*[noisey.vice.com] For those not yet clued into Creative Adult, meet the next in an impressive recent lineage of West Coast proto-punk. Featuring members of All Teeth, this NoCal foursome writes heavy punk songs that hold the infectious weight of any pop song burning its way through Spotify playlists.
We've got the premiere of their new minimalistic video for the track "Chemical Glow" off their recently released Bulls in the Yard EP. You can buy the EP HERE via Run For Cover Records and check out the video below:
*[consequenceofsound.net] Sometimes out of great disasters comes great lucidity. Such was the case for the Texan math rock duo of guitarist Dustin Coffman and drummer Mason Macias, AKA Feuding Fathers. Early on in the band’s existence, they had the opportunity to open for one of their major influences, Tera Melos. The pair jumped at the opportunity, and promptly fell flat on their faces on stage. But the boys were far from discouraged, instead finding new resolution to hone their sound.
On their latest EP, Kid Tested, Father Approved, Feuding Fathers are more confident than ever. Album cut “Brass Knucks” demonstrates a band who has deftly cut and crafted their brand of math rock. Coffman’s melody rises and swings as if Slash’s “Sweet Child of Mine” riff had been informed by, well, Tera Melos. Macias keeps listeners guessing on the drums, defying typical signatures at every turn. In fact, the whole song defies expectations, from its unexpectedly catchy vocals to its abrupt end. Try to keep up below.
The Kid Tested, Father Approved EP will be released August 16th via the duo’s own Feuding Fathers Records.
*[press release] The Village Voice is proud to announce new additions to both its annual free 4Knots Music Festival and Official 4Knots After Party. The 4Knots Music Festival, being held on Saturday, June 29 from 1-8pm at South Street Seaport, welcomes Hunters to their previously announced festival lineup of Kurt Vile & The Violators, The Men, Parquet Courts, White Lung, Marnie Stern, Reigning Sound, The Babies, Fat Tony, and Heliotropes. The sold-out After Party will be held at The Music Hall of Williamsburg immediately following the daytime 4Knots Music Festival and will now feature special guests Clams Casino and Keyboard Kid along with previously announced headliner Lil B.
Like in the past, this year's 4Knots Music Festival will feature two outdoor stages on Pier 17 & Pier 16. The Village Voice's 4Knots Music Festival continues the Voice's 13-year history of curating free, live music showcases featuring the most renowned and emerging artists breaking through today's music scene.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Nine Inch Nails Reveal Album Details + Tour Dates
"Hello, our new full-length album, Hesitation Marks, will be released September 3rd. The first single, “Came Back Haunted,” is out now, and you can listen to it at nin.com or on Soundcloud [below]. You can also download the song right now by pre-ordering the album from us HERE or on iTunes.
We’ve also announced our new tour, Tension 2013, coming this fall to North America. Picking up where Lights in the Sky left off, this is the full-on NIN live experience realized as we never could before.
View tour dates and on-sale dates below. As usual, we have a nin.com presale designed to get the best tickets in the hands of real fans at reasonable prices - visit HERE or scroll down for full presale details and times.
This is just the beginning…
NINE INCH NAILS: TENSION 2013 NORTH AMERICAN HEADLINE TOUR (and previously announced dates):
07.26.2013 Naeba, Japan - Fuji Rock Festival
07.28.2013 Ansan, South Korea - Ansan Valley Festival
08.02.13 Chicago, IL - Lollapalooza Festival
08.09-08.11.13 San Francisco, CA - Outside Lands Festival (exact date TBA)
08.15.2013 Hasselt, Belgium - Pukkelpop Festival
08.16.2013 Biddinghuizen, Holland - Lowlands Festival
08.18.2013 Hockenheim, Germany - Rock'n'Heim Festival
08.21.2013 Belfast, N. Ireland - Belsonic Festival
08.23.2013 West Yorkshire, UK - Leeds Festival
08.24.2013 Paris, France - Rock en Seine Festival
08.25.2013 Reading, UK - Reading Festival
08.28.2013 Milan, Italy - Mediolanum Forum w/ Tomahawk
08.29.2013 Zurich, Switzerland - Zurich Open Air
08.31-09.01.13 Philadelphia, PA - Made In America Festival (exact date TBA)
09.28.2013* St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center
09.30.2013* Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center
10.01.2013* St. Louis, MO - Chaifetz Arena
10.03.2013* Montreal, QC - Centre Bell
10.04.2013* Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre
10.05.2013* Cleveland, OH - Wolstein Center
10.07.2013* Auburn Hills, MI - The Palace of Auburn Hills
10.08.2013* Pittsburgh, PA - Petersen Events Center
10.11.2013** Boston, MA - TD Garden
10.14.2013** Brooklyn, NY - Barclays Center
10.15.2013** Newark, NJ - Prudential Center
10.18.2013** Washington, DC - Verizon Center
10.19.2013** University Park, PA - Bryce Jordan Center
10.21.2013** Raleigh, NC - PNC Arena
10.22.2013** Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena
10.24.2013** Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena
10.26.2013 Ashville, NC - Mountain Oasis Electronic Music Summit
10.30.2013*** Sunrise, FL - BB&T Center
10.31.2013*** Orlando, FL - Amway Center
11.01-11.03.13 New Orleans, LA - Voodoo Festival (exact date TBA)
11.05.2013* San Antonio, TX - AT&T Center
11.08.2013* Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
11.09.2013* Phoenix, AZ US - Airways Center
11.11.2013* El Paso, TX - Don Haskins Center
11.13.2013* Broomfield, CO - 1stBANK Center
11.15.2013* Las Vegas, NV - The Joint
11.16.2013* Las Vegas, NV - The Joint
11.18.2013* Portland, OR - Rose Garden Arena
11.19.2013* Spokane, WA - Spokane Arena
11.21.2013* Vancouver, BC - Rogers Arena
11.22.2013* Seattle, WA - KeyArena
11.24.2013+ Edmonton, AB - Rexall Place
11.25.2013+ Calgary, AB - Scotiabank Saddledome
* Explosions in the Sky supporting
** Godspeed You! Black Emperor supporting
*** Gary Numan supporting
+ Autolux supporting
More international dates to be announced in the coming months."
Merchandise Debut "Totale Nite" Video + Tour Dates
TOUR DATES:
06-19 Richmond, VA – Strange Matter †
06-20 Charlotte, NC – the Milestone †
06-21 Atlanta, GA – 529 †
06-22 Gainesville, FL – the Atlantic †
06-23 Miami, FL – Churchill’s †
06-24 Tampa, FL – tba… †
07-18 Athens, GA – Caledonia Lounge
07-19 Indianapolis, IN – Vogue Theater
07-20 Chicago, IL – Union Park (Pitchfork festival)
07-22 Minneapolis, MN – Triple Rock Social Club œ
07-23 Iowa City, IA – GABE’S Ω
07-24 St Louis, MO – Blank Space Ω
08-03 Katowice, Poland - Off Festival
08-07 Oslo, Norway - Revolver
08-08 Gotheborg, Sweden - Stay Out West (Way Out West)
08-09 Copenaghen, Denmark - Vega Main Hall
08-10 Aarhus, Denmark - Voxhall $
08-11 Copenaghen, Denmark - Bakken
08-13 Hamburg, Germany - Hafenklang
08-14 Amsterdam, Holland - Melkweg (Subbacultcha)
08-15 Hasselt, Belgium - Pukkelpop
08-17 London, UK - The Hive Project
08-19 St. Albans, UK - The Horn
08-20 Birmingham, UK - The Hare And Hounds
08-21 Glasgow, UK - Broadcast
08-22 Manchester, UK - Deaf Institute
08-23 Leeds, UK - Leeds Festival
08-24 Liverpool, UK - East Village Arts Club
08-25 Reading, UK - Reading Festival
08-26 Bedford, UK - Esquires
08-27 Cardiff, UK - The Globe
08-29 Siena, Italy - Live Rock Festival
08-31 County Laois, Ireland - Electric Picnic
09-01 Salisbury, UK - End Of The Road Festival
09-02 Bristol, UK - The Fleece
09-03 Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club
09-04 Sheffield, UK - The Queens Social Club
09-05 Oxford, UK - The Jericho Tavern
09-06 Brighton, UK - The Haunt
09-07 Isle Of Wight, UK - Bestival
† w/ Milk Music & Destruction Unit
$ w/ Tame Impala
œ w/ Daughn Gibson
Ω w/ Wet Hair
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Quick Notes: Wires on Fire, Mudhoney + Case Studies
Formed in 2004, Wires On Fire began as a group of rambunctious teenagers playing punk-fueled rock and roll, as much influenced by the calculated chaos of Drive Like Jehu and The Jesus Lizard as the heavy riffage of Black Sabbath and street-smart grit of the Rolling Stones. During their tenure as an active band, Wires On Fire released 2004's Homewrecker EP, 2006's bombastic self-titled full-length (on the now defunct, and infamous Buddyhead Records), in addition to various split, single, and compilation appearances as they fervently toured the United States.
While the band never broke up, at a certain point in time they simply disappeared. Bass player and vocalist Michael Shuman was recruited at the age of 21 to play for Queens of the Stone Age. Drummer Darren Weiss moved to New York City to pursue a degree in Literature, and formed his own band, PAPA. His older brother Evan Weiss (guitar / vocals) formed the country tinged punk rock band Slang Chickens. Michael Shuman kept busy during his time off with QOTSA to form psychedelic pop stalwarts Mini Mansions. In 2011, the Weiss brothers joined GIRLS, and toured the world with them in support of their landmark album, "Father, Sun, and Holy Ghost." Evan continued to record and tour with Christopher Owens on his debut album, "Lysandre."
"Up Your Sleeve" b/w "Born Dirty To Last Forever" showcases Wires On Fire returning to the blueprint they laid out nearly a decade ago, with the sharpened skill-set they've individually acquired over the years on the road and in the studio with their various projects. DOWNLOAD THE SINGLE FOR FREE HERE!
*A message from Dirty Laundry TV... "This week on Dirty Laundry, we've got the so-called "Godfathers Of Grunge" and one of our favorite bands of all time: Mudhoney. Seattle stalwarts Mark Arm and Steve Turner dropped by the 'mat to hang with Host Karrie K and reflect on over twenty years in the indie rock game. Mudhoney talk humping monitors, seeing Nirvana for the first time and their pre-Sub Pop days.
Check out "I Like It Small" off Mudhoney's new album Vanishing Point (Sub Pop) HERE. For or a short time only, if you buy a DIRTY LAUNDRY T-SHIRT (for only $15), you'll get a signed DVD of Mudhoney's "I'm In" Documentary for free (while supplies last)!"
*[press release] Case Studies has shared a sneak preview of his new album This Is Another Life which comes out next Tuesday, June 11 on Sacred Bones Records. PopMatters premiered the album HERE calling it a “masterful understanding of how shadow and light can’t exist without one another, whether it’s in stark contrasts in tone or subtle gradations of mood.” Case Studies is Jesse Lortz, a prolific Seattle based artist. His lyrics wax and wane with truth and bare tales from his life. Melodies surface as lines hummed in the in-between times. These easy melodies coat the heavy subject matter of suicide, heartbreak, grief and regret. As with his previous project, The Dutchess and the Duke, listening to Case Studies feels like taking part in an exploration of sentimental landscapes. Take a listen to This Is Another Life now.
