Tuesday, March 16, 2010

America high-fives Fang Island: Pitchfork Best New Music, Amazon & iTunes best seller, SXSW & tour mania

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 16th, 2010






America high-fives Fang Island:
Pitchfork Best New Music, Amazon & iTunes best seller, SXSW & tour mania


"Honest and life-affirming and infectious, and it's that rare concentration of directness and simplicity that makes Fang Island so uniquely and wonderfully inclusive." Best New Music -- Pitchfork

"Totally triumphant guitars, giant choruses, and an overload of positive charm made this a perfect summertime album. I stand by my prediction: it’s going to be huge." -- Seattle Stranger
"Marries complex math-rock with a life-affirming energy that could soundtrack the next Spike Jonze film." – Los Angeles Examiner


Brooklyn guitar-anthem optimists Fang Island -- who describe their sound as "everyone high-fiving everyone" -- have been receiving a wealth of high-fives right back. Esteemed website Pitchfork showed ample praise for Fang Island's Sargent House debut album this week, making it a Best New Music pick. Likewise, fan buzz on Twitter and other social networks has been voluminous. Album sales topped charts on both iTunes (Top Alternative Albums) and Amazon (#1 Mover & Shaker Album) this week. 

Just days after the quintet's newly purchased van was stolen on the eve of their current U.S. tour, Brooklyn police safely recovered the vehicle. On tour right now, Fang Island supports The Chinese Stars on dates surrounding both bands' SXSW performances. Then, Fang Island again hit the road supporting Red Sparowes in April. Please see complete tour dates below.

Fang Island's self-titled debut album hit shelves on February 23rd via Sargent House amid a wealth of praise from press, with many writers declaring it one of the Best of 2010, just two months into the new year. A digital EP featuring the popular album track "Daisy" backed with Chris Keating of Yeasayer's remix of "Absolute Place" off their Sky Gardens EP preceded the full length in January.

Back in December, Pitchfork debuted the quirky video for "Daisy" directed by Carlos Charlie Perez (Li'l Wayne, Vampire Weekend). Watch it HERE. A new clip, also directed by Perez, for the song "Life Coach" followed in March. Pitchfork showcases the clip HERE

Its finger-tapping guitar lines, chanted vocals, triumphant harmonies and overall perky songs hearken to the sort of "Total Music" of the Jay Reatard, Ponytail, Kraftwerk, Marnie Stern, Thin Lizzy, et al. But, perhaps more so, its songs are like the music in your head at that moment when everything feels just right: that first kiss, that high score on the video game, buying your first small nation in cash... you know, good stuff. Check out MP3s for two tracks, "Daisy" (MP3 HERE) and "Life Coach" (MP3 HERE).

Fang Island began, oddly enough, as an art school project while the band members were attending the prodigious Rhode Island School of Design (also the foundation for Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Les Savvy Fav, Six Finger Satellite, Lightning Bolt and some band called the Talking Heads.) According to guitarist Jason Bartell, the goal was to "make music for people who like music." That is, music without irony that harnesses its uplifting qualities. Just like a classic rock song or classical symphony can stir us emotionally, Fang Island exists to unlock that spirit.

Fang Island is guitarist Jason Bartell, bassist Michael Jacober, guitarist Chris Georges, guitarist Nicholas Andrew Sadler, and drummer Marc St. Sauveur. They all share collective group vocal harmonies and the occasional hand claps. While Sadler is also known for his role in the debauched rock band Daughters, it is only his fretboard skill that translates between the two groups.

Fang Island / The Chinese Stars:
03/16 Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar
03/17 Lawrence, KS @ Reply Lounge
03/18 Hot Springs, AK @ Hot Springs Nat'l Park - VOV Fest
03/19 Austin, TX - SXSW @ Habana Calle 6 (Sargent House Show)
03/20 Austin, TX @ Club Primo's
03/21 Austin, TX @ RED 7
03/23 New Orleans, LA @ Dragon's Den
03/24 Athens, GA @ Caledonia Lounge
03/25 Atlanta, GA @The Drunken Unicorn
03/26 Greenville, NC @ Tipsy Teapot
03/27 Baltimore, MD @ Floristree


04/03  Hartford, CT @ Trinity College (w/ Sleigh Bells and Brahms)
04/05 Brooklyn, NY @The Knitting Factory (Fang Island headline)

Red Sparowes / Fang Island
04/11 Washington DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel **
04/15 Boston, MA @ the Middle East Downstairs **
04/16 Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rossa **
04/17 Toronto, ON @ the Garrison **
04/18 Cleveland, OH @ The Grog Shop #
04/19 Indianapolis, IN @ Radio Radio #
04/21 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall #
04/22 Madison, WI @ High Noon #
04/23 Minneapolis, MN @ 400 Bar #
04/24 Omaha, NE @ Slowdown Jr. #
04/26 Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
04/27 Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
04/29 Seattle, WA @ Neumo’s #
04/30 Vancouver, BC @ the Biltmore #
05/01 Portland, OR @ the Hawthorne #
05/02 Eugene, OR @ WOW Hall #
05/04 Sacramento, CA @ Blue Lamp
05/05 Santa Cruz, CA @ Crepe Place
05/06 Santa Cruz, CA @ Crepe Place
05/07 San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
05/08 Los Angeles, CA @ the Echoplex
05/09 San Diego, CA @ the Casbah

** With Doomriders
# With Caspian




Artist: Fang Island
Album: Fang Island
Label: Sargent House
Release Date: February 23, 2010

01. Dreams of Dreams
02. Careful Crossers
03. Daisy (MP3) (VIDEO)
04. Life Coach (MP3) (VIDEO)
05. Sideswiper
06. The Illinois
07. Treeton
08. Davey Crockett
09. Welcome Wagon
10. Dorian

Hi-Res photos, cover art and bio:

On the Web:


Fang Island is available for interviews. For more information, please contact Dave Clifford at dave@usthemgroup.com

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