Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 1851
June 16, 2017
Listen To 'Another World' A Politically-Driven 12-Minute Epic From Miranda Lee Richards' New Album 'Existential Beast' Out Today
LISTEN TO:
"ANOTHER WORLD" THE POLITCALLY-DRIVEN 12-MINUTE EPIC FROM MIRANDA LEE RICHARDS ' NEW ALBUM 'EXISTENTIAL BEAST' OUT TODAY, FRIDAY, JUNE 16 VIA INVISIBLE HANDS MUSIC
Miranda Lee Richards.
SOUNDCLOUD "Another World":https://soundcloud.com/mirandaleerichards/08-another-world-2-13-17b/s-giQfBEmbed:Small Embed
YOUTUBE "Another World":https://youtu.be/_fMCacMklC8Embed
"'Another World', a lavishly orchestrated 12-minute outpouring contrasting the American dream with post-election reality, provides the mind-bending climax."--Bud Scoppa, UNCUT (8/10 album review, August 2017)
"...the ethereal, string-laden and aptly- titled 'Another World'. It is epic in length (over 12 minutes) and in breadth with its uplifting call to contribute to solutions."--Harriet Watkins, THE DAILY COUNTRY (5/1/17)
Los Angeles' singer-songwriter musician MIRANDA LEE RICHARDS has released the song "Another World" taken from her new album EXISTENTIAL BEAST, which is out today, Friday June 16 on Invisible Hands Music (here). The 12-minute epic track explores two contrasting viewpoints in reality about the world that exists now and an inspiring one that could exist one day.
MIRANDA describes the creation of the song, "'Another World' started out as a Shirley Collins-inspired A Capella Medieval protest song (why not?), but transformed into something even more: it took many, many weeks to craft, both lyrically and in orchestrating this nearly twelve-minute piece." MIRANDA adds, "In the post-election climate, reading and listening to the news everyday produced new depressing verses, but not wanting to feel hopeless I decided to get to the heart of the matter and tackle American politics and history, environmental and racial issues, feminism, economics, global warming, animal rights, imperialism, big Pharma and corporate take-over, terrorism, and healthcare, all through the eyes of California whose anthropomorphized character in the song is our beloved mother, lover, daughter, sister and like-minded friend."
"Musically the album draws from several '70s sources--Laurel Canyon country-rock royalty ('Ashes And Seeds'), Joe Boyd's Witchseason productions for Island Records ('Autumn Sun', 'Oh Raven'), through to the spoken word sections of David Axelrod's Earth Rot (the end section of 'Lucid I Dream'). Subtle use of echo throughout the album adds to the continuity of sound and aids its woozy intoxicating power. The album's tour de force is saved till the end.Clocking in at 12 minutes, 'Another World' is the most overtly political song, calling out those in power and offering a vision of how things could be. Clever stuff."
--Duncan Fletcher, SHINDIG! MAGAZINE (four-out-of-four star album review, U.K., MAY 2017)
"It ends in epic form with the near twelve-minute traditional folk ballad styled 'Another World', adorned with acoustic guitar and subtle strings, its lyrics fully encapsulating the album's political concerns about a divided world as its gently flows to its string section play-out. Lovely stuff."
--Mike Davies,FOLKING.COM (U.K. 6/15/17)
"...spellbinding 12-minute magnum opus."
--PLUNGER (U.K. 6/15/17)
About MIRANDA LEE RICHARDS: Born in San Francisco after the summer of love and before the dawn of disco,MIRANDA LEE RICHARDS grew up in an artistic and bohemian environment that has informed her adult life and work. After graduating from San Francisco School Of The Arts, she began to pursue a musical career. She met Kirk Hammett from Metallica who taught her to play Mazzy Star songs on guitar. Her early demos reached Anton Newcombe and she joined his band, the Brian Jonestown Massacre. MIRANDA then signed to Virgin Records and released her debut album The Herethereafter , a mix of folk, psychedelia, country and indie pop and found fans worldwide. The critically acclaimed follow-up album Light Of X --the title of which comes from a dream about harnessing beams of light to travel in time--followed in 2009 via Nettwerk Records. In 2016, MIRANDA unveiled Echoes Of The Dreamtime on Invisible Hands Music, which received rave reviews across in the U.K. and U.S., as well as national airplay with MOJO giving the album 4 stars and hailing the first single, "The sublime 'First Light Of Winter' is the moment it all comes together, Richards transcending her influences and, no longer constrained, arriving at psychedelia's higher plane" (1/2016).Her new album EXISTENTIAL BEAST follows a busy year for MIRANDA which included U.S. and European tours and creating songs for the new Viceland series "Jungletown." EXISTENTIAL BEAST is a political album, examining the current issues of our time, with the intent of tackling tough and taboo subjects in a poetic and heartfelt manner. The title is also a mash-up of terms, referencing the existential crisis that has risen. Beautifully constructed with her signature 1970s-influenced, country-tinged psychedelia, EXISTENTIAL BEAST was recorded in Los Angeles with producer Rick Parker (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Dandy Warhols) and will be released June 16 on Invisible Hands Music (HERE). EXISTENTIAL BEAST marks yet another confident and inspiring piece of work from MIRANDA. Expect MIRANDA LEE RICHARDS--known for her enchanting live shows--to perform the new album in venues across the U.K. and the U.S. throughout the year (current tour dates listed below).
www.mirandaleerichards.com https://www.instagram.com/mirandaleerichards https://www.youtube.com/user/MirandaLeeRichards1 https://www.facebook.com/mirandaleerichards https://soundcloud.com/mirandaleerichards https://twitter.com/mirandarichards
Catch MIRANDA LEE RICHARDS on tour in the following cities ( HERE ): DATE CITY VENUE
6/17Bergen, NorwayBergenFest(w/Ellie Goulding)6/23London, U.K.Thousand Island (acoustic trio)6/25Northampton, U.K.The Lamplighter (acoustic trio)6/28Birmingham, U.K.Ort Café (acoustic trio)6/30Sheffield, U.K.Regather (acoustic trio)7/15San Francisco, CABrick & Mortar (Full band)7/16Sacramento, CABlue Lamp (Full band)7/18Seattle, WASunset Tavern (Full band)7/19Portland, ORDoug Fir (Full band)7/23Santa Cruz, CAThe Crepe Place (Full band)8/19Brecon, U.K.Green Man Festival (Full band w/Gospelbeach)8/21Brighton, U.K.Prince Albert (Full band w/Gospelbeach)
8/23London, U.K.Moth Club (Full band w/Gospelbeach)
8/25Glasgow, U.K.Mono (Full band w/Gospelbeach)
8/26York, U.K.The Crescent (Full band w/Gospelbeach)
8/27Manchester, U.K.The Castle (Full band w/Gospelbeach)
8/29Oslo, NorwayCafé Mono (Full band w/Gospelbeach)
8/31Malmö, SwedenFolk A Rock (Full band w/Gospelbeach)
9/1Göteborg, SwedenPustervik (Full band w/Gospelbeach)
9/2Stockholm, SwedenSthlm Americana at Mosebacke & Södra Teatern
"ANOTHER WORLD" THE POLITCALLY-DRIVEN 12-MINUTE EPIC FROM MIRANDA LEE RICHARDS ' NEW ALBUM 'EXISTENTIAL BEAST' OUT TODAY, FRIDAY, JUNE 16 VIA INVISIBLE HANDS MUSIC
Miranda Lee Richards.
