[Animation by Chad VanGaalen]

Mass Gothic is set to release its self-titled debut on CD / LP / CT / DL worldwide February 5th via Sub Pop. The album, featuring highlights “Nice Night”, ‘Every Night You’ve Got To Save Me”, “Mind Is Probably and “Want To, Bad”, was produced by Mass Gothic and mixed Chris Coady (Beach House, TV on the Radio) and mastered by Greg Calbi (Father John Misty, Tame Impala) at Sterling Sound.

Mass Gothic has scheduled a 2016 headlining tour in support of the album, which begins February 4th in Philadelphia at Johnny Brenda’s and currently ends March 19th in Austin at SXSW. (details below)

Vuture says of “Nice Night”, the first offering from Mass Gothic: 

”In attempt to get back to his four-track days, Heroux made an album of weird synth-rock largely on his own, under the moniker Mass Gothic. It’s a surprising album, mostly in its ability to sound buoyant and tense simultaneously… “Nice Night,” is the apex of the latter. This “meditation on severe depression and the cycle of giving in” is at first a heavy sludge before becoming a determined power-pop catharsis that sounds a little like Pinkerton-era Weezer  (see track premiere November 17th).

Mass Gothic is now available for preorder from Sub Pop Mega Mart, iTunes, Amazon, Bandcamp, and Google Play. LP preorders from megamart.subpop.com will receive the limited “Loser” edition on banana yellow (and yes, there’s a new T-shirt available with preorders from megamart.subpop.com while supplies last).

Mass Gothic - Tracklisting

1. Mind is Probably
2. Own the Road
3. Want to, Bad
4. Pier Pressure
5. Nice Night
6. Every Night You’ve Got to Save Me
7. Money Counter
8. Territory
9. Soul
10. Subway Phone

Mass Gothic’s Noel Heroux was also recently interviewed by the Village Voice in advance of his recent CMJ performance (see feature October 15th).

[Photo Credit: Shawn Brackbill]

More about Mass Gothic:

This year marks the release of Mass Gothic, the Massachusetts-bred, New York-based singer/songwriter’s self-titled Sub Pop debut. Written and recorded at home over four months during the winter of 2014-2015, it’s a stunning reminder of not just Heroux’s own remarkable talents as singer and songwriter, but how unbridled creativity can both sound and feel as well: Before Hooray For Earth had quickly become a fully-functioning band, it began as a solo project. No pressure or compromises—just Heroux, a four-track, and an irrepressible urge to “jot down all of the noise and music floating around in my head” and make it available to other people. “All I wanted to do was whatever I do when I’m alone and I’m unconcerned with what anyone else wants or expects,” he says. “I did my best to let go, and what came out was pure, uncut. It reminded me of the first few times I made music, when I was a young kid. I didn’t set any rules and I had zero expectations.”

The result is an expansive, often exhilarating set of guitar-driven pop that required very little editing when it was done (read more via Sub Pop).

Tour Dates

Feb. 04 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s*
Feb. 05 - Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop*
Feb. 06 - Chicago, IL - Schuba’s Tavern*
Feb. 08 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry*
Feb. 11 - Boise, ID – Neurolux*
Feb. 12 - Seattle, WA - Columbia City Theatre*
Feb. 13 - Portland, OR - Bunk Bar*
Feb. 14- San Francisco, CA - Rickshaw Stop*
Feb. 16 - Los Angeles, CA – Bootleg*
Feb. 18 - Denver, CO - Lost Lake*
Feb. 19 - Kansas City, MO - Riot Room*
Feb. 21 - Louisville, KY – Zanzabar*
Feb. 22 - Cincinnati, OH - MOTR Pub*            
Feb. 23 - Pittsburgh, PA - Club Café*
Feb. 25 - Allston, MA - Great Scott*
Feb. 26 - Providence, RI - Columbus Theatre*
Feb. 27 - Brooklyn, NY – Palisades*
Mar. 10 - Washington, DC - Black Cat
Mar. 12 - Savannah, GA - Savannah Stopover
Mar. 16 - Austin, TX - SXSW
Mar. 17 - Austin, TX - SXSW
Mar. 18 - Austin, TX - SXSW
Mar. 19 - Austin, TX – SXSW
*w/ Mazed