So Pitted have shared, “feed me”, a new track from neo, their forthcoming Sub Pop debut. 

 
The band have also just added European tour dates to their 2016 tour schedule, beginning March 4th in Paris at Mecanique Ondulatoire and ending March 12th in Berlin at West Germany.
 
Their U.S. tour continues this Friday, January 8th, with a show in Brooklyn at Palisades and ends January 12th in Philadelphia at First Unitarian Church. Highlights along the way include a few dates with label mates METZ and Startime International recording artists Bully (January 9; 11-12). Additionally, the band will appear at SXSW. (detailed tour info below)
 
You can also watch the band’s live performance of “rot in hell”, which was filmed at The Echo in Los Angeles for Red Bull Sound Select’s “30 Days in LA Festival (see Pitchfork TV November 24th).”

Sub Pop will release neo on CD / LP / DL worldwide on February 19th, 2016. You can (and should) preorder now from Sub Pop Mega Mart, iTunes, Amazon, Bandcamp and Google Play. And remember: LP preorders of neo through megamart.subpop.com will receive the limited “Loser” edition on white vinyl while supplies last. There will also be a time-limited edition T-shirt, hand-bleached by So Pitted, that is available only during pre-order so time, as they say, is of the essence.
 
More about So Pitted’s neo:
These eleven tracks are lean and snarling rebukes, torch songs not in the traditional, unrequited-love sense, but songs that will torch your fucking house down. Screams and howls overtake chants and muttering, equal parts dejection, rejection, and convection, the hot, muggy air circling continuously. It’s fuzzy, angular, throbbing, and pounding, and still, ingrained in the songs by their makers, breathes that catchy quality present in so much of the music they love. Songs like “holding the void,” “rot in hell,” and “woe” crash over and over, turning under themselves like waves, but as the measures tick off, the dog-eared melodies and familiar themes begin to reveal (read more at Sub Pop).

What have “the people” said about So Pitted?  Glad you asked:
“Ragged, nonlinear, a little dangerous, “rot in hell” was one of the first tracks So Pitted wrote together, and the video is funny and surreal, featuring a friend of the band playing various band members. It feels like being at home at a basement show, ready to hit your head on a low ceiling bringing your amp down the stairs, buzzing with a little bit of nausea and excitement. It burns with the urgency of the music you need to make or you’ll crumple, music you’d be making whether other people heard it or not.” [“rot in hell”] - Impose
 
“It’s grimy and tormented all right, but intent on subverting the many adolescent cliches and connotations that come with grunge.” [“rot in hell”] -The Guardian
 
“…A raucous, inspiring noise, the buzzsaw melody is matched to wailing feedback - imagine Bikini Kill set against early Mary Chain and you’d probably be in the same ballpark.” [‘rot in hell”] - Clash Music
 
“…making a name for themselves with a sneery, warped, post-apocalyptic punk sound and wild stage show.” - Brooklyn Vegan
 
“So Pitted’s set called to mind Metz, Minutemen, Big Black, Pere Ubu, and Nirvana at their wildest” - FLOOD
 
“[A] Seattle trio who are basically unmatched in terms of sheer gonzo ingenuity. Live, the band combines anarchic heaps of guitar and childish melodies with plodding, sludgy rhythms. They understand just how powerful their live show is, too” - Portland Mercury
 
“What’s special and unique about So Pitted is that they not only clench to the demonic punk downpour and logger-heavy rock of the Northwest, but also to the nihilistic musical cannibalism of San Francisco weirdos Chrome and late-’90s San Diego artcore groups like the VSS and the Gravity Records camp. There’s a caustic demo quality to their sound that’s alien and distorted, liquidated to move units at the Gross Out. It’s not only thorny, horny, and repulsive, but angular, tangled and mangled.”  - The Stranger
 

Tour Dates
Jan. 08 - Brooklyn, NY - Palisades
Jan. 09 - Boston - The Sinclair *
Jan. 11 - Washington, D.C. - Rock & Roll Hotel *
Jan. 12 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church *
Mar. 04 - Paris, FR - Mecanique Ondulatoire
Mar. 05 - Amsterdam, NL - Butcher’s Tears
Mar. 07 - London, UK - The Shacklewell Arms (Free Show)
Mar. 08 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Games Room (Free Show)
Mar. 10 - Lille, UK - La Peniche
Mar. 11 - Brussells, BE - Homepluged
Mar. 12 - Berlin, DE - West Germany
Mar. 15 - Austin, TX - SXSW
Mar. 16 - Austin, TX - SXSW
Mar. 17 - Austin, TX - SXSW
Mar. 18 - Austin, TX - SXSW
Mar. 19 - Austin, TX - SXSW
Mar. 20 - Austin, TX - SXSW
* w/ METZ + Bully

For more tour details + links, go here.

You can now listen to Shearwater’s “Only Child”, the newest track from forthcoming album, Jet Plane and Oxbow, out January 22nd worldwide on Sub Pop.

DIY had this to say about the song, “Latest track Only Child is a vast escape. Every last note is thrown into the skies, every giant declaration worthy adventure. More than anything, this is loud. Tone it down if you want, but the song and the record sound best when they’re pushed to the limit.” (see track premiere January 11th).”  Note: German fans can listen via VISIONS Magazin.

Shearwater’s 2016 North American and European tour in support of Jet Plane and Oxbow begins February 3rd in Austin, TX at North Door and currently ends March 26th in Portland, OR at Mississippi Studios. Main support will come from Barsuk recording artist Laura Gibson (March 16th - 19th). See the full tour listing below.

Jet Plane and Oxbow is now available for pre-order through Sub Pop Mega Mart, iTunes, and Amazon. LP preorders though megamart.subpop.com will receive the limited “Loser” edition on blue colored vinyl while supplies last.

Oh and hey, pre ordering Jet Plane and Oxbow earns you immediate access (as of Jan. 8th) to stream the album before its street date, and provides access to an exclusive Shearwater podcast, “Headwaters,” which features demos and outtakes from the new record and a conversation between Meiburg and WNYC’s John Schaefer (host of New Sounds and the Soundcheck podcast). An edited version compiled and broadcast by Schaefer is available for streaming on the WNYC site.

[Photo Credit: Sarah Cass]

More about Shearwater:

This is definitely Shearwater’s biggest and loudest record—it’s easy to imagine these songs roaring from the stage—but it’s also their most detailed and intricate one. Front man Jonathan Meiburg and producer/engineer Reisch (who also recorded 2012’s Animal Joy and the off-the-cuff collaborations of 2014’s Fellow Travelers) spent two years crafting Jet Plane and Oxbow with help from drummer Cully Symington, longtime Shearwater associates Howard Draper and Lucas Oswald, and tourmates Jesca Hoop, Abram Shook, and Jenn Wasner.

But their secret weapon this time is film composer and percussionist Brian Reitzell, whose soundtracks include The Virgin Suicides, Lost in Translation, The Bling Ring, and 30 Days of Night. Reitzell’s arsenal of strange instruments emphasizes Jet Plane and Oxbow’s cinematic depth and scope, and reflects the band’s choice to anchor the record in the era when digital technology was just beginning to transform the world of recorded music. In Shearwater’s hands this doesn’t feel like nostalgia; the racing synths and hammered dulcimers of heart-pounding opener “Prime” or the addled motorik of “Radio Silence” sound more like a metaphor for our own bewildering moment (read more at Sub Pop).

Tour Dates

Feb. 03 - Austin, TX - North Door (w/ Marmalakes)    
Feb. 04 - Dallas, TX - Club Dada (w/ Marmalakes)
Feb. 06 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge (w/ Jib Kidder)
Feb. 10 - Berlin, DE - Frannz Club
Feb. 11 - Copenhagen, DK - Loppen
Feb. 12 - Hamburg, DE -  Molotow
Feb. 13 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso Noord
Feb. 14 - Brussels. BE - Botanique
Feb. 16 - Lille, FR - L’Aeronef
Feb. 17 - London, UK - Islington Assembly Hall
Feb. 18 - Bristol, UK -  The Fleece
Feb. 19 - Leeds, UK - The Brudenell Social Club
Feb. 20 - Glasgow, UK - King Tuts
Feb. 21 - Newcastle, UK - The Cluny
Feb. 23 - Dublin, IE -  Button Factory
Feb. 24 -Manchester , UK - Night & Day
Feb. 25 - Brighton, UK - The Haunt
Feb. 26 - Paris, FR -  Point Ephémère
Feb. 27 - Zurich, CH - Bogen F
Feb. 28 - Fribourg, CH - Nouveau Monde
Mar. 04 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent
Mar. 05 - Los Angeles, CA - Roxy
Mar. 10 - Washington, DC  - Rock and Roll Hotel
Mar. 12 - Brooklyn, NY - Bell House 
Mar. 16 - Pittsburgh, PA - Club Cafe**
Mar. 17 - Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern**
Mar. 18 - Ferndale, MI - The Loving Touch**
Mar. 19 - Chicago, IL - Schubas**
Mar. 22 - Minneapolis, MN - Turf Club
Mar. 25 - Seattle, WA - The Crocodile
Mar. 26 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios
** w/ Laura Gibson

For ticket info head over here.

Sub Pop Slurps the Best Soups at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

One of the most important questions I get asked while working at the airport isn’t, “How do I get to my rental car?” or “Is there a smoking section in here?” or “Are you the Duty Free store?” but rather, “What is the best food in the airport?” A person who has just met me has now put his or her stomach in my hands. It presumes that I am closer to a ‘foodie’ than a garbage rat, and it’s not a question I take lightly.

So, what is the best food in the airport? It depends on what kind of food you like. Do you have time to kill and cash to spend on a ‘nice’ meal? Do you want a gut-punch of food that will ensure you pass out during your flight? Do you want some kind of regional fare to the Seattle-Tacoma area? Does flying make you nervous, ergo, you want comfort food with no surprises? Are you vegetarian? Those are just some of the questions that run through my head when confronted by the question of where to eat in the airport, but lately, I’ve only had one type of food on my mind.

Soup.

It’s warm, flavorful, hearty but not too-filling, and usually can be found at an affordable price point (although I can’t wait for the day that I have three martini lunches at Anthony’s on the regular). I know what you’re probably thinking, “There can’t be that many soup options at the airport.” Well, guess what, there are so many soup options at the airport, it’ll make your fuckin’ head spin. I asked some of my co-workers for their favorite soups at the airport, and learned more about soup than most folks will ever need to know in their lifetime. So, here’s a practical knowledge bomb that will help you fight off the winter doldrums before your next flight:

Waji’s Udon Noodle Soup:
Here’s what you get with their udon noodle soup: A delicate broth, thick noodles, fish cake, and the longest cylinder container I’ve ever eaten out of. Getting to Waji’s involves a trek down to the end of the C Concourse, but it’s definitely worth it.

Wolfgang Puck Gourmet Express:
I’ve heard rave reviews of their butternut squash soup, a dish I haven’t yet tried, but I was quite impressed by their cup of tortilla soup, which came with nice flourishes like cilantro, avocados, and a complimentary roll.

Dish D’Lish Soup of the Day:
Part of the fun of going to Dish D’Lish is the surprise of what kind of soup they’ll have that day. With our store being open 7 days a week, our staff has tried to come together to decipher Dish D’Lish’s daily soup schedule, but we’ve yet to crack the code, and we’re always left in suspense. We have been treated to the likes of chicken and rice stew, cream of artichoke soup, and even a curry. (Dish D’Lish, if you are reading this, please bring back the curry).

Maki of Japan Miso Soup:
It’s miso soup. When done right, miso transcends all description. What more can you want?

Beecher’s Soups:
While Beecher’s Handmade Cheese might be well-known for its mac n’ cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches, they also offer more than just a nominal tomato soup. There’s a tasty french onion soup, complete with croutons and cheese that can stand alone, along with a rotating seasonal; at publication, the seasonal is a nice vegetarian chili. Is Chili a soup? A stew? Who cares. Pair it with a bread roll and you’re set.

Wendy’s Chili:
OK, so if I’m gonna include Beecher’s chili here, then I have to throw in Wendy’s chili, as well. If you haven’t eaten it in a while, Wendy’s chili packs more of a punch, with meat and plenty of beans. (They don’t call it Rich & Meaty Chili for nothing). Order it off the value menu with a side salad and baked potato, and you’ve got a 3 course meal for under 10 bucks.

Qdoba Mexican Gumbo:
So while we dive into the stew realm, Qdoba’s gumbo is a playful concoction for when your typical enormous burrito gets boring. (But I’m pining for the day that they roll out a pozole).

Ivar’s vs. Anthony’s Clam Chowder:
Look, I’ll be upfront with you all. I might love soup, but overall, clam chowder grosses me out. Something about the milky creaminess of it just never sounds appetizing to me, but maybe one of these days I’ll come around. Ivar’s and Anthony’s, two venerable local Seattle seafood chains with locations in the airport, both serve clam chowder, and I feel obligated to include it here. Simply put, a Seattle-Tacoma International Airport soup list wouldn’t be complete without their inclusion, but you’ll have to try these out for yourself.

Mass Gothic have shared an official video for “Every Night You’ve Got To Save Me”, the iridescent new single from their forthcoming, self-titled debut. The exuberant visual, directed by Addison Post (Colleen Green, Solvey), follows group members Noel Heroux and Jessica Zambri on a wild night out in Manhattan.
 
Stereogum says of “Every Night You’ve Got To Save Me”: “A jaunty pop track with shades of Dexy’s Midnight Runners, the New Pornographers, and the Shins. The song is incredibly winsome on its own, and the effect is only amplified by director Addison Post’s video, which features Heroux and Zambri chilling in NYC locales ranging from bar to sidewalk to bathtub (see video premiere January 11th).”
 
Mass Gothic will be available on CD / LP / CASS / DL worldwide February 5th through Sub Pop, and is now available for preorder from Sub Pop MegaMart, iTunes, Amazon, Bandcamp, and Google Play. LP preorders from megamart.subpop.com will receive the limited “Loser” edition on banana yellow vinyl (while supplies last).

Mass Gothic’s previously announced 2016 headlining tour begins February 4th in Philadelphia at Johnny Brenda’s and currently ends March 19th in Austin at SXSW.  A complete list of tour dates might be found below. (spoiler: it’s down there.)

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 at Sub Pop).


[Photo Credit: Shawn Brackbill]

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

Ticket links can be found here.