Gabe Gurnsey’s remix of Shura’s “religion” is the perfect amount of summer dance floor heat.

Photo by Hollie Fernando

Shura is pleased to release the Gabe Gurnsey remix of “religion (u can lay your hands on me),”a track from her forthcoming album, forevher, due August 16th.  Gurnsey – a London based producer and co-founder of seminal post-industrial act Factory Floor – adds oscillating beats and a club-driven tempo to the single.

I’ve been a huge fan of Shura’s work since ‘Nothing’s Real’ so it was an honour to be asked to remix her latest single ‘Religion’,” says Gurnsey. “Shura’s vocals alone are a dream element to have in the remix process and that coupled with the amazing textures and production that lie deep in her tracks have made working on this a massive pleasure. The vocal hook ‘Oh girl don’t stop ‘ was destined for the dance floor…

Written primarily about Shura’s relationship with her girlfriend and their long-distance conception, forevher traces everything from the initial pull of desire to that first IRL meeting (“the stage”), before recognizing when the connection develops into something scarily meaningful. It’s a classic NYC-to-London love-story, but one told through the totally modern filter of dating apps, unanswered texts, Skype chats…and MUNA gigs. The album was co-produced alongside Joel Pott – with musical turns from Jona Ma (from Jagwar Ma), Will Miller (Whitney), T-E-E-D and additional vocals from Rosie LoweKerry LeathamReva from Nimmo.
“religion (u can lay your hands on me)” Remixes:
1. religion (u can lay your hands on me)
2. religion (u can lay your hands on me) [Gabe Gurnsey Remix]
3. religion (u can lay your hands on me) [Gabe Gurnsey Remix Edit]
4. religion (u can lay your hands on me) [Gabe Gurnsey Dub]

Listen to “religion (u can lay your hands on me)” remix – 
https://youtu.be/IcYMriu4onQ

Pre-order forevher – 
https://shura.ffm.to/forevher

Watch/Listen/Share:
“the stage” –https://youtu.be/wha1nQp2Bvk
Watch Video for “religion (u lay your hands on me)” – https://youtu.be/HHI_WpVLT1g
Stream “BKLYNLDN” – https://shura.ffm.to/bklynldn
Stream “BKLYNLDN” (i_vu London Dub) –https://youtu.be/kAxprvn2IGI

Shura Tour Dates:
Thu. Sept 26 – Vancouver, BC @ Venue *
Fri. Sept. 27 – Seattle, WA @ Crocodile *
Sat. Sept. 28 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge *
Mon. Sept. 30 – San Francisco, CA @ Independent *
Wed.. Oct. 2 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom *
Thu. Oct. 3 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar *
Wed. Oct. 16 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle ^
Thu. Oct. 17 – Columbus, OH @ The Basement ^
Fri. Oct. 18 – Washington, DC @ Union Stage ^
Sat. Oct. 19 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s ^
Sun. Oct. 20 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern ^
Tue. Oct. 22 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall ^
Wed. Oct. 23 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg ^
Mon. Nov. 4 – Paris, FR @ Café de la Danse #
Tue. Nov. 5 – Cologne, DE @ Luxor #
Wed. Nov. 6 – Munich, DE @ Ampere #
Thu. Nov. 7 – Berlin, DE @ Lido #
Fri. Nov. 8 – Hamburg, DE @ Mojo #
Sun. Nov. 10 – Copenhagen, DK @ Hotel Cecil #
Tue. Nov. 12 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg #
Wed. Nov. 13 – Brussels, BE @ Botanique Orangerie #
Thu. Nov. 14 – London, UK @ Roundhouse
Sat. Nov. 16 – Dublin, IE @ Academy
Sun. Nov. 17 – Glasgow, UK @ Oran Mor
Mon. Nov. 18 – Manchester, UK @ O2 Ritz Manchester

*w/ support from Quinn Christopher
^ w/ Support from Hannah Cohen
# w/ support from Rosie Lowe

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Black Belt Eagle Scout presents “My Heart Dreams” and announces North American tour.

Photo by Sarah Cass

“‘At the Party,’ finds a slice of solace in navigating the human experience with similarly marginalized friends by her side. Here, ‘the party’ is the crooked world Paul journeys in solidarity with her fellow POC; together, they make the best of life’s wayward turns.” – Pitchfork

“Katherine Paul delivers hums and oooh’s that melt into the mellow drums, creating a foggy, subdued mesh of pretty sounds.” – FADER on “At the Party”

“[‘At the Party’] is an astounding reverb-soaked number with sprawling guitars that track up and down the length of the neck as Paul easily transitions between near-whispered verses and heady falsetto choruses.” – UPROXX

Black Belt Eagle Scout – the recording project of multi-instrumentalist Katherine Paul – presents a new single / video, “My Heart Dreams,” from her forthcoming album, At the Party With My Brown Friends, due August 30th via Saddle Creek. In conjunction, she announces a headline North American tour. “My Heart Dreams” follows lead single “At the Party.” Written in Ohlone land during a transitional part of Paul’s life, “My Heart Dreams” expresses a consuming desire to find new love in the midst of heartbreak. The accompanying video, filmed by Angel Two Bulls and co-directed by Angel and Paul, depicts Paul wandering amongst the Portland Pride parade, the scene eventually turning into a live performance.

“The idea behind this video was to do something fun while showing the resilience of the Indigenous people, particularly women and girls, which is why I chose to have the Black Belt Eagle Scout band be portrayed by young Indigenous girls.” describes Paul. “In an age where Missing and Murdered Indigenous women (MMIW) are finally getting the attention they deserve, it’s important to make their strength visible. The justice around MMIW is something we should all be paying closer attention to and I hope my platform serves to heighten awareness. The girls and extras in the video are members of the Portland Two Spirit Society, a special group of LGBTQ Indigenous and Native American/Alaska Natives and the Portland All Nations Canoe Family.”

Where her 2018 debut, Mother of My Children, was a snapshot of loss and landscape and of Paul’s standing as a radical indigenous queer feminist, this new chapter finds its power in love, desire and friendship. At the Party With My Brown Friends is a profound and understated forward step. The squalling guitar anthems that shaped its predecessor are replaced by delicate vocals and soft keys, sentiments spoken and unspoken, presenting something shadowy and unsettling; a stirring of the waters. The end result presents a captivating about-face that redefines Paul’s beautifully singular artistic vision.

Black Belt Eagle Scout was named a favorite new artist of 2018 by NPR Music, Stereogum, Paste and Under The Radar. She will continue to tour extensively, playing Sled Island, Newport Folk Festival, and Pickathon this summer before embarking on a headlining North American tour. Then, she will support Devendra Banhart on tour later this fall. Tickets are on sale now. One dollar from every ticket sold through presale will be donated to the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center. All dates can be found below.

Watch Black Belt Eagle Scout’s “My Heart Dreams” Video https://youtu.be/cmGP7WZO4Pw

Listen to “At the Party” https://bbes.ffm.to/atpwmbf

Pre-order At the Party With My Brown Friends https://bbes.ffm.to/atpwmbf

Black Belt Eagle Scout tour dates:  Thu. Aug. 1 – Seattle, WA @ ARTS at King Street Station Fri. Aug. 2 & Sun. Aug. 4 – Happy Valley, OR @ Pickathon Wed. Aug. 21 – Victoria, BC @ Bastion Square Parkade Thu. Aug. 22 – Seattle, WA @ Olympic Sculpture Hall Sun. Aug. 25 – Port Townsend, WA @ Thing Mon. Oct. 21 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios Thu. Oct. 24 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern Wed. Oct. 30 – Boulder, CO @ Boulder Theater * Fri. Nov. 1 – Omaha, NE @ Slowdown * Sat. Nov. 2 – Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater * Sun. Nov. 3 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall * Tue. Nov. 5 – Memphis, TN @ The Hi-Tone * Wed. Nov. 6 – St. Louis, MO @ Foam Thu. Nov. 7 – Lawrence, KS @ White Schoolhouse Fri. Nov. 8 – Fort Collins, CO @ Surfside 7 Sat. Nov. 9 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Diabolical Records Sun. Nov. 10 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux Thu. Nov. 12 – Reno, NV @ Holland Project Wed. Nov. 13 – San Francisco, CA @ Cafe Du Nord Thu. Nov. 14 – Los Angeles, CA @ Bootleg Bar Fri. Nov. 15 – San Diego, CA @ Ché Café Sat. Nov. 16 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress Sun. Nov. 17 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Bunkhouse Saloon Tue. Nov. 19 – Mesa, AZ @ The Nile Wed. Nov. 20 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sister Fri. Nov. 22 – Austin, TX @ Barracuda Sat. Nov. 23 – Dallas, TX @ The Foundry Sun. Nov. 24 – Houston, TX @ Satellite Tue. Nov. 26 – Fayetteville, AR @ George’s Majestic Lounge Wed. Nov. 27 – Nashville, TN @ DRKMTTR Sat. Nov. 30 – Detroit, MI @ Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit * Sun. Dec. 1 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall * Tue. Dec. 3 – Montreal, QC @ L’Olympia * Wed. Dec. 4 – Boston, MA @ Wilbur Theatre * Thu. Dec. 5 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel * Sat. Dec. 7 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club * Sun. Dec. 8 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer * *= w/ Devendra Banhart

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Beehive’s “When Can I See You Again?” is a manic punk rager to which all of us can relate.

Northern California duo Beehive share the first track from their forthcoming debut EP Depressed + Distressed via The Big Takeover. Hear and share “When Can I See You Again?” HERE. (Direct Bandcamp and Soundcloud.)

It’s the simple things that matter, right? Beehive know this well. The Northern California duo writes short, deceptively simple rock songs in the vein of early Wire, Suicide, The Spits and Television Personalities. Each song seems laser focused on a desperately repeated vocal phrase and repeatedly hammered riff splayed out over the emotional indifference of a Hammond Auto-Vari 64 drum machine.

Vocalist/guitarist Jake Sprecher — who also.played in Terry Malts (SF), Smokescreens (LA) and Business of Dreams (LA), all part of Slumberland Records family – urgently yelps and howls desperate and angry lyrics like a man with no time to waste. Bassist Bud Amenti (also of Shutups) fills in any gaps with subtle walks and fills while holding down the band’s monolithic sound. Beehive never stop the drum machine during their live set, there are no breaks, which adds to the intensity.

Beehive came into existence at the beginning of 2019, but in that short time has been hitting venues hard up and down the West Coast to set up their 7-song debut EP Depressed + Distressed for release in early Fall. The EP was recorded live in the studio in one take to 1/2″ tape. No messing around.

Depressed + Distressed opens with a short intro (“Tick Tock”) leading into the mantra-like wail of “Get Off My Back,” as the duo holds and pummels an A-major chord, as Sprecher chants over the top. Elsewhere, “90’s Trash” sarcastically rips up nostalgia for music of our youth and disposable culture. “When Can I See You Again?” seethes with desperation and obsession we’ve all experienced at some point, the guitars clattering and clawing, perhaps trying in vain to stop the incessant drum machine. “Wasting Our Time” wastes no time getting to the point: Our time, our lives, as a measure of existence, is only wasted by ourselves and each other. Kind of heady and deep, but utterly simple.

Depressed + Distressed will be available on 10″ EP and download on September 6th, 2019 via Jester Records.

BEEHIVE LIVE 2019: 09/14 San Francisco, CA @ Knockout 10/09 Portland, OR @ Valentine’s 10/10 Seattle, WA @ Cha Cha Lounge

On The Web: beehive1.bandcamp.com

instagram.com/beehive_trash

facebook.com/beehivetrash

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Levitation Austin announces second wave of its 2019 lineup.

Austin, Texas’ annual Levitation Music Festival has announced its second wave of bands for the four day experience, and some heavy-hitters have been added to the already good lineup.

Thursday’s lineup has added, among others, Jjuujjuu, Stonefield, Troller, and Creeping Death.

Friday’s lineup has added no less than the Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev, David J., Elephant Stone, second sets by Holy Wave and Stonefield, and more.

Saturday’s added artists include Tobacco, Night Beats, Cosmonauts, Windhand, Beak>, and the Coathangers.

Sunday’s sets now include Christian Bland and the Revelators, Ringo Deathstarr, and others.

Levitation still isn’t done announcing more bands and sets, by the way.  They will announce the third wave (and set times) before the end of summer.  Don’t wait too long to get tickets to shows.  Chelsea Wolfe and Ioanna Gika’s show has already sold out, and I won’t be surprised if the Flaming Lips’ show sells out in a hurry.

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Warish to unleash first LP, “Down in Flames,” September 13th.

Photo by Greg Bojourquez

Southern California trio Warish have shared the first track from their forthcoming full length debut Down In Flames on RidingEasy Records. The song, “Healter Skelter” is not a Beatles cover, but rather the title refers to the Manson Family’s misspelled blood scrawl at the site of their second murder in 1969. Loudwire premiered the song earlier HERE, hear and share the song now via YouTube and Bandcamp.

Warish hit the road this fall in support of the album with San Francisco stoner rock progenitors Acid King, who will also reissue their legendary Busse Woods album on RidingEasy on August 30th. Please see all dates below.

