Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 1978
November 28, 2016
Laura Marling Announces New Album 'Semper Femina'
Laura Marling Announces New Album Semper Femina Makes Directorial Debut On Video For Introductory Single, "Soothing" - Watch here
Laura Marling is pleased to announce full details of her sixth album with the unveiling of new video "Soothing." Semper Femina will be released March 10th, 2017 on Laura's own label More Alarming Records via Kobalt Music Recordings. It was recorded in Los Angeles and produced by Laura and US musician/producer Blake Mills (Alabama Shakes, Jim James). Alongside the announcement of Semper Femina , comes Laura's directorial debut with the video for the first fruits of the record and the album's opening track, "Soothing." The inspiration for which was a series of vivid dreams Laura experienced whilst making the album. Now 26 years of age, Semper Femina is Laura's sixth studio album in a little over nine years. It is a record that similarly addresses questions of how society views sexuality and gender but without seeking to provide definitive answers. It retains an openness to express and portray her own 'voyage' of self-discovery, but also to develop and learn as artist, performer, and as an individual over the course of her career. A rich and enriching listen, Semper Femina is a typically mature and raw listen by one of our most talented and prolific young musicians of a generation. Semper Femina was largely written out on the road, following the release of Laura's acclaimed album, Short Movie, in Spring 2015. Its loose lyrical thread strings together her keen, freshly observed take on womanhood, and what Laura describes as a particularly 'masculine time in her life'. Laura Marling: 'I started out writing Semper Femina as if a man was writing about a woman, and then I thought; "it's not a man, it's me. I don't need to pretend it's a man to justify the intimacy, or the way I'm looking and feeling about women. It's me looking specifically at women and feeling great empathy towards them, and by proxy, towards myself'. The announcement of Semper Femina follows the success of Laura's recent Podcast series, Reversal of the Muse . As an exploration of femininity in creativity, the collaborative project opened up an important conversation around whether the lack of feminine presence in the studio environment would ultimately make any difference at all to the creative outcome. With no pre-conceived expectations, Reversal Of The Muse was as much about the conversation created than expecting a conclusive answer. Guests included HAIM, Karen Elson, Vanessa Parr, Dolly Parton, Shura, and Emmylou Harris. Pre-order Semper Femina here: http://smarturl.it/lauramarlingwebsite As well as being able to pre-order the record, in collaboration with Kobalt you can also "Pre Save" the record to your Spotify Library. Using new, innovative technology, simply by following a link and signing in with your Spotify login the album will be automatically added to your collection when it's released. Laura follows its release with a full UK tour throughout March. Tickets are on sale now when pre-ordering the album via http://smarturl.it/lauramarlingwebsite, or on general sale from Friday, 2nd December. Laura Marling UK Tour8th March - O2 Academy, Leeds9th March - Colston Hall, Bristol10th March - O2 ABC, Glasgow12th March - Albert Hall, Manchester13th March - O2 Academy, Oxford14th March - Institute, Birmingham16th March - Dome, Brighton17th March - Roundhouse, London18th March - City Hall, Salisbury
Laura Marling is pleased to announce full details of her sixth album with the unveiling of new video "Soothing." Semper Femina will be released March 10th, 2017 on Laura's own label More Alarming Records via Kobalt Music Recordings. It was recorded in Los Angeles and produced by Laura and US musician/producer Blake Mills (Alabama Shakes, Jim James). Alongside the announcement of Semper Femina , comes Laura's directorial debut with the video for the first fruits of the record and the album's opening track, "Soothing." The inspiration for which was a series of vivid dreams Laura experienced whilst making the album. Now 26 years of age, Semper Femina is Laura's sixth studio album in a little over nine years. It is a record that similarly addresses questions of how society views sexuality and gender but without seeking to provide definitive answers. It retains an openness to express and portray her own 'voyage' of self-discovery, but also to develop and learn as artist, performer, and as an individual over the course of her career. A rich and enriching listen, Semper Femina is a typically mature and raw listen by one of our most talented and prolific young musicians of a generation. Semper Femina was largely written out on the road, following the release of Laura's acclaimed album, Short Movie, in Spring 2015. Its loose lyrical thread strings together her keen, freshly observed take on womanhood, and what Laura describes as a particularly 'masculine time in her life'. Laura Marling: 'I started out writing Semper Femina as if a man was writing about a woman, and then I thought; "it's not a man, it's me. I don't need to pretend it's a man to justify the intimacy, or the way I'm looking and feeling about women. It's me looking specifically at women and feeling great empathy towards them, and by proxy, towards myself'. The announcement of Semper Femina follows the success of Laura's recent Podcast series, Reversal of the Muse . As an exploration of femininity in creativity, the collaborative project opened up an important conversation around whether the lack of feminine presence in the studio environment would ultimately make any difference at all to the creative outcome. With no pre-conceived expectations, Reversal Of The Muse was as much about the conversation created than expecting a conclusive answer. Guests included HAIM, Karen Elson, Vanessa Parr, Dolly Parton, Shura, and Emmylou Harris. Pre-order Semper Femina here: http://smarturl.it/lauramarlingwebsite As well as being able to pre-order the record, in collaboration with Kobalt you can also "Pre Save" the record to your Spotify Library. Using new, innovative technology, simply by following a link and signing in with your Spotify login the album will be automatically added to your collection when it's released. Laura follows its release with a full UK tour throughout March. Tickets are on sale now when pre-ordering the album via http://smarturl.it/lauramarlingwebsite, or on general sale from Friday, 2nd December. Laura Marling UK Tour8th March - O2 Academy, Leeds9th March - Colston Hall, Bristol10th March - O2 ABC, Glasgow12th March - Albert Hall, Manchester13th March - O2 Academy, Oxford14th March - Institute, Birmingham16th March - Dome, Brighton17th March - Roundhouse, London18th March - City Hall, Salisbury
Stream Immersion's Analogue Creatures Living On An Island At Drowned In Sound; New Album Out Now Via swim~
Stream Immersion's Analogue Creatures Living On An Island At Drowned In Sound
New Album Out Now via swim~
"Analogue Creatures Living On An Island is a collection of seductive instrumentals that's as sensual as it is hypnotic." - Drowned In Sound "The album is composed of largely electronic instrumental compositions that ebb and flow like the tide, and indeed the album was made during the pair's first year of living beside the sea, in Brighton." - The Quietus "Analogue Creatures Living On An Island is a truly beautiful collection of atmospheric drone-work." - MXDWN
Stream: Analouge Creatures Living On An Island at Drowned In Sound
Immersion, an instrumental electronic duo made up of Wire frontman Colin Newman and Malka Spigel (Minimal Contact), have just released their latest full-length album Analogue Creatures Living On An Island via swim~.