SOUNDCLOUD "Another World":https://soundcloud.com/mirandaleerichards/08-another-world-2-13-17b/s-giQfBEmbed:Small Embed
YOUTUBE "Another World":https://youtu.be/_fMCacMklC8Embed
"'Another World', a lavishly orchestrated 12-minute outpouring contrasting the American dream with post-election reality, provides the mind-bending climax."--Bud Scoppa, UNCUT (8/10 album review, August 2017)
"...the ethereal, string-laden and aptly- titled 'Another World'. It is epic in length (over 12 minutes) and in breadth with its uplifting call to contribute to solutions."--Harriet Watkins, THE DAILY COUNTRY (5/1/17)
Los Angeles' singer-songwriter musician MIRANDA LEE RICHARDS has released the song "Another World" taken from her new album EXISTENTIAL BEAST, which is out today, Friday June 16 on Invisible Hands Music (here). The 12-minute epic track explores two contrasting viewpoints in reality about the world that exists now and an inspiring one that could exist one day.
MIRANDA describes the creation of the song, "'Another World' started out as a Shirley Collins-inspired A Capella Medieval protest song (why not?), but transformed into something even more: it took many, many weeks to craft, both lyrically and in orchestrating this nearly twelve-minute piece." MIRANDA adds, "In the post-election climate, reading and listening to the news everyday produced new depressing verses, but not wanting to feel hopeless I decided to get to the heart of the matter and tackle American politics and history, environmental and racial issues, feminism, economics, global warming, animal rights, imperialism, big Pharma and corporate take-over, terrorism, and healthcare, all through the eyes of California whose anthropomorphized character in the song is our beloved mother, lover, daughter, sister and like-minded friend."
"Musically the album draws from several '70s sources--Laurel Canyon country-rock royalty ('Ashes And Seeds'), Joe Boyd's Witchseason productions for Island Records ('Autumn Sun', 'Oh Raven'), through to the spoken word sections of David Axelrod's Earth Rot (the end section of 'Lucid I Dream'). Subtle use of echo throughout the album adds to the continuity of sound and aids its woozy intoxicating power. The album's tour de force is saved till the end.Clocking in at 12 minutes, 'Another World' is the most overtly political song, calling out those in power and offering a vision of how things could be. Clever stuff."
--Duncan Fletcher, SHINDIG! MAGAZINE (four-out-of-four star album review, U.K., MAY 2017)
"It ends in epic form with the near twelve-minute traditional folk ballad styled 'Another World', adorned with acoustic guitar and subtle strings, its lyrics fully encapsulating the album's political concerns about a divided world as its gently flows to its string section play-out. Lovely stuff."
--Mike Davies,FOLKING.COM (U.K. 6/15/17)
"...spellbinding 12-minute magnum opus."
--PLUNGER (U.K. 6/15/17)
About MIRANDA LEE RICHARDS: Born in San Francisco after the summer of love and before the dawn of disco,MIRANDA LEE RICHARDS grew up in an artistic and bohemian environment that has informed her adult life and work. After graduating from San Francisco School Of The Arts, she began to pursue a musical career. She met Kirk Hammett from Metallica who taught her to play Mazzy Star songs on guitar. Her early demos reached Anton Newcombe and she joined his band, the Brian Jonestown Massacre. MIRANDA then signed to Virgin Records and released her debut album The Herethereafter , a mix of folk, psychedelia, country and indie pop and found fans worldwide. The critically acclaimed follow-up album Light Of X --the title of which comes from a dream about harnessing beams of light to travel in time--followed in 2009 via Nettwerk Records. In 2016, MIRANDA unveiled Echoes Of The Dreamtime on Invisible Hands Music, which received rave reviews across in the U.K. and U.S., as well as national airplay with MOJO giving the album 4 stars and hailing the first single, "The sublime 'First Light Of Winter' is the moment it all comes together, Richards transcending her influences and, no longer constrained, arriving at psychedelia's higher plane" (1/2016).Her new album EXISTENTIAL BEAST follows a busy year for MIRANDA which included U.S. and European tours and creating songs for the new Viceland series "Jungletown." EXISTENTIAL BEAST is a political album, examining the current issues of our time, with the intent of tackling tough and taboo subjects in a poetic and heartfelt manner. The title is also a mash-up of terms, referencing the existential crisis that has risen. Beautifully constructed with her signature 1970s-influenced, country-tinged psychedelia, EXISTENTIAL BEAST was recorded in Los Angeles with producer Rick Parker (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Dandy Warhols) and will be released June 16 on Invisible Hands Music (HERE). EXISTENTIAL BEAST marks yet another confident and inspiring piece of work from MIRANDA. Expect MIRANDA LEE RICHARDS--known for her enchanting live shows--to perform the new album in venues across the U.K. and the U.S. throughout the year (current tour dates listed below).
www.mirandaleerichards.com https://www.instagram.com/mirandaleerichards https://www.youtube.com/user/MirandaLeeRichards1 https://www.facebook.com/mirandaleerichards https://soundcloud.com/mirandaleerichards https://twitter.com/mirandarichards
Catch MIRANDA LEE RICHARDS on tour in the following cities ( HERE ): DATE CITY VENUE
6/17Bergen, NorwayBergenFest(w/Ellie Goulding)6/23London, U.K.Thousand Island (acoustic trio)6/25Northampton, U.K.The Lamplighter (acoustic trio)6/28Birmingham, U.K.Ort Café (acoustic trio)6/30Sheffield, U.K.Regather (acoustic trio)7/15San Francisco, CABrick & Mortar (Full band)7/16Sacramento, CABlue Lamp (Full band)7/18Seattle, WASunset Tavern (Full band)7/19Portland, ORDoug Fir (Full band)7/23Santa Cruz, CAThe Crepe Place (Full band)8/19Brecon, U.K.Green Man Festival (Full band w/Gospelbeach)8/21Brighton, U.K.Prince Albert (Full band w/Gospelbeach)
8/23London, U.K.Moth Club (Full band w/Gospelbeach)
8/25Glasgow, U.K.Mono (Full band w/Gospelbeach)
8/26York, U.K.The Crescent (Full band w/Gospelbeach)
8/27Manchester, U.K.The Castle (Full band w/Gospelbeach)
8/29Oslo, NorwayCafé Mono (Full band w/Gospelbeach)
8/31Malmö, SwedenFolk A Rock (Full band w/Gospelbeach)
9/1Göteborg, SwedenPustervik (Full band w/Gospelbeach)
9/2Stockholm, SwedenSthlm Americana at Mosebacke & Södra Teatern
FRUIT & FLOWERS SHARE "SUBWAY SURFER" VIDEO VIA SHE SHREDS
FRUIT & FLOWERS
SHARE "SUBWAY SURFER" VIDEO VIA SHE SHREDS
DEBUT EP DRUG TAX
EP OUT JUNE 30TH VIA LITTLE DICKMAN RECORDS
ON NORTH AMERICAN TOUR NOW
WATCH & SHARE: Fruit & Flowers - "Subway Surfer"
WATCH & SHARE: Fruit & Flowers - "Out Of Touch"'“Subway Surfer” is a straight up punk stomper."
- She Shreds
"If you go to a lot of DIY-ish shows in NYC chances are you’ve seen Fruit & Flowers, one of the hardest working new bands of the moment, making super-catchy indie rock."
- Brooklyn Vegan
"...the perfect soundtrack for slowly slinking through NYC's July haze, while possibly spotting a UFO over the Manhattan skyline."
- Bandsintown
"Brooklyn band that's been playing a gazillion shows lately (and seem to have as many scheduled), which is always a good sign."
- The Deli NYC
Photo Credit: Fernando ForeroBrooklyn-based "surf noir" garage psych band Fruit & Flowers share their second single, "Subway Surfer," from their forthcoming, debut EP, Drug Tax, due out June 30th via Little Dickman Records. The single comes along with a video, debuted today on She Shreds, who say, "The video gives us a peek into their stellar live shows, which are a lot more than a good-time punk rock party. FxF’s dead perfect vocal harmonies and guitar interplay clearly displays a band operating with a fully formed idea and a love for their respective instruments."
