Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 2589

Willy Mason's Carry On Streaming At American Songwriter

Willy Mason's Carry On Streaming At American Songwriter
Carry On Out August 20 On Communion RecordsOn Tour With Mumford & Sons and Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros "Equal parts hobo and Holden Caulfield...Willy Mason blends precocious
lyricism, spare, jangly guitar, and a world-weary voice that
sounds older than his years." - Rolling Stone
"Mason's lo-fi blues/folk blend is refreshingly humble and unostentatious.  Instead of using
these standards as a springboard for modern adventures in composition, he sticks to their rawboned essence. Unlike some of his peers, Mason doesn't play up that rawness; instead he allows those old Progressions to work their magic..." -Pitchfork 
Listen: Carry On via American Songwriter
Watch: "Talk Me Down" via Paste Magazine
Willy Mason is set to release Carry On on August 20 via Communion Records. In anticipation of the release American Songwriter is running an exclusive full album stream a week before street date. Mason told American Songwriter, "The songs were written in and about the in-betweens of the universe and the recording process was an effort to summon the sacred dragon of electricity and ride its coattails to the great spirit. We rode pretty high and we all seem to have survived the fall." Willy Mason will hit the road this summer and fall in support of Carry On. The upcoming tour includes performances with Mumford & Sons' at The Gentleman Of The Road Stopover Shows and dates supporting Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. All shows are listed below.  Carry On, produced by Dan Carey (MIA, Hot Chip, Franz Ferdinand), is Mason's debut full-length album for Communion Records, the influential UK based record label co-founded by Ben Lovett (Mumford & Sons). The label has been home to notable artists Ben Howard, Michael Kiwanuka, Gotye, Daughterand more. Communion's love and respect for Willy was cemented through Lovett touring with Mason - seeing the new songs take shape and evolve live. Lovett says:
"Willy Mason is one of the greatest Songwriters of our generation. In the UK his music is held up with the legends, and has inspired many people I know. Moving to the US this year and establishing Communion further in North America, I have been stunned by how little familiarity there is with Willy's music, I am stunned by how few people have been touched by his songs. And this emotion, one of injustice, is exactly why I started Communion with my friends and partners in the UK in the first place...Willy Mason sings songs to your soul, and it feels good."
Willy was just 19 when he was discovered by an associate of Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes), which led to the release of his debut album, Where the Humans Eat on Oberst's Team Loverecord label. It was a record that showed us a young man with a tremendous, broad-oaked voice, a great songwriting talent, and a peculiar wisdom beyond his years.  In 2007, he returned with If The Ocean Gets Rough, an album that only underlined his ability to capture the spirit of a time, a place, and a generation. Mason earned massive critical commercial in the UK, selling 150k records and performing to thousands as a headline artist.  
In the years that followed, Mason kept himself busy: writing songs of course, but also playing in friends' bands, promoting shows, teaching music classes, as well as a little shell-fishing, and hosting a radio talk show called 'The Fish & Farm Report'. "The diversity and the range of experiences gave me a chance to learn a lot more about music." Mason says. "I got to further my musicianship. I came to see playing shows and entertainment as a fundamental part of society, and I'm just playing my role."  Willy was also featured in the video for "No Room For Doubt" (approaching one million views on Youtube), a collaboration between he and breakout artist, Liana LaHavas, which helped launch her career in the UK.
All the while, Mason was accumulating a clutch of new songs that would make up 'Carry On'. On his relationship with Carey, Mason states: "Dan was a musical collaborator, and so he had a big influence on the sound," Mason says "He was able to make the beats sound so human, and so it felt like the tracks were laid and I could kind of let go a bit more."
Letting go is perhaps the greatest theme of Carry On. It's present in the rhythms - hints of dub and reggae infusing Mason's characteristic folk structures, and in his voice as well , which swings from gravel-deep to something higher, flightier and more fragile. And of course, it's also packed tight in these songs' lyrics; songs about self-doubt, about love and lost connections, the death of a friend, and a broader, bolder sense of the changing world around us. There is a hope rising anew. Mason says, "I think the album itself is about growing up and trying to find one's place," Mason says, "about making peace with the past, accepting it as part of one's identity and moving forward."
In celebration of the album release, Mason is offering fans the opportunity to download the album track, "Restless Fugitive", for free by visiting his website.
Willy Mason Tour Dates

08.20 - New York, NY @ Rockwood Music Hall08.23 - Simcoe, ON @ Norfolk County Fairgrounds*08.25 - Cincinnati, OH @ Taft Theatre+08.26 - Louisville, KY @ Iroquois Amphitheater+08.28 - Kennett Square, PA @ Longwood Gardens+08.29 - Columbus, OH @ LC Pavilion Outdoor Amphitheater+08.30 - Troy, OH @ Troy Memorial Stadium*09.04 - Austin, TX @ Stubbs Waller Creek+09.05 - Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom+09.06 - Guthrie, OK @ Cottonwood Flats*09.09 - Birmingham AL @ Iron City+09.10 - Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live+09.12 - Saint Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Live+09.13 - St. Augustine, FL @ St. Augustine Francis Field*09.19 - Nashville, TN @ Americana Music Conference10.01 - New York, NY @ Rockwood Music Hall10.02 - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's10.03 - Washington, DC @ Black Cat10.08 - Bloomington, IN @ Bluebird10.09 - Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar10.10 - Nashville, TN @ Marcy Lounge10.15 - Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater10.16 - Madison, WI @ Frequency10.17 - Rock Island, IL @ Daytrotter Barn
# Mumford & Sons* with Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

Tristen to release October record

TRISTEN TO RELEASE NEW RECORD, CAVES, OCTOBER 15  FIRST SINGLE "NO ONE'S GONNA KNOW" AVAILABLE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD
WATCH THE ALBUM TRAILER FOR CAVES

ANNOUNCING FALL TOUR DATES
Tristen will release her sophomore album CAVESon October 15th via her very own Pupsnake Records label. The much anticipated follow up to her critically acclaimed debut Charlatans At The Garden Gate, CAVES was recorded with a hand picked host of A-List Nashville indie-rock session vets, features lush string arrangements written by Tristen herself and  laid down with the help of Bright Eyes producer Mike Mogis at his ARC Recording Studios in Omaha, and to achieve an authentic synth­pop sheen, she enlisted famed New Order, Pet Shop Boys and OMD producer Stephen Hague to mix, a pioneer in the field of digital recording.

Download or Stream "No One's Gonna Know"
https://soundcloud.com/pupsnakerecords/no-ones-gonna-know

Watch the album trailer for CAVES
http://youtu.be/G7pvAAOte-c

CAVES is the follow up to Tristen's acclaimed 2011 debut, Charlatans at the Garden Gate. If Charlatans was the story of Tristen finding her voice in Nashville, the stunning CAVESis the sound of her defining that voice for the world, and setting it to some sleek, synth-pop-inspired tones, once again defying expectations.

"At first I wanted to make a dance record," she says. "That's where my headspace was. ... "I wanted to challenge the acoustic reverence of Americana music world and I wanted to piss off the old folkies. Is there something wrong with that?"

Looking into Tristen's backstory, it's a musical Frankenstein that makes sense. "[Growing up] I had a Dolly Parton greatest hits album that I listened to on repeat," she recalls. "That and Madonna's Immaculate Collection, I always loved Madonna. And that's actually why I wanted to be just 'Tristen,' because I picked that up when I was 14 - that's when I started writing songs." Later, much in the same away, she says a childhood obsession with '60s girl-group pop and the Beatles would blossom into an adult obsession with classic singer-songwriter troubadours and legendary art-rock pioneers. "I would want to be an amalgam of Bob Dylan, David Bowie and Dolly Parton," she says.

Although, lyrically, CAVEScovers a wide breadth of thematic territory, sonically and aesthetically the album is unified by an aesthetic concept: She wanted to make a synth-pop record that combined Charlatans' foundation by casting objects of obsessive Reagan-era influences like Kate Bush, Eurythmics and Echo and the Bunnymen in her own singular image.

