Bon Iver is a grand, chance-taking record: It sheds the raw nerviness of 2008’s perfect For Emma, Forever Ago and replaces it with arrangements so lush and vivid, it can be hard to make out much of what Vernon sings. Out June 21, the whole record dares to be dreamy, and to let Bon Iver’s ever-growing backing band paint pictures while Vernon’s words dissipate into the ether. Most of these 10 songs induce gasps at one point or another, for any number of reasons: from the forceful jolt of an orchestral boomlet, the delicate shhhhhinnnnng of finger cymbals, or an impeccable bit of vocal phrasing by Vernon, who can still make seemingly slight inflections hit like punches.
Mister Heavenly, the indie supergroup comprised of Nick Thorburn (Islands/The Unicorns), Ryan Kattner (Man Man), and Joe Plummer (Modest Mouse), have announced the release date for their full-length debut.
The record, titled Out of Love, will be released on August 16 on Sub Pop. For a taste of what to expect from the album, check out the ominously titled “Mister Heavenly is…coming to get you” video teaser and MP3 for “Pineapple Girl” above.
The group hasn’t announced any live dates in support of Out of Love yet, but we suspect those will be coming soon. Whether sometimes-bassist Michael Cera joins the band on tour is anyone’s guess, provided the soft-spoken actor finishes his Simpsons cameo in time.
Architecture in Helsinki have released the video for “Escapee,” the third single from their new album Moment Bends. Like their last two singles, “That Beep” and “Contact High,” the track is an infectious and danceable slice of indie pop perfection. The song’s wistful, nostalgic feel is echoed by the video — which features a young protagonist breaking out from the confines of suburban life. Architecture in Helsinki kick off their US tour next week at the Henry Fonda Theater on June 1st.
Detroit duo Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. are preparing for the release of their full-length debut, It’s a Corporate World. Set for a June 7th release, the band have added new headlining dates in support of their forthcoming full-length. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. are now headlining an extensive tour including dates with Generationals. The band will continue to tour throughout the summer and are excited to announce their first appearances at Lollapalooza this August and Austin City Limits festival in September.
Sometimes a story can take a long time to tell. Eric D. Johnson, who has recorded and performed as the Fruit Bats for a decade now, had a story like that, a chance encounter that had rattled around his head for years. He’s tried to write it as a short story, a play, a movie…yet until now couldn’t get it down just right. Finally he decided to make a song out of it, and the result is “Tony the Tripper.†It’s the song at the heart of his fifth album, Tripper, setting the tone for a bittersweet meditation on hitting the road, leaving the familiar behind and reinventing yourself.
Fruit Bats will release Tripper on August 2. Click here for more information and to download “WACS,” a free bonus track featuring J. Mascis.