Drowned In Sound
is streaming the album in full along with a track by track breakdown of the release by the band. Analouge Creatures Living On An Island is available to order now via
swim~ online store
.While both Colin Newman and Malka Spigel have been busy with several other projects and collaborations over the years, they have returned to their critically acclaimed project to dazzle listeners with a new collection of magnetic instrumentals. New track 'Fireflys' is a meditative number drawing you in with it's galactic-sounding electronics. Immersion’s new album of seductive instrumentals takes in a wide range of moods and energies. Their music is a kind of Electro-Kosmishe - the sound of the 21st century, which nonetheless draws inspiration from German pioneers such as Cluster and Popol Vuh. And, like those groups, Immersion can create a world which is simultaneously devotional and sensual.Combining the considerable talents of Malka Spigel of Minimal Compact and Colin Newman of Wire, Immersion is a true collaboration, with no delineation between who plays or does what. “We don’t have fixed roles in Immersion.” Says Spigel. Newman concurs. “You can’t really tell who plays what.”Between 1994 and 1999, Immersion released three critically acclaimed albums of expansive instrumental electronica. Music which encom- passed the meditative and the hallucinatory. They also garnered remixes by some of the biggest names in electronic music. And then? Then, they faded from view...Cut to a mere 17 years later, and a new Immersion album glides into earshot. Their sound is unmistakable. And yet, clearly the duo have evolved. Immersion has returned a different beast. The pulsing and sliding analogue synths are still present and correct. Indeed, the stately and plaintive "Mechanical Creatures," with its constantly evolving web of analogue synth throbs, could easily find a home on Fripp and Eno’s classic Evening Star album. But there are also several sonic advancements from Immersion’s previous recordings.The most noticeable differences are the introduction of guitars into the mix and an increased sense of urgency to their compositions. This means, Analogue Creatures Living On An Island cannot be classified as ambient music. Although it does have its contemplative moments - such as the gently unfolding “Slow Light” - the majority of the album is powered by a strong sense of motion. “Nanocluster" is a tense and insistent composition. Coming over like the score to some futuristic spy film, it demonstrates Immersion’s skill at creating miniature sound worlds alive with detail. Meanwhile, the urgent forward propulsion of “Organic Cities” weaves in shades of prime era Tangerine Dream - and may well be the album’s highlight. The fact the album has been largely constructed using analogue instrumentation rather than digital, definitely gives it a warmth and depth which sets it apart.During Immersion’s 17 years hiatus, Spigel and Newman have been far from idle. Spigel has released acclaimed solo albums, exhibited her distinctive photography and performed sell out shows with a reformed Minimal Compact. Newman meanwhile, has helmed the revitalised Wire through a series of stunning gigs and poll topping albums. Besides which, the pair collaborated with Max Franken and Robin Rimbaud (aka Scanner) as Githead, purveyors of skewed art-pop. And yet, despite all these outlets for their creativity, they decided the time was right to reactivate Immersion. “It felt like the right moment for us to do something with synths again.” Says Newman. “We had the urge to create instrumental, free-flowing music, which didn’t depend on any kind of verse/chorus/middle eight format. Music that could also be propulsive without resorting to any kind of obvious drumming”And it’s true the album exhibits a very organic flow. Another contributory factor could well be the duo’s relocation from London to Brighton. “We live 10 minutes away from the sea,” says Spigel. “We walk by it almost every day. It’s different every time we see it, even every hour. We’ve definitely been inspired by the light and the sound.” This influence is perhaps heard most strongly on "Spinner," the sonic equivalent of a bright spray of light radiating across a seascape.Analogue Creatures Living On An Island is the point where Immersion emerge from being one of the UK electronica scene’s best kept secrets, and gain the recognition they so richly deserve.For those who prefer vinyl, the album is available spread across two 10” singles Analogue Creatures and Living On An Island respectively.
Analogue Creatures Living On An Island CD track listing: 1. Always The Sea
2. Nanocluster ( stream )
3. Fireflys ( stream )
4. Shapeshifters
5. Living On An Island
6. Mechanical Creatures
7. Spinner
8. Organic Cities
9. Slow Light
Analogue Creatures Living On An Island Vinyl track listing:Analogue Creatures1. Always The Sea
2. Shapeshifters
3. Organic Cities
4. Mechanical Creatures
5. Slow LightLiving On An Island1. Fireflys
2. Nanocluster
3. Spinner
4. Living On An Island
New Album Out Now via swim~
"Analogue Creatures Living On An Island is a collection of seductive instrumentals that's as sensual as it is hypnotic." - Drowned In Sound "The album is composed of largely electronic instrumental compositions that ebb and flow like the tide, and indeed the album was made during the pair's first year of living beside the sea, in Brighton." - The Quietus "Analogue Creatures Living On An Island is a truly beautiful collection of atmospheric drone-work." - MXDWN
Stream: Analouge Creatures Living On An Island at Drowned In Sound
Immersion, an instrumental electronic duo made up of Wire frontman Colin Newman and Malka Spigel (Minimal Contact), have just released their latest full-length album Analogue Creatures Living On An Island via swim~.
Drowned In Sound
is streaming the album in full along with a track by track breakdown of the release by the band. Analouge Creatures Living On An Island is available to order now via
swim~ online store
.While both Colin Newman and Malka Spigel have been busy with several other projects and collaborations over the years, they have returned to their critically acclaimed project to dazzle listeners with a new collection of magnetic instrumentals. New track 'Fireflys' is a meditative number drawing you in with it's galactic-sounding electronics. Immersion’s new album of seductive instrumentals takes in a wide range of moods and energies. Their music is a kind of Electro-Kosmishe - the sound of the 21st century, which nonetheless draws inspiration from German pioneers such as Cluster and Popol Vuh. And, like those groups, Immersion can create a world which is simultaneously devotional and sensual.Combining the considerable talents of Malka Spigel of Minimal Compact and Colin Newman of Wire, Immersion is a true collaboration, with no delineation between who plays or does what. “We don’t have fixed roles in Immersion.” Says Spigel. Newman concurs. “You can’t really tell who plays what.”Between 1994 and 1999, Immersion released three critically acclaimed albums of expansive instrumental electronica. Music which encom- passed the meditative and the hallucinatory. They also garnered remixes by some of the biggest names in electronic music. And then? Then, they faded from view...Cut to a mere 17 years later, and a new Immersion album glides into earshot. Their sound is unmistakable. And yet, clearly the duo have evolved. Immersion has returned a different beast. The pulsing and sliding analogue synths are still present and correct. Indeed, the stately and plaintive "Mechanical Creatures," with its constantly evolving web of analogue synth throbs, could easily find a home on Fripp and Eno’s classic Evening Star album. But there are also several sonic advancements from Immersion’s previous recordings.The most noticeable differences are the introduction of guitars into the mix and an increased sense of urgency to their compositions. This means, Analogue Creatures Living On An Island cannot be classified as ambient music. Although it does have its contemplative moments - such as the gently unfolding “Slow Light” - the majority of the album is powered by a strong sense of motion. “Nanocluster" is a tense and insistent composition. Coming over like the score to some futuristic spy film, it demonstrates Immersion’s skill at creating miniature sound worlds alive with detail. Meanwhile, the urgent forward propulsion of “Organic Cities” weaves in shades of prime era Tangerine Dream - and may well be the album’s highlight. The fact the album has been largely constructed using analogue instrumentation rather than digital, definitely gives it a warmth and depth which sets it apart.During Immersion’s 17 years hiatus, Spigel and Newman have been far from idle. Spigel has released acclaimed solo albums, exhibited her distinctive photography and performed sell out shows with a reformed Minimal Compact. Newman meanwhile, has helmed the revitalised Wire through a series of stunning gigs and poll topping albums. Besides which, the pair collaborated with Max Franken and Robin Rimbaud (aka Scanner) as Githead, purveyors of skewed art-pop. And yet, despite all these outlets for their creativity, they decided the time was right to reactivate Immersion. “It felt like the right moment for us to do something with synths again.” Says Newman. “We had the urge to create instrumental, free-flowing music, which didn’t depend on any kind of verse/chorus/middle eight format. Music that could also be propulsive without resorting to any kind of obvious drumming”And it’s true the album exhibits a very organic flow. Another contributory factor could well be the duo’s relocation from London to Brighton. “We live 10 minutes away from the sea,” says Spigel. “We walk by it almost every day. It’s different every time we see it, even every hour. We’ve definitely been inspired by the light and the sound.” This influence is perhaps heard most strongly on "Spinner," the sonic equivalent of a bright spray of light radiating across a seascape.Analogue Creatures Living On An Island is the point where Immersion emerge from being one of the UK electronica scene’s best kept secrets, and gain the recognition they so richly deserve.For those who prefer vinyl, the album is available spread across two 10” singles Analogue Creatures and Living On An Island respectively.Analogue Creatures Living On An Island CD track listing: 1. Always The Sea2. Nanocluster ( stream )
3. Fireflys ( stream )
4. Shapeshifters
5. Living On An Island
6. Mechanical Creatures
7. Spinner
8. Organic Cities
9. Slow Light
Analogue Creatures Living On An Island Vinyl track listing:Analogue Creatures1. Always The Sea
2. Shapeshifters
3. Organic Cities
4. Mechanical Creatures
5. Slow LightLiving On An Island1. Fireflys
2. Nanocluster
3. Spinner
4. Living On An Island
Tasseomancy Share Video For "29 Palms" || Playing US Shows In NY And CA
Tasseomancy Share Video For Track “29 Palm
s"
Playing November and December Shows in NY and CA
Do Easy
Out Now On Bella Union
photo credit: Steven Perlin
Tasseomancy US Tour Dates:11/30/16 – Brooklyn, NY – Sunnyvale12/5/16 – San Diego, CA – Soda Bar12/15/16 – Los Angeles, CA – The Echo**With Weyes Blood
Following the recent release of their striking new album Do Easy on Bella Union, Toronto twin sister duo Tasseomancy (formerly of Austra) have shared the alluring video for track “29 Palms”. Watch it here . Described by Tasseomancy’s Romy Lightman as: "An ode to all the women in waiting for their psychic plumage to arrive", the tracks rings anthemic in its delivery, resounding vocals echoing throughout rollicking synth lines and sensual saxophone.
The band elaborates further about the video: “The video for ‘29 Palms’ was created by our friend, the very talented visual artist Jesi Jordan, on one of her many worldwide adventures. To us, this song encapsulates so much: written for women; for artists and for any human who has ever felt themselves falling into nothingness while grasping at their own poetic string. Whether it be a loss of self, loss of another or an attempt to create meaning in what has so been recently confirmed to be an unjust and crazy-cruel world. Jesi's video is like a friend who calls us up on the phone early in the morning and gently reminds us that life is not elsewhere but is happening by the touch of our own hand in this very moment and that's all we've got.”Tasseomancy will be play a short series of US dates in New York and California before heading to the UK in early 2017 to embark on a month-long tour supporting Andy Shauf.
Genesis P-Orridge and Kathy Acker believed William Burroughs to be a vibrant beam of clarity. P-Orridge—a disciple of Burroughs—referred to “The Discipline of D.E. as a smooth hand of magic”. Romy of Tasseomancy stumbled upon the Discipline of D.E. (Do Easy), a short story outlining a don't-bust-a-gut Buddhist philosophy and “like a gentle old cop making a soft arrest”, she was deeply touched and set out to find the easy way.
For the seasoned loners, stoners, and lackadaisically laid, Do Easy was written as a dead-beat anthem for a generation who was told that anything is possible after the possibility slows. Written in Toronto and Montreal, Do Easy was created as a lamp shade of hope and of soft survivalism. Serene, strange and magnetically sung, it honors its free thinking forbearers without being weighed down by them, creating immersive worlds of loving allusion.
Soft synths and crystalline harmonies merge hypnotically on “Dead Can Dance and Neil Young”, an invitation to “fade into folk song”. If folk song is this, it’s folk of great idiosyncrasy, where vocoded chorales provide atmospheric shading and alto-saxophones drift like cigarette smoke from a David Lynch dream-film. Between the new age synth of “Claudine & Annie”, the ambient swoon of “29 Palms”, Kate Bush-like prog-psych of “Missoula” and gently lapping title-track, Do Easy plays like pop from a parallel world.Sisters Sari and Romy Lightman are former members of queer cold-wave band, Austra. Channelling their former forays in psychedelic folk into a kind of lushly accessible, warmly experimental dream-pop along withbandmates Johnny Spence and Evan Cartwright, they explore manipulated sounds, all with mood in mind. Assisted by friends Brodie West (alto-sax), Ryan Driver (flute) Simone Schmidt (voice of a young Neil Young) and Alex Cowan (Blue Hawaii) that exploration reaches full bloom on Do Easy, the sound of a band hitting their richly imagined, luxuriously executed stride. And, wealth of evocative references included, making it all sound easy.
photo credit: Steven PerlinTasseomancy US Tour Dates:11/30/16 – Brooklyn, NY – Sunnyvale12/5/16 – San Diego, CA – Soda Bar12/15/16 – Los Angeles, CA – The Echo**With Weyes Blood
Following the recent release of their striking new album Do Easy on Bella Union, Toronto twin sister duo Tasseomancy (formerly of Austra) have shared the alluring video for track “29 Palms”. Watch it here . Described by Tasseomancy’s Romy Lightman as: "An ode to all the women in waiting for their psychic plumage to arrive", the tracks rings anthemic in its delivery, resounding vocals echoing throughout rollicking synth lines and sensual saxophone.
The band elaborates further about the video: “The video for ‘29 Palms’ was created by our friend, the very talented visual artist Jesi Jordan, on one of her many worldwide adventures. To us, this song encapsulates so much: written for women; for artists and for any human who has ever felt themselves falling into nothingness while grasping at their own poetic string. Whether it be a loss of self, loss of another or an attempt to create meaning in what has so been recently confirmed to be an unjust and crazy-cruel world. Jesi's video is like a friend who calls us up on the phone early in the morning and gently reminds us that life is not elsewhere but is happening by the touch of our own hand in this very moment and that's all we've got.”Tasseomancy will be play a short series of US dates in New York and California before heading to the UK in early 2017 to embark on a month-long tour supporting Andy Shauf.
Genesis P-Orridge and Kathy Acker believed William Burroughs to be a vibrant beam of clarity. P-Orridge—a disciple of Burroughs—referred to “The Discipline of D.E. as a smooth hand of magic”. Romy of Tasseomancy stumbled upon the Discipline of D.E. (Do Easy), a short story outlining a don't-bust-a-gut Buddhist philosophy and “like a gentle old cop making a soft arrest”, she was deeply touched and set out to find the easy way.
For the seasoned loners, stoners, and lackadaisically laid, Do Easy was written as a dead-beat anthem for a generation who was told that anything is possible after the possibility slows. Written in Toronto and Montreal, Do Easy was created as a lamp shade of hope and of soft survivalism. Serene, strange and magnetically sung, it honors its free thinking forbearers without being weighed down by them, creating immersive worlds of loving allusion.
Soft synths and crystalline harmonies merge hypnotically on “Dead Can Dance and Neil Young”, an invitation to “fade into folk song”. If folk song is this, it’s folk of great idiosyncrasy, where vocoded chorales provide atmospheric shading and alto-saxophones drift like cigarette smoke from a David Lynch dream-film. Between the new age synth of “Claudine & Annie”, the ambient swoon of “29 Palms”, Kate Bush-like prog-psych of “Missoula” and gently lapping title-track, Do Easy plays like pop from a parallel world.Sisters Sari and Romy Lightman are former members of queer cold-wave band, Austra. Channelling their former forays in psychedelic folk into a kind of lushly accessible, warmly experimental dream-pop along withbandmates Johnny Spence and Evan Cartwright, they explore manipulated sounds, all with mood in mind. Assisted by friends Brodie West (alto-sax), Ryan Driver (flute) Simone Schmidt (voice of a young Neil Young) and Alex Cowan (Blue Hawaii) that exploration reaches full bloom on Do Easy, the sound of a band hitting their richly imagined, luxuriously executed stride. And, wealth of evocative references included, making it all sound easy.
Third Man Records to release Woods Live LP on Dec 9
THIRD MAN RECORDS TO RELEASE WOODS LIVE LP DECEMBER 9 PRE-ORDER AVAILABLE NOW
There are certain bands in this supersaturated, hyper-fragmented, temperamental internet era that rise above ephemeral popularity because they deserve it. Woods is one of those bands, and their wheelhouse is a decidedly mellow blend of "campfire folk," psych, soul, and funk that's wise beyond its years in timbre and lyric and takes influence from many a surprising source. Woods brings songs into the world that are at once comforting and challenging, and the band's members take their job as music makers seriously, pumping out nine full-length studio records in the past 10 years and running their own label Woodsist out of Brooklyn. With over ten years and nine studio records under their belt, Woods joined Third Man Records for a meditative masterclass of a live taping in their Nashville Blue Room this past May, performing to a packed house of loyal fans, happy to go on whatever journey the band had planned for them. (View photos from the show.) Frontman Jeremy Earl's soul-quieting falsetto stylings are the center of Woods' sound, in the studio and on this live record. But, the shamanic folk vibes of their earlier records gain an urgency and anxiety here, as they have on their newest release City Sun Eater In The River of Light, thanks to a horn section, African jazz influence, and the clear inspiration of the increasingly chaotic world in which we find ourselves living. The journey they all took with Woods at the helm on May 2, 2016 has been immortalized now as part of Third Man Records' Live LP series, and it's a journey they highly recommend taking in the comfort of your own home - with a glass of your favorite beverage in hand, fire roaring, and mind malleable. Check out "Suffering Season," an updated version of an older tune that happens to be TMR's favorite from the 9-song set (as well as particularly poignant to the here and now) below, and pre-order the record (officially available December 9) now.
Listen to "Suffering Season" on SoundCloud
There are certain bands in this supersaturated, hyper-fragmented, temperamental internet era that rise above ephemeral popularity because they deserve it. Woods is one of those bands, and their wheelhouse is a decidedly mellow blend of "campfire folk," psych, soul, and funk that's wise beyond its years in timbre and lyric and takes influence from many a surprising source. Woods brings songs into the world that are at once comforting and challenging, and the band's members take their job as music makers seriously, pumping out nine full-length studio records in the past 10 years and running their own label Woodsist out of Brooklyn. With over ten years and nine studio records under their belt, Woods joined Third Man Records for a meditative masterclass of a live taping in their Nashville Blue Room this past May, performing to a packed house of loyal fans, happy to go on whatever journey the band had planned for them. (View photos from the show.) Frontman Jeremy Earl's soul-quieting falsetto stylings are the center of Woods' sound, in the studio and on this live record. But, the shamanic folk vibes of their earlier records gain an urgency and anxiety here, as they have on their newest release City Sun Eater In The River of Light, thanks to a horn section, African jazz influence, and the clear inspiration of the increasingly chaotic world in which we find ourselves living. The journey they all took with Woods at the helm on May 2, 2016 has been immortalized now as part of Third Man Records' Live LP series, and it's a journey they highly recommend taking in the comfort of your own home - with a glass of your favorite beverage in hand, fire roaring, and mind malleable. Check out "Suffering Season," an updated version of an older tune that happens to be TMR's favorite from the 9-song set (as well as particularly poignant to the here and now) below, and pre-order the record (officially available December 9) now.
Listen to "Suffering Season" on SoundCloud
The Head and the Heart Announce 2017 Tour Dates, "All We Ever Knew" #1 at Alt Radio
THE HEAD AND THE HEART ANNOUNCE 2017 TOUR DATES WITH WHITNEY AND SPRINGTIME CARNIVORE
"ALL WE EVER KNEW" #1 AT ALT RADIO
SIGNS OF LIGHT OUT NOW ON WARNER BROS. RECORDS
Photo Credit: Gus Black
The Head and the Heart are excited to announce that after spending 9 weeks at #1 at Triple A (and still remain in the top 5), their single "All We Ever Knew" off of their latest album Signs of Light has reached #1 at Alternative this week.
In other exciting news, The Head and the Heart is hitting the road again this February with Whitney and Springtime Carnivore. The band, who have spent the past few months on a headline tour of the US, sold over 100,000 tickets on the run, selling out two nights at The Ryman in Nashville, Red Rocks in Denver, Boston's Orpheum Theatre, two nights at NYC's Terminal 5, two nights at Stubb's in Austin, and a three night stand at The Paramount Theatre in Seattle, among other sold out shows. The band will continue touring in support of Signs of Light. All dates can be found below.
The band also made their first appearance on Conan since the release of their new album last week, performing hit single "All We Ever Knew."
Watch The Head and the Heart on Conan
Signs of Light debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200 and #1 on the Rock Albums Chart! (You can DL it here if you haven't already.) The Head and the Heart have been making their rounds on late night and daytime television, playing their hit single "All We Ever Knew" on Ellen, as well as The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, CBS Saturday Morning and Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Acclaim for Signs of Light:"The moody music of Seattle's indie-folk band can often be found on TV scores, but now it's finding radio success-their third album's single "All We Ever Knew" has already hit No.1 on the alt charts." - People Magazine (Ones to Watch)
"More sunshiny melodies and bright gospel harmonies to make you forget that these guys are from the Pacific Northwest." - NY Magazine and Vulture (41 Albums to Get Excited for This Fall)
"Signs of Light might just be The Head And The Heart's most uplifting album yet."- Esquire
"This marks the third album for the soundtrack-fave indie-folk group, after making an impressive debut in 2011 and releasing a polished sequel in 2013. From the looks of singles like "All We Ever Knew" and "Rhythm & Blues," Light boasts more country vibes, sing-along choruses and contemplative lyrics." - Harper's BAZAAR
"The collection is their most electric and uplifting set yet." - Entertainment Weekly
Seattle-born indie folk band The Head and the Heart is another one of our favorites here at InStyle. They've put out two albums so far and have toured around the world.Signs of Light will drop Sept. 9 and the band will tour into February 2017 in support of the album. - InStyle (10 Fall Albums We're Going to Have on Repeat)
A Seattle six-piece whose first two LPs recalled a more acoustic Arcade Fire...Their next album has burlier guitars and rhythms. - Rolling Stone
"Colors" is the third track from Signs of Light that the band has released, following "All We Ever Knew" and "Library Magic." From the sound it of it so far, the band's third album is going to be their best yet. - Paste Magazine
The Head and The Heart US Tour Dates
11.29.16 - Metropolis Theatre - Montreal, QC11.30.16 - Massey Hall - Toronto, ON12.01.16 - The Fillmore Detroit (93.9 The River Icebreaker) - Detroit, MI SOLD OUT12.02.16 - Eagles Ballroom (102.1 Big Snow Show 11) - Milwaukee, WI12.03.16 - Midflorida Credit Union (97X Next Big Thing) - Tampa, FL12.05.16 - Orpheum Theatre - Vancouver, BC12.06.16 - Seattle Center (107.7 The End Deck the Hall Ball) - Key Arena - Seattle, WA12.10.16 - Oracle Arena (Live 105 Not So Silent Night) - Oakland, CA12.11.16 - The Forum (KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas) - Los Angeles, CA SOLD OUT12.12.16 - Mesa Amphitheatre (93.3 Alt Ugly Holiday Sweater Party) - Mesa, AZ12.13.16 - Crystal Ballroom (December to Remember) - Portland, OR SOLD OUT12.15.16 - The National (XL102 Miracle on Broad Street) - Richmond, VA12.16.16 - Rams Head Live (The RNR Holiday Hoo-Ha) - Baltimore, MD12.17.16 - The NorVa (96X The Winter Meltdown) - Norfolk, VA02.07.17 - One Big Holiday - Riviera Maya, MX02.21.17 - Orpheum Theatre - Madison, WI02.22.17 - Orpheum Theatre - Madison, WI02.23.17 - Murat Theatre - Indianapolis, IN *02.24.17 - Peoria Civic Center - Peoria, IL *02.25.17 - The Palace Theater - Columbus, OH *02.27.17 - 20 Monroe Live - Grand Rapids, MI *02.28.17 - Hill Auditorium - Ann Arbor, MI *03.01.17 - Benedum Center for the Performing Arts - Pittsburgh, PA *03.02.17 - SUNY Buffalo - UB Center for the Arts - Buffalo, NY **03.04.17 - State Theater of Ithaca - Ithaca, NY **03.05.17 - Flynn Theatre - Burlington, VT **03.06.17 - State Theatre - Portland, ME **
* w/ Whitney** w/ Springtime Carnivore
"ALL WE EVER KNEW" #1 AT ALT RADIO
SIGNS OF LIGHT OUT NOW ON WARNER BROS. RECORDS
Photo Credit: Gus BlackThe Head and the Heart are excited to announce that after spending 9 weeks at #1 at Triple A (and still remain in the top 5), their single "All We Ever Knew" off of their latest album Signs of Light has reached #1 at Alternative this week.