With a stellar set of songs locked and loaded for CAVES, the singer tapped luminaries from both ends of that musical spectrum to achieve a very specific goal. "I wanted to mix synthesizers with string arrangements and electronic drums with live drums so that you couldn't tell which was which - I wanted people that were anti-digital to listen to it and not be able judge it's authenticity by it's acoustics." she explains.

"Tristen is a rare combination," Hague says. "The lyrics of a real artist, the voice of a pop star, and the focus of someone who will always bring her A-game. It was a real pleasure for me working with someone who always has her eye on the bigger picture, and is always willing to try different approaches to the work."

Nashville-based? Singer-songwriter? ... Goes by her first name? Do those terms fill your head with expectations of a precious, pint-sized female crooning middle-of-the-road pop with a precious tear-in-beer twang? Well, don't let them. Because, beyond Tristen's sharp-witted lyrical savvy and sophisticated song-craft, her innate ability to defy expectations will leave you hanging on her every note, even in Nashville.

Upcoming tour dates below.

www.tristen.com
Credit: Bekah Cope
Upcoming Tour Dates:
OCTOBER
08 - Washington, DC - Sixth & I Historic Synagogue
09 - Philadelphia, PA - World Cafe live
11 - Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair
12 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
14 - Toronto, ON - The Great Hall
15 - Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark
16 - Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall
18 - Los Angeles, CA - Hotel Cafe
19 - San Francisco, CA - The Chapel

Bill Wyman To Release Limited Edition 'Scrapbook'

FORMER ROLLING STONE, BILL WYMAN TO RELEASE LIMITED EDITION ‘SCRAPBOOK’ IN THE U.S

AN INTIMATE ACCOUNT OF LIFE BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE ROLLING STONES



For the first time ever rock and roll legend and founding member of The Rolling Stones, Bill Wyman is offering American music fans a unique glimpse into his extraordinary life with this limited edition luxury ‘ Scrapbook ’, soon to be available in North America.

Signed by the man himself and certified for authentication, there are only 1962 copies available but for a limited time only, fans can purchase this rare item online before it hits North American stores later this year.

Hand sewn and bound in England using the finest materials and traditional binding methods, ‘ Scrapbook ’ is presented in a glorious, large luxury (370x290mm) portrait format. Built into the back cover is a 10" picture vinyl with rare and unreleased material including previously unheard demos.

‘ Scrapbook ’ chronicles Wyman’s incredible journey and experiences from childhood to this present day. From his early years living through World War II in the south east of London to becoming one of the world’s most famous musicians throughout the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s.

Through-out the years Wyman has collected and archived compelling images, notes, and other artifacts, documenting his time served in the Royal Air Force to more lavish times abroad when vacationing in the South of France with band-mate Mick Jagger, Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, Monty Python’s Eric Idle and their wives.

This unique book is a collectable snippet of history, sharing never seen before photography of pals David Bowie and Keith Moon hanging out in Los Angeles in 1975 to the more somber moments backstage at the Hyde Park concert and funeral for Rolling Stones band-member Brian Jones in London back in1969. Each image is adjoined with personal handwritten narratives, making this book a must-have for any passionate music or history fan.
 Register your interest for ' Scrapbook ' here .
Pre-orders will go live at 09:00AM EST 08/26/13
The first 50 U.S pre-orders of ' Scrapbook' will be accompanied by a hand-signed print from Bill.



Bill Wyman's ‘ Scrapbook ’ will be available exclusively to North American this winter. 