This Is Another Life is Lortz’s second full-length solo release on Sacred Bones. It is the follow-up album to 2011’s highly acclaimed The World is Just a Shape to Fill the Night. This is Another Life features guest vocals by Marissa Nadler on “Villain” and was produced and engineered by Greg Ashley of the band Gris Gris. Ashley also plays percussion, organ and adds additional vocals & guitar. Lortz is also helped out by Jon Parker (guitar / piano), Oscar Michel (bass), Joe Haener (percussion), Carey Lamprecht (violin) and Shawn Alpay (cello).
Potty Mouth Debut "The Spins" + Ready "Hell Bent" For September
Hailing from the home of Thurston Moore and Dinosaur Jr., and drawing from the fertile music community that is Western Massachusetts, Potty Mouth are all-parts smart-pop craftswomen, specializing in taut, infectious, C-86 influenced indie pop meets '77 punk perfection. The band released their debut 12" vinyl EP, entitled Sun Damage in July 2012, which garnered the attention of Pitchfork, who called the six-song EP an "an impressive, no-filler debut," as well as The Boston Globe, who named Potty Mouth one of the "top five indie-rock bands to watch in 2013," with BrooklynVegan adding that they were, "one of the most promising new bands in their local scene." Departing from the more angular shades of post-punk heard in their EP, Hell Bent is marked by its significantly heavier production and melancholic hooks. Nonetheless, the album stays true to the confident, youthful punk aesthetic the band has cultivated for themselves.
Potty Mouth have shared the stage with Andrew W.K., The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, Bleached, Waxahatchee, and more, and recently performed at the New Museum in NYC in conjunction with their exhibit "NYC 1993: Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star."
Hell Bent Tracklisting:
1. The Gap
2. Rusted Shut
3. Black and Studs
4. SleepTalk
5. The Spins
6. Damage
7. Wishlist
8. Bullseye
9. Shithead
10. The Better End
Potty Mouth Upcoming Tour Dates:
6/20 Northampton, MA - Nude Beach
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
CONTEST: WIN TICKETS TO HELIOTROPES' ALBUM RELEASE SHOW!!
In 2011, Heliotropes realized the release of their first 7", "Ribbons", followed by the digital releases of "Moonlite" and "The Dove," offering heavy psych numbers steeped in dark magic and new-romantic leanings with a formidable lyrical presence.
The following year, Heliotropes signed to LA's Manimal Vinyl (Bat For Lashes, Warpaint, Sister Crayon), and began work on their debut album, A Constant Sea.
So far in 2013, Heliotropes have recorded at Converse Rubber Tracks studio in Brooklyn, been featured prominently at SXSW as an official Red Bull Sound Select artist, and embarked on their first national tour of the United States with Esben and the Witch. The current lineup consists of Jessica Numsuwankijkul on lead guitar and vocals, Amber Myers on vocals and percussion, Cici Harrison on drums, and Nya Abudu on bass. A Constant Sea comes out on June 18th through Manimal Vinyl but you can stream it now via SPIN. Check it out HERE.
EXPLODING IN SOUND is thrilled to be offering a pair of tickets to the band's album release show at Glasslands (Brooklyn, NY) on Tuesday, June 18th. The band will be joined by Bad Cop and Fan-Tan, and the evening promises to be a great time.
All you have to do to win a pair of tickets is post a message on Facebook with a link to this contest and make sure to tag Heliotropes and the Exploding In Sound page (so we know you did it) and you will be entered to win. One winner will be chosen by Monday, June 17th, so start spreading the word! If you're not feeling lucky... tickets for the concert can be bought HERE.
HELIOTROPES Tour Dates:
June 18 - Brooklyn, NY - Glasslands (Album Release Party)
June 22 - Dover, DE - FireFly Fest
June 29 - South Street Seaport, NY - 4Knots Music Festival *
* w/ The Babies, Kurt Vile, The Men, Marnie Stern, Parquet Courts, White Lung, Hunters + More
Friday, June 7, 2013
NORTHSIDE FESTIVAL 2013 PREVIEW
Here at Exploding In Sound we're once again getting ready to attend the annual Northside Festival, an exceptional festival located throughout the many venues of Brooklyn's growing Northside (Williamsburg, Bushwick and Greenpoint). The music portion will take place from Thursday, June 13th to Sunday, June 16th, hosting many phenomenal touring bands including Iceage, Lower, Destruction Unit, Nu Sensae, Swans, Torche, Kylesa as well as local favorites Big Ups, White Hills, Clouder, EULA, Yvette, A Place To Bury Strangers, Butter The Children and so much more. Check out our picks for Northside Festival's "MUST SEE SHOWS"...THURSDAY, JUNE 13TH:
What: Iceage, A Place To Bury Strangers, Lower, Bennio Qwerty, Bambara
Where: Music Hall of Williamsburg
When: 8 PM
What: Scenic Presents: Swans and Chelsea Wolfe
Where: Warsaw
When: 7 PM
What: Bleached, Butter The Children, & Pop Zeus
Where: Knitting Factory
When: 7:30 PM
What: GODMODE Records Presents: YVETTE, Alan Watts, Courtship Ritual, The Flag, & Breeding Program
Where: Muchmore's
When: 8 PM
What: Infinite Best Presents: Twin Sister, Ava Luna, The Luyas, Lushlife, Julian Lynch
Where: 285 Kent
When: 8 PM
FRIDAY, JUNE 14TH:
What: [Unofficial] Gimme Tinnitus and Exploding In Sound Present: Grooms, Sleepies, Mount Sharp, YVETTE, The Flag, Miniboone, Young Adults, Psychic Blood, Krill, EULA, Shark?, Low Fat Getting High, Trabajo, Life Size Maps
Where: Silent Barn
When: 3 PM
RSVP HERE
What: Invisible Oranges Presents: Torche, KEN Mode, Lo-Pan, Inter Arma
Where: 285 Kent
When: 7 PM
What: Osiris Presents: Kylesa, Blood Ceremony, White Hills, Lazer/Wulf
Where: Music Hall of Williamsburg
When: 7:30 PM
What: PopGun Presents: Suuns, Amen Dunes, Tempers
Where: Glasslands
When: 8 PM
What: Scenic Presents: Black Flag, Good For You, The Men, The Netherlands
Where: Warsaw
When: 7 PM
What: 1.21 Gigawatts Presents: The So So Glos, SHAPES, Le Rug, Sham-poo
Where: Public Assembly
When: 8 PM
What: Heart Bleeds Radio Presents: The Planes, Quiet Loudly, The Beets, Pow Wow!, Crazy Pills, and Mount Sharp
Where: Bar Matchless
When: 8 PM
What: Whatever Blog Presents: Lazyeyes, Butchers & Bakers, Shilpa Ray, Meaning of Life, and Libel
Where: The Gutter
When: 8 PM
SATURDAY, JUNE 15TH:
What: [unofficial] Gimme Tinnitus & Exploding In Sound Records Present: Pile, Speedy Ortiz, Two Inch Astronaut, Grass Is Green, Ovlov, Hive Bent, Fat History Month & Porches.
