Thou & The Body made a collaborative EP (stream it in full)

By Doug Moore

This is a pleasant surprise. (“Pleasant” admittedly being used a little loosely there.) We’ve known for a while that Louisana sludge unit Thou and Portland art-metallers The Body are in album-producing mode — The Body just put out an impressive collaboration with The Haxan Cloak, and Thou dropped a more conventional full length recently. We also knew that the two bands were planning on touring together this summer, including appearances at this year’s Gilead Media Fest. But until very recently, we had no idea that the two bands were working on a four-song, vinyl-only collaborative effort.

Turns out that they were (duh); the results, entitled Released From Love, are streaming at Invisible Oranges this afternoon. From our writeup:

I’ve never been a huge fan of The Body, but between this recording and their collaboration with the Haxan Cloak, I am increasingly impressed by their ability to work effectively in concert with outside musicians. They play a supporting role on Released From Love, but they play it to the hilt. Thou’s massive sonic presence occupies the foreground for most of the record — the massive slouch of “The Wheel Weaves as the Wheel Wills” could be a lost track from last month’s Heathen LP, and the closing cover of Vic Chesnutt’s modern classic “Coward” is right in line with Thou’s historic love for out-genre interpretations. The Body mostly run interference around the flanks of Thou’s bulk throughout. Chip King’s distinctive shriek punches through the mire and then retreats; caustic electronic sounds seethe up through seams in the riffage. If these bands were a street-fighting tag team, Thou would be the big hulking dude who occupies your attention long enough for the small, shifty Body to sneak up behind you and jam a knife between your ribs.

Stream Released From Love below. While you’re at it, check out the full run of Thou/The Body dates (which hits NYC at ABC No Rio on 7/5 for a matinee, plus a later show at a TBA venue) and the original version of that Vic Chesnutt tune…

Upcoming THOU and THE BODY tour dates:
06.30.14 – Baton Rouge
07.01.14 – Birmingham at The Forge (5505 1st Avenue) at seven pm with Lume
07.02.14 – Greensboro at Legitimate Business
07.03.14 – Richmond (matinee) at Empire the Bar at two pm
07.03.14 – DC
07.04.14 – Baltimore (matinee) at Sidebar (218 E. Lexington Street) at noon with Curse
07.04.14 – Philadelphia with Hirs, Pissgrave, and Backslider
07.05.14 – Jersey City (matinee) at WFMU (43 Montgomery Street)
07.05.14 – New York (matinee) at ABC No Rio
07.05.14 – New York
07.06.14 – New London (matinee) at The Orphanage (300 State Street) at one pm with Empty Vessels and Snow Orphan
07.06.14 – Amherst with Rozamov
07.07.14 – Boston with Curmudgeon
07.08.14 – Providence at Machines with Magnets
07.12.14 – Syracuse with Bleak and Blood Sun Circle
07.13.14 – Pittsburgh at The Shop
07.14.14 – Detroit at Trumbullplex (4230 Common Wealth) at seven pm
07.15.14 – Grand Rapids
07.16.14 – Michigan City at Carbon Room (9833 W 300 N) at eight pm with Angry Gods
07.17.14 – Chicago at Club Rectum with Ash Borer and Hell
GILEAD FEST:
07.18.14 – Oshkosh (collaboration sets) at Masonic Center (204 Washington) at five pm with Ash Borer, Hell, Inter Arma, Protestant, and Oozing Wound
07.19.14 – Oshkosh (Body solo) at Masonic Center (204 Washington) two pm with Bastard Sapling, Mutilation Rites, Kowloon Walled City, Geryon, False, Sea of Bones, Owlfood, Hexer
07.20.14 – Oshkosh (Thou solo) Masonic Center (204 Washington) at one pm with Barghest, Loss, Uzala, Lychgate, Seidr, Generation of Vipers, Alraune, and Northless