DESTROYER recently shared a new video for “Stay Lost”from their latest albumken, the 12th studio album released by the Dan Bejar-led group. Called “a user’s guide to the world” by Bejar, the imagery for “Stay Lost” depicts an aimless yet determined craftsman fabricating a world for himself.
ken is available now in the Merge Records store on CD, LP, and limited-edition deluxe LP, the latter of which is pressed on opaque yellow vinyl and includes a bonus 7-inch single on black vinyl that contains solo acoustic versions of two album tracks. You can also pick up the album at your local independent record store or through digital services.
Destroyer is the long-running solo project from The New Pornographer’s Dan Bejar. Destroyer’s 12th album ken showcases the evocative songwriting he is known for and we’re excited to welcome the band for a live set.
The full-band Destroyer tour is making its way across North America now! Get a sneak peek of what to expect with their recent appearance on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic.
Since debuting in 2008, TITUS ANDRONICUS has been conditioning faithful listeners to always expect only the unexpected, consistently zigging where others would zag and maintaining a steadfast dedication to fearless ambition. With the March 2nd release of the new studio album A Productive Cough, has executed the most shocking departure yet—but only if, as ever-mercurial singer-songwriter Patrick Stickles insists, “you haven’t been paying attention.” Watch the outstanding video for “Number One (In New York)” now, and visit a-productive-cough.com for more!
A Productive Cough is available for pre-order on blue-gray Peak Vinyl which includes a jukebox-inspired 7-inch of “(I’m) Like a Rolling Stone,” a track that does not appear on the physical LP except as part of the download, its nearly 9-minute length split across both sides of the single. Explore all pre-order options including an exclusive $10 t-shirt add-on in the Merge Records store (where all purchases come with a free temporary “Crass[-inspired] Tattoo” while supplies last), at your favorite participating independent record store, or via these digital music providers.
In this exclusive clip from the forthcoming “A Productive Cough” making-of documentary, Patrick Stickles explains the direction of the new Titus Andronicus album while the gang takes in the bucolic splendor of New York’s Hudson Valley at dusk. The complete sixty-minute documentary, directed by Ray Concepcion, will be released February 26th, followed by the release of the new Titus Andronicus studio album “A Productive Cough” on March 2nd from Merge Records. Learn More at :: A-PRODUCTIVE-COUGH.COM
The release ofA Productive Cough will be accompanied by +@’s first-ever “acoustic” tour of the US, which will find Stickles performing in a duo configuration with pianist Alex Molini. All dates feature direct support courtesy of Rick Maguire from Pile.
For her debut solo album “Lionheart”(out January 26th), H.C. McENTIRE found a creative catalyst in KathleenHanna. What began as an invitation from McEntire to have Hanna’s band The Julie Ruin perform at Girls Rock North Carolina’s 10th anniversary soon turned into a friendship and, ultimately, an artistic mentorship. “Quartz in the Valley”was the first song the two worked on together.
Revisit the lyric video for “A Lamb, A Dove” and you can pre-order “Lionheart” in the Merge Records store on CD, LP, and limited-edition white Peak Vinyl. In addition, we are offering the album bundled with a special screenprinted handkerchief created by McEntire, who will donate all profits from its sales to “Southerners On New Ground”.
Late last year, brother/sister duo the Oh Hellos released Notos, the first EP in a series of four to be released throughout the rest of this year. On February 9th, the duo will release the second of those EPs, Eurus. Named after four Greek mythological wind deities, the EPs collectively seek to explore the origins of creativity and ideas.
Ahead of Eurus‘ release, the duo has shared a new track, “Grow.” The track ponders personal growth and open-mindedness, building from a gently delivered opening verse to a full-band singalong a hallmark of the duo’s sound — by its midpoint.
“‘Grow’ was written when we were beginning to understand how badly certainty can stunt your growth as a human being,” Maggie Heath says. “It’s human to want to have the world all figured out — and to keep it all figured out — but then when the world shakes you up, you crack like a poorly laid foundation. Luckily, at least in our experience, that is when you find yourself with the space to grow into the fullest version of yourself, more than your concrete mold could ever allow you to.”
