Wednesday, March 19, 2014

65daysofstatic announce 10th anniversary deluxe reissue of debut, perform entire album live around Europe


British electronic-infused post-rock faves 65daysofstatic announce the 10th anniversary deluxe reissue of the band's landmark debut album The Fall of Math via longtime label Monotreme Records on 180 gm vinyl and CD. In conjunction with the release, 65dos will play the entire album live for the first time over a series of dates in Europe. 

Each live performance will include two sets. First, the band will play the entire The Fall of Math album in sequence. The second set will feature tracks from their latest album Wild Light, plus the band's previous releases.

The deluxe 2-CD reissue contains The Fall of Math, the Hole EP plus the B-sides and video from the Retreat! Retreat! single. The first ever vinyl edition of the album will be a pressing of 1000 copies on black 180 gm vinyl and will include a digital download coupon for the Hole EP and Retreat! Retreat! single B-sides and video, as well as a CD copy of the album in a printed card wallet. 

Pre-orders are available HERE.

On the album's significance the band had the following to say: 

“In the first year of the weird post 9/11 future we all now occupy, 65daysofstatic wrote a record entirely by mistake in an obscure room in the North of England, usually in the evening after finishing whatever day jobs we were holding down. In the weird spring of 2003 we watched in horror as the US invaded Iraq, aided by our own morally destitute government and seemingly for completely fabricated reasons. A month later, we went into the studio to record the music that would become The Fall of Math aided by the kindness of Monotreme Records, the label that helped to build 65dos from the ground up into a viable commodity fit for digestion in the public sphere. We pulled a huge round the clock session, aided by the wisdom and skill of the infamous Alan Smyth, a man whose expertise and advice we seek to this day. While not exactly a global smash, The Fall of Math was met with some excitement by a number of people we had never dreamed of, and threw us into a world of very hard touring and recording for the foreseeable future. In short, it changed our lives, as did the aftermath of the events we were quasi-soundtracking by living through. 
  
“While 65daysofstatic are no longer the same people we were back then, The Fall of Math holds a great significance for us. Maybe it does for you too. The world is as big a mess as it ever was. Come and see the results in March!”
  
65daysofstatic LIVE:
03/27  London, UK @ Koko (sold out)
04/15  Paris, FR @ La Maroquinerie
04/16  Berlin, DE @ C-Club
04/17  Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique
04/18  Utrecht, NL @ Tivoli

Artist: 65daysofstatic
Album: The Fall of Math (Deluxe 10th Anniversary Edition)
Label: Monotreme Records
Release Date: April 08, 2014

DISC 1 
01. Another Code Against The Gone  
02. Install A Beak In The Heart That Clucks Time In Arabic  
03. Retreat! Retreat!  
04. Default This  
05. I Swallowed Hard, Like I Understood  
06. The Fall Of Math  
07. This Cat Is A Landmine  
08. The Last Home Recording  
09. Hole  
10. Fix The Sky A Little  
11. Aren't We All Running? 

DISC 2
01. Hole
02. Wrong Side of the Tracks
03. The Fall of Math (65dos Remix)
04. Betraying Chino
05. No Station
06. Retreat! Retreat! (Mothboy Remix)
07. 4Connection
08. AOD
09. The Major Cities of the World Are Being Destroyed One By One By The Monsters

Hi-res photos, cover art and bio:

On the Web:

Monday, March 17, 2014

Tim Larson premieres traditional dark Irish ballad for St. Patrick's Day via PopMatters



"His dark pronouncements make even Nick Cave sound positively giddy by comparison." -- Blurt

Chicago songwriter Tim Larson premieres a special rendition of the Irish standard "The Unquiet Grave" today via PopMatters. The brooding ballad may be the best remedy for celebrating St. Patrick's Day away from green-beer swilling throngs. Listen to/share HERE.

Larson also recently released the first video from his sophomore album Vargar via Brooklyn Vegan. The stark clip for the equally stark track "Don't Look Down" is available to watch/share HERE.

Larson premiered the tunes "Chasing It", available to listen/share HERE and "6", available to stream/download HERE.

The history of song, put simply, is at its heart our collective attempts at confronting entropy. As all things move toward their end; as relationships grow and break down, we use music either as an escape or as catharsis to soften the impact. Vargar, the sophomore album by Chicago songwriter Tim Larson explores a range of themes relating to "the end."

Larson's stark, often blunt lyrics and weathered baritone shares similarities to Michael Gira (Swans, Angels of Light) and Mark Lanegan, while the music often takes a more direct, anthemic approach reminiscent of The National. And, there are also generous shades of hazy shoegaze guitar and moody gothic overtones wedded to song structures that are pure American folk/blues at heart. It's no surprise that Larson's varied influences connect the dots between Son House and Bauhaus.

Larson has a college degree in music composition, being skilled at guitar, bass, mandolin, violin and piano. Born and raised in south side Chicago, he spent much of his college years touring as a member of the acclaimed Irish band The Drovers. In 2002, he retired from the band and has since been earning what we'd call an "honest living" in the asphalt business and pursuing his own music, releasing a solo debut No Weapons, No Allies in 2007, then with backing band The Owner/Operators for A New Deal and A Done Deal EP in 2011. Now, Larson returns as an eponymous solo artist. He's joined on Vargar by drummer Ryan Durdin, formerly of The Winter Sounds.

Vargar (a Swedish word for wolves) was released on CD and download on February 4th, 2014.

Artist: Tim Larson
Album: Vargar
Label: Follow Death
Release Date: February 4th, 2014

01) Chasing It (MP3)
02) 6 (MP3
03) Dust
04) Don't Look Down (VIDEO)
05) Shadow
06) I Follow Death
07) Dark Outside
08) Vargar



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Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Pink Frost SXSW schedule, new EP coming soon

Click image to watch video

"An increasingly commanding quartet that embraces the power of guitar drone, tribal drum and the deep, shoegaze-era swoon." -- Chicago Tribune 

"Off-kilter, yearning rock music that strives for a populism that's considered a bit declassé by most of their peers and, as such, badly missed." -- Pitchfork


Chicago quartet Pink Frost announce their complete schedule of shows during SXSW in Austin, TX this week, as well as their next hometown gig. The Huffington Post includes Pink Frost in their picks for The Best of The Fest. Please see complete dates below.

The band has also been hard at work recording a new EP, to be announced soon.

SPIN shared Pink Frost's recent album Sundowning in full, which is available to stream HEREPitchfork debuted the first track from the album, "Ruins" available for streaming/download HERE.

Pink Frost is the new moniker of the critically-praised band formerly known as APTEKA. The album, Sundowning was recorded at Steve Albini's Electrical Audio and is released in partnership between BLVD Records and Notes and Bolts Records & Tapes as of September 3rd, 2013.


PINK FROST LIVE:
03/13  Austin, TX @ Tapelenders (1114 W. 5th) 6:30pm
03/14  Austin, TX @ Holy Mountain - First Avenue/Metro Day Party (617 E. 7th) 4:15pm
03/15  Austin, TX @ Amped (300 E 6th St) 10pm
03/21  Chicago, IL @ Burlington (w/ Wizard Castle)


Artist: Pink Frost
Album: Sundowning 
Label: BLVD Records / Notes + Bolts Records + Tapes
Release Date: Sept 3rd, 2013

01) Western Child
02) Ruins (MP3) (STREAM) (VIDEO)
03) Orange Sky Suicide
04) The Difference (VIDEO)
05) Dead Cities
06) Who I Belong To
07) Maybe It's You
08) Occupy Within
09) Blue Light








On The Web:


Friday, March 7, 2014

Zorch's "simplified" SXSW schedule a mere 9 shows, support HEALTH in April

Photo by Ben Aqua

"A sonic tornado of joyous electro-madness." -- Austin Chronicle Picks 2 Click (1 of 8 recommended SXSW performers.)


Austin, TX hyper-kinetic duo Zorch are well known for playing shows numbering in the double digits every year during SXSW -- in 2011 they played 19 times, in 2012 they played 20 times during the event. So, it may be surprising that they've scaled back this year to a comparatively sane 9 sets during this year's festival. 

Zorch will also play direct support to HEALTH in Austin in April. Please see all dates below. 

The band's full length debut Zzoorrcchh was released everywhere on CD, LP and download via
Sargent House on July 23rd, 2013. 

ZORCH LIVE:
03/08  Austin, TX @ Delta at Co-lab Project Space
03/10  Austin, TX @ YXSB at Chain Drive 
03/11  Austin, TX @ No Play Music at Cheer Up Charlie's (4:30pm)
03/11  Austin, TX @ Official Showcase at The North Door (11pm)
03/12  Austin, TX @ Local Gold at Spider House (5pm)
03/13  Austin, TX @ SXSWendys at Chain Drive 
03/14  Austin, TX @ Snax by Snax Wonderland at Wonderland (4pm)
03/14  Austin, TX @ Volcom Party at OK Mountain 
03/15  Austin, TX @ Breakthru Radio Day Show at The Liberty Bar (4:15pm)

04/16  Austin, TX @ Red 7 w/ HEALTH



Artist: Zorch
Album: Zzoorrcchh
Label: Sargent House
Release Date: July 23, 2013

01. My Joy is Explosion
02. We All Die Young (STREAM)
03. It's Kind of a Deal Where...
04. This is the Way it Goes (STREAM)
05. Mutwa
06. Zut Alors
07. Inopportune Sailing
08. Cosmic Gloss
09. Oceans Dawn

Follow Zorch on Twitter: @Zzoorrcchh

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Thursday, March 6, 2014

Austin quintet Equals share first track from forthcoming album, announce SXSW and regional shows

“The densely layered songs all have their distinctive storyboard of moods and textures, each one a lovely surprise yet all somehow melding together to form a cohesive, cinematic whole.” — My Old Kentucky Blog

“Equals might sound improvised here and there, but this is controlled, carefully arranged stuff.” — Austin American Statesman


Austin art rock quintet Equals share the first song from their forthcoming album today. The track, "Conveyor" is culled from the band's forthcoming debut album Tracts and is available to listen/share HERE.

Equals' music is dramatic, yet joyous and playful. The songs may sound simple at first, but complexity shines through after careful listening. Every song is meticulously arranged by bassist Alex Guzman, drummer Matt Toman, keyboardist Logan Wexler and guitarists Dylan Storey and Simon McDonald. Each part of every song -- from the angular pulsing rhythms to the crisp, eclectic samples -- has a purpose. The organic elements interweave with the synthetic elements, providing texture and layers that are extremely difficult to pull off live. Click tracks be damned, they fearlessly recreate multi-layered loops and samples, gracefully operating on the bleak notion that one wrong move can end a song in failure. Equals executes flawlessly, with character behind every note.

For Equals' debut full-length album Tracts, they joined producer Alex Bhore (This Will Destroy You) in the studio, recording nine songs, an expansion to their 2011 debut self-titled EP. The songs flow together, providing the soundtrack to a journey that feels forthcoming, unrealized until the final track. Unlike the band's previous EP, the album was recorded in one place at Cacophony Recorders in Austin and mixed at Elmwood Studios in Dallas, giving it a more cohesive sound. Working with Bhore again, their new offering is larger, more energetic, with a unique sonic palette of strings, glockenspiel, piano, analog synthesizers, various percussion instruments, field recordings and even vocals. 

Tracts has a bounty of subtle music treats that the members painstakingly buried beneath solid foundations. All these elements, and various other influences, from R&B to folk music, make up the band's sound, but trying to define Equals' music is like trying to define the five band members as one personality.

Tracts will be available on LP, CD and download on May 6th, 2014. Pre-sale orders can be made via the band's webstore.

EQUALS LIVE:
03/14  Austin, TX @ SXSW - Wonderland (Day Party) 
03/15  Austin, TX @ SXSW Official Showcase - Karma Lounge (1am)
04/10  San Antonio, TX @ 502 Bar
04/11  Austin, TX @ Empire Control Room
04/14  Corpus Christi, TX @ The NASA


Artist: Equals
Album: Tracts
Label: self-released
Release Date: May 6th, 2014

01. Conveyor (STREAM)
02. Slab Avalanche
03. Glistener
04. Telefoto
05. Autotelic
06. Rattle the Husks
07. Grand Paw
08. Sweat House
09. Reality Always Disappoints


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