Review: L’Epee – Diabolique

Supergroups aren’t as rare as they used to be, and most of them aren’t as good as they should be. One comes along every now and then that is an exemplary example of the term, and L’Epee is such a band.

Consisting of Lionel and Marie Liminana (of The Liminanas), Anton Newcombe (of The Brian Jonestown Massacre), and Emmanuelle Seigner (of Ultra Orange and Emmanuelle), L’Epee’s debut album, Diabolique, is a stunning album of psychedelic rock inspired not only by the band members’ own projects, but also by The Velvet Underground, European film scores from the 1960’s (the album’s name is inspired by the Mario Bava film Danger: Diabolik), and garage rock.

The opener, “Une Lune Etrange” (“A Strange Moon”), has a French title and English lyrics. The whole album bounces back and forth between English and French vocals, adding another layer of coolness to the record. The first track brings Liminana’s guitar work to the forefront as Seigner (who does lead vocal duties throughout the record) sings about not having a care in the world as things devolve around her. She is in control of her own world and destiny.

“Lou” is a loving tribute to Lou Reed that chugs along with heady drumming by Marie Liminana and incense smoke synth and reverb effects by Newcombe. “Dreams” sounds like an unearthed Parisian garage rock single recorded in 1967. This is no surprise when you consider Newcombe has a practical warehouse of vintage gear from the era the band used to create a perfect sound to reflect the time period.

Seigner’s vocals on “La Brigade Des Malefices” (“The Hex Brigade” or “The Cursed Brigade,” depending on how you translate it) are almost spoken word poetry behind Joy Division-like beats and distorted guitars. The hand percussion on “On Dansait Avec Elle” (“We Were Dancing with Her”) is a nice touch, almost creating a waltz inside a psychedelic trip.

I don’t know if “Ghost Rider” has anything to do with the comic book characters (either the western hero on horseback or the flaming skull-headed guy on a motorcycle), but it would be a fitting song on a movie soundtrack for them. Seigner sings of “sadness all around me” as she views the world from the other side of the veil (“Baby, I’m dead.”). Mrs. Liminana’s beats are like a throbbing heart and her husband’s guitar work is like a distant echo.

“Grande” (“Tall” / “Large”) has Middle Eastern rhythms and “Springfield 61” brings in church bells to create one of the brightest songs on the album. “Un Rituel Inhabituel” (“An Unusual Ritual”) is almost an instrumental of Newcombe and Mr. Liminana going back and forth with waves of guitar while Seigner sings simple “La la la” sounds and Mrs. Liminana pounds her kit for the back of the club. The closer, “Last Picture Show,” references multiple 1960’s films (“Get Carter,” “Dressed to Kill,” and others) as Seigner sings about a mysterious woman and Mrs. Liminana unleashes relentless beats.

Diabolique is easily one of the best debut albums of the year, and certainly one of the best psych-rock releases of 2019. I hope this collaboration continues, because this is the stuff of dreams.

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King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard announce U.S. and Canada tour dates for spring 2020.

Apparently not needing sleep like other human beings, Australian psychedelic juggernauts King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard have announced spring 2020 tour dates through the U.S. and Canada. Tickets are already on sale. As you can see from the poster, these shows include three three-hour marathon sets – two in Colorado (one of which is already sold out) and one in California. Don’t miss your chance to see them live. KGATLW never disappoint.

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Burger Boogaloo’s 2020 lineup includes Bikini Kill. What more do you need to know?

“If you’ve never been to Burger Boogaloo, you’re missing out on what it means to truly revel in the glory of music.” 
– SF Weekly

“Burger Boogaloo is the perfect cult gathering of young and old music rebels who hate everybody in the world except each other.”
– John Waters

It’s a holiday miracle! Oakland’sBurger Boogaloo is announcing the first round of artists on its 2020 lineup with a ticket special that’s perfect for everyone on your naughty list! This year’s fest features Bikini Kill (1st Bay Area show in 25 years), Circle Jerks (1st Bay Area show in 10 years), Plastic Bertrand (1st Bay Area show ever), Carbonas (1st Bay Area show in 10 years), Bleached, and more, with additional acts being announced in early 2020. Of course, the Boogaloo wouldn’t be complete without its lawless leader, John Waterswho will return to host for the 6th year in a row! Burger Boogaloo will be back in Oakland’s Mosswood Park on Saturday, July 11th and Sunday, July 12th

The Boogaloo’s Holiday Ticket Special is going on now, with GA Weekend Passes for $109 and VIP Weekend Passes for $159. But don’t go waiting ‘til the last minute to grab your passes; discounted tickets are only available while supplies last! 

Ring in the new year with some Boogaloo holiday magic via the ticket link below:

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE


BURGER BOOGALOO 2020 INITIAL LINEUP
HOSTED BY JOHN WATERS
BIKINI KILL (1st Bay Area show in 25 years)
CIRCLE JERKS (1st Bay Area show in 10 years) 
PLASTIC BERTRAND (1st Bay Area show ever)
CARBONAS (1st Bay Area show in 10 years)
BLEACHED
ALICE BAG (of the Bags)   
FLIPPER 
THE FEVERS
PANSY DIVISION
THE YOUNGER LOVERS
PANTY RAID   
MIDNITE SNAXXX

HOLIDAY SPECIAL TICKET PRICES
Day 1 – $79 (Full Price: $99)
Day 2 – $59 (Full Price: $69)
Weekend Pass – $109 (Full Price: $129)
VIP Day 1 – $129 (Full Price: $149)
VIP Day 2 – $99 (Full Price: $109)
VIP Weekend Pass – $159 (Full Price: $199)

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The Well announce winter tour dates through the U.S., Canada, U.K., and Europe.

Austin trio The Well announce yet another round of North American, EU and UK tour dates in support of their critically acclaimed new album Death and Consolation (RidingEasy Records.) The band has spent much of the year on tour, and now continue the trek into 2020, sharing some US dates with label mates Zig-Zags and R.I.P. These will be The Well’s first ever tour in the UK, having only played London’s DesertFest in 2019, and fans’ first opportunity to see the band performing songs from the new album. Please see all dates below. 
The band also recently shared a new video via Brooklyn Vegan. Watch & share the 4K UHD video for album track “Raven” which was directed, shot and edited by William Orendorff HERE. (YouTube.) Death and Consolation is without a doubt a weighty album title. And, The Well is among the heaviest heavy psych bands in existence. So when we say that there’s even more darkness and intensity to the band’s third album than previous efforts, take heed. It’s a deep sea diving bell of enveloping heaviness and longing. 

“This one is a little more personal,” says guitarist/vocalist Ian Graham. “2018 was a strange, dark year. A lot of change going on in my life, there was a lot of depression and coming out of it over the last year. I wanted to call this Death and Consolation, because in life that’s a constant.” 
While The Well continue to walk an intriguing line between authentic early 70s doom/heavy psych and frayed weirdness of dark folk – especially with their haunting unison male/female vocals – the new album also adds the stark vibe of post-punk acts like Joy Division and early The Cure. “I feel like this album is almost more gothic. We’re big fans of post-punk,” Graham says. There’s also much less jamming, the songs are tight and concise. And, did we mention, heavy? The band tuned down a full step to C-standard tuning for this album, which gives the proceedings its monstrous sound.

Sonically, Death and Consolation picks up where The Well — Graham, bassist/vocalist Lisa Alley and drummer Jason Sullivan — left off with their widely heralded 2016 RidingEasy album Pagan Science. The band once again recorded with longtime producer/engineer Chico Jones at Estuary Studio in 2018, who has turned the knobs for all three of their albums (Jones engineered the band’s debut album Samsara with producer Mark Deutrom [Melvins, Sunn0)))] in 2013.) Samsara, released late September 2014 was ranked the #1 debut album of 2014 by The Obelisk and Pagan Science among the Best of 2016 from the Doom Charts collective. Likewise, the band’s intense — some even say “possessed” — live performances have earned them featured slots at Austin’s Levitation Fest, as well as tours with KadavarAll Them WitchesBlack Tusk and more. 

“This album might be a little less produced, because I didn’t want to push technical stuff as much,” Graham says. “I’m so scared of getting too complicated when getting better at guitar. This is still kind of punk rock.” 

Death and Consolation is available on LP, CD and download via RidingEasy Records. Orders are available HERE

THE WELL TOUR 2020: 01/22 – Milan, IT @ Ligera 01/23 – Bologna, IT @ Freakout 01/24 – Turin, IT @ Ziggy 01/26 – Lille, FR @ La Bulle Cafe 01/27 – Tours, FR @ Le Canadian Cafe 01/28 – Nantes, FR @ La Scene Michelet 01/29 – Bordeaux, FR @ Les Voutes 01/30 – Dijon, FR @ Peniche Cancale 01/31 – Rennes, FR @ Le Melies 02/01 – Paris, FR @ Espace B 02/03 – Brighton, UK @ Hope & Ruin 02/04 – Milton Keyes, UK @ The Craufurd Arms 02/05 – Glasgow, UK @ Broadcast 02/07 – London, UK @ Black Heart 02/08 – Bree, BE @ Ragnarok 02/09 – Berlin, DE @ Zukunft am Ostkreuz 02/10 – Salzburg, AT @ Rockhouse
02/19 – El Paso, TX @ Monarch 02/20 – Phoenix, AZ @ Yucca Tap Room 02/21 – San Diego, CA @ Til Two Club *02/22 – Oceanside, CA @ The Pourhouse *02/23 – Los Angeles, CA @ Permanent Records Roadhouse *02/25 – San Francisco, CA @ The Knockout 02/26 – Nevada City, CA @ The Brick 02/27 – Portland, OR @ High Water Mark +02/28 – Seattle, WA @ Substation +02/29 – Vancouver, BC @ TBA +03/02 – Kalispell, MT @ Old School Records 03/03 – Missoula, MT @ TBA 03/04 – Boise, ID @ The Shredder 03/05 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court 03/06 – Denver, CO @ Streets of London 03/07 – Albuquerque, NM @ The Launchpad
* w/ Zig-Zags+ w/ R.I.P.

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Jon Hopkins and Kelly Lee Owens create “Luminous Spaces.”

Photo by Matthew Mumford

Jon Hopkins and Kelly Lee Owens present their new single and first collaborative recording, “Luminous Spaces,” available digitally now and on 12” on January 24, 2020. The track was originally destined to be a remix of Hopkins’ “Luminous Beings” by Owens, but after the pair worked closely together in the studio, it morphed into a standalone single. The two have built a working relationship over the past few years through sharing the same bill in live capacities and on DJ line-ups across the globe. Their work perfectly complements each other; Hopkins transcendent, dancefloor-focused electronics paired with Owens’ entrancing vocals and ethereal techno production creates a euphoric collaboration.
 
Hopkins on working with Owens:
“This project started as something very different from what you’re hearing now – I wanted Kelly to do a straight remix of ‘Luminous Beings.’ I sent her the parts, but what she sent back just felt like something totally new, and had the potential to be so much more than a remix. She’d recorded these beautiful, uplifting vocal lines and had come up with joyous new riffs that recalled for me the best bits of the 90s trance/euphoria that I had grown up loving. I got a beautiful sense of nostalgia and a true heart-lifting joy the first time I heard it, and it was so painless to take it from there to a finished piece – related and born out of ‘Luminous Beings’ but very much its own thing.”
 
Owens on working with Hopkins:
‘Luminous Spaces’ initially began as a remix I did for Jon, which I also wrote vocals on top of. I sent the whole track to Jon for feedback and this lead to the start of a more collaborative effort, with him adding extra sound design/ production, and a new intro and outro, which I loved! The exchanging of ideas back and forth made it an extra special process for us and is why he decided to upgrade it to a full and proper collaboration. Our worlds truly colliding!
 
Hopkins has forged a reputation for music that marries the dancefloor to the devotional, and for live performances that are visceral, generous, charged with a rapt, sensuous beauty. He’s regarded by The New Yorker as “one of the most celebrated electronic musicians of his generation” for his five solo albums – as well as collaborations with Brian Eno, David Lynch and King Creosote, and film scores for The Lovely Bones and Monsters. Last year, Hopkins’ Singularity received a GRAMMY nomination for Best Dance/Electronic Album.
 
Kelly Lee Owens bridges the gaps between cavernous techno, spectral pop, and krautrock’s mechanical pulse, and is known for her energetic, engaging live shows and DJ sets. She is also an in-demand remixer, working with Björk, Mount Kimbie, St Vincent and Jenny Hval. Her debut self-titled album was released via Smalltown Supersound in 2017.

 
Listen to “Luminous Spaces” –
http://smarturl.it/LuminousSpacesYT
http://smarturl.it/LuminousSpacesStrm

Pre-order the “Luminous Spaces” 12” –
https://smarturl.it/LuminousSpacesMart

Following the single, Hopkins will play shows in New Zealand and Australia, including the Sydney Opera House, early in the new year. He will then begin his Polarity Tour across the UK and Europe, combining his more meditative piano music, for which he will be joined on stage by a small group of consummate musician and long-time friends, with his harder more techno-focused material. A full list of dates for the Polarity Tour can found below.

 
Watch the Polarity Tour trailer here –
https://youtu.be/dGX_PzKVDzw
 
Jon Hopkins Polarity Tour:
Tue. March 3 – Edinburgh, UK @ Usher Hall
Thu. March 5 – Gateshead, UK @ Sage Gateshead
Fri. March 6 – Dublin, IE @ Bord Gais Energy Theatre – SOLD OUT
Fri. March 13 – Manchester, UK @ Bridgewater Hall
Sat. March 14 – Bath, UK @ The Forum
Sun. March 15 – Brighton, UK @ Dome
Wed. March 18 – London, UK @ Royal Albert Hall – SOLD OUT
Fri. March 20 – Paris, FR @ Salle Pleyel
Wed. March 25 – Copenhagen, DK @ Koncerthuset – Koncertsalen
Thu. March 26 – Stockholm, SE @ Gota Lejon
Fri. March 27 – Oslo, NO @ Sentrum Scene
Sun. March 29 – Helsinki, FI @ Helsinki Music Centre
Tue. March 31 – Hamburg, DE @ Laeiszhalle
Wed. April 1 – Brussels, BE @ Cirque Royal
Thu. April 2 – Berlin, DE @ Philharmonie
Sat. April 4 – The Hague, NL @ Rewire

Jon Hopkins online:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
 
Kelly Lee Owens online:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien releases first single, “Brasil,” from upcoming solo record.

Guitarist / vocalist Ed O’Brien of Radiohead recently released the first single, “Brasil,” from his upcoming solo record. It’s a dreamy track that mixes synthwave, house, and psychedelia with O’Brien’s excellent vocals. He started writing “Brasil” back in 2013 and it’s now available to stream and pre-order as a 12″ single. You can also watch the cool video here.

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Shopping slide into the end of 2019 with one of the sharpest singles of the year – “Initiative.”

Photo by Matt Draper

Shopping announce All Or Nothing, their new album out February 7th on FatCat Records, and present the video for lead single, “Initiative.” Following 2018’s The Official Body, the songs that make up All or Nothing are the band’s boldest yet; confident, elastic, streamlined grooves that crackle with energy and intention. The trio’s vision – deeply queer; political by default – place them in a radical lineage of dance, a continuum connecting disco and post-punk to Chicago house and EDM. 

Storming lead single “Initiative” was written in a Seattle basement. Like the album as a whole, the track thrums with purpose, marking a confident new phase for the band. Referencing  governments who shirk responsibilities but place the blame on individuals, the song has a frustrated groove that’s propelling, motivated by necessity to keep going against the grain. The accompanying video, directed by Jack Barraclough, is brightly-stylized, and stars the band themselves. 
 

Watch Video For “Initiative” – 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Owoq6vVkUs


Though the band members now live countries away from each other – guitarist Rachel Aggs (Trash Kit, Sacred Paws) and drummer Andrew Milk (Current Affairs) in Glasgow and Billy Easter (Wet Dog) in Los Angeles – the trio returned to London for an intense, 10-day period. For All Or Nothing, they teamed up with US-based producer Davey Warsop to record, shifting their stripped-down ethos to one that took a leap into pop production. Talking Heads, YYYs, Bronski Beat and LCD Soundsystem are among the artists to feature on the production inspo playlist the band created for Nick Sylvester, who mixed the record, in Los Angeles.

Along with cleaner, new production values, All Or Nothing sees Shopping experiment further with the sonic additions that coloured The Official Body. Jubilantly ‘80s synths and electronic percussion add new textures to their signature minimalist dynamic. 

Four albums in, Shopping are as committed and focused as ever, regardless of any distance. “We found ourselves singing about being true to yourself, in an often binary and belligerent digital age, and reclaiming agency when it feels like our personal freedom and privacy is constantly eroding.”  In an era dominated by spin and surveillance, All Or Nothing invites us to remember what really moves us, in dance and in life. 
 

All Or Nothing Tracklist:
1. All Or Nothing
2. Initiative
3. Follow Me
4. No Apologies
5. For Your Pleasure
6. About You
7. Lies
8. Expert Advice
9. Body Clock
10. Trust In Us

Shopping Tour Dates:
Fri. Feb. 7 – London, UK @ Rough Trade East
Sun. Feb. 9 – Bristol, UK @ Rough Trade Bristol
Mon. Feb. 10 – Nottingham, UK @ Rough Trade Nottingham
Thu. March 5 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios *
Fri. March 6 – Seattle, WA @ Sunset Tavern *
Sat. March 7 – Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore *
Mon. March 9 – Reno, NV @ Holland Project * 
Tue. March 10 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop *
Wed. March 11 – Los Angeles, CA @ 1720 *
Thu. March 12 – San Diego, CA @ UCSD *
Sat. March 14 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress (Spring Thing) *
Mon. March 16 – Sat. March 21 – Austin, TX @SXSW
Mon. March 23 – Tallahassee, FL @ The Bark *
Tue. March 24 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade – Purgatory *
Wed. March 25 – Durham, NC @ The Pinhook *
Thu. March 26 – Washington, DC @ DC9 *
Fri. March 27 – Philadelphia, PA @ Boot & Saddle *
Sat. March 28 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere *
Sun. March 29 – Portsmouth, NH @ The Press Room *
Tue. March 31 – Toronto, ON @ The Monarch *
Thu. April 2 – Detroit, MI @ Deluxx Fluxx *
Fri. April 3 – Fort Wayne, IN @ The Brass Rail *
Sat. April 4 – Chicago, IL @ Subterranean *
Sun. April 5 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry *
Tue. April 7 – St. Louis, MO @ Sinkhole *
Wed. April 8 – Lawrence, KS @ White Schoolhouse *
Thu. April 9 – Denver, CO @ Hi Dive *
Fri. April 10 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court *
Tue. May 5 – London, UK @ The Lexington
Wed. May 6 – Paris, FR @ Supersonic
Fri. May 8 – Utrecht, NL @ ACU
Sat. May 9 – Hamburg, DE @ Molotow (SkyBar)
Sun. May 10 – Copenhagen, DK @ VEGA Ideal Bar
Mon. May 11 – Berlin, DE @ Urban Spree
Thu. May 14 – Vienna, AT @ Fluc Café
Fri. May 15 – Prague, CZ @ Meetfactory
Sat. May 16 – Munich, DE @ Milla
Sun. May 17 – Bern, CH @ Reitschule/Rössli
Tue. May 19 – Winterhur, CH @ Albani
Thu. May 21 – Luxembourg, LU @ De Gudde Wellen
Sat. May 23 – Offenbach, DE @ Hafen 2

* = w/ Automatic

Pre-order All Or Nothing – 
https://fat-cat.co.uk/release/shopping/all-or-nothing

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Khruangbin and Leon Bridges team up to bring us “Texas Sun” in the winter when we need it most.

Photo by Pooneh Ghana

Khruangbin & Leon Bridges are pleased to announce Texas Sun, their forthcoming collaborative EP out February 7th on Dead Oceans, in partnership with Columbia Records and Night Time Stories Ltd. In conjunction with today’s announcement, they present its title track. Over a slowly rolling backbeat and strums of flamenco-style guitar, Bridges sings of the pull the unique Texan landscape can have on you, even from miles away. It’s a stunner of an opener, kicking off the EP’s own journey through homesick reminiscences, backseat romances, and late-night contemplations. 
 

Listen to “Texas Sun” —  
https://youtu.be/zSWNWWREtsI
 

Texas Sun is the kind of record made for listening with the windows down and the road humming softly beneath you. Their first time writing with a vocalist, Texas Sun finds Khruangbin—formed of Laura Lee on bass, Mark Speer on guitar, and Donald “DJ” Johnson on drums—tailoring their exotic funk to Bridges’ soulful melodies. On the EP, these Texas natives meet up somewhere in the mythical nexus of the state’s past, present, and future—a dreamy badlands where genres blur as seamlessly as the terrain. The state’s music is as varied and wild as its geography, producing Southern rap pioneers Geto Boys and UGK, lysergic trailblazers The 13th Floor Elevators, and genres-unto-themselves like St. VincentGary Clark Jr., and BeyoncéTexas Sun lives here too, a record that calls equally to the chopped-and-screwed hip-hop fans rattling slabs on the southside of Houston, to those who grew up on listening to both mariachi and post-hardcore out on the Mexican borders of El Paso, to the Austin acid-dropping art school kids. All of these things overlap on Texas Sun in a multicolored melange, purple hues as vivid and unpredictable as one of the state’s rightfully celebrated sunsets.

“We try not to have too much of an intention, because it gets in the way of what the music wants to do,” Lee says. “If you just let the music do what it’s supposed to do, it will reveal itself. We tried to take that same approach with Leon. For us, it was opening up our world to have another person in it. But all of it feels like Texas to me.” 

Texas Sun started on the road and wrapped up in the studio. Both Bridges and Khruangbin had been touring nonstop behind their acclaimed sophomore LPs when their paths converged for a joint North American tour in 2018, a run of shows stretching from Los Angeles to New York. Although both of their musical lanes were slightly different, they shared a dusty, laid back vibe. When a Khruangbin session yielded a song that seemed like it might pair well with Bridges’ voice, the band sent it over. Bridges returned the track with his vocals the very next day. They all soon decamped to the studio with engineer Steve Christensen, hoping to make it into a B-side. But everything flowed so naturally, it was obvious this would be something bigger, leading to Texas Sun

“Big sky country, that’s what they call Texas,” Lee says. Texas Sun effortlessly evokes the feeling of being behind the wheel, nothing but that big sky before you, your mind set free to wander. It’s a sound that should keep you good company on your own winding roads, wherever they may lead, and always back home. 


Texas Sun Tracklist: 
1. Texas Sun
2. Midnight
3. C-Side
4. Conversion

Pre-order Texas Sun —  
https://ffm.to/texassun

Khruangbin online:
khruangbin.com
instagram.com/khruangbin
twitter.com/khruangbin
facebook.com/khruangbin
khruangbin.bandcamp.com
deadoceans.com

Leon Bridges online:
leonbridges.com
instagram.com/leonbridgesofficial
twitter.com/leonbridges
facebook.com/LeonBridgesOfficial
columbiarecords.com

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Squirrel Flower takes us on a melancholy ride with “Headlights.”

Photo by Ally Schamling

Squirrel Flower – the moniker of Ella O’Connor Williams – recently announced I Was Born Swimming, her debut album, out January 31st on Polyvinyl. Following its lead single/video, “Red Shoulder,” she now releases its follow-up single/video, “Headlights.”

Speaking of the track Squirrel Flower says:

“’Headlights’ takes place in a moment of solitary reflection; a glance back and a glance forward. I wrote it on tour driving through the pioneer valley in Massachusetts in some heavy fog. Suddenly I was aware of the space the car was plummeting through, both physical and temporal.”

Director Bao Ngo explains the inspiration behind the video:

“The video for ‘Headlights’ was inspired by cheesy, classic imagery of actors riding in cars through LA— evoking glamour and sunshine. Here, we ran with the concept and placed it in a Massachusetts suburb on a cold winter day, driving around in circles in a convertible, shooting from morning til night, playing with a slightly warped sense of time so that the video would feel a little cold and a little lonely, and perhaps at times a little jarring, while still aiming to subtly reference the beauty of older Hollywood films.”

Throughout the 12 songs that make up I Was Born Swimming, landscapes change and relationships shift. The lyrics feel like effortless expressions of exactly the way it feels to change — abstract, determined and hopeful.

Squirrel Flower’s music is ethereal and warm, brimming over with emotional depth but with a steely eyed bite and confidence in its destination. The band on I Was Born Swimming plays with delicate intention, keeping the arrangements natural and light while Williams’ lead guitar is often fiercely untethered. The album was tracked live, with few overdubs, at The Rare Book Room Studio in New York City with producer Gabe Wax (Adrienne Lenker, Palehound, Cass McCombs). The musicians were selected by Wax and folded themselves into the songs effortlessly. At the heart of the album lives Williams’ haunting voice and melancholic, soulful guitar. 
WATCH THE VIDEO FOR “HEADLIGHTS”
https://youtu.be/JuMgMoF_vf8

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR “RED SHOULDER”
https://youtu.be/pge3R8wbvII

DOWNLOAD / STREAM “RED SHOULDER”
https://smarturl.it/born-swimming

PRE-ORDER I WAS BORN SWIMMING
https://plyvnyl.co/born-swimming

Squirrel Flower Tour Dates:
Tue. Jan. 28 – London, UK @ The Islington
Fri. Jan. 31 – Brighton, UK @ Resident Records
Sat. Feb. 1 – Bristol, UK @ Friendly Records
Sun. Feb. 2 – Leeds, UK @ Jumbo Records
Tue. Feb. 4 – Diksmuide, BE @ 4AD * [Sold Out]
Wed. Feb. 5 – Nijmegen, BL @ Doornroosje *
Thu. Feb. 6 – Brussels, BE @ AB *
Sat. Feb. 8 – Amsterdam, NL @ Bitterzoet * [Sold Out]
Thu. March 5 – Freeport, ME @ Cadenza
Fri. March 6 – Middletown, CT @ Mac 650 Art Gallery &
Sat. March 7  – Boston, MA @ Great Scott &
Wed. March 11 – Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade &
Thu. March 12 – Philadelphia, PA @ Everybody Hits &
Sat. March 13 – Washington, DC @ Songbyrd &
Mon. March 23 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge %
Wed. March 25 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo %
Thu. March 26 – San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill %
Sat. March 28 – Seattle, WA @ Barboza %
Sun. March 29 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge %
Tue. March 31 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court %
Thu. April 2 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge %
Mon. April 6 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry %
Tue. April 7 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas %
Wed. April 8 – Cleveland, OH @ Mahall’s %
Fri. April 10 – Toronto, ON @ Drake Hotel &
Sat. April 11 – Montreal, QC @ Casa Del Popolo &

% = w/ Why Bonnie
& = w/ Cedric Noel
* =w/ Strand of Oaks

SQUIRREL FLOWER ONLINE:
http://www.squirrelflower.net/
https://www.facebook.com/sqrrlflwr/
https://twitter.com/sqrrlflwr
https://squirrelflower.bandcamp.com/
https://pitchperfectpr.com/squirrel-flower
https://www.instagram.com/sqrrlflwr/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7bI1v9NGBBhq8iGfytctni

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Clutch releases sharp cover of CCR’s “Fortunate Son.”

Clutch‘s release of Creedence Clearwater Revival‘s “Fortunate Son” is the fourth in a series of new studio recordings that comprise the newly launched  Weathermaker Vault Series. Available on all digital outlets here: https://orcd.co/dlrxa4p

“Growing up it was hard not to hear CCR’s ”Fortunate Son’ on the radio, on TV or even at the county fair. The groovy backbeat and sloshy hi hats that introduces John Fogerty’s timeless lyrics written so many years ago could be found everywhere. While it may be true to say that ‘Fortunate Son’ could be seen as a political song we think it’s bigger than that. For us ‘Fortunate Son’ is an inspirational song. For that reason we’d like to dedicate the song to the most inspirational person we’ve ever had in our lives, our late manager Jack Flanagan. Jack Flanagan was no fortunate son. He worked tirelessly and passionately all the while keeping a razor sharp sense of humor until his last days. Thank you Jack for making us better than we ever thought we could be.”  Jean-Paul Gaster 

Fortunate Son” was mixed by 6X Grammy Award winner and Clutch collaborator, Vance Powell (WolfmotherThe RaconteursArctic Monkeys).  In the video that accompanies this release Tim Sult pays homage to Jack Flanagan by playing Jack’s beloved 90’s Les Paul. The video was shot at J Robbins’ Magpie Cage Recording Studio in Baltimore, MD. J Robbins produced the Clutch albums Robot Hive/Exodus and Strange Cousins from the West and he recorded all of the WM Vault Series singles. The video can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/F1DJFNSideQ

Clutch has curated their own Spotify playlist “Clutch’s Heavy Rotation” at this location: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3NlZsjNNOoCvwjCv58mcNR 

On Monday, December 2nd, Clutch will embark on a European headline tour with Graveyard and Kamchatka as support.  Tickets available here

2 Dec (Mon) – Wiesbaden, GER @ Kulturzentrum Schlachthof 3 Dec (Tue) – Oberhausen, GER @ Turbinenhalle 5 Dec (Thu) – Bremen, GER @ Aladin Music Hall 6 Dec (Fri) – Nuremberg, GER @ Löwensaal* 7 Dec (Sat) – Strasbourg, FRA @ La Laiterie 8 Dec (Sun) – Villeurbanne, FRA @ Transbordeur 10 Dec (Tue) – Barcelona, ESP @ Sala Apolo* 11 Dec (Wed) – Madrid, ESP @ Sala But 13 Dec (Fri) – Madrid, ESP @ Sala But 14 Dec (Sat) – Bilbao, ESP @ Santana 27 15 Dec (Sun) – Bordeaux, FRA @ Le Rocher de Palmer 17 Dec (Tue) – Southampton, GBR @ O2 Guildhall 18 Dec (Wed) – London, GBR @ Roundhouse 19 Dec (Thu) – Leeds, GBR @ O2 Academy* 20 Dec (Fri) – Nottingham, GBR @ Rock City  *Sold out

Then, right after the Christmas holidays Clutch will head out one last time in 2019 for the annual run of dates between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. They are supported at each show by The Steel Woods and Damon Johnson. The only exception will be at the Ashville, NC show where Tyler Bryant will have the opening slot instead of Damon Johnson. Tickets available here

27 Dec (Fri) – Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s* 28 Dec (Sat) – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel 29 Dec (Sun) – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club 30 Dec (Mon) – Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom 31 Dec (Tue) – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer  *Sold out

Keep your mind open.

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