On the heels of their critically acclaimed 2018 album, Double Negative, Low have shared a remix of “Fly,” one of the album’s many stand-out tracks, by famed Philadelphia producer/DJ King Britt, who had this to say about their collaboration:
“As a longtime Low fan, a huge amount of respect went into the mix. I loved their new sonic direction, which spoke to my Fhloston Paradigm project. My mix was a response and continuation in a way of a magical space they already created. Mimi Parker’s vocals were some of her best. A true honor.”
You can listen to King Britt’s remix of “Fly” by clicking here.
The band recently played an electrifying set at this year’s Glastonbury Festival in the UK, which was streamed live on BBC Music. Low’s live Glastonbury performance of “Fly” aired on BBC 2 TV and is also now available on the BBC Music Youtube channel here. Next up, Low will perform at this weekend’s Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, IL.
Jul. 19 - Chicago, IL - Pitchfork Music Festival Aug. 16 - Duluth, MN - Bayfront Festival Park (Wild Waters Music Fest to Save the Boundary Waters) Aug. 24 - Turin, IT - TOday’s Festival Aug. 27 - Madrid, ES - Veranos de la Villa Aug. 29 - La Tour de Peilz, CH - Nox Orae Festival Aug. 31 - Wiltshire, UK - End of the Road Festival Sep. 10 - Columbus, OH - Wexner Center for the Arts Sep. 11 - Baltimore, MD - Metro Gallery Sep. 13 - Hudson, NY - Basilica Hudson Sep. 14 - Brooklyn, NY - Murmrr
What “The People” are saying about Double Negative:
“…the most important, devastating album of the year.” [5/5] - The Guardian
“Low have never made a record quite so jarring and jagged, but Double Negative pushes beyond their own catalogue. Low have made what might be their most relevant album, one that holds a mirror up to the world.” [“Album of the Month,” 9/10] -Uncut
“…an ambitious, modern wonder of an album, an exploration of the song as an imperfect conduit of feeling..” [Best New Music, 8.7/10] - Pitchfork
“With their latest, Double Negative, they’ve gone full-on impressionistic, smearing and distorting sounds to create beautiful songs from distant moments playing on a radio that’s fallen down a wormhole.” - New York Times
“Low are back with a vital-sounding, politically-urgent record that’s perhaps the best of their career.” - The Quietus
“It’s an extraordinary and entirely successful reinvention.” - Sunday Times
This past Saturday, Calexico and Iron & Wine’s incredible performance of “Father Mountain” and “Midnight Sun” from their recently
released and critically acclaimed album Years to Burn aired on CBS This Morning Saturday. You can
watch them perform both songs as well as a performance of “He Lays in the Reins” from their 2005
EP online starting right here and also HERE.
Calexico and Iron & Wine recently released
Years
to Burnvia City Slang in the
UK/Europe and Sub Pop in the rest of the world. The work of Calexico’s Joey Burns and John
Convertino and Sam Beam of Iron & Wine, the album is their
first full length release and follows the critically acclaimed 2005 In the Reins EP.
Calexico and
Iron & Wine will soon embark on an extensive North American,
European, and UK tour. Their recent stops included a June 21st performance at
the Celebrate Brooklyn! festival at
Prospect Park. Watch them perform “Father Mountain” at Celebrate Brooklyn! HERE. Full list of tour
dates below.
In addition, the collective
recently releasedYears to Burn Behind the Scenesfeaturing exclusive
interviews with the band and their long friendship and spirit of
collaboration. Watch the short vignette HERE.
[Photo credit: Piper Ferguson]
Calexico and Iron & Wine Tour Dates + Ticket Links
Jul. 19 - Lisbon, PT - Super Bock
Super Rock #
Jul. 20 - Arlesheim, CH - Stimmen Festival
Jul. 22 - Milan, IT - La Triennale di Milano
Jul. 23 - Gardone Riviera, IT - Anfiteatro del Vittoriale
Jul. 24 - Rome, IT - Villa Ada
Jul. 25 - Florence, IT - Cavea del Nuovo Teatro dell’opera
Jul. 26 - Monforte D’ Alba, IT -
Auditorium Horszowski
Jul. 28 - Vienna, AT - Konzerthaus
Jul. 29 - Palma, ES - Auditorium de Palma de Mallorca
Jul. 31 - Hamburg, DE - Stadtpark
Aug. 02 - Cambridge, UK - Cambridge Folk Festival
Aug. 03 - Leuven, BE - M-idzommer Festival
Aug. 04 - Crozon, FR - Festival Du Bout Du Monde
Aug. 16 - Phoenix, AZ - Orpheum Theatre ~
Aug. 17 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre ~
Aug. 19 - Denver, CO - Denver Botanic Gardens ~ [SOLD OUT]
Aug. 21 - Ogden, UT - Twilight Series at Ogden Amphitheater ^
Aug. 22 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory Concert House ^
Aug. 23 - Portland, OR - Keller Auditorium ^
Aug. 24 - Vancouver, BC - Vogue Theatre
Aug. 25 - Port Townsend, WA - The Thing
Sep. 18 - Grand Rapids, MI - Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture
Park “Meijer Gardens” \
Sep. 19 - Pittsburgh, PA - Roxian Theatre \
Sep. 20 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer \
Sep. 21 - Boston, MA - Rockland Trust Bank Pavillion +
Sep. 22 - North Adams, MA - FreshGrass Festival
Sep. 24 - Richmond, VA - The National \
Sep. 26 - Birmingham, AL - Iron City \
Sep. 27 - New Orleans, LA - House Of Blues \
Sep. 28 - Austin, TX - Stubb’s Waller Creek \
Sep. 29 - Dallas, TX - Majestic Theater \
Sep. 30 - Oklahoma City, OK - Tower Theatre \
Oct. 02 - Las Vegas, NV - House Of Blues \
Oct. 03 - Los Angeles, CA - Orpheum Theatre \
Oct. 04 - San Diego, CA - Humphrey’s Concerts by The Bay\
Today, Marika Hackman releases the grunge laced, x-rated track “all night” ahead of the release of her new album Any Human Friend, out August 9th via Sub Pop in North and South America and AMF Records for the rest of the world.
“all night” leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination, a song with a laid back groove that belies the up-front, no holds barred lyricism on show.
Marika on the single: “I thought it would be exciting to write a really overtly sexual song about a woman from the perspective of a woman. You don’t hear much about sex between women in music, or if you do its usually from a fetishised male perspective, I thought I’d reclaim a bit of that power”.
Marika is a ‘Rid of Me’-era PJ Harvey for the inclusive generation: unbounded by musical genre, a preternatural lyricist and tunesmith who isn’t afraid to go there. Hackman’s 2015 debut, We Slept at Last, was heralded for being nuanced and atmospheric. She really found her footing with her last release, I’m Not Your Man, and its exceptional, swaggering international hit “Boyfriend,” which boasts of seducing away a straight guy’s girlfriend. Any Human Friend is a step-up again for Marika. There’s a sense of liberation, a sense of sexual freedom, and being a solo entity again - and working out what that means.
Having recently teased new music at the BBC 6 Music Festival, The Great Escape, All Points East, and Field Day, Marika is gearing up for a headlining North American tour this October and November with Hardly Art’s Girl Friday, who are also acting as her backing band for these dates.
Aug.15 - Beacon Breacons, UK - Green Man Festival Sep. 21 - Bristol, UK - Thekla Sep. 23 - Glasgow, UK - Oran Mor Sep. 24 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club Sep. 25 - Manchester, UK - Band On The Wall Sep. 26 - London, UK - Islington Assembly Hall Oct. 11 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl* Oct. 12 - Durham, NC - The Pinhook* Oct. 13 - Washington, DC - U Street Music Hall* Oct. 14 - Philadelphia, PA - Boot & Saddle* Oct. 15 - Brooklyn, NY - Elsewhere* Oct. 18 - Allston, MA - Great Scott* Oct. 19 - Portland, ME - Port City Music Hall* Oct. 20 - Montréal, QC - Bar Le ‘Ritz’ P.D.B.* Oct. 21 - Toronto, ON- The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern* Oct. 23 - Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups Oct. 24 - Ann Arbor, MI - Blind Pig* Oct. 25 - Chicago, IL- Sleeping Village* Oct. 26 - Milwaukee, WI - Back Room at Colectivo Coffee* Oct. 28 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th St. Entry* Nov. 01 - Seattle, WA - Neumos* Nov. 04 - Oakland, CA - Starline Social Club* Nov. 06 - West Hollywood, CA - The Roxy Theatre* *w/ Girl Friday
Transcendent folk-pop artist Shannon Lay will release August, her Sub Pop debut, on CD/LP/DL/CS worldwide on August 23rd. You can now watch to her latest offering “Death Up Close” which serves as the album’s centerpiece. “With that song, I wanted to recognize that everyone else is going through something and reflect on that. Don’t be so close-minded to think you’re the only one who’s got issues, in fact, find comfort in the thought that everyone is on their own journey” Lay explains. What starts as an Eastern-influenced song morphs into an avant-garde sound bath. “I had this idea of the violin ascending. Then Mikal Cronin came in with the saxophone and just blew me away. I love the idea of building a song like that, take people by surprise.”