Imagine if early, weird Aberdeen Nirvana were crossed with low budget horror-obsessed garage-punks. You’d have sinister vibes with a visceral, twisted weirdness and bludgeoning riffs. Some might call it nightmarish, we call it Warish.

Warish is a very newly minted SoCal trio formed in early 2018 that has wasted no time making its presence known. The band formed when guitarist/vocalist and pro-skater Riley Hawk (son of skating legend Tony Hawk) and drummer Nick (Broose) McDonnell decided they wanted to try their hand at something more distinct than they’d done previously.

“We wanted to do simpler riffs and a fun live show,” Riley explains. “A little more punk, a little bit of grunge… a little evil-ish.” Their sound takes cues from a variety of cool underground sounds and twists it all into an energetic and exciting fist to the face of dark fury. Hawk’s effect-laden vocals hearken to 90s industrial monsters Ministry and David Yow’s tortured caterwaul in Scratch Acid. The guitars are heavy and powerful, though decidedly not straightforward cookie cutter punk; more like Cobain’s and Buzz Osbourne’s wiry contortions. The rhythms bash and pummel right through it all with aggressive force ensuring that nothing gets overly complicated and the horrors keep coming throughout the band’s uh, warlike assault.

Down In Flames will be available on LP, CD and download on September 13th, 2019 via RidingEasy Records. Pre-orders are available HERE.

WARISH LIVE 2019: 08/30 San Diego, CA @ The Casbah 09/20 Portland, OR @ Star Theater – Hesh Fest * 09/21 Seattle, WA @ Highline * 09/23 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater * 09/24 Omaha, NE @ Slowdown * 09/25 Chicago, IL @ Reggies * 09/26 Indianapolis, IN @ Black Circle * 09/27 Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop * 09/28 Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place * 09/29 Boston, MA @ Sonia * 09/30 New York, NY @ Knitting Factory * 10/01 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s * 10/02 Richmond, VA @ Richmond Music Hall * 10/03 Raleigh, NC @ Kings * 10/04 Asheville, NC @ Mothlight * 10/05 Atlanta, GA @ The 529 * 10/06 New Orleans, LA @ One Eye Jack’s * 10/07 Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey * 10/09 Albuquerque, NM @ Sister * 10/10 Mesa, AZ @ Club Red * 10/11 Los Angeles, CA @ Satellite * 10/12 San Francisco, CA @ Chapel * 11/09 Austin, TX @ Levitation Fest * w/ Acid King

Down In Flames track list: 01. Healter Skelter 02. You’ll Abide 03. Big Time Spender 04. Bleed Me Free 05. In a Hole 06. Bones 07. Voices 08. Fight 09. Shivers 10. Run-in’ Scared 11. Their Demise On The

Web: instagram.com/warish.usa

facebook.com/Warishband

ridingeasyrecs.com

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Monomotion releases “Borders” before his new album, “Fujisan,” drops tomorrow.

Photo courtesy of FAKE Music

Monomotion, the project of French electronic musician Erol Engintalay, is pleased to share a new single, “Borders,” from his forthcoming EP, Fujisan, due July 26th via FAKE MUSIC. Following the lush, tick-tock techno of “Mango” and the evocative lead single “Ecocline Patterns,” “Borders” begins with ethereal synth before coming alive with echoing percussions and beats.

Stream “Borders” – https://soundcloud.com/monomotionmusic/borders/s-UQTqh

“‘Borders’ was first made with the intention of symbolizing hope and to focus on the simple idea of reaching a certain freedom. It ended up being a therapeutic track that I wanted to sound like something light, dreamy, full of hope,” says Engintalay. “If I think about it, it makes me think that somehow this track is really a representation of my mood when I realised that I was granted a second chance and I had to take it. I finally had a source of hope and freedom to start doing what I loved the most, again.”

Written and recorded over a year and a half, the seven-track Fujisan EP is a reflection on the positive aspects of life—a sense of breaking through and moving forward that imbues the project as a whole. Inspired by a warm Japanese spring, Engintalay describes Fujisan as “a life test after every challenge I’ve gone through, physically and musically. It’s very spiritual, representing climbing mountains and breaking through walls to get further in life.”

Stream “Mango” (With FEYNMAN) – https://soundcloud.com/monomotionmusic/mango-x-feynman/s-f4LIm

Listen to “Ecocline Patterns” – https://soundcloud.com/monomotionmusic/ecocline-patterns/s-EcsS0

Pre-order Fujisan – http://smarturl.it/FM024_FUJISAN

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Twin Peaks’ “Dance Through It” might be your new summer anthem.