The band premiered their first single and music video from the forthcoming release on Brooklyn Vegan . Watch "Out Of Touch" HERE, and check out the upcoming tour dates, including their EP release show on June 29th at Baby's All Right.
Fruit & Flowers are one of the most active bands in the NYC area, and have been deemed one of "NYC's Hardest Working Bands" by Oh My Rockness. The band embarks on its third tour of 2017 in July to Canada and the Midwest in support of Drug Tax. Fruit & Flowers' exuberant, electric performances draw a local following. Ana Becker's angular, expressive guitar style and Lyzi Wakefield's gritty rhythmic backbone merge a post-punk heaviness with psychedelic warmth. Committed and charismatic front woman Caroline Yoder summons a fervent energy, surrounded by distinct, warm and refreshing three part harmonies, the bedrock of Fruit and Flowers' sound.
Conceived in a Bushwick loft with broken AC during the summer of 2015 by Caroline on bass and Shaw Walters on drums, the band was soon joined by Lyzi Wakefield and Ana Becker on guitars and vocals. The band agreed to play its first show at Northside festival just weeks after formation and wrote the record in a furious fit of hot nights and inspired mornings. The band became fully realized when Shaw handed the role of drummer to Jose Berrio (drummer-cum-art director), whose inimitable style elevates the strong rhythmic character of the band.
Drug Tax was born out of necessity, capturing the grit and rush of New York City summer and the newfound chemistry between the bandmates. Weaving together the perspectives and expressions of the band's multiple songwriters, Drug Tax unfolds to present the unique and varied voice of Fruit & Flowers. Lead single "Out Of Touch" is about the ennui of a missed love opportunity, with soaring, sultry vocals, beachy surf rock riffs and fuzzy bass. Album tracks range from the sultry moody and beautiful "Dark Surf" to the post-gothic title track "Drug Tax."
Drug Tax was recorded at Thump Studios in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The EP was engineered and co-produced by John Thayer, and mixed and mastered by George Harris. Jose Berrio designed the band's logo and album art.
TOUR DATES
6.29 - Baby's All Right - Brooklyn, NY
7.02 - The Firehouse - Worcester, MA
7.04 - L'escogriffe - Montreal, Canada
7.05 - Pressed - Ottawa, Canada
7.07 - Baby G - Toronto, Canada
7.08 - Less Than Level - Oakville, Canada
7.09 - The Brass Rail - Ft. Wayne, IN
7.12 - Subterranean (downstairs) - Chicago, IL
7.13 - Drkmttr - Nashville, TN
7.14 - The Caledonia - Athens, GA
7.19 - The Station - Carrboro, NC
7.21 - Connie's Ric Rac - Philadelphia, PA
7.22 - Cape House - Brooklyn, NY
Drug Tax - TRACKLISTING
01. Out of Touch
02. Subway Surfer
03. Dark Surf
04. Down Down Down
05. Pick Fairy
06. Drug Tax
LINKS
Facebook
Website
Twitter
Soundcloud
Bandcamp
Instagram
SHARE "SUBWAY SURFER" VIDEO VIA SHE SHREDS
DEBUT EP DRUG TAX
EP OUT JUNE 30TH VIA LITTLE DICKMAN RECORDS
ON NORTH AMERICAN TOUR NOW
WATCH & SHARE: Fruit & Flowers - "Subway Surfer"WATCH & SHARE: Fruit & Flowers - "Out Of Touch"'“Subway Surfer” is a straight up punk stomper."
- She Shreds
"If you go to a lot of DIY-ish shows in NYC chances are you’ve seen Fruit & Flowers, one of the hardest working new bands of the moment, making super-catchy indie rock."
- Brooklyn Vegan
"...the perfect soundtrack for slowly slinking through NYC's July haze, while possibly spotting a UFO over the Manhattan skyline."
- Bandsintown
"Brooklyn band that's been playing a gazillion shows lately (and seem to have as many scheduled), which is always a good sign."
- The Deli NYC
Photo Credit: Fernando ForeroBrooklyn-based "surf noir" garage psych band Fruit & Flowers share their second single, "Subway Surfer," from their forthcoming, debut EP, Drug Tax, due out June 30th via Little Dickman Records. The single comes along with a video, debuted today on She Shreds, who say, "The video gives us a peek into their stellar live shows, which are a lot more than a good-time punk rock party. FxF’s dead perfect vocal harmonies and guitar interplay clearly displays a band operating with a fully formed idea and a love for their respective instruments."The band premiered their first single and music video from the forthcoming release on Brooklyn Vegan . Watch "Out Of Touch" HERE, and check out the upcoming tour dates, including their EP release show on June 29th at Baby's All Right.
Fruit & Flowers are one of the most active bands in the NYC area, and have been deemed one of "NYC's Hardest Working Bands" by Oh My Rockness. The band embarks on its third tour of 2017 in July to Canada and the Midwest in support of Drug Tax. Fruit & Flowers' exuberant, electric performances draw a local following. Ana Becker's angular, expressive guitar style and Lyzi Wakefield's gritty rhythmic backbone merge a post-punk heaviness with psychedelic warmth. Committed and charismatic front woman Caroline Yoder summons a fervent energy, surrounded by distinct, warm and refreshing three part harmonies, the bedrock of Fruit and Flowers' sound.
Conceived in a Bushwick loft with broken AC during the summer of 2015 by Caroline on bass and Shaw Walters on drums, the band was soon joined by Lyzi Wakefield and Ana Becker on guitars and vocals. The band agreed to play its first show at Northside festival just weeks after formation and wrote the record in a furious fit of hot nights and inspired mornings. The band became fully realized when Shaw handed the role of drummer to Jose Berrio (drummer-cum-art director), whose inimitable style elevates the strong rhythmic character of the band.
Drug Tax was born out of necessity, capturing the grit and rush of New York City summer and the newfound chemistry between the bandmates. Weaving together the perspectives and expressions of the band's multiple songwriters, Drug Tax unfolds to present the unique and varied voice of Fruit & Flowers. Lead single "Out Of Touch" is about the ennui of a missed love opportunity, with soaring, sultry vocals, beachy surf rock riffs and fuzzy bass. Album tracks range from the sultry moody and beautiful "Dark Surf" to the post-gothic title track "Drug Tax."
Drug Tax was recorded at Thump Studios in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The EP was engineered and co-produced by John Thayer, and mixed and mastered by George Harris. Jose Berrio designed the band's logo and album art.
