US / THEM: Qui stream entire new album, tour with Moistboyz starts this Friday

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"Qui are back at it, dosing their shreddy punk tantrums with arty aplomb and surprising harmony." -- SPIN

L.A. duo Qui are streaming their new album in its entirety starting today, with the LP and CD available in stores everywhere. Life, Water, Living... is available to stream/share HERE.

Hot on the heels of the album's release, Qui take to the road with fabled hard rock band Moistboyz (ex-Ween, Mondo Generator) on the west coast. Please see all dates below.

SPIN recently debuted two of the album's videos: The clip for "Mucho Sex in America" directed by Laban Pheidias (Justin Timberlake, Billie Joe & Norah Jones, et al.), available to watch/share HERE (direct Vimeo link). And, the exploration of inter-band bromance of "Whateryadoin?" available to watch/share HERE.

If the third full length by L.A. duo Qui sounds like a radical departure, you probably were never really listening properly in the first place. Sure, perfectly taut vocal harmonies and precise, sparse instrumentation supplants much of the band's early fume-huffing punk-noise here, but their penchant for challenging, button-pushing ideas is stronger than ever. Qui also employed harmonies and experimental structures on their previous album Love's Miracle (2007) with former vocalist David Yow (The Jesus Lizard). But, Life, Water, Living... is clearly the band's most meticulously refined effort at using melody and harmony as subversive weapons.

After a 5-year absence, Qui is once again back to the original duo formed in 2000 by drummer/vocalist Paul Christensen and guitarist/vocalist Matt Cronk. Life, Water, Living... features inventive song structures and warped pop sensibilities reminiscent of early Sparks and Frank Zappa with Queen-style harmonies... or something like if Badfinger were the Melvins. Throughout, it's an album that subtly commands attention as it shifts from a soft whisper to a chuckle to a scream.

Life, Water, Living... was produced by renowned engineer Toshi Kasai and Melvins drummer Dale Crover at Entourage Studios in Los Angeles. The album will be available February 25th, 2014 on LP, CD and download in partnership with Cobraside Distribution.

QUI LIVE:

02/28 Los Angeles, CA @ The Satellite *
03/01 San Francisco, CA @ Slim's *
03/03 Mill Valley, CA @ Sweetwater Music Hall *
03/04 Arcata, CA @ Humboldt Brews *
03/06 Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge *
03/07 Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern *
03/08 Portland, OR @ Porch Couch
03/09 Spokane, WA @ Mootsy's
03/12 Oakland, CA @ Eli's Mile High Club
03/13 Long Beach, CA @ Alex's Bar
03/14 San Deigo, CA @ Tower Bar
03/15 Las Vegas, NV @ Double Down

* w/ Moistboyz