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Twerps signed to Merge, released EP & single, new LP & tour in 2015 (dates, streams ++ Top 10 of 2014)

by Bill Pearis

Twerps

Australian band Twerps signed to Merge this year and released the Underlay EP in late summer. Then last month, they released a new single, “Back to You,” which is about as perfect a slice of sunny janglepop as you could want and you can check out the video for that song below. “Back to You” is the first taste of Twerps’ new album, Range Anxiety, which will be out January 27. (It’s out 1/23 via Chapter Music in their home country.) It’s a terrific album and folks who enjoy The Go Betweens, The Bats and The Pastels, Real Estate or just catchy, understated guitar pop, it’s definitely an album to keep on your radar. We’ve got the premiere of the dreamier “Shoulders” which features lead vocals from guitarist Julia McFarlane and you can stream it in this post.

Twerps will be heading to this side of the world in March to play SXSW and will be touring around it. That includes two NYC shows: March 13 at Rough Trade and March 14 at Mercury Lounge. Tickets for those shows will be available via Ticketmaster soon. All dates are listed below.

Drummer Alex McFarlane was also nice enough to give us his Top 10 of 2014 which includes albums, shows and moments. You can peruse that, plus the new song stream, “Back to You” video and a trailer for the new album, below…


ALEX FROM TWERPS’ TOP TEN THINGS FROM THIS YEAR
1. LP: Mental Hygiene by Internal Rot
2. GIG: Gorguts and Portal at the Northcote Social Club
3. MOMENT: Meeting R. Stevie Moore in Nashville
4. GIG: Maggot Fest V at The Tote (Highlights included Royal Headache, Rort, White Walls, Bloodrule, Bad Family, Ausmuteants too many more to mention)
5. NEW BAND: The Shifters
6. LP: Typical System by Total Control
7. GIG/PARTY: Gonerfest 11
8. LP: Bad Family by Bad Family
9. GIG: RIP Society 5th Birthday Celebration at The Opera House (Highlights included The Dead C, Feedtime, Bed Wettin Bad Boys)
10. LPs: More excellent reissues from Superior Viaduct (Including Peter Jefferies, The Residents, Pip Proud, Glen Branca, Flesh Eaters)

Twerps – 2014 Tour Dates:
Dec 11 Melbourne, AU – The HiFi %
Dec 16 Melbourne, AU – 170 Russell %
Dec 18 Melbourne, AU – The John Curtin Hotel
Jan 24 Melbourne, AU – Sugar Mountain Festival
Jan 28 Brisbane, AU – The Tivoli *
Jan 29 Sydney, AU – Enmore *
Feb 01 Melbourne, AU – Palais *
Feb 03 Perth, AU – Astor Theatre *
Feb 27 Melbourne, AU – Melbourne Zoo #
Mar 07 Meredith, AU – Golden Plains Festival
Mar 13 Brooklyn, NY – Rough Trade &
Mar 14 New York, NY – Mercury Lounge &
Mar 16 Durham, NC – The Pinhook &
Mar 17 Atlanta, GA – The Earl &
Mar 18 New Orleans, LA – Gasa Gasa
Mar 19-21 Austin, TX – SXSW
Mar 24 Denver, CO – Hi-Dive
Mar 25-29 Boise, ID – Treefort Music Fest
Mar 30 San Francisco, CA – Bottom of the Hill ^
Apr 02 Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios
Apr 03 Vancouver, BC – The Fox Cabaret
Apr 04 Seattle, WA – The Sunset Tavern
Apr 05 Missoula, MT – Stage 112
Apr 08 Minneapolis, MT – First Avenue and 7th Street Entry
Apr 10 Bloomington, IN – The Bishop
Apr 11 Chicago, IL – The Empty Bottle
% with The War on Drugs
* with Belle and Sebastian
# with Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks
& with Ultimate Painting
^ with White Fence