TOUR DATES6.29 - Baby's All Right - Brooklyn, NY
7.02 - The Firehouse - Worcester, MA
7.04 - L'escogriffe - Montreal, Canada
7.05 - Pressed - Ottawa, Canada
7.07 - Baby G - Toronto, Canada
7.08 - Less Than Level - Oakville, Canada
7.09 - The Brass Rail - Ft. Wayne, IN
7.12 - Subterranean (downstairs) - Chicago, IL
7.13 - Drkmttr - Nashville, TN
7.14 - The Caledonia - Athens, GA
7.19 - The Station - Carrboro, NC
7.21 - Connie's Ric Rac - Philadelphia, PA
7.22 - Cape House - Brooklyn, NY
Drug Tax - TRACKLISTING
01. Out of Touch
02. Subway Surfer
03. Dark Surf
04. Down Down Down
05. Pick Fairy
06. Drug Tax
LINKS
Website
Soundcloud
Bandcamp
RIP Dominique Annette Lowell
Dominique Annette Lowell
October 19, 1960 - June 10, 2017(photo by Ying Guo) at Cafe Babar
Warbly Jets Announce Summer & Fall Tour Dates
Warbly Jets Announce Summer & Fall Tour Dates (6/29-9/25)Stream " Alive " & "Alive" (Official Remix)
LA's Warbly Jets burst onto the scene last November with their debut single " Alive ," an infectious jam that infuses the grit of straightforward rock 'n' roll with the catchy hooks of Britpop. Since then, the song has garnered praise from the likes of LA Weekly, KROQ, and Beats1's Matt Wilkinson, been used as the official song for Liam Gallagher's Pretty Green SS17 line, and earned the band slots opening for acts like The Dandy Warhols, The Mystery Lights, and Night Beats. Last week, the band shared their own remix of the track, adding a heavy layer of buzzing synths and pulsing rhythms to transform the single into an addictive, dance-worthy banger.With a second official single to be released soon, Warbly Jets has announced a summer and fall tour, which includes dates in the US, China, and the UK. See below for a full list of upcoming shows, with more TBA.
Warbly Jets on Tour:
6/29: Costa Mesa, CA @ The Wayfarer
6/30: Calabasas, CA @ Sagebrush Catina (KLOS Presents)
7/14: Beijing, China @ Mao Live House
7/16: Shijiazhuang, China @ Hongtang Live House
7/19: ZhengZhou, China @ 7 Live House
7/21: Shanghai, China @ YuYinTang
7/23: HangZhou, China @ Mao Live House
7/26: Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy Theatre
7/30: Denver, CO @ Lost Lake
8/2: Kansas City, MO @ Riot Room
8/3: Rock Island, IL @ RIBCO
8/4 - 8/5: Appleton, WI @ Mile of Music
8/6: Chicago, IL @ Schubas
8/8: Brooklyn, NY @ Baby's All Right (Pond Magazine Presents)
8/9: Brooklyn, NY @ Baby's All Right (Pond Magazine Presents)
8/10: Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie
8/11: Washington, D.C. @ DC9
8/15: Nashville, TN @ The Basement
8/19: Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar
8/20: San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
9/5: London, ENG @ The Shacklewell Arms
9/12: London, ENG @ The Shacklewell Arms
9/19: London, ENG @ The Shacklewell Arms
9/25: London, ENG @ The Shacklewell ArmsStream "Alive" here:
Stream "Alive" (Official Remix) here:
Fleet Foxes Release New Album 'Crack-Up' on Nonesuch Records
OUT TODAY:FLEET FOXES' NEW ALBUMCRACK-UP ON NONESUCH RECORDSPERFORMANCES ON THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERTTONIGHT, JUNE 16 AND ON CBS THIS MORNING - SATURDAY TOMORROW, JUNE 17
Fleet Foxes released the highly anticipated new album
Crack-Up
to critical acclaim today on Nonesuch Records. This is the band's third full-length album and first release in six years. The New York Times says of the album: "Crack-Up is a defiant artistic statement, an album that dares to feel important," and Associated Press notes the album is "rewarding, involving and meticulous, Crack-Up has been well worth the wait." Earlier this week, the band performed to an intimate crowd at The Knockdown Center in Queens, NY which was filmed for PBS' Live from the Artists Den. While the full show is slated for broadcast later this year, the performance footage of "Third of May/Ōdaigahara" debuted today. Fleet Foxes will make their return to television performing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert tonight, June 16, and on CBS This Morning tomorrow, June 17.
Fleet Foxes performing "Third of May/Ōdaigahara" for PBS' Live from the Artists DenWatch the lyric video for "Third of May/Ōdaigahara"Watch the video for "Fool's Errand," directed by Sean Pecknold with art direction by Adi Goodrich and produced by Society
Photo Credit: Shawn Brackbill
Fleet Foxes 2017 International Tour Dates* Most North American venues will offer ticket buyers the ability to add the new album to their purchase as an LP, CD, or digital pre-order.June 23 | France, Lille at 'AéronefJune 24 | Netherlands, Ewijk at Down The Rabbit HoleJuly 1 | Spain, Vilanova i la Geltrú at Vida FestivalJuly 3 | Italy, Ferrara at Bands ApartJuly 4 | Switzerland, Montreux at Montreux Jazz FestivalJuly 7 | Spain, Bilbao at Bilbao BBK LiveJuly 8 | Portugal, Lisbon at NOS Alive FestivalJuly 11 | Ireland, Cork at Cork Opera House (SOLD OUT)July 12 | Ireland, Cork at Cork Opera HouseJuly 13 | Ireland, Dublin at The Iveagh GardensJuly 14 | Ireland, Dublin at The Iveagh Gardens (SOLD OUT)July 16 | United Kingdom, Southwold at Latitude FestivalJuly 27 | Portland, ME at Thompson's PointJuly 28 | Newport, RI at Newport Folk Festival (SOLD OUT)July 29 | Columbia, MD at Merriweather Post Pavilion w/ Animal CollectiveJuly 31 | Philadelphia, PA at Mann Center for the Performing Arts w/ Animal CollectiveAugust 1 | Brooklyn, NY at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival at the Prospect Park Bandshell (SOLD OUT)August 2 | Brooklyn, NY at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival at the Prospect Park BandshellAugust 4 | Toronto, ON at Massey Hall (SOLD OUT)August 5 | Toronto, ON at Massey Hall (SOLD OUT)August 6 | Detroit, MI at The MasonicAugust 8 | Kansas City, MO at The Midland TheatreAugust 11 | San Francisco, CA at Outside LandsAugust 13 | Las Vegas, NV at The Chelsea at The CosmopolitanAugust 14 | Tucson, AZ at Rialto TheatreAugust 16 | Austin, TX at ACL Live at The Moody Theater (SOLD OUT)August 17 | Austin, TX at ACL Live at The Moody Theater (SOLD OUT)August 18 | Dallas, TX at The Bomb FactorySeptember 13 | Vancouver, BC at Malkin Bowl (SOLD OUT)September 14 | Seattle, WA at Paramount Theatre (SOLD OUT)September 15 | Seattle, WA at Paramount TheatreSeptember 16 | Troutdale, OR at Edgefield Concerts (SOLD OUT)September 18 | Reno, NV at Grand Theatre at Grand Sierra Resort and CasinoSeptember 20 | Santa Barbara, CA at The Arlington TheatreSeptember 21 | San Diego, CA at Observatory North Park (SOLD OUT)September 23 | Los Angeles, CA at Hollywood Bowl w/ Beach HouseSeptember 24 | Phoenix, AZ at Comerica Theatre w/ Beach HouseSeptember 25 | Santa Fe, NM at Santa Fe Opera w/ Beach HouseSeptember 27 | Morrison, CO at Red Rocks Amphitheatre w/ Beach House (SOLD OUT)September 29 | Omaha, NE at Waiting Room OutdoorsSeptember 30 | St. Paul, MN at The Palace Theatre (SOLD OUT)October 1 | St. Paul, MN at The Palace TheatreOctober 3 | Chicago, IL at Chicago Theatre (SOLD OUT)October 4 | Chicago IL at Chicago TheatreNovember 1-5 | Reykjavik, Iceland at Iceland AirwavesNovember 7 | Switzerland, Zurich at X-traNovember 8 | Austria, Vienna at GasometerNovember 9 | Croatia, Zagreb at Tvornica KultureNovember 12 | Germany, Hamburg at DocksNovember 13 | Germany, Berlin at ColumbiahalleNovember 17 | Belgium, Brussels at Ancienne BelgiqueNovember 18 | Belgium, Brussels at Ancienne BelgiqueNovember 20 | France, Paris at Le Trianon (SOLD OUT)November 21 | France, Paris at Le TrianonNovember 23 | United Kingdom, Manchester at Apollo ManchesterNovember 26 | United Kingdom, London at Academy BrixtonDecember 01 | Germany, Köln at PalladiumDecember 03 | Sweden, Stockholm at Annexet (SOLD OUT)
December 04 | Sweden, Stockholm at AnnexetDecember 05 | Norway, Oslo at Sentrum Scene (SOLD OUT)
December 06 | Norway, Oslo at Sentrum Scene
