DOWNLOAD: Wilderness - Strand the Test of Time (MP3)

Wilderness's new record (k)no(w)here was released by Jagjaguwar on Nov 4th.

Written for a performance at this year's Whitney Biennial, this obnoxiously titled release continues Wilderness's exploration of icy post-punk that falls tonally between PiL and U2. Guitarist Colin McCann uses delay and echo to create repetitions similar to those of the Edge and Keith Levene; the slowly shifting harmonies from Brian Gossman's calm bass gives those repetitions forward movement -- something similar to the dub influence of Jah Wobble and the solid simplicity of Adam Clayton. Singer James Johnson, meanwhile, has a howl that combines the idiosyncratic style of John Lydon with the populist war cry of Bono: Johnson's voice bays and every note seems to emanate from the back of his throat before tightening into focus. As for songs, the band lets them flow into one another to create a 40-minute piece. This could prove strenuous, but the album is more contemplative than didactic -- a (k)no(w)here that's difficult to study but easy to inhabit. [The Phoenix]

Tonight, Wedesday November 19th, Wilderness kick off a tour in NYC with a show at Cake Shop followed by a Thursday night show at Union Pool. Both shows are with San Serac. Video from the Whitney performance, and all tour dates below...

Continue reading "Wilderness - 2008 Tour Dates, a Biennial album, an MP3"

My last Black Mountain update included a lot more tour dates than the first time I posted about the Bowery Ballroom show they're playing with Bon Iver. This post adds even more dates. That includes a show at Glasslands in Brooklyn on February 23rd. That's one day after the Bowery show, and two days after Black Mountain play Conan O'Brien.

Their Jagjaguwar labelmate Wilderness also has a Brooklyn show coming up - March 13th at Union Pool. Listen to Bon Iver on MPR. Watch Black Mountain and Kid Millions from Oneida play at ATP. Everyone's tour dates below....

Continue reading "Black Mountain, Bon Iver, Brooklyn, Wilderness, Tour Dates"