Where: Big Snow Buffalo Lodge
When: 5 PM
RSVP HERE
What: Sacred Bones & Chaos in Tejas Present: Merchandise, Milk Music, Destruction Unit
Where: 285 Kent
When: 8 PM
What: The Wild Honey Pie & Terrorbird Present: Braids, Yellow Ostrich, Widowspeak, Belle Mare
Where: Cameo Gallery
When: 6:30 PM
What: Weekend, YVETTE & More
Where: Knitting Factory
When: 7 PM
What: Campers' Rule Presents: The Suzan, GunFight!, Lost Boy ?, Ancient Sky & More
Where: Brooklyn Fireproof
When: 7:15 PM
What: Whatever Blog Presents: Clouder, Dead Stars, American Darlings, Low Fat Getting High and The Veda Rays
Where: Legion
When: 7:30 PM
What: Jake Falby, Jerry Paper, Radical 2, The Harmonica Lewinskies, Tough Luck, School ov Thought, Life Size Maps, The End Men, and More
Where: Muchmore's
When: 12 PM
SUNDAY, JUNE 16TH:
What: Impose & My Social List Present: Nu Sensae, Destruction Unit, Big Ups, Psychic Blood
Where: Shea Stadium
When: 8 PM
What: The Soft Moon, Pop. 1280 and Grooms
Where: 285 Kent
When: 8 PM
What: Stereoactive NYC & Hillytown Present: Cultfever, Weird Children, Shark?, Miniboone, The Coalsack in Crux, Leda, Lisa/Liza
Where: Spike Hill
When: 12 PM
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Melvins Extend 30th Anniversary Tour Dates
[press release] Melvins have added a July 31 Vans House Party performance to their upcoming 30th Anniversary Tour. The date is a free performance with would-be attendees asked to RSVP beginning July 15.The band, who just wrapped up an extensive European tour as well as U.S. performances at Maryland Death Fest, Jack White’s Third Man Records and Scion Rock Fest have also released a new song titled “Dr. Mule” via Scion A/V and Pitchfork which can be downloaded HERE.
Next up for the Melvins is their 30th Anniversary Tour, which kicks off on July 12 at The Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix, Ariz. Joining Buzz Osborne, Dale Crover and Coady Willis will be Butthole Surfers’ bass player Jeff Pinkus, temporarily filling in for Jared Warren who will be on paternity leave. The band’s July 20 Minneapolis date at Bash 13 (Grumpy’s) will also feature Mudhoney, Die Kreuzen and Negative Approach. Three additional headlining dates have also been confirmed: Aug. 23 in Sacramento (Ace of Spades), Aug. 26 in San Diego (The Casbah) and Aug. 27 in Pioneertown (Pappy & Harriet's).
“Has it really only been 30 years?” asked singer/guitar player Buzz Osborne. “Dang! Thanks to everyone who’s been there for us! It’s been an exciting trip and I probably should have listened and learned more. I apologize for anything I’ve ever done wrong and for anything I’m going to do wrong… Ha!”
Melvins 30th Anniversary Tour:
July 12 Phoenix, AZ Crescent Ballroom
July 13 Albuquerque, NM The Launchpad
July 15 Denver, CO The Summit Music Hall
July 17 Omaha, NE The Waiting Room
July 18 Rock Island, IL Rock Island Brewing Company
July 20 Minneapolis, MN Bash 13 (Grumpy’s) *
July 21 Milwaukee, WI Turner Hall Ballroom **
July 22 Chicago, IL Double Door
July 23 St. Louis, MO The Firebird
July 25 Cleveland, OH The Grog Shop
July 26 Detroit, MI Small’s
July 27 Syracuse, NY The Westcott Theater
July 29 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club
July 30 Hartford, CT Arch Street Tavern
July 31 Brooklyn, NY Vans House Party
August 1 Philadelphia, PA Underground Arts
August 2 Baltimore, MD Ottobar
August 3 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
August 4 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
August 5 Atlanta, GA The Loft at Center Stage Atlanta
August 7 New Orleans, LA One Eyed Jack’s
August 8 Houston, TX Warehouse Live – Studio
August 9 Austin, TX Mohawk
August 10 Dallas, TX Trees
August 13 Salt Lake City, UT Club Sound
August 14 Boise, ID Neurolux
August 16 Seattle, WA Neumo’s
August 19 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
August 20 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
August 22 San Francisco, CA Slim’s
August 23 Sacramento, CA Ace of Spades
August 25 Los Angeles, CA FYF Fest
August 26 San Diego, CA Casbah
August 27 Pioneertown, CA Pappy & Harriet’s
* - w/Mudhoney, Die Kreuzen and Negative Approach
** - w/Mudhoney
Honky opens on all dates except the Vans House Party and FYF Fest.
