Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 2618
June 3, 2013
THE ICONIC AND GRAMMY-WINNING ROCK BAND YES
THE ICONIC AND GRAMMY-WINNING ROCK BAND
YES
ANNOUNCE THE FIRST-EVER
‘YESTIVAL’
A FULL DAY-INTO- NIGHT MUSIC FESTIVAL IN FULL QUADRAPHONIC SOUND
TO TAKE PLACE AT SUSQUEHANNA BANK CENTER SATURDAY, AUGUST 3 TICKETS GO ON SALE FRIDAY, JUNE 7 AT 10AM
Pictured, from left: Steve Howe, Geoff Downes, Jon Davison, Alan White, Chris Squire
The iconic and Grammy-winning rock band YES have announced their first-ever festival--YESTIVAL, a day-into-night musical adventure in full quadraphonic sound--for Saturday, August 3 at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, NJ. The multi-platinum progressive rock titans--performing their classic albums 1971’s THE YES ALBUM and 1972’s CLOSE TO THE EDGE in their entirety and more--will be joined by like-minded artists such as The Musical Box, Renaissance featuring Anne Haslam, Carl Palmer's ELP Legacy, and other acts TBA. Tickets go on sale Friday, June 7 at 10 AM EST and will start at just $35. Tickets will be available at Ticketmaster.com, Susquehanna Bank Center Box Office, Live Nation Box Office, Ticketmaster outlets or by-phone at 800-745-3000. YESTIVAL is presented by Live Nation.
Says YES bassist CHRIS SQUIRE, "This is a concept we've been trying to put into motion for some time, and only now we've been able to turn it into reality. We're looking forward to starting YESTIVAL out in the Philadelphia area, which has been a Yes stronghold since the '70s."
The Musical Box is a band that is internationally acclaimed for its historically accurate re-enactment of Genesis early work. As part of the 40thcommemorative anniversary, the band will perform the FOXTROT SHOW as presented by Genesis in 1973. The Musical Box, exclusively licensed by Peter Gabriel and Genesis, has become the reference in the interpretation of contemporary music. Peter Gabriel saw a performance and said "The Musical Box recreated, very accurately, what Genesis was doing.” Genesis co-founder Michael Rutherford added, “It was better than the real thing.”
Carl Palmer's ELP Legacy will be performing innovative versions of classic Emerson, Lake & Palmer hits. Palmer, named by ROLLING STONE magazine as one of the 10 greatest drummers of all time, has been performing for audiences for nearly four decades with some of music’s most memorable bands like Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Asia.
Renaissance is a band which for 44 years has been acclaimed for their unique blending of progressive rock with classic and symphonic influences.
YESTIVAL will also feature a second stage of all-day entertainment with performances by up-and-coming progressive rock bands such as Scale The Summit and a special appearance by The School Of Rock, as well as an art showing by Roger Dean, whose visuals and album covers for many bands including YES, Uriah Heep and Asia have played an important part in the history of progressive rock.
YES--bassist CHRIS SQUIRE, guitarist STEVE HOWE, drummer ALAN WHITE, keyboardist GEOFF DOWNES and singer JON DAVISON--has been enjoying a successful 2013, with a world tour marking the first time since 1973 that the band has performed any album onstage in their entirety. The North American tour will continue starting July 6 in Paso Robles, CA and include stops in Anaheim, CA, Las Vegas, NV,Atlanta, GA, Washington, DC and Montreal, CAN, wrapping up on August 12 in Indianapolis, IN. Go to www.yesworld.com for the latest tour dates and ticket links. For tickets and special VIP packages to YESTIVAL go to www.ticketmaster.com. In addition, CID Entertainment is offering travel packages to YESTIVAL with accommodations in Philadelphia and your choice of VIP tickets here:www.cidentertainment.com/home/yestival.php. Critical Praise For YES’ 2013 Tour: “…the music was as rich and challenging and mesmerizing as ever, glacial one moment, grooving the next. Few bands that have lasted this long can say the same, let alone actually do justice to past glories. But that’s just Yes, bucking logic yet still proving exceptional.”
--Ben Wener, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 3/7/13
“Where other prog-rockers try to be classical musicians, [Steve] Howe delivered an unpretentious blend of jazz, blues, flamenco and folk. The results were often stunning.”
--Thor Christensen, DALLAS MORNING NEWS , 3/22/13
June 1, 2013
May 31, 2013
Alessi Ark @ Mystery Spot June 1st 2013
Alessi Ark is playing a free show @ Mystery Spot Antiques on June 1st 2013
It takes place in Upstate NY, in Phoenicia. Contact the venue for set times.
