Wednesday, April 15, 2015

And So I Watch You From Afar premiere new track from forthcoming album


Northern Ireland's And So I Watch You From Afar premiere a new track from their forthcoming album Heirs today via Kerrang! Hear and share "Redesigned a Million Times" HERE. (Direct Soundcloud HERE.) 

ASIWYFA launch Russian tour dates today before kicking off an extensive UK & EU tour with label mate Mylets later this month. Please see complete tour dates below. 

The band previously shared the singles 'Wasps" via The Fader (HEREand "Run Home" via DIY Magazine (HERE). Album pre-orders are available at iTunes HERE.

And So I Watch You From Afar have applied to their fourth album the same rigorous work ethic that has seen them touring nearly non-stop all over the world in recent years -- including less common tour stops like China, Russia, India and Africa. Heirs is both the band's most painstakingly created album as well as its most personal and meaningful. "Its central theme is about the inheritance of ideas," the band says. "In that we're all heirs to other peoples' passion, which in turn inspires ourselves."

Many new lives, new imperatives and invigorated perspectives helped shape the 10-song album borne of over 30 tracks written in prolific isolation spanning over 6 months in the band's Belfast, Northern Ireland home. It's a work of intense focus and adventurous abandon that reaches to the heart of artistic expression. 

Heirs will be available everywhere on LP, CD and download on May 5th, 2015 via Sargent House.


AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR TOUR 2015:
04/15  Moscow, RUS @ Teatr Club
04/16  St. Petersburg, RUS @ Kosmonavt
04/17  Yekaterinburg, RUS @ Nirvana Club
04/28  Glasgow, UK @ King Tut's Wah Wah Hut *
04/29  Manchester, UK @ Gorilla *
04/30  Bristol, UK @ Marble Factory *
05/01  London, UK @ Islington Assembly Hall *
05/02  Dunkerque, FR @ Les 4 Ecluses *
05/03  Luxembourg, LUX @ Den Atelier *
05/04  Paris, FR @ La Fleche D'or *
05/06  Molenbeek Saint Jean, BE @ Vk *
05/07  Rotterdam, NE @ Rotown *
05/08  Eindhoven, NE @ Effenaar, Small Hall *
05/09  Deventer, NE @ Burgerweeshuis *
05/10  Nantes, FR @ Le Ferrailleur *
05/11  Clermont Ferrand, FR @ La Cooperative De Mai Club *
05/12  Zurich, CH @ Dynamo *
05/13  Bern, CH @ Dachstock @ Reitschule *
05/14  Geneva, CH @ Usine *
05/15  Milan, IT @ Leoncavallo *
05/16  Rome, IT @ Traffic Club *
05/17  Modena, IT @ La Tenda *
05/19  Ljubljana, SLO @ Kino Siska *
05/20  Zagreb, CR @ Zedno Uho Festival *
05/21  Budapest, HU @ Durer Kert *
05/22  Vienna, AT @ Arena *
05/23  Munich, DE @ Ampere *
05/25  Prague, CZ @ NoD Teatro *
05/26  Wiesbaden, DE @ Schlachthof *
05/27  Leipzig, DE @ Taubchental *
05/28  Berlin, DE @ Bi Nuu *
05/29  Hamburg, DE @ Logo *
05/30  Essen, DE @ Zeche Carl *
05/31  Cologne, DE @ Underground *
06/01  Amsterdam, NE @ Paradiso *
06/19  Dublin, IE @ Olympia
06/20  Belfast, UK @ Mandela Hall
07/09 - 07/11  Cheltenham, UK @ 2000 Trees Festival
07/24  Beelen, DE @ Krach am Bach
07/25  Sheffield, UK @ Tramlines Festival

* w/ Mylets


Artist: And So I Watch You From Afar
Album: Heirs
Label: Sargent House
Release date: May 5th, 2015

Track list:
01. Run Home (STREAM)
02. These Secret Kings I Know
03. Wasps (STREAM)
04. Redesigned a Million Times (STREAM)
05. People Not Sleeping
06. Fucking Lifer
07. A Beacon, A Compass, An Anchor
08. Animal Ghosts
09. Heirs
10. Tryer, You 





On the Web:

Hi-res photos, cover art, bio and more:

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Mylets streaming entire forthcoming full length debut early via The New York Times

"Mylets builds up layer upon layer of complex instrumentation to create his experimental loop-rock. The results are mesmerizing, hypnotic soundscapes that can be odd, loud and beautiful. " -- NME

"A staggeringly intricate work that still manages to remain catchy and full of hooks." -- Noisey


Mylets stream the entire forthcoming full length Arizona a week ahead of release starting today via The New York Times. Hear and share the full album HEREA short film detailing Henry Kohen's time writing the album is available to watch/share via the Farm Family site HERE

Mylets also play two L.A. area shows this weekend, before heading to Europe for an extensive tour with label mates And So I Watch You From Afar. Please see complete dates below. 

Noisey recently shared an in-depth interview with Mylets' Henry Kohen, also premiering the title track from the album. The song "Arizona" is available to hear and share HERE. (Direct Soundcloud HERE.) NPR previously premiered the song "Trembling Hands" HERE, in which they compared Mylets' "tactful atmosphere" to King Crimson guitarist Adrian Belew. (Direct Soundcloud HERE.) 

Arizona will be available everywhere on LP, CD and download via Sargent House on April 21st, 2015. Pre-order at iTunes with instant downloads of the first three singles, and LP/CD pre-orders HERE.



MYLETS TOUR:
04/18  Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction #
04/19  Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction #
04/28  Glasgow, UK @ King Tut's Wah Wah Hut *
04/29  Manchester, UK @ Gorilla *
04/30  Bristol, UK @ Marble Factory *
05/01  London, UK @ Islington Assembly Hall *
05/02  Dunkerque, FR @ Les 4 Ecluses *
05/03  Luxembourg, LUX @ Den Atelier *
05/04  Paris, FR @ La Fleche D'or *
05/06  Molenbeek Saint Jean, BE @ Vk *
05/07  Rotterdam, NE @ Rotown *
05/08  Eindhoven, NE @ Effenaar, Small Hall *
05/09  Deventer, NE @ Burgerweeshuis *
05/10  Nantes, FR @ Le Ferrailleur *
05/11  Clermont Ferrand, FR @ La Cooperative De Mai Club *
05/12  Zurich, CH @ Dynamo *
05/13  Bern, CH @ Dachstock @ Reitschule *
05/14  Geneva, CH @ Usine *
05/15  Milan, IT @ Leoncavallo *
05/16  Rome, IT @ Traffic Club *
05/17  Modena, IT @ La Tenda *
05/19  Ljubljana, SLO @ Kino Siska *
05/20  Zagreb, CR @ Zedno Uho Festival *
05/21  Budapest, HU @ Durer Kert *
05/22  Vienna, AT @ Arena *
05/23  Munich, DE @ Ampere *
05/25  Prague, CZ @ NoD Teatro *
05/26  Wiesbaden, DE @ Schlachthof *
05/27  Leipzig, DE @ Taubchental *
05/28  Berlin, DE @ Bi Nuu *
05/29  Hamburg, DE @ Logo *
05/30  Essen, DE @ Zeche Carl *
05/31  Cologne, DE @ Underground *
06/01  Amsterdam, NE @ Paradiso *

* w/ And So I Watch You From Afar
# w/ Balance and Composure


Artist: Mylets
Album: Arizona
Label: Sargent House
Release date: April 21, 2015

Track list:
01. Trembling Hands (STREAM)
02. Arizona (STREAM)
03. Honeypot (STREAM)
04. King Sleep
05. Seven Seals
06. Retcon
07. Ampersand
08. Homes
09. Shark








On the Web:

Hi-res photos, cover art, bio and more:

Monday, April 13, 2015

The Demigs streaming entire 2xLP ahead of release, regional shows continue into summer


Denton, TX quartet The Demigs stream their entire forthcoming 20-song double album starting today. Listen and please share HERE.

The band take to the road for shows throughout the region over the course of the next three months. Please see current dates below. The Demigs previously released the tunes "Arches" (via Tiny Mix Tapes HERE) and "Melamine," via PopMatters HERE

The Demigs are somewhat both an anomaly in and spiritual heirs to their home state's mixed musical traditions. While listeners can hear elements of classic American indie rock like Pavement and The Apples In Stereo and the noisy, art-tinged pop of celebrated New Zealand "Kiwi rock" bands like The 3-Ds and The Clean, there's also some of Texas' warped psychedelia like Roky Erickson and The Golden Dawn along with the slightest hint of the region's legendary blues-rock. There's inasmuch a healthy cynicism and cleverness to the lyrics as there is an unaffected innocence to the quartet's forthcoming third album Welcome to Hard Times

The 20-song double LP is an expansive collection of hooky tunes allowing the band to stretch out just enough to explore lush soundscapes alongside their taut songcraft without ever collapsing into excess. The Demigs run their own recording studio, Shady Lane at which guitarist Alex Hastings engineered the band's latest album. The cover art for Welcome to Hard Times was created by writer/guitarist/vocalist Chris Demiglio, which was also curated for an art exhibit. It's this DIY approach that gives the band its own unique aesthetic and ability to hone the album's meticulous sound. 

Since forming in 2006, The Demigs have dedicated themselves to crafting song and sound. Called "a criminally overlooked jewel of pop artistry" and "without peer," The Demigs combine the intensity of their live shows with the magnetic attraction of their studio albums - Yardling (2007) and Cities Can Wait (2011).

Welcome to Hard Times is being released in conjunction with I Love Math Records and will be available on 2xLP, 2xCD and download on April 14th, 2015.


THE DEMIGS LIVE:
04/25 - Norman, OK @ Norman Music Festival
04/28 - Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
05/07 - Denton, TX @ Dan's Silverleaf
05/15 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Blue Note Lounge
05/16 - Norman, OK @ Red Brick Bar
05/29 - Ft. Worth, TX @ Shipping and Receiving 
06/04 - Shreveport, LA @ Tiki Bar
06/05 - Monroe, Louisiana @ Trial Bar
06/06 - Jackson, Mississippi @ Ole Tavern
06/12 - Dallas, TX @ 3 Links
























Artist: The Demigs
Album:  Welcome to Hard Times
Label: I Love Math Records
Release Date: April 14th, 2015

DISC ONE:
01. Welcome to Hard Times (Vacant Houses)
02. Crossed Out Names
03. Melamine (STREAM)
04. Pluto
05. Paisley Desert
06. Long Runs the Fox
07. Everything is a Weapon
08. Metamoros
09. Pushers & Pullers
10. Henry & Maggie

DISC TWO:
11. Mr. Timer
12. Any Other Pattern
13. Distress Signals
14. Dead By Monday
15. One Light Year from Now
16. Arches (STREAM)
17. Athena Goes to War
18. Yeller
19. Welcome to Hard Times II (Black Cat/White Ghost)
20. Monochrome Blues

On The Web:

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Mylets premiere new track from forthcoming full length debut, SoCal shows start this weekend

"Mylets builds up layer upon layer of complex instrumentation to create his experimental loop-rock. The results are mesmerizing, hypnotic soundscapes that can be odd, loud and beautiful. " -- NME


"A staggeringly intricate work that still manages to remain catchy and full of hooks." -- Noisey


Mylets share a new song from the forthcoming full length Arizona today via Consequence of Sound. Hear and share "Honeypot" HERE. (Direct Soundcloud HERE.) 

Mylets also play a handful of L.A. area shows starting this weekend, before heading to Europe for an extensive tour with label mates And So I Watch You From Afar. Please see complete dates below. 

Noisey recently shared an in-depth interview with Mylets' Henry Kohen, also premiering the title track from the album. The song "Arizona" is available to hear and share HERE. (Direct Soundcloud HERE.) NPR previously premiered the song "Trembling Hands" HERE, in which they compared Mylets' "tactful atmosphere" to King Crimson guitarist Adrian Belew. (Direct Soundcloud HERE.) 

Arizona will be available everywhere on LP, CD and download via Sargent House on April 21st, 2015. Pre-order at iTunes with instant downloads of the first three singles, and LP/CD pre-orders HERE.



MYLETS TOUR:
04/11  Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy #
04/18  Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction #
04/19  Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction #
04/28  Glasgow, UK @ King Tut's Wah Wah Hut *
04/29  Manchester, UK @ Gorilla *
04/30  Bristol, UK @ Marble Factory *
05/01  London, UK @ Islington Assembly Hall *
05/02  Dunkerque, FR @ Les 4 Ecluses *
05/03  Luxembourg, LUX @ Den Atelier *
05/04  Paris, FR @ La Fleche D'or *
05/06  Molenbeek Saint Jean, BE @ Vk *
05/07  Rotterdam, NE @ Rotown *
05/08  Eindhoven, NE @ Effenaar, Small Hall *
05/09  Deventer, NE @ Burgerweeshuis *
05/10  Nantes, FR @ Le Ferrailleur *
05/11  Clermont Ferrand, FR @ La Cooperative De Mai Club *
05/12  Zurich, CH @ Dynamo *
05/13  Bern, CH @ Dachstock @ Reitschule *
05/14  Geneva, CH @ Usine *
05/15  Milan, IT @ Leoncavallo *
05/16  Rome, IT @ Traffic Club *
05/17  Modena, IT @ La Tenda *
05/19  Ljubljana, SLO @ Kino Siska *
05/20  Zagreb, CR @ Zedno Uho Festival *
05/21  Budapest, HU @ Durer Kert *
05/22  Vienna, AT @ Arena *
05/23  Munich, DE @ Ampere *
05/25  Prague, CZ @ NoD Teatro *
05/26  Wiesbaden, DE @ Schlachthof *
05/27  Leipzig, DE @ Taubchental *
05/28  Berlin, DE @ Bi Nuu *
05/29  Hamburg, DE @ Logo *
05/30  Essen, DE @ Zeche Carl *
05/31  Cologne, DE @ Underground *
06/01  Amsterdam, NE @ Paradiso *

* w/ And So I Watch You From Afar
# w/ Balance and Composure


Artist: Mylets
Album: Arizona
Label: Sargent House
Release date: April 21, 2015

Track list:
01. Trembling Hands (STREAM)
02. Arizona (STREAM)
03. Honeypot (STREAM)
04. King Sleep
05. Seven Seals
06. Retcon
07. Ampersand
08. Homes
09. Shark








On the Web:

Hi-res photos, cover art, bio and more:

Monday, April 6, 2015

The Demigs premiere new song from forthcoming 2xLP, regional tour dates continue into summer


Denton, TX quartet The Demigs premiere a new track from their forthcoming 20-song double album today via Tiny Mix Tapes. The tune, "Arches" is available to hear and share HERE. (Direct Soundcloud HERE.)

The band take to the road for shows throughout the region over the course of the next three months. Please see current dates below. The Demigs previously released the tune "Melamine," available to hear & share HERE. (Direct Soundcloud HERE.)

The Demigs are somewhat both an anomaly in and spiritual heirs to their home state's mixed musical traditions. While listeners can hear elements of classic American indie rock like Pavement and The Apples In Stereo and the noisy, art-tinged pop of celebrated New Zealand "Kiwi rock" bands like The 3-Ds and The Clean, there's also some of Texas' warped psychedelia like Roky Erickson and The Golden Dawn along with the slightest hint of the region's legendary blues-rock. There's inasmuch a healthy cynicism and cleverness to the lyrics as there is an unaffected innocence to the quartet's forthcoming third album Welcome to Hard Times

The 20-song double LP is an expansive collection of hooky tunes allowing the band to stretch out just enough to explore lush soundscapes alongside their taut songcraft without ever collapsing into excess. The Demigs run their own recording studio, Shady Lane at which guitarist Alex Hastings engineered the band's latest album. The cover art for Welcome to Hard Times was created by writer/guitarist/vocalist Chris Demiglio, which was also curated for an art exhibit. It's this DIY approach that gives the band its own unique aesthetic and ability to hone the album's meticulous sound. 

Since forming in 2006, The Demigs have dedicated themselves to crafting song and sound. Called "a criminally overlooked jewel of pop artistry" and "without peer," The Demigs combine the intensity of their live shows with the magnetic attraction of their studio albums - Yardling (2007) and Cities Can Wait (2011).

Welcome to Hard Times is being released in conjunction with I Love Math Records and will be available on 2xLP, 2xCD and download on April 14th, 2015.


THE DEMIGS LIVE:
04/09 - Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves
04/10 - Ft. Worth, TX @ Shipping and Receiving 
04/11 - Dallas, TX @ Curtain Club 
04/25 - Norman, OK @ Norman Music Festival
05/07 - Denton, TX @ Dan's Silverleaf
05/15 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Blue Note Lounge
05/16 - Norman, OK @ Red Brick Bar
05/29 - Ft. Worth, TX @ Shipping and Receiving 
06/04 - Shreveport, LA @ Tiki Bar
06/05 - Monroe, Louisiana @ Trial Bar
06/06 - Jackson, Mississippi @ Ole Tavern

06/12 - Dallas, TX @ 3 Links
























Artist: The Demigs
Album:  Welcome to Hard Times
Label: I Love Math Records
Release Date: April 14th, 2015

DISC ONE:
01. Welcome to Hard Times (Vacant Houses)
02. Crossed Out Names
03. Melamine (STREAM)
04. Pluto
05. Paisley Desert
06. Long Runs the Fox
07. Everything is a Weapon
08. Metamoros
09. Pushers & Pullers
10. Henry & Maggie

DISC TWO:
11. Mr. Timer
12. Any Other Pattern
13. Distress Signals
14. Dead By Monday
15. One Light Year from Now
16. Arches (STREAM)
17. Athena Goes to War
18. Yeller
19. Welcome to Hard Times II (Black Cat/White Ghost)
20. Monochrome Blues

On The Web:

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

A Troop of Echoes premiere first track from forthcoming album; "ideal song to spin as sunny rays of spring kick in."

"The saxophone-led, Pixies-channeling instrumental number "Small Fires" is an ideal song to spin as the sunny rays of spring kick in." -- PopMatters


Providence, R.I. quartet A Troop of Echoes premiere the first track from their forthcoming album today via PopMatters. The song "Small Fires" is available to hear and share HERE. (Direct Soundcloud HERE.)

The band take to the road in mid-May to support the album. Complete tour dates will be announced soon.

A Troop of Echoes has a stunning ability to encompass multiple moods within a single song - at times simultaneously sounding both soothing and unsettling; other times both wistful and hopeful. In that, their sound is truly cinematic. Not “cinematic” in the banal manner used to describe expansive music that’s ultimately sonic wallpaper, but in that A Troop of Echoes uses unique characteristics of each instrument - guitar, saxophone, bass and drums - the same way that a masterful director uses angles, lighting, editing, etc., to convey complex details of story and emotion. 

The evocative melodic work of Troop saxophonist Peter Gilli often interweaves with the chiming and textural feel to guitarist Nick Cooper’s parts as the two often create a swirling tug and sway driven by bassist Harrison Hartley’s chordal riffs and drummer Dan Moriarty’s symphonic approach to the rhythms. The quartet’s emphasis is on the journey and the impact, like the best moments of The Dirty Three wherein their deft musicianship never upstages the song’s emotional weight. Throughout the quartet’s forthcoming sophomore full length The Longest Year on Record, the music is marvelously engaging in its clever melodies, yet also loaded with innovative ideas.

A Troop of Echoes formed in 2004 amongst Providence’s fertile underground music scene, early on distilling the noise and math-rock tendencies of Lightning Bolt and Battles, combined with the chaotic free-improvisatory energy of late-era Coltrane. As Gilli, Cooper, and Hartley studied music at the University of Rhode Island, Moriarty ran a DIY music space while completing his degree in astrophysics at the University of Massachusetts. Marrying quirky harmonies with frenetic energy, their punchy and acrobatic 2009 debut Days in Automation set the ground for what was to come. 

Writing for The Longest Year on Record came to focus on space, both physically and compositionally. Cooper and Moriarty moved into a massive studio loft on Providence’s South Side in 2013, inspiring the use of more understated sonics. Troop began working with a wider palate of instrumentation, including strings, horns, vibraphone, vocals, and a drum team. The Longest Year on Record was tracked almost exclusively in the band’s new practice space by longtime friend Graham Mellor, mixed by Andrew Schneider (Unsane, Pelican) at The Seaside Lounge in Brooklyn, and mastered by Carl Saff in Chicago. Like Troop’s beautifully honed songs, the album production is impeccable in its use of space and blending or contrasting elements. 
The Longest Year on Record will be available on LP, CD and download May 19th, 2015. 


Artist: A Troop of Echoes
Album: The Longest Year on Record
Label: A Troop of Echoes
Release Date: May 19th, 2015

01. Manifest and Legion
02. Small Fires (STREAM)
03. Arecibo
04. Kerosene
05. Severna
06. Constellation
07. Broadway Ghost
08. The Longest Year on Record
09. Pure Alexia (Is It Silent In This Room?)

On The Web:

Mylets debuts live Audiotree session featuring tracks from forthcoming full length debut

"Mylets builds up layer upon layer of complex instrumentation to create his experimental loop-rock. The results are mesmerizing, hypnotic soundscapes that can be odd, loud and beautiful. " -- NME

"A staggeringly intricate work that still manages to remain catchy and full of hooks." -- Noisey

Mylets shares a recently shot Audiotree live session of videos today featuring songs from the forthcoming full length, Arizona. Watch and share the videos HERE.

Noisey also recently shared an in-depth interview with Mylets' Henry Kohen, also premiering the title track from the album. The song "Arizona" is available to hear and share HERE. (Direct Soundcloud HERE.)

NPR previously premiered the song "Trembling Hands" HERE, in which they compared Mylets' "tactful atmosphere" to King Crimson guitarist Adrian Belew. (Direct Soundcloud HERE.) Mylets takes to the road touring with And So I Watch You From Afar in late April throughout Europe and the UK following three Southern California shows with Balance and Composure. Please see complete dates below. 

Arizona will be available everywhere on LP, CD and download via Sargent House on April 21st, 2015. Pre-order at iTunes with instant downloads of the first two singles, and LP/CD pre-orders HERE.


MYLETS TOUR:
04/11  Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy #
04/18  Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction #
04/19  Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction #
04/28  Glasgow, UK @ King Tut's Wah Wah Hut *
04/29  Manchester, UK @ Gorilla *
04/30  Bristol, UK @ Marble Factory *
05/01  London, UK @ Islington Assembly Hall *
05/02  Dunkerque, FR @ Les 4 Ecluses *
05/03  Luxembourg, LUX @ Den Atelier *
05/04  Paris, FR @ La Fleche D'or *
05/06  Molenbeek Saint Jean, BE @ Vk *
05/07  Rotterdam, NE @ Rotown *
05/08  Eindhoven, NE @ Effenaar, Small Hall *
05/09  Deventer, NE @ Burgerweeshuis *
05/10  Nantes, FR @ Le Ferrailleur *
05/11  Clermont Ferrand, FR @ La Cooperative De Mai Club *
05/12  Zurich, CH @ Dynamo *
05/13  Bern, CH @ Dachstock @ Reitschule *
05/14  Geneva, CH @ Usine *
05/15  Milan, IT @ Leoncavallo *
05/16  Rome, IT @ TBA *
05/17  Modena, IT @ La Tenda *
05/19  Ljubljana, SLO @ Kino Siska *
05/20  Zagreb, CR @ Zedno Uho Festival *
05/21  Budapest, HU @ Durer Kert *
05/22  Vienna, AT @ Arena *
05/23  Munich, DE @ Ampere *
05/25  Prague, CZ @ NoD Teatro *
05/26  Wiesbaden, DE @ Schlachthof *
05/27  Leipzig, DE @ Taubchental *
05/28  Berlin, DE @ Bi Nuu *
05/29  Hamburg, DE @ Logo *
05/30  Essen, DE @ Zeche Carl *
05/31  Cologne, DE @ Underground *
06/01  Amsterdam, NE @ Paradiso *

* w/ And So I Watch You From Afar
# w/ Balance and Composure


Artist: Mylets
Album: Arizona
Label: Sargent House
Release date: April 21, 2015

Track list:
01. Trembling Hands (STREAM)
02. Arizona (STREAM)
03. Honeypot
04. King Sleep
05. Seven Seals
06. Retcon
07. Ampersand
08. Homes
09. Shark








On the Web:

Hi-res photos, cover art, bio and more:

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Elephant Rifle premiere first track from forthcoming album, announce spring tour dates


Reno, NV aggro noisecore band  Elephant Rifle premiere the first track from their forthcoming new album, Ivory today via Noisey. The song "Bone Voyage" is available to hear and share HERE. (Direct Soundcloud HERE.)

The band launches a string of Bay Area dates in May, to be followed by national dates to be announced soon. Please see current dates below.

Ivory is an illicit substance. Elephants and other animals have been hunted to near extinction to support the market for ivory, the beautiful material stolen from the tusks and teeth of large mammals. Ivory is often associated with music, since it was historically used for the white keys on pianos. Carved ivory is art made from skeletal material, from dead or maimed animals.

Ivory is also the title of Elephant Rifle's new full-length album. The album title resonates with the band name in obvious ways: Ivory is the material an elephant rifle is usually aimed to obtain. There's very little actual piano on the album, however. It mostly consists of the raw materials of rock: electric guitar, bass and drums, along with a vocalist who, in live performances anyway, seems to channel John Belushi's impersonation of Joe Cocker. Elephant Rifle's music draws from '80s and '90s-style noise rock, like The Jesus Lizard, Shellac and Swans, with a bit of old-school hardcore and post-punk in the mix, along with a loving spoonful of the lascivious, cocksure swagger of '70s hard rock.

Elephant Rifle formed five years ago in Reno, Nevada, a hometown that might explain the band's underdog attitude. On Ivory, the band members sound like they might be struggling with the complex relationship implied by the band name and album title: beauty wrought by violence. They seem to be struggling against something anyway. The music is knotted, thorny, dissonant, noisy and often ugly-although cohesive songwriting is never sacrificed, and there are even occasional moments of humor: “Gold Standard,” for example, is a pop ditty about buying a boat. But most of the songs reference the album's strange theme: Death among animals. The instrumental opener, for example, is called “Hoof & Mouth.” “Dogs, Wolves, Wolverines” is a hardcore blaster about the resentment that wild animals might harbor toward their domesticated counterparts. The album closer is a stoner epic called “Horses,” which begins: “They say you die twice. First, when the breathe leaves from out your body and in the air. And then again when your final name's said the very last time, and then forgot.”

Ivory will be available May 19th on LP and download as a joint release via Humaniterrorist Record Collective and Gentlemen Friends. Pre-order HERE.


ELEPHANT RIFLE LIVE:
05/21 Chico, CA @ 1078 Gallery w/ Chiefs
05/22 Santa Cruz, CA  @ The Blue Lagoon
05/23 San Francisco, CA @ Benders
05/24 Reno, NV @ The Loving Cup 

Artist: Elephant Rifle
Album: Ivory
Label: Humaniterrorist Record Collective
Release Date: May 19th, 2015

01. Hoof & Mouth
02. Bone Voyage (STREAM)
03. Red Shirts
04. Rasputin
05. Frank, Black
06. Gold Standard
07. Dogs, Wolves, Wolverines
08. Clones & Clones
09. Skeleton Keys
10. Horses

On The Web: