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The MataBlog is edited by Matador Records’ co-moaner Gerard Cosloy and individual entries are the work of whoever’s name is next to them. If you enjoyed something in the MataBlog, thank you very much! If there was something you found particularly troubling, please be advised that a) maybe you should read it again and b) the contents of this blog do not necessarily represent the opinions of Matador Records, Beggars Group, the combined staff of either company, nor the Matador artist roster. Opinions are like friends — hardly anyone has one worth listening to.

Vinyl Blowout Sale

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We've uncovered some excess inventory here at the expansive Matador Warehouse™ and that can only mean one thing, sale time. We've got 6 recent classics up for grabs at pretty much half off their normal retail price, but don't wait too long because once these are gone, they are gone for good.

Thurston Moore - Demolished Thoughts LP $8.99

Chelsea Light Moving - Chelsea Light Moving LP + 7" $8.99

Fucked Up - Glass Boys LP - $7.49 Dbl LP $8.99

EMA - The Future's Void LP - $8.99

Lower - Seek Warmer Climes LP - $4.49

Tanlines - Mixed Emotions LP $7.49

LOWER NORTH AMERICAN TOUR ANNOUNCED



(photo: Hannah Godley)

Earlier this morning Lower announced that they will be back in North America this October for dates with Makthaverskan as well as Modern Sky Festival in Central Park. This news comes on the heels of a new single "At The Endless Party" off the band's upcoming EP 'I'm A Lazy Son, But I'm The Only Son' (out September 11th - Escho in Denmark, Matador WW).

Tickets not linked below go on sale this Friday, 10am local.
Sunday, October, 4 - Modern Sky Festival @ Rumsey Playfield, New York NY
Tuesday, October, 6 - Smiling Buddha, Toronto, Ontario*
Wednesday, October, 7 - La Vitrola, Montreal, Quebec*
Thursday, October, 8 - Great Scott, Allston, MA*
Friday, October, 9 - Ortlieb's Lounge, Philadelphia PA*
Saturday, October, 10 - Strange Matter, Richmond VA*
Monday, October, 12 - PJ's Lager House, Detroit MI*
Tuesday, October, 13 - Beat Kitchen, Chicago IL*
Wednesday, October, 14 - Ace of Cups, Columbus OH*
w/ Makthaverskan

Coming September 11 : Lower's 'I'm A Lazy Son...But I'm The Only Son'





Copenhagen quartet Lower, who released their widely praised debut 'Seek Lower Climes' last year on Matador, unveil a new digital EP titled' I’m A Lazy Son...But I’m The Only Son', scheduled for September 11 release. The first single, “At The Endless Party,” premieres today via The FADER. Adrian Toubro’s baritone drips with drama and melancholy, pleading “Come on sweetheart, take me as I am / Drag me to your chamber and toss me around,” atop the pounding, ritualistic drums of a funeral procession.



The Copenhagen quartet Lower is made up of members of other bands including Age Coin, Olymphia, Vår, Marching Church, Sexdrome and more. Their intense music sparkles with the harmonic dissonance and high-strung urgency of their underground music forebears. But Lower ­– Adrian Toubro (vocals), Simon Formann (guitar), Kristian Emdal (bass) and Anton Rothstein (drums) – also channel the romance and drama of great singer-songwriters, from late-period Scott Walker to Bryan Ferry, resulting in hugely ambitious and deeply personal sonic spaces.

Certainly, you don’t have to dig deep to hear how far Lower’s music sits from the traditional concerns of modern rock music. Adrian Toubro’s lyrics are finely wrought emotional dramas that, in their poetic construction and raw honesty of delivery, gesture to the music of Walker or Leonard Cohen.

The new songs on I’m A Lazy Son… But I’m The Only Son are still forceful and urgent, but they mark a step towards an almost fragile sensibility. Lyrically, Toubro allowed himself time for much self-reflection between the release of Seek Lower Climes and this new recording, utilizing his inner thoughts and experiences to craft beguiling tales of sex and death, truth and deceit, glamor and decay. Asger Hartvig, leadsinger of the band Synd Og Skam and member of the deeply inspiring Af Med Hovedet community in Copenhagen, helped mold the songs beyond what was originally intended, into something theatrical and powerful, but, says Toubro, “more like resting on a divan instead of running a riot.”


tracklisting :

1. At The Endless Party
2. Keep Me In Mind
3. Get Back On That Rack!
4. Hot And Bothered
5. Nasty Business

Preorder the EP here (Denmark orders via Escho)

upcoming dates :

Friday, August 28th- Saturday, August 29th - Modern Sky Festival, Helsinki, Finland
Saturday, September 12 - Sugarfactory - Amsterdam, Netherlands

Lower - band site
Lower - Facebook


Iceage and Lower in documentary "13 Torches for a Burn"

Earlier this year in Los Angeles, Iceage, Lower and many cohorts from their native Copenhagen convened for the 13 Torches for a Burn festival. The energy was combustible, so the LA Fire Department shut it down. Or so we thought...