BOARDS OF CANADA LIVE ALBUM TRANSMISSION
JOIN US
------
BOARDS OF CANADA
TOMORROW'S HARVEST
------
LIVE ALBUM TRANSMISSION
BOARDSOFCANADA.COM
------
MONDAY 3RD JUNE
13:00 PST | 16:00 EST | 21:00 UK | 22:00 EU | 05:00 JP (4TH JUNE)
------
FACEBOOK EVENT:
https://www.facebook.com/events/133438326851947/
TOMORROW'S HARVEST OUT JUNE 11
SOKO announces tour and new album
SOKO
SINGER-SONGWRITER-MUSICIAN
ANNOUNCES LOS ANGELES AND NEW YORK SHOWS KCRW’s “MORNING BECOMES ECLECTIC” WITH JASON BENTLEY
INTERVIEW AND PERFORMANCE ON TAP FOR JUNE
U.S. DEBUT ALBUM
‘I THOUGHT I WAS AN ALIEN’
TO BE RELEASED TUESDAY, JUNE 11
VIA COMMUNITY MUSIC
Singer-songwriter-musician
SOKO
has announced a series of performances and appearances throughout June in Los Angeles and New York, pegged to the release of her U.S. debut full-length album. Titled
I THOUGHT I WAS AN ALIEN
--a mix of dream pop, authentic lyrics and otherworldly orchestral flourishes--it’s due out June 11 via Community Music, the Los Angeles-based indie label founded by Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. Look for the SOKO to appear on KCRW’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic” with host Jason Bentley in June. Meanwhile, SOKO is the featured “Star You Should Know” in the publication
VARIETY
on stands this week.
On June 1, SoKo will perform at Make Music Pasadena on the Luckman Stage at the Alliance Francaise building (34 E. Union Street) as part of Make Music Pasadena; doors are at 5:30pm and SoKo’s set time is 8:00pm. The following Friday, on June 7 SoKo will join Black Lips, Bleached, Kitten, Free Energy and more at the Jubilee in downtown LA, she’ll perform at 7:55pm on the Myra Stage.
On Tuesday, June 11, the day of release for I THOUGHT I WAS AN ALIEN , SOKO will perform during a special event at Sonos Studio (145 N. LA Brea Ave, LA, CA) in Los Angeles at 7:00pm. Fans will be treated to a live performance and party, art installation and Q&A presented by the popular site Nowness (media rsvp below). During a Q&A session, SOKO will elaborate on the creative process behind the album, her music career, acting career, inspirations and motivations. The chanteuse will also premiere the video for a brand new song, “I Just Want To Make It New With You/Monster Love”. The event will culminate with her performing select tracks for the intimate audience. Next, SOKO will head to New York City for a special night of double performances at the critically acclaimed, wildly, interactive play “Sleep No More” on Thursday, June 13 at the McKittrick Hotel (542 W. 27th St. NY, NY). SOKO’s set times at “Sleep No More” are 6:00pm and 8:30pm (media invite below).
SOKO is one-of-a-kind: intimate, lo-fi, crazy, sexy, funny, tear-stained, heartbreaking, often all at once. I THOUGHT I WAS AN ALIEN is full of love and loss and worry, the kind of fundamental, life-dictating human feelings which are so far beyond rational explanation. SOKO has the rare ability to sing openly about those feelings, in a way which is utterly compelling, sometimes devastating, but also, completely uplifting. "The title I THOUGHT I WAS AN ALIEN is about social alienation,” explains SOKO. The explosive young Frenchwoman’s songs have already touched people around the world, earning her a devoted, global following. Since her teens, SOKO has been on a roller coaster journey. From a stockpile of over 100 songs, she finally whittled them down to 14 for I THOUGHT I WAS AN ALIEN.Prolific songwriting aside, SOKO has appeared in 13 French films. She won “Best Actress” last Fall at the Mar Del Plata Film Festival in Argentina for her starring role in Augustine (Music Box) and she’s been nominated for a César Award for (In the Beginning, French: À l'origine). SOKO is garnering rave reviews for Augustine out now in limited U.S. release (see U.S. theaters below). For a list of theaters showing Augustine, visit: http://www.musicboxfilms.com/augustine-movies-66.php.
Currently in the U.S. for a promo trek, SOKO will announce plans for a nationwide music tour soon. See all current dates below.