Dhani Harrison announces debut solo album / first solo show in Los Angeles
Dhani Harrison To Play First Ever Solo ShowAt The Echo In Los Angeles July 24 Signs Deal With BMG Records
First Solo Album Due Out Later This Year
Musician Dhani Harrison announces his first solo show to take place on July 24, at the Echo in Los Angeles. Harrison will also be playing Panorama Music Festival in New York City, on Sunday July 30. Grammy Award winning musician Dhani Harrison has been busy since the release of his last album with his collective thenewno2. In the past four years Harrison has scored a handful of feature films, marking his big screen debut as a composer on Warner Bros.'s Beautiful Creatures, which the LA Times praised for its "cool alt-rock sound thanks to the haunting music of Harrison", as well as Sir Ben Kinglsey's critically acclaimed Learning to Drive. Harrison also found the time to score four TV series including Tony Goldwyn and Richard LaGravenes's The Divide, two seasons of the Paul Giamatti executive produced show Outsiders, as well as Amazon's original series, Good Girls Revolt. Harrison is set to return to the stage, but not under the guise of thenewno2, instead he is stepping out and making music for the first time under his own name. Echoing his influences over the past few years as a composer, Harrison's new music paints a cinematic soundscape, with his first solo album set for release later this fall on BMG Records. Harrison's foray into the life of a solo artist follows thenewno2's own success, having made numerous late night TV appearances over the years, performing live on The Late Show with Conan O'Brien five times, as well as appearing on the legendary The Tonight Show.And when the band made their first-ever appearance at Coachella their set was lauded by Spin as the "best debut performance of the festival" and they also earned a spot on Rolling Stone's list of the top 10 must-see bands at Lollapalooza. Harrison has collaborated with an eclectic array of musicians during his career alongside like-minded artists such as Wu-Tang Clan's RZA, Regina Spektor, Pearl Jam, Prince and performing with Ben Harper and Joseph Arthur in his other long-time project, Fistful of Mercy. Event details here Purchase tickets here
First Solo Album Due Out Later This Year
Musician Dhani Harrison announces his first solo show to take place on July 24, at the Echo in Los Angeles. Harrison will also be playing Panorama Music Festival in New York City, on Sunday July 30. Grammy Award winning musician Dhani Harrison has been busy since the release of his last album with his collective thenewno2. In the past four years Harrison has scored a handful of feature films, marking his big screen debut as a composer on Warner Bros.'s Beautiful Creatures, which the LA Times praised for its "cool alt-rock sound thanks to the haunting music of Harrison", as well as Sir Ben Kinglsey's critically acclaimed Learning to Drive. Harrison also found the time to score four TV series including Tony Goldwyn and Richard LaGravenes's The Divide, two seasons of the Paul Giamatti executive produced show Outsiders, as well as Amazon's original series, Good Girls Revolt. Harrison is set to return to the stage, but not under the guise of thenewno2, instead he is stepping out and making music for the first time under his own name. Echoing his influences over the past few years as a composer, Harrison's new music paints a cinematic soundscape, with his first solo album set for release later this fall on BMG Records. Harrison's foray into the life of a solo artist follows thenewno2's own success, having made numerous late night TV appearances over the years, performing live on The Late Show with Conan O'Brien five times, as well as appearing on the legendary The Tonight Show.And when the band made their first-ever appearance at Coachella their set was lauded by Spin as the "best debut performance of the festival" and they also earned a spot on Rolling Stone's list of the top 10 must-see bands at Lollapalooza. Harrison has collaborated with an eclectic array of musicians during his career alongside like-minded artists such as Wu-Tang Clan's RZA, Regina Spektor, Pearl Jam, Prince and performing with Ben Harper and Joseph Arthur in his other long-time project, Fistful of Mercy. Event details here Purchase tickets here
Nick Waterhouse @ The Fillmore SF
all photos taken in San Francisco by Noah Ben-Eishai
elbow Premiere New Video For All Disco. North American Tour Confirmed
PREMIERE VIDEO FOR "ALL DISCO""A FILM ABOUT WHY WE LOVE MUSIC"
WATCH"ALL DISCO"
“A Film About Why We Love Music”
NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES
11/01 – Paradise Club – Boston, MA – SOLD OUT
11/02 – Terminal 5 – New York, NY – NEW DATE
11/03 – The Fillmore – Philadelphia, PA – NEW DATE
11/04 – 9:30 Club – Washington, D.C – SOLD OUT
11/06 – Danforth Music Hall – Toronto, ON – SOLD OUT
11/07 – St. Andrews Hall – Detroit, MI
11/08 – The Vic – Chicago, IL
11/10 – The Showbox – Seattle, WA – SOLD OUT
11/11 – Roseland Theater – Portland, OR
11/13 – Fox Theater – Oakland, CA
11/14 – The Observatory – Santa Ana, CA
11/16 – The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA
For tickets, go to: www.elbow.co.uk
Manchester's elbow today release a film to accompany "All Disco", taken from their UK Number One album "Little Fictions" in which the band return to the documentary style that previously saw New York legends Dennis and Lois feature in "New York Morning," a Manchester ballet school in "My Sad Captains" and swimmer Vivienne Rickman Poole in "Real Life (Angel)." Shot on Record Store Day 2017, the film features interviews with people about what music means to them as well as asking people for their favourite song and guilty pleasures. This is a film about the importance of music but also a reminder of the joy and community that music brings to our lives.
The song title is inspired by Pixies’ Frank Black; "All Disco" was how Frank described his music whilst being interviewed with Guy for his 6 Music Radio show, a phrase that stuck in the elbow frontman’s mind as a perfect understated tag for a lyric addressed to new songwriters to ‘give nearly everything to their art but remember their art is not everything’. The track, regarded as "gorgeous" by NME, puts guitarist Mark Potter front and centre and is regarded by all four members as the first time that their love of the likes of The Velvet Underground and 60’s psychedelia has taken such a direct influence on their music.
Earlier this year, the Manchester four-piece released their seventh studio album “Little Fictions” to widespread critical acclaim. Praised for their “rich, sweeping rock songs about melancholy and love” (Pitchfork) and considered “the best (album) they've made in years,” (The Associated Press), elbow's "Little Fictions" has seen them retain their status as one of the UK’s most respected and successful bands.
elbow will be making a welcomed return to U.S soil and bringing their legendary live performance to fans this November. For more details and tickets, go to www.elbow.co.uk
BETH DITTO'S DEBUT SOLO ALBUM, FAKE SUGAR, IS OUT TODAY!
FAKE SUGAR
, BETH DITTO'S DEBUT SOLO ALBUM,IS OUT TODAY North American Tour Includes July 13 Concert At NYC's Bowery Ballroom And July 14 Show at Rough Trade In Brooklyn "Fake Sugar...recasts Ditto as a versatile, pop-minded rock star who can still shake the rafters with her voice when the moment calls for it." - NPR Music
Beth Ditto's debut solo album, Fake Sugar (Virgin Records), is out today and available everywhere. Visit https://bethditto.lnk.to/fakesugarpr. Last night, she performed the lead single, "Fire," on "The Late Late Show With James Corden." Her fervent performance, which can be seen here gives fans a hint of what to expect from Ditto's upcoming live shows.
