Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 2176
December 7, 2015
Emmy The Great Announces New Album "Second Love", Out March 11th On Bella Union
Emmy The Great Announces New Album Second Love, Out March 11th On Bella Union
Premieres New Track 'Dance w Me' On ConsequenceOf Sound
Announces US Tour Dates
"Moss' latest single, 'Dance w Me', revels in the pensiveness that birthed the album. Muted synthesizer twinkles bounce beneath subtle guitar chords and Moss' soft vocals. It's only when the song hits the chorus that the song breaks out into epic strides of vocals samples and louder drums. It's a major contrast to the subtlety of the verses, create a sense of forward movement that's been apparent in her own life over the past few years." -Consequence Of Sound
Emmy The Great announces her highly anticipated third album Second Love released on Bella Union onMarch 11th. To celebrate she has shared the new track 'Dance w Me' on Consequence of Sound.
There is a distinct nod to her debut First Love , in terms of the storytelling that first impressed her lyrical and emotional dexterity upon so many. But on Second Love , Emma-Lee Moss delves into the chambers of a human heart ever-connected to the glare of a nearby screen. This is an album imbued with modern sounds, a nod to new eras, while maintaining the human warmth always associated with an ETG album. The songs are full of emotion and questioning, with the chatter of friends and collaborators "coded" into the sonic landscape.
Opener 'Swimming Pool' - taken from this year's critically acclaimed S EP - set the tone. Sketched out in Asian cities during a tour, and competed in a North London studio in the summer of 2012, its undulating grace became a sound Emma spent "three years trying to chase." These tender, glacial arrangements lead Second Love's exploration through a new world, filtered through technology.
"For a long time, I thought the album would be about technology and the future, so I wrote a lot of songs "about" stuff - like 'Swimming Pool' or 'Solar Panels' or about the magazines in 'Hyperlink'," says Emma. "But this didn't feel right. It was only when I started using these things to write about love that everything came together."
Like 'Dance w Me', a somber and sensitive ode to the complexities of love - "You can't exist without fighting me. Oh, I respect my enemy," Emmy sings, backed by the sampled voices of her LA housemates, while producer Dave McCracken, and musician friends Beth Jeans Houghton and O Karmina talk in the background.
Despite recording in tiny snatches, burrowing herself away in friend's bedrooms, borrowed studios and hotel rooms - "If I had to write down the locations of every recording session the credits would have around 30 people's houses in it", says Emma - Second Love remains a resolute whole, a delicate balance of songs and sounds that mirror the personal discoveries she made while making the album.
"In 2013, in LA, I was optimistic about the world changing and rapidly advancing, but over time the optimism gave way to something more complex and fearful. Technology and ideas which seemed entirely positive now feel equally as dangerous," Emma muses.
Emma's own life path - a move from London to Los Angeles then to New York - brought new perspectives. "Each time I was introduced to a new city, I got really quiet and observant. I'd be on a rooftop or in some weird LA backyard party, and someone would tell me something, and that sense of spontaneous connection would find its way into a song later." While trying to raise money for Second Love , Emma worked as a journalist, interviewing artists like King Krule, Dam Funk, Caroline Polachek, and Kele Okerere, and writing about culture for the Guardian and Vice - experiences which lent a new openness to her music.
"I've always felt that records are supposed to be "records" of your life when you made them," she continues. "The entire album from 'Swimming Pool' to the final mix took around three years, and in this time my life progressed in previously unimaginable ways. I lived in three cities, I was single, I fell in love, made friends, new life came into my family and I found out what it is to be a stranger and to begin again."
With fitting synchronicity, Emma progressed from writing and recording guitar and vocals to programming and engineering. Advances in sound are balanced against classic songwriting, with each song's core left to breathe amidst a glistening whirr of spiraling layers of sound and voices.
Acoustic guitars step into harmonies like dappled sunlight on 'Algorithm', distant sirens flicker and synthesizers echo as we fall into love-struck bio-mechanic balladry. "It's about searching for meaning in the noise," says Emma, "It encapsulates the feeling behind the whole album."
Elsewhere, the sadness swept through 'Constantly' bubbles with minimal grace before gliding into a crystalline chorus, as bright as the laptop screen that lights a depressed friend's eyes. "Your iris is a universe, your laptop it is glowing, and you say, this world comes in waves, constantly," she sings.
"Constantly is inspired by Doretta Lau's book collection about Millennials trying to make it in big cities, and partly by my own experience of trying to find my place in New York," says Emma. "I was thinking of these glittering cities, alive with their own myths, and all of us scrabbling around trying to reach for them. I don't need to tell you that the world can be a fucked up and scary place, especially for young people who are living in the future while trying to figure out if they have a future of their own." How the future connects us, be it a constant reminder of our own mortality or a provocative and powerful celebration of human endurance, is at the core of Emmy The Great's "Second Love."
"In all the uncertainty," Emmy concludes, "I couldn't say for sure whether this is Utopia or Dystopia or something in between, but for some reason it only made me more certain of one thing: that, wherever we're heading, we're going to need music, and we're going to need love. Second Love not only helped me reach this conclusion, it led me to almost every good thing that has happened to me in the last three years."
The roll call of talent enlisted to assist Emmy The Great's new albums is as impressive as the vision itself. Produced by Dave McCracken (Oh Land/ Beyonce) & Ludwig Goransson (Haim/ Childish Gambino), and mixed by Neil Comber (MIA), the album features musicians from far and wide, includingTom Fleming (Wild Beasts), Leo Abrahams (Pulp/ Brian Eno), Simon Oscroft (MXTHER), Henry Kwapis, O Karmina, Du Blonde (aka Beth Jeans Houghton), Nick Trepka (Speech Debelle), Fyfe Dangerfield (Guillemots), Gabriel Bruce, and her brother Robin Moss, with writer and broadcasterJon Ronson authoring the album's liner notes.
Emmy The Great will be touring Second Love around the US next year, the following dates have been announced.
US Tour DatesFeb 23 - Boston, MA - Cafe 939Feb 24 - Brooklyn, NY - Baby's All RightFeb 26 - Philadelphia, PA - Boot and SaddleFeb 27 - Washington, DC - DC9Mar 1 - Portland, OR - Bunk BarMar 2 - Seattle, WA - BarbosaMar 4 - San Francisco, CA - The ChapelMar 5 - Los Angeles, CA - Bootleg Bar
Premieres New Track 'Dance w Me' On ConsequenceOf Sound
Announces US Tour Dates
"Moss' latest single, 'Dance w Me', revels in the pensiveness that birthed the album. Muted synthesizer twinkles bounce beneath subtle guitar chords and Moss' soft vocals. It's only when the song hits the chorus that the song breaks out into epic strides of vocals samples and louder drums. It's a major contrast to the subtlety of the verses, create a sense of forward movement that's been apparent in her own life over the past few years." -Consequence Of Sound
Emmy The Great announces her highly anticipated third album Second Love released on Bella Union onMarch 11th. To celebrate she has shared the new track 'Dance w Me' on Consequence of Sound.
There is a distinct nod to her debut First Love , in terms of the storytelling that first impressed her lyrical and emotional dexterity upon so many. But on Second Love , Emma-Lee Moss delves into the chambers of a human heart ever-connected to the glare of a nearby screen. This is an album imbued with modern sounds, a nod to new eras, while maintaining the human warmth always associated with an ETG album. The songs are full of emotion and questioning, with the chatter of friends and collaborators "coded" into the sonic landscape.
Opener 'Swimming Pool' - taken from this year's critically acclaimed S EP - set the tone. Sketched out in Asian cities during a tour, and competed in a North London studio in the summer of 2012, its undulating grace became a sound Emma spent "three years trying to chase." These tender, glacial arrangements lead Second Love's exploration through a new world, filtered through technology.
"For a long time, I thought the album would be about technology and the future, so I wrote a lot of songs "about" stuff - like 'Swimming Pool' or 'Solar Panels' or about the magazines in 'Hyperlink'," says Emma. "But this didn't feel right. It was only when I started using these things to write about love that everything came together."
Like 'Dance w Me', a somber and sensitive ode to the complexities of love - "You can't exist without fighting me. Oh, I respect my enemy," Emmy sings, backed by the sampled voices of her LA housemates, while producer Dave McCracken, and musician friends Beth Jeans Houghton and O Karmina talk in the background.
Despite recording in tiny snatches, burrowing herself away in friend's bedrooms, borrowed studios and hotel rooms - "If I had to write down the locations of every recording session the credits would have around 30 people's houses in it", says Emma - Second Love remains a resolute whole, a delicate balance of songs and sounds that mirror the personal discoveries she made while making the album.
"In 2013, in LA, I was optimistic about the world changing and rapidly advancing, but over time the optimism gave way to something more complex and fearful. Technology and ideas which seemed entirely positive now feel equally as dangerous," Emma muses.
Emma's own life path - a move from London to Los Angeles then to New York - brought new perspectives. "Each time I was introduced to a new city, I got really quiet and observant. I'd be on a rooftop or in some weird LA backyard party, and someone would tell me something, and that sense of spontaneous connection would find its way into a song later." While trying to raise money for Second Love , Emma worked as a journalist, interviewing artists like King Krule, Dam Funk, Caroline Polachek, and Kele Okerere, and writing about culture for the Guardian and Vice - experiences which lent a new openness to her music.
"I've always felt that records are supposed to be "records" of your life when you made them," she continues. "The entire album from 'Swimming Pool' to the final mix took around three years, and in this time my life progressed in previously unimaginable ways. I lived in three cities, I was single, I fell in love, made friends, new life came into my family and I found out what it is to be a stranger and to begin again."
With fitting synchronicity, Emma progressed from writing and recording guitar and vocals to programming and engineering. Advances in sound are balanced against classic songwriting, with each song's core left to breathe amidst a glistening whirr of spiraling layers of sound and voices.
Acoustic guitars step into harmonies like dappled sunlight on 'Algorithm', distant sirens flicker and synthesizers echo as we fall into love-struck bio-mechanic balladry. "It's about searching for meaning in the noise," says Emma, "It encapsulates the feeling behind the whole album."
Elsewhere, the sadness swept through 'Constantly' bubbles with minimal grace before gliding into a crystalline chorus, as bright as the laptop screen that lights a depressed friend's eyes. "Your iris is a universe, your laptop it is glowing, and you say, this world comes in waves, constantly," she sings.
"Constantly is inspired by Doretta Lau's book collection about Millennials trying to make it in big cities, and partly by my own experience of trying to find my place in New York," says Emma. "I was thinking of these glittering cities, alive with their own myths, and all of us scrabbling around trying to reach for them. I don't need to tell you that the world can be a fucked up and scary place, especially for young people who are living in the future while trying to figure out if they have a future of their own." How the future connects us, be it a constant reminder of our own mortality or a provocative and powerful celebration of human endurance, is at the core of Emmy The Great's "Second Love."
"In all the uncertainty," Emmy concludes, "I couldn't say for sure whether this is Utopia or Dystopia or something in between, but for some reason it only made me more certain of one thing: that, wherever we're heading, we're going to need music, and we're going to need love. Second Love not only helped me reach this conclusion, it led me to almost every good thing that has happened to me in the last three years."
The roll call of talent enlisted to assist Emmy The Great's new albums is as impressive as the vision itself. Produced by Dave McCracken (Oh Land/ Beyonce) & Ludwig Goransson (Haim/ Childish Gambino), and mixed by Neil Comber (MIA), the album features musicians from far and wide, includingTom Fleming (Wild Beasts), Leo Abrahams (Pulp/ Brian Eno), Simon Oscroft (MXTHER), Henry Kwapis, O Karmina, Du Blonde (aka Beth Jeans Houghton), Nick Trepka (Speech Debelle), Fyfe Dangerfield (Guillemots), Gabriel Bruce, and her brother Robin Moss, with writer and broadcasterJon Ronson authoring the album's liner notes.
Emmy The Great will be touring Second Love around the US next year, the following dates have been announced.
US Tour DatesFeb 23 - Boston, MA - Cafe 939Feb 24 - Brooklyn, NY - Baby's All RightFeb 26 - Philadelphia, PA - Boot and SaddleFeb 27 - Washington, DC - DC9Mar 1 - Portland, OR - Bunk BarMar 2 - Seattle, WA - BarbosaMar 4 - San Francisco, CA - The ChapelMar 5 - Los Angeles, CA - Bootleg Bar
Watch the new METZ video for “Spit You Out” + extends 2016 tour (SE Asia dates)
View this email in your browserWatch the new METZ video for “Spit You Out”
via Noisey
http://noisey.vice.com/blog/premiere-metz-spit-you-out
2016 Southeast Asia dates added to
headlining world tour in support of II
Plus - “Can’t Understand” (from Adult Swim Singles Series) now available digitally from Sub Pop
METZ have delivered the official video for "Spit You Out", a standout from II, their acclaimed 2015 album. The thrilling, frenetic video, directed by the band and edited by Scott Cudmore ("The Swimmer,” "Wasted,” “Wet Blanket”), features effects-laden live footage and presents a visceral representation of the band’s sound and deft power in performance.
Noisey calls "Spit You Out" "a menacing track off of II that pits hypnotic noise punk against the grungey godheads of the Pacific Northwest (see December 7th premiere).”
METZ recently announced the “Eraser” b/w “Pure Auto” single, available January 22nd, 2016 on 7” vinyl from Three One G and digitally from Sub Pop.
The “Eraser” / “Pure Auto” single will come pressed on both green and white colored vinyl and each run is limited to 1,000 copies. It’s now available for preorder through Three One G and the Sub Pop Mega Mart (while supplies last). The single will also be available digitally through megamart.subpop.com, iTunes, and Amazon.
METZ's "Can't Understand,” their contribution to the 2013 installment of the Adult Swim Singles Series, is now available to purchase via Sub Pop Mega Mart, iTunes, and Amazon.
METZ’s extensive 2015/16 headlining world tour in support of IIresumes January 9th in Cambridge, MA at The Sinclair and currently ends February 20th in Bejing, CN at Mao Livehouse.
Tour highlightsinclude: a short east coast/midwest US tour January 9th-16th (with Bully); January 29th in Tokyo at Fever; January 30th-February 14th at the multi-city Laneway Festival, held in Singapore, Australia and New Zealand; and appearances in Taiwan and China (February 17-20). Please find a complete list of tour dates below.
METZ II has earned acclaim from the likes of Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, The AV Club, SPIN, Treble, and more. IIscored the band its highest chart position in the U.S. to date, entering at #98 / Billboard Top 200. In Canada, the album debuted at #27 on the Top 200 albums chart. II also peaked at #8 on the CMJ Top 200 chart.
METZ II is now available for purchase through the Sub Pop Mega Mart, iTunes, Amazon, and Bandcamp.
What people are saying about METZ II:
“This isn't just purgative music hell-bent on bloodletting and catharsis; it's also carefully composed, with loving attention paid to fine detail and immaculate precision.” [“First Listen”] - NPR Music
“Creating a soundscape of claustrophobic, ravenous guitar riffs awash in feedback and distortion, with drums that never let you catch your breath. You'll feel it in your stomach as much as you hear it.” [First Play] - CBC Music
“Album of the Week” - Stereogum
“Hits like a concussion grenade, and you'll revel in the damage long after the room's been cleared.” [4/5]- Alternative Press
“II, like the record that preceded it, is still a seasick and unyielding document of brutalist experimentation. But because the trio is willing to explore different avenues, there’s more corners to get lost in.” [8/10] - SPIN
“Album of the Week” - Treble
“A direct gut-punching affair.” [5/5] – DIY
“Bigger, faster, louder, stronger - in many ways II is everything the band’s second record ought to be.” [8/10] - Loud & Quiet
“Bold, unsympathetic and brutally effective.” [8/10] – NME
“Raucous, filthy and hummable in equal measure.” [8/10] - Rock Sound
“A second volume of string-bending, amp-busting noise-punk…Awesome.” [4/5] - Time Out London
“II is what Metz do best: brazenly truculent hardcore.” - The Guardian
“Few bands anywhere do this sort of thing this well.” - The Quietus
“With II, Metz have done more than enough to cement themselves as the new kings of transgressive hard rock, and that's a crown which is going to be difficult for anyone to wrestle from them.” [8.5/10] - The Line of Best Fit
“This album has achieved a seemingly impossible feat by sounding even more aggressive than the one that preceded it.” [8/10] - The 405
“The whole record is a dizzy, punk joy - taking itself far less seriously than most proper hardcore bands, whilst sounding twice as aggressive as any of them, and with better tunes.” [8/10] - Drowned in Sound
“II almost feels like Metz wanted to push the boundaries to see just how dark and dirty they could play while still carrying a tune and continuing to draw listeners in with unconventionally gripping arrangements - and good on them, they pulled it off!” [10/10] - Louder Than War
Tour Dates
Jan. 09 - Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair # ^
Jan. 11 - Washington, DC - Rock & Roll Hotel # ^
Jan. 12 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church # ^
Jan. 13 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom #
Jan. 14 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg #
Jan. 16 - Chicago, IL - Metro #
Jan. 29 - Tokyo, JP - FEVER
Jan. 30 - Singapore, SP - Laneway Festival
Feb. 01 - Auckland, NZ - Laneway Festival
Feb. 05 - Adelaide, AU - Laneway Festival
Feb. 06 - Brisbane, AU - Laneway Festival
Feb. 07 - Sydney, AU - Laneway Festival
Feb. 10 - Sydney, AU - Oxford Art Factory
Feb. 12 - Melbourne, AU - The Corner**
Feb. 13 - Melbourne, AU - Laneway Festival
Feb. 14 - Perth, AU - Laneway Festival
Feb. 17 - Taipei City, TW - The Wall Livehouse
Feb. 19 - Shanghai, CN - Yuyintang
Feb. 20 - Bejing, CN - Mao Livehouse
* w/ My Disco, The Low Life
** w/ My Disco, Deaf Wish
# w/ Bully
^ w/ So Pitted
via Noisey
http://noisey.vice.com/blog/premiere-metz-spit-you-out
2016 Southeast Asia dates added to headlining world tour in support of II
Plus - “Can’t Understand” (from Adult Swim Singles Series) now available digitally from Sub Pop
METZ have delivered the official video for "Spit You Out", a standout from II, their acclaimed 2015 album. The thrilling, frenetic video, directed by the band and edited by Scott Cudmore ("The Swimmer,” "Wasted,” “Wet Blanket”), features effects-laden live footage and presents a visceral representation of the band’s sound and deft power in performance.
Noisey calls "Spit You Out" "a menacing track off of II that pits hypnotic noise punk against the grungey godheads of the Pacific Northwest (see December 7th premiere).”
METZ recently announced the “Eraser” b/w “Pure Auto” single, available January 22nd, 2016 on 7” vinyl from Three One G and digitally from Sub Pop.
The “Eraser” / “Pure Auto” single will come pressed on both green and white colored vinyl and each run is limited to 1,000 copies. It’s now available for preorder through Three One G and the Sub Pop Mega Mart (while supplies last). The single will also be available digitally through megamart.subpop.com, iTunes, and Amazon.
METZ's "Can't Understand,” their contribution to the 2013 installment of the Adult Swim Singles Series, is now available to purchase via Sub Pop Mega Mart, iTunes, and Amazon.
METZ’s extensive 2015/16 headlining world tour in support of IIresumes January 9th in Cambridge, MA at The Sinclair and currently ends February 20th in Bejing, CN at Mao Livehouse.
Tour highlightsinclude: a short east coast/midwest US tour January 9th-16th (with Bully); January 29th in Tokyo at Fever; January 30th-February 14th at the multi-city Laneway Festival, held in Singapore, Australia and New Zealand; and appearances in Taiwan and China (February 17-20). Please find a complete list of tour dates below.
METZ II has earned acclaim from the likes of Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, The AV Club, SPIN, Treble, and more. IIscored the band its highest chart position in the U.S. to date, entering at #98 / Billboard Top 200. In Canada, the album debuted at #27 on the Top 200 albums chart. II also peaked at #8 on the CMJ Top 200 chart.
METZ II is now available for purchase through the Sub Pop Mega Mart, iTunes, Amazon, and Bandcamp.
What people are saying about METZ II:
“This isn't just purgative music hell-bent on bloodletting and catharsis; it's also carefully composed, with loving attention paid to fine detail and immaculate precision.” [“First Listen”] - NPR Music
“Creating a soundscape of claustrophobic, ravenous guitar riffs awash in feedback and distortion, with drums that never let you catch your breath. You'll feel it in your stomach as much as you hear it.” [First Play] - CBC Music
“Album of the Week” - Stereogum
“Hits like a concussion grenade, and you'll revel in the damage long after the room's been cleared.” [4/5]- Alternative Press
“II, like the record that preceded it, is still a seasick and unyielding document of brutalist experimentation. But because the trio is willing to explore different avenues, there’s more corners to get lost in.” [8/10] - SPIN
“Album of the Week” - Treble
“A direct gut-punching affair.” [5/5] – DIY
“Bigger, faster, louder, stronger - in many ways II is everything the band’s second record ought to be.” [8/10] - Loud & Quiet
“Bold, unsympathetic and brutally effective.” [8/10] – NME
“Raucous, filthy and hummable in equal measure.” [8/10] - Rock Sound
“A second volume of string-bending, amp-busting noise-punk…Awesome.” [4/5] - Time Out London
“II is what Metz do best: brazenly truculent hardcore.” - The Guardian
“Few bands anywhere do this sort of thing this well.” - The Quietus
“With II, Metz have done more than enough to cement themselves as the new kings of transgressive hard rock, and that's a crown which is going to be difficult for anyone to wrestle from them.” [8.5/10] - The Line of Best Fit
“This album has achieved a seemingly impossible feat by sounding even more aggressive than the one that preceded it.” [8/10] - The 405
“The whole record is a dizzy, punk joy - taking itself far less seriously than most proper hardcore bands, whilst sounding twice as aggressive as any of them, and with better tunes.” [8/10] - Drowned in Sound
“II almost feels like Metz wanted to push the boundaries to see just how dark and dirty they could play while still carrying a tune and continuing to draw listeners in with unconventionally gripping arrangements - and good on them, they pulled it off!” [10/10] - Louder Than War
Tour Dates
Jan. 09 - Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair # ^
Jan. 11 - Washington, DC - Rock & Roll Hotel # ^
Jan. 12 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church # ^
Jan. 13 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom #
Jan. 14 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg #
Jan. 16 - Chicago, IL - Metro #
Jan. 29 - Tokyo, JP - FEVER
Jan. 30 - Singapore, SP - Laneway Festival
Feb. 01 - Auckland, NZ - Laneway Festival
Feb. 05 - Adelaide, AU - Laneway Festival
Feb. 06 - Brisbane, AU - Laneway Festival
Feb. 07 - Sydney, AU - Laneway Festival
Feb. 10 - Sydney, AU - Oxford Art Factory
Feb. 12 - Melbourne, AU - The Corner**
Feb. 13 - Melbourne, AU - Laneway Festival
Feb. 14 - Perth, AU - Laneway Festival
Feb. 17 - Taipei City, TW - The Wall Livehouse
Feb. 19 - Shanghai, CN - Yuyintang
Feb. 20 - Bejing, CN - Mao Livehouse
* w/ My Disco, The Low Life
** w/ My Disco, Deaf Wish
# w/ Bully
^ w/ So Pitted
December 5, 2015
December 4, 2015
Sam Amidon's CHICKEN... Reissued
OMNIVORE RECORDINGS TO REISSUE SAM AMIDON’S BUT THIS CHICKEN PROVED FALSEHEARTED TOMORROWAMIDON’S OUT-OF-PRINT 2007 DEBUT OFFERED FOR FIRST TIME ON VINYL; CD REISSUE INCLUDES 10 BONUS TRACKS FROM ORIGINAL RECORDING SESSION
US TOUR DATES WITH SAN FERMIN ARE UNDERWAY
Los Angeles — December 3, 2015 — Omnivore Recordings reissues singer and multi-instrumentalist Sam Amidon’s debut recording But This Chicken Proved Falsehearted tomorrow. Originally released in 2007, the long out-of-print debut body of work will now be available on CD and digital, and for the first time, on vinyl. The CD and digital format include 10 bonus tracks recorded during the original session. The initial vinyl pressing is available in limited quantities on translucent blue vinyl, with black vinyl to follow. All LPs include a download of the complete offering of original and bonus tracks.
Recorded in 2005 at Amidon’s then-home in Harlem, NY, with friend and collaborator Thomas Bartlett (aka Doveman), But This Chicken Proved Falsehearted introduced the world to Amidon’s unique talents as a composer/arranger, singer and musician; talents which have, in recent years, garnered praise from The New York Times, The Guardian, NPR and more. But This Chicken… features Amidon’s reimaginings of traditional American folksongs as well as a diverse array of covers, including Tears for Fears “Head Over Heels” and Mississippi John Hurt’s “Louis Collins.”
“At night I would drink whiskey and record solo versions of the songs onto a Pro Tools setup (Thomas and I) were borrowing from a friend, and which neither of us really knew how to use,” Amidon said. “The final vocal and guitar take was generally the one where I got through the whole song without messing up the guitar part. Then Thomas would come home late, wake up the next day and tell me to go take a long walk. I would walk out into the park for an hour or two and come back to find what he had added.”
“This is an album of total discovery,” Amidon added. “Every sound is being played for the first time. It reflects both the solitude of that particular time and our musical collaboration in a moment of great change.”
Amidon plays a series of US tour dates this month with the chamber pop ensemble San Fermin. A complete list of tour dates follows.
Sam Amidon created teaser video (featuring Sam & Arthur Amidon)
Sam featured on Chicago’s WBEZ HERE.
Omnivore Recordings promotional trailer
But This Chicken Proved Falsehearted track listing:
Falsehearted Chicken
True Born Sons Of Levi
Interlude
Head Over Heels
1842
Interlude #2
Another Man Done Gone
Louis Collins
Interlude #3
Roll On John
Rocky Island
Tribulation
Oh Where
Bonus Tracks:
Louis Collins
Bourbon And Levi
Another Man Done Gone
Tribulation
The Moon Shines Bright, The Stars The Give Light
Head Over Heels
Bourbon And 1842
Rocky Island
Won’t Turn Back
Saro Bounce
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT:
omnivorerecordings.com, samamidon.com, facebook.com/samamidonmusic
or follow @samamidon on Twitter
photo by Piper Ferguson
NEVERMEN PREMIERE “MR. MISTAKE” VIA PITCHFORK
NEVERMEN PREMIERE “MR. MISTAKE” VIA PITCHFORK
(http://pitchfork.com/news/62383-tv-on-the-radios-tunde-adebimpe-mike-patton-doseone-share-new-nevermen-track-mr-mistake/)
DEBUT ALBUM FROM DOSEONE, TUNDE ADEBIMPE AND MIKE PATTON AVAILABLE JAN. 29
Photo credit: Peter Hinson
Dec. 4, 2015, Bodie, Colo. – Nevermen (Doseone, Tunde Adebimpe, Mike Patton) stream “Mr. Mistake,” a new single from the band’s forthcoming, self-titled debut (available via Ipecac Recordings/Lex Records on Jan. 29) via Pitchfork (http://pitchfork.com/news/62383-tv-on-the-radios-tunde-adebimpe-mike-patton-doseone-share-new-nevermen-track-mr-mistake/).
Pre-orders for the 10-song album are available now, with iTunes pre-orders (https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/nevermen/id1051561235?ls=1&app=itunes) including an instant download of both “Mr. Mistake” and “Tough Towns” (https://soundcloud.com/nevermenmusic/nevermen-tough-towns), a song Rolling Stone described as “a quirky, cinematic avant-pop single” featuring “five minutes of eerie synthesizers and understated hip-hop beats.” Nevermen physical pre-orders can be found here: https://merchaye-revolve.squarespace.com/ipecac-music/nevermen-nevermen-cd (CD) and https://merchaye-revolve.squarespace.com/ipecac-music/nevermen-nevermen-lp (vinyl).
Nevermen is neither side-project nor super group; it's merely meant to be — a years-in-the-making partnership in which these men shared all duties, discovering their collective sound with the sort of glee and freedom usually reserved for first-timers. Amid this wild, weird churn of rock, pop, rap, soul, and other, it's shockingly easy to lose track of who's singing at what moment, and that's the point: to quote Tunde/Adam/Mike in song, "The frontman digests its self." Nevermen, the album, finds these three giants shredding their egos to get at the heart of why they do what they do, to explore the hopes and fears and wins and losses of anyone who carves career out of what started as dream.
(http://pitchfork.com/news/62383-tv-on-the-radios-tunde-adebimpe-mike-patton-doseone-share-new-nevermen-track-mr-mistake/)
DEBUT ALBUM FROM DOSEONE, TUNDE ADEBIMPE AND MIKE PATTON AVAILABLE JAN. 29
Photo credit: Peter Hinson Dec. 4, 2015, Bodie, Colo. – Nevermen (Doseone, Tunde Adebimpe, Mike Patton) stream “Mr. Mistake,” a new single from the band’s forthcoming, self-titled debut (available via Ipecac Recordings/Lex Records on Jan. 29) via Pitchfork (http://pitchfork.com/news/62383-tv-on-the-radios-tunde-adebimpe-mike-patton-doseone-share-new-nevermen-track-mr-mistake/).
Pre-orders for the 10-song album are available now, with iTunes pre-orders (https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/nevermen/id1051561235?ls=1&app=itunes) including an instant download of both “Mr. Mistake” and “Tough Towns” (https://soundcloud.com/nevermenmusic/nevermen-tough-towns), a song Rolling Stone described as “a quirky, cinematic avant-pop single” featuring “five minutes of eerie synthesizers and understated hip-hop beats.” Nevermen physical pre-orders can be found here: https://merchaye-revolve.squarespace.com/ipecac-music/nevermen-nevermen-cd (CD) and https://merchaye-revolve.squarespace.com/ipecac-music/nevermen-nevermen-lp (vinyl).
Nevermen is neither side-project nor super group; it's merely meant to be — a years-in-the-making partnership in which these men shared all duties, discovering their collective sound with the sort of glee and freedom usually reserved for first-timers. Amid this wild, weird churn of rock, pop, rap, soul, and other, it's shockingly easy to lose track of who's singing at what moment, and that's the point: to quote Tunde/Adam/Mike in song, "The frontman digests its self." Nevermen, the album, finds these three giants shredding their egos to get at the heart of why they do what they do, to explore the hopes and fears and wins and losses of anyone who carves career out of what started as dream.
Lily & Madeleine's new album out Feb 26, "Hourglass" music video premieres at BULLETT
LILY & MADELEINE’S KEEP IT TOGETHER
OUT FEBRUARY 26 ON NEW WEST RECORDS
“HOURGLASS” MUSIC VIDEO PREMIERES
AT BULLETT MEDIA
WINTER TOUR DATES CONFIRMED
“Indianapolis-born sisters Lily & Madeleine fold stunning harmonies into brushed drums, dreamy strings, and soft keys—and fade into you in the process.”—NYLON “Their songs have a maturity that transcends their years.”—KCRW
Keep It Together
, the new album from acclaimed duo Lily & Madeleine, will be released February 26 on New West Records. In advance of the release, the official music video for the album’s first single, “Hourglass,” is premiering today at
BULLETT Media
. Of the song and video, the site praises, “…the sisters’ voices blend harmoniously, offering a glimpse into the dreamy sonic landscape the two are capable of delivering. The Laurel Cohen-directed video centers on fast cuts of slow motion clips, paired with bright hues and spliced together images to reflect the track’s subtle intricacies. It’s a bit of a craft explosion, as Lily & Madeleine are shown playfully covered in buttons and enveloped in clouds of colored smoke.” “Hourglass” is available instantly with each PRE-ORDER of the record. In celebration of the release, the duo will embark on a nationwide tour this winter, including shows in Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, St. Louis and New York where they will play at Joe’s Pub March 3 See below for complete details. Recorded at home in Bloomington, Ind. with producer Paul Mahern, who also helmed Lily & Madeleine’s lauded debut and sophomore albums, the 10-song record features the help of friends and touring band members Shannon Hayden (cello, mandolin, guitar, Moog) and Kate Siefker (drums, percussion, guitar, bass). Of the project, Madeleine comments, “Working with a closer knit team of just four ladies helped tighten our sound and unify each track into a complete collection. The title of the album is a lyric from the first track ‘Not Gonna,’ which Lily wrote. This simple phrase has a lot of meaning to us: keep your shit together, keep our relationship as sisters together, pressure to keep our image a certain way as young ladies.” Lily adds, “Along with reflecting on the personal bonds that Madeleine and I both have, I also really wanted to focus more on the bigger picture and write about the experience of being a white woman in America and a collegeage kid in the 21st century. As I attempt to further discover who I am as an individual, the way society wants me to define myself is becoming clearer. It seems to me that young people are the same everywhere: regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic class. All young adults are in the same boat, trying to figure out what makes us individuals and trying to find our value in society.” The new recording comes on the heels of the prolific duo’s highly-regarded sophomore release, Fumes, and is the their third full-length album in three years, following an EP and two LPs on Sufjan Stevens’ label Asthmatic Kitty. Of their last effort ELLE Magazine asserted, “...the twosome, known for their pinpoint harmonies and vocal precision, had no reservations about flipping the script this go-round: They amped up the production and gave their new album…a far more bombastic sound,” while NPR Musicpraised, “Fumes is a misleading record, the way a masterfully performed dance is misleading: It looks easy only because the complexities behind it are unfathomable to outsiders. There’s a borderlessness to Lily & Madeleine that leans from seamlessly natural to mesmerizingly preternatural, hinting at deeper forces at work than skill and practice.” Since their debut in 2013, the duo has performed on CBS’ “This Morning,” KCRW’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic,” NPR Music’s “Tiny Desk Concert” series and “A Prairie Home Companion.”
Keep It Together
track-listing1. Not Gonna 2. For the Weak3. Westfield4. Chicago5. Hourglass6. Hotel Pool7. Smoke Tricks8. Midwest Kid9. Small Talk10. Nothing LILY & MADELEINE WINTER 2016 TOURMarch 2—Boston, MA—Café 939March 3—New York, NY—Joe’s PubMarch 4—Philadelphia, PA—World Café Live UpstairsMarch 5—Vienna, VA—Jammin JavaMarch 10—Madison, WI—The FrequencyMarch 11—Minneapolis, MN—IcehouseMarch 12—Chicago, IL—Lincoln HallMarch 13—St. Louis, MO—Off Broadway (additional dates to be announced)
OUT FEBRUARY 26 ON NEW WEST RECORDS
“HOURGLASS” MUSIC VIDEO PREMIERES
AT BULLETT MEDIA
WINTER TOUR DATES CONFIRMED
“Indianapolis-born sisters Lily & Madeleine fold stunning harmonies into brushed drums, dreamy strings, and soft keys—and fade into you in the process.”—NYLON “Their songs have a maturity that transcends their years.”—KCRW
Keep It Together
, the new album from acclaimed duo Lily & Madeleine, will be released February 26 on New West Records. In advance of the release, the official music video for the album’s first single, “Hourglass,” is premiering today at
BULLETT Media
. Of the song and video, the site praises, “…the sisters’ voices blend harmoniously, offering a glimpse into the dreamy sonic landscape the two are capable of delivering. The Laurel Cohen-directed video centers on fast cuts of slow motion clips, paired with bright hues and spliced together images to reflect the track’s subtle intricacies. It’s a bit of a craft explosion, as Lily & Madeleine are shown playfully covered in buttons and enveloped in clouds of colored smoke.” “Hourglass” is available instantly with each PRE-ORDER of the record. In celebration of the release, the duo will embark on a nationwide tour this winter, including shows in Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, St. Louis and New York where they will play at Joe’s Pub March 3 See below for complete details. Recorded at home in Bloomington, Ind. with producer Paul Mahern, who also helmed Lily & Madeleine’s lauded debut and sophomore albums, the 10-song record features the help of friends and touring band members Shannon Hayden (cello, mandolin, guitar, Moog) and Kate Siefker (drums, percussion, guitar, bass). Of the project, Madeleine comments, “Working with a closer knit team of just four ladies helped tighten our sound and unify each track into a complete collection. The title of the album is a lyric from the first track ‘Not Gonna,’ which Lily wrote. This simple phrase has a lot of meaning to us: keep your shit together, keep our relationship as sisters together, pressure to keep our image a certain way as young ladies.” Lily adds, “Along with reflecting on the personal bonds that Madeleine and I both have, I also really wanted to focus more on the bigger picture and write about the experience of being a white woman in America and a collegeage kid in the 21st century. As I attempt to further discover who I am as an individual, the way society wants me to define myself is becoming clearer. It seems to me that young people are the same everywhere: regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic class. All young adults are in the same boat, trying to figure out what makes us individuals and trying to find our value in society.” The new recording comes on the heels of the prolific duo’s highly-regarded sophomore release, Fumes, and is the their third full-length album in three years, following an EP and two LPs on Sufjan Stevens’ label Asthmatic Kitty. Of their last effort ELLE Magazine asserted, “...the twosome, known for their pinpoint harmonies and vocal precision, had no reservations about flipping the script this go-round: They amped up the production and gave their new album…a far more bombastic sound,” while NPR Musicpraised, “Fumes is a misleading record, the way a masterfully performed dance is misleading: It looks easy only because the complexities behind it are unfathomable to outsiders. There’s a borderlessness to Lily & Madeleine that leans from seamlessly natural to mesmerizingly preternatural, hinting at deeper forces at work than skill and practice.” Since their debut in 2013, the duo has performed on CBS’ “This Morning,” KCRW’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic,” NPR Music’s “Tiny Desk Concert” series and “A Prairie Home Companion.”
Keep It Together
track-listing1. Not Gonna 2. For the Weak3. Westfield4. Chicago5. Hourglass6. Hotel Pool7. Smoke Tricks8. Midwest Kid9. Small Talk10. Nothing LILY & MADELEINE WINTER 2016 TOURMarch 2—Boston, MA—Café 939March 3—New York, NY—Joe’s PubMarch 4—Philadelphia, PA—World Café Live UpstairsMarch 5—Vienna, VA—Jammin JavaMarch 10—Madison, WI—The FrequencyMarch 11—Minneapolis, MN—IcehouseMarch 12—Chicago, IL—Lincoln HallMarch 13—St. Louis, MO—Off Broadway (additional dates to be announced)
SWMRS Announce Uncool Fest: A Two-Night Release Party at 924 Gilman for Debut Album Drive North
SWMRS ANNOUNCE UNCOOL FESTA TWO-NIGHT RELEASE PARTY AT 924 GILMAN FOR DEBUT ALBUM
DRIVE NORTH
Artwork: Spenser AtlasOAKLAND, CA - December 4, 2015 - In celebration of the release of their debut album Drive North, Bay Area quartet SWMRS today announced Uncool Fest: a two-night all-ages music festival at Berkeley, CA's seminal DIY space 924 Gilman on February 5th and 6th, 2016. SWMRS will headline both nights of the event, performing alongside a hand-picked selection of bands including The Frights, No Parents, Dog Party, and more.
A complete lineup and set times for Uncool Fest can be found below. Single day tickets and two day passes are available starting today HERE.
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5THSATURDAY FEBRUARY 6TH10:00pm - SWMRS (Oakland, CA)10:00pm - SWMRS (Oakland, CA)9:20pm - The Frights (San Diego, CA)9:20pm - No Parents (Los Angeles, CA)8:45pm - Dog Party (Sacramento, CA)8:45pm - Dinosaurs (San Francisco, CA)8:10pm - Mylo Mu (Berkeley, CA)8:10pm - Melted (Corona, CA)7:35pm - Skandalism (San Ramon, CA)7:35pm - Mom Jeans (Berkeley, CA)7:00pm - Creative Native (Oakland, CA)7:00pm - Jakob Danger (Oakland, CA)6:30pm - Doors6:30pm - Doors
December 3, 2015
BEST ALBUMS OF 2015
TOP 50 BEST ALBUMS 2015
1. PURITY RING “Another Eternity”2. KENDRICK LAMAR “To Pimp A Butterfly”3. FATHER JOHN MISTY “I Love You, Honeybear”4. GRIMES “Art Angels”5. BEACH HOUSE “Depression Cherry”6. JULIA HOLTER “Have You In My Wilderness”7. JESSICA PRATT “On Your Own Love Again”8. IBEYI “Ibeyi”9. SLEATER-KINNEY “No Cities To Love”10. JOANNA NEWSOM “Divers”
BEACH HOUSE
WIRE11. WIRE “Wire”12. HIATUS KAIYOTE “Choose Your Weapon”13. NATALIE PRASS “Natalie Prass”14. THE WEATHER STATION “Loyalty”15. DEERHUNTER “Fading Frontier”16. LIGHTNING BOLT “Fantasy Empire”17. PAUL WELLER “Saturn’s Pattern”18. THEE OH SEES “Mutilator Defeated At Last”19. SPEEDY ORTIZ “Foil Deer”20. TORRES “Sprinter”
UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA
CHELSEA WOLFE
DIANE COFFEE21. ALABAMA SHAKES “Sound & Color”22. UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA “Multi-Love”23. GIRLPOOL “Before The World Was Big”24. CHELSEA WOLFE “Abyss”25. FAITH NO MORE “Sol Invictus”26. WOLF ALICE “My Love Is Cool”27. JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION “Freedom Tower”28. DIANE COFFEE “Everybody’s A Good Dog”29. MOURN “Mourn”30. MOON DUO “Shadows of The Sun”
BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE (photo by Angel Ceballos)31. SWERVEDRIVER “I Wasn’t Born To Lose You”32. BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE “Musique de Film Imagine”33. SARAH BETHE NELSON “Fast Moving Clouds”34. THE SOFT MOON “Deeper”35. JOANNE GRUESOME “Peanut Butter”36. MERCURY REV “The Light In You”37. DEATH AND VANILLA “To Where The Wild Things Are”38. JOHANNA WARREN “Numun”39. TAME IMPALA “Currents”40. LANA DEL REY “Honeymoon”
THE BLACK RYDER41. THE BLACK RYDER “The Door Behind The Door”42. LANA DEL REY “Honeymoon”43. TODD RUNDGREN “Global”44. CHASTITY BELT “Time To Go Home”45. COURTNEY BARNETT “Sometimes I Sit and Think, Sometimes I Jus Sit”46. TOBIAS JESSO JR “Goon”47. A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS “Transfixiation”48. YOUNG FATHERS “White Men Are Black Too”49. HOP ALONG “Painted Shut”50. SOAK “Before We Forgot How To Dream”
CHASTITY BELT
A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERSAll photos by Angel Ceballos
Grimes covers this week's issue of NME Magazine!
Grimes covers this week issue of NME Magazine!
Following the release of her critically-acclaimed new album 'Art Angels', multi-media artist Grimes covers this week's issue of NME. Winning the magazine's illustrious 'Album of the Year' title, 'Art Angels' is the follow up to her breakthrough third album 'Visions'.Download it here: smarturl.it/ArtAngels
Stream it here: http://smarturl.it/ArtAngels_StreamFor more information about Grimes:www.grimesmusic.comhttps://instagram.com/actuallygrimes/https://twitter.com/Grimezsz https://www.facebook.com/actuallygrimeshttp://actuallygrimes.tumblr.com/
Following the release of her critically-acclaimed new album 'Art Angels', multi-media artist Grimes covers this week's issue of NME. Winning the magazine's illustrious 'Album of the Year' title, 'Art Angels' is the follow up to her breakthrough third album 'Visions'.Download it here: smarturl.it/ArtAngelsStream it here: http://smarturl.it/ArtAngels_StreamFor more information about Grimes:www.grimesmusic.comhttps://instagram.com/actuallygrimes/https://twitter.com/Grimezsz https://www.facebook.com/actuallygrimeshttp://actuallygrimes.tumblr.com/
PAUL WELLER RELEASES NEW VIDEO FOR "THESE CITY STREETS" FROM GLOBALLY ACCLAIMED ALBUM SATURNS PATTERN
PAUL WELLER RELEASES NEW VIDEO FOR "THESE CITY STREETS" FROM GLOBALLY ACCLAIMED ALBUM SATURNS PATTERN
5-TRACK DIGITAL EP SATURNS PEAKS AVAILABLE BEGINNING DECEMBER 4TH
December 3, 2015 - (Burbank, CA) - Paul Weller has released a brand new video for the track, "These City Streets" from his critically lauded album Saturns Pattern. Weller keyboardist Andy Crofts explains the origin of his elegant visual accompaniment "These City Streets":
"The video for These City Streets pays homage to the many thousands of lovers who have once walked and embraced on the same streets through time. I originally showed Paul a black and white film I had made, which he loved enough to ask me to make something similar featuring model Tara Griffin and myself and liked the idea of it being like a mini film. It's filmed in my usual handheld style and I think it's a beautiful video complementing the song, and where else to film it but Paris (the city of love)." Click here to view "These City Streets".
In other Weller news, a brand new 5-song EP will be released digitally only beginning Dec .4th. SATURNS PEAKS will be comprised of tracks and Saturns Pattern remixes exclusive to this release and available at all participating digital retailers, such as iTunes.
SATURNS PEAKS track-listing: 1. Crossing Over2. Pick it Up (Convergence Remix)3. Saturn's Pattern (StraightFace/Young Fathers Remix)4. Phoenix (Weller/Kybert Remix)5. Going My Way (Remixed by White Label) As previously mentioned, "Pick It Up", the next single from Saturns Pattern , will be released beginning Dec 18th. The 7"vinyl single will be available exclusively in Weller's Online Music Store here. "Pick It Up" will be released as a 2-track single (b/w Jan 'Stan' Kybert's radio edit "Pick It Up Dub"), and on 7" vinyl with a 7" x 7" limited edition art print. Those who pre-order will receive a bonus 7" of new track "On Days Like These," with a B-side featuring "Praise If You Wanna," previously only available on the Japanese formats of Saturns Pattern . This bonus 7" is exclusive to the WBR Weller Store here . Click here to view the official video starring acclaimed British actor and avowed Weller devotee Martin Freeman.
Remaining 2015 Paul Weller UK Tour dates as follows: 12/04 London Eventim Apollo12/05 London Eventim Apollo
5-TRACK DIGITAL EP SATURNS PEAKS AVAILABLE BEGINNING DECEMBER 4TH
December 3, 2015 - (Burbank, CA) - Paul Weller has released a brand new video for the track, "These City Streets" from his critically lauded album Saturns Pattern. Weller keyboardist Andy Crofts explains the origin of his elegant visual accompaniment "These City Streets":
"The video for These City Streets pays homage to the many thousands of lovers who have once walked and embraced on the same streets through time. I originally showed Paul a black and white film I had made, which he loved enough to ask me to make something similar featuring model Tara Griffin and myself and liked the idea of it being like a mini film. It's filmed in my usual handheld style and I think it's a beautiful video complementing the song, and where else to film it but Paris (the city of love)." Click here to view "These City Streets".
In other Weller news, a brand new 5-song EP will be released digitally only beginning Dec .4th. SATURNS PEAKS will be comprised of tracks and Saturns Pattern remixes exclusive to this release and available at all participating digital retailers, such as iTunes.
SATURNS PEAKS track-listing: 1. Crossing Over2. Pick it Up (Convergence Remix)3. Saturn's Pattern (StraightFace/Young Fathers Remix)4. Phoenix (Weller/Kybert Remix)5. Going My Way (Remixed by White Label) As previously mentioned, "Pick It Up", the next single from Saturns Pattern , will be released beginning Dec 18th. The 7"vinyl single will be available exclusively in Weller's Online Music Store here. "Pick It Up" will be released as a 2-track single (b/w Jan 'Stan' Kybert's radio edit "Pick It Up Dub"), and on 7" vinyl with a 7" x 7" limited edition art print. Those who pre-order will receive a bonus 7" of new track "On Days Like These," with a B-side featuring "Praise If You Wanna," previously only available on the Japanese formats of Saturns Pattern . This bonus 7" is exclusive to the WBR Weller Store here . Click here to view the official video starring acclaimed British actor and avowed Weller devotee Martin Freeman.
Remaining 2015 Paul Weller UK Tour dates as follows: 12/04 London Eventim Apollo12/05 London Eventim Apollo