Windhand Kick Off Tour Dates + Release Their Own IPA
[press release] In celebration of their US Tour, Windhand are pleased to announce that they will be releasing their own IPA with South County Brewing. The band embark on their tour tomorrow and make their way along the East Coast and through the Midwest. Fans can expect to hear tracks from their previous releases as well as new material from their recently recorded debut on Relapse Records, out this fall. For more information on the Windhand IPA, read a statement from the brewers and check out tour dates below. "Great beer and heavy music are a staple at South County Brewing. So, when we recently saw Windhand play here in Pennsylvania and discovered their affinity for great IPA's, we knew a collaboration was in order. Naturally we have always wanted to create a rock solid IPA, so we chose to brew with our favorite Maris Otter Malt, Nugget and Millennium hops and a crisp yeast strain, making their beer a nearly sessionable IPA. The fruity citrus notes blend together in perfect harmony with this brew's toasted malty sweetness, creating an experience any beer lover will appreciate, although we think it pairs perfectly with the hundreds of watts of detuned brilliance!" Asechiah, Windhand's guitarist, did the artwork for the labels and the band will be having a keg of the beer on tap at their show at Strange Matter on June 22 with Inter Arma.
Formed in 2009, Richmond, VA's Windhand (Asechiah Bogdan - Guitar, Parker Chandler - Bass, Dorthia Cottrell - Vocals, Garrett Morris - Guitar, and Ryan Wolfe - Drums) play what has been described as a tinnitus inducing mix of eerie psychedelia and haunting ambient doom. 2012 saw the release of their critically acclaimed, self-titled LP via Forcefield Records. A subsequent heavy dose of East Coast touring followed, culminating with a four week U.S tour in August of that year. The response from the press and fans alike has been immense. Cvlt Nation's review insists, "Windhand are way more than a band you should be on the look out for, they are a group of humans that will change the way you hear doom." While Decibel Magazine said, "For the most part, Sabbathian doom bands stand out by only writing great songs because sonically it's damn near impossible to separate yourself from the overcrowded genre. But there is something about Richmond's Windhand that makes them even more drugged out and exceptional... it's massive, addictive destruction. Yeah, these fuckers are gonna be huge."
TOUR DATES:
6/06 - Philadelphia, PA @ Golden Tea House
6/07 - Brooklyn, NY @ St. Vitus Bar
6/08 - Providence, RI @ AS220 w/ Elder and Morne
6/09 - Boston, MA @ O'Briens's
6/10 - Cherry Valley, NY @ Steve’s Koi Pond
6/11 - Buffalo, NY @ Vault Art Space
6/12 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Gooski's in Pitt
6/13 - Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups
6/14 - Chicago, IL @ Ultra Lounge
6/15 - St Paul MN @ The Turf Club
6/16 - Milwaukee, WI @ Quarters Rock N Roll
6/17 - Indianapolis, IN @ The Sinking Ship w/ Skeletonwitch
6/18 - Cincinatti, OH @ Mayday
6/19 - Nashville, TN @ The End w/ Generation of Vipers
6/20 - Knoxville, TN @ The Pilot Light w/ Generation of Vipers
6/21 - Raleigh, NC @ Slim's Downtown w/ Inter Arma
6/22 - Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter w/ Inter Arma
6/25 - WFMU Live Performance
Quick Notes: Sebadoh, Zorch + Manors
*A message from Joyful Noise Recordings... "We keep slapping ourselves to see if we'll wake up, but this keeps being reality... Legendary indie rock pioneers Sebadoh have announced the release of their first new LP in 14 years. And it's going to be on Joyful Noise. Holy fuck. Sebadoh is simply one of the most important bands in the history of indie rock. The longtime project of Lou Barlow, Jason Loewenstein, and Bob D'Amico, will re-emerge with the full-length album Defend Yourself on September 17th. Defend Yourself marks a return to the self-recorded DIY ethos of early Sebadoh albums (Bakesale, Sebadoh III), and material from the Defend Yourself sessions has been hailed as commensurate with Sebadoh's finest moments.
Effective immediately, the band is releasing a precursor to this LP, known as Secret EP:
Secret EP is just that: an EP released in secret. The band quietly posted these 5 tracks on their Bandcamp page some months ago, disseminating the new material to the initiated without performing any of the standard rituals of promotion or distribution--until now. Joyful Noise is giving the Secret EP a proper release, available on digital, 10" black vinyl, and limited edition 10" green marble vinyl (hand-numbered out of just 300 copies). The Secret EP hits stores on June 25, but is available immediately via mailorder HERE.
*[consequenceofsound.net] Back in February, we reported that Austin super-psych duo Zorch had signed to Sargent House for the release of their debut full-length, Zzoorrcchh, on July 23rd. Despite the bump in status the signing inevitably netted drummer Shmu (yes, that’s his name) and keyboardist Zac Traeger, they maintained their hyper-spastic ways with the album’s lead single, “We All Die Young”. Now, though, the band reels in their quasi-Avant sensibilities and practically goes pop with “This is the Way it Goes”.
For those concerned that the promise of fat paychecks may have forced the duo to sell out, this second single is only pop compared to the remainder of their bizzarro back catalog. What they’ve now let loose on the word is still a maddening onslaught of drums that burst like mortar blasts, synths that sound like cover fire from invading robots, and vocals that readily alternate from lush harmonies to barmy whispers. Yet amid the chaos, there are light touches (a general consistency in the madness, those aforementioned harmonies) that not only enhance accessibility but also help flesh out the psych insanity.
*[imposemagazine.com] With just the fingers and throat of Impose’s own editor Dayna Evans, plus a bit of help from bassist Cat Park, Philadelphia-area Manors have produced a ponderous pop nugget with a new video, “But You Know That.” As Evans stands almost still on a fancy porch that calls to mind the swinging hoop skirts of Southern Belles, caught in a lazy afternoon haze, her soft-spoken mumblings echo with an unexpected feeling, breaking into a high-pitched plea: “Please don’t hate me.” Tender and tepid at once, the song’s circular lyrics, spinning in slow motion just like the video, dawdle between goodbyes and regret, all whipped-cream romance and honeyed self-doubt.
“But You Know That” comes from Manors' first full-length album, Fit In, released on May 14 via Bandcamp and on tape in the summer via Eat A Book.
Chelsea Wolfe to Release "Pain is Beauty" in September, Unveils Trailer, Tour Dates + More
[press release] How often nowadays do we read of an artist's "intensity", or their rhetorical, one-of-a-kind individuality? Journalistic hyperbole routinely contorts the mundane into the "epic", the tired into the inspired, all the while heaping praise on performers as seemingly vacuous and generic as possible. Navigating the landscape of contemporary alternative music can be an exercise in redundancy; true visionaries and boundary-pushers are few and far between. Enter Chelsea Wolfe. To simply call Wolfe unique would be an understatement. Even among her peers in the so-called "drone-metal-art-folk" scene she's an icon, a stand-alone singer/songwriter whose fully-formed aesthetic and haunting timelessness appear almost without effort. Originally hailing from Northern California, Wolfe's formative years were spent tinkering in her country musician father's home studio, crafting "Casio-based gothy R&B" songs. For years, however, she lacked the confidence to share her creations. Then, in 2009, an overseas excursion as part of a nomadic performance troupe ignited her passion for performing and initiated a renewed interest in writing and recording. A year later she emerged with a breathtaking debut album, 2010's The Grime & The Glow, immediately establishing herself as the focal point in a wave of new artists intent on blurring the lines between established alt-rock memes. Marrying the gentle intimacy of folk, the atmospheric voodoo of death rock, and the bleak, sullen nihilism of black metal, Wolfe's sound effectively cast a genre all her own: a cavernous rumble, marked by stuttering drums, ethereal synths, and a wash of guitar, all very much in the service of one of the most hypnotic, celestial voices in modern music.
In 2011, Wolfe relocated to Los Angeles and recorded her second album, Apokalypsis, which was subsequently met with critical adoration. In 2012, she signed with L.A.-based Sargent House and released Unknown Rooms: A Collection of Acoustic Songs, less an "unplugged" digression than an exploration of the sonic possibilities afforded by peeling-back some of what makes her characteristic sound so lush. The results, as NPR's All Songs Considered noted, are "every bit as ethereal and haunting as past work that mines the darkness of artists like Burzum and Leonard Cohen in one breath". On the heels of the acoustic album, Wolfe released an EP of covers by the enigmatic anarcho-punk band, Rudimentary Peni, entitled Prayer for the Unborn. This out-of-left-field development served not only to illustrate Wolfe's artistic solidarity with some of underground music's most fringe elements, but also to underscore her single-minded commitment to her vision, and nobody else's.
Now, in 2013, Chelsea Wolfe is set to unveil her third studio album, Pain is Beauty. A self-described love letter to nature, many of the album's 12 tracks veer in a decidedly more electronic direction than previous recordings, while at the same time capitalizing on Wolfe's trademark penchant for the morose and otherworldly. As she explains, the album "becomes an exploration of ancestry, how the mythology, landscapes and traditions of our ancestors affect our personalities today." She continues, "Honesty is what initially drew me to music, and I've been more honest and open with myself than ever through these songs. There is peace in truth. There is clarity in solitude. And there is power within simplicity and focus. Love is not always easy. Tormented love is something I understand more than society's skewed idea of what love should be. Love is indelible, severe, earnest, merciful. To push forward against the odds is to make history".
Fleshed-out by bandmates Ben Chisholm (Wolfe's co-producer), Kevin Dockter, and Dylan Fujioka, Pain is Beauty's dozen tracks form a coherent whole which never lingers too long in any one territory. Aptly-titled opening track "Feral Love" circles the listener, brooding with measured severity, its imminent threat instead surrendering to an encompassing swell which just as quickly retreats into silence. The plodding dirge of the brief "We Hit a Wall" soon gives way to the sinuous electronica of "House of Metal", whose fairytale keyboard and synthetic strings provide a purpose-driven sense of tranquility amongst the strangeness of nature. "The Warden" continues this theme, it's flittering shards of syncopated minimalist pop a crystalline canvas for Wolfe's mesmerizing croon. "Destruction Makes the World Burn Brighter" is a swinging, reverb-readied anthem, it's relentless "Who's that girl/use that gun" chorus over almost as soon as it begins. "Sick" feels heavy by comparison, despite the total absence of percussion, its breathy minimalism giving way to the uplifting refrain "we carry on." The album's most overtly political track, "Kings," is a buzzing examination of the status quo, bookended by "Reins", whose waxing forward-pull effectively channels an atmosphere reminiscent of the darkest of early eighties' post-punk all the while exploring the concept of closeness from times past to modern days: "These horses, they pull me…these wires, they pull me…to you." Next is "Ancestors, the Ancients", an impassioned plea to "holy ancestors" amid a swooning, heady mixture of thundering drums and understated guitar. The following track, "They'll Clap When You're Gone", finds Wolfe at her most vulnerable. "I carry a heaviness like a mountain", she confesses. Track eleven, "The Waves Have Come", unfurls itself methodically, pushing past the 8-minute mark (whereas the other tracks hover around 3-4 minutes). A heartbreaking story of love, loss and death in a natural disaster, Wolfe's lyrics provide a poignant summation of themes prevalent across the album: "We don't need physical things to make us feel and make us dream. When earth cracks open and swallows then we'll never be tired again, and we'll be given everything the moment we realize we're not in control". Album closer "Lone" provides a tentative parting of ways necessitated by the formalities of physical media. "When the sorrow is all gone", breathes Wolfe, "it is buried in the sun".
Chelsea Wolfe makes records that transcend time, avoid pigeonholing, and most importantly, allow a glimpse into the soul of a true visionary. Her work is free of the contrivances of lesser artists, the trivial "concepts" and pandering for attention at any cost. Hers is a dignified way of doing things, proven without any doubt by the sheer quality of her work. Pain is Beauty presents not so much an auditory experience as it does an encompassing atmosphere with which the listener can surround themselves, a soul-stirring link with infinity.
TOUR DATES:
8/25 - Los Angeles, CA @ FYF Fest, LA Historic Park
9/01 - Tucson, AZ @ Hoco Festival
9/03 - Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom
9/04 - Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
9/06 - Austin, TX @ Mohawk
9/07 - Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald's
9/08 - New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks
9/09 - Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
9/10 - Chapel Hill @ Local 506
9/11 - Washington DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel
9/13 - NYC, New York @ Bowery Ballroom
9/14 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
9/15 - Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
9/17 - Toronto, ONT @ The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
9/19 - Pontiac, MI @ The Pike Room at Crofoot Ballroom
9/20 - Lexington, KY @ Boomslang Festival
9/21 - Chicago, IL @ The Bottom Lounge
9/22 - Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center
9/24 - Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
9/25 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
9/27 - Seattle, WA @ Barboza
9/28 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
9/30 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
Pain is Beauty Tracks:
1. Feral Love
2. We Hit a Wall
3. House of Metal
4. The Warden
5. Destruction Makes the World Burn Brighter
6. Sick
7. Kings
8. Reins
9. Ancestors, the Ancients
10. They'll Clap When You're Gone
11. The Waves Have Come
12. Lone
Big Black Cloud Ready "Black Friday" for July, Debut Single + More
[press release] Portland, OR noise rock trio Big Black Cloud announce their forthcoming new album today, sharing the first track via Brooklyn Vegan. The song "Cities of the Red Night" is available to stream/share below. The album, Black Friday will be available July 2nd via purveyors of "heavy vibrations" Eolian Empire. Big Black Cloud take to the road shortly thereafter in support of the album. Please see current dates below.
Since fleeing the swampy south for the dank Pacific Northwest almost a decade ago, the furious avant punks have been honing their peerless amalgam of garage, noise rock, psych and genuine weirdness into an ever-sharper set of sticky shivs to get under your skin and turn your brains all inside out. Black Friday is a slithery sci-fi nightmare, all twists and turns and bunsen burns, fuzzed-out unhinged fun.
Big Black Cloud began in 2005 as a four-piece (with the longer moniker Here Comes a Big Black Cloud) that over time grew larger and freakier, but in 2010 turned power trio, their experimentation and extravagances distilled into a crack-shot, whip-smart combo. Their full-length debut, Dark Age, was "an absolutely thrilling listen" (Built On A Weak Spot), "a fantastically frenetic, dark, psychedelic garage rock record" (Permanent Records), "a huge, swirling mess of garage, punk, noise, psych, howls, and yelps" (Maximum Rocknroll), followed in 2011 by the Sh*tty Vibrations cassette EP, "a real game changer" (Terminal Boredom).
But it seems Big Black Cloud moved out of the garage and into a secret cavern laboratory for Black Friday, their two-year labor of loathe. Clearly not content to let everyone catch up, they've pushed further out into the uncharted wild: more primal, more visceral, and a whole lot more menacing. Guitars clang, buzz, and slide, gooey bass relentlessly lopes and bombs, with drums all over the place yet somehow right where they need to be. Everything taken together gives the distinct sense that these three may go completely off the rails at any time, a feeling reinforced by the traded howls and wails of a man and woman who are quite fed up with all the bullsh*t but just can't seem to let it go, even as it drags them over the edge. Ah, but don't think that lets you off the hook... because they will get their hooks in you and drag you with them.
Big Black Cloud is from Portland, Oregon, and comprises guitarist/vocalist Nick Capello, bassist/vocalist Soo Koelbli, and drummer Travis Wainwright. Big Black Cloud has released two 7-inches, a 10-inch, a 12-inch LP (Dark Age), and the Sh*tty Vibrations cassette prior to Black Friday, their first release for Portland outsider label Eolian Empire. We think Big Black Cloud sounds a bit like Circus Lupus and Pere Ubu, or maybe a Royal Trux more speed-freaked than junked-out, sprinkled with some Brainiac-ish moments and a big ol' dose of Cows-like abandon, but it seems they've never heard-or even heard of-those bands. Go figure.
Black Friday kicks off with what sounds like a flying saucer landing and shouts of "No future!" and ends in a cacophony of scrambled surf leads, portents of the insanity to follow. The whacked-out ditty "Bomb My Brain" will bomb yours with its discordant hooks and "Won't you bomb my brain?" call to arms. Then there's the bouncing, insistent, noise-rocker "Wastoids" ("Tell me why?!"), the high-speed joyride gone scary sour "Pile of Sh*t", and the creature-feature operetta "Human Host" (and many more!). It all adds up to one hell of a fucked-up journey through a fantastic land filled with scrum, scree, squawks, and very strange things that go bump in the night. But you'll be happy you got dragged along-even if you're a bit worse for wear-because you'll have made it through and lived to tell about it.