August is now available for preorder from Sub Pop. LP preorders of the album through megamart.subpop.com and select independent retailers in North America, UK, and Europe will receive the limited Loser edition on orange vinyl (North America) and Sun Yellow vinyl (UK/EU) while supplies last.
As previously reported, Shannon Lay will be a member of Ty Segall’s Freedom Band for his upcoming full album residencies in Los Angeles, New York, Paris, London, Berlin, and Haarlem. Click here for a full list of upcoming performances.
Preservation Hall Jazz Band has released the video for their song “Keep Your Head Up” today, premiered via Billboard. The track, which features
Cuban singer Eme Alfonso, appears on
their new album A Tuba To Cuba, the
soundtrack to the critically acclaimed documentary directed by T.G. Herrington and Danny Clinch, out now via Sub Pop. Watch and share “Keep Your
Head Up” here. Stream
and order A Tuba to Cubahere.
“Keep Your Head Up” is simple message with a big meaning,” says Ben Jaffe. “Walk with your head
high, walk with pride, and live your life with grace and honor and an
appreciation for all humanity. Don’t let things break you down and don’t
allow anyone or anything to diminish your spirit.”
“We met the wonderful Eme Alfonso at a performance at an amazing old factory that’s
been converted into a multi-disciplinary art space called Fabrica Del
Arte. That same evening we met she came up and improvised lyrics in
Spanish on the spot. Eme later told me the words she sang have a deep meaning
in Cuba, the translation is something like “walk with your head out
front, don’t be so down, walk with joy.”
“To say Preservation Hall
Jazz Band is to refer to the purest essence of our traditions and to discover
NOLA, through the band and Ben its director, was for me one of the most beautiful
experiences of my life,” says singer Eme
Alfonso. “Because in New Orleans… Jazz and art flow from the streets
of this city and it’s clear that it has a direct connection to Cuba, Havana,
and all of those who came before us. Our grandparents are connected
through these rhythms, dances, melodies, and customs and this shared history of
our ancestors unites us all.
“New Orleans and Cuba are deeply connected,” Alfonso continues. “This
collaboration is a conduit, a lesson to show our people, and others in the
world that we are all family and that art and music has the power to unites us.”
“We went to Cuba in prayer position,” says Preservation Hall band
leader and bass player Ben Jaffe when he speaks of the pilgrimage he and the
group took to Cuba in December 2015. “We went to receive and offer at the same
time. We had never experienced a moment like this, it felt as though all roads
were intersecting at once.” The critically acclaimed 2019 documentary ATuba
to Cuba documented the band’s journey as they explored the links that
connect New Orleans and Cuba so indelibly – their shared, tragic history as
destinations where enslaved Africans struggled to simply survive, and their
current status as places where the cultural inheritance from those ancestors is
kept alive in both song and deed – but that was only half the story. This
collection of songs, a musical account of a
generations-in-the-making reunion of musical
families separated by time, politics, and distance, tells the other
half.
When
asked to describe the collection of songs assembled on Tuba to Cuba, Jaffe sums it up by saying,
“It’s like listening to the radio.” And yes, ATuba to Cuba actually feels less like
an ordinary soundtrack and more like a living document, a recording of a
broadcast that’s been waiting to exist, a modern version of the static-y radio
signals that were broadcast between America to the Caribbean in the early and
mid-20th century, sending the sounds of jazz and mambo and R&B and more back
and forth across the vast divides of water and culture and politics. It’s a
story, this album, and the tale being told mirrors the band’s experience.
The resulting
collection of songs is what Jaffe describes
as “a beautiful conversation.” The music of ATuba to Cuba is an ecstatic expression of that ongoing conversation, a
restless and lush trip up and down strange FM wavelengths bridging thousands of
miles and hundreds of years, where all involved are
talking with each other and over each other in excitement, charged with the
thrill of recognition of the evidence of their shared familial roots, an
undeniable kinship rooted in bloodlines, rhythm, and melody.
[Photo credit: Josh Goleman]
Preservation Hall Jazz Band Tour Dates + Ticket Links:
Jul. 28 - Newport, RI - Newport Folk Festival
Aug. 02 - Happy Valley, OR - Pickathon
Aug. 03 - Happy Valley, OR - Pickathon
Aug. 05 - Folsom, CA - Harris Center For The
Arts
Aug. 06 - Folsom, CA - Harris Center For The
Arts
Aug. 08 - San Francisco, CA - SFJAZZ
Aug. 09 - San Francisco, CA - SFJAZZ
Aug. 10 - San Francisco, CA - SFJAZZ (7:00PM)
Aug. 10 - San Francisco, CA - SFJAZZ (9:30PM)
Aug. 11 - San Francisco, CA - SF Jazz Center -
Miner Auditorium
Aug. 15 - Philadelphia, PA - Old Pool Farm
Aug. 16 - Philadelphia, PA - Old Pool Farm
Aug. 17 - Philadelphia, PA - Old Pool Farm
Aug. 18 - Philadelphia, PA - Old Pool Farm
Aug. 24 - Arrington, VA - Lockn’ Music
Festival
Sep. 20 - Louisville, KY - Bourbon & Beyond
Festival
Sep. 21 - Franklin, TN - Pilgrimage Music
Festival
Sep. 22 - Franklin, TN - Pilgrimage Music
Festival
Oct 22 - Ridgefield, CT - The Ridgefield
Playhouse
Oct 23 - Red Bank, NJ - Count Basie Theatre
Oct 24 - New York, NY - Town Hall Theatre
Oct 25 - Boston, MA - Berklee Performance Center
Oct 26 - Portsmouth, NH - The Music Hall
Oct 28 - Montreal, QC - Place des Arts - Theatre
Oct 29 - Toronto, ON - Roy Thomson Hall
Oct 30 - Pittsburgh, PA - Byham Theatre
Nov 01 - Kent, OH - The Kent Stage
Nov 02 - Goshen, IN - Goshen College Music
Center
Nov 04 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
Nov 05 - Saint Paul, MN - Fitzgerald Theatre
Nov 07 - Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre
Nov 09 - Phoenix, AZ - Music Theater at the
Musical Instrument Museum
Nov 11 - Livermore, CA - Livermore Valley
Performing Arts Center
Nov 13 - Chico, CA - California State University
Chico - Laxson Auditorium
Nov 15 - Santa Rosa, CA - Luther Burbank Center
for the Arts
Nov 16 - Arcata, CA - John Van Duzer Theatre
Nov 17 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
Nov 18 - Seattle, WA - Benaroya Hall – Taper
Auditorium
Nov 20 - Santa Cruz, CA - Rio Theatre
Nov 21 - Santa Barbara, CA - UCSB Campbell Hall
Nov 22 - San Diego, CA - Wonderfront Music
Festival
Nov 23 - Cerritos, CA - Cerritos Center for the
Performing Arts
Nov. 29 - Baltimore, MD - Joseph Meyerhoff
Symphony Hall
Nov. 30 - Baltimore, MD - Joseph Meyerhoff
Symphony Hall
Dec. 01 - Baltimore, MD - Joseph Meyerhoff
Symphony Hall
METZ, our own widely-adored and delightfully noisy 3-piece punk band from Toronto, released their Sub Pop self-titled debut in 2012 and, in the time since, have cemented their reputation as one of the planet’s most exhilarating live acts and trusted providers of bombastic outsider rock. The band is made up of Alex Edkins, Hayden Menzies, and Chris Slorach.
Automat is a collection of METZ non-album singles, B-sides, and rarities dating back to 2009, available here on LP for the first time, and including the band’s long out-of-print early (pre-Sub Pop) recordings. A chronological trip through the lesser known material of METZ, Automat is out now, worldwide on Sub Pop.
The band’s Alex Edkins shares, “The idea to release Automat came after realizing our early 7” singles were being sold online for upwards of $60 bucks a pop. We wanted to make those songs available and affordable to anyone who might want them in the physical format. What started as reissuing a couple of 45s, quickly morphed into an entire LP, compiling rarities, demos and alternate takes from over the years.”
Consumers of the vinyl format of Automat will be rewarded with a bonus single that includes three additional tracks: a cover of Sparklehorse’s “Pig,” from a very limited 2012 Record Store Day split single originally released by Toronto’s Sonic Boom record shop; “I’m a Bug,” a cover of The Urinals’ art-punk classic, originally released on YouTube (not an actual record label) in 2014; and METZ’s previously unreleased rendition of Gary Numan’s “M.E.”
METZ are currently hard at work on their 4th full-length LP which will be released on Sub Pop when we are all damn good and ready.
All tracks on Automat have been lovingly remastered by Matthew Barnhart at Chicago Mastering Service.
