“Bugs Don’t Buzz” is one of the many highlights of Majical Cloudz album ‘Impersonator‘ & and the band’s live show (which are happening right now!). Based around a single, looped piano progression, the song’s striking simplicity is one of those many secrets behind what makes Majical Cloudz so evocative.
Along with Majical Cloudz’ current tour with Youth Lagoon, they’ve added a few dates including an album release show in Broooklyn, which we’ll be revealing more info on soon. New dates below in bold.
Fri 5/3 Asheville CA Grey Eagle Tavern*
Sat 5/4 Carroboro NC Cats Cradle*
Tue 5/7 Northampton MA Pearl Street Nightclub*
Wed 5/8 Hamden CT The Space* Thurs 5/9 Brooklyn NY The Bell House*
Fri 5/10 Philadelphia PA Union Transfer*
Mon 5/13 Toronto ON The Great Hall*
Tue 5/14 Columbus OH A&R Music Bar*
Wed 5/15 Chicago IL Metro*
Thu 5/16 Madison WI Majestic Theater*
Fri 5/17 Minneapolis MN Fine Line Music Cafe*
In February when we introduced Majical Cloudz to the pages of this blog, we also hinted at a forthcoming longplayer this Spring. Today we’re excited to share the details of ‘Impersonator‘, their first for Matador and one of the most stirring new albums we’ve heard in recent times. On May 21 (May 27, ex-North America) the album will be available in stores — Below you’ll find some new music & Majical Cloudz’ full worldwide live dates including a tour with Youth Lagoon & European dates.
Majical Cloudz
Impersonator
OLE-1034
1. Impersonator
2. This Is Magic
3. Childhood’s End (mp3)
4. I Do Sing For You
5. Mister
6. Turns Turns Turns (mp3)
7. Silver Rings
8. Illusion
9. Bugs Don’t Buzz
10. Notebook
In follow up to the previous-released “Turns, Turns, Turns”, listen to and download “Childhood’s End” right now
Majical Cloudz’ Devon Welsh explains of ‘Impersonator’
In the last few years there’s been a massive explosion of amazing music made with computers, samplers and other electronicequipment. The possibilities became nearly endless and musicians indulged those possibilities. I love that kind of music but italso started to overwhelm me. I wasn’t cut out for the maximalist expressions of that style. So I took a break from music, andwhen I started again it was to make music that barely existed and felt like stillness more than movement. Where the songscould be more about humanness. I love all forms of electronic music, techno, house, rave, hip-hop, but I never want to feel like the music I’m making is just about stylistic play. The easiest way for me to do that is try to make something without obviousmovement; where the music isn’t overstuffed sonically or referentially, it’s emptied out as much as possible. So the vision for Impersonator was to communicate a lot with as little as possible. It’s not meant to energize and turn you out to the world, it’smeant to do the opposite; it’s more like a cocoon.
‘Impersonator”s expressive power and swagger belie its extremely minimal music. These are intensely lyrical songs about death, patience, family, friendship, and desire, with Welsh’s rich vocals atop Matthew Otto Kolaitis’ quiet looped waves of white noise, filtered synths and sparse thuds.
The album is available for pre-order now on all formats at the Matador store & iTunes.
This Spring, Majical Cloudz will be touring with Youth Lagoon in North America & a few headlining dates in Europe.
Tue 4/16 London, UK White Heat @ Madame Jojos
Wed 4/17 London, UK Electrowerkz (with Autre Ne Veut)
Fri 4/19 Paris, FR Espace B
Wed 4/24 Austin TX The Mohawk* (TICKETS)
Thu 4/25 Dallas TX The Loft* (TICKETS)
Friday 4/26 Houston TX Fitzgeralds* (TICKETS)
Sat 4/27 New Orleans LA One Eyed Jacks* (TICKETS)
Sun 4/28 Birmingham AL Bottletree* (TICKETS)
Tue 4/30 Orlando, FL The Social (TICKETS)
Wed 5/1 Atlanta GA Terminal West* (TICKETS)
Fri 5/3 Asheville NC Grey Eagle Tavern* (TICKETS)
Sat 5/4 Carroboro NC Cats Cradle* (TICKETS)
Tue 5/7 Northampton MA Pearl Street Nightclub* (TICKETS)
Wed 5/8 Hamden CT Spaceland* (TICKETS)
Fri 5/10 Philadelphia PA Union Transfer* (TICKETS)
Mon 5/13 Toronto ON The Great Hall* (TICKETS)
Tue 5/14 Columbus OH A&R Music Bar* (TICKETS)
Wed 5/15 Chicago IL Metro* (TICKETS)
Thu 5/16 Madison WI Majestic Theater* (TICKETS)
Fri 5/17 Minneapolis MN Fine Line Music Cafe* (TICKETS)
Our advertising ninja Blake Thomas forgot to tell any of us (perhaps his mind was elsewhere) but last night Kurt debuted the single version of “Never Run Away” (from the upcoming album Wakin On A Pretty Daze, out April 9) with the cutest little infomercial EVER – it aired on the CW network in Philadelphia. Blake kicked us the file for optimum viewing, but we’ve also got a rip of the infomercial itself which a Kurt superfan (OK, Philebrity) passed our way:
You can download “Never Run Away (Single Version)” here.
Kurt Vile’s new album WAKIN ON A PRETTY DAZE will come out on April 9. He recorded it with producer John Agnello at a multitude of different studios throughout the Northeast in the second half of last year. It is a 69-minute long double album.
Check out the opening track WAKIN ON A PRETTY DAY. You can download it as an MP3 or listen on YouTube, accompanied by outtake footage from the Steve Powers (ESPO) documentary about the album cover mural. (Note: this is NOT the music video. The real video will be revealed in good time.)
Side A:
1. Wakin On A Pretty Day
2. KV Crimes
3. Was All Talk
Side B:
4. Girl Called Alex
5. Never Run Away
6. Pure Pain
Side C:
7. Too Hard
8. Shame Chamber
9. Snowflakes Are Dancing
Side D:
10. Air Bud
11. Goldtone
The record will of course be available on several different formats, as follows:
Standard double vinyl gatefold with printed innersleeves and lyric sheet
Deluxe double vinyl gatefold with different cover depicting the blank building wall before Steve Powers painted it, and including a sticker sheet of the Powers paintings so that you can customize your own album artwork. This version includes the printed innersleeves and lyric sheet, but is also on limited, numbered BLUE VINYL.
First edition CD will be in a mini-gatefold like the LP cover, with the disc in a printed innersleeve in one pocket, and fold-out lyric sheet and insert in the other pocket.
The iTunes preorder, available as of tomorrow, February 12, will include an instant download of “Wakin On A Pretty Day” PLUS a preorder-only bonus track entitled “The Ghost Of Freddy Roach.” You can only get this bonus track by preordering the album at iTunes. You’ll receive the track on the April 9 release date along with the full album.
More news. If you’re in New York City, we’re going to be heading over to the legendary Electric Lady Studios tomorrow (Tuesday, February 12) to listen to the album in all its glory and have some drinks, specifically a custom-made cocktail entitled the Pretty Daze. Interested in attending? Head over to Brooklyn Vegan for a chance to win! Space is extremely limited!
photo by Shawn Brackbill
Kurt isn’t just releasing a record, he’s also touring, with the Violators backing him up:
Sun, Apr 14 – Indio CA – Coachella Festival
Sun, Apr 21 – Indio CA – Coachella Festival
Sun, May 4 – Atlanta GA – Shaky Knees Festival
Mon, May 5 – Atlanta GA – Shaky Knees Festival
Tue, May 7 – Los Angeles CA – Echoplex # *
Wed, May 8 – San Francisco CA – Independent *
Fri, May 10 – Portland OR – Doug Fir # *
Sat, May 11 – Vancouver BC – Biltmore # *
Sun, May 12 – Seattle WA – Neumos # *
Tue, May 14 – Chicago IL – Lincoln Hall *
Thu, May 16 – New York NY – Bowery Ballroom * !
Fri, May 17 – Boston MA – The Sinclair * !
Sat, May 18 – Philadelphia PA – Union Transfer * !
Fri, May 24 – Barcelona ES – Primavera Sound Festival
Sat, May 25 – London GB – Field Day
Sun, May 26 – Brussels BE – AB
Mon, May 27 – Amsterdam NL – Paradiso
Tue, May 28 – Hamburg DE – Knust
Wed, May 29 – Copenhagen DK – Amager Bio
# The Fresh & Onlys
* Steve Gunn
! Angel Olsen
Tickets for all the US dates go on sale Feb 15 except LA (Feb 16) and Seattle (on sale today).
Just in from the department of unexpectedness…. Banks (no, not Lloyd) has upped a mixtape and it’s called EVERYBODY ON MY DICK LIKE THEY SUPPOSED TO BE.
Actually, we kinda knew this was happening. Paul sent over a rough mixtape about 9 months ago of his beats and production and it was genius. And what, with all the Kendricks and the A$APs and whatever, we thought a mixtape would take Banks to new heights if we got it out months before release.
But the long-standing issues with Matador and the rap game quickly blew up our pre-release hype strategy. Long story short, we have earned a certain “cash-only” rep in the hip hop world requiring us to either send briefcases handcuffed to interns to studios deep in Flatbush or…. call in favors which takes time.
In this case, Paul called in a some mega-favors and got features from El-P, Talib, Mike G, and… hold up, HIGH PRIZM (né High Priest).
(Programming note, I’ve spent the entire morning doing things to all sorts of websites that we aren’t ever allowed to do. I AM DARKTOOB. And I feel like Dean Bein.)
Listen to the whole thing over on Soundcloud:
The El-P cut entitled “Quite Enough” has been excerpted for those needing “an entry point”.
In the lead up to the album release, Iceage will make a brief trip to NYC where they’ll be playing an aforementioned show at 285 Kent on January 25. In addition, there will be a very special event entitled “Thrown Together” featuring performances and artwork by Iceage as well as their peers, inspirations, collaborators and friends at Manhattan’s Home Sweet Home and the Fig. 19 gallery upstairs.
131 Chrystie St.
7PM doors
Limited-edition silkscreened tickets available at Fig 19. gallery (free, upstairs) for show ($10, downstairs)
——
Finally, Iceage are set to embark on a European and North American tour starting in February and extending through March, dates below!
Thu. Jan. 24 — Middletown, CT @ Wesleyan University (Eclectic House) – FREE SHOW
Fri. Jan. 25 — Brooklyn, NY @ 285 Kent
Sat. Jan. 26 — New York, NY @ Home Sweet Home
Thu. Jan. 31 – Berlin, DE @ CTM Festival
Fri. Feb. 1 – Amsterdam, NL @ Grauzone Festival
Mon. Feb. 25 – Glasgow, UK @ Broadcast
Tue. Feb. 26 – Liverpool, UK @ Shipping Forecast
Wed. Feb. 27 – Sheffield, UK @ Shakespeare’s
Thu. Feb. 28 – London, UK @ Electrowerkz
Fri. March 1 – Brighton, UK @ The Albert
Sat. March 2 – Nottingham, UK @ Chameleon Arts Café
Mon. March 4 – Paris, FR @ Espace B
Tue. March 5 – Brussels, BE @ Les Ateliers Claus
Wed. March 6 – Eindhoven, NL @ Area 51
Thu. March 7 – Gronigen, NL @ Vera
Fri. March 8 – Munster, DE @ Gleiss 22
Sun. March 10 – Hamburg, DE @ Hafenklang
Wed. March 20 – Vancouver, BC @ the Biltmore w/ Spectres
Thu. March 21 – Seattle, WA @ Barboza
Fri. March 22 – Olympia, WA @ Capital Theater (backstage)
Sat. March 23 – Portland, OR @ Star Theater
Mon. March 25 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop w/ Merchandise, Wet Hair
Tue. March 26 – Oakland, CA @ New Parish w/ Merchandise, Wet Hair
Thu. March 28 – Bakersfield, CA @ Munoz Gym w/ Milk Music
Fri. March 29 – Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex w/ Milk Music
Sun. March 31 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah w/ Milk Music
Mon. April 1 – Tempe, AZ @ Deadhorse Warehouse w/ Milk Music, Destruction Unit
Thu. April 4 – Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater w/ Merchandise, Wet Hair
Sat. April 6 – Grinnell, IA @ Grinnell College w/ Wet Hair – FREE SHOW
Sun. April 7 – Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Club
Tue. April 9 – Madison, WI @ University of Wisconsin – FREE SHOW
Wed. April 10 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle w/ Final Grin
Thu. April 11 – Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups
Fri. April 12 – Pittsburgh, PA @ 6119
Tue. April 16 – Burlington, VT @ Monkey House w/ White Lung
Wed. April 17 – Boston, MA @ TT the Bear’s w/ White Lung
Thu. April 18 – New Haven, CT @ Lilly’s Pad (Toad’s Place Upstairs)
Fri. April 19 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church w/ White Lung
Sat. April 20 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom w/ White Lung
Thu. May 30 – Sun. June 2 – Austin, TX @ Chaos in Tejas
We are incredibly excited to announce that Esben and the Witch will return with their new album Wash the Sins Not Only the Face, on January 21st. The Brighton (UK) trio follow up their acclaimed 2011 debut album Violet Cries by transcending ‘second album’ preconceptions, crafting a record that’s bold, confident, expansive and not ‘difficult’ in the slightest. Daniel Copeman of the band says: “We had a clearer idea of what we wanted to achieve on this album, and how we could achieve it. We’re more focused, more confident.”
Premiering the first track taken from the album today, Deathwaltz shows a band that have come of age and that new found confidence certainly shines through. The band also launch a new website today as well as announcing UK and European tour dates that will follow the album’s release, culminating with a headline London Scala show.
Here’s all the facts you should need:
Release date:
January 21st 2013.
Formats:
LP (OLE 991-1) – initial run will include a limited edition bonus 7″, tracks to be announced soon.
CD (OLE 991-2) – digipack CD.
Download (OLE 991-6) – iTunes exclusive will include the two tracks from the bonus 7″.
Tracklisting:
1. Iceland Spar
2. Slow Wave
3. When That Head Splits
4. Shimmering
5. Deathwaltz
6. Yellow Wood
7. Despair
8. Putting Down The Prey
9. The Fall Of Glorieta Mountain
10. Smashed To Pieces In The Still Of The Night
Esben and the Witch on tour: February 2013
Thu 07 Feb – Birmingham – Hare & Hounds
Fri 08 Feb – Glasgow – School Of Art
Sat 09 Feb – Manchester – Bunker
Fri 15 Feb – Brussels – Botanique
Sat 16 Feb – Munster – Gleiss 22
Sun 17 Feb – Hamburg – Knust
Mon 18 Feb – Berlin – Bi Nuu
Wed 20 Feb – Munich – 59to1
Thu 21 Feb – Zürich – Rote Fabrik
Fri 22 Feb – Cologne – Gebaude 9
Sat 23 Feb – Utrecht – Tivoli Oudegracht Spiegelbar
Tue 26 Feb – London – Scala
Esben and the Witch, by Jonathan Hyde. (l-r):
Daniel Copeman: guitar, bass, drums, percussion, synth
Thomas Fisher: guitar, percussion, synth
Rachel Davies: vocals, bass, guitar, drums
Ceremony continue their seemingly endless journey of tearing up venues large & small* off the back of their 2012 LP, ‘Zoo‘. This fall, their touring continues when they share many-a-stage with Titus Andronicus. In that same spirit of sharing, they’ll be releasing a very limited piece of vinyl with said roadmates, a split 7″ featuring a brand new Ceremony song, “Everything Burns”.
Listen: “Everything Burns” [192 kbps mp3]
Ceremony “Everything Burns” b/w Titus Andronicus “In A Big City”
limited to 500, available only at the venues/shows below (more shows & details TBA!)
* listen to Ceremony play in one of the smaller venues from their last tour, a trailer at FYF Fest with Making Time RADio: HERE.
Fri-Oct-19 Halifax, NS Reflections Cabaret – Halifax Pop Explosion
Sat-Oct-20 Halifax, NS The Pavillion - Halifax Pop Explosion
Tue-Oct-23 Philadelphia, PA First Unitarian Church†
Wed-Oct-24 Washington, DC Rock and Roll Hotel†
Thu-Oct-25 Richmond, VA Strange Matter†
Sun-Oct-28 Gainesville, FL Florida Theater of Gainesville – The Fest 11 w/ Propagandhi
Mon-Oct-29 Tampa, FL Crowbar†
Wed-Oct-31 Atlanta, GA 529†
Fri-Nov-02 Memphis, TN Hi Tone†
Sun-Nov-04 Austin, TX Red 7 FFF Nites w/ Bleached
Tue-Nov-06 Tempe, AZ Sail Inn†
Thu-Nov-08 Los Angeles, CA El Rey†
Fri-Nov-09 San Diego, CA Irenic†
Sat-Nov-10 Santa Ana, CA Constellation Room†
Sun-Nov-11 Santa Cruz, CA Catalyst Atrium†
Mon-Nov-12 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall†
Wed-Nov-14 Seattle, WA Neumo’s†
Thu-Nov-15 Vancouver, BC Biltmore Cabaret†
Sat-Nov-17 Boise, ID Neurolux†
Mon-Nov-19 Denver, CO Larimer Lounge†
Tue-Nov-20 Lawrence, KS Jackpot†
Wed-Nov-21 Omaha, NE Sokol Underground†
Thu-Nov-22 Minneapolis, MN 7th St Entry†
Fri-Nov-23 Milwaukee, WI Turner Hall†
Sat-Nov-24 Madison, WI The Frequency†
Sun-Nov-25 Chicago, IL Metro†
Mon-Nov-26 Detroit, MI Majestic†
Tue-Nov-27 Toronto, ON Lee’s Palace†
Wed-Nov-28 Montreal, QC Il Motore†
Thu-Nov-29 Burlington, VT Higher Ground Lounge†
Fri-Nov-30 Boston, MA The Sinclair†
Sat-Dec-01 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell’s†
Sun-Dec-02 New York, NY Webster Hall†
† with Titus Andronicus
(of course, by “out now”, we mean “out October 9″)
As mentioned in this space a few weeks ago, on October 9 Matador will be releasing the 3rd A.C. Newman album, ‘Shut Down The Streets’. The ’70′s folk/pop-inflected masterpiece was dubbed “an album of understated elegance and strength” by one of our more insightful (and good-looking) executives, and here’s another example of Carl”s musical & lyrical brilliance to whet your appetite :
There’s further recognition, by the way, for one of the continent’s great songsmiths (or, if you prefer, songwriters). Though I’m sworn to secrecy by a colleague (who is so many thousands of miles away, what’s she going to do, yell at me?), I’m told one of your favorite New Pornographers songs will be heard next month as the intro theme music for a popular new television comedy that may or may not feature group therapy as a central theme in the show. It’s not that new Charlie Sheen thing either, so let’s not get into that. There’s loads of other places on the internet if all you want to do is complain about Charlie Sheen. He was alright in “Platoon” — you think you could do better?
Pre-order ‘Shut Down The Streets’ on the LP, CD or digital formats from The Matador Store (first 300 LP’s are on colored vinyl)
on tour this Autumn :
10/21 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace (Exclaim! 20th Anniversary Concert Series)
10/22 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
10/23 – Allston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
10/24 – Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell’s
10/25 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
10/26 – Washington DC @ Black Cat
10/27 – Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall
10/28 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
10/29 – St. Louis, MO @ Duck Room at Blueberry Hill
10/30 – Chicago, IL @ The Empty Bottle
11/1 – St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club
11/2 – Winnipeg, Canada @ West End Cultural Centre
11/5 – Edmonton, Canada @ Starlite Room
11/6 – Calgary, Canada @ The Republik
11/8 – Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore Cabaret (Exclaim! 20th Anniversary Concert Series)*
11/9 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile*
11/10 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge*
11/12 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent*
11/13 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echoplex*
11/14 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah*
On October 9, we’ll be releasing the 3rd album from A.C. Newman, ‘Shut Down The Streets’ (LP/CD/digital) the most powerful and personal solo work to date from the New Pornographers founder. While Newman long ago staked a claim for being one of this continent’s finest pop craftsmen, ‘Streets’ represents a change in tone and a bigger change in subject matter. I’m not about to give the whole thing away (not when we’ve commissioned a bio writer to do that, anyway), but a year of joy and sorrow in the Newman household has inspired an album of understated elegance and strength. The bar was already set pretty high where this songwriter is concerned, but this isn’t nearly so simple as one of your longtime favorites having delivered 10 great new songs. Fantastic lyrical chops and musical invention aren’t new territory for Carl, but writing so directly about the most important events in his adult life certainly are.
Recorded in Woodstock, NY (and featuring longtime colleague Neko Case), ‘Streets’ bears the influence of classic ‘70s folk and pop songwriters ranging from Gerry Rafferty to “Daylight Katy”-period Gordon Lightfoot, Summoning lush sonics with sweeping string & synth backgrounds that are miles away from The New Pornographers’ signature sound, ‘Shut Down The Streets’ is brutally honest, open and affecting in a way Newman has rarely been in the past.
1) I’m Not Talking
2) Do Your Own Time
3) You Could Get Lost Out Here
4) Encyclopedia of Classic Takedowns
5) There’s Money In New Wave
6) Strings
7) Hostages
8 ) Wasted English
9) The Troubadour
10) They Should Have Shut Down The Streets
Pre-order ‘Shut Down The Streets’ from The Matador Store (first 300 LP’s are on colored vinyl)
on tour this Autumn :
10/21 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace (Exclaim! 20th Anniversary Concert Series)
10/22 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
10/23 – Allston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
10/24 – Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell’s
10/25 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
10/26 – Washington DC @ Black Cat
10/27 – Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall
10/28 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
10/29 – St. Louis, MO @ Duck Room at Blueberry Hill
10/30 – Chicago, IL @ The Empty Bottle
11/1 – St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club
11/2 – Winnipeg, Canada @ West End Cultural Centre
11/5 – Edmonton, Canada @ Starlite Room
11/6 – Calgary, Canada @ The Republik
11/8 – Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore Cabaret (Exclaim! 20th Anniversary Concert Series)*
11/9 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile*
11/10 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge*
11/12 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent*
11/13 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echoplex*
11/14 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah*