In other exciting news, The Head and the Heart is hitting the road again this February with Whitney and Springtime Carnivore. The band, who have spent the past few months on a headline tour of the US, sold over 100,000 tickets on the run, selling out two nights at The Ryman in Nashville, Red Rocks in Denver, Boston's Orpheum Theatre, two nights at NYC's Terminal 5, two nights at Stubb's in Austin, and a three night stand at The Paramount Theatre in Seattle, among other sold out shows. The band will continue touring in support of Signs of Light. All dates can be found below.
The band also made their first appearance on Conan since the release of their new album last week, performing hit single "All We Ever Knew."
Watch The Head and the Heart on Conan
Signs of Light debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200 and #1 on the Rock Albums Chart! (You can DL it here if you haven't already.) The Head and the Heart have been making their rounds on late night and daytime television, playing their hit single "All We Ever Knew" on Ellen, as well as The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, CBS Saturday Morning and Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Acclaim for Signs of Light:"The moody music of Seattle's indie-folk band can often be found on TV scores, but now it's finding radio success-their third album's single "All We Ever Knew" has already hit No.1 on the alt charts." - People Magazine (Ones to Watch)
"More sunshiny melodies and bright gospel harmonies to make you forget that these guys are from the Pacific Northwest." - NY Magazine and Vulture (41 Albums to Get Excited for This Fall)
"Signs of Light might just be The Head And The Heart's most uplifting album yet."- Esquire
"This marks the third album for the soundtrack-fave indie-folk group, after making an impressive debut in 2011 and releasing a polished sequel in 2013. From the looks of singles like "All We Ever Knew" and "Rhythm & Blues," Light boasts more country vibes, sing-along choruses and contemplative lyrics." - Harper's BAZAAR
"The collection is their most electric and uplifting set yet." - Entertainment Weekly
Seattle-born indie folk band The Head and the Heart is another one of our favorites here at InStyle. They've put out two albums so far and have toured around the world.Signs of Light will drop Sept. 9 and the band will tour into February 2017 in support of the album. - InStyle (10 Fall Albums We're Going to Have on Repeat)
A Seattle six-piece whose first two LPs recalled a more acoustic Arcade Fire...Their next album has burlier guitars and rhythms. - Rolling Stone
"Colors" is the third track from Signs of Light that the band has released, following "All We Ever Knew" and "Library Magic." From the sound it of it so far, the band's third album is going to be their best yet. - Paste Magazine
The Head and The Heart US Tour Dates11.29.16 - Metropolis Theatre - Montreal, QC11.30.16 - Massey Hall - Toronto, ON12.01.16 - The Fillmore Detroit (93.9 The River Icebreaker) - Detroit, MI SOLD OUT12.02.16 - Eagles Ballroom (102.1 Big Snow Show 11) - Milwaukee, WI12.03.16 - Midflorida Credit Union (97X Next Big Thing) - Tampa, FL12.05.16 - Orpheum Theatre - Vancouver, BC12.06.16 - Seattle Center (107.7 The End Deck the Hall Ball) - Key Arena - Seattle, WA12.10.16 - Oracle Arena (Live 105 Not So Silent Night) - Oakland, CA12.11.16 - The Forum (KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas) - Los Angeles, CA SOLD OUT12.12.16 - Mesa Amphitheatre (93.3 Alt Ugly Holiday Sweater Party) - Mesa, AZ12.13.16 - Crystal Ballroom (December to Remember) - Portland, OR SOLD OUT12.15.16 - The National (XL102 Miracle on Broad Street) - Richmond, VA12.16.16 - Rams Head Live (The RNR Holiday Hoo-Ha) - Baltimore, MD12.17.16 - The NorVa (96X The Winter Meltdown) - Norfolk, VA02.07.17 - One Big Holiday - Riviera Maya, MX02.21.17 - Orpheum Theatre - Madison, WI02.22.17 - Orpheum Theatre - Madison, WI02.23.17 - Murat Theatre - Indianapolis, IN *02.24.17 - Peoria Civic Center - Peoria, IL *02.25.17 - The Palace Theater - Columbus, OH *02.27.17 - 20 Monroe Live - Grand Rapids, MI *02.28.17 - Hill Auditorium - Ann Arbor, MI *03.01.17 - Benedum Center for the Performing Arts - Pittsburgh, PA *03.02.17 - SUNY Buffalo - UB Center for the Arts - Buffalo, NY **03.04.17 - State Theater of Ithaca - Ithaca, NY **03.05.17 - Flynn Theatre - Burlington, VT **03.06.17 - State Theatre - Portland, ME **
* w/ Whitney** w/ Springtime Carnivore
November 25, 2016
Best Records of 2016
BEST Records of 2016
1. DAVID BOWIE “Blackstar”2. LEONARD COHEN “You Want It Darker”3. MITSKI “Puberty 2”4. SWANS “Glowing Man”5. KEVIN MORBY “Singing Saw”6. THEE OH SEES “Weird Exits”7. SAVAGES “Adore Life”8. DEATH GRIPS “Bottomless Pit”9. ANGEL OLSEN “My Woman”10. WARPAINT “Heads Up”
WARPAINT11. IGGY POP “Post Pop Depression”12. BAT FOR LASHES “The Bride”13. WEYES BLOOD “Front Row Seat to Earth”14. ITASCA “Open To Chance”15. PSYCHIC ILLS “Inner Journey Out”16. SCOTT WALKER “Childhood Of A Leader”17. STILL CORNERS “Dead Blue”18. HOPE SANDOVAL and the Warm Inventions “Until The Hunter”19. CATE LE BON “Crab Day”20. HERON OBLIVION “Heron Oblivion”
BAT FOR LASHES
STILL CORNERS
CATE LE BON21. THE GROWLERS “City Club”22. HAMILTONLEITHAUSER “I Had A Dream You Were Mine”23. NICOLAS JAAR “Sirens”24. CONOR OBERST “Ruminations”25. TY SEGALL “Emotional Mugger”26. SCHOOL OF SEVENBELLS “SVIIB”27. WIRE “Nocturnal Koreans”28. ANOHNI “Hopelessness”29. NICK CAVE“Skeleton Tree”30. AGNES OBEL “Citizen of Glass”
WIRE
SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS31. DEVENDRA BANHART “Ape In Pink Marble”32. HALEY BONAR “Impossible Dream”33. JULIA JACKLIN “Don’t Let The Kids Win”34. FRANKIE COSMOS “Next Thing”35. PARQUET COURTS “Human Performance”36. VUM “Cryptocrystalline”37. JULIANNA BARWICK “Will”38. JAPANESE BREAKFAST “Psychopomp”39. SUNFLOWER BEAN “Human Ceremony”40. MARISSA NADLER “Strangers”
VUM41. AURORA “All My Demons Greeting Me A Friend”42. JOSEPH HEIN “AM Gold”43. DIANE BIRCH “Nous”44. AUTOLUX “Pussy’s Dead”45. TIM PRESLEY “The Wink”46. ALLAH LAS “Calico Review”47. NITE JEWEL “Liquid Cool”48. SUZANNE VEGA “Lover, Beloved”49. THE MYSTERY LIGHTS “Mystery Lights”
50. TACOCAT “Lost Time”
TIM PRESLEYphotos by Angel Ceballos
November 23, 2016
Louise Burns Shares "Who's The Madman", New Album "Young Mopes" Out Feb 3rd
Vancouver's Louise Burns Shares "Who's The Madman?" Album Young Mopes Out February 3rd, 2017
Listen to "Who Is The Madman?" At Consequence Of Sound
Vancouver's Louise Burns is set to release her new album Young Mopes on February 3rd, 2017 via Light Organ Records. Burns created the album with co-producer Colin Stewart (Dan Mangan, Black Mountain). Today, Burns reveals her new single "Who's The Madman?" Listen to the track here via Consequence Of Sound .
Shimmering and soulful one minute, gritty and glamorous the next, Young Mopes is Burns at her boldest and brightest - and also her most defiant and dangerous. She's revelling in her "fuck you" years, exhilarated by the freedom of turning 30, unhinged from expectation and obligation. Burns' dark pop goth heart, so clearly evident on 2011's Polaris Prize nominated Mellow Drama and 2013's Midnight Mass, is just one aspect of Young Mopes' gleaming kaleidoscope of colors, textures, and influences. Young Mopes also represents a few other milestones: this is the first album that Burns recorded with her band, guitarist Darcy Hancock and drummer Ryan Peters, both formerly of Ladyhawk.
Louise Burns is already a 20-year vet of the music industry and she's just 30 years old. She witnessed the heady last gasp of the majors in the late-'90s (Burns co-founded pop band Lillix at 11 and signed to Madonna's Maverick Records at 15), and was front and centre for Canada's indie renaissance. Now Burns is an in-demand collaborator (Gold & Youth), high-profile hired gun, an acclaimed solo musician, and multi-instrumentalist whose celebrated songwriting is equal parts grit and gloss. She's toured extensively, playing throughout Japan, China, Europe, and North America and is an engaged, dynamic artist, whose interests cannot be contained by hours in a day. Burns is also a freelance contributor and host on CBC's Radio 3, and a journalist whose writing appears on CBC Music, the Talkhouse and Westender.
Tracklisting: Who's The MadmanPharaohStormsMoonlight ShadowHysteriaDigStrange WeatherYoung MopesDowntown Lights
louiseburns.bandpage.com
lightorganrecords.com
"Polyvinyl Plays Polyvinyl"- Listen to the Full Album Stream
Polyvinyl's 20th Anniversary Compilation
Polyvinyl Plays Polyvinyl
Out November 25th
Collaborations with Jesse LeDoux and Girl Skateboards
LISTEN TO THE FULL ALBUM STREAM HERE
Polyvinyl Record Co. recently announced its 20th anniversary. The label, which is headquartered in Champaign, IL, has a diverse catalog of 300+ releases, including classic titles such as of Montreal's Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?, Japandroids' Celebration Rock, the eponymous debut from American Football, Mates of State's Team Boo, Alvvays' self-titled debut, and Braid's Frame & Canvas.
To commemorate the anniversary, Polyvinyl decided to do what they do best: release records. In addition to new albums from Deerhoof, STRFKR, Owen, of Montreal, and American Football (!), over the course of the past year Polyvinyl enlisted 20 different artists from the roster, both past and present, to cover their favorite bands and songs from the Polyvinyl catalog.
The result is Polyvinyl Plays Polyvinyl, an outpouring of love and admiration channeled through a slew of beloved tracks being re-imagined in a variety of new and surprising ways. Pre-order and much more can be found at polyvinylrecords.com/pv20.
From the album opener, which finds Generationals re-styling "In Green" by Volcano, I'm Still Excited!! (the short-lived music project of actor/director/screenwriter powerhouse Mark Duplass), to the first recorded music from Rainer Maria in a decade, the raucous revamp by Beach Slang of the classic Japandroids song "Younger Us" to Deerhoof covering Xiu Xiu, but in the style of new kids on the block White Reaper, there is something for every kind of Polyvinyl fan found within this compilation's 20 songs.
To design the compilation's artwork, Polyvinyl tapped Grammy-nominated artist Jesse LeDoux (http://ledouxville.com). LeDoux pulled from two decades worth of releases to create not only an iconic cover, but also a "treasure map" for Polyvinyl die hards. Each illustration represents a piece of Polyvinyl history - a collection of images culled from the label's extensive discography.
Happily, the collaboration didn't stop there. By the time LeDoux was done, his vision had grown to include a commemorative t-shirt design, limited edition silk screened poster and most importantly a skateboard! And not just any deck, but one created in conjunction with Polyvinyl's old friends at Girl Skateboards (http://girlskateboards.com) to produce a Polyvinyl x Ledoux x Girl collaborative board truly fitting of such a monumental milestone.
And finally, when asked to pull together some thoughts on the 20th anniversary, Polyvinyl co-founder Matt Lunsford couldn't stop writing and ended up creating a long-form oral history of his last 20 years:
As a kid who spent every spare moment on a skateboard in the late 80s/early 90s, I fell in love with discovering new music through reading magazines and watching skate videos with friends. I spent those formative years listening to bands like Dinosaur Jr., Firehose, Sonic Youth, Fugazi, Jawbreaker, and dozens of others. These were not exactly household names in central Illinois. In these pre-internet days, discovering music was something you had to be passionate about and put some effort into.
I was fortunate enough to meet a handful of friends including Darcie (my label co-founder and now wife) who were equally passionate about music and who were writing fanzines, booking DIY shows, working at record stores, and playing in bands. These people inspired Darcie and me by proving to us that with a little hard work it would be possible to spread our passion for discovering music to the world.
