Category: News

Lollapalooza 2017 lineup announced.

The lineup for Chicago’s Lollapalooza 2017 festival has been announced.  They’ve kept it a four-day festival, and four-day tickets are already sold out.  Individual day tickets are on sale, but don’t wait too long to get them.  They will sell out as well.

It’s good to see Temples playing Thursday night, Phantogram on Friday, Royal Blood, Ron Gallo, and Warpaint on Sunday, and Justice on Sunday.

Make sure to take your sunscreen.  Lollapalooza always seems to fall on the hottest weekend of the year in Chicago.

Keep your mind open.

Kelly Lee Owens’ debut album out March 24th.

LISTEN TO KELLY LEE OWENS’ DEBUT ALBUM VIA NPR MUSIC’S “FIRST LISTEN”
http://n.pr/2mayKmi

WATCH VIDEO FOR “ANXI” FT. JENNY HVAL, DIRECTED BY KIM HIORTHØY
https://youtu.be/FdDf2Ib4B64

DEBUT ALBUM OUT THIS FRIDAY, MARCH 24TH, ON SMALLTOWN SUPERSOUND

 
“[Kelly Lee Owens’] melodies are effortless, romantic and repetitive; its atmosphere replete with pastoral open spaces and the kind of spiritual longing at the heart of human intimacy.” – NPR Music’s “First Listen”

“The self-titled record is a confluence of enveloping club tracks and underwater transmissions—roiling currents, sonar bass pulses, and a sense of chaos teeming beneath a pristine veneer.” – Pitchfork “Rising”

“. . . gently pulsing beats, ghostly vocal melodies, and synthesizer hooks that are both chilly and enveloping.” — Entertainment Weekly’s “Breaking Big”

“Rumbling with frustrated energy, Kelly Lee Owens’s “Anxi.,” featuring Jenny Hval, sounds mystical and mad.”
— The FADER
Kelly Lee Owens, the 28-year old London-based producer, is set to release her self-titled debut album, next Friday, March 24th via Smalltown Supersound. Leading into this Friday’s release, the album is available to stream via NPR Music’s “First Listen.” Additionally, Kelly is excited to present the music video (her first!) for “Anxi” ft. Jenny Hval. Directed by visual artist Kim Hiorthøy, it’s a perfect compliment to the song’s “steady pulse of techno-inflected thumps and bright melodies” (Pitchfork).

Before starting work on her self-produced album, Kelly Lee Owens turned her keen ear towards dance music after working in a record store with techno producer Daniel Avery. Her voice and contributions can be heard on Avery’s Drone Logic. Since then, she self-released two white label 12”s, with last fall’s “Oleic” EP to follow. Her self-titled solo album is first and foremost Owens’ vision — it bridges the gaps between cavernous techno, spectral pop, and Krautrock’s mechanical pulse, and it brims with exploratory wonder. It delves into a variety of moods – sadness, anxiety, and darkly shaded ecstasy – with a trippy-eyed clarity and confidence.
Stream Kelly Lee Owens via NPR Music –
http://n.pr/2mayKmi

Watch “Anxi” ft. Jenny Hval video –
https://youtu.be/FdDf2Ib4B64

Listen to/share “Anxi” ft. Jenny Hval –
https://soundcloud.com/smalltownsupersound/kelly-lee-owens-anxi-ft-jenny-hval/
https://open.spotify.com/album/0RDYUWPkH0EsLmIq2pE8u1

Pre-order Kelly Lee Owens –
http://smarturl.it/KellyLeeOwens

Kelly Lee Owens’ Tour Dates:
Sun. March 26 – Nottingham, UK @ Rough Trade in-store
Mon. March 27 – London, UK @ Rough Trade East in-store
Thu. April 20 – Paris, FR @ Fils de Venus
Wed. May 10 – London, UK @ Pickle Factory
Thu. May 11 – Amsterdam, NL @ De School
Sat. May 13 – Brussels, BE @ Les Nuits Botanique
Wed. May 17 – Toulouse, FR @ Art Gallery (DJ Set)
Sat. June 3 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound
Sun. June 11 – Paris, FR @ We Love Green Festival
Sat. July 8 – Cheshire, UK @ Jodrell Bank Observatory, Bluedot Festival
Sat. Aug. 12 – Oslo, NO @ Øya Festival
Fri. Sep. 1 – Dorset, UK @ End of the Road
Wed. Nov. 1 – Sun. Nov. 5 – Reykjavik, IS @ Air Waves Festival
Kelly Lee Owens online:
https://kellyleeowens.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/kellyleeowens/
https://twitter.com/kellyleeowens
https://www.instagram.com/kellyleeowens/
https://soundcloud.com/kellyleeowens
http://www.smalltownsupersound.com/
http://pitchperfectpr.com/kelly-lee-owens/

Moonlandingz debut album out March 24th.

(featuring members of Fat White Family and Eccentronic Research Council)
Share video for ‘The Strangle of Anna’ on NME
Debut album INTERPLANETARY CLASS CLASSICS released March 24th via Chimera Music
Album includes guest appearances from Yoko Ono, Randy Jones (Village People) and Philip Oakey (The Human League). Co-produced by Sean Lennon
Tickets available for exclusive New York show May 11th at Rough Trade NYC

Credit; Chris Saunders
“A rip-roaring busman’s holiday…there’s a camp swagger to these motorik grooves.” Q
“Forging bombast with bravura, silliness with sentiment and homage with fist-clenched individuality, this is a trip worth taking, especially for those already acquainted. Like a defiant and brilliantly bonkers case of cosmic ordering coming off with flying colours, this is a release that – perhaps more than any of its main players associated projects – doubles up celebration of the possible. And how.“ The Quietus (lead review and read the interview)
“A deviant blend of filthy pop and pre-digital electronics….top drawer psycho-disco” MOJO
“Feral antics and louche anarchy!”  The Guardian
“For a ‘fictional’ band, The Moonlandingz have made a pretty great album.” (8/10) The Line Of Best Fit
The band name on everyone’s lips in the UK, The Moonlandingz, have teamed up with award winning video director and cinematographer, Dawn Shadforth and Robbie Ryan; the people that brought you the iconic video for Kylie Minogue’s ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’, the gritty heartbreaking British film, ‘I, Daniel Blake’ and ‘American Honey’ (amongst many more), to bring you the brand new video for their latest single ‘The Strangle of Anna’, featuring the voice of Slow Club‘s Rebecca Lucy Taylor.
The Moonlandingz are the semi-fictional psych-pop group put together by Sheffield’s practical electronics wizards and analogue taxidermists, The Eccentronic Research Council (Adrian Flanagan and Dean Honer) and Fat White Family‘s Lias Saoudi and Saul Adamczewski.
 ‘The band previously shared Black Hanz, released as an EP late last year and included on the album. Both tracks have been on A list rotation on 6 Music in the UK on Lauren Laverne and Marc Riley‘s shows.
INTERPLANETARY CLASS CLASSICS  is released March 24th through Chimera Music and features guest appearances from Yoko Ono, Randy Jones (the Cowboy from The Village People), and Philip Oakey, along with drummer Ross Orton and bassist Mairead O’Connor. Written, recorded and produced by the band at studios in Sheffield and New York, it also features co-producer Sean Lennon on guitar and additional drums and bass and was mixed by legendary Flaming Lips/Tame Impala/MGMT producer, Dave Fridmann. The album is a feast of swirling juddering synths, wailing guitars, motorik stomp and extraordinary songwriting – weird, catchy, glorious and filthy pop.
The Moonlandingz have proven themselves to be one of the best live bands in the UK and kick off an 11 date headlining tour this week, before heading to Europe and ending with their biggest show to date at Village Underground in London on April 4th.
The band play an exclusive New York show on May 11th at Rough Trade NYC. Stay tuned for more news, including additional US appearances.

INTERPLANETARY CLASS CLASSICS TRACK LISTING:
1. Vessels
2. Sweet Saturn Mine
3. Black Hanz
4. I.D.S.
5. The Strangle Of Anna (feat. Rebecca Taylor of Slow Club)
6. Theme From Valhalladale
7. The Rabies Are Back
8. Neuf De Pape
9.  Glory Hole (feat. Randy Jones from Village People)
10. Lufthanza Man
11. This Cities Undone (feat. Yoko Ono & friendz)
Watch videos for Black Hanz and Sweet Saturn Mine (Sean Lennon De-Mix) – both directed by musician Charlotte Kemp Muhl (of The GOASTT)
The Black Hanz EP is available digitally, featuring a special mix (non-LP) and 3 other non-LP tracks:
Drop It Fauntleroy, The Cement Garden (interlude) & Psych Ersatz (ERC Rasper Four Eyes De-Mix).
LIVE SHOWS:
MARCH (UK):
22nd – Newcastle – Cluny
23rd – Glasgow – Stereo SOLD OUT
24th – Dublin – Whelans
25th –  Liverpool –  Invisible Wind Factory
28th –  Birmingham – Hare & Hounds SOLD OUT
29th – Nottingham – Rescue Rooms
30th – Manchester – Gorilla SOLD OUT
APRIL (UK/EUROPE):
1st  – Sheffield – Leadmill
2nd – Bristol –  Thekla SOLD OUT
3rd – Portsmouth – Wedgewood Rooms
4th –  London – Village Underground SOLD OUT
19th – Oxford – The Bullingdon
20th – Rouen – Le 106 Club
21st  – Bourges  – Le Printemps de Bourges Festival
22nd – Cologne  – Artheater
24th  – Berlin – Katine am Berghain
25th – Hamburg – Molotow
26th – Amsterdam – Paradiso
27th  – Paris – Point FMR
MAY (US):
11th – Brooklyn  – Rough Trade NYC
The Moonlandingz online:

Tool announces short U.S. and Canada tour.

Prog-metal virtuosos Tool have announced a small batch of tour dates across the U.S. east coast and Midwest, and a couple in Canada.  Some of these towns haven’t seen a Tool show in over a decade.  They’re also headlining a couple music festivals this year.

No word yet on if this tour will be to promote their long-awaited fifth album or any songs from it will be played on the tour.  Tool always does their own thing, so don’t be surprised if they only play older tracks or nothing but stuff you haven’t heard before.

May 24 — Fairfax, Virginia @ Eaglebank Arena
May 27 — Bangor, Maine @ Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion
May 28 — Boston, Massachusetts @ Boston Calling
May 30 — Rochester, New York @ Blue Cross Arena
May 31 — Hamilton, Ontario @ First Ontario Centre
June 2 — Montreal, Quebec @ Bell Centre
June 5 — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania @ Petersen Events Center
June 7 — Detroit, Michigan @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
June 8 — Chicago, Illinois @ Allstate Arena

Keep your mind open.

Pitchfork Music Festival announces full 2017 lineup.

Chicago’s annual Pitchfork Music Festival has announced its full lineup for 2017.  As usual, it’s an interesting mix of artists and genres.

At first glance, the most exciting picks for me are LCD Soundsystem, the Thurston Moore Group, A Tribe Called Quest, P.J. Harvey, George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, SURVIVE, Nicolas Jaar, The Avalanches, Derrick Carter, and NE-HI.

Ticket prices have gone up at least $25.00 since the announcement and will go up more as the festival dates get closer, so don’t wait.

Keep your mind open.

Death Cab for Cutie’s Dave Depper announces solo album.

DAVE DEPPER (OF DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE) ANNOUNCES DEBUT SOLO ALBUM,
EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE, OUT JUNE 9TH ON TENDER LOVING EMPIRE

LISTEN TO “DO YOU WANT LOVE?”
https://soundcloud.com/tenderlovingempire/dave-depper-do-you-want-love
(photo credit: Jaclyn Campanaro)
“…a cloud of weightless synths anchored by a danceably funky bass groove.”
— Stereogum on “Do You Want Love?”
Everyone knows Dave Depper.

The perennial side man, Depper began his music career with a white lie. On a whim he decided to buy a Farfisa organ off of Craigslist, an organ that just happened to belong to the founder of Hush Recordsand member of Blanket Music, Chad Crouch. Crouch asked if Depper wanted to play bass, and despite not playing bass or owning one, he said yes. From there he went on to become the connection point between a staggering number of Northwest bands, playing with Menomena, Fruit Bats, Mirah, CorinTucker, and Laura Gibson. Tapped to join Ray LaMontagne’s touring band in 2014 and then snatched up to become a full-time member of Death Cab for Cutie, Depper solidified his role as the go-to guy, the man next to everyone on late night.

One night he and his friends decided to play a game where they each had to write 20 songs in 12 hours, and come back together at the end of it to listen to everyone’s efforts together. From that session came a slew of songs. When Depper presented them, though, almost everyone picked up on the synth-pop beat of “Never Worked So Hard,” a nascent but catchy tune half-finished and unlike any of the music Depper had played before. Emotional Freedom Technique began there.

Straddling the line between pop and despair, Emotional Freedom Technique is a letter to the broken heart that won’t mend but still beats. It is a portrait of what happens when someone is flung across the world on tour – grateful to be there, grateful for the success and the adventures, but ultimately lonely. The most straightforward pop song, “Your Voice on the Radio”, features friend and former bandmate LauraGibson adding vocals about unrealized and unsatisfied love over bubbling bass and sparkling, multiplying shakers and synths that build to a deceptively joyous chorus. Songs like “Do You Want Love”, which premiered this morning on Stereogum, and “Communication” lean forward on cutting deep, propulsive grooves. Grappling with loneliness, the longing for human connection and the fear thereof, Depper strings ornate synth melodies together into simple hooks that speak to the most relatable reasons we listen to pop music – to remember we aren’t alone, and to still have a good time with it.

Emotional Freedom Technique is out June 9th on Tender Loving Empire. Dave will play two special album release shows: Wed. June 22 at Barboza in Seattle and Thu. June 22nd at Mississippi Studios in Portland.

 

Listen to “Do You Want Love?” — 
https://soundcloud.com/tenderlovingempire/dave-depper-do-you-want-love

Emotional Freedom Technique tracklisting:
01. Do You Want Love?
02. Communication
03. Lonely With You
04. Your Voice On The Radio (feat. Laura Gibson)
05. Never Worked So Hard
06. Anytime, Anywhere
07. EZ-101
08. Summer Days
09. Hindsight / Emotional Freedom Technique

Dave Depper Tour Dates:
Wed. June 21 — Seattle, WA @ Barboza
Thu. June 22 — Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios

Pre-order Emotional Freedom Technique — http://bit.ly/2mD1S4H

Download hi-res images & album art — http://pitchperfectpr.com/dave-depper/
(Emotional Freedom Technique album art)
Dave Depper online:
davedepper.com
twitter.com/davedepper
instagram.com/davedepper
tenderlovingempire.com
pitchperfectpr.com/dave-depper 

Moon Duo’s new album, “Occult Architecture Vol. 2,” due May 5th.

MOON DUO ANNOUNCE OCCULT ARCHITECTURE VOL. 2,
OUT MAY 5TH ON SACRED BONES

STREAM/WATCH VIDEO FOR NEW SINGLE, “LOST IN LIGHT”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rP-9axxbO4
https://soundcloud.com/sacredbones/moon-duo-lost-in-light/s-WEKtG

(above image of Moon Duo by John Jeffrey, post art by Jasmine Pasquill)
Following the recent release of Occult Architecture Vol. 1, Moon Duo – guitarist Ripley Johnson and keyboardist Sanae Yamada — announce the details of Vol. 2, the second part of their psychedelic opus, set for a May 5th release via Sacred Bones. The announcement comes with a new single, “Lost in Light,” and its accompanying video, which gives a glimpse into the shimmering world that represents the lighter half of this Yin and Yang themed creation – the Yang.

Directed by Micah Buzan, the “Lost In Light” video was created as a counter-reaction to his previous animation for Vol. 1’s “Cold Fear.” He explains: “’Lost In Light’ is the Yang to ‘Cold Fear’s Yin. In ‘Cold Fear’ the aliens ruled the planet in their giant skyscrapers and tortured humanoids. ‘Lost In Light’ continues the story of ‘Cold Fear’ a million years into the future, when the aliens have died off after exhausting the planet’s resources, and nature reclaims the land. Huge flowers grow out of the dead humanoids, aliens, and their buildings. Moon Duo emerge from an alien’s head as a flower and rainbow, becoming one with the planet as the sun absorbs everything into oblivion.”

The Occult Architecture of Moon Duo’s fourth album is an intricately woven hymn to the invisible structures found in the cycle of seasons and the journey of day into night, dark into light. Offering a cosmic glimpse into the hidden patterning embedded in everything, Occult Architecture reflects the harmonious duality of these light and dark energies through the Chinese theory of Yin and Yang. Following the Yin (darkness, night, earth) represented on Vol. 1, Vol. 2 presents the Yang. Yang means “the bright side of the hill” and is associated with the sun, light and the spirit of heaven. As such, Vol. 2 explores the light and airy elements of Moon Duo’s complex psyche.

“In production we referred to Vol. 1 as the fuzz dungeon, and Vol. 2 as the crystal palace,” guitarist Ripley Johnson explains. “The darkness of Vol. 1 gave birth to the light of Vol. 2. We had to have both elements in order to complete the cycle. We’re releasing them separately to allow them their own space, and to ensure clarity of vision. To that end we also mixed Vol. 2 separately, in the height of Portland summer, focusing on its sonic qualities of lightness, air, and sun. Listeners can ultimately use the two volumes individually or together, depending on circumstance or the desired effect.”

Watch Moon Duo’s “Lost in Light” Video –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rP-9axxbO4

Stream “Lost in Light” –
https://soundcloud.com/sacredbones/moon-duo-lost-in-light/s-WEKtG

Watch/Listen:
Occult Architecture Vol. 1 stream — https://open.spotify.com/album/4AlRpwAsVlD0fuDnt9i3XD
“Cold Fear” video — https://youtu.be/VwZG_jY9gFs
“Creepin’” stream — https://soundcloud.com/sacredbones/moon-duo-creepin/s-4zh7u

Occult Architecture Vol. 2 Tracklisting:
1. New Dawn
2. Mirror’s Edge
3. Sevens
4. Lost in Light
5. The Crystal World

Pre-order Occult Architecture Vol. 2—
http://hyperurl.co/OAVol2

Purchase Occult Architecture Vol. 1 —
Via iTunes – http://hyperurl.co/OAVol1
Via Bandcamp – https://moonduo.bandcamp.com/album/occult-architecture-vol-1

Moon Duo Tour Dates:
Sat. March 11 – Mexico City, MX @ Festival NRMAL
Wed. Mar. 15 – Newcastle, UK @ Northumbria University
Thu. Mar. 16 – Manchester, UK @ Band On The Wall
Fri. Mar. 17 – London, UK @ Heaven
Sat. Mar. 18 – Paris, FR @ Le Trabendo
Sun. Mar. 19 – Nancy, FR @ L’Autre Canal
Mon. Mar. 20 – Zurich, CH @ Plaza
Thu. Mar. 23 – Budapest, HU @ A38
Fri. Mar. 24 – Graz, AT @ Orpheum Extra
Sat. Mar. 25 – Vienna, AT @ Chelsea
Mon. Mar. 27 – Leipzig, DE @ UT Connewitz
Tue. Mar. 28 – Berlin, DE @ Bi Nuu
Wed. Mar. 29 – Copenhagen, DK @ Pumphuset
Thu. Mar. 30 – Oslo, NO @ Bla
Fri. Mar. 31 – Stockholm, SE @ Kagelbanan
Sat. Apr. 1 – Gothenburg, SE @ Pusterviks
Mon. Apr. 3 – Groningen, NL @ Vera Club
Tue. Apr. 4 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso Noord
Wed. Apr. 5 – Eindhoven, NL @ Effenaar
Thu. Apr. 6 – Brighton, UK @ The Haunt
Fri. Apr. 7 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
Sat. Apr. 8 – Glasgow, UK @ Stereo
Fri. Apr. 21 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
Sat. Apr. 22 – Detroit, MI @ El Club
Sun. Apr. 23 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
Tue. Apr. 25 – Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rossa
Wed. Apr. 26 – Boston, MA @ Great Scott
Thu. Apr. 27 – Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade
Fri. Apr. 28 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
Sat. Apr. 29 – Washington, DC @ DC9
Sun. Apr. 30 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern
Thu. June 8 – Ravenna, IT @ Beaches Brew
Sat. June 10 – Barcelona, ES @ Unload Club
Mon. June 12 – Bilboa, ES @ Kafe Antzokia
Tue. June 13 – Madrid, ES @ Caracol
Wed June 14 – Biarritz, FR @ Wheels and Waves Festival
Thu. June 15 – Montpellier, FR @ Le Rockstore
Mon. June 19 – Antwerp, BE @ Trix
Tue. June 20 – Brussels, BE @ Les Ateliers Claus
Sat. June 24 – Sat. July 1 – Roskilde, DK @ Roskilde Festival
Fri Aug. 18 – Parades De Coura, PT @ Parades de Coura

(Occult Architecture Vol. 2 cover art)
Download hi-res album art and press images – www.pitchperfectpr.com/moon-duo/

Partner release new single from upcoming album.

Partner_L-R_Josée-Caron_Lucy-Niles_photoby_Colin-Medley

PARTNER share new single and video “Comfort Zone”

Comfort Zone – YouTube // Clash

Official Statement
“A comfort zone does not have to be a place. A comfort zone is whatever makes you feel at ease. It can be a person, an object, a sensation. No two comfort zones are the same. We recognize that we have had the privilege and good fortune to experience comfort in a way that unfortunately eludes many. We feel that everyone deserves to feel the relief, however fleeting, that is offered by a comfort zone. We recognize that most people spend the majority of their time outside their comfort zones, and with this song we hope to express our belief that everyone deserves to feel comfortable and safe.

Whatever, wherever, whoever your comfort zone may be, it is our hope that you are able to access it as often as is necessary. Love and respect” – Partner

QUOTES

“Ontario-by-way-Sackville band Partner is one of the most exciting and brightest hopes for rock and roll in Canada.”
– Noisey

“Inspiring Canadian duo with a fetish for cold truth and hard riffs… ”
– Clash Magazine
RIYL – Weezer, PWR BTTM, Melissa Etheridge, Ween, Beavis & Butthead

Mixed by Grammy award winner Chris Shaw (Weezer, Public Enemy, Sum 41). Video directed by Colin Medley.

Partner is the “mature” effort of small town lesbians Josée Caron and Lucy Niles. Borne of their bizarre and fortuitous friendship, Partner boldly goes where few have even desired to go, moving effortlessly from topics like sex objects and gross secrets to more serious themes like intimacy, friendship, and existential unease.

Partner marries feminism and stadium rock riffage to produce a sound as queer as they are, and their arrival on the scene couldn’t be more timely: “Partner’s music is like what early 00s pop punk would be like if it was mixed with a reverence for classic rock era guitar solos. But unlike that generation’s insistence of straight white dude figureheads that traded a sense of humour for self-righteousness, Partner’s songs are funny as hell.”

After a freakishly productive year of writing, recording and touring, Partner are releasing a first single “Comfort Zone” to kick off 2017. Their enthusiastic and action-packed live set has led to them being named the “best new band in Canada” in the Globe and Mail, and although “Partner hasn’t even released an album yet, [watching] one of their sets, it’s clear right away that they’ve arrived fully formed.” Influenced by acts as varied as Ween, Weezer, Neil Young, and Sum 41, Partner promises to make you question everything you thought you knew about rock ‘n’ roll.

Tour Dates:
March 30 – Tender Trap, Brooklyn NY USA
April 01 – House of Targ, Ottawa ON (Juno Fest)
April 14 – Phog Lounge, Windsor ON
April 20 – The Casbah, Hamilton ON
April 22 – Long Boat Hall at the Great Hall, Toronto ON (CMW)
June 14 – Palais des Congrès, Montréal QC (Mondial de la bière)
June 15 – Saw Gallery, Ottawa ON (Ottawa Explosion)

Partner Links
Website: http://www.partnerband.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/officiallypartners
Bandcamp: https://youvechangedrecords.bandcamp.com/album/comfort-zone
Record Label: http://youvechangedrecords.com/portfolio/partner/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/partner_band

L.A. Takedown announces new album.