BIG BLACK CLOUD LIVE:
07/03 Seattle, WA @ The Comet
07/05 Missoula, MT @ The Ole Beck
07/06 Boise, ID @ Sammie's
07/07 Salt Lake City, UT @ Burt's Tiki Lounge
07/08 Denver, CO @ Lost Lake
07/11 San Diego, CA @ Til Two Club
07/12 Los Angeles, CA @ The Smell
07/13 San Francisco, CA @ The Knockout
07/14 Oakland, CA @ The Night Light
07/15 Davis, CA @ Davis Bike Collective
Big Black Cloud - Black Friday Tracklist:
01) Cities of the Red Night
02) Terror of Cosmic Loneliness
03) Bomb My Brain
04) Barbaric, Mystical, Bored
05) Wastoids
06) Black Friday
07) Pile of Sh*t
08) Hate Myself
09) Gettin' Heavy In the Jungle
10) Human Host
11) Medusa
Double Dagger Post Update (Of Sorts)
A message from Double Dagger..."Yes, we are still broken up... but it takes more than that to quiet us! We've got a few exciting updates for ya'll:
1) A very small handful of extra copies of the 333 LP/DVD are available at select record stores. Otherwise Peals, Roomrunner, and Pure Junk will have a few copies for sale at their upcoming shows. Once they're gone, that's all folks!
2) If you missed the LP or don't have a record player, the digital version of 333 comes out next week (June 11) and is now available for pre-order at the iTunes store.
3) If We Shout Loud Enough, the Double Dagger documentary, will be screening in Asheville, Chicago, Toronto, Providence, Brooklyn, and Baltimore in June. Congratulations to filmmakers Gabriel Deloach and Zach Kiefer for the awesome press they've been getting (including a nice mention in the current issue of ARTFORUM)
4) Ex-Double Dagger bands Peals and Roomrunner both have new records that just came out. Peals' Walking Field is out on Thrill Jockey and Roomrunner's Ideal Cities is available from Fan Death - both LPs have already been receiving lots of great reviews. Catch both bands on tour this summer, starting this week!
5) Catch the Double Dagger "reunion" show at the Ottobar, June 23. If We Shout Loud Enough will be screening early, followed by performances by Roomrunner, Peals, and Pure Junk + friends Small Sur. Thanks."
Puscifer Ready "All Re-Mixed Up" For August
[press release] Puscifer have set an Aug. 27 release date for All Re-Mixed Up, a track-for-track remix album of the band’s sophomore release Conditions of My Parole.“All Re-Mixed Up is the continuation of the Puscifer tradition to release alternate versions, reworks, and remixes of what we consider initial thoughts,” explained Maynard James Keenan. “For instance, Carina Round was nervous about how to approach her version of ‘Telling Ghosts.’ Mat Mitchell put her at ease by asking her to think of it as a song half written, advising her to ‘now write the other half.’ It’s extremely liberating in the digital age to approach composing and creating in this manner. Infinite paths to explore, reinterpret, and re-present.”
All Re-Mixed Up track listing and remixers:
1. Monsters (Deconstruct) remixed by Mat Mitchell
2. The Green Valley (Verde River Maestro 507 mix) remixed by Rani Sharone (Stolen Babies)
3. Monsoons (JLE Motorik mix) remixed by Josh Eustis
4. Telling Ghosts (Giorgia O’Queef mix) remixed by Carina Round
5. Horizons (Dream of a Lie remix) by John Fryer (This Mortal Coil)
6. Man Overboard (11AD remix) by Alain Johannes
7. Toma (Burn Out remix) by Five Knives
8. The Rapture (JLE Needs Service mix) by Josh Eustis
9. Conditions of My Parole (F.U.B.A.R. remix) by Sir Mix-A-Lot
10. The Weaver (Virtual Vacuum remix) by Aaron Harris (PALMS)
11. Oceans (Green Mussel Mix) by Zac Rae
12. Tumbleweed (Delusions of Grandeur mix) by The Beta Machine
All Re-Mixed Up comes on the heels of an incredibly busy period for the electro-rock outfit. The band recently released the seven-song EP Donkey Punch The Night, which features covers of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and Accept’s “Balls To The Wall” as well as new songs “Breathe” and “Dear Brother.”
Puscifer, who are known for their all-encompassing live performances that integrate a variety of on-stage props and pre-recorded video pieces, performed at Coachella 2013, and made their first international outings at Australia’s Soundwave Festival and enthralled South American crowds at Lollapalooza Brazil and Chile.
Sic Alps Debut "She's on Top" Video + Tour Dates
[press release] With the fresh-released She's On Top EP object close in the proverbial rear-view mirror as it is in real life, Sic Alps gallantly drop the first of three videos from their three-song 12" EP. Directed by William Francis-Bashore Keihn, "She's On Top" rollicks San Franciscan-style just as you'd hope - like a mysteriously-flavored treat.She's On Top is a concise gem-drop. Rock n' roll directives of an unusually clean (for Sic Alps that is) variety pour forever from pure grooves. One solid blast explodes with vitality and charm, a peakingly planned romp into the twilight hours that float beyond the late-night hours.
As a reminder, prepare the remainder of your senses to experience Sic Alps live in your backyard this hot summer. Sic Alps are primed and ready to wreak havoc on stages across continental Europe and the UK:
6/25/13 Freakout Club Bologna Italy
6/26/13 Lazzaretto Ancona Italy
6/27/13 Lo-Fi Milan Italy
6/28/13 Madame Moustache et Son Freakshow Brussels Belgium
6/29/13 Water Moulin Tournai Belgium
7/2/13 The Cluny Newcastle-Upon-Tyne United Kingdom
7/3/13 Harvest Sun Liverpool United Kingdom
7/4/13 The Lexington London United Kingdom
7/5/13 Kuudes Aisti Festival Helsinki Finland
7/6/13 Club von Krahl Tallinn Estonia
7/9/13 What We Do Is Secret Festival Stockholm Sweden
7/10/13 What We Do Is Secret Festival (Gothenburg) Gothenburg Sweden
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