By the time we'd finished high school, Darcie and I were writing a fanzine and had started helping friends release records. Just a year into college, we decided to drop out and start working on Polyvinyl full-time. For the first year, Darcie took a shitty factory job to make extra money to pay rent and save up to put out more records. It was exciting and terrifying, but it was clearly the only decision. We were being entrusted to help create and share records with the world. It was a responsibility that we couldn't simply take on part-time. We were committed. Within the first two years, we had released the first music by Braid, Rainer Maria, and American Football, among others.
We hadn't set out to start a full-time business, so we learned as we went along--always with the philosophy that we should match the dedication and passion of our artists. We adopted a straightforward and fair 50/50 profit sharing business structure with our artists (which we still hold true to today). It was not long before our reputation for hard work and fairness started to precede us.
Artists like Mates of State, of Montreal, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, and Saturday Looks Good To Me all had various interconnected stories that brought them to the label, and a family tree started to take shape. In a six-degrees-of-separation sort of way, over 20 years, bands new and old from Aloha to Japandroids to Beach Slang and as diverse as Deerhoof, STRFKR, and Alvvays can all be traced back to our proud reputation for artist-friendliness.
I've always approached Polyvinyl with nearly boundless optimism. I've now been doing this for 20 years, which is half my lifetime...and my entire adult life! Polyvinyl has worked with over 100 artists and now has a catalog of over 300 releases. We're still 100% independently owned and operated by a staff of thirteen. We're still proud, honored and humbled that artists we love trust us to share their records with the world. I am truly grateful to the hundreds of amazing, inspiring people Polyvinyl has worked with over the years. If the next 20 years are even half as exciting as the first, I'll be looking forward to Polyvinyl 40.
Read more from Matt, including priceless photos HERE
Polyvinyl Plays PolyvinylRelease Date: November 25th, 2016
Track List:1. Generationals - In Green (Volcano, I'm Still Excited!!)2. Beach Slang - Younger Us (Japandroids)3. The Dodos - Never Meant (American Football)4. Aloha - Too Late to Die Young (Beach Slang)5. Deerhoof - Hi (Xiu Xiu in the style of White Reaper)6. Fred Thomas - I Heard You Say (Vivian Girls)7. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Since You Stole My Heart (Saturday Looks Good To Me)8. Radiation City - The Clod and the Pebble (Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin)9. of Montreal - Find Yourself (Jacco Gardner)10. Pillar Point - Heart It Races (Architecture In Helsinki)11. Shugo Tokumaru - Gronlandic Edit (of Montreal)12. Psychic Twin - While I'm Alive (STRFKR)13. Mates of State - So Begins Our Alabee (of Montreal)14. Wampire - Face to Face (Jacco Gardner)15. Braid - Next of Kin (Alvvays)16. Tancred - A Fever (Owen)17. Owen - Ears Ring (Rainer Maria)18. Rainer Maria - Big Man (Birthmark)19. Xiu Xiu - Bubble (Dodos)20. White Reaper - Exit Only (Deerhoof)
Collaborations with Jesse LeDoux and Girl Skateboards
LISTEN TO THE FULL ALBUM STREAM HERE
Polyvinyl Record Co. recently announced its 20th anniversary. The label, which is headquartered in Champaign, IL, has a diverse catalog of 300+ releases, including classic titles such as of Montreal's Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?, Japandroids' Celebration Rock, the eponymous debut from American Football, Mates of State's Team Boo, Alvvays' self-titled debut, and Braid's Frame & Canvas.
To commemorate the anniversary, Polyvinyl decided to do what they do best: release records. In addition to new albums from Deerhoof, STRFKR, Owen, of Montreal, and American Football (!), over the course of the past year Polyvinyl enlisted 20 different artists from the roster, both past and present, to cover their favorite bands and songs from the Polyvinyl catalog.
The result is Polyvinyl Plays Polyvinyl, an outpouring of love and admiration channeled through a slew of beloved tracks being re-imagined in a variety of new and surprising ways. Pre-order and much more can be found at polyvinylrecords.com/pv20.
From the album opener, which finds Generationals re-styling "In Green" by Volcano, I'm Still Excited!! (the short-lived music project of actor/director/screenwriter powerhouse Mark Duplass), to the first recorded music from Rainer Maria in a decade, the raucous revamp by Beach Slang of the classic Japandroids song "Younger Us" to Deerhoof covering Xiu Xiu, but in the style of new kids on the block White Reaper, there is something for every kind of Polyvinyl fan found within this compilation's 20 songs.
To design the compilation's artwork, Polyvinyl tapped Grammy-nominated artist Jesse LeDoux (http://ledouxville.com). LeDoux pulled from two decades worth of releases to create not only an iconic cover, but also a "treasure map" for Polyvinyl die hards. Each illustration represents a piece of Polyvinyl history - a collection of images culled from the label's extensive discography.
Happily, the collaboration didn't stop there. By the time LeDoux was done, his vision had grown to include a commemorative t-shirt design, limited edition silk screened poster and most importantly a skateboard! And not just any deck, but one created in conjunction with Polyvinyl's old friends at Girl Skateboards (http://girlskateboards.com) to produce a Polyvinyl x Ledoux x Girl collaborative board truly fitting of such a monumental milestone.
And finally, when asked to pull together some thoughts on the 20th anniversary, Polyvinyl co-founder Matt Lunsford couldn't stop writing and ended up creating a long-form oral history of his last 20 years:
As a kid who spent every spare moment on a skateboard in the late 80s/early 90s, I fell in love with discovering new music through reading magazines and watching skate videos with friends. I spent those formative years listening to bands like Dinosaur Jr., Firehose, Sonic Youth, Fugazi, Jawbreaker, and dozens of others. These were not exactly household names in central Illinois. In these pre-internet days, discovering music was something you had to be passionate about and put some effort into.
I was fortunate enough to meet a handful of friends including Darcie (my label co-founder and now wife) who were equally passionate about music and who were writing fanzines, booking DIY shows, working at record stores, and playing in bands. These people inspired Darcie and me by proving to us that with a little hard work it would be possible to spread our passion for discovering music to the world.
By the time we'd finished high school, Darcie and I were writing a fanzine and had started helping friends release records. Just a year into college, we decided to drop out and start working on Polyvinyl full-time. For the first year, Darcie took a shitty factory job to make extra money to pay rent and save up to put out more records. It was exciting and terrifying, but it was clearly the only decision. We were being entrusted to help create and share records with the world. It was a responsibility that we couldn't simply take on part-time. We were committed. Within the first two years, we had released the first music by Braid, Rainer Maria, and American Football, among others.
We hadn't set out to start a full-time business, so we learned as we went along--always with the philosophy that we should match the dedication and passion of our artists. We adopted a straightforward and fair 50/50 profit sharing business structure with our artists (which we still hold true to today). It was not long before our reputation for hard work and fairness started to precede us.
Artists like Mates of State, of Montreal, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, and Saturday Looks Good To Me all had various interconnected stories that brought them to the label, and a family tree started to take shape. In a six-degrees-of-separation sort of way, over 20 years, bands new and old from Aloha to Japandroids to Beach Slang and as diverse as Deerhoof, STRFKR, and Alvvays can all be traced back to our proud reputation for artist-friendliness.
I've always approached Polyvinyl with nearly boundless optimism. I've now been doing this for 20 years, which is half my lifetime...and my entire adult life! Polyvinyl has worked with over 100 artists and now has a catalog of over 300 releases. We're still 100% independently owned and operated by a staff of thirteen. We're still proud, honored and humbled that artists we love trust us to share their records with the world. I am truly grateful to the hundreds of amazing, inspiring people Polyvinyl has worked with over the years. If the next 20 years are even half as exciting as the first, I'll be looking forward to Polyvinyl 40.