After playing a series of European festival dates, including the Montreux Jazz Festival, Ditto will kick off her North American headline tour on July 12 in Washington, DC. Tickets are on sale now for the run, which includes two New York City dates - July 13 at the Bowery Ballroom and July 14 at Rough Trade in Brooklyn. See below for itinerary. In this feature, The New York Times praised the"powerhouse singer and feminist glamazon" and noted how Ditto's new songs "have stomp and girl-group melodies, Southernisms in their lyrics and garage-rock swagger." NPR Music, which streamed the album as a "First Listen" prior to its release, said, "Fake Sugar stays surprising throughout... 'Oo La La' lands with stomping force, while 'We Could Run' soars heavenward..." Yahoo! Music noted, "Beth Ditto's full-length solo debut may be titled Fake Sugar, but the formerGossip frontgoddess is keeping it 100 percent real." Paste Magazine said, "[it] feels likeDitto's aural memoir...It bridges the gap between love and loss and taps into her Southern roots to create a record that fully encompasses the person she's become."Vogue, which recently featured her on its digital cover, observed, "Ditto's powerful pipes are all over Fake Sugar...The songs have a bounce and a buoyancy that make them perfect for blasting out of a car on a hot summer day. Her first single, 'Fire,' has a propulsive minimalist bass line and bluesy chorus that sound like a dive bar after-hours; the anthemic ballad 'We Could Run' has a wistful grandiosity that recalls early Springsteen. The record sounds full of hope..." Watch the Vogue original short "Beth Ditto Does Brighton Beach" featuring "Oo La La" HERE.The Wall Street Journal proclaimed Fake Sugar her "best music yet... a sweet source of catchy pop" and praised Ditto's"potentially star-making performance."Idolatorhailed "Fire" as"one hell of song" and New York Magazine's The Cut said, "This Song Was Made for Struttin'." View the official video for "Fire"HERE.Fake Sugar was produced by Jennifer Decilveo (Andra Day, Ryn Weaver). In addition to releasing six acclaimed albums with the Gossip, Ditto has recorded with such artists as Blondie and disco legend Cerrone, collaborated with Jean Paul Gaultier on her eponymous plus-sized luxury clothing line, modeled for Marc Jacobs and appeared in Tom Ford's Oscar-nominated film, Nocturnal Animals. Ditto's recent Interview Q&A was conducted by her childhood hero, the iconic Miss Piggy. Check out their conversation about style and living the diva life HERE. Beth Ditto - North American Tour Dates7/12 - Washington, DC @ U Street Music Hall
7/13 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
7/14 - Brooklyn, NY@ Rough Trade
7/15 - Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
7/17 - Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall7/21 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater7/22 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall7/24 - Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
7/26 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent8/12-13 - Redmond, WA @ King County's Marymoor Park8/19 - Long Beach, CA @ Queen Mary Events Park - ALT98.7 Summer Camp
Beth Ditto's debut solo album, Fake Sugar (Virgin Records), is out today and available everywhere. Visit https://bethditto.lnk.to/fakesugarpr. Last night, she performed the lead single, "Fire," on "The Late Late Show With James Corden." Her fervent performance, which can be seen here gives fans a hint of what to expect from Ditto's upcoming live shows.
After playing a series of European festival dates, including the Montreux Jazz Festival, Ditto will kick off her North American headline tour on July 12 in Washington, DC. Tickets are on sale now for the run, which includes two New York City dates - July 13 at the Bowery Ballroom and July 14 at Rough Trade in Brooklyn. See below for itinerary. In this feature, The New York Times praised the"powerhouse singer and feminist glamazon" and noted how Ditto's new songs "have stomp and girl-group melodies, Southernisms in their lyrics and garage-rock swagger." NPR Music, which streamed the album as a "First Listen" prior to its release, said, "Fake Sugar stays surprising throughout... 'Oo La La' lands with stomping force, while 'We Could Run' soars heavenward..." Yahoo! Music noted, "Beth Ditto's full-length solo debut may be titled Fake Sugar, but the formerGossip frontgoddess is keeping it 100 percent real." Paste Magazine said, "[it] feels likeDitto's aural memoir...It bridges the gap between love and loss and taps into her Southern roots to create a record that fully encompasses the person she's become."Vogue, which recently featured her on its digital cover, observed, "Ditto's powerful pipes are all over Fake Sugar...The songs have a bounce and a buoyancy that make them perfect for blasting out of a car on a hot summer day. Her first single, 'Fire,' has a propulsive minimalist bass line and bluesy chorus that sound like a dive bar after-hours; the anthemic ballad 'We Could Run' has a wistful grandiosity that recalls early Springsteen. The record sounds full of hope..." Watch the Vogue original short "Beth Ditto Does Brighton Beach" featuring "Oo La La" HERE.The Wall Street Journal proclaimed Fake Sugar her "best music yet... a sweet source of catchy pop" and praised Ditto's"potentially star-making performance."Idolatorhailed "Fire" as"one hell of song" and New York Magazine's The Cut said, "This Song Was Made for Struttin'." View the official video for "Fire"HERE.Fake Sugar was produced by Jennifer Decilveo (Andra Day, Ryn Weaver). In addition to releasing six acclaimed albums with the Gossip, Ditto has recorded with such artists as Blondie and disco legend Cerrone, collaborated with Jean Paul Gaultier on her eponymous plus-sized luxury clothing line, modeled for Marc Jacobs and appeared in Tom Ford's Oscar-nominated film, Nocturnal Animals. Ditto's recent Interview Q&A was conducted by her childhood hero, the iconic Miss Piggy. Check out their conversation about style and living the diva life HERE. Beth Ditto - North American Tour Dates7/12 - Washington, DC @ U Street Music Hall7/13 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
7/14 - Brooklyn, NY@ Rough Trade
7/15 - Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
7/17 - Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall7/21 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater7/22 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall7/24 - Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
7/26 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent8/12-13 - Redmond, WA @ King County's Marymoor Park8/19 - Long Beach, CA @ Queen Mary Events Park - ALT98.7 Summer Camp
PORTUGAL. THE MAN RELEASES LONG-AWAITED ALBUM WOODSTOCK
PORTUGAL. THE MAN RELEASES LONG-AWAITED ALBUM WOODSTOCK
ACCLAIMED PORTLAND ROCKERS PARTNER WITH CREATIVE AGENCY WIEDEN+KENNEDY ON INTERACTIVE MUSIC VIDEO FOR “RICH FRIENDS” STARRING ACTOR WATCH “RICH FRIENDS” HERE
“FEEL IT STILL” SPENDS EIGTH CONSECUTIVE WEEK AT #1 AT TRIPLE A RADIOSITS AT #2 AT ALTERNATIVE RADIO
WOODSTOCK AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE TODAY HERE
WOODSTOCK TRACKLIST1. "Number One" (featuring Richie Havens and Son Little)2. "Easy Tiger" 3. "Live in the Moment"4. "Feel It Still"5. "Rich Friends"6. "Keep On"7. "So Young"8. "Mr. Lonely" (featuring Fat Lip)9. "Tidal Wave"10. "Noise Pollution" (featuring Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Zoe Manville)
Atlantic recording group PORTUGAL. THE MAN has released their highly anticipated new album, WOODSTOCK, available everywhere here. Portugal. The Man also released several other instant grat songs off the album, “Number One,” “So Young” and “Rich Friends,” made available when fans pre-ordered the album.
The album is accompanied by the music video for “Rich Friends” – starring actor "It’s been fun interrupting people’s favorite shows with our commercials, but we thought that there had to be other art forms we could ruin with ads,” joked Max Stinson and Erik Fahrenkopf, the W+K creative directors who came up with the idea for the video. "With a music video, only one thing matters: making shit people actually want to watch. As advertising agencies stumble towards a new way of working, this video has been a refreshing reminder to always keep your eye on the audience,” added Jason Kreher, Creative Director of Publishing for Wieden + Kennedy. Watch “Rich Friends” here.
The release of WOODSTOCK kicked off earlier this spring with the release of the current hit single, “Feel It Still,” available now at all DSPs and streaming services here. The track is fast proving a multi-format success, currently sitting at #1 at Triple A radio nationwide for the 8th week in a row, and #2 at Alternative radio.
“Feel It Still” is also joined by two unique visuals, a standard clip, now with over 4.7M views on YouTube, as well as an interactive companion video created by the band in partnership with global creative agency Wieden+Kennedy. The clip – which originally premiered via Noisey – is both an electrifying music video as well as an interactive toolkit for protesting social injustice. Directed by Ian Schwartz at Prettybird, “Feel It Still” asks viewers to find hidden Easter eggs designed to help#theresistance movement, including a direct dial to the White House, a video explaining the legal rights of protestors, donation sites for Planned Parenthood and the ACLU, custom-designed protest posters, and stencil kits for resistance graffiti. Built on the Wirewax interactive video platform, “Feel Is Still” can be viewed now at feelitstill.com. “Feel It Still” was also featured in a number of syncs including Nike, YouTube, American Express, HBO Now, Claws, Apple, and more.
In celebration of 4/20, Portugal. The Man and Wieden+Kennedy teamed up again, this time with Oregon cannabis grower Hifi Farms to release “Feel it Still,” a custom, packaged, pre-rolled blend designed to pair with the new single/video. A top shelf blend of hybrid strains Gorilla Glue #4 and Girl Scout Cookies, “Feel It Still” arrived at all Serra Cannabis and Electric Lettuce recreational dispensaries.
Portugal. The Man has been celebrating the release of WOODSTOCK with their biggest world tour thus far, set to travel through the summer (see attached itinerary), most recently playing two back-to-back sold out shows at New York City’s Terminal 5. Billboard deemed the electrifying show as “an invigorated and fired up attitude that plays out on stage in all the right ways.” For complete details, please visit www.portugaltheman.com/tour-dates.
***Everything You Need to Know about Portugal. The Man’s New Album
As we quickly approach the halfway point of 2017, the world continues to burn like an out-of-control dumpster fire. Wait, that’s not quite fair to say. The world continues to burn like an avalanche of flaming biohazard material sliding down a mountain of used needles into a canyon full of rat feces. But there happens to be a speck of good news in between those glowing red embers of scat and toxic waste: Portugal. The Man has a new album.
Yes, a new album called Woodstock. And fire up your goddamn air-horn sound effect because it’s the best, hypest, dopest, most-relevant-to-aspirational-millennials-who-are career-conscious-but-also-believe-in-collective-positive-change album of the year. And we don’t say that just because 2017 is the year of low expectations. We say it because it’s actually a great album. Bah-bah-bah-baaaaaaahhhhhhhhh, motherfucker.
If you’re scoring at home, Portugal. The Man’s last album came out over three years ago. That’s a long gap for a band who’ve dropped roughly an album a year since they became a band. And in true, prolific band fashion, they spent almost every minute since 2013 working on an album called Gloomin + Doomin. They created a shit-ton of individual songs, but as a whole, none of them hung together in a way that felt right for the band.
Then John Gourley, PTM’s lead singer, made a trip home to Wasilla, Alaska (home of Portugal. The Man’s biggest fan, Sarah Palin), and two things happened that completely changed the album’s trajectory. First, John got some parental tough love from his old man, who called John on the proverbial carpet or dogsled or whatever you put people on when you want to yell at them in Alaska. “What’s taking so long to finish the album?” John’s dad said. “Isn’t that what bands do? Write songs and then put them out?” Like fathers and unlicensed therapists tend to do, John’s dad cut him deep. The whole thing started John thinking about why the band seemed to be stuck on a musical elliptical machine from hell and, more importantly, about how to get off of it.
Second, fate stuck its wiener in John’s ear again when he found his dad’s ticket stub from the original 1969 Woodstock music festival. It seems like a small thing, but talking to his dad about Woodstock ’69 knocked something loose in John’s head. He realized that, in the same tradition of bands from that era, Portugal. The Man needed to speak out about the world crumbling around them.
With these two ideas converging, the band made a seemingly bat-shit-crazy decision: they took all of the work they had done in the previous three years and they threw it out.
It wasn’t easy and there was the constant threat that the band's record label might have them killed, but the totally insane decision paid off. With new, full-on, musical boners, the band went back to the studio—working with John Hill (In the Mountain in the Cloud), Danger Mouse (Evil Friends), Mike D (Everything Cool), and longtime collaborator Casey Bates (the one consistent producer since the first record). In this newfound creative territory, the album that became Woodstock rolled out naturally from there. Now would be another good time for you to play that air-horn sound effect.Ok, let’s stop wasting time and get into the songs.
First, there’s “Feel It Still,” an anti-anthem about a clueless rebel wandering aimlessly through the world. Before the release, the band jokingly referred to it as “The Long Awaited Global Smash Hit.” And then it became their most popular single to date—climbing to the top of Billboard’s Adult Alternative chart. Go fucking figure.
The next tracks of note are “Rich Friend” and “Keep On”—a mid-album duo of songs about the tendency of the old and moneyed to leech off of the young and hungry. Or maybe John’s still working through issues with his dad. Tough to tell.
Toeing the line between homage and “I’m too lazy to write my own shit,” is “So Young.” With a lyric lifted right out of “Live Forever” by Oasis, the song is a nod to the English band’s early work—a key influence for P.T.M. during their formative years.
Finally, there’s the intense “Noise Pollution” trying to reconcile the difference between what the modern world promised us and what we got. We were sold on a more peaceful, empathetic, knowledgeable, and connected world. And we ended up with . . . well, whatever the opposite of that is.
Which brings us back to that flaming mountain we were talking about. It’s central to what’s going on with this album. Woodstock is an album that—with optimism and heart—points at the giant pile and says, “Hey, this pile is fucked up!” And if you think that pile is fucked up too, you owe it to yourself—hell, to all of us—to get out there and do something about it.
Oh, and you owe it to the band to buy this album, because, as we mentioned, it’s awesome.
# # #
PORTUGAL. THE MAN2017 TOUR
JUNE16 Kansas City, MO Midland Theatre ~17 Denver, CO Bluebird Theater18 Denver, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre *^
JULY20 Seattle, WA The Paramount21 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge22 Portland, OR Edgefield25 Salt Lake City, UT Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre27 Anaheim, CA House of Blues #28 Berkeley, CA Greek Theatre: Berkeley *#29 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Palladium #
* w/Local Natives^ w/Car Seat Headrest~ w/Electric Guest# w/ Benjamin Booker
ACCLAIMED PORTLAND ROCKERS PARTNER WITH CREATIVE AGENCY WIEDEN+KENNEDY ON INTERACTIVE MUSIC VIDEO FOR “RICH FRIENDS” STARRING ACTOR WATCH “RICH FRIENDS” HERE
“FEEL IT STILL” SPENDS EIGTH CONSECUTIVE WEEK AT #1 AT TRIPLE A RADIOSITS AT #2 AT ALTERNATIVE RADIO
WOODSTOCK AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE TODAY HERE
WOODSTOCK TRACKLIST1. "Number One" (featuring Richie Havens and Son Little)2. "Easy Tiger" 3. "Live in the Moment"4. "Feel It Still"5. "Rich Friends"6. "Keep On"7. "So Young"8. "Mr. Lonely" (featuring Fat Lip)9. "Tidal Wave"10. "Noise Pollution" (featuring Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Zoe Manville)
Atlantic recording group PORTUGAL. THE MAN has released their highly anticipated new album, WOODSTOCK, available everywhere here. Portugal. The Man also released several other instant grat songs off the album, “Number One,” “So Young” and “Rich Friends,” made available when fans pre-ordered the album.
The album is accompanied by the music video for “Rich Friends” – starring actor "It’s been fun interrupting people’s favorite shows with our commercials, but we thought that there had to be other art forms we could ruin with ads,” joked Max Stinson and Erik Fahrenkopf, the W+K creative directors who came up with the idea for the video. "With a music video, only one thing matters: making shit people actually want to watch. As advertising agencies stumble towards a new way of working, this video has been a refreshing reminder to always keep your eye on the audience,” added Jason Kreher, Creative Director of Publishing for Wieden + Kennedy. Watch “Rich Friends” here.
The release of WOODSTOCK kicked off earlier this spring with the release of the current hit single, “Feel It Still,” available now at all DSPs and streaming services here. The track is fast proving a multi-format success, currently sitting at #1 at Triple A radio nationwide for the 8th week in a row, and #2 at Alternative radio.
“Feel It Still” is also joined by two unique visuals, a standard clip, now with over 4.7M views on YouTube, as well as an interactive companion video created by the band in partnership with global creative agency Wieden+Kennedy. The clip – which originally premiered via Noisey – is both an electrifying music video as well as an interactive toolkit for protesting social injustice. Directed by Ian Schwartz at Prettybird, “Feel It Still” asks viewers to find hidden Easter eggs designed to help#theresistance movement, including a direct dial to the White House, a video explaining the legal rights of protestors, donation sites for Planned Parenthood and the ACLU, custom-designed protest posters, and stencil kits for resistance graffiti. Built on the Wirewax interactive video platform, “Feel Is Still” can be viewed now at feelitstill.com. “Feel It Still” was also featured in a number of syncs including Nike, YouTube, American Express, HBO Now, Claws, Apple, and more.
In celebration of 4/20, Portugal. The Man and Wieden+Kennedy teamed up again, this time with Oregon cannabis grower Hifi Farms to release “Feel it Still,” a custom, packaged, pre-rolled blend designed to pair with the new single/video. A top shelf blend of hybrid strains Gorilla Glue #4 and Girl Scout Cookies, “Feel It Still” arrived at all Serra Cannabis and Electric Lettuce recreational dispensaries.
Portugal. The Man has been celebrating the release of WOODSTOCK with their biggest world tour thus far, set to travel through the summer (see attached itinerary), most recently playing two back-to-back sold out shows at New York City’s Terminal 5. Billboard deemed the electrifying show as “an invigorated and fired up attitude that plays out on stage in all the right ways.” For complete details, please visit www.portugaltheman.com/tour-dates.
***Everything You Need to Know about Portugal. The Man’s New Album
As we quickly approach the halfway point of 2017, the world continues to burn like an out-of-control dumpster fire. Wait, that’s not quite fair to say. The world continues to burn like an avalanche of flaming biohazard material sliding down a mountain of used needles into a canyon full of rat feces. But there happens to be a speck of good news in between those glowing red embers of scat and toxic waste: Portugal. The Man has a new album.
Yes, a new album called Woodstock. And fire up your goddamn air-horn sound effect because it’s the best, hypest, dopest, most-relevant-to-aspirational-millennials-who-are career-conscious-but-also-believe-in-collective-positive-change album of the year. And we don’t say that just because 2017 is the year of low expectations. We say it because it’s actually a great album. Bah-bah-bah-baaaaaaahhhhhhhhh, motherfucker.
If you’re scoring at home, Portugal. The Man’s last album came out over three years ago. That’s a long gap for a band who’ve dropped roughly an album a year since they became a band. And in true, prolific band fashion, they spent almost every minute since 2013 working on an album called Gloomin + Doomin. They created a shit-ton of individual songs, but as a whole, none of them hung together in a way that felt right for the band.
Then John Gourley, PTM’s lead singer, made a trip home to Wasilla, Alaska (home of Portugal. The Man’s biggest fan, Sarah Palin), and two things happened that completely changed the album’s trajectory. First, John got some parental tough love from his old man, who called John on the proverbial carpet or dogsled or whatever you put people on when you want to yell at them in Alaska. “What’s taking so long to finish the album?” John’s dad said. “Isn’t that what bands do? Write songs and then put them out?” Like fathers and unlicensed therapists tend to do, John’s dad cut him deep. The whole thing started John thinking about why the band seemed to be stuck on a musical elliptical machine from hell and, more importantly, about how to get off of it.
Second, fate stuck its wiener in John’s ear again when he found his dad’s ticket stub from the original 1969 Woodstock music festival. It seems like a small thing, but talking to his dad about Woodstock ’69 knocked something loose in John’s head. He realized that, in the same tradition of bands from that era, Portugal. The Man needed to speak out about the world crumbling around them.
With these two ideas converging, the band made a seemingly bat-shit-crazy decision: they took all of the work they had done in the previous three years and they threw it out.
It wasn’t easy and there was the constant threat that the band's record label might have them killed, but the totally insane decision paid off. With new, full-on, musical boners, the band went back to the studio—working with John Hill (In the Mountain in the Cloud), Danger Mouse (Evil Friends), Mike D (Everything Cool), and longtime collaborator Casey Bates (the one consistent producer since the first record). In this newfound creative territory, the album that became Woodstock rolled out naturally from there. Now would be another good time for you to play that air-horn sound effect.Ok, let’s stop wasting time and get into the songs.
First, there’s “Feel It Still,” an anti-anthem about a clueless rebel wandering aimlessly through the world. Before the release, the band jokingly referred to it as “The Long Awaited Global Smash Hit.” And then it became their most popular single to date—climbing to the top of Billboard’s Adult Alternative chart. Go fucking figure.
The next tracks of note are “Rich Friend” and “Keep On”—a mid-album duo of songs about the tendency of the old and moneyed to leech off of the young and hungry. Or maybe John’s still working through issues with his dad. Tough to tell.
Toeing the line between homage and “I’m too lazy to write my own shit,” is “So Young.” With a lyric lifted right out of “Live Forever” by Oasis, the song is a nod to the English band’s early work—a key influence for P.T.M. during their formative years.
Finally, there’s the intense “Noise Pollution” trying to reconcile the difference between what the modern world promised us and what we got. We were sold on a more peaceful, empathetic, knowledgeable, and connected world. And we ended up with . . . well, whatever the opposite of that is.
Which brings us back to that flaming mountain we were talking about. It’s central to what’s going on with this album. Woodstock is an album that—with optimism and heart—points at the giant pile and says, “Hey, this pile is fucked up!” And if you think that pile is fucked up too, you owe it to yourself—hell, to all of us—to get out there and do something about it.
Oh, and you owe it to the band to buy this album, because, as we mentioned, it’s awesome.
# # #
PORTUGAL. THE MAN2017 TOUR
JUNE16 Kansas City, MO Midland Theatre ~17 Denver, CO Bluebird Theater18 Denver, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre *^
JULY20 Seattle, WA The Paramount21 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge22 Portland, OR Edgefield25 Salt Lake City, UT Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre27 Anaheim, CA House of Blues #28 Berkeley, CA Greek Theatre: Berkeley *#29 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Palladium #
* w/Local Natives^ w/Car Seat Headrest~ w/Electric Guest# w/ Benjamin Booker
