coura, PT @ Paredes de Coura Mon. Aug. 24 – Brighton, UK @ Chalk (RESCHEDULED) Tue. Sept. 1 – Bedford, UK @ Bedford Esquires (RESCHEDULED) Thu. Sept. 3 – Southampton, UK @ Joiners (RESCHEDULED) Thu. Sept. 3 – Sun. Sept. 6 – Salisbury, UK @ End of the Road Festival Tue. Sept. 8 – Birmingham, UK @ Castle and Falcon (RESCHEDULED) Wed. Sept. 9 – York, UK @ The Crescent (RESCHEDULED) Thu. Sept. 10 – Hebden Bridge, UK @ The Trades Club (RESCHEDULED) Sat. Sept. 12 – Manchester, UK @ The White Hotel (matinee) (RESCHEDULED) Sat. Sept. 12 – Manchester, UK @ The White Hotel (evening) (RESCHEDULED) Sun. Sept. 13 – Edinburgh, UK @ Summerhall (RESCHEDULED) Mon. Sept. 14 – Newcastle, UK @ The Cluny (RESCHEDULED) Wed. Sept. 16 – Norwich, UK @ Norwich Arts Centre (RESCHEDULED) Thu. Nov. 5 – Reykjavík, IS @ Iceland Airwaves
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Clutch announce the release of the new studio recording of the track “Willie Nelson.” The single is the sixth in a series of new studio recordings that comprise the Weathermaker Vault Series.
“Willie Nelson is a song we wrote close to 20 years ago,” says Neil Fallon. “It started making appearances in our sets recently, so we figured now was a good time to re-record it. This time around Shawna Potter (War On Women) added back up vocals and is in the video as well. And for what it’s worth, ‘Red Headed Stranger’ gets regular play on our tour bus.” The single was recently re-recorded and remixed by J. Robbins (Jawbox, Jawbreaker, The Sword, Against Me!), and the track comes in at 3:21. “Willie Nelson” was originally released in 2003 on Clutch’s album Slow Hole To China: Rare and Unreleased “Willie Nelson.”
Acclaimed UK producer and engineer MattKarmil will release his new album, STS371, on March27th via SmalltownSupersound, and today presents a new single, “210.” Following lead single “PB,” “210” opens with shuffling synthesizer, later quickening with a muted, staccato beat.
“210 is named after a hotel room in Amsterdam,” says Karmil, “although not one I’ve ever stayed in. I like the way the chord hangs in the air and it’s, to me at least, somehow both intimate and urgent.”
STS371 is Karmil’s most concise album to date, with his signature mix of minimalism and reverb-drenched house still being the backbone of his warm, rich, atmospheric and melancholic sound. It was made largely while Karmil was traveling in a nonlinear process of recording. Anticipating the completion of his music studio in The Cotswolds in England, Karmil favored “on the fly” production methods to finish his album.
While his works fit within the tradition of techno’s timeless anonymity, Karmil’s highly personal music is anything but a xerox on dance music’s previous life. As Karmil puts it – minimally, simply and functionally: “I made a conscious effort to up the energy, and found a collection of tunes that felt coherent to me.”
STS371 follows 2018’s Will. Since the release of Will he has co-produced and mixed KornélKovács’ acclaimed StockholmMarathon. He has also worked with, among many others, MatiasAguayo for CrammedDiscs and Talaboman for R&S, as an engineer, mixing and mastering.
Today Protomartyr announce their fifth album, Ultimate SuccessToday, out May 29th on Domino. Following the release of Relatives In Descent, the band’s critically acclaimed headlong dive into the morass of American life in 2017 (featured on myriad “best of” lists, including The New York Times, Esquire, Newsweek, and more), Ultimate Success Today continues to further expand the possibilities of what a Protomartyr album can sound like. Along with today’s album announcement, the band shares the video for their first single “Processed By The Boys,” and announces a summer North American tour. WATCH THE VIDEO FOR “PROCESSED BY THE BOYS” http://smarturl.it/PBTBYT
PRE-ORDER ULTIMATE SUCCESS TODAY Domino Mart | Digital “There is darkness in the poetry of Ultimate Success Today,” says punk legend, founding member of the Raincoats, and friend of the band Ana da Silva. “The theme of things ending, above all human existence, is present and reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. Our world has reached a point that makes us afraid: fires, floods, earthquakes, hunger, war, intolerance…There are cries of despair. Is there hope? Greed is the sickness that puts life in danger.”
“The re-release of our first album had me thinking about the passage of time and its ultimate conclusion,” says singer Joe Casey of Ultimate Success Today. “Listening to No Passion All Technique again, I could hear myself hoping for an introduction and a long future, but also being cognizant that it could be ‘one and done’ for us. So, when it came time to write Ultimate Success Today, I was reminded of that first urgency and how it was an inverse of my current grapple with how terribly ill I’ve been feeling lately. Was that sick feeling coloring how I felt about the state of the world or was it the other way around?”
“This panic was freeing in a way. It allowed me to see our fifth album as a possible valediction of some confusingly loud five-act play. In the same light I see it as an interesting mile marker of our first decade of being a band – a crest of the hill along a long highway. Although just to cover my bases, I made sure to get my last words in while I still had the breath to say them.”
“There are exquisite, subtle gifts from other instruments that always heighten the guitar, instead of fighting with it,” explains da Silva. “They help to create a harmonious wall of sound all of its own. This was intentional. Greg Ahee wanted to use different textures other than pedals, and the drone quality of some of those instruments colours the guitar and the whole sound with a warm, rich in reverb, yet all-consuming landscape for Joe Casey’s voice.”
The video for “Processed By The Boys,” directed by David Allen & Nathan Faustyn and produced by HLPTV & LooseMeat.Biz, is a play on a bizarre Brazilian TV clip the band became infatuated with. A man sings to a studio audience, while a member of the audience becomes enraged by a puppet, leading the whole situation to devolve into total chaos. “As soon as we heard the concept, we knew how to take the band’s ideas and coalesce them into this sort of timeless public access chaos,” says Faustyn. “Because of the nature of HLPTV & LooseMeat.Biz and who we are – professional and hobbyist technicians – we knew we could pull off a really strange, funny and sardonically dark compendium to this song that is equally such.”
Protomartyr is Joe Casey (vocals), Greg Ahee (guitars), Alex Leonard (drums), and Scott Davidson (bass guitar). Ultimate Success Today was recorded at Dreamland Recording Studios, a late 19th century church, in upstate New York and co-produced by the band and David Tolomei (Dirty Projectors, Beach House) with mixing by Tolomei. Featured guest musicians on the album include Nandi Rose (vocals) a.k.a. Half Waif, jazz legend Jemeel Moondoc (alto sax), Izaak Mills (bass clarinet, sax, flute), and Fred Lonberg-Holm (cello).
Ultimate Success Today is available to pre-order now on LP, CD and digital formats. A limited blue-in-red colored edition of the LP is available exclusively on the Domino Mart.
ULTIMATE SUCCESS TODAY TRACKLISTING
1. Day Without End 2. Processed By The Boys 3. I Am You Now 4. The Aphorist 5. June 21 6. Michigan Hammers 7. Tranquilizer 8. Modern Business Hymns 9. Bridge & Crown 10. Worm In Heaven
PROTOMARTYR TOUR DATES (new dates in bold)
Mon. April 27 – London, UK @ Peckham Audio – SOLD OUT Tue. April 28 – London, UK @ The Lexington – SOLD OUT Wed. April 29 – Paris, FR @ La Boule Noire – SOLD OUT Thu. April 30 -Utrecht, NL @ Ekko – SOLD OUT Sat. May 2 -Berlin, DE @ Ubran Spree Sun. May 3 – Berlin, DE @ Urban Spree Mon. May 4 – Groningen, NL @ Vera Tue. May 5 – Brussels, BE @ Nuits Botanique Mon. June 1 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Tue. June 2 – Montreal, QC @ Le Ritz Wed. June 3 – Boston, MA @ Sinclair Thu. June 4 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere Sat. June 6 – Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts Sun. June 7 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat Tue. June 9 – Raleigh, NC @ Kings Wed. June 10 – Atlanta, GA @ Earl Thu. June 11 – New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa Fri. June 12 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada Mon. June 15 – Tucson, AZ @ Hotel Congress Tue. June 16 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge Wed. June 17 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah Thu. June 18 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room Fri. June 19 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room Sat. June 20 – Oakland, CA @ Starline Social Club Mon. June 22 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom Tue. June 23 – Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Fri. June 26 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry Sat. June 27 – Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club Sun. June 28 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall Protomartyr Online: https://www.facebook.com/protomartyr https://soundcloud.com/protomartyr http://pitchperfectpr.com/protomartyr https://protomartyr.bandcamp.com http://www.dominorecordco.us/artists/protomartyr
Australian punk band The Chats will release their debut album, High Risk Behaviour, on March 27th via Bargain Bin Records/Cooking Vinyl Australia. Ahead of their North American tour, which kicks off next month, they present a new single, “Dine N Dash,” and its accompanying video. Following lead single “The Clap,” “Dine N Dash” is fierce, funny, and sweaty. The video, directed by Matt Weston, finds The Chats in an unfamiliar environment, eating a succulent steakhouse meal while embracing the piss poor status of their wallets and outright brazenness to get a decent feed.