L.A. TAKEDOWN ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM, II, OUT MAY 12TH VIA RIBBON MUSIC

WATCH “NIGHT SKIING” VIDEO AT NPR MUSIC
http://smarturl.it/NightSkiingVideo

On their new album II, L.A. Takedown align the moody grandeur of a film score with the pure melodicism of pop. Led by Los Angeles-based composer/multi-instrumentalist Aaron M. Olson, the seven-piece band delivers a guitar-driven take on synth-pop that’s inspired its own genre. “Bjorn Copeland of Black Dice once described L.A. Takedown to me as ‘Baywatch Krautrock,’” Olson recalls. “I found myself saying, ‘Well, you know…it’s not not that—works for me!” Still, despite any association with oceanic hedonism, II ultimately leaves it to the listener to dream up their own imaginary movie for each beautifully sprawling track to live in. At turns ethereal and frenzied, groove-heavy and narcotic, II is lush with harmonized guitar leads and inspiration from the likes of King Crimson’s Robert Fripp, Japanese composer Tori Kudo, and Nigerian musician King Sunny Adé, giving way to an intricately textured sound laced with jagged beats and serene washes of synth.

Though L.A. Takedown began as a home recording project and experiment in film scoring, Olson eventually assembled a live band that soon took on a life of its own. The follow-up to L.A. Takedown’s 2015 self-titled debut, II is the first release featuring the full band, which includes keyboardists Ryan Adlaf and Jonah Olson, guitarists Miles Wintner (Girlpool) and Stephen Heath (Paul Bergman), drummer Mose Wintner, and bassist Jessica Espeleta (Weird War, Love as Laughter). L.A. Takedown recorded the album at a home studio in Van Nuys with producer Shane Stoneback (Sleigh Bells, Cults, Vampire Weekend), a process that Olson describes as “seven goofballs eating snacks and watching Columbo and making music.”

“We live in a world where we’re so inundated with all these pieces of pop culture that they just become part of us,” OIson says. “I like to try to find new ways to present things that are already familiar to everyone.” Whether tapping into a Tangerine Dream score or a post-rock epic, L.A. Takedown ends up creating inventively arranged pop with a quietly transportive power. Today, L.A. Takedown premiere the video for the album track “Night Skiing” via NPR Music.

WATCH “NIGHT SKIING” VIDEO
http://smarturl.it/NightSkiingVideo
“On its latest song and video, “Night Skiing,” the instrumental rock group L.A. Takedown confirms that the guitar solo is alive and kicking.” – NPR Music
The video, directed by Matt Hewitt, portrays a driver (played by Stephen Heath, one of the band’s three lead guitarists) stranded in the desert after his car has broken down. He wanders the landscape in search of help only to find a dirty man (played by Olson) in a van who gives him a mysterious pill that transports him to an epic desert jam session.

II TRACKLISTING
1. The First Thing…
2. Heatwave
3. L.A. Blue
4. The Valley
5. Bad Night at Black’s Beach
6. City of Glass
7. Blue Skies (on Mars)
8. Dose
9. Us
10. Night Skiing
11. The Most Crucial Game
12. The Last Thing…

L.A. TAKEDOWN TOUR DATES
Wed. May 17 – Oakland, CA @ Starline Social Club
Fri. May 19 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
Sat. May 20 – Vancouver, BC @ Cobalt
Sun. May 21 – Seattle, WA @ Barboza
Tue. May 23 – San Francisco, CA @ Swedish American Hall
Thu. May 25 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah
Fri. May 26 – Los Angeles, CA @ Bootleg Theater

PRAISE FOR L.A. TAKEDOWN

“Its relentless drive and fascinating sonic architecture lend it depth, and the result is a work that seems to loop through the hills, valleys and grids of Los Angeles.” – Los Angeles Times

“A fully realized symphony written in the language of ’80s thriller soundtracks” – LA Record

II is available to pre-order now on limited edition translucent green vinyl, CD, and digital download:

iTunes: http://smarturl.it/LATakedownIIDL
Ribbon Mart: http://smarturl.it/LATakedownIIRM

Hi-res images and album art: http://pitchperfectpr.com/la-takedown/

L.A. Takedown Online:
http://latakedown.com/
https://twitter.com/latakedownband/
https://www.facebook.com/LATakedown/
https://www.instagram.com/la_takedown/

Chicago’s Mamby on the Beach festival announces 2017 lineup.

Chicago’s third annual Mamby on the Beach festival has released its lineup for 2017.  Just some of the powerhouses scheduled are MGMT, Miike Snow, Flying Lotus, and Cut Copy.

Tickets are still available at decent prices, so don’t wait to snag some.  I have a lot of bands to research before June 24th.

Keep your mind open.