Read more from Matt, including priceless photos HERE
Polyvinyl Plays PolyvinylRelease Date: November 25th, 2016
Track List:1. Generationals - In Green (Volcano, I'm Still Excited!!)2. Beach Slang - Younger Us (Japandroids)3. The Dodos - Never Meant (American Football)4. Aloha - Too Late to Die Young (Beach Slang)5. Deerhoof - Hi (Xiu Xiu in the style of White Reaper)6. Fred Thomas - I Heard You Say (Vivian Girls)7. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Since You Stole My Heart (Saturday Looks Good To Me)8. Radiation City - The Clod and the Pebble (Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin)9. of Montreal - Find Yourself (Jacco Gardner)10. Pillar Point - Heart It Races (Architecture In Helsinki)11. Shugo Tokumaru - Gronlandic Edit (of Montreal)12. Psychic Twin - While I'm Alive (STRFKR)13. Mates of State - So Begins Our Alabee (of Montreal)14. Wampire - Face to Face (Jacco Gardner)15. Braid - Next of Kin (Alvvays)16. Tancred - A Fever (Owen)17. Owen - Ears Ring (Rainer Maria)18. Rainer Maria - Big Man (Birthmark)19. Xiu Xiu - Bubble (Dodos)20. White Reaper - Exit Only (Deerhoof)
November 22, 2016
Ben Folds to release Record Store Day Black Friday exclusive 10in on New West Records
BEN FOLDS TO RELEASE RECORD STORE DAY BLACK FRIDAYEXCLUSIVE 10 INCH IN CONCERT 2015-2016 ON NEW WEST RECORDS SO THERE REMAINED IN TOP 20ON CLASSICAL CROSSOVER CHART FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR [image error] “’Capable of Anything’ feels like a 5-Hour Energy drink on tightly wound strings — the arrangement is brilliant, with yMusic performing in deft ways where guitars and bass might fall into mediocrity and cliche.”—NPR Music “Folds has inherited some of Gershwin’s missionary zeal – and his fans are undoubtedly ready to follow.”—The Guardian Multi-platinum selling singer/songwriter/producer Ben Folds will release In Concert 2015-2016 this Friday on New West Records. This Record Store Day Black Friday exclusive 10” vinyl is a live snapshot capturing electrifying chamber rock performances by Ben Folds and New York-based classical sextet ensemble yMusic from their extensive North American tour surrounding the critically acclaimed LP So There. The album was released on September 11, 2015 and debuted at #1 on both Billboard's Classical and Classical Crossover charts – remaining in the Top 20 on the Classical Crossover chart for an entire year following its release. In Concert 2015-2016 includes “Capable Of Anything,” “Not A Fan,” and “Phone In A Pool” from So There, as well as previous pop hits “Erase Me” and “Steven’s Last Night In Town.” Each purchase also includes a digital download with three bonus tracks. In Concert 2015-2016 by Ben Folds w/ yMusic will be available this Friday, November 25, at all indie retailers who participate in Record Store Day Black Friday. Find participating storesHERE. The tracks will be released digitally to all DSPs on December 9. Folds has recently wrapped up a sold-out solo tour entitled “Ben Folds & A Piano,” reminiscent of his first solo tour in 2001 where he defied skeptics by delivering a high energy rock performance using the intimacy of just a piano. In addition to consistent touring over the past year in North America, Europe, and Australia, Folds has also expanded his resume to include multiple TV appearances. In October, he guest-starred in an episode of "You're The Worst" on FX, followed by an episode of "Comedy Bang Bang" on IFC this month. He will also guest star in an upcoming December episode of SHOWTIME’s new hit original series "Billions." Folds first found fame with Ben Folds Five and has proceeded to have a very successful solo career, which includes writing and performing pop hits, recording multiple studio and live albums, collaborating with other renowned artists, and writing and recording for film and TV. Additionally, Folds is an avid photographer and a member of the distinguished Sony Artisans of Imagery. Folds is also an advocate for music education and music therapy as a member of Artist Committee of Americans For The Arts, and he serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Nashville Symphony.
IN CONCERT 2015-2016 TRACKLISTING
Side One1. Not A Fan2. Erase Me3. Capable Of AnythingSide Two1. Phone In A Pool2. Steven’s Last Night In Town www.BenFolds.com
www.NewWestRecords.com
www.NewWestRecords.com
Dua Lipa on The TODAY Show - Single Rises to #26
DUA LIPA TO PERFORM ONTHE TODAY SHOW NOVEMBER 29TH "BLOW YOUR MIND (MWAH)" RISES TO #26 ONTHE TOP 40 CHART AT U.S. POP RADIO
Rising U.K. pop sensation Dua Lipa is set to make her U.S. morning TV debut on The TODAY Show on Tuesday, November 29th, where she'll perform her hit single "Blow Your Mind (Mwah)." "Blow Your Mind (Mwah)" is Dua's first official single in the U.S. and continues to rise on the Top 40 Chart at U.S. Pop Radio, where it is currently #26. The single's video has already amassed over 16 million views; watch here. "Blow Your Mind (Mwah)" was released ahead of Dua's self-titled debut album, available February 10th via Warner Bros. Records. The album will include previously released tracks "New Love," "Last Dance," "Be The One," and "Hotter Than Hell," which has surpassed 1 million global sales this week. Dua will release a new video for "Be The One," featuring Ansel Elgort (The Fault in Our Stars,Divergent), on November 28th. Dua has just wrapped up a series of North American tour dates in support of Troye Sivan, including two nights at NYC's Terminal 5, where Paste proclaimed, "Merged with slick club-friendly production, Lipa's sound should jolt the dead of winter with a dose of radio-friendly scorching pop sunshine." Lipa's distinctive sound has most recently been featured on Sean Paul's new single "No Lie," which Idolator called "highly addictive" and Fuse pronounced "very sexy, thanks to guest artist Dua Lipa's velvet-rich vocals and Paul's melodic crooning."
Rising U.K. pop sensation Dua Lipa is set to make her U.S. morning TV debut on The TODAY Show on Tuesday, November 29th, where she'll perform her hit single "Blow Your Mind (Mwah)." "Blow Your Mind (Mwah)" is Dua's first official single in the U.S. and continues to rise on the Top 40 Chart at U.S. Pop Radio, where it is currently #26. The single's video has already amassed over 16 million views; watch here. "Blow Your Mind (Mwah)" was released ahead of Dua's self-titled debut album, available February 10th via Warner Bros. Records. The album will include previously released tracks "New Love," "Last Dance," "Be The One," and "Hotter Than Hell," which has surpassed 1 million global sales this week. Dua will release a new video for "Be The One," featuring Ansel Elgort (The Fault in Our Stars,Divergent), on November 28th. Dua has just wrapped up a series of North American tour dates in support of Troye Sivan, including two nights at NYC's Terminal 5, where Paste proclaimed, "Merged with slick club-friendly production, Lipa's sound should jolt the dead of winter with a dose of radio-friendly scorching pop sunshine." Lipa's distinctive sound has most recently been featured on Sean Paul's new single "No Lie," which Idolator called "highly addictive" and Fuse pronounced "very sexy, thanks to guest artist Dua Lipa's velvet-rich vocals and Paul's melodic crooning."