Loma is the new Texas based project between Shearwater vocalist Jonathan Meiburg, and Emily Cross and DanDuszynski of Cross Record. The three will make their mark with their self-titled debut album on February 16th 2018 via Sub Pop Records.
After their earlier debut single ‘Black Willow’, they now close off the year with another track from the album. If you ever wondered (though probably unlikely!) what a krautrock track might sound like accompanied by frogs and cicadas, then Loma come up with the answer on ‘Relay Runner’.
“‘Relay Runner’ was the happiest accident on the record,” says Meiburg. “We discovered it when we wired up a tremolo pedal the wrong way, and got this funny, stuttering loop – and then we built a whole song around that sound. The last thing we did in the mix was erase the loop, which had gone from inspiring the song to ruining it! But it made sense that what was left underneath was a song about how to escape from a sealed room”.
The project was contrived when the two bands went on tour together; the members of Loma convening at a house in Texas, creating their debut record while Emily and Dan’s marriage fell apart around them. Jonathan became the middle ground in an atmosphere he describes as, “both challenging and inspiring”. The isolated house where the band worked became, “the album’s muse”, and a fascinating record was born.
Musically, it is a record produced with great freedom, with the exception of Emily’s omnipresent vocal there were no particular roles on the album, the trio playing instruments as inspiration hit them, forming a record built from buried energy resonating from the players. Two brilliant singles, Black Willow and Relay Runner, have so far emerged from the self-titled release, enough evidence to suggest its release in February promises to be one of the most fascinating and exciting musical moments of 2018.
Loma, comprised of Jonathan Meiburg, best known as the singer of Shearwater, and Emily Cross and Dan Duszynski of Cross Record, will release their self-titled debut album on February 16th via Sub Pop.
Loma, comprised of Jonathan Meiburg, best known as the singer of Shearwater, and Emily Cross and Dan Duszynski of Cross Record, will release their self-titled debut album on February 16th via Sub Pop Records.
“The world is going nuts,” says Eels frontman E, aka Mark Oliver Everett. “But if you look for it, there is still great beauty to be found. Sometimes you don’t even have to look for it. Other times you have to try to make it yourself. And then there are times you have to tear something apart to find something beautiful inside.” That’s the basic idea behind The Deconstruction, EELS’ 12th album and first since 2014’s The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett. On Wednesday, the band announced that the album will have an April 6th release and released the haunting title track. “The deconstruction has begun, time for me to fall apart,” Everett sings over pillowy strings and some tape distortion. “The reconstruction will begin only when there’s nothing left.” The song revs itself up with crisp drums as Everett repeats, “I break apart” .
“The Deconstruction” from new EELS album, THE DECONSTRUCTION, out April 6th.
The E Street Band. The Revolution. The Band. The list of legendary backing groups could go on and on, and while Naked Giants aren’t on that list yet, they do currently have the gig backing up one of music’s most exciting rising songwriters, Car Seat Headrest. But, like many backing bands, Naked Giants are also their own band, and they have been making music in their native Seattle since 2015. On March 30th, they’ll offer up their debut full-length, SLUFF, via New West Records, as they prepare for a tour with Naked Giants where they’ll serve as both openers and as part of the headlining act.
To announce the record, Naked Giants offer up the Sean Downey-directed video for “TV,” full of retro swagger and guitar-swinging irreverence that taps into the still-beating heart of the genre. In the band’s bio, drummer Henry LaVallee notes, “I just want to make as much noise and have as much fun and get as sweaty as I can, and if that resonates with people, that’s who I want in my life.” And that philosophy is on full display in the clip, as the song swells to a full-on psychedelic freakout before its close.
Check out the video above, and look for Naked Giants debut record SLUFF on March 30th.