DATE
CITYVENUESET TIME Sat6/1 Pasadena, CAAlliance Francaise-Luckman Stage-Make Music Pasadena8:00PMFri6/7 Los Angeles, CAJubilee Music Festival7:55PMTue6/11 Los Angeles, CASOKO at Sonos Studio7:00PMThu6/13 New York, NY"Sleep No More" at the McKittrick Hotel6:00PMThu6/13 New York, NY"Sleep No More" at the McKittrick Hotel8:30PMSat6/29 Bialystok, PolandHalfway Festival
Mon7/26 Klagenfurt, AustriaAcoustic Lakeside Festival
To read more about the VARIETY story, click here:
http://variety.com/2013/film/news/soko-international-star-you-should-know-1200488725
http://www.s-o-k-o.com
https://www.facebook.com/soko
https://twitter.com/SoKothecat
http://www.youtube.com/sokomusic
http://instagram.com/sokothecat#
SINGER-SONGWRITER-MUSICIAN
ANNOUNCES LOS ANGELES AND NEW YORK SHOWS KCRW’s “MORNING BECOMES ECLECTIC” WITH JASON BENTLEY
INTERVIEW AND PERFORMANCE ON TAP FOR JUNE
U.S. DEBUT ALBUM
‘I THOUGHT I WAS AN ALIEN’
TO BE RELEASED TUESDAY, JUNE 11
VIA COMMUNITY MUSIC
Singer-songwriter-musician
SOKO
has announced a series of performances and appearances throughout June in Los Angeles and New York, pegged to the release of her U.S. debut full-length album. Titled
I THOUGHT I WAS AN ALIEN
--a mix of dream pop, authentic lyrics and otherworldly orchestral flourishes--it’s due out June 11 via Community Music, the Los Angeles-based indie label founded by Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. Look for the SOKO to appear on KCRW’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic” with host Jason Bentley in June. Meanwhile, SOKO is the featured “Star You Should Know” in the publication
VARIETY
on stands this week.On June 1, SoKo will perform at Make Music Pasadena on the Luckman Stage at the Alliance Francaise building (34 E. Union Street) as part of Make Music Pasadena; doors are at 5:30pm and SoKo’s set time is 8:00pm. The following Friday, on June 7 SoKo will join Black Lips, Bleached, Kitten, Free Energy and more at the Jubilee in downtown LA, she’ll perform at 7:55pm on the Myra Stage.
On Tuesday, June 11, the day of release for I THOUGHT I WAS AN ALIEN , SOKO will perform during a special event at Sonos Studio (145 N. LA Brea Ave, LA, CA) in Los Angeles at 7:00pm. Fans will be treated to a live performance and party, art installation and Q&A presented by the popular site Nowness (media rsvp below). During a Q&A session, SOKO will elaborate on the creative process behind the album, her music career, acting career, inspirations and motivations. The chanteuse will also premiere the video for a brand new song, “I Just Want To Make It New With You/Monster Love”. The event will culminate with her performing select tracks for the intimate audience. Next, SOKO will head to New York City for a special night of double performances at the critically acclaimed, wildly, interactive play “Sleep No More” on Thursday, June 13 at the McKittrick Hotel (542 W. 27th St. NY, NY). SOKO’s set times at “Sleep No More” are 6:00pm and 8:30pm (media invite below).
SOKO is one-of-a-kind: intimate, lo-fi, crazy, sexy, funny, tear-stained, heartbreaking, often all at once. I THOUGHT I WAS AN ALIEN is full of love and loss and worry, the kind of fundamental, life-dictating human feelings which are so far beyond rational explanation. SOKO has the rare ability to sing openly about those feelings, in a way which is utterly compelling, sometimes devastating, but also, completely uplifting. "The title I THOUGHT I WAS AN ALIEN is about social alienation,” explains SOKO. The explosive young Frenchwoman’s songs have already touched people around the world, earning her a devoted, global following. Since her teens, SOKO has been on a roller coaster journey. From a stockpile of over 100 songs, she finally whittled them down to 14 for I THOUGHT I WAS AN ALIEN.Prolific songwriting aside, SOKO has appeared in 13 French films. She won “Best Actress” last Fall at the Mar Del Plata Film Festival in Argentina for her starring role in Augustine (Music Box) and she’s been nominated for a César Award for (In the Beginning, French: À l'origine). SOKO is garnering rave reviews for Augustine out now in limited U.S. release (see U.S. theaters below). For a list of theaters showing Augustine, visit: http://www.musicboxfilms.com/augustine-movies-66.php.
Currently in the U.S. for a promo trek, SOKO will announce plans for a nationwide music tour soon. See all current dates below.
DATE
CITYVENUESET TIME Sat6/1 Pasadena, CAAlliance Francaise-Luckman Stage-Make Music Pasadena8:00PMFri6/7 Los Angeles, CAJubilee Music Festival7:55PMTue6/11 Los Angeles, CASOKO at Sonos Studio7:00PMThu6/13 New York, NY"Sleep No More" at the McKittrick Hotel6:00PMThu6/13 New York, NY"Sleep No More" at the McKittrick Hotel8:30PMSat6/29 Bialystok, PolandHalfway Festival
Mon7/26 Klagenfurt, AustriaAcoustic Lakeside Festival
To read more about the VARIETY story, click here:
http://variety.com/2013/film/news/soko-international-star-you-should-know-1200488725
http://www.s-o-k-o.com
https://www.facebook.com/soko
https://twitter.com/SoKothecat
http://www.youtube.com/sokomusic
http://instagram.com/sokothecat#
Icona Pop's 'Girlfriend' and us tour
Icona Pop's '
Girlfriend
'.
THE ICONIC TOUR DATES
*New dates added
06/02 – Ozark, AZ - Wakarusa Festival
06/08 – New York, NY – Governor’s Ball Music Festival
08/02 – Chicago, IL – Lollapalooza Festival
08/03 – ON, Canada – Grove Music Festival
08/04 – Montreal, QC – Osheaga Festival
08/12 – Asheville, NC - Orange Peel*
08/13 – Nashville, TN - Exit / In*
08/14 – Atlanta, GA - Masquerade*
08/16 – Orlando, FL House of Blues*
08/17 – Miami, FL Grand Central*
08/18 – Tampa, FL The Ritz*
08/20 – New Orleans, LA House of Blues*
08/21 – Houston, TX Fitzgerald's*08/22 – San Antonio, TX Backstage Live* 08/23 – Austin, TX Emo's East*
08/24 – Dallas, TX House of Blues*
08/26 – Phoenix, AZ The Crescent Ballroom*
08/28 – Santa Ana, CA The Observatory*
08/29 – Los Angeles, CA The Fonda Theatre*
08/30 – San Francisco, CA The Fillmore*
09/03 – Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom*
09/04 – Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom*
09/06 – Salt Lake City, UT The Complex*
09/07 – Denver, CO Gothic Theatre* 09/10 – Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theatre*
09/11 – Milwaukee, WI Turner Hall Ballroom*
09/15 – Cleveland, OH House of Blues* 09/19 - Boston, MA Paradise*
09/20 – New York, NY Webster Hall*
9/22 – Philadelphia, PA Theatre of the Living Arts *
*w/ K.Flay & Sirah
Iconic EP is available on iTunes , Amazon and Spotify .
THE ICONIC TOUR DATES
*New dates added
06/02 – Ozark, AZ - Wakarusa Festival
06/08 – New York, NY – Governor’s Ball Music Festival
08/02 – Chicago, IL – Lollapalooza Festival
08/03 – ON, Canada – Grove Music Festival
08/04 – Montreal, QC – Osheaga Festival
08/12 – Asheville, NC - Orange Peel*
08/13 – Nashville, TN - Exit / In*
08/14 – Atlanta, GA - Masquerade*
08/16 – Orlando, FL House of Blues*
08/17 – Miami, FL Grand Central*
08/18 – Tampa, FL The Ritz*
08/20 – New Orleans, LA House of Blues*
08/21 – Houston, TX Fitzgerald's*08/22 – San Antonio, TX Backstage Live* 08/23 – Austin, TX Emo's East*
08/24 – Dallas, TX House of Blues*
08/26 – Phoenix, AZ The Crescent Ballroom*
08/28 – Santa Ana, CA The Observatory*
08/29 – Los Angeles, CA The Fonda Theatre*
08/30 – San Francisco, CA The Fillmore*
09/03 – Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom*
09/04 – Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom*
09/06 – Salt Lake City, UT The Complex*
09/07 – Denver, CO Gothic Theatre* 09/10 – Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theatre*
09/11 – Milwaukee, WI Turner Hall Ballroom*
09/15 – Cleveland, OH House of Blues* 09/19 - Boston, MA Paradise*
09/20 – New York, NY Webster Hall*
9/22 – Philadelphia, PA Theatre of the Living Arts *
*w/ K.Flay & Sirah
Iconic EP is available on iTunes , Amazon and Spotify .
ADULT. @ The Echo June 2nd
ADULT.Upcoming Tour Dates / 05.31.13 - Assembly / Sacramento Electronic Music Festival - Sacramento, CA 06.02.13 - Echo - Los Angeles, CA *06.08.13 - 285 Kent - Brooklyn, NY #06.22.13 - Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL
09.05.13 - Hopscotch Festival - Raleigh, NC * with Frank Alpine and Von Haze
# with Black Marble, ERAAS and YOU Press Quotes /"Grim, stripped-bare techno, razor-sharp synth-pop, and snarling electro-punk...It's terrifically conceived and even more terrifically crafted, the sort of record so perfect in its own aims that parsing out influences or agendas seems a fool's game. These tracks, this duo, this entity that is Adult.: they're a great and interesting thing, this nation's best inducers of head-banging, high-speed driving, amazed chuckles, and giddy bedroom shout." Pitchfork "Stripped of ratty bass panic attacks and atonal splatter, consonant arrangements and blanched analogue melodies manifest in wraithlike contortions." Electronic Musician "What's surprising about the wonky synth lines and smiting, deadpan vocals on their excellent return to the studio, The Way Things Fall, is very fresh and how of-the-moment they sound, like something you might hear at a fog-machine-filled cold wave party today, only with an emphasis on clarity of form, instead of hazy subterfuge." FADER"Electronic elements with a sharper punk edge...it’s a living, breathing concoction of analog instrumentation and electronic aesthetic, with a minimal diffidence that pushes and pulls." BULLETT
The Way Things Fall Tracklisting /01. Heartbreak
02. Idle (Second Thoughts)
03. Tonight, We Fall
04. New Frustration
05. Love Lies
06. At The End Of It All
07. Nothing Lasts
08. A Day Like Forever
09. We Will Rest
10. Rise & FallAssets / ADULT. Stream "Idle (Second Thoughts)"ADULT. Stream "Tonight, We Fall"ADULT. Video for "Idle (Second Thoughts)"ADULT.'s Public Service Announcement VideoLinks /ADULT. FacebookADULT. TwitterADULT. Official WebsiteGhostly International
ADULT. Press Materials
May 30, 2013
SUUNS @ The Echo tonight
SUNS will be playing the ECHO tonight, Thursday May 30th 2013.
Spectrals Stream Full 'Sob Story' LP
Spectrals Stream Full 'Sob Story' LP On SPINOut June 18th On Slumberland Records
Click Here To Stream Full 'Sob Story' LP On SPIN
"With Sob Story Spectrals have come of age. I was lucky to be able to work with them when I did. Our sessions found Louis and his writing at its most honest and direct. Our mantra while recording was always, " make it exciting and cut the fat". Sob Story is the outcome of that and I, personally could not be happier with the results. - Chet JR White"
'Sob Story' Tracklisting01. Let Me Cave In
02. A Heartbeat Behind
03. Karaoke
04. Sob Story
05. Milky Way
06. Friend Zone
07. Limousine
08. Something To Cry About
09. Blue Whatever
10. Keep Your Magic Out Of My House
11. Gentle
12. In A Bad WayMedia
Click Here To Listen To "Sob Story" Track On The Fader
Click Here To Listen To "A Heartbeat Behind" Track On SPIN
Click Here To Listen To "Milky Way" Track On Pitchfork
LinksSpectrals Website
Spectrals Facebook
Spectrals Twitter
In 2009 Spectrals began life as a one man band. That one man was Heckmondwike, Yorkshire resident, Louis Jones, and he played everything on his early releases himself. A number of singles were released on labels such as Captured Tracks, Tough Love, Underwater People and Moshi Moshi; somewhere along the way Louis recruited his brother, Will, to play drums; touring band members came and went, but the core of the two brothers remains to this day.In 2011 Spectrals signed to Slumberland (in North America) and Wichita (for the rest of the world) and those labels released the debut album, Bad Penny. Recorded by Richard Formby (Wild Beasts, Spectrum etc.), the album was critically acclaimed, with Pitchfork giving it a 7.5 and described it as having “a youthful spirit but rooted in a classic sound”, whilst the NME gave it a 7, welcoming “another intelligent, funny, soul-baring songwriter to the fold”. They also named Louis as “the Slacker Poet... a mantle not lightly bestowed” in a more recent article about their favorite recent lyricists.But what of the new album?Well, after an understated guitar intro, a buzzsaw starts up and 'Let Me Cave In' comes sliding in. At once it is obvious that Sob Story oozes a new confidence not heard on Bad Penny or his earlier releases. The songs sparkle: they are catchier, poppier, more direct into your ears than ever before.The album displays Louis's wide-ranging influences – many loves developed on family car journeys growing up – from Big Star and The Rolling Stones, through Nick Lowe, Tom Petty and Slade to Galaxie 500 and even blink-182. Some of these sounds are more obvious than others but it is legendary Welsh rock 'n' roller Dave Edmunds that Louis names as the key influence on his songwriting and the sound he wanted on this record, saying that he was “trying to cop some of those Country and Rockabilly licks he does”.Louis takes all these influences and puts them together to create something that is undeniably Spectrals. You might argue that he does this in a similar manner to his very favorite musician (“that's my guy”), the one and only, Elvis Costello (on a recent run of solo shows, the only song that Louis played that was not taken from his new album was a cover of an early, rough Costello demo, 'Cheap Reward'.)Much like Jones on this new album, Costello has always been a musician who could traverse many styles across an album but who never lost his own style and voice whilst doing so.And speaking of voices, what really stands out as you listen to Sob Story is how the once shy Jones, who would hide his vocal in a cloak of echo, can be heard singing more clearly, strongly and proudly than ever before. Long gone are the reverb-soaked days when Louis would be heard at gigs asking the soundman to turn the reverb on his vocals up between every song, whilst also requesting they not even turn it off between songs when he speaks to the audience (something that is a commonplace practice for most musicians) because he didn't like to hear himself in the monitors without it.So what has caused this undeniable leap in confidence? It could well be the result of two years on the road, touring with the likes of Real Estate (and as support act, as well as backing band, to the R.E. side-project, Ducktails), Cults (two months across North America), Best Coast, The Cribs and many others, including GIRLS.There was a strong mutual-appreciation between Spectrals and GIRLS from the start and having got to know Chet “JR” White from the band, and being a fan of his production work for is own band, it made perfect sense to ask him if he would like to work on the next Spectrals record. Following a meeting at the legendary, if somewhat rough-around-the-edges, Bull & Gate pub in London's Kentish Town, JR said he was into the idea too and plans were made for Louis and Will to fly out to San Francisco to start laying down the songs that now make-up Sob Story at the Decibelle studio.Working in his hometown allowed JR to call in friends of his to contribute their own magic to moments of the album. Guitarist Jon Anderson added lead guitar to five of the twelve tracks, of whom, with typical modesty, Louis said “it was ace to have a real guitar player around”. The band were also joined on three songs by pedal-steel player, Tom Heyman. “It was a big deal to have a pedal steel player come and play on one of my records”, said the Spectrals mainman, “to me the sound of those things is like a shorthand for "sad" and a thing they have on proper studio albums. I was thinking how I could have the songs sound more sad and knew I had to get a pedal steel in”.JR even played some of the basslines himself, as well as adding some deft manipulation from behind the soundboard, for example the atmospherics that he created for one of the stand-out tracks, 'Milky Way'. As JR said in a recent interview for Paste magazine, “we had to use a lot of creativity and in the end, it sounds really cohesive and big. It’s not a lo-fi record”.The central theme of this record is love – that has always been the case with Spectrals, as Jones once said it's all “just about love really” – but this time the lyrics are more reflecting on and questioning of love and relationships.There are songs that are clearly loves songs in the classic sense ('Limousine', 'Milky Way', 'Sob Story'). The problems of long-distance relationships are covered in 'Blue Whatever' (“I've been blue as a bruise ever since you went down / 'cause to me it could just as well be another galaxy”); that same topic, as well as the problems caused by being away on tour so much, come up in 'Karaoke' (“If I stop playing guitar / Learn to drive a car / And try and get my head around living in another town”); he discusses how he can be the cause of their problems in 'A Heartbeat Behind' (“I made such hard work of loving you / Love became a hobby too / I'm in no way badly done to / After all, I have you”); and with his characteristic humor, 'Something To Cry About' tackles a question asked by a number of journalists when reviewing Bad Penny – what will he write songs about if he doesn't have trouble in love???Sob Story sees Spectrals back and better than ever, brimming with confidence and the best songs of the Jones brothers' careers so far. It's an album that begs to be played again as soon as it finishes and one that will also create excitement at what is to come next from this band, whether Louis is lucky or unlucky in love between now and then.
Click Here To Stream Full 'Sob Story' LP On SPIN
"With Sob Story Spectrals have come of age. I was lucky to be able to work with them when I did. Our sessions found Louis and his writing at its most honest and direct. Our mantra while recording was always, " make it exciting and cut the fat". Sob Story is the outcome of that and I, personally could not be happier with the results. - Chet JR White"
'Sob Story' Tracklisting01. Let Me Cave In
02. A Heartbeat Behind
03. Karaoke
04. Sob Story
05. Milky Way
06. Friend Zone
07. Limousine
08. Something To Cry About
09. Blue Whatever
10. Keep Your Magic Out Of My House
11. Gentle
12. In A Bad Way
Media
Click Here To Listen To "Sob Story" Track On The Fader
Click Here To Listen To "A Heartbeat Behind" Track On SPIN
Click Here To Listen To "Milky Way" Track On Pitchfork
LinksSpectrals Website
Spectrals Facebook
Spectrals Twitter
In 2009 Spectrals began life as a one man band. That one man was Heckmondwike, Yorkshire resident, Louis Jones, and he played everything on his early releases himself. A number of singles were released on labels such as Captured Tracks, Tough Love, Underwater People and Moshi Moshi; somewhere along the way Louis recruited his brother, Will, to play drums; touring band members came and went, but the core of the two brothers remains to this day.In 2011 Spectrals signed to Slumberland (in North America) and Wichita (for the rest of the world) and those labels released the debut album, Bad Penny. Recorded by Richard Formby (Wild Beasts, Spectrum etc.), the album was critically acclaimed, with Pitchfork giving it a 7.5 and described it as having “a youthful spirit but rooted in a classic sound”, whilst the NME gave it a 7, welcoming “another intelligent, funny, soul-baring songwriter to the fold”. They also named Louis as “the Slacker Poet... a mantle not lightly bestowed” in a more recent article about their favorite recent lyricists.But what of the new album?Well, after an understated guitar intro, a buzzsaw starts up and 'Let Me Cave In' comes sliding in. At once it is obvious that Sob Story oozes a new confidence not heard on Bad Penny or his earlier releases. The songs sparkle: they are catchier, poppier, more direct into your ears than ever before.The album displays Louis's wide-ranging influences – many loves developed on family car journeys growing up – from Big Star and The Rolling Stones, through Nick Lowe, Tom Petty and Slade to Galaxie 500 and even blink-182. Some of these sounds are more obvious than others but it is legendary Welsh rock 'n' roller Dave Edmunds that Louis names as the key influence on his songwriting and the sound he wanted on this record, saying that he was “trying to cop some of those Country and Rockabilly licks he does”.Louis takes all these influences and puts them together to create something that is undeniably Spectrals. You might argue that he does this in a similar manner to his very favorite musician (“that's my guy”), the one and only, Elvis Costello (on a recent run of solo shows, the only song that Louis played that was not taken from his new album was a cover of an early, rough Costello demo, 'Cheap Reward'.)Much like Jones on this new album, Costello has always been a musician who could traverse many styles across an album but who never lost his own style and voice whilst doing so.And speaking of voices, what really stands out as you listen to Sob Story is how the once shy Jones, who would hide his vocal in a cloak of echo, can be heard singing more clearly, strongly and proudly than ever before. Long gone are the reverb-soaked days when Louis would be heard at gigs asking the soundman to turn the reverb on his vocals up between every song, whilst also requesting they not even turn it off between songs when he speaks to the audience (something that is a commonplace practice for most musicians) because he didn't like to hear himself in the monitors without it.So what has caused this undeniable leap in confidence? It could well be the result of two years on the road, touring with the likes of Real Estate (and as support act, as well as backing band, to the R.E. side-project, Ducktails), Cults (two months across North America), Best Coast, The Cribs and many others, including GIRLS.There was a strong mutual-appreciation between Spectrals and GIRLS from the start and having got to know Chet “JR” White from the band, and being a fan of his production work for is own band, it made perfect sense to ask him if he would like to work on the next Spectrals record. Following a meeting at the legendary, if somewhat rough-around-the-edges, Bull & Gate pub in London's Kentish Town, JR said he was into the idea too and plans were made for Louis and Will to fly out to San Francisco to start laying down the songs that now make-up Sob Story at the Decibelle studio.Working in his hometown allowed JR to call in friends of his to contribute their own magic to moments of the album. Guitarist Jon Anderson added lead guitar to five of the twelve tracks, of whom, with typical modesty, Louis said “it was ace to have a real guitar player around”. The band were also joined on three songs by pedal-steel player, Tom Heyman. “It was a big deal to have a pedal steel player come and play on one of my records”, said the Spectrals mainman, “to me the sound of those things is like a shorthand for "sad" and a thing they have on proper studio albums. I was thinking how I could have the songs sound more sad and knew I had to get a pedal steel in”.JR even played some of the basslines himself, as well as adding some deft manipulation from behind the soundboard, for example the atmospherics that he created for one of the stand-out tracks, 'Milky Way'. As JR said in a recent interview for Paste magazine, “we had to use a lot of creativity and in the end, it sounds really cohesive and big. It’s not a lo-fi record”.The central theme of this record is love – that has always been the case with Spectrals, as Jones once said it's all “just about love really” – but this time the lyrics are more reflecting on and questioning of love and relationships.There are songs that are clearly loves songs in the classic sense ('Limousine', 'Milky Way', 'Sob Story'). The problems of long-distance relationships are covered in 'Blue Whatever' (“I've been blue as a bruise ever since you went down / 'cause to me it could just as well be another galaxy”); that same topic, as well as the problems caused by being away on tour so much, come up in 'Karaoke' (“If I stop playing guitar / Learn to drive a car / And try and get my head around living in another town”); he discusses how he can be the cause of their problems in 'A Heartbeat Behind' (“I made such hard work of loving you / Love became a hobby too / I'm in no way badly done to / After all, I have you”); and with his characteristic humor, 'Something To Cry About' tackles a question asked by a number of journalists when reviewing Bad Penny – what will he write songs about if he doesn't have trouble in love???Sob Story sees Spectrals back and better than ever, brimming with confidence and the best songs of the Jones brothers' careers so far. It's an album that begs to be played again as soon as it finishes and one that will also create excitement at what is to come next from this band, whether Louis is lucky or unlucky in love between now and then.
Radiation City @ Austin’s Cathedral of Junk
Radiation City
GoPro Presents Magical Live Performance at
Austin’s Cathedral of Junk
National US Tour Continues Through The Summer
"impossibly catchy" – NPR
“charmingly evocative” – TIME
“ …a perfectly eerie throwback piece of indie pop.” – NYLON
“ …full of charming, winsome (but not too winsome) indiepop that will appeal to fans of Camera Obscura and The Rosebuds.” – BrooklynVegan
Click Image Above To Watch Radiation City at Austin's Cathedral of Junk
Radiation City just released their highly anticipated sophomore studio album, Animals In The Median , via Tender Loving Empire. Effortlessly blending vintage soul with modern electronic sounds, the album has already received critical acclaim from VICE’s Noisey, Rolling Stone, MAGNET & many more.
