obits-taste

listen to "Spun Out" from Obits' new album 'Bed & Bugs' ++ updated tour dates

by Bill Pearis

Obits

As mentioned, Obitsthird album, Bed & Bugs is due out via Sub Pop on September 10. It’s probably their most varied album to date, but still a rager — and maybe the best thing they’ve done yet. Obits already let us “Taste the Diff” and now we’ve got the premiere of the nicely twangy “Spun Out” which you can stream and/or download below. Guitarist Sohrab Habibion fills us in on the tune:

This tune was originally called “Black Ice” until we realized that there is an exceptionally mediocre AC/DC song and album from 2008 with the same name. So, instead of changing the name to a great Acca Dacca number like “She’s Got Balls,” we decided to go with “Spun Out.” When I first wrote the intro guitar part that ends up sort of doubling the opening bass line, I was thinking of trying something like what Stuart Moxham does on Young Marble Giants’ “Choco Loni,” but then Rick came up with those buttery Duane Eddy chords, which gave it nice twist. And for music nerds, there’s an interesting change in the outro, where Greg holds his bass loop from the chorus while Rick transitions from a picking guitar part to more of a rave-up and I add some rhythmic guitar stabs. We wanted to gradually increase the tension before the song finally falls apart. Also I really like Rick’s lyrics on this one, which are as heartbreaking as a classic country song. It’s easy to imagine one of the great Chuck’s (Charlie Rich, Charley Pride, Charlie Daniels) singing “Want a change in lighting. Want a change for life. Each link on a bad road broken. Want a change for life.”

As they’ve done for every album, Obits are playing a record release party for Bed & Bugs at The Bell House on September 21 and tickets are still available. The band have also expanded their fall tour a bit and updated dates are listed, along with the “Spun Out” stream, below.

Obits – 2013 Tour Dates
Sept. 21 – Brooklyn, NY – The Bell House (Album release show)
Oct. 02 – Cambridge, MA – TT the Bears
Oct. 03 – Montreal, QC – Il Motore
Oct. 04 – Toronto, ON – Horseshoe Tavern
Oct. 05 – Ferndale, MI – The Loving Touch
Oct. 06 – Milwaukee, WI – The Cactus Club
Oct. 07 – Minneapolis, MN – Triple Rock Social Club
Oct. 08 – Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle
Oct. 09 – Columbus, OH – Ace of Cups
Oct. 10 – Washington, DC – Rock and Roll Hotel
Oct. 11 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
Oct. 22 & 23 -Halifax, NS- Halifax Pop Explosion
Oct. 30 – Tampa, FL – The Fest
Oct. 31 – Gainesville, FL – The Fest
Nov. 14 – Vancouver, BC – Biltmore Cabaret
Nov. 15 – Seattle, WA – Neumo’s Crystal Ball
Nov. 16 – Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios
Nov. 17 – Eugene, OR – WOW Hall
Nov. 19 – San Francisco, CA – Bottom of the Hill
Nov. 20 – Visalia, CA – Cellar Door
Nov. 21 – Los Angeles, CA – The Echo
Nov. 22 – San Diego, CA – