This Is Book's Music

The Wampire kids (shown above) of Portland, Oregon had been in the studio, and are about to release their debut album on May 14th via Polyvinyl called Curiosity. You may listen to one of the tracks from it, this one is called “Spirit Forest”.

With SXSW in their sights, the group have created a tour doughnut surrounding it, and you get to taste its flavor:

March 6… Holland, MI (Hope College) +%
March 7… Chicago, IL (Lincoln Hall) % – SOLD OUT
March 8… Bloomington, IN (Bluebird Nightclub) +%
March 9… St. Louis, MO (Firebird) +%
March 11… Norman, OK (Opolis) +%
March 12… Dallas, TX (Club Dada) +%

% = w/ Unknown Mortal Orchestra
+ = w/ Foxygen

Their single for “The Hearse” (as presented here) will be released tomorrow (March 5th).

After a very fine performance on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, Unknown Mortal Orchestra follow it up with the release of a video for “Swim And Sleep”, a piece of animated that involves graffiti, peeping, and fapping. Yes, fapping. You may take a peek (fapping optional) right now, or whenever it is safe.

On a slightly safer note, the group have added dates of their current tour, which now includes their shows at this year’s SXSW in Austin, Texas:

March 13… Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop (KEXP Showcase) (5:30pm)
March 13… Scoot Inn (Life or Death PR Showcase) (11pm)
March 14… 1100 Warehouse (Pitchfork Unofficial Day Party) (3:45pm)
March 14… Red 7 (Jagjaguwar Label Showcase) (1am)
March 15… Stubbs BBQ (SPIN Media Official Party) (1:50pm)
March 16… Old Emos (Brooklyn Vegan) (5pm)

For the 1am show at Red 7, I’m not sure if that means early March 14th, or early March 15th, so consult these venues for specifics. UMO have also two festival shows this summer:

June 28… New York, NY (Seaport Music Festival at Pier 17)
July 4-7… Roskilde, Denmark (Roskilde Festival)

Today (February 5th) is the release day of the new Unknown Mortal Orcehstra album II (Jagjaguwar), and the band have also decided to tie that in with the release of a video for a song from the album, called “So Good At Being In Trouble”. The question remains though: are they that good? I think so.

The group are currently on tour in Europe, so see them after buying and listening to their album. Also, new concerts have been added to the tour, they are highlighted in bold.

February 6… Antwerp, Belgium (Trix) #
February 7… Amsterdam, Netherlands (Paradiso)
February 8… Berlin, Germany (Prince Charles) #
February 13… San Franciso, CA (Great American Music Hall) +%
February 14… Santa Ana, CA (Constellation Room)
February 15… Los Angeles, CA (Echoplex) +%
February 16… Las Vegas, NV (Beauty Bar) +%
February 18… El Paso, TX (Lowbrow Palace) +%
February 19… San Antonio, TX (The Korova) +%
February 20… Austin, TX (The Mohawk) +%
February 21… Houston, TX (Fitzgerald’s) +%
February 22… New Orleans, LA (One Eyed Jacks) +%
February 23… Atlanta, GA (529) +%
February 25… Late Night with Jimmy Fallon appearance
February 27… Washington, DC (Rock and Roll Hotel) +%
February 28… New York, NY (Bowery Ballroom) +%
March 1… Philadelphia, PA (First Unitarian Church) +%
March 2… Boston, MA (Brighton Music Hall) +%
March 3… Montreal, Canada (il Motore) +%
March 4… Toronto, Canada (Wrong Bar) +%
March 6… Holland, MI (Hope College) +%
March 7… Chicago, IL (Lincoln Hall) %
March 8… Bloomington, IN (Bluebird Nightclub) +%
March 9… St. Louis, MI (Firebird) +%
March 11… Norman, OK (Opolis) +%
March 12… Dallas, TX (Club Dada) +%
March 18… Denver, CO (Larimer Lounge) +%
March 19… Salt Lake City, UT (Urban Lounge) +%
March 21… Boise, ID (Treefort Music Fest)
March 22… Seattle, WA (The Crocodile) +%
March 23… Vancouver, BC (The Media Club) +%
April 5… Portland, OR (Aladdin Theater) %
May 1… Glasgow, UK (King Tuts)
May 2… Dublin, Ireland (Academy 2)
May 3… Liverpool, UK (Liverpool Sound City – The Garage)
May 4… Leeds, UK (Cockpit – Live at Leeds)
May 6… Manchester, UK (Deaf Institute)
May 7… Bristol, UK (Thekla)
May 8… Birmingham, UK (Institute – Temple Room)
May 10… Camber Sands, UK (ATP Festival curated by TV on the Radio)
May 11… Brussels, Belgium (Les Nuits Botanique – Rotonde)
May 16… London, UK (Village Underground)
May 21… Copenhagen, Denmark (Vega Small Hall)
May 24… Paris, France (Villette Sonique Festival)

# with Spectral Park
+ with Foxygen
% with Wampire

Portland’s Unknown Mortal Orchestra are off to a good start in a new year, with a video on the way for their single “So Good At Being In Trouble” (listen to audio by clicking to YouTube), to be released February 5th on their second album appropriately titled II (Jagjaguwar). You will be able to locate it at your favorite record shindigs by spotting this cover art:

As the group go on tour, they will make a stop in New York City on February 25th for an appearance on NBC’s Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. Here is where they’ll be before and after:
February 2… Tokyo, Japan (Zepp Divercity)
February 5… London, United Kingdom (Cargo) # SOLD OUT
February 6… Antwerp, Belgium (Trix) #
February 7… Amsterdam, Netherlands (Paradiso)
February 8… Berlin, Germany (Prince Charles) #
February 13… San Franciso, CA (Great American Music Hall) +%
February 14… Santa Ana, CA (Constellation Room)
February 15… Los Angeles, CA (Echoplex) +%
February 16… Las Vegas, NV (Beauty Bar) +%
February 18… El Paso, TX (Lowbrow Palace) +%
February 19… San Antonio, TX (The Korova) +%
February 20… Austin, TX (The Mohawk) +%
February 21… Houston, TX (Fitzgerald’s) +%
February 22… New Orleans, LA (One Eyed Jacks) +%
February 23… Atlanta, GA (529) +%
February 25… Late Night with Jimmy Fallon appearance
February 27… Washington, DC (Rock and Roll Hotel) +%
February 28… New York, NY (Bowery Ballroom) +%
March 1… Philadelphia, PA (First Unitarian Church) +%
March 2… Boston, MA (Brighton Music Hall) +%
March 3… Montreal, Canada (il Motore) +%
March 4… Toronto, Canada (Wrong Bar) +%
March 6… Holland, MI (Hope College) +%
March 7… Chicago, IL (Lincoln Hall) %
March 8… Bloomington, IN (Bluebird Nightclub) +%
March 9… St. Louis, MI (Firebird) +%
March 11… Norman, OK (Opolis) +%
March 12… Dallas, TX (Club Dada) +%
March 18… Denver, CO (Larimer Lounge) +%
March 19… Salt Lake City, UT (Urban Lounge) +%
March 21… Boise, ID (Treefort Music Fest)
March 22… Seattle, WA (The Crocodile) +%
March 23… Vancouver, BC (The Media Club) +%
April 5… Portland, OR (Aladdin Theater) %
May 10-12… Camber Sands, UK (ATP Festival curated by TV on the Radio)

# with Spectral Park
+ with Foxygen
% with Wampire

Damn, Kosha Dillz is on a roll and the guy is not about to stop. Let me hitch a ride DAMMIT!!!

Well, until then, he just released a track with Ducky called “Friends”, featuring a familiar hook courtesy of the Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Solid.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Strangers Are Strange from Pharm on Vimeo.

As the Unknown Mortal Orchestra go on tour with Girls (see tour dates here), they’re now sharing their brand new video for “Strangers Are Strange”, and if it’s as out there as their last video, you’ll love it. I do.

Want to be freaked out? Watch this video?

UMO – Thought Ballune from Jordan Blady on Vimeo.

It’s the new one by Unknown Mortal Orchestra called “Thought Ballune” and… okay, it’s not that freaky but still, it’s something that will make you go, um… it doesn’t matter.

What does matter is that UMO will be heading on tour in support of their self-titled debut, and they will be joined on a number of dates by Girls and White Arrows:

February 24… San Francisco CA Clift Hotel
February 25… Los Angeles CA Echoplex *
February 26… Santa Monica CA The Central
February 27… San Luis Obispo CA SLO Brew
February 28… Visalia CA Cellar Door
March 1… Santa Cruz CA Coconut Grove Ballroom #
March 2… San Diego CA Birch North Park Theatre #
March 4… Vail CO Snowball Music Festival
March 5… Albuquerque NM Launchpad #
March 7… San Antonio TX White Rabbit #
March 8… Austin TX La Zona Rosa #
March 9… Dallas TX Granada Theatre #
March 12… New Orleans LA One Eyed Jack’s #
March 13… Houston TX Fitzgerald’s #
March 14… Austin TX Red 7 / Force Field PR / Terrorbird SXSW Day Party
March 16… Denver CO Gothic Theatre #
March 17… Salt Lake City UT In The Venue #
March 18… Reno NV Cargo #

* = w/ White Arrows
# = w/ Girls

Brighton, England is where Sam McGarrigle, but when he puts on the artist hat, he transformas himself into Gross Magic. He likes to do things in a simple, lo-fi manner and while lo-fi isn’t the first term you think of when talking about Michael Jackson, David Bowie, and Prince, these are some of the artists Gross Magic has been influenced by and honors subliminally in his own music.

The gentle gent started putting together his own music after his group Hocus Tocus fell apart, and it seems this demise was for the better, as it has head to an initial 5-song EP called Teen Jamz, to be released in the U.S. on October 11th via Fat Possum Records. What is his sound? Pop with a bit of Cinnamon Crispas, some alterna-grunge for flavor, and a lot of chopped up organisms to create what makes that Gross Magic so gross. Okay, not gross, but still.

Gross Magic – Sweetest Touch by snipelondon

Gross Magic – ‘Sweetest Touch’ from Bowlegs on Vimeo.

You will be able to witness Gross Magic in a live setting when he visits North American in a few weeks for shows that will bring him together with Yuck, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and Youth Lagoon. The specifics can be deciphered below:

10/13 Brooklyn, NY, Music Hall of Williamsburg *
10/14 Brooklyn, NY, Music Hall of Williamsburg *
10/15 Brooklyn, NY, Cameo Gallery
10/18 Toronto, ONT, Horseshoe Tavern
10/19 New York, NY, CMJ
10/20 New York, NY, Bowery Ballroom
10/21 New York, NY, CMJ
10/22 New York, NY, CMJ
10/25 Buffalo, NY, Mohawk Place #
10/26 Wooster, OH, College of Wooster #
10/27 Chicago, IL, Empty Bottle #
10/28 Columbia, MO, University Of Missouri #
10/29 St Louis, MO, Billiken Club #
11/01 San Francisco, CA, Bottom Of The Hill %
11/02 Los Angeles, CA, The Echo %
11/03 San Diego, CA, Casbah %
11/04 Phoenix, AZ, Crescent Ballroom %
11/05 Tucson, AZ, Solar Culture Gallery %
11/07 Austin, TX, Emo’s %

* = w/ Yuck
# = w/ Unknown Mortal Orchestra
% = w/ Youth Lagoon

The Unknown Mortal Orchestra are currently wrapping up dates on the first half of their summer tour, and will return later in the season click here for where they are and/or where they’ll be next, but it’s not bad being a band who have taken Bandcamp as a positive means of promotion and are now touring the U.S. and making people happy with their brand of rock. The band released their self-titled debut album last month on Fat Possum and are looking for a means to become global. Or at least to become a known Unknown Mortal Orchestra.

What you see below is a live performance of “Ffunny Ffriends” (a/k/a “the one with the Pointer Sisters-like “Yes We Can Can” break at the beginning) made for Bowlegs, so watch and listen.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra – ‘Ffunny Ffrends’ from Bowlegs on Vimeo.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra – “Little Blu House” by fatpossum

Unknown Mortan Orchestra released their self-titled album a month ago, and they’re going to take it to the stage with a tour that finds them being tourmates with Yuck and Toro Y Moi. Not bad company to be with.

07/22 Seattle, WA Capitol Hill Block Party *
07/23 Vancouver, BC Biltmore Cabaret *
07/24 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge *
07/26 San Francisco, CA The Independent SF *
07/28 Visalia, CA Cellar Door
07/29 San Diego, CA The Casbah *
07/30 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour *
07/31 Los Angeles, CA Satellite *
09/09 Athens, GA 40 Watt Club #
09/10 Raleigh, NC Hopscotch Music Festival #
09/11 Washington, DC Black Cat #
09/12 Philadelphia, PA First Unitarian Church #
09/14 New York, NY Webster Hall #
09/15 Brooklyn, NY Glasslands Gallery
09/16 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club #
09/17 Montreal, QC Le National #
09/18 Toronto, ON Opera House #
09/19 Detroit, MI Majestic Theatre #
09/20 Bloomington, IN The Bishop #
09/21 Grinnell, IA Grinnel College Gardner Lounge
09/22 Urbana / Champaign, IL Pygmalion #
09/23 Cincinnati, OH Midpoint Music Festival #
10/03 Los Angeles, CA El Ray Theatre #
10/06 El Paso, TX Lowbrow Palace #
10/07 Dallas, TX Club Dada #
10/08 Austin, TX The Mohawk #
10/09 Houston, TX Fitzgerald’s #
10/10 New Orleans, LA One Eyed Jack’s #
10/11 Tallahassee, FL Club Downunder #
10/13 Birmingham, AL Bottletree #
10/14 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade #

* = w/ Yuck
# = w/ Toro Y Moi

Unknown Mortal Orchestra – “Little Blu House” by fatpossum

Yourstru.ly Presents: UMO “How Can You Luv Me” from Yours Truly on Vimeo.