News – Page 109 – 7th Level Music

Cross Record’s new single, “PYSOL My Castle,” is a lovely meditation.

“What is your wish? What do you expect?” begins Cross Record’s self-titled album, due August 2nd via Ba Da Bing! Throughout, Emily Cross attempts to answer these questions as she guides the listener, delivering a textured soundscape of meditative curiosity. The album is primarily anchored by Cross’s singing, as she pushes her range and engages with a multitude of different approaches, detuning her voice and obstructing its clarity in specific moments. Cross Record presents the lead single, “PYSOL My Castle,” and an accompanying, self-directed video.

Since the release of Cross Record’s last album, 2016’s Wabi Sabi, the Austin, TX-based Cross has divorced, quit drinking, become a death doula, started the observational podcast “What I’m Looking At,” and toured and recorded with Sub Pop’s Loma, the trio she formed with Dan Duszynski and Jonathan Meiburg (Shearwater). Having recorded Wabi Sabi at home between work and sleep hours, Cross did the opposite for Cross Record, writing the album while living on a secluded part of Mexico’s coast. The album was recorded with musician Andrew Hulett and co-producer Theo Karon, and the songs realized their ultimate forms at Hotel Earth, Karon’s studio in Los Angeles. The collaborative atmosphere of Loma challenged Cross to experiment with her sound, leading to a collection of fully-developed songs with percussion, string arrangements, and an expanded production. Though her voice is always central, the instrumentation is equally nuanced and experimental.

In her songs, Cross reconciles her present state of being with her experiences of the past few years. Themes of departure and separation were inspired by her new role as a death doula, which helps clients navigate decisions and hardships at the end of life. Cross’s work in helping others face their greatest fears inhabits the same space as her art, which has always explored the metaphysical in the everyday. Across the album, she looks inward and observes the transcendental – framing death as a spiritual departure and considering the fragility and resilience of the mind. The eerie experience of listening to Cross Record and the unsettling sense of songs slipping from coherent grasp share these same sensibilities.

Lead single “PYSOL My Castle” is immediate proof of Cross’s introspection. Inspired by a visit to an overstimulating Mexican street market, the track describes her search for an unencumbered mindspace: “Walking through the plaza in a dream // All these people reaching out // touching me. I cannot take what you are giving // You cannot break the bubble I’m living in.”

Watch the Video for “PYSOL My Castle” – https://youtu.be/5s4-B4h6ANQ

Pre-order Cross Record – https://bit.ly/30MqQjK Cross Record Tracklist: 1.What Is Your Wish? 2. Licorice 3. Face Smashed, Drooling 4. PYSOL My Castle 5. I Release You 6. The Fly 7. Hollow Garden 8. Y/o Dragon 9. An Angel, a Dove 10. Sing the Song 11. I Am Painting

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Ezra Furman’s new single, “Calm Down,” is a punk rock rager.

Ezra Furman is pleased to announce his new album, Twelve Nudes, due August 30th via Bella Union. 2018 was a championing year for Furman – since the release of the “layered, baroque pop melodrama” (Billboard) Transangelic 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. Additionally, Furman shares the lead single / video, “Calm Down” (aka “I Should Not Be Alone”) and announces a North American and European tour (all dates below).

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.

Throughout Twelve Nudes, Furman uses both personal and outward experiences to communicate intense frustration. On punk-rock track “Rated R Crusaders” he explores his Jewish identity and the Israel/Palestine conflict, while “Trauma” seethes with the spiritual malaise brought on by watching wealthy bullies accused of sexual assault rise to power. Furman is well-aware that America is balanced on a knife-edge between white male supremacy and the dream of universal opportunity; hence the references to Mexico, slave-owners and US “founding father” Ben Franklin in “In America.” “One of my goals in making music is to make the world seem bigger, and life seem larger,” Furman explains. “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.”

Immediate proof is offered by “Calm Down.” The track, insanely catchy and bound up in a compact two minutes and 22 seconds, is a cry of panic and despair. “Desperate times make for desperate songs,” says Furman. “I wrote this in the summer of 2018, a terrible time. It’s the sound of me struggling to admit that I’m not okay with the current state of human civilization, in which bad men crush us into submission. Once you admit how bad it feels to live in a broken society, you can start to resist it, and imagine a better one.” The accompanying video, directed by Beth Jeans Houghton, follows the same hand drawn aspect of previous videos, but with vibrant color and a comic book style.

“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.”

Ezra Furman will shortly embark on a European tour. Then, he will bring his energetic live shows stateside before returning to Europe later this year.

Watch the Video for “Calm Down” –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLecVxlnZG8

Pre-order Twelve Nudes –
http://smarturl.it/ef_twelve

Twelve Nudes Tracklist:
1. Calm Down aka I Should Not Be Alone
2. Evening Prayer aka Justice
3. Transition From Nowhere to Nowhere
4. Rated R Crusaders
5. Trauma
6. Thermometer
7. I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend
8. Blown
9. My Teeth Hurt
10. In America
11. What Can You Do But Rock n Roll

Ezra Furman Tour Dates:

Sun. July 21 – Benicassim, ES @ Benicassim Festival
Tue. July 23 – Cork, IE @ Cyprus Avenue
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)

Riot Fest releases 2019 lineup.

Chicago’s Riot Fest has released the lineup for its 15th anniversary festival, and early price tickets ($129.00) are nearly sold out. Don’t wait too long to get yours.

There are some heavy-hitters on the lineup this year. The Flaming Lips playing Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots in its entirety is almost worth the price of admission by itself. The Raconteurs are sure to put on a solid set, and I’d be keen to see Bloc Party (who are playing Silent Alarm in its entirety, and that’s a good record to be sure), Die Antwoord (as I’m sure their live shows are nuts), the B-52’s, Bob Mould for a second time this year, RIDE, Caroline Rose, Ganser, and how could you not at least check out the set by Village People?

Keep your mind open.

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Sleater-Kinney releases new single, “Hurry On Home,” and North American tour dates.

Rock giantesses Sleater-Kinney are back with not only a sharp new, electro-twinged single, “Hurry On Home,” but also a list of tour dates throughout North America starting in October. “Hurry On Home” is a hot cut about hotter love with a blistering guitar solo from Carrie Brownstein. Don’t miss this tour. Many dates, if not all, are sure to sell out.

10/9/19 – Spokane, WA – Fox Theatre

10/11/19 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory Concert House

10/12/19 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot

10/13/19 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre

10/15/19 – Minneapolis, MN – Palace Theatre

10/16/19 – Milwaukee, WI – Riverside Theater

10/18/19 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre

10/20/19 – Louisville, KY – Old Forester’s Paristown Hall

10/21/19 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium

10/23/19 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle

10/25/19 – Washington, DC – The Anthem

10/26/19 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE- Indoor

10/27/19 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore

10/29/19 – Boston, MA – House of Blues

10/30/19 – Brooklyn, NY – Kings Theatre

10/31/19 – New York, NY – Hammerstein Ballroom

11/1/19 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall

11/3/19 – Toronto, ON – Rebel Complex

11/4/19 – Detroit, MI – Majestic Theatre

11/5/19 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant

11/7/19 – Houston, TX – House of Blues

11/8/19 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues

11/9/19 – Austin, TX – ACL Live at the Moody Theater

11/11/19 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren

11/12/19 – San Diego, CA – The Observatory North Park

11/13/19 – Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory OC

11/14/19 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium

11/16/19 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater

11/19/19 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom

11/21/19 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom

11/23/19 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre

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Kelly Lee Owens releases two new cuts from upcoming 12″ single.

British musician and producer Kelly Lee Owens shares new tracks, “Let It Go” and “Omen,” available digitally now and via limited 12” on July 5th via Smalltown Supersound. “Let It Go” was created for Owens’ DJ set at London’s Fabric earlier this year and made available yesterday via Adult Swim’s Singles Series. “Let It Go” is a high energy club track, featuring hard-hitting beats and Owens’ feathery vocals. “While working on my second album, I had my Room 1 Fabric DJ set coming up, so I decided to make a track for fun, to play out. There’s no better way of testing out new stuff than on that legendary sound system,” says Owens. “Let It Go / Omen” follows her “immensely varied and fully-formed” (Pitchfork) self-titled debut, released in 2017.

After playing dates in Europe, Owens will play DJ sets in New York and California. Then, she will return to Europe to appear at select festivals. All dates are below.

Listen to “Let It Go” – https://youtu.be/gSitKhOPmLY

Listen to “Omen” – https://youtu.be/jF3fT5SYDjk

Kelly Lee Owens Tour Dates: Sat. June 1 – Leeds, UK @ Inner City Festival (DJ Set) Fri. June 7 – London, UK @ Field Day Sat. June 15 – Barcelona, ES @ Razzmatazz (DJ Set) Fri. July 5 – New York, NY @ Elsewhere (DJ Set) Sat. July 6 – New York, NY @ Location TBA (DJ Set) Thu. July 11 – San Francisco, CA @ 1015 Folsom (DJ Set) Fri. July 12 – Los Angeles, CA @ 1720 (DJ Set) Sat. July 13 – Mexico City, MX @ Yu Yu (DJ Set) Fri. July 19 – Cheshire, UK @ Blue Dot Festival Fri. Aug. 2 – Ghent, BE @ Absolutely Free Festival (DJ Set) Thu. Aug. 8 – Mon. Aug. 12 – Barcelona, ES @ Boaty Weekender Cruise Fri. Aug. 30 – Salisbury, UK @ End of The Road Festival

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Alex Cameron’s new single, “Miami Memory,” is a loving tip of the hat to the town and his girlfriend.

Alex Cameron presents the new single/video, “Miami Memory,” directed by Cameron, and starring himself, his business associate and sax player Roy Molloy and actress Jemima Kirke. A love song to the city, “Miami Memory” embraces the lustful air of Miami and explores both Alex’s personal relationship with both the city and his girlfriend. Throughout, Alex’s sultry and playful delivery embraces themes of sex positivity, love and reflection. Premiered this past Sunday on KCRW’s Henry Rollins’ show, “Miami Memory” is the first new music Cameron has released since 2017’s Forced Witness.

“‘Miami Memory’ is a story about how we audition in the present for our future selves to enjoy in retrospect. In that way, tender memories that we share together are captured in thought and stored with the same electricity that keeps our heart beating,” says Cameron. “It’s a gift for my girlfriend Jemima, and it is dedicated to the artist Greer Lankton and her partner Paul Monroe. I am lucky to have learned that a group of people can be a shining light.”

Cameron has announced a fall European and North American tour, including shows in Chicago, Toronto, New York and Los Angeles. North American tickets are on sale now.

Watch “Miami Memory” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0BtytpbJCU

Stream “Miami Memory” – https://alexcameron.ffm.to/miamimemory

Alex Cameron Tour Dates: Wed. Sept. 18 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso Thu. Sept. 19 – Brussels, BE @ AB Club Fri. Sept. 20 – Brighton, UK @ The Haunt Sat. Sept. 21 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club Sun. Sept. 22 – Dublin, IE @ Button Factory Tue. Sept. 24 – Bristol, UK @ The Fleece Wed. Sept. 25 – London, UK @ Electric Brixton Thu. Sept. 26 – Manchester, UK @ Gorilla Fri. Sept. 27 – Glasgow, UK @ Art School Sun. Sept. 29 – Southampton, UK @ Loft Tue. Oct. 1 – Lille, FR @ Aeronef Club Wed. Oct. 2 – Paris, FR @ Trianon Thu. Oct. 3 – Reims, FR @ La Cartonnerie Fri. Oct. 4 – Nantes, FR @ Lieu Unique Sat. Oct. 5 – Orléans, FR @ Astrolabe Mon. Oct. 7 – Zurich, CH @ Mascotte Tue. Oct. 8 – Dudingen, CH @ Bad Bonn Wed. Oct. 9 – Milan, IT @ Ohibo Thu. Oct. 10 – Bologna, IT @ Covo Sat. Oct. 12 – Salzburg, AT @ Rockhouse Birthday Party Sun. Oct. 13 – Vienna, AT @ Flex Cafe Mon. Oct. 14 – Munich, DE @ Strom Tue. Oct. 15 – Prague, CZ @ Meet Factory Wed. Oct. 16 – Berlin, DE @ Festsaal Kreuzberg Fri. Oct. 18 – Stockholm, SE @ Vasateatern Sat. Oct. 19 – Oslo, NO @ Parkteatret Sun. Oct. 20 – Gothenburg, SE @ Pustervik Mon. Oct. 21 – Copenhagen, DK @ Vega Tue. Oct. 22 – Hamburg, DE @ Uebel & Gefährlich Wed. Oct. 23 – Cologne, DE @ Artheater Fri. Nov. 8 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall Fri. Nov. 15 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre Fri. Nov. 22 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall Fri. Dec. 6 – Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour

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Olden Yolk are currently on tour promoting their new album – “Living Theatre.”

“Through layers of warm harmonies, spirited drum fills and bright guitar riffs, Shane Butler and multi-instrumentalist Caity Shaffer craft a kaleidoscopic world that steadily builds on its own momentum”
– NPR Music

Olden Yolk – the duo of songwriters Shane Butler and Caity Shaffer – shares their single from Living Theatre, their sophomore album, via Trouble In Mind. “Grand Palais” is “about the frivolous search to seek some semblance of spiritual understanding in various places, things, and people outside of ourselves. Much of the song was written through improvisation in the studio alongside percussionist Booker Stardrum, whose frantic drumming is a driving force in the song. Weaving vocals, synthesizers, and tempo switches all encapsulate the dual feelings of desperation and euphoria found within this type of pursuit,” explains the band.

Olden Yolk is on tour in support of Living Theatre. They’re joined by Ryan Jewell (drums), Peter Wagner (bass) and Frank Maston (synths/keys). A full list of dates is below.
Stream “Grand Palais” – https://youtu.be/977uBeouGb4

Watch “Distant Episode” Video – https://youtu.be/hKS-ro9GPiE

Watch “Cotton & Cane” Video – https://youtu.be/cICiAlzVHag

Pre-order Living Theatre – https://bit.ly/2FGtjE4

Olden Yolk Tour Dates:

Wed. May 29 – Detroit, MI @ Outer Limits Lounge
Thu. May 30 – Chicago, IL @ HideoutWed. May 31 – Grand Rapids, MI @ House Show
Thu. June 1 – Columbus, OH @ Dirty Dungarees
Fri. June 2 – Cleveland, OH @ Happy Dog
Fri. June 7 – Sonoma, CA @ Huichica Festival
Wed. June 19 – Los Angeles, CA @ Zebulon (LA record release show)
Thu. June 20 – San Francisco, CA @ Make Out Room
Fri. June 21 – Portland, OR @ Turn Turn Turn w/ Adam Torres
Sun. June 23 – Seattle, WA @ Sunset Tavern
Sat. Oct. 12 – Portsmouth, UK @ The Festing
Sat. Oct. 13 – Exeter, UK @ The Cavern
Mon. Oct. 14 – Brighton, UK @ Komedie Studio
Tue. Oct. 15 – London, UK @ Lexington
Wed. Oct. 16 – Bristol, UK @ Louisiana
Thu. Oct. 17 – Birmingham, UK @ Hair & Hounds 2
Fri. Oct. 18 – Manchester, UK @ YES
Sat. Oct. 19 – Oxford, UK @ Ritual Union Festival

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Clutch and Killswitch Engage announce summer U.S. tour.

Clutch, Killswitch Engage, and Cro-Mags are heading on the road together this summer across the United States in what will surely be one of the loudest tours of 2019. Tickets to all dates are on sale now. Some of the dates include festivals like Clutch’s Earth Rocker (July 13), Rock Fest (July 19th), and Impact Festival (July 28th).

Clutch never disappoint live, so don’t miss your chance to see them.

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Levitation France announces first wave of 2019 lineup.

The 2019 Levitation France music festival has released its first announcement of the bands playing at the Le Quai performance center in Angers, France September 20-21st.

There are some interesting choices right out of the gate. Fat White Family makes intriguing psychedelic rock, Iceage, the Warlocks, and Black Midi will provide some of the loudest sets of the weekend, and New Candys bring in some great Italian shoegaze. I need to research the other bands. There might be a new favorite on this list I haven’t yet discovered.

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Tal National announces summer North American tour.

“Rollicking, dizzying, high-octane grooves with the joie de vivre of afrobeat and highlife.” — Rolling Stone

“It’s downright miraculous how the songs mesh: guitar licks, hopscotching bass lines, cymbal offbeats and talking drums all land with microscopic precision and can reconfigure in an instant.” — The New York Times

“The sound of a group without obvious peer… such brazen confidence and ability” — Wire Magazine

Niamey, Niger band Tal National returns to tour North America this summer supporting their highly lauded third album for FatCat Records, Tantabara. The tour begins in July and will bring the band to Canada for the first time, while also returning to some US cities in which they’ve blown minds and moved feet previously. Please see current dates below. Hear and share Tantabara via Spotify, Bandcamp and YouTube.

Watch & share “Akokas” official VIDEO.

Tal National is a band built on bringing people together. Their home country of Niger is split into a wide variety of cultures and ethnicities — Songhai, Fulani, Hausa, and Tuareg voices all vie for attention under their national banner, and all are represented in the vast membership of Tal National’s ranks. This gives the band’s music its own particular mash of ethnomusical touchstones, from the bounce of kora, highlife and afrobeat, to the dusting of Tuareg Blues and the roiling boil of Hausa percussion — they are truly their country’s best cultural emissaries. In 2013 the band’s FatCat debut was released to wide critical acclaim: The NY Times placed it on their year end Top Ten and other publications followed suit — The Guardian, The Independent, Mojo, Vice, The Wire, and others all sang exuberant praises. NPR, KEXP and WBEZ hosted frenetic live sessions. Two years on, their follow-up only cemented their status, adding shouts from Pitchfork, Afropop Worldwide, FADER, The Quietus and The Boston Globe to the fray. Though with each heaping of praise they all seemed to echo NPR’s assessment that “there’s no way you won’t dance to this one!”

Tantabara is available on LP, CD and download, released February 9th, 2018 via FatCat Records.

TAL NATIONAL TOUR 2019: 07/06 London, ON – Sunfest 07/07 London, ON – Sunfest 07/08 Toronto, ON – The Baby G 07/09 Detroit, MI – Trinosophes 07/11 Pittsburgh, PA – Spirit 07/13 Winnipeg, MB – Winnipeg Folk Festival 07/14 Winnipeg, MB – Winnipeg Folk Festival 07/16 Portland, OR – The Jack London 07/17 Seattle, WA – Nectar Lounge 07/18 Harrison Hot Springs, BC – Harrison Festival 07/20 Vancouver, BC – Vancouver Folk Festival 07/21 Vancouver, BC – Vancouver Folk Festival 07/26-07/28 Calgary, AB – Calgary Folk Festival 08/01 New York, NY – Public Records 08/02 Marlboro, NY – Live at The Falcon 08/03 New Haven, CT – Cafe Nine 08/04 Portland, ME – Space538 08/06 Hudson, NY – Half Moon presents 08/07 Boston, MA – Museum of Fine Arts 08/08 Easthampton, MA – New City Brewery 08/09 Edmonton, AB – Edmonton Folk Festival 08/10 Edmonton, AB – Edmonton Folk Festival 08/16 Salmon Arm, BC – Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival 08/17 Salmon Arm, BC – Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival

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