JOHN VANDERSLICE signs to Dead Oceans, the label of BOWERBIRDS who are playing 2 NYC shows ++ live pics

February 4, 2009

Following a long and tormenting day of travel including delayed flights, uncomfortable seats, and no sleep, Dead Oceans owner Phil Waldorf arrived at his destination completely fried, wholly frazzled. One of his label partners, Chris Swanson, picked him up at the airport, and as they pulled away from the arrivals curb, Chris turned up the stereo and said, “Listen to this new JOHN VANDERSLICE tune.”

Thirty seconds into the song, Phil was in a different place altogether. This was unlike any Vanderslice recording he had heard before. This song was, as far as he could tell, the best tune Vanderslice had ever written, and it needed a home. Gone were thoughts of a terrible flight. Rather than mumbling banal and boring missives about how badly travel sucks, he and his partner were lucky to have one of those great conversations about how they had to be involved with this new thing, this new discovery: John Vanderslice’s new album.

Dead Oceans reached out to JV immediately, heard (and was floored by!) more of the material, and is now extremely proud to add him to the label roster. The first fruit of this partnership is JV’s new album Romanian Names, scheduled for release May 19. More details will be available very soon.

Vanderslice recently performed some of the new material in his hometown of San Francisco. In honor of the 10th anniversary of JV’s famed Tiny Telephone Recording Studio there was a truly special performance at Great American Music Hall, featuring Vanderslice alongside the 30-piece Magik*Magik Orchestra. A portion of the show is available for view at the brand new johnvanderslice.com!

As previously mentioned, John is going on tour with John (Darnielle). Tickets are still on sale for a NYC show at the Society for Ethical Culture.

John Vanderslice is now on Dead Oceans, so that means he is label-mates with Akron/Family, Bishop Allen, Phosphorescent, These are Powers, and Bowerbirds. Bowerbirds have a previously-mentioned show coming up at Monkeytown in Brooklyn on April 28th. Now it has been revealed that they are also playing Mercury Lounge one day earlier. Tickets for the Manhattan show go on sale Friday at noon.

JV was last in NYC back in October to play 92Y Tribeca – right before CMJ. We took pictures, but they got lost in the shuffle until now. More of them, and a live video with the choir, below…

John Vanderslice “Too Much Time” from AV on Vimeo.

God DAMN! That Magik show was unreal, being in the center of all those strings, and horns, and woodwinds… and the choir. FUCK! They all played with so much style and power. Well we’re sure to bring it back, how could we not? Thanks for coming to this show. To those that couldn’t make it, we’ll have some audio and video stuff to post soon.-JV