The Portland quintet recently teamed up with GoPro to create a spectacular live video shot at Austin’s famed Cathedral of Junk. Vince Hanneman, the self-proclaimed “Junk King,” sets the scene as Radiation City plays two live songs from Animals In The Median: “Lark” and “Foreign Bodies.” Check out the enchanting live video HERE . We encourage you to post & share!
Radiation City is now back on the road on a national US tour, bringing their spellbinding live show to over 25 cities across the country! The dream pop band has shared stages with Pickwick, Caveman, YACHT, The Walkmen, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and more. Be sure to catch the band’s entrancing live show on tour!
For more information on Radiation City, give us a shout!
Sarah Avrin, Sarah@girlie.com, 212-989-2222 x136
Damien Choy Smith, Damien@girlie.com, 212-989-2222 x118
Radiation City National Tour Dates
* w/ Cuckoo Chaos to support
! Social Studies and XDS to support
5/29: Los Angeles, CA @ The Satellite
5/30: San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar*
6/01: Tempe, AZ @ Sail Inn
6/03: Dallas, TX @ Bryan Street Tavern
6/04: Austin, TX @ The Mohawk
6/05: New Orleans, LA @ The Circle Bar
6/06: Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
6/07: Athens, GA @ The Georgia Theater
6/08: Durham, NC @ The Pinhook
6/10: Washington, DC @ Black Cat
6/11: Philadelphia, PA @ Kungfu Necktie
6/12: New York, NY @ The Mercury Lounge
6/13: Brooklyn, NY @ The Paper Box
6/15: Chicago, IL @ Taste Of Randolph Street
6/16: Cincinnati, OH @ Motr Pub
6/17: Nashville, TN @ Cause a Scene House Show
6/18: Indianapolis, IN @ Do 317 Lounge
6/19: Milwaukee, WI @ Mad Planet
6/20: Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
6/21: Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews
6/23: Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
6/25: Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
6/26: Boise, ID @ Neurolux
6/28: Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom *RELEASE SHOW!*
7/23: Hood River, OR @ The Ruins at Springhouse Cellar
7/27: Seattle, WA @ Capitol Hill Block Party
GoPro Presents Magical Live Performance at
Austin’s Cathedral of Junk
National US Tour Continues Through The Summer
"impossibly catchy" – NPR
“charmingly evocative” – TIME
“ …a perfectly eerie throwback piece of indie pop.” – NYLON
“ …full of charming, winsome (but not too winsome) indiepop that will appeal to fans of Camera Obscura and The Rosebuds.” – BrooklynVegan
Click Image Above To Watch Radiation City at Austin's Cathedral of Junk
Radiation City just released their highly anticipated sophomore studio album, Animals In The Median , via Tender Loving Empire. Effortlessly blending vintage soul with modern electronic sounds, the album has already received critical acclaim from VICE’s Noisey, Rolling Stone, MAGNET & many more.
The Portland quintet recently teamed up with GoPro to create a spectacular live video shot at Austin’s famed Cathedral of Junk. Vince Hanneman, the self-proclaimed “Junk King,” sets the scene as Radiation City plays two live songs from Animals In The Median: “Lark” and “Foreign Bodies.” Check out the enchanting live video HERE . We encourage you to post & share!
Radiation City is now back on the road on a national US tour, bringing their spellbinding live show to over 25 cities across the country! The dream pop band has shared stages with Pickwick, Caveman, YACHT, The Walkmen, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and more. Be sure to catch the band’s entrancing live show on tour!
For more information on Radiation City, give us a shout!
Sarah Avrin, Sarah@girlie.com, 212-989-2222 x136
Damien Choy Smith, Damien@girlie.com, 212-989-2222 x118
Radiation City National Tour Dates
* w/ Cuckoo Chaos to support
! Social Studies and XDS to support
5/29: Los Angeles, CA @ The Satellite
5/30: San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar*
6/01: Tempe, AZ @ Sail Inn
6/03: Dallas, TX @ Bryan Street Tavern
6/04: Austin, TX @ The Mohawk
6/05: New Orleans, LA @ The Circle Bar
6/06: Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
6/07: Athens, GA @ The Georgia Theater
6/08: Durham, NC @ The Pinhook
6/10: Washington, DC @ Black Cat
6/11: Philadelphia, PA @ Kungfu Necktie
6/12: New York, NY @ The Mercury Lounge
6/13: Brooklyn, NY @ The Paper Box
6/15: Chicago, IL @ Taste Of Randolph Street
6/16: Cincinnati, OH @ Motr Pub
6/17: Nashville, TN @ Cause a Scene House Show
6/18: Indianapolis, IN @ Do 317 Lounge
6/19: Milwaukee, WI @ Mad Planet
6/20: Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
6/21: Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews
6/23: Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
6/25: Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
6/26: Boise, ID @ Neurolux
6/28: Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom *RELEASE SHOW!*
7/23: Hood River, OR @ The Ruins at Springhouse Cellar
7/27: Seattle, WA @ Capitol Hill Block Party
