Out Today: Pretty Girls Make Graves - 'The New Romance' (20th Anniversary Edition)
Pretty Girls Make Graves (2003) photographed by Michael Lavine
stream / purchase ‘The New Romance’
Originally released in September 2003, Pretty Girls Make Graves' Matador debut 'The New Romance' is back in print today on limited white vinyl for the album's 20th anniversary. The LP is accompanied by two music videos from the album newly remastered and available on YouTube, plus two extra tracks on streaming “C-30 C-60 C-90 Go!” and "Magic Lights." Singer Andrea Zollo and guitarist J. Clark guest on the latest installment of our Matador Revisionist History podcast series alongside producer Phil Ek and our host, Matt Sweeney.
‘The New Romance (20th Anniversary Edition)’ Tracklist
01. Something Bigger, Something Brighter
02. The Grandmother Wolf
03. Mr. Club
04. All Medicated Geniuses
05. Blue Lights
06. Chemical, Chemical
07. 7
08. The Teeth Collector
09. Holy Names
10. The New Romance
11. This is Our Emergency
12. A Certain Cemetery
13. C-30 C-60 C-90 Go! (Digital Only)
14. Magic Lights (Digital Only)
Pretty Girls Make Graves online
Pretty Girls Make Graves - 'The New Romance' 20th Anniversary Edition
photo by Michael Lavine
"This Is Emergency" (directed by Mike Ott and James Harris)
"All Medicated Geniuses"
stream / preorder 'The New Romance'
Today, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Pretty Girls Make Graves’ sophomore album, 'The New Romance'. Originally released in 2003, this was the Seattle punk band’s Matador Records debut.
After more than a decade out of print, the album will return to us in a limited edition white vinyl pressing in stores on November 3. Pre-order that HERE. A deluxe digital version also lands today on digital services and features two b-sides “Magic Lights,” newly available on streaming, and a cover of Bow Wow Wow’s home-taping anthem, “C-30 C-60 C-90 Go!” We’ve also posted remastered music videos for singles “All Medicated Geniuses” and “This is Our Emergency.”
Singer Andrea Zollo and guitarist J. Clark guest on the latest installment of our Matador Revisionist History podcast series alongside producer Phil Ek and our host, Matt Sweeney.
Pretty Girls Make Graves formed in Seattle in 2001. The members – Andrea Zollo, Derek Fudesco, J. Clark, Nick Dewitt, and Nathan Thelen – were already local underground luminaries, owing to their time in punk and hardcore bands like Death Wish Kids, Area 51, and Murder City Devils.
The quintet released an EP, a handful of 7” singles, and a full-length, Good Health (Lookout! Records), before getting a cold email from Matador Records founder Chris Lombardi, who may or may not have read a positive review in Pitchfork. A deal was struck and the band decamped to the bucolic Bear Creek studio to track 'The New Romance' with Ek.
In the podcast, Zollo and Clark go deep on the band’s early years, talking influences (Drive Like Jehu, Ink & Dagger, Fugazi), rock band do’s / don’ts, and what it’s like to practice riffs in a freezing cold paper mache igloo.
‘The New Romance (20th Anniversary Edition)’ Tracklist
01. Something Bigger, Something Brighter
02. The Grandmother Wolf
03. Mr. Club
04. All Medicated Geniuses
05. Blue Lights
06. Chemical, Chemical
07. 7
08. The Teeth Collector
09. Holy Names
10. The New Romance
11. This is Our Emergency
12. A Certain Cemetery
13. C-30 C-60 C-90 Go! (Digital Only)
14. Magic Lights (Digital Only)
Pretty Girls Make Graves online
Ahem. "Brocaine"?
Bid at your own risk, folks.
Remember how that rare Velvet Underground acetate was unearthed at the Chelsea flea market by a clueless record digger (I hate that guy).
Well people, that was just an hors d'eourve, this is the main course. Here is a chance to own suitable for framing Indie Rock history acetates from hottt Matador band Pretty Girls Make Graves. I happened upon these GRAILS at a rummage sale adjoining a Renaissance Faire in upstate New York. I was dressed as a dark knave.
Two Elan Vital acetates (2) in white sleeves [side A and side B separate one-sided reference pressings]
fun facts about the PGMGA (Pretty Girls Make Graves Acetates):
1) Cosloy briefly hinted at their existence during the 2007 SXSW blogger brunch
2) Trace amounts of brocaine can be found on the side A runout groove (u party?)