Jacqueline Castel's short film "13 Torches for a Burn" tells another story. The film, premiered b Nowness this weekend, is a gorgeous transplanted scene report, bands sharing a collective musical story far from home:



Plowing Into The Field of Love by Iceage and Seek Warmer Climes by Lower are both available now.

Iceage were on Revolt TV last week and they were spectacular:



There is nothing like a Dane: Lower and Iceage on the radio today

Copenhagen is better-represented than usual on the nation's airwaves today, with Lower and Iceage making near-simultaneous appearances at two of the finer college radio stations to which you could ever hope to listen (in my humble opinion).



First off, we have Lower performing live on Radio K, which at this point has to be considered only a notch or two below Prince when it comes to Minneapolis institutions. Listen online at RadioK.org, or on their trio of radio frequencies (770AM, 100.7FM and 104.5FM) if you live in the Twin Cities, starting at 4:30PM EDT/3:30pm CDT.



Shortly thereafter, at around 5:00PM EDT, Iceage will be waltzing into the studio at New York's WNYU for an appearance on the always vital New Afternoon Show to talk about their just-released album, Plowing Into The Field Of Love, and spin some tunes. WNYU.org is the URL, 89.1FM is the frequency.

VIDEO : Lower – “Daft Persuasion”



Lower are back on the road (this time with Merchandise), playing shows across the US and Canada through mid-October. Before they took off they made a new music video for "Daft Persuasion" off debut album Seek Warmer Climes. Watch the band-directed video above. It premiered this morning on Stereogum. (Note: viewers in Germany can click here)



(photo by Linn Heidi Stokkedal)

Listen to “Lost Weight, Perfect Skin” here
Watch a performance of “Bastard Tactics” here

Buy Seek Warmer Climes from Matador or iTunes.

Tour dates

Thursday, September, 25 – Sister, Albuquerque NM
Friday, September, 26 – 51 West, Tempe AZ
Saturday, September, 27 – Echoplex, Los Angeles CA
Sunday September, 28 – Kensington Club, San Diego CA
Tuesday September, 30 – The Catalyst Atrium, Santa Cruz CA
Wednesday, October, 1 – Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco CA
Friday, October, 3 – Mississippi Studios, Portland OR
Saturday, October, 4 – Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Sunday October, 5 – The Crocodile, Seattle WA
Wednesday, October, 8 – The Aquarium, Fargo ND
Thursday, October, 9 – Triple Rock, Minneapolis MN
Friday, October, 10 – Empty Bottle, Chicago IL
Saturday, October, 11 – The Luminary Center for the Arts, St Louis MO
Sunday, October, 12 – Ace of Cups, Columbus OH
Tuesday, October, 14 – Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn NY
Wednesday, October, 15 – Wrongbar, Toronto ON, Canada
Thursday, October, 16 – House Of Targ, Ottawa ON, Canada
Friday, October, 17 – La Vitrola, Montreal QC
Saturday, October, 18 – Great Scott, Boston MA

Europe
Friday October 31 - Music Box, Lisbon, Portugal
Saturday November 1 -  Soy Festival, Nantes, France
Sunday November 2 - Primavera Club, Barcelona, Spain

Lower: Tour with Merchandise Begins tomorrow in Austin with a Show at Red 7 and In-Store at End of An Ear



Tomorrow Lower will begin touring the US and Canada supporting Merchandise with an in-store at Austin's End of An Ear with Rat Column (flyer and details above). This is the band's second visit to North America this year and first since 'Seek Warmer Climes' has been released.

Tuesday, September, 23 – Red 7, Austin TX
Wednesday, September, 24 – Padres, Marfa TX
Thursday, September, 25 – Sister, Albuquerque NM
Friday, September, 26 – 51 West, Tempe AZ
Saturday, September, 27 – Echoplex, Los Angeles CA
Sunday September, 28 – Kensington Club, San Diego CA
Tuesday September, 30 – The Catalyst Atrium, Santa Cruz CA
Wednesday, October, 1 – Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco CA
Friday, October, 3 – Mississippi Studios, Portland OR
Saturday, October, 4 – Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Sunday October, 5 – The Crocodile, Seattle WA
Wednesday, October, 8 – The Aquarium, Fargo ND
Thursday, October, 9 – Triple Rock, Minneapolis MN
Friday, October, 10 – Empty Bottle, Chicago IL
Saturday, October, 11 – The Luminary Center for the Arts, St Louis MO
Sunday, October, 12 – Ace of Cups, Columbus OH
Tuesday, October, 14 – Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn NY
Wednesday, October, 15 – Wrongbar, Toronto ON, Canada
Thursday, October, 16 – House Of Targ, Ottawa ON, Canada
Friday, October, 17 – La Vitrola, Montreal QC
Saturday, October, 18 – Great Scott, Boston MA