Man Man has extended his first headlining tour in support of Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between, the group’s wonderful Sub Pop debut and acclaimed album of 2020. The touring spans Wednesday, June 22nd in Omaha at the Waiting Room through Friday, October 21st in Phoenix at Rebel Lounge. The newly added October dates includes stops in Arizona (Flagstaff), Oklahoma (Oklahoma City, Kansas), New Mexico (Albuquerque), and Texas (Fort Worth, Houston, and Austin). Tickets for the October shows are on sale now.
Wed. Jun. 22 - Omaha, NE - Waiting Room *
Thu. Jun. 23 - Davenport, IA - Raccoon Motel *
Fri. Jun. 24 - Chicago, IL - Sleeping Village *
Sat. Jun. 25 - Chicago, IL - Logan Square Arts Festival *
Sun. Jun. 26 - Grand Rapids, MI - Pyramid Scheme *
Tue. Jun. 28 - Pittsburgh, PA - Club Cafe *
Wed. Jun. 29 - Washington, DC - Union Stage *
Thu. Jun. 30 - Ardmore, PA - Ardmore Music Hall *
Fri. Jul. 01 - Brooklyn, NY - Elsewhere *
Sat. Jul. 02 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall *
Tue. Jul. 05 - Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop *
Wed. Jul. 06 - Indianapolis, IN - Hi Fi *
Thur. Jul. 07 - St Louis, MO - Old Rock House *
Fri. Jul. 08 - Lawrence, KS - Bottleneck *
Sat. Jul 09 - Denver, CO - Bluebird *
Sat. Jul. 26 - Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst ^
Wed. Jul. 27 - San Francisco, CA - The Chapel ^
Thu. Jul. 28 - Redding, CA - The Dip ^
Fri. Jul. 29 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios ^
Sat. Jul. 30 - Seattle, WA - Neumos ^
Thur. Aug. 04 - Pioneertown, CA - Pappy & Harriet’s ^
Fri. Aug. 05 - Los Angeles, CA - The Roxy ^
Sat. Aug. 06 - San Diego, CA - Casbah ^
Tue. Oct. 11 -Flagstaff, AZ - Yucca North
Wed. Oct. 12 - Albuquerque, NM - Sister
Fri. Oct. 14 - Oklahoma City, OK - 89th St.
Sat. Oct. 15 - Kansas, OK - Bushyhead Farm Fall Festival
Sun. Oct. 16 - Fort Worth, TX - Tulip
Tue. Oct. 18 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall
Wed. Oct. 19 - Austin, TX - Parish
Fri. Oct. 21 - Phoenix, AZ - Rebel Lounge
* w/ Pink $ock
^ w/ Adam Halferty
Like many others, Man Man’s initial touring for the album was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, and these shows will be the first time to see these “cacophonous…theatrical pop songs” (Rolling Stone) performed live.
What people are saying about Man Man’s Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between:
“It makes sense that Ryan Kattner of Man Man would release his best album to date during a pandemic. His band persona, Honus Honus, is perpetually down on his luck — bizarre and lovelorn, lonely and insane — haunted. In short, he’s all of us right now.” ★★★★ Rolling Stone
“In times as chaotic as these, Man Man provides a restless soundtrack to match.” - Exclaim!
“Based on “Cloud Nein” and this [“Future Peg”], it looks like Man Man are picking up where they left off with all the mood-lifting horns and fantastical vocal harmonies you could want.” -Consequence Of Sound
“Honus Honus—a.k.a. Ryan Kattner—is back with his freewheeling off-kilter pop group Man Man, and possibly its most accessible record yet. As eclectic as ever, the sprawling mix of horns, keys, percussion, guitars, and more remains a half-step away from sounding like the most unusual cabaret act in modern times.” - The AV Club
“The songs are served well by more polished production, tunes like “On the Mend” and album standout “Future Peg” molding the band’s unbridled energy into pop structures that would sit well on commercial FM rock radio playlists. The melodies are clear and neatly presented without neutering the group’s signature chaos or adventurous arrangements.” - All Music
“Revives the band’s wry sense of the grotesque, juxtaposed with joyfully unhinged and happily unpredictable music. Dream Hunting is full of other fun musical allusions — to the cartoon soundtracks of Carl Stallings, to Caribbean carnival music, to David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” — and the melodies are more accessible and the hooks more overt than in the past. Lyrically, the songs are bleak, full of breakups and meltdowns, broken dreams and maladies. The contrast is cathartic, and Man Man’s return is a treat.” - Philadelphia Inquirer
“Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between has the feel of a quality thrift store, with lots of unusual pieces in great condition. It also provides the same kind of fun surprises as you wade deeper into the album. Man Man has always had theatrical elements but here those elements feel much closer to the surface, if not ready to burst through, then at least enjoying their time in the in-between of the more familiar tracks (8.5/10)” - Northern Transmissions
“The piano-based songs carry elements of jazz and rock, with Kattner’s keen ear for sing-along melodies matched only by his desire to attack such melodies with unexpected bursts of bedlam. Those tumultuous bursts, occurring frequently and usually without warning, are part of what makes Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between so exciting, with no dull moments even over 17 tracks of content.” - Glide Magazine
Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between is ultimately an enjoyable record from a unique band. - Under the Radar
You can now hear the new contributions to the Sub Pop Singles Club Vol. 7 from avant pop band Dummy and free jazz group Irreversible Entanglements, both out today worldwide on all DSPs from Sub Pop.
Los Angeles-based Dummy follows up their debut LP, Mandatory Enjoyment, with two songs for the Sub Pop Singles Club. The A-Side, “Mono Retriever,” is a baroque-drone-pop rager that imagines what a punk Free Design song might sound like. The lyrics criticize the corporate greenwashing and dishonesty at the root of ecological devastation. On the B-Side, “Pepsi Vacuum,” the band experiments with sampling and digital editing, taking inspiration from ‘90s ambient and chill-out music. As a lyrical counterpoint, “Pepsi Vacuum” is about the spirituality of nature; the powerful feeling of universality and connection, down to the molecular level. The two songs function as mirrors, referencing the other musically, and both sharing oceanic lyrical themes.
Dummy’s debut LP Mandatory Enjoyment came out in October 2021 on Trouble In Mind, following two cassette EPs on Pop Wig and Born Yesterday, respectively. Dummy is Emma, Nathan, Mark, Alex and Joe, and they appear courtesy of Trouble In Mind.
Irreversible Entanglements are a Philadelphia/NY/DC-based free-jazz group featuring Camae Ayewa (aka Moor Mother) (voice, synth); Keir Neuringer (saxophone, synth, percussion); Aquiles Navarro (trumpet, synth); Luke Stewart (double bass, bass guitar); and Tcheser Holmes (drums, percussion). In 2015, Keir, Camae, and Luke came together to perform at a Musicians Against Police Brutality event organized after the slaying of Akai Gurley by the NYPD. Months later the group added Navarro and Holmes (a duo who also performed at the MAPB event) and recorded their debut album in 2017. Since then, they’ve released two more full-lengths, some singles, and played a ton of shows in the U.S. and internationally.
In a joint statement, the group offers this, “Here’s two new tracks we recorded one afternoon mid-tour in June 2021. Pandemic contingencies necessitated some overdub and studio assembly flexing later on, a first for our band. Listening back now, almost a year after the session, our need to get rooted—following so many of those pandemic months separated from each other—sounds as apparent as our need to get all the way cosmic with it.”
Subscribe to the Sub Pop Singles Club Vol. 7 to get twelve exclusive, limited-to-1,000-copies, colored-vinyl 7” records that you will, undoubtedly, love and adore. In addition to the Dummy and Irreversible Entanglements singles announced today, subscribers will get 7”s by Bartees Strange, Party Dozen, Matthew “Doc” Dunn, The William Loveday Intention (feat. Billy Childish!), The Shadracks (feat. the son of Billy Childish!), Sidney Gish, Hunx and His Punx, and more TBA. Vol. 7 runs from April, 2022 through February, 2023.
The Sub Pop Singles Club Vol. 6 series included subscription-only 7” singles by John Waters, Kim Gordon/J Mascis, Jeff Tweedy, Duma, LIDS, Washed Out, Hand Habits, Porridge Radio, Sheltered Workshop Singers, TV Priest, BNH Deluxe, and The Black Tones. Hear music from the series via the Singles Club playlist, and grab one of the last remaining subscriptions here (we only made 1,000 and they’re almost gone!).
Today Naima Bock is sharing a new video for “Campervan,” directed by Cassidy Hansen, and a standout from Giant Palm, her forthcoming full-length debut.
Naima says of the track, “Campervan” is another collaboration between myself and producer Joel Burton. This is a song about the falling apart of a relationship and the bleak impact that it seems to have on us as humans and the renewal that it can provide afterwards. We thought it would be fun to approach the song from a more tongue-in-cheek perspective; Joel’s arrangements draw on western cowboy nostalgia as well as orchestral influences such as ‘Concierto de Aranjuez’ by Joaquin Rodrigo and ‘Pure Imagination’ from the 1971 Willy Wonka film. The process of writing the song was a joyful and creative one, turning something depressing into something that doesn’t take itself too seriously whilst preserving the poignancy and melodrama of heartache.”
Naima Bock’s international touring schedule in support of Giant Palm resumes Friday, June 17th with a stop at Edinburgh, Scotland’s Hidden Door Festival, and currently runs through Monday, October 27th for a show at London’s ICA. Please find a full list of dates below and on naimabock.com
Fri. Jun. 17 - Edinburgh, UK - Hidden Door Festival Sun. Jun. 26 - Somerset, UK - Glastonbury Festival Fri. Jul. 01 - London, UK - Rough Trade East Sat. Jul. 23 - Southwold, UK - Latitude Festival Thu. Sep. 01- Sun. 04 - Dorset, UK - End of the Road Festival Fri. Sep. 09 - Sat. Sep. 10 - Vienna, AT - Waves Festival Thu. Sep. 15 - Sat. Sep. 17 - Oslo, NO - by:Larm Tue. Sep. 20 - Leipzig, DE - UT Connewitz * Wed. Sep. 21 - Hamburg, DE - RBF * Thu. Sep. 22 - Berlin, DE - Prachtwerk * Fri. Sep 23 - Cologne, DE - Theater der Wohngemeinschaft * Sat. Sep. 24 - Munich, DE - Heppel & Ettlich * Tue. Sep. 27 - Nijmegen, NL - Doomrosje * Thu. Sep. 29 - Brugge - BE - Cactus * Tue. Oct. 11 - Brighton, UK - The Prince Albert Wed. Oct. 12 - Bristol, UK - The Cube Thu. Oct. 13- Manchester, UK - Guillivers Sun. Oct. 16 - Birmingham, UK - Hare & Hounds 2 Fri. Oct. 21 - Glasgow, UK - Hug & Pint Sat. Oct. 22 - Leeds, UK - Mill Hill Chapel Sun. Oct. 23 - Newcastle, UK - Cumberland Ave Mon. Oct. 27 - London, UK - ICA * w/ Dana Gavanski
Born in Glastonbury to a Brazilian father and a Greek mother, Naima spent her early childhood in Brazil before eventually returning to England and various homes in South-East London. This heritage combines with more recent pursuits in Naima’s music; from the Brazilian standards that the family would listen to driving to the beach, to the European folk traditions she tapped into on her own, and the pursuits that interest her today – studies in archaeology, work as a gardener, and walking the world’s great trails – Naima’s music draws from family, the earth and the handing down of music through generations.
What People Are Saying About Naima Bock: “Hugely ambitious - the individual pieces are delicately arranged, the end product solid as steel” [Giant Palm / “Music of the Month”] - The Quietus
“Naima Bock sounds like no one else around,” [“30 Degrees”/ Track of the Day] - Clash
“A grand statement.” [“Artist of the Week”] - The Line of Best Fit
“A ray of optimism” [“Every Morning”] - The Guardian
“Superb” [“Giant Palm”/ “’Neu Recommended”] - DIY
“Bock’s music is like discovering you have a false wall when renovating your house. That, once knocked down, reveals a chamber of trinkets to unearth” [“Toll” / Single of the Week] - Secret Meeting
“Delightfully gentle” [“Toll”] - The Times
“A compelling first step into the spotlight that suggests great things to come” [“30 Degrees”] - The Forty Five
“Wistful and subtly eerie” [“30 Degrees”] - Our Culture
“Spiralling folk” [“30 Degrees”] - Loud and Quiet
“’30 Degrees’ oozes and surprises across its run time, opening up new melodies and instrumental dimensions from imperceptible trap doors within the song” - Beats Per Minute
“Strange but catchy bossa-folk” [“30 Degrees”] - Uncut
“A mightily impressive introduction” [“30 Degrees”] - God Is In The TV
“There’s a bit of ’70s Brian Eno in her vocal delivery and an echo of John Cale in her arrangements, but the fusion of her disparate cultural influences makes for an enchanting sound entirely Bock’s own.” [“Giant Palm”] -New York Times
“It’s unhurried but magnetic, the kind of song that isn’t flashy but leaves a deep impact if you’ll let it. I guess you could say … it takes a toll. [“Toll” / #3, “Songs of the Week”] - Stereogum
“…Dark, smoky, folk sound, close harmonies and production touches that nod towards her upbringing in Brazil.” [“30 Degrees”] - Brooklyn Vegan
“‘30 Degrees’ is hushed and mournful, with Bock’s deep voice at the center.”- Stereogum
“A strong contender to be one of 2022’s breakout stars” [“30 Degrees”] - For The Rabbits
Following their triumphant live debut at NYC’s TV Eye in March 2022 and explosive shows at SXSW before Kevin Whelan injured his knee during a performance, Sub Pop recording artists AEON STATION are announcing a round of live shows this Summer. Their live performance as hailed by The Aquarian “created magic… It was like a sporting event where deep in your bones you knew your favorite team or athlete was not just going to win, but achieve something extraordinary.”
Kicking off July 9th at Chicago’s Square Roots Festival where they are sharing the stage with friends Guided By Voices, they will be performing more shows in August and September on the coasts.
July 9 – Chicago @ Square Roots Festival August 12 – San Francisco @ The Independent (tickets) August 13 – Los Angeles @ The Echo (tickets) August 26 – NYC @ Le Poisson Rouge (tickets) August 27 – Boston @ Brighton Music Hall (tickets) September 23 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios (tickets) September 24 – Seattle @ Tractor Tavern (tickets)
Surprising an unsuspecting public last Summer with the news of Aeon Station’s debut release (this was the first new music from any of The Wrens since 2003’s critically adored album Meadowlands), Observatory’s (released in December 2021) effect was immediate and overwhelmingly positive. Pitchfork lauded, “Whelan’s instincts are exquisite. His melodies are sweet, but never overstated. His songs rise and swell, but it’s never too much, always just enough.” Referencing The Wrens’ long-awaited follow up, SPIN proclaimed, “Though this isn’t a Wrens album, which is what many of their extremely patient fans had hoped for, it’s certainly a great consolation prize.” Calling the album “arresting,” Wall Street Journal contributes their praise, “The album’s essential idea, embodied in both the words and Mr. Whelan’s gesture to form this band and get his songs out there, is that endurance matters above all.”
Joined by his Wrens bandmates drummer Jerry MacDonald and guitarist Greg Whelan (both of whom also play on the album), Aeon Station is rounded out with NYC/NJ indie rock veteran Lysa Opfer (Gramercy Arms, Big Lake) and guitarist/producer/author Tom Beaujour.
Referencing the injury that sidelined the band for the Spring while his leg healed, Whelan concludes: ”After the minor setback during SXSW which was one in a long line of rocker injuries, we can’t wait to see you at a show!”
We greatly encourage you to watch Built to Spill’s “Fool’s Gold,” a very official and funny new video, directed by Jordan Minkoff (who also directed the band’s “Gonna Lose” visual).
When the Wind Forgets Your Name featuring the aforementioned “Understood,” along with “Gonna Lose,” “Fool’s Gold,” “Spiderweb,” and “Rocksteady,” was produced by Doug Martsch, mixed by Martsch, Lê Almeida, João Casaes, and Josh Lewis, and mastered by Mell Dettmer. When the Wind Forgets Your Name is the first new Built to Spill album since the release of 2015’s Untethered Moon.
Built to Spill’s headlining and festival shows for the summer and fall of 2022 resumes Thursday, June 23rd at Calgary’s Sled Island Festival. The tour currently runs through Saturday, September 24 in Salt Lake City, UT at Metro Music Hall. The tour will feature songs from When the Wind Forgets Your Name along with fan favorites from the band’s catalog.
Support for these shows (select dates) will come from Oruã (the Brazilian band featuring When the Wind… collaborators Almeida and Casaes), along with Prism Bitch, Wetface, Blood Lemon, The French Tips, and Braided Waves. The live band for these Built to Spill tour dates will consist of Martsch, bassist Melanie Radford, and drummer Teresa Esguerra. For updated information on tickets, please visit builttospill.com.
Thu. Jun. 23 - Calgary, AB - Sled Island Festival Sat. Jul. 23 - Carnation, WA - Timber! Festival Sat. Jul. 30 - Stanley, ID - Sawtooth Family Gathering Sat. Aug. 06 - Happy Valley, OR - Pickathon Sun. Aug. 07 - Happy Valley, OR - Pickathon Thu. Aug. 11 - Spokane, WA - Lucky You Lounge ^ @ Fri. Aug. 12 - Bozeman, MT - The ELM ^ @ Sat. Aug. 13 - Billings, MT - The Pub Station ^ @ Mon. Aug. 15 - Fargo, ND - The Hall @ FBC ^ @ Tue. Aug. 16 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue ^ @ Wed. Aug. 17 - Madison, WI - Majestic Theater ^ @ Thu. Aug. 18 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall ^ @ Fri. Aug. 19 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall ^ @ Sat. Aug. 20 - Louisville, KY - Headliner’s Music Hall ^ @ Mon. Aug. 22 - Cincinnati, OH - Woodward Theater ^ @ Tue. Aug. 23 - Cleveland Heights, OH - Grog Shop ^ @ Wed. Aug. 24 - Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall % Thu. Aug. 25 - Montreal, QC - Corona Theatre # % Fri. Aug. 26 - Portland, ME - State Theatre # % Sat. Aug. 27 - New Haven, CT - College Street Music Hall # % Mon. Aug. 29 - South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground # % Tue. Aug. 30 - Holyoke, MA - Gateway City Arts # % Thu. Sep. 01 - Asbury Park, NJ - Stone Pony # % Fri. Sep. 02 - Baltimore, MD - Ram’s Head Live # % Sat. Sep. 03 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza # % Sun. Sep. 04 - Bethlehem, PA - Musikfest # % Tue. Sep. 06 - Columbus, OH - The Athenaeum Theatre * = Wed. Sep. 07 - Knoxville, TN - The Mill & Mine * = Thu. Sep. 08 - Wilmington, NC - Greenfield Lake Amphitheater * = Fri. Sep. 09 - Charleston, SC - Charleston Music Hall * = Sat. Sep. 10 - St. Petersburg, FL - Jannus Live * = Sun. Sep. 11 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room * = Tue. Sep. 13 - Orlando, FL - The Social * = Wed. Sep. 14 - Jacksonville, FL - Jack Rabbits * = Thu. Sep. 15 - Pensacola, FL - Vinyl Music Hall * = Fri. Sep. 16 - Birmingham, AL - Saturn Birmingham * = Sat. Sep. 17 - Memphis, TN - Growler’s * = Sun. Sep. 18 - Tulsa, OK - Cain’s Ballroom * = Mon. Sep. 19 - St. Louis, MO - Red Flag * = Tue. Sep. 20 - Columbia, MO - Blue Note * = Wed. Sep. 21 - Lawrence, KS - Granada Theater * = Fri. Sep. 23 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater * = Sat. Sep. 24 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Music Hall * =
When the Wind Forgets Your Name is now available for preorder on CD/LP/CS/DSPs through Sub Pop. LPs purchased through megamart.subpop.com, and select independent retailers in North America will receive the limited Loser Edition on Rainforest Green vinyl (while supplies last). Meanwhile, LP preorders in the U.K. and Europe through select independent retailers will receive the album on Misty Kiwi Fruit Green vinyl (while supplies last).
When the Wind Forgets Your Name’s cover art was designed by comic artist Alex Graham (Dog Biscuits; Fantagraphics Books), who also illustrated the fifty-panel comic strip for the album’s gatefold (available with the CD, LP, and cassette editions of the album).
Built to Spill When The Wind Forgets Your Name
Tracklisting: 1. Gonna Lose 2. Fool’s Gold 3. Understood 4. Elements 5. Rock Steady 6. Spiderweb 7. Never Alright 8. Alright 9. Comes a Day
Taken from their critically acclaimed debut album Observatory which was released December 3, 2021 via Sub Pop, AEON STATION are proud to premiere the video for “QUEENS,” which vocalist/songwriter Kevin Whelan explains, “is to celebrate Pride. The creation of this DIY video came organically with a few mutual friends brainstorming ways to bring the song to life. My wife Mary Ann and I reached out to Bill Shea [a.k.a. close friend and celebrated NYC drag queen MargOH! Channing] to help make the video, where he enlisted his friend, Jorge Urena to film it. The footage was carefully pieced together by our own Lysa Opfer from Aeon Station.”
Advocating self acceptance, the video for “Queens” focuses on the stunning transformation from Bill to the MargOH! and the joy that comes with personal truth. “I was so thrilled when Mary Ann reached out to me about the song ‘Queens’ and creating a video for it,” says MargOH! excitedly.
The origins of the video is one based on the history and friendship of Kevin, Mary Ann and Bill/MargOH! who had been coworkers while Kevin and Mary Ann were dating. After a breakup between the two, Bill proved to be the catalyst that initiated their ultimate reconciliation. “Bill was unknowingly part of Kevin’s plan to get us back together,” laughs Mary Ann. “Kevin asked Bill to deliver some gifts to me. I wouldn’t take them at first, but after some initial protest, I eventually accepted the gifts, and the rest is history.”
“I think the video has captured the inspiration of this song ‘The Winner Takes it All’ by ABBA - like a game of high-stakes poker and not being afraid to go all-in, taking that chance and betting on the real you,” says Kevin. “Thank you, MargOH!, for agreeing to make the video and delighting audiences for many years with your cabaret performances. Thank you also for helping me start the reconciliation process with my now wife all those years ago!”
Concludes MargOH!, “I’m so happy it’s being released during Pride because the song and video captures the past, the present and hope for the future and we all need that right now. It’s like Judy Garland once said, ‘Well, we have a whole new year ahead of us. And wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could all be a little more gentle with each other, a little more loving, and have a little more empathy, and maybe, next year at this time we’d like each other a little more’.”
“Queens” is taken from the album Observatory by Aeon Station. The band has also announced Summer tour dates below.
July 9 – Chicago @ Square Roots Festival August 12 – San Francisco @ The Independent (tickets) August 13 – Los Angeles @ The Echo (tickets) August 26 – NYC @ Le Poisson Rouge (tickets) August 27 – Boston @ Brighton Music Hall (tickets) September 23 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios (tickets) September 24 – Seattle @ Tractor Tavern (tickets)