3) THIS IS RED ROCKS, THIS IS THE EDGE
Unlike that Velvet Underground acetate playtested hype auction (I hate him), these virginally pure acetates have been untouched by the hand of Man.
This is *investment grade* vinyl, and we would not dare sully it. Only the winner of this auction will decide whether to enjoy these recordings on an audiophile quality system or frame them in rarest teakwood.
Pretty Girls Makes Graves - They're Outta Here
(pic swiped from KEXP, used without permission)
By early June, you will no longer have Pretty Girls Make Graves to kick around anymore. And while this is very, very sad news, we do have to give their booking agent full credit --- not many persons have the presence of mind to rout a farewell tour around 4 dates in China.
Thursday, April 26 Beijing, China - Mao Live
Friday, April 27, Hong Kong, China - TBA
Saturday, April 28, Shanghai, China - 4Live0
Sunday, April 29, Beijing, China - D22
Thursday, May 10 - MILWAUKEE, WI: Todd Wehr Auditorium
Friday, May 11 - IOWA CITY, IA: The Picador
Saturday, May 12 - CHICAGO, IL: Empty Bottle
Sunday, May 13 - CLEVELAND, OH: Grog Shop
Monday, May 14 - PITTSBURGH, PA: Mr. Small's
Wednesday, May 16 - PHILADELPHIA, PA: North Star
Thursday, May 17 - CAMBRIDGE, MA: Middle East - Downstairs
Friday, May 18 - PROVIDENCE, RI: The Living Room
Saturday, May 19 - NEW YORK, NY: Gramercy Theatre
Sunday, May 20 - WASHINGTON, D.C.: Black Cat
Tuesday, May 22 - ATLANTA, GA: The Earl
Wednesday, May 23 - TAMPA, FL: The Orpheum
Thursday, May 24 - ORLANDO, FL: The Social
Saturday, May 26 - BATON ROUGE, LA: Spanish Moon
Sunday, May 27 - DENTON, TX: Hailey's
Monday, May 28 - AUSTIN, TX: Emo's
Tuesday, May 29 - ALBUQUERQUE, NM: Launchpad
Wednesday, May 30 - TEMPE, AZ: The Clubhouse
Saturday, June 2 - POMONA, CA: Glasshouse
Sunday, June 3 - LOS ANGELES, CA: Troubadour
Monday, June 4 - SAN FRANCISCO, CA: Great American Music Hall
Wednesday, June 6 - PORTLAND, OR: Berbati's Pan
Saturday, June 9 - SEATTLE, WA: Neumo's
Pretty Girls Make Graves - It's Been Real
The following message was posted on Pretty Girls Makes Graves' site earlier today.
We are sorry to announce that our upcoming tour in May will be our last. Nick quit the band and the rest of us feel like it wouldn’t be right to continue on without him. The 5 of us feel very lucky to have met and worked with some truly amazing people over the years. Thank you all so much….
Needless to say, though all of us at brutally exploitive label central are very disappointed by this news....we've known about it for ages! Who says Matador can't keep a secret?
In all seriousness, while one of our fave bands on Earth pulling the plug is a sad occasion, it is also a reminder there's something to be said for going out at the top of your game. And we're also very confident that our friendship with Andrea, Derek, Jay, Nick and Leona is far from finished, and we eagerly whatever else they've got up their sleeves musically or otherwise. To say we're fortunate to have been associated with such awesome people would be the understatement of this Monday morning.
The Final Pretty Girls Make Graves Dates Of 2006
unless someone tells us about some more!
Friday, Dec. 15 - PORTLAND, OR: Berbati's Pan w/ Swan Island, Kiki
Saturday, Dec. 16 - SEATTLE, WA: Chop Suey w/ Prototypes, Yogoman Burning
September News Report Posted
The September News Report has been posted. Regular blog readers may find some stuff they already know, but there's plenty of new tidbits as well.
Pretty Girls Make Graves - exclusive iTunes EP
Pretty Girls Make Graves, as captured in the creative hotbed of Los Angeles, CA, 4 songs, $3.96. But you can't put a pricetag on the wonderful feelings deep inside this EP will stir.
1) Pyrite Pedestal
2) The Number
3) Pictures Of A Night Scene
4) Domino Dub Mix
available now from the iTunes Music Store.
Takin' It to the Streets: Pretty Girls Make Graves on Tour
Much like another of my favorite bands, the Doobie Brothers* (except with no Rerun bootlegging the show), Pretty Girls Make Graves are takin' it to the streets this Fall all over these United States, with She Wants Revenge, Monsters Are Waiting, A Gun Called and many others soon to be announced. And not to be outdone in the grand ol' U.S. of three-hours-to-board-a-plane-with-no-water A., PGMG fans in Mexico can also catch them rock at the beggining of September:
Saturday, Sept. 2: Mexico City, MX - Toreo Cuatro Caminos
Sunday, Oct. 29: Milwaukee, WI - Mad Planet w/ A Gun Called Tension
Monday, Oct. 30: Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock w/ A Gun Called Tension
Tuesday, Oct. 31: Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom w/ She Wants Revenge
Wednesday, Nov. 1: Des Moines, IA - Val Air Ballroom w/ She Wants Revenge
Thursday, Nov. 2: DAY OFF
Friday, Nov. 3: Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle w/ A Gun Called Tension
Saturday, Nov. 4: Toronto, ON - El Mocambo w/ A Gun Called Tension
Sunday, Nov. 5: Montreal, QC - Club Lambi w/ A Gun Called Tension
Monday, Nov. 6: DAY OFF
Tuesday, Nov. 7: Brooklyn, NY - Northsix w/ A Gun Called Tension
Wednesday, Nov. 8: Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church
Thursday, Nov. 9: Washington, D.C. - 9:30 Club w/ She Wants Revenge and Monsters Are Waiting
Friday, Nov. 10: Charlottesville, VA - Satellite Ballroom w/ She Wants Revenge and Monsters Are Waiting
Saturday, Nov. 11: North Myrtle Beach, S.C. - House of Blues w/ She Wants Revenge and Monsters Are Waiting
Monday, Nov. 13: Orlando, FL - The Club At Firestone w/ She Wants Revenge and Monsters Are Waiting
Tuesday, Nov. 14: Atlanta, GA - Earthlink Live w/ She Wants Revenge and Monsters Are Waiting
Wednesday, Nov. 15: Baton Rouge, LA - Varsity Theater w/ She Wants Revenge and Monsters Are Waiting
Thursday, Nov. 16: Houston, TX - Meridian w/ She Wants Revenge and Monsters Are Waiting
Friday, Nov. 17: Austin, TX - Stubb's BBQ w/ She Wants Revenge and Monsters Are Waiting
Saturday, Nov. 18: Dallas, TX - Gypsy Ballroom w/ She Wants Revenge and Monsters Are Waiting
Monday, Nov. 20: Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre w/ She Wants Revenge and Monsters Are Waiting
Tuesday, Nov. 21: San Diego, CA - House of Blues w/ She Wants Revenge and Monsters Are Waiting
Wednesday, Nov. 22: Anaheim, CA - The Grove of Anaheim w/ She Wants Revenge and Monsters Are Waiting
Saturday, Nov. 25: Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues w/ She Wants Revenge and Monsters Are Waiting
Go see them, they'll rock your socks (and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter's moustache) off!
*Discerning music fans of course know that the Doobies were named by none other than the late, great Alexander "Skip" Spence. If you don't own the complete and utter masterpiece that is his album Oar, well, you should.
UPDATE: Apparently Rog from "What's Happening" is on MySpace! God bless the internets!
Pretty Girls Makes Graves, New Dates
(live at London's 100 Club last April, photo by Vern, used without permission)
Thursday, Nov. 9: Washington, D.C. - 9:30 Club
Friday, Nov. 10: Charlottesville, VA - Satellite Ballroom
Saturday, Nov. 11: North Myrtle Beach, S.C. - House of Blues
Monday, Nov. 13: Orlando, FL - The Club At Firestone
Tuesday, Nov. 14: Atlanta, GA - Earthlink Live
Wednesday, Nov. 15: Baton Rouge, LA - Varsity Theater
Thursday, Nov. 16: Houston, TX - Meridian
Friday, Nov. 17: Austin, TX - Stubb's BBQ
Saturday, Nov. 18: Dallas, TX - Gypsy Ballroom
Monday, Nov. 20: Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre
Tuesday, Nov. 21: San Diego, CA - House of Blues
All dates supporting She Wants Revenge. They say revenge is a dish best served cold, but as cannibalism is against the law in most of the states on the above schedule, please be advised that eating utensils are likely to be confiscated at the door (sorry).