“We filmed at Walters steakhouse in Brisbane,” says Josh Price. “It was the best steak I’ve had. Definitely gave the bowlsie a run for its money. No mushy gravy though.” Eamon Sandwith adds: “Ya know you’re in a fancy restaurant when the chips and salad aren’t included.”
The Chats – made of Eamon Sandwith, Matt Boggis, and Josh Price – formed in 2016 while still in high school. Since then, they’ve released a self-titled EP in 2016 and 2017’s Get This In YaEP, and have accrued a fanbase that includes Dave Grohl, Queen of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme, and Iggy Pop – the latter two who asked the band to open on their respective Australian tours. And despite being the subject of a record label bidding war, they’re releasing High Risk Behaviour on their own label (Bargain Bin Records). It’s indicative of a band that has embraced DIY culture since day one. Their determination to do things “our way” extends to their music, which is why High Risk Behaviour delivers everything you’ve come to love from The Chats – only more of it – and confirms their status as Queensland’s greatest ever export.
To create High Risk Behaviour, the band worked with engineer Bill Gardner in his studio on the Australian coast. It took nearly 18 months to finish and several, quick-paced sessions. “If we’d just done a week and slogged it out we could have had an album before now but we just kept going in there and making newer and better songs so it’s hard to put a stop on it,” says Sandwith. WATCH VIDEO FOR “THE CLAP” https://youtu.be/POM_98oi0oo
THE CHATS TOUR DATES: Fri. April 10 – Indio, CA @ Coachella Sat. April 11 – Berkeley, CA @ The UC Theatre Sun. April 12 – Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades Mon. April 13 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom Tue. April 14 – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon Fri. April 17 – Indio, CA @ Coachella Sat. April 18 – San Diego, CA @ Observatory North Park Sun. April 19 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom Mon. April 20 – Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf Wed. April 22 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues Thu. April 23 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s Fri. April 24 – Houston, TX @ Bronze Peacock at House of Blues Sun. April 26 – Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre Tue. April 28 – St. Paul, MN @ Amsterdam Bar & Hall Wed. April 29 – Chicago, IL @ House of Blues Thu. April 30 – Nashville, TN @ Exit/In Fri. May 1 – Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre Sat. May 2 – Charlotte, NC @ Epicenter Festival Sun. May 3 – Washington, DC @ The Fillmore Silver Spring Tue. May 5 – Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts Wed. May 6 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club Thu. May 7 – Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw Wed. Oct. 7 – Amsterdam, BL @ Melkweg Max Sat. Oct. 10 – Paris, FR @ Maroquinerie Sun. Oct. 11 – Cologne, DE @ Gloria Mon. Oct. 12 – Hamburg, DE @ Gruenspan Tue. Oct. 13 – Berlin, DE @ Festsaal Kreuzberg Fri. Oct. 16 – Southampton, UK @ 1865 Sat. Oct. 17 – Nottingham, UK @ Rock City Mon. Oct. 19 – Dublin, IE @ Olympia Tue. Oct. 20 – Belfast, UK @ Limelight Thu. Oct. 22 – Glasgow, UK @ Galvanizers Fri. Oct. 23 – Manchester, UK @ O2 Academy Sat. Oct. 24 – Newcastle, UK @ Boiler Shop Sun. Oct. 25 – Leeds, UK @ Stylus Mon. Oct. 26 – Brighton, UK @ Dome Tue. Oct. 27 – Bristol, UK @ O2 Academy Wed. Oct. 28 – London, UK @ Electric Brixton Thu. Oct 29 – London, UK @ Electric Brixton THE CHATS ONLINE: https://www.thechatslovebeer.com/ https://www.facebook.com/thechatsband/ https://thechatslovebeer.bandcamp.com/ https://www.instagram.com/thechatslovebeer/?hl=en
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Wilco photo by Annabel Mehran, Sleater-Kinney photo by Nikko LaMere
Wilco and Sleater-Kinney are pleased to announce their “It’s Time” Summer 2020 co-headlining tour. After their respective North American and European runs in support of last year’s Ode To Joy(out now on dBpm Records), Wilco will return stateside, closing out each night of their co-headlining tour with Sleater-Kinney, who just closed out their The Center Won’t Hold tour. The entirety of the tour is made up of outdoor amphitheatres and venues, including a show in Wilco’s hometown of Chicago at Millennium Park’s Pritzker Pavilion, Nashville’s AscendAmphitheater, Morrison, CO’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and more. Tickets for these newly-announced shows are on sale now.
Wilco Tour Dates (new dates in bold): Sat. March 21 – Vancouver, BC @ Orpheum Theatre & Mon. March 23 – Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall & Tue. March 24 – Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall ^ Thu. March 26 – Santa Rosa, CA @ Luther Burbank Centers For The Arts ^ – SOLD OUT Fri. March 27 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater ^ – SOLD OUT Sat. March 28 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater ^ – SOLD OUT Sun. March 29 – San Jose, CA @ San Jose Civic ^ Tue. March 31 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore – SOLD OUT Wed. April 1 – Los Angeles, CA @ Orpheum Theatre ^ Thu. April 2 – Los Angeles, CA @ Orpheum Theatre % – SOLD OUT Sat. April 4 – Las Vegas, NV @ Brooklyn Bowl % Sun. April 5 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium % Wed. April 15 – Jackson, MS @ Thalia Mara Hall $ Thu. April 16 – Mobile, AL @ Saenger Theatre $ Sat. April 18 – St. Augustine, FL @ St. Augustine Amphitheatre $ Sun. April 19 – North Charleston, SC @ High Water Festival Fri. May 15 – Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre (JEFF TWEEDY SOLO SHOW) Sat. May 16 – Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre (JEFF TWEEDY SOLO SHOW) Fri. June 19 – Kent, UK @ Black Deer Festival Mon. June 22 – Merignac, FR @ Krakatoa Tue. June 23 – Nimes, FR @ La Paloma Thu. June 25 – Murcia, ES @ Plaza de Toros Fri. June 26 – Madrid, ES @ Noches Del Botánico Sat. June 27 – Valencia, ES @ 4ever Festival Sun. June 28 – Barcelona, ES @ Suite Festival Tue. June 30 – San Sebastian, ES @ Auditorio del Centro Kursaal Thu. July 2 – Werchter, BE @ FestivalPark Rock Werchter Wed. July 3 – Beuningen, NL @ Down the Rabbit Hole Festival Thu. Aug. 6 – Spokane, WA @ First Interstate Center for the Arts @ Sat. Aug. 8 – Big Sky, MT @ Peak to Sky @ Tue. Aug. 11 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre @* Thu. Aug. 13 – Kansas City, MO @ Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland @* Fri. Aug. 14 – Maryland Heights, MO @ Saint Louis Music Park @* Sat. Aug. 15 – Atlanta, GA @ Cadence Bank Amphitheatre @* Sun. Aug. 16 – Nashville, TN @ Ascend Amphitheater @* Tue. Aug. 18 – Asheville, NC @ Salvage Station @* Wed. Aug. 19 – Richmond, VA @ Altria Theatre @* Fri. Aug. 21 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion @* Sat. Aug. 22 – Forest Hills, NY @ Forest Hills Stadium @* Sun. Aug. 23 – Philadelphia, PA @ Mann Center for Performing Arts @* Tue. Aug. 25 – Boston, MA @ Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion @* Wed. Aug. 26 – Portland, ME @ Thompson’s Point @* Thu. Aug. 27 – Lewiston, NY @ Artpark Amphitheater @* Sat. Aug. 29 – Chicago, IL @ Millennium Park Pritzker Pavilion @* Thu. Sept. 17 – Des Moines, IA @ Water Works Park # Fri. Sept. 18 – Ashwaubenon, WI @ Capital Credit Union Park # Sat. Sept. 19 – Welch, MN @ Treasure Island Amphitheater #
!=w/ Young Fresh Fellows &=w/ Kacy and Clayton ^= w/ James Elkington %= w/ White Fence $= w/ Ratboys #= w/ Trampled by Turtles @=w/ Sleater-Kinney *= w/ NNAMDÏ
“[Ode to Joy is] sometimes dank…sometimes warm and Westerberg-ian” – The New York Times
“The group’s 11th LP, their best in years, is a beautiful exercise in downhearted uplift.” – Rolling Stone
“[Ode to Joy] is Wilco’s best album in over a decade, and solid proof there’s room for bands to grow even when they’re already ten albums in.” – Vulture
“[Ode To Joy] is direct and spacious, centering on the beauty of quiet revelation.” – Pitchfork
“Ode to Joy, is mostly a slower-paced album that shows appreciation for the small, beautiful moments in life.” – NPR
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Blanck Mass, the solo project of Benjamin John Power, is re-issuing the long out-of-print 2011 debut album Blanck Mass via Sacred Bones Records. The deluxe double LP comes out on Record Store Day (April 18) in the UK on exclusive green-and-blue starburst vinyl, and on April 24 in the rest of the world.
The original press release for the album called it “a collection of tracks loosely themed around cerebral hypoxia and the beautiful complexity of the natural world…An interstellar journey that defies classification, revealing itself further and further with each listen; offering more with each visit.”
Power went on to reflect on the album at the time: “I do like the fact that this album represents a pretty clear image of myself,that which I am aware of and that which might be controlled by some other type of subconscious guidance.”