Photo by Cooper Fox

Twin Peaks are elated to announce their new album, Lookout Low, due September 13th via Grand Jury. Where their last LP, 2016’s Down In Heaven, and 2017’s Sweet ‘17 Singles compilation were adventurous and compelling updates on their youthfully raucous formula, their fourth album, Lookout Low feels like a total revolution. Their most deliberate and seamless record yet, the album is a collaborative triumph, propelled forward by Twin Peak’s near-decade-long bond.

For Lookout Low, the five of them – guitarists Cadien Lake James and Clay Frankel, bassist Jack Dolan, multi-instrumentalist Colin Croom, and drummer Connor Brodner – committed to work countless hours in their studio and practice space. Meeting daily, they demoed 27 songs and relentlessly rehearsed them, eventually whittling down to a select ten tracks. The album was recorded at Monnow Valley with legendary producer Ethan Johns (Paul McCartney, U2, Kings of Leon), who lauds Twin Peaks as “the best Rock and Roll band I’ve heard for a very long time.” Already a well-oiled live unit, the band’s mission was to capture the exhilarating vibe of their shows. Often, they thrived on the thrill of live recording, going with the magic of the original first take. This life-affirming burst of adrenaline seeps into every facet of the LP.

Each individual member of the band upped their songwriting for the LP. These tracks are their most impressive offering yet – confident, experimentative, and bursting with energy. Throughout, Croom wrote horn arrangements that at times evoke the soulfulness of Allen Toussaint and the burly Americana of the E Street Band. The auxiliary percussion from drummer Kyle Davis expands the already breezy and expansive compositions. OHMME’s Macie Stewart and Sima Cunningham contribute their spectral harmonies on seven of the 10 tracks.

Lead single / video “Dance Through It,” a horn-infused, soul-inflected swing, champions the energy found across the album. The video was directed by Ariel Fisher and Léo Schrepel in Berlin. “Writing and arranging ‘Dance Through It’ felt like a dive into and embrace of experimenting with a new palette for us,” says James. “After having been directly involved in the creation and direction of all of our videos, it felt fitting to allow this song the breath of collaboration in having Ariel Fisher take the helm and run with it.”

“Working with Twin Peaks on this visual concept felt synergetic,” says Fisher. “We shared a mutual love for the film Fallen Angels and wanted to tell a story where the camera angles and lenses gradually shift as the narrative progresses. We wanted the viewer to become the participant, as we step into the actress’s shoes and begin to see the world as she sees it.”

Twin Peaks will bring their live shows across the states, including to Chicago’s Riviera Theatre (the band’s biggest hometown headline show to date), Los Angeles’ Teragram Ballroom, and New York’s Webster Hall, in addition to dual shows at Nashville’s Basement East, Boston’s The Sinclair, and more. Tickets are on sale now.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR “DANCE THROUGH IT” – https://youtu.be/U12MYd1DtOs

PRE-ORDER LOOKOUT LOW – https://twinpeaks.lnk.to/lookout

Fans can pre-order Lookout Low at indie retail stores on two different exclusive color pressings immediately. When US fans pre-order at participating stores they’ll get a “Dance Through It” 7″, which features an unreleased song on the B-side, and will be able to return to the point of purchase to pick up Lookout Low on September 13th. The album is available on Orange Swirl LP or on a Chicago-area exclusive Electric Blue LP. A list of participating stores is available here.

LOOKOUT LOW TRACKLIST: 1. Casey’s Groove 2. Laid in Gold 3. Better Than Stoned 4. Unfamiliar Sun 5. Dance Through It 6. Lookout Low 7. Ferry Song 8. Under A Smile 9. Oh Mama 10. Sunken II