CABARET VOLTAIRE ANNOUNCE BOX SET 11/5

CABARET VOLTAIRE   6 CD / 4 VINYL / 2 DVD BOX SET   #8385 (COLLECTED WORKS 1983-1985)   November 5th, 2013   LISTEN TO TRACKS FROM THE BOX HERE       Cabaret Voltaire continue a series of releases on Mute with #8385 (Collected Works 1984-1985) , a six CD / four vinyl and two DVD box set, out on November 5th, 2013, listen to tracks from the sampler here.   #8385 (Collected Works 1983 - 1985) collates four of Cabaret Voltaire’s classic mid-period releases – remastered - on CD and vinyl - The Crackdown (1983, on the 30th anniversary of its release), Micro-Phonies (1984), Drinking Gasoline (1985) and The Covenant, The Sword and the Arm of the Lord (1985) alongside a CD of Cabaret Voltaire’s 12” tracks from the period and a CD of 12 unreleased tracks entitled Earthshaker .   DVD1, Cabaret Voltaire Live,collates two live shows, the Bedford Boys Club (18.08.84) and Hammersmith Palais (02.12.84) and DVD2 is the long awaited DVD release of Gasoline In Your Eye (1985), an experimental video showcase previously only available on VHS plus the four promotional videos from the time.   #8385 (Collected Works 1983 - 1985) also includes 40-page 12" booklet, notes about Earthshaker, an essay by Phil Barnes and new sleeve notes by Richard H. Kirk.   The box set follows a recent vinyl release for Red Mecca , remastered by Pole’s Stefan Betke, and available on vinyl for the first time in over 20 years. Described by The Wire as “a striking piece of work”. Red Mecca was awarded 8/10 by Uncut and Vinyl Package of the Month by MOJO.   In early 2014 #7885 (Electro Punk to Techno Pop 1978 - 1985) will compile for the first time, both periods of Cabaret Voltaire together on one release.   Cabaret Voltaire, alongside Human League, Throbbing Gristle, Fad Gadget and The Normal, were at the forefront of the UK Electronic Movement of the late '70s. Way ahead of their time, Cabaret Voltaire’s blend of dance music, techno, dub, house and experimental made them, without a doubt, one of the most influential acts of the last 35 years.   Pre-order: shop.cabaret-voltaire.net     Cabaret Voltaire: FACEBOOK | WEBSITE 

Discover The "Breathtaking" Brianna Lea Pruett / New Single

DISCOVER BRIANNA LEA PRUETT'S BREATHTAKING "NO DIAMOND RING" New Album Gypsy Bells Out October 1 via Canyon Records
"Breathtaking Folk" - BULLETT 


"Your songs sound just like mine" - Daniel Dale Johnston
SHARE/STREAM: "No Diamond Ring" via SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/crashave/no-diamond-ring

Today, BULLETT introduces the "breathtaking folk" of Brianna Lea Pruett's "No Diamond Ring" from her upcoming album Gypsy Bells. Out October 1 via Canyon Records, Gypsy Bellsis as informed by Pruett's Cherokee and Choctaw heritage as it is her parent's vinyl collection, with influences ranging from Leonard Cohen and Emmylou Harris to Pruett's personal discoveries of Mazzy Star and Neko Case. Gypsy Bells cuts to the quick within the simplicity and poignant themes across the range of the album seeming juxtaposed to the richness of Pruett's Native American heritage and her California folk traditions.
When speaking to BULLETT, Pruett shined a little light on the overarching process of writing for Gyspy Bells, "I’ve found that I’m happier writing and singing from a perspective of what comes naturally to me , celebrating where I came from, tradition, my family."
Gypsy Bells is out on Canyon Records on October 1, 2013.