The RON GALLO III is a rock and roll trio lead by a tall, big-haired weirdo of the same name. As the former frontman of Toy Soldiers, Gallo spent a decade as a fixture in the burgeoning Philadelphia music scene. Now solo, Gallo has completed his second full-length record “Heavy Meta”. Embracing his love for fuzz, psych, garage, and early punk, Heavy Meta is a stark contrast to the “Harry Nilsson-meets-Father John Misty” sound of the previous record RONNY. After undergoing a shattering year of love, loss, purging, and a musical reinvention, Gallo sought a change of scenery and a fresh start.
Drawn to the rock ‘n’ roll music currently being made by his friends in back alleys of Tennessee’s “Music City,” Gallo and his very own record label American Diamond Recordings relocated to the Bordeaux neighborhood of Nashville on New Years Day 2016. Throughout his career, Toy Soldiers and solo combined, Gallo has released three full length records and three EPs working with various small independent labels in Philadelphia and New York City. He has shared the stage with legends such as Wanda Jackson, Dr. Dog, Deer Tick, Dr. John, The Walkmen, J. Roddy Walston, among others. Gallo has previously been featured among USA Today’s “Bands to Watch,” Paste Magazine’s “Philly Bands You Should Listen to NOW” and has garnered appearances on PBS SUN Studio Special, Daytrotter, Audiotree, and many more. On stage, Gallo is a huge force to be reckoned with. He is a true showman with a knack for grabbing the audience’s attention and leaving them in awe. He sings his ass off and thinks it’s important to laugh at yourself.
Audiotree session which we recorded on 6/27/16 in Chicago, IL is available now through Bandcamp. I believe this to the most accurate portrayal of what our band does, currently. There’s a part where we discuss the concept of “weird” and whatever that is. It’s just a level of freedom achieved by being yourself and not caring if people like or dislike that, that’s pretty much the only thing I would encourage people to do and something I’m learning myself. Do it, as long as it is constructive and doesn’t harm another (unless it’s constructive). The “world” aka “america” is fucking psychotic, it isn’t real, make your own world and revel in it everyday then share it, let other people come in and say “what’s up? i like what you’ve done with the place.” Then pretty soon you are the president of your own universe that will go relatively untouched outside of the small things that keep you functioning in society. The whole world is inside you not the other way around. Anyway, thank you, keep on crushing it.
Really Nice Guys is a concept EP by Thyme Magazine’s “Man Of The Year,” Ron Gallo. The EP is another thought provoking and inspired installment, extending an already prolific calendar year by Gallo which saw the release of the critically acclaimed full-length album Heavy Meta as well as the 7” singles, “Temporary Slave” and “Sorry Not Everybody Is You.” Really Nice Guys finds Gallo exploring new sonic frontiers and instrumentation in the form of what might be called a conceptual art piece. Whatever you call it is wholly original and Gallo continues to melt faces and free minds.
Really Nice Guysis 8 “tracks” that are more like blended music/comedy/conversation sketches.
The opening track Rough Mix, is a literally-titled, rough mix of a potential new song. Gallo sings about not having enough lyrics and how he spent 12 hours on a new song with only the rough mix to show for it. The song fades into a version with “full production,” but really, it’s Gallo and gang experimenting with corny saxophones and auto-tune before finally giving up and ending the song as a “mix.” The “song” sets the tone for the rest of the EP.
Gallo’s mother’s boyfriend, Jerry makes several unannounced cameos throughout the record. East Nashville Kroger Conversation, is exactly what it sounds like, but there are definitely a couple of complete workings. like the title-track, Really Nice Guys and the instrumental, Youtubular, but even they provide a social commentary on the clusterfuck of the music industry, media and perhaps the Nashville social scene. It is clear Ron Gallo and band do not take themselves too seriously and that is unquestionable a part of the charm of Really Nice Guys.
As jokey and opinionated as Really Nice Guys is, Ron Gallo is interesting enough to make it worth the listen and laugh along with him.
Ron Gallo – Really Nice Guys (New West) From the new EP ‘Really Nice Guys,’ available January 19th.