TWIN PEAKS TOUR DATES:  Thu. Sept. 12 – Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre * Fri. Sept. 13 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom * Sat. Sept. 14 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall * Thu. Sept. 19 – Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom * Fri. Sept. 20 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Cafe * Sat. Sept. 21 – East Moline, IL @ The Rust Belt * Tue. Oct. 8 – Berlin, DE @ Musik und Frieden & Wed. Oct. 9 – Hamburg, DE @ Molotow Musikclub & Fri. Oct. 11 – Rotterdam, NL @ Rotown & Sat. Oct. 12 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso Mon. Oct. 14 – Cologne, DE @ MTC & Tue. Oct. 15 – Paris, FR @ La Boule Noire & Wed. Oct. 16 – London, UK @ Dome Tufnell Park & Fri. Oct. 18 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club & Sat. Oct. 19 – Oxford, UK @ Ritual Union Sun. Oct. 20 – Cardiff, UK @ SWN Festival Wed. Oct. 30 – Louisville, KY @ Headliners Music Hall # Thu. Oct. 31 – St. Louis, MO @ The Ready Room # Fri. Nov. 1 – Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room # Sat. Nov. 2 – Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre # Tue. Nov. 5 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall # Thu. Nov. 7 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos # Fri. Nov. 8 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom # Sat. Nov. 9 – Vancouver, BC @ VENUE # Wed. Nov. 13 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall # Fri. Nov. 15 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom @ Sat. Nov. 16 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern # Mon. Nov. 18 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom # Thu. Nov. 21 – Dallas, TX @ Deep Ellum Art Co. # Fri. Nov. 22 – Houston, TX @ Satellite Bar # Sat. Nov. 23 – Austin, TX @ The Mohawk # Fri. Nov. 29 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre Wed. Dec. 4 – Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground Ballroom ^ Thu. Dec. 5 – Boston, MA @ The Sinclair (early) @ Thu. Dec. 5 – Boston, MA @ The Sinclair (late) ! Fri. Dec. 6 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall ^ Tue. Dec. 10 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer ^ Wed. Dec. 11 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat ^ Thu. Dec. 12 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle ^ Fri. Dec. 13 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse ^ Sat. Dec. 14 – Nashville, TN @ The Basement East ^ Sun. Dec. 15 – Nashville, TN @ The Basement East ^ ~ = w/ PUP * = w/ Slow Pulp and Dehd & = w/ Dehd # = w/ Post Animal & OHMME ^ = w/ Lala Lala & OHMME ! = w/ Lala Lala @ = w/ OHMME

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One new single isn’t enough for Ezra Furman, so he’s released two ahead of “Twelve Nudes” due August 30th.

Photo by Jessica Lehrman

With his highly anticipated new album, Twelve Nudes, due August 30th via Bella UnionErza Furman has shared two new tracks from the LP.  For Furman, new single “I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend “Is a romantic song of transgender longing. It’s another entry in my series of ‘I Wanna’ songs (in the tradition of the Ramones). I thought it was time we had an ‘Earth Angel’ for the queers. Of course because it’s an Ezra Furman tune, there’s a little bit of desperation, religion and body-talk.”.  It comes with a brilliant video directed by Alix Spence, who shared that; “Listening to the song and speaking with Ezra, I saw our two dancers, Brandon Mathis and and Jobel Medina, as physical manifestations of internal suffering. I wanted to literally have us wrestle with ourselves and the complexities of our personal struggles. 
 
Of the additional single “Evening Prayer”, Furman states: “It’s our rallying cry. We music fans go to shows for transcendence; it’s like being called to prayer. But as Abraham Heschel said, ‘Prayer is meaningless unless it is subversive, unless it seeks to overthrow and to ruin the pyramids of callousness, hatred, opportunism and falsehood.’ I want all our fans to become activists. We punk fans have so much energy to give to the fight against injustice, i.e. the abuse of the poor by the rich, i.e. climate change. So this is one to get you in the mood.” 
 
Last year was a championing year for Furman – since the release of the “layered, baroque pop melodrama” (BillboardTransangelic Exodus, Furman has garnered immense praise, both for Transangelic Exodus and the soundtrack he created for Netflix’s Sex Education (he and his band also appeared in an episode). Twelve Nudes, his new and “spiritually queer” punk record, continues this same wavelength, and is an incendiary and inspiring follow-up. Across the album, Furman channels pent-up energy, distinguished by sharp, lacerating observations, confessions and proclamations.
 
Twelve Nudes was recorded quickly in Oakland in Fall 2018 and was mixed by venerated producer John Congleton (Sharon Van Etten, St. Vincent). The result is an album that is less stereotypical punk than raw, raucous rock’n’roll. The album has two spiritual heroes –  the late great punk Jay Reatard and Canadian writer and philosopher Anne Carson. The title stems directly from Carson, who used the term “nudes” to describe the meditations she used to deal with intense pain in her life.
 
This is our punk record,” says Ezra Furman. “We made it in Oakland, quickly. We drank and smoked. Then we made the loud parts louder. I hurt my voice screaming. This was back in 2018, when things were bad in the world. The songs are naked with nothing to hide.”
 
One of my goals in making music is to make the world seem bigger, and life seem larger,” Furman concludes. “I want to be a force that tries to revive the human spirit rather than crush it, to open possibilities rather than close them down. Sometimes a passionate negativity is the best way to do that.”

 
Watch the video for “I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend” –
https://youtu.be/8e1h31hVGSw
 
Listen to “Evening Prayer” –
https://youtu.be/nuUnAAUSgf0
 
Watch the Video for “Calm Down” – 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLecVxlnZG8
 
Pre-order Twelve Nudes – 
http://smarturl.it/ef_twelve
 
Ezra Furman Tour Dates:
Wed. July 24 – Dublin, IE @ Button Factory
Thu. July 25 – Galway, IE @ Galway Festival
Sun. July 28 – Topcliffe, UK @ Deer Shed Festival
Thu. Sept. 5 – St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club
Sat. Sept. 7 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall (TICKETS)
Sun. Sept. 8 – Detroit, MI @ El Club (TICKETS)
Mon. Sept. 9 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace (TICKETS)
Tue. Sept. 10 – Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz P.D.B. (TICKETS)
Wed. Sept. 11 – Cambridge, MA @ Sonia (TICKETS)
Thu. Sept. 12 – Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw (TICKETS)
Sun. Sept. 15 – Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts (TICKETS)
Mon. Sept. 16 – Washington, DC @ Union Stage (TICKETS)

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Shura releases “The Stage” ahead of full album due August 16th.

Photo by Hollie Fernando

Shura unveils a new track, “the stage,” from her forthcoming album forevher, out on Secretly Canadian on August 16th. Intimate, unorthodox and affecting, “the stage” switches between sensual, Minie Ripperton and Prince-inspired disco to ecstatic electronics that capture the tension of a potential new love. Shura drew inspiration from her first date with current girlfriend.

I had travelled to NYC to go on it, so I was a little bit nervous as this was definitely THE most high stakes date I’d ever been on,” says Shura. “I DM’d my friends MUNA who were playing a show the night that I arrived and asked them if they could get us both in, and they loved the concept of a first date at a MUNA gig. I wasn’t sure how the date was going until she took my hand whilst trying to lead me to a spot where I could see them play (i.e. basically nowhere in the venue as I’m too short!). Then I knew it was all going to be OK.

Written primarily about Shura’s relationship with her girlfriend and their long-distance conception, forevher traces everything from the initial pull of desire to that first IRL meeting (“the stage”), before recognizing when the connection develops into something scarily meaningful. It’s a classic NYC-to-London love-story, but one told through the totally modern filter of dating apps, unanswered texts, Skype chats…and MUNA gigs.

Co-produced alongside Joel Pott – with musical turns from Jona Ma (from Jagwar Ma), Will Miller (Whitney), T-E-E-D and additional vocals from Rosie LoweKerry LeathamReva from Nimmo – Shura describes forevher as “a soul record, sung by someone who doesn’t have a traditional soul voice. And I quite enjoy the antagonism of that.” A passionate, tactile album about connection in times of distance, that unmistakable feeling is apparent from just a glance at the album’s artwork, which reworks ‘Rodin’s: The Kiss’ to feature two woman bathed in an all-encompassing blue. “I wanted to create something that people could look at, in the way that you look at The Kiss, and think: I recognise that. Or I want that, or I crave that, or I miss that. I wanted to make something that was specific to my experience of being a queer woman that anyone of any gender or sexuality could look at and think ‘yeah, I understand’ or ‘that’s beautiful.’ Because that’s all love is.”
Listen to “the stage” – 
https://youtu.be/zDCPai9kWLQ

Watch Video for “religion (u lay your hands on me) –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHI_WpVLT1g

Stream “BKLYNLDN” – 
https://shura.ffm.to/bklynldn

Stream “BKLYNLDN” (i_vu London Dub) – 
https://youtu.be/kAxprvn2IGI

Shura Tour Dates:
Thu. June 27 – Bristol, UK @ Louisiana
Sat. June 29 – Worthy Farm, UK @ Glastonbury Festival
Thu. Sept 26 – Vancouver, BC @ Venue
Fri. Sept. 27 – Seattle, WA @ Crocodile
Sat. Sept. 28 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
Mon. Sept. 30 – San Francisco, CA @ Independent
Wed.. Oct. 2 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
Thu. Oct. 3 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar
Wed. Oct. 16 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
Thu. Oct. 17 – Columbus, OH @ The Basement
Fri. Oct. 18 – Washington, DC @ Union Stage
Sat. Oct. 19 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
Sun. Oct. 20 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
Tue. Oct. 22 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
Wed. Oct. 23 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Mon. Nov. 4 – Paris, FR @ Café de la Danse
Tue. Nov. 5 – Cologne, DE @ Luxor
Wed. Nov. 6 – Munich, DE @ Ampere
Thu. Nov. 7 – Berlin, DE @ Lido
Fri. Nov. 8 – Hamburg, DE @ Mojo
Sun. Nov. 10 – Copenhagen, DK @ Hotel Cecil
Tue. Nov. 12 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg
Wed. Nov. 13 – Brussels, BE @ Botanique Orangerie
Thu. Nov. 14 – London, UK @ Roundhouse
Sat. Nov. 16 – Dublin, IE @ Academy
Sun. Nov. 17 – Glasgow, UK @ Oran Mor
Mon. Nov. 18 – Manchester, UK @ O2 Ritz Manchester

Pre-order forevher – 
https://shura.ffm.to/forevher

Keep your mind open.

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Anna Meredith’s new single, “Paramour,” is a good omen for her upcoming album – “FIBS” – due this October.

Photo by Gem Harris
Anna Meredith – “one of the most innovative minds in modern British music” (Pitchfork) – today announces her eagerly anticipated second studio album, FIBS, out October 25th via Black Prince Fury. Alongside the announcement, she shares the lead single / video, “Paramour.” The one-take video and song forbids you from turning away. Its sweeps, jerks and wrong turns pin your ears to the speakers whilst heading for warp speed at a blistering 176 BPM, rounding out with an (utterly unexpected) tuba-led half-time rock-out.
 
Arriving three and a half years on from the release of her debut studio album, Varmints, an album that juxtaposed hulking slabs of cross-rhythm and electronics with brittle gusts of delicate confession and irresistibly addictive pop melody, FIBS marks her first new music since the soundtrack of original compositions for the Bo Burnham directed film Eighth Grade. Meredith is a well-known classical composer, having been Composer in Residence with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and regularly commissioned by orchestras around the world. Additionally, she was the first female composer to be commissioned for both the First and the Last Night of the Proms and was recently named a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in the Queen’s birthday honours list for services to music, making her Anna Meredith MBE.
 
FIBS is 45 minutes of technicolour maximalism, almost perpetual rhythmic reinvention, and boasts a visceral richness and unparalleled accessibility. It is no Varmints Part 2. Instead, if anything, it’s Varmints 2.0, an overhauled and updated version of the composer’s soundworld, involving, in places, a literal retooling that has seen Meredith chuck out her old MIDI patches and combine her unique compositional voice with brand-new instruments, both acoustic and electronic, and a writing process that’s more intense than she’s ever known. Despite Meredith’s background and skills these tracks are no academic exercise, the world of FIBS is at both overwhelming and intimate, a journey of intense energy and joyful irreverence.
 
FIBS, says Meredith, are “lies — but nice friendly lies, little stories and constructions and daydreams and narratives that you make for yourself or you tell yourself”. Entirely internally generated and perfectly balanced, they can be a source of comfort and excitement, intrigue and endless entertainment. The eleven fibs contained on Anna Meredith’s second record will do all that, and more. 
Watch the Video for “Paramour” – 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjmZLaymJU8
 
Pre-order FIBS –
 http://smarturl.it/FIBS

 Download hi-res jpegs and images of Anna Meredith 
https://pitchperfectpr.com/anna-meredith/
 
FIBS Tracklist:
1. Sawbones
2. Inhale Exhale
3. Calion
4. Killjoy
5. Bump
6. moonmoons
7. Divining
8. Limpet
9. Ribbons
10. Paramour
11. Unfurl
 
Anna Meredith Tour Dates:
Sat. Aug. 3 – Hackney, UK @ Visions Festival
Fri. Aug. 23 – Helsinki, FI @ Helsinki Festival
Mon. Feb. 3 – Leeds, UK @ Belgrave Music Hall
Tue. Feb. 4 – Manchester, UK @ Gorilla
Wed. Feb. 5 – London, UK @ EartH
Thu. Feb. 6 – Bristol, UK @ Trinity
Sat. Feb. 8 – Glasgow, UK @ Art School
Sun. Feb. 9 – Coventry, UK @ Arts Centre
Mon. Feb. 10 – Brighton, UK @ Old Market

Keep your mind open.

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