Page 25 – ATO RECORDS

Joseph Release “Good Luck, Kid” Title Track And New Lyric Video

August 14, 2019 – 8:42 pm

“[The] blend their voices in the eerily close way that only siblings seem able to accomplish” — NPR MUSIC

“a rallying cry and a celebration of the determination and angst that has pulled us all through these toxic times” — NYLON

“Upbeat, anthemic” — BROOKLYN VEGAN

“Dark folk-pop that will make you cry (in the best, most cathartic way possible)” — PAPER

“an uplifting stronghold” — PASTE

Joseph continue to prove they are “back after a three-year absence and fired up for the occasion” (NYLON) with the release of the title track and lyric video from their forthcoming album ‘Good Luck, Kid,’ out September 13. The trio—Natalie Schepman and her twin sisters Allison and Meegan Closner— will also embark on a 30+ date tour this fall, starting on the eve of the new album’s release and headlining their biggest rooms to date.

Watch “Good Luck, Kid (Official Lyric Video)” Below

The guitar-heavy upbeat track speaks to the eternal quest for independence as the sisters sing of the eternal road to self-discovery. “They handed you the keys / The driver’s seat is yours now,” the sisters sing over reverberating guitar and intense drums. The song is the only track on the new album solely credited to Schepman, and was inspired by a road trip with her husband Chris, and their long conversations about independence, religion, and the ubiquity of social media.

The girls invite you to come along for a ride in their latest lyric video, featuring an eclectic montage of personal vignettes that mirror the song’s theme: taking the driver’s seat into adulthood.

Watch via Consequence of Sound, who praise the song’s “dizzying guitars” and “driving bass line”:

https://consequenceofsound.net/2019/08/joseph-good-luck-kid-origins-stream/

Joseph has garnered attention for their lush, goosebump-inducing harmonies and songs of unity and empowerment. Since its release, ‘Good Luck, Kid’ lead single “Fighter” cracked the Top 20 in the Triple AAA Radio Chart in just three weeks, an overall rare and impressive feat. Additionally, the sisters recently kicked off an Instagram campaign tied to “Fighter” that shares the extraordinary stories of women across the world under the #THISISAFIGHTER hashtag.

JOSEPH 2019 TOUR DATES

Sept 12 – Vancouver, BC @ Imperial

Sept 13 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox

Sept 14 – Portland, OR @ Roseland

Sept 15 – Portland, OR @ Roseland

Sept 16 – Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory Concert House

Sept 19 – Iowa City, IA @ Englert Theatre

Sept 20 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue

Sept 21 – Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre

Sept 22 – Detroit, MI @ The Majestic Theatre

Sept 24 – Toronto, ON @ The Mod Club

Sept 25 – Montreal, QC @ L’Astral

Sept 27 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club

Sept 28 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall

Sept 29 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer

Oct 2 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club

Oct 3 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel

Oct 4 – Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom

Oct 6 – Austin, TX @ ACL Festival

Oct 9 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater

Oct 10 – New Orleans, LA @ Tipitina’s

Oct 13 – Austin, TX @ ACL Festival

Oct 16 – Tuczon, AZ @ Rialto Theatre

Oct 18 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up

Oct 19 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre

Oct 20 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore

Nov 1 – Antwerp, Belgium @ Arenberg

Nov 2 – Groningen, Netherlands @ Take Root Festival

Nov 3 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso Tuinzaal

Nov 4 – Hamberg, Germany @ Uebel & Gefährlich

Nov 6 – Berlin, Germany @ Frannz Club

Nov 7 – Munich, Germany @ Strom

Nov 8 – Cologne, Germany @ Luxor

Nov 9 – Paris, France @ La Boule Noire

Nov 11 – Bristol, UK @ Hare & Hounds

Nov 12 – London, UK @ Bush Hall

Nov 13 – Manchester, UK @ Night People

Nov 14 – Glasgow, UK @ Stereo

Nov 16 – Dublin, Ireland @ The Workman’s Club

By atony | Posted in news, featured | Comments Off

Nilüfer Yanya Makes Her TV Performance Debut On Colbert

July 24, 2019 – 12:39 pm

“The rapturous debut from the British singer-songwriter takes adventurous pop-rock crucibles to new heights with her illusory songwriting and stunning voice.”
-Pitchfork (8.3, Best New Music)

“Her voice is the center of the galaxy”
-Wall Street Journal

“Bona fide indie anthems“
-The Guardian

“On her debut album, Miss Universe, Yanya has pulled one more trick from her sleeve: crafting an entire world unto herself.”
-NPR (First Listen)

“Yanya oozes starpower”
-MTV

The brilliant British songstress Nilüfer Yanya kicked off a headlining North America tour with a sold out show at NYC’s Music Hall of Williamsburg and her worldwide TV debut on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. She performed “In Your Ahead” from her album Miss Universe marking her first TV appearence.

Watch The Video Below

Yanya is fresh off a Turkish, U.K. and European headline tour which included multiple high profile festival appearances. Her North American tour includes appearances at Newport Folk Festival, Celebrate Brooklyn, XPONential Festival and Osheaga.

Her ambitious and compelling debut album Miss Universe arrived in March packed with stellar singles and powerful songwriting and has seen widespread acclaim from publications including NPR (First Listen) and Pitchfork who awarded the album Best New Music. Largely recorded in the same remote English studio she used to jam in with her uncle Joe, a former musician himself, Miss Universe features co-productions with both her former school guitar teacher The Invisible’s Dave Okumu and her live bandmates Jazzi Bobbi and Luke Bower, as well as producers John Congleton, Oli Barton-Wood, Will Archer and M.T. Hadley. Inventive, expressive and rapturous, the album has seen Yanya deservedly hailed as a true original and a vitally important new voice in indie-rock.

***

See Nilüfer Yanya on tour in 2019:

July 24 – Washington, DC @ U Street Music Hall

July 25 – Brooklyn, NY @ Celebrate Brooklyn Prospect Park

July 26 – Xponential Festival, New Jersey

July 27 – Newport Folk Festival, Rhode Island

July 30 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop

July 31 – Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village [SOLD OUT]

August 2 – Detroit, MI @ Deluxx Fluxx

August 3 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern

August 4 – Osheaga Festival, Montreal

August 8-12 – Belle & Sebastian Boaty Weekender

August 15-18 – Pukkelpop Festival, Belgium

August 15-18 – Green Man Festival, Brecon Beacons, Wales

August 24 – Future Yard Festival, Birkenhead Town Hall

August 25 – This Must Be The Place Festival, Headrow House, Leeds

September 21 – Dublin, IE @ Workmans

September 27 – Vancouver, CAN @ Fortune

September 28 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern

September 29 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios

October 1 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent

October 2 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room

October 4 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge

October 6 – Austin City Limits Festival, Texas

October 22 – Aahus, Denmark @ Atlas

October 23 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Vega

October 24 – Hamburg, GE @ Bahnhof Pauli

October 25 – Under Your Skin Festival, Utrecht

October 27 – Berlin, GE @ Festsaal Kreuzberg

October 29 – Gent, Belgium @ Turbinzall de Centrale

October 30 – Cologne, GE @ Luxor

November 17 – London, UK @ O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire

November 24 – Madrid, Spain @ Sala El Solo

November 25 – Barcelona, Spain @ Razzmatazz

By atony | Posted in news, featured | Tagged colbert show, in your head, miss universe, nilufer, nilüfer yanya, tour, tv appearance, us tour | Comments Off

Announcing Dawes “North Hills: 10th Anniversary Edition” Deluxe LP

July 24, 2019 – 9:11 am

Today we’re extremely excited to announce Dawes – North Hills: 10th Anniversary Edition, a deluxe vinyl reissue commemorating a decade since the release of their breakthrough debut album, available on September 6th. Upon its release in 2009, the Jonathan Wilson produced album was hailed by Rolling Stone for its “twangy folk rock a la Gram Parsons and Neil Young” and “sweet, Byrds-ian harmonies.” Said bassist Wylie Gelber, “this album is dedicated to my first car, she gave her life for a modest insurance payout, which funded the recording of these songs.”

North Hills: 10th Anniversary Edition is available for pre-order here.

The 10th anniversary edition of North Hills will include two LPs on translucent red vinyl, a gatefold jacket with gold foil stamped cover, and a 7” vinyl with two unreleased b-sides, “All My Failures” and “Wilderness.” “We figured at the time that Wilderness and All My Failures didn’t fit with the rest of the tunes,” Taylor Goldsmith reveals, “but now it’s hard to remember why we thought that. Listening back now, these recordings of these songs seem to share the same North Hills DNA as the original 11 and it feels good to get them out into the world.” Also included will be the album’s original 2009 promo poster, newly expanded artwork, and a digital download. A portion of proceeds will go to Silverlake Conservatory of Music, facilitating dynamic music education across communities and providing scholarships to children whose families would otherwise be unable to afford lessons.

Dawes will also perform the album in full at this weekend’s Newport Folk Festival on Saturday July 27th at 5:30pm on the Quad Stage. “North Hills: Dawes and Friends, the 10 Year Celebration,” will feature an incredible group of unannounced special guests sitting in with the band and can be streamed live on Newport Folk Radio here.

By atony | Posted in news, featured | Tagged Dawes, Newport Folk Festival, deluxe vinyl, north hills, north hills 10th anniversary edition, nothing is wrong, passwords, red vinyl, taylor goldsmith, wylie gelber | Comments Off

Black Pumas Premiere “Colors” Live Video

July 22, 2019 – 11:20 am

Today, Black Pumas have premiered a new performance video of “Colors” via The Fader— a track that Hypebeast called “an idiosyncratically modern update of the height of the Motown era”.

Watch the video below

Black Pumas’ “acutely cinematic” (Pitchfork), “perfectly realized” (The Guardian) self-titled debut is out now, and the band continues to prove that they are “the breakout band of 2019” (NPR). They are selling out tour dates across the country, including upcoming dates in NYC, LA, and more.

Their peers are taking notice, too: Spoon’s Britt Daniel shouted them out in a recent interview with the Austin Chronicle:

AC: You’ve had the opportunity to help out a few Austin bands – are there any newer acts that you’re excited about?

BD: I just started listening to that Black Pumas record because I love the record cover and I was seeing it everywhere. That’s a great band.

From winning Best New Band and Best Song (“Black Moon Rising”) at the 2019 Austin Music Awards and attracting praise from Rolling Stone for their “tireless, charismatic” performances at SXSW to sold-out dates with The Heavy throughout Europe, the partnership between busker-turned frontman Eric Burton and Grammy-winning guitarist Adrian Quesada is becoming impossible to ignore.

Black Pumas is currently the #1 most played album at KCRW, ahead of Thom Yorke and Khruangbin. Listen to “Black Moon Rising” below.

By atony | Posted in news, featured | Tagged ATO Records, adrian quesada, austin, black moon rising, black pumas, colors, eric burton, live session, new album | Comments Off

Brittany Howard Shares New Single & Video, “Stay High”

July 16, 2019 – 8:35 am

Today, Brittany Howard unveiled “Stay High,” the soulful first single from her debut solo album, Jaime, and the accompanying video, which follows a father in the moments after his shift at a factory. Envisioning Terry Crews – who portrayed beloved TV dad Julius in “Everybody Hates Chris” and has gone on to star in such projects as The Expendables (and its sequels), Deadpool 2, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and “America’s Got Talent” – in the lead role, Howard wrote him a letter to ask if he would consider starring in the video, and he graciously accepted her offer.

She teamed up with director Kim Gehrig to shoot “Stay High.” Gehrig’s music videos for Wiley & Mark Ronson’s “Cash in my Pocket” and Chaka Khan’s “Like Sugar” won top honors at the UK VMAs. Her numerous awards include the first Glass Lion as well as multiple Gold Lions at Cannes. Howard dedicated the “Stay High” video to her father, K.J. Howard, who makes a cameo appearance. Marking her first-ever appearance in a music video, Brittany can also be spotted in the clip.

Watch “Stay High” below

Pre-Order Brittany Howard’s Debut Album Jaime Here Out September 20

“This video is shot in my home town of Athens, Alabama. The actors are my family and friends,” says Brittany Howard. “Terry Crews plays a man who isn’t out to change the world, he plays a man who just wants to come home to those who understand and love him best. We see his inner beauty, grace and humanity in a place that is so often misunderstood.”

“I got an email from the Brittany Howard, asking me to be a part of a song she wrote that was all about her dad and how special he was to the family. And she poured her heart out in this letter. I couldn’t believe it,” Terry Crews recalls. “Brittany was like, ‘we can shoot it in L.A.,’ and I said, ‘No, I’m coming to you, we’re going to Alabama. We’re going to where you grew up, to where your family is.”

Rolling Stone said, “Howard’s solo debut, Jaime, is her most ambitious recording ever, full of synthed-out psychedelic funk, druggy soul ballads, hip-hop loops, and lyrics grappling with her past, including sexuality, family tragedy, religious guilt and more…It’s a powerful record.”

“It’s my first time making decisions on my own, being the captain of the ship,” she says. “It brings up existential questions—why am I here, why do I do this? People think that touring in a band is super-fun, and it can be, but nothing about it is normal. You miss out on a lot of stuff, so I need to make sure I’m doing it for the right reasons.”

Tickets are on sale now for Howard’s fall North American tour, which includes two-night stands at intimate venues in Asheville, NC, Washington, DC and Los Angeles. The headline run will also include shows at Ryman Auditorium in Nashville (August 19) and New York City’s Beacon Theatre (September 24). See below for full itinerary or visit www.brittanyhoward.com. Every online ticket purchased for the U.S. dates on the fall tour will include a CD of the new album, Jaime.

Brittany Howard – Tour Dates

www.brittanyhoward.com
Instagram @blackfootwhitefoot
Twitter @blkfootwhtfoot
Facebook.com/BrittanyHowardOfficial

By atony | Posted in news, featured | Tagged Brittany Howard, New Music Video, alabama, alabama shakes, jaime, music video, new song, song of the day, stay high, terry crews | Comments Off

Today Rayland Baxter Releases Mac Miller Tribute EP ‘good mmornin’

July 15, 2019 – 2:07 pm

“Baxter leans into the jazzy, smoldering groove of Miller’s music… accentuating the optimism percolating below the surface” – Rolling Stone

“It might seem unexpected on paper, but the covers sound pretty great.” – Brooklyn Vegan

“Baxter draws out the fusion of hip-hop, jazz, and R&B that underlies Miller’s songs… The sounds illuminate Miller’s influence on Baxter’s original songs” – American Songwriter

“Baxter’s tribute comes from a place of real respect, and sadness at a promising young talent gone far too soon. Baxter’s folk and Americana background melding with Miller’s work that itself drew from jazz and soul makes perfect sense” – Cover Me

Today Rayland Baxter has released his Mac Miller tribute EP good mmornin digitally including tracks “2009” and “Objects In The Mirror”.

For the 7 song EP, Ray brought some of his closest musician friends into the studio, including keyboardist/guitarist Aaron Embry(Elliott Smith, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros), drummerEric Slick (Dr. Dog), and his father Bucky Baxter (Bob Dylan, Steve Earle, R.E.M.) on pedal steel. The result is a touching tribute to Mac’s artistry and legacy, showing how his music transcends genre and scene to build connections in unlikely places, inviting listeners to recognize and build deep, human connections.

Download Digital Album Here // Pre-Order Limited Edition Yellow Vinyl Here

Listen to “2009” Below

Rayland saw Mac perform at a festival years ago and fell in love with his songs. As time passed, Baxter became more enchanted by Miller; by his lyrics, his musicality and most of all, his approach to and through life. Miller’s uncanny knack for exploring deeply universal human themes, turning the mundane realities of everyday life into profoundly honest observations resonated with Baxter, as it did a global audience also struggling with common issues of love, depression, addiction and optimism.

Ray is planning to donate a portion of the proceeds of this project to Musicares’ Mac Miller Legacy Fund which is centered on youth with substance abuse issues.

Rayland will be touring North America and European festivals extensively this summer and fall. Upcoming highlights include Newport Folk Festival, Xponential, Hardly Strictly (SF), Pilgrimageand Red Rocks.

By atony | Posted in news, featured | Comments Off

Temples’ to Release Third LP ‘Hot Motion’ on Sept 27. US Tour Begins on 10/12 at Desert Daze

July 15, 2019 – 4:45 am

Beloved British psych-rockers Temples return with their new album Hot Motion on September 27th. With their third brilliantly crafted and ingeniously intricate album, Temples have found new ground and a deeper, darker creative well. A glorious technicolor infuses much of the album but there is a David Lynch-ian undertone that adds a gravity to Hot Motion’s soaring moments.

“It felt like there was a darker edge to what we were coming up with and we wanted to make sure that carried through the whole record,” said bassist Thomas Walmsley. “It’s not a ten track, relentless rock record from start to finish, it’s got a lot of light and shade and more tender moments, but that heavier, darker sound is something we wanted to explore further.”

Pre-Order on Deluxe Galaxy Zoetrope Vinyl

Fizzing with ideas, bursting with kinetic energy and balancing an immediate impact with an enduring, timeless intensity, Hot Motion is a cohesive album in a time of stand-alone singles. Temples have created an aural tapestry for dark days, an inviting and warm sanctuary away from the daily churn of information overload. It’s an album of complexity, crafted for repeat listening.

North American Tour Dates In Full:

10/11/19 – 10/13/19 – Perris, CA @ Desert Daze Festival

10/14/19 – Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex

10/15/19 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent

10/17/19 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Commonwealth Room

10/18/19 – Englewood, CO @ The Gothic Theatre

10/19/19 – Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf

10/21/19 – Dallas, TX @ The Granada Theatre

10/22/19 – Austin, TX @ Stubbs

10/24/19 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall

10/25/19 – 10/27/19 – New Orleans, LA @ Voodoo Music Experience

10/29/19 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade

1/20/20- Washington, DC – U Street Music Hall

1/21/20 – New York, NY – Webster Hall

1/23/20 – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair

1/24/20 – Philadelphia, PA – The Foundry at The Filmore

1/26/20 – Montreal, QC – L’Astral

1/28/20 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace

1/30/20 – Detroit, MI – Shelter

1/31/20 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall

2/1/20 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry

2/4/20 – Vancouver, BC – Fox Cabaret

2/6/20 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge

2/7/20 – Seattle, WA – The Crocodile Cafe

By atony | Posted in news, featured | Tagged ATO, ATO Records, Album, Hot Motion, Temples, new album, new music, vinyl | Comments Off

Joseph Announce New Album ‘Good Luck, Kid’ Set For September 13 Release and Debut Single “Fighter”

July 9, 2019 – 11:35 am

“[They] blend their voices in the eerily close way that only siblings seem able to accomplish” – NPR Music

“Dark folk-pop that will make you cry (in the best, most cathartic way possible)” – PAPER

“Wonderfully eccentric sounds, visually sumptuous and ethereally evocative” – Paste

“Poised to make a splash” – Buzzfeed

Today, Portland-bred sister trio Joseph announce their new album Good Luck, Kid, set for September 13th release. Following 2016’s I’m Alone, No You’re Not, which was hailed as “an appealing mix of swoony delicacy and punchy anthems” by NPR Music, the new album is a road movie in album form, an odyssey at turns emotional, existential, and entirely literal. With their intimate storytelling and restless intensity, Natalie Schepman and her sisters Allison and Meegan Closner detail that journey in songs that careen and sprawl and often soar, ultimately spinning a narrative of life-changing transformation.

The exhilarating first single “Fighter” is out today. An intense, compact cut with serious emotional punch, “Fighter” immediately proves the transcendent power of sisterly connection, while also speaking to a nearly disastrous discord.

“The song’s about how our band almost broke up,” explains Natalie. “It’s the story of the three of us wanting different things and dealing with that conflict, and eventually deciding to just keep going.”

Listen/share here: https://nylon.com/joseph-fighter-premiere

In the making of Good Luck, Kid Joseph pushed beyond the dreamy folk of their debut album, embracing a grittier, more dynamic sound. The 13-song collection was produced by Christian “Leggy” Langdon (Meg Myers, Charlotte OC) and the result brims with thick drums and lustrous guitars, heavy grooves and radiant melodies. Despite the bolder sonic palette, Good Luck, Kid remains centered on the band’s crystalline vocal work, including the otherworldly harmonies that suggest a near-telepathic connection among sisters.

“The through-line of the album is this idea of moving into the driver’s seat of your own life—recognizing that you’re an adult now, and everything’s up to you from this moment on,” Natalie said. “You’re not completely sure of how to get where you need to go, and you don’t have any kind of a map to help you. It’s just the universe looking down on you like, ‘Good luck, kid.’”

Joseph will head out on a 20+ date tour this Fall, starting on the eve of the new album’s release and headlining their biggest rooms to date. See below for a full list of dates.

JOSEPH 2019 TOUR DATES:

Sept 12 – Vancouver, BC @ Imperial

Sept 13 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox

Sept 14 – Portland, OR @ Roseland

Sept 15 – Portland, OR @ Roseland

Sept 16 – Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory Concert House

Sept 19 – Iowa City, IA @ Englert Theatre

Sept 20 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue

Sept 21 – Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre

Sept 22 – Detroit, MI @ The Majestic Theatre

Sept 24 – Toronto, ON @ The Mod Club

Sept 25 – Montreal, QC @ L’Astral

Sept 27 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club

Sept 28 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall

Sept 29 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer

Oct 2 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club

Oct 3 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel

Oct 4 – Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom

Oct 6 – Austin, TX @ ACL Festival

Oct 9 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater

Oct 10 – New Orleans, LA @ Tipitina’s

Oct 13 – Austin, TX @ ACL Festival

Oct 16 – Tuczon, AZ @ Rialto Theatre

Oct 18 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up

Oct 19 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre

Oct 20 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore

Nov 1 – Antwerp, Belgium @ Arenberg

Nov 2 – Groningen, Netherlands @ Take Root Festival

Nov 3 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso Tuinzaal

Nov 4 – Hamberg, Germany @ Uebel & Gefährlich

Nov 6 – Berlin, Germany @ Frannz Club

Nov 7 – Munich, Germany @ Strom

Nov 8 – Cologne, Germany @ Luxor

Nov 9 – Paris, France @ La Boule Noire

Nov 11 – Bristol, UK @ Hare & Hounds

Nov 12 – London, UK @ Bush Hall

Nov 13 – Manchester, UK @ Night People

Nov 14 – Glasgow, UK @ Stereo

Nov 16 – Dublin, Ireland @ The Workman’s Club

Joseph on the web:

https://thebandjoseph.com/news/

https://twitter.com/thebandjoseph

https://www.instagram.com/thebandjoseph/

https://www.facebook.com/thebandjoseph

By atony | Posted in news, featured | Tagged album announce, art video, fighter, good luck kid, joseph, new album, new music, new single, tour | Comments Off

King Gizzard Announce New Album INFEST THE RATS’ NEST – Pre-Order Now

July 1, 2019 – 3:06 pm

The planet is in trouble. Dire trouble. But fear not: Melbourne, Australia seven-piece King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have returned with Infest The Rats’ Nest to save us all, this time armed only with blast beats, an arsenal of well-oiled guitars that are locked and loaded, and a desire to melt faces clean off. Their fifteenth studio album, Infest The Rats’ Nest is by far The Gizz’s hardest and heaviest album to date. How metal is it? Very Metal. Maybe even more.

LIMITED-EDITION PICTURE DISC – PRE-ORDER NOW

US-EDITION VINYL – PRE-ORDER NOW

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard aren’t mere dabbling dilletantes either. Their love of this ferocious music runs deep, and was previously explored on 2017’s apocalyptic concept album Murder Of The Universe, hinted at during 2016’s award-winning Nonagon Infinity’s more bludgeoning moments and elsewhere in numerous hardcore psychedelic freak-outs in their back catalogue.

“In year 4 there was an older kid who was into Rammstein,” explains Stu of his early discover discovery of metal’s extremities. “I made friends with him and we put together a performance at our school assembly where we headbanged to ‘Du Hast’. I got whiplash, which I thought was pretty cool. That was my introduction to heavy metal, and soon Rammstein led to Metallica, Metallica led to Slayer, Slayer led to Kreator and Sodom. The German bands really kicked my ass and scared the hell out of me too. Later on, when I picked up a guitar I realised that shit was too hard to play, so I got into rock ‘n’ roll and garage. That was liberating.”

Infest The Rats’ Nest is the sound of King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard scratching the thrash metal itch, fully and unequivocally. Ferocious and direct, ‘Organ Farmer’ is built on drums that gallop away like a battalion of wild horses over the horizon and a triple guitar attack set to stun. It’s the type of sub-three minute song you wish Hetfield and co. still made. ‘Venusian 1’ goes at it even harder, a shredding collection featuring an army of guitars. A guitarmy, if you will. This is an album dripping with disdain and disgust for a planet consuming itself in a mass act of cannibalism. ‘Superbug’ sings of the type of lurgy that will one day destroy us all, while the utterly nihilistic ‘Self-Immolate’ sees riff piled upon riff and Stu Mackenzie delivering a vocal display to stand alongside the likes of Tom Araya or Max Cavalera. “I’m a pretty shit singer but I do think of my voice as an instrument,” laughs the frontman. “You’ve got lots of tones and different sounds in there you can experiment with.”

Elsewhere recent single ‘Planet B’ is a frantic, bludgeoning beast of a song, a scorched earth blitzkrieg that depicts a world burning through its natural resources (“Open your eyes and light the fluid / Get into a petrol siphon / Low on meals, browning fields / Bury children…”) and charging headlong into a population exodus that may only be solvable through the colonization of other planets. Breakneck closer ‘Hell’ meanwhile is the last black bile-spewing word on musical brutality. King Gizzard meet the fears and anxieties of a planet head on; here is a place where uncompromising music meets the concerns of contemporary cli-fi, that emerging movement of writing centred around ecological disaster and its repercussions.

“The A-side of the album is set in the near future and is about real shit going on right now – especially ecological disaster,” explains Stu of the album’s grand themes. “We’ve got a lot of things to fear. The B-side tells the story of a group of rebels who are forced to leave Planet Earth and try to settle on Venus. I spend a lot of time thinking about the future of humanity and the future of Planet Earth. Naturally these thoughts seep into the lyrics.”

There’s no rest for the wicked. Raise those devil’s horns and prepare the spaceships, motherfuckers. King Gizzard return to the US/Canada this August for their largest headlining shows to date.

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard 2019 Tour Dates:

08/13 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
08/14 – San Francisco, CA @ SVN West
08/15 – San Francisco, CA @ SVN West
08/16 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
08/17 – Vancouver, BC @ Harbour Event Centre
08/18 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
08/20 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
08/21 – Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom
08/23 – Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theater
08/24 – Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom
08/25 – Toronto, ON @ Rebel
08/26 – Montreal, QC @ Olympia
08/27 – New Haven, CT @ College Street Music Hall
08/28 – New York, NY @ SummerStage Central Park
08/30 – Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall
08/31 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
09/01 – Asheville, NC @ New Belgium Brewing Company
09/02 – Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
09/03 – New Orleans, LA @ Joy Theater
09/04 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Austin
09/06 – Dallas, TX @ The Bomb Factory

By atony | Posted in news, featured | Tagged infest the rats' nest, king gizzard & the lizard wizard, metal album, new album, picture disc, pre-order, thrash metal, vinyl | Comments Off

Rayland Baxter Announces Mac Miller Tribute EP Out July 26

June 27, 2019 – 11:19 am

RAYLAND BAXTER

ANNOUNCES MAC MILLER TRIBUTE EP

“good mmornin”

OUT JULY 26

Pre-Order good mmornin on Limited Edition Yellow Vinyl Here

Rayland Baxter covering Mac Miller can seem incongruous at first. The eclectic Nashville singer-songwriter appears to inhabit an entirely different sphere from the hip hop sensation. Baxter first discovered Miller in 2016 at Okeechobee Music Festival, where both artists performed. After his set, Baxter wandered around the festival grounds and he stumbled upon Miller’s set. Baxter was instantly captivated and felt an overwhelming connection to the music.

LISTEN TO “2009” BELOW

As time passed, Baxter became more enchanted by Miller; by his lyrics, his musicality and most of all, his approach to and through life. Miller’s uncanny knack for exploring deeply universal human themes, turning the mundane realities of everyday life into profoundly honest observations resonated with Baxter, as it did a global audience also struggling with common issues of love, depression, addiction and optimism. Although the two never met, Baxter was deeply inspired by Miller’s music and frequently cited Miller as one of the major inspirations on Baxter’s latest album, 2018’s critically acclaimed Wide Awake.

On good mmornin, Baxter covers 7 of his favorite Mac Miller tracks – expanding on Mac’s incorporation of jazz, R&B and funk, and adding his own folk and Americana influences. Baxter brought some of his favorite friends and musicians into the studio with him to help record, including keyboardist/guitarist Aaron Embry (Elliott Smith, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros), drummer Eric Slick (Dr. Dog), and his own father, famed pedal steel guitarist Bucky Baxter (Bob Dylan, Steve Earle, R.E.M.).

Proceeds from the EP will be donated to MusiCares’ Mac Miller Legacy Fund, which aims to help young adults struggling with substance abuse. More info on the Mac Miller Legacy Fund is available here.

The EP is now available for pre-order here.

1) Objects In The Mirror

2) 2009

3) Small Worlds

4) We

5) Brand Name

6) Cinderella

7) Come Back To Earth

See Rayland Baxter on tour in 2019:

June 28^th – Saint Fransicville, MO @ Angad Arts Hotel Rooftop

July 3^rd – Charlotte, NC @ 4^th of July Celebration

July 5^th – Telluride, CO @ Sheridan Opera House

July 7^th – Copper Mountain, CO @ 10 Barrel Outdoor Lounge

July 11^th – Ann Arbor, MI @ Sonic Lunch

July 12^th – Snowshow, WV @ 4848 Festival

July 13^th – Winnipeg, Canada @ Winnipeg Folk Festival

July 14^th – Winnipeg, Canada @ Winnipeg Folk Festival

July 26^th – Camden, NJ @ XPoNential Music Festival

July 27^th – Newport, RI @ Newport Folk Festival

August 2^nd – Kaufbeuren, Germany @ Art & Vielfalt Festival

August 4^th – Luhmühlen, Germany @ A Summers Tale

August 5^th – Leipzig, Germany @ Tãubchenthal

August 7^th – Budapest, Hungary @ Sziget festekbolt

August 8^th – Winterthur, Switzerland @ Winterthurer Musikfestwoochen

August 9^th – Rees-haldern, Germany @ Haldern Pop Festival

August 11^th – Newquay, United Kingdom @ Boardmasters Festival

August 31^st – Portland, ME @ Thompson’s Point

September 7^th – Chattanooga, TN @ Moon River Festival

September 14^th – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheater

September 21^nd– East Aurora, NY @ Borderland Music Festival

September 22^nd – Franklin, TN @ Pilgrimage Festival

September 27^th – Arnoldsville, GA @ Wildwood Revival

October 5^th – Charleston, SC @ Into The Woods

October 12^th – Mount Vernon, KY @ Moonshiner’s Ball

http://raylandbaxter.com

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http://facebook.com/RaylandBaxterMusic

By atony | Posted in news, featured | Tagged 2009, ATO, ATO Records, alternative, alternative/indie, cover, good mmornin, indie, mac miller, rayland baxter, tribute | Comments Off

North Hills: 10th Anniversary Edition is available for pre-order here.

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