vaselines

new Vaselines album (MP3) & 2010 tour dates

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: The Vaselines – I Hate the ’80s (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Vaselines – Son of a Gun (MP3)

Vaselines

Euguene Kelley and Frances McKee are set to release the first Vaselines album in 20 years and they’ll be touring to support it too. They’ll be at Webster Hall in NYC on October 6 and tickets go on sale at noon. The new LP, Sex With An X, is out September 14 on Sub Pop. Here’s the company line:

Recorded outside Manchester at the Analogue Catalogue studio in Mossley with Julie McLarnon engineering and produced by Jamie Watson who produced that first album Dum Dum, Sex With An X was recorded the old-fashioned way: twelve songs in thirteen days (plus two b-sides). The Vaselines ca. 2010 is Eugene and Frances with guest musicians Stevie Jackson and Bob Kildea from Belle & Sebastian on guitar and bass, and Michael McGaughrin from the 1990s on drums. It may have taken The Vaselines 20 years to get round to making this baby, but it was worth the wait–bringing their solo careers to a climax. The irony has not been lost. Who says indie music can’t be fun? No hand-wringing on these tracks–just good clean smut with a twist of bitter.

Having heard the whole thing, I can say that it not only doesn’t suck but is right up their with their original output — smart, funny, filthy, and catchy as hell. Surprise of the year. Download “I Hate the ’80s” at the top of this post.

And with Jackson, Kildea and McGaughrin in their band, they are probably better live performers than they were back then. Their Music Hall of Williamsburg show last May, one night after they played Bowery Ballroom, was one of my favorites of 2009. It’s worth going to see them for the in-between song banter alone — McKee swears like a sailor.

No support has been announced yet for the Webster Hall show, but Dum Dum Girls, who have upcoming NYC shows of their own, will open elsewhere on their tour. Conversely, The Vaselines will open for Belle & Sebastian and Teenage Fanclub at select (non-NYC) dates as well. All Vaselines tour dates and the new album cover are below…

Vaselines

The Vaselines – 2010 Tour Dates

Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Bongo Room, Edinburgh United Kingdom

Thursday, September 16, 2010
Other Rooms, Newcastle United Kingdom

Friday, September 17, 2010
Brudenell Social, Leeds United Kingdom

Saturday, September 18, 2010
O2 Academy Liverpool, Liverpool United Kingdom

Sunday, September 19, 2010
Millennium Music Hall (UK), Cardiff United Kingdom

Monday, September 20, 2010
Rescue Rooms, Nottingham United Kingdom

Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Thekla Social, Bristol United Kingdom

Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Scala, London United Kingdom

Thursday, September 23, 2010
Deaf Institute, Manchester United Kingdom

Friday, September 24, 2010
Oran Mor, Glasgow United Kingdom

Saturday, October 2, 2010
930 Club, Washington DC
w/ Teenage Fan Club
All Ages!

Sunday, October 3, 2010
First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia PA
All Ages!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Paradise (MA), Boston MA
18 and up!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Webster Hall, New York City NY
18 and up!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Vive Cuervo Salon, Mexico City Mexico
w/ Belle & Sebastian

Friday, October 8, 2010
Vive Cuervo Salon, Mexico City Mexico
w/ Belle and Sebastian

Saturday, October 9, 2010
Teatro Estudio Cavaret, Guadalajara Mexico
w/ Belle and Sebastian

Monday, October 11, 2010
Cats Cradle, Carrboro NC
All Ages!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010
The Earl, Atlanta GA

Wednesday, October 13, 2010
One Eyed Jacks, New Orleans LA
18 and up!

Thursday, October 14, 2010
Warehouse Live – Ballroom (TX), Houston TX
18 and up!

Friday, October 15, 2010
The Loft (TX), Dallas TX
All Ages!

Saturday, October 16, 2010
Emo’s (Austin), Austin TX
Outside Stage
All Ages!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Henry Fonda Theater, Los Angeles CA
@ The Music Box w/ Telekinesis & Superchunk
All Ages!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Great American Music Hall, San Francisco CA
w/ Dum Dum Girls
All Ages!

Saturday, October 23, 2010
Biltmore Cabaret (BC), Vancouver Canada
w/ Dum Dum Girls
19 and up!

Sunday, October 24, 2010
Wonder Ballroom, Portland OR
w/ Dum Dum Girls
21 and up!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Varsity, Minneapolis MN
w/ Dum Dum Girls
18 and up!

Thursday, October 28, 2010
Lincoln Hall (IL), Chicago IL
21 and up!

Friday, October 29, 2010
Magic Stick, Detroit MI
w/ Dum Dum Gilrs
18 and up!

Saturday, October 30, 2010
Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto Canada
19 and up!

Sunday, October 31, 2010
La Sala Rosa (Montreal), Montreal Canada
All Ages!