Jonathan Rado - Law & Order

Jonathan Rado - Law & OrderStreet Date, September 3rd, 2013, Woodsist

Jonathan Rado is a songwriter, a staid performer, an evangelical producer – the 23-year-old California native’s solo project, fashioned on brief sabbatical from his main project, Foxygen, is a deliciously self-conscious piece of esoteric apocrypha. Like character games, or symphonies of nonsense imitation-language, his records are cathartic, designed only to liberate the body and break the awkwardness of obsessive, existential silence. Alone in a bedroom, the holy land where he’s been experimenting with recording since junior high, Rado laughs nervously and eats his fingernails, awestruck by the sublimity of the aural world. The smallness of his own anemic voice confounds the babe agape, and only by adopting the task of genre does he transcend his own limitations to stand comfortably at the precipice of sound.
On his debut solo album, Law and Order, the San Fernando Valley and the Lower East Side flirt over muddy coffee, get married over corned beef, and give birth to a Motown drum beat – but something is amiss. For example, there is no bass line on LA-psychedel-dance-jam “Seven Horses,” and not a single hand clap satisfies the droning singer’s gently repetitive request, “If you feel it all, clap your hands.” “Hand In Mine” sounds like an idea Johnny Cash had while sleepwalking through a fever dream. June is awakened by a frenzy of crashing symbols and revelatory mumbling as Johnny, pajama’d, arranges equipment atop the bed and holds out an urgently affectionate hand, beckoning her to sing. She complies without ever removing her silken, floral eye-shade.
The zonked-out guitarist settles back to warm Christmas sleep but dreams only of synthesizers. “Looking 4a Girl Like U” is an opium den, and there in the running shower Prince stands, sultry. He kaleidoscopically unbuttons his soaked, sequined shirt for six consecutive minutes, screaming baaaaaby and ego-dancing until “I Wood,” a folk spasm of paranoid schizophrenia in which Rado’s Bob Dylan vowels pile so heavily upon a White Fence-minor progression that Tim Presley actually materializes on “Faces” to turn the water and steamy distortion off. “All The Lights Went Out In Georgia” is a self-loathing diary entry thrown into a fire and “Pot of Gold” gets too drunk, freaks out, and starts hitting on everybody. So Rado wraps up the album and apologizes to everyone, promising not to invite that guy over anymore.
Crafted by a serious conductor of gracelessness and good-humored imperfection, this album champions simplicity, catchiness, and cranberry-plush playfulness, without ever maliciously satirizing the material of inspiration. Rado enters familiar musical forms and puppeteers caricature voices with the most appreciative irreverence and, stretching out on a big burlesque bed, he bends brass platitude until it sounds Rado-y and golden. – JACLYN COHEN

  Track List:

1. Seven Horses
2. Hand in Mine
3. Looking 4a Girl Like U
4. Dance Away Your Ego
5. I Wood
6. Faces
7. Oh, Suzanna!
8. All the Lights Went Out in Georgia
9. I Wanna Feel it Now!!!
10. Would You Always Be At Home
11. Law & Order
12. Pot of Gold

Glasvegas - Rolling Stone Daily Download

Click Here To Download Glasvegas' Title Track Later...When The TV Turns To Static Off Their New Album Due In Stores September 3rd Later...When The TV Turns To Static is Glasvegas' third studio album.  Written and produced by lead vocalist and songwriter, James Allan, this ten track 45 minute sojourn of heartfelt melancholia and broken relationships is set against a backdrop of scorching soundscapes that lift the soul into heights of abandoned euphoria. Fans can click here for an album sampler and first listen: Later...When The TV Turns To Static - Album SamplerThe album 'Later...When The TV Turns To Static' is available for pre-order via the band's website www.glasvegas.net and will be in-stores on September 3rd.
Glasvegas is: James Allan (Vocals, Guitar), Rab Allan (Guitar), Paul Donoghue (Bass), Jonna Löfgren (Drums)
Stay tuned for U.S. touring info.
  glasvegas.net | facebook.com/glasvegas | twitter.com/glasvegas youtube.com/glasvegas | soundcloud.com/glasvegas | glasvegas.tumblr.com
Glasvegas - Photo Credit: Danny North 

White Lung tour w/ Antwon this November & play FFF Fest

WHITE LUNG TOURING THIS NOVEMBER

DATES WITH ANTWON AND PLAYING FUN FUN FUN FESTPHOTO: Gretchen Robinette

LISTEN TO WHITE LUNG’S SORRY LP (DERANGED RECORDS) HERE

Summer fest faves, White Lung, hit the road again this November - touring down to Austin’s Fun Fun Fun Fest with San Jose’s eclectic rapper/musician Antwon.  Vancouver’s furiously melodic punkers have had an intense year – making their TV debut with Carson Daly, being a must see act at festivals such as Bonnaroo, Pitchfork, NXNE, SXSW on top of months of vigorous touring with Iceage, Pissed Jeans, Merchandise, Metz and have been in and out of recording a new album.  Rolling Stone named their second LP, Sorry (Deranged Records), as one of their “Top 10 Albums Of The Year” of 2012 while receiving critical acclaim from SPIN, Pitchfork, Bitch, etc.  Listen to Sorry here: http://whitelung.bandcamp.com/

White Lung is Mish Way (vocals), Anne-Marie Vassiliou (drums), Grady Mackintosh (bass) Kenneth William (guitar)

WHITE LUNG LIVE DATES

11/1: Barboza – Seattle, WA TICKETS #
11/4: Strummers – Fresno, CA TICKETS #
11/5: Soda Bar – San Diego, CA TICKETS #
11/8-11/10: Fun Fun Fun Fest – Austin, TX TICKETS
11/10: Rubber Gloves – Denton, TX TICKETS #
11/11: Lowbrow Palace – El Paso, TX TICKETS #
11/13: Pub Rock Live – Scottsdale, AZ TICKETS #
11/14: Beauty Bar – Las Vegas, NV TICKETS #
11/15: The Echo – Los Angeles, CA TICKETS #
11/16: Crepe Place – Santa Cruz, CA TICKETS #
11/17: Rickshaw Stop – San Francisco, CA TICKETS #

# - w/ Antwon

WHITE LUNG
WHITE LUNG ON FACEBOOK
WHITE LUNG ON BANDCAMP
 

of Montreal shares new single + touring the US this fall

OF MONTREAL SHARES NEW SINGLE "SHE AIN'T SPEAKIN' NOW"
TOURING THE UNITED STATES THIS FALL
LOUSY WITH SYLVIANBRIAR OUT OCTOBER 8TH VIA POLYVINYL  Photograph courtesy of Nina Barnes
After recently announcing a fall US tour with La Luz in support of their forthcoming new album Lousy With Sylvianbriar, of Montreal are back today to share new single "She Ain't Speakin' Now." Premiered yesterday by Rolling Stone, the track fits in the same aesthetic vein as album opener and lead single "Fugitive Air" while also showcasing the new album's softer side, as it bounces between moment of full-on, plugged-in rock & roll squalor and softly cooed vocals over acoustic guitar. Check out the new track, along with all of the band's upcoming tour dates, below.
STREAM: "She Ain't Speakin' Now" -  https://soundcloud.com/polyvinyl-records/she-aint-speakin-now
TOUR DATES   10/18/13 @ 40 Watt Club - Athens, GA10/22/13 @ Cat's Cradle - Carrboro, NC10/23/13 @ U Street Music Hall - Washington, DC10/24/13 @ U Street Music Hall - Washington, DC10/25/13 @ Union Transfer - Philadelphia, PA10/26/13 @ Middle East - Cambridge, MA10/27/13 @ Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY10/28/13 @ Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY*10/29/13 @ Beachland - Cleveland, OH*10/30/13 @ Lincoln Hall - Chicago, IL*10/31/13 @ Majestic Theatre - Madison, WI*11/01/13 @ Cedar Cultural Center - Minneapolis, MN*11/02/13 @ Waiting Room - Omaha, NE*11/03/13 @ Marquis Theater - Denver, CO*11/04/13 @ Urban Lounge - Salt Lake City, UT*11/05/13 @ Korah Shrine - Boise, ID*11/06/13 @ Neomos - Seattle, WA*11/07/13 @ Wonder Ballroom - Portland, OR*11/08/13 @ Great American Music Hall - San Francisco, CA*11/09/13 @ Great American Music Hall - San Francisco, CA*11/10/13 @ Echoplex - Los Angeles, CA*11/11/13 @ Largo at The Coronet - Los Angeles, CA*11/12/13 @ Club Congress - Tucson, AZ*11/14/13 @ Trees - Dallas, TX*11/15/13 @ Mohawk - Austin, TX*11/16/13 @ Howlin' Wolf - New Orleans, LA*11/17/13 @ Terminal West - Atlanta, GA*
* = w/ La Luz

Basia Bulat set to tour with Jim James

BASIA BULAT SET TO TOUR WITH JIM JAMES
TALL TALL SHADOW OUT OCTOBER 1 ON SECRET CITY RECORDS
“Ms. Bulat’s voice is rich and nuanced, and her songs are as sophisticated as they are charming.”—The New York Times
In advance of her headlining tour surriounding highly anticipated new album, Tall Tall Shadow , Basia Bulat will play several dates with Jim James of My Morning Jacket. Bulat will play these dates before embarking on a national tour in support of the album. Bulat’s national tour supporting the album. Secret City Records will release Tall Tall Shadow on October 1. The record is Basia’s third, co-produced with Tim Kingsbury of Arcade Fire and Mark Lawson, Grammy-winning engineer of Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs. Of the record, Basia says, “This time around, I felt braver—I wanted to play with exploring the boundaries of the folk music some people know me for.” The album’s first single can be streamed [HERE] and is available for preorder [HERE].Tall Tall Shadow follows Basia’s 2007 debut album Oh, My Darling and 2010’s Heart of My Own, of which NPR Music says Bulat’s voice is “a single powerful element.” SPIN praises the Juno-nominated singer’s “bright harmonies and … resonant alto voice” and Mother Jones raves, “this crafty Canadian folkie turns seemingly simple songs into engrossing accounts of desire and regret.”Tall Tall Shadow is inspired in equal parts by tragic loss and abundant joy. To reflect that, Basia wrote more directly personal, emotional lyrics. The album marks a sonic departure from her earlier work, moving away from her long-time practice of writing songs on the guitar or autoharp and instead primarily using piano and charango, an instrument which Basia has been unable to put down since receiving it from a friend.Basia chose to work with Lawson and Kingsbury knowing that they would not only challenge her but also push her music to new places. Several cuts on the album were recorded during live, full band takes, an achievement Basia attributes to the creative environment nurtured by her two co-producers. The album also features the work of one of Basia’s favorite collaborators, her brother Bobby.Basia has garnered great critical acclaim; Pitchfork praises her “rare, extraordinary voice,” and Filter declares “Bulat can pine with the best of them.” She has toured in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia sharing the stage with artists including St. Vincent, Tune-Yards, Arcade Fire, Andrew Bird and Nick Cave. She has also collaborated with Owen Pallett, who created orchestral arrangements of a selection of Basia’s songs that have been performed by the Halifax Symphony Orchestra, Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra and the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony.BASIA BULAT TOUR DATES: *with Jim James August 13 - London, UK - Servant Jazz QuartersAugust 31 - Dundas, ON - Christie Lake Conservation (Harvest Picnic)September 8 - Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre *September 9 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown *September 11 - Lawrence, KS - Liberty Hall *September 12- Tulsa, OK - Cain’s Ballroom *October 01 - Montreal, QC - Cabaret du Mile EndOctober 04 - Quebec City, QC - Le CercleOctober 5 - Ottawa, ON - National Arts CenterOctober 10 - Toronto, ON - Polish Combatants AssociationNovember 06 - Stoughton, WI - Stoughton Opera HouseNovember 07 - Chicago, IL - SchubasNovember 08 - St. Louis - Off BroadwayNovember 10 - Cincinnati, OH - MOTR PubNovember 12 - Nashville, TN - The Stone FoxNovember 13 - Decatur, GA - Eddie's AtticNovember 14 - Asheville, NC - Grey EagleNovember 15 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat's CradleNovember 20 - Philadelphia, PA @ Boot & SaddleNovember 23 - New York, NY @ Bowery BallroomNovember 29 - Calgary, AB - Festival HallNovember 30 - Edmonton, AB - Avenue TheatreDecember 04 - Victoria, BC - Sugar NightclubDecember 05 - Vancouver, BC - The Rio TheatreDecember 06 - Seattle, WA @ BarbozaDecember 07 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir LoungeDecember 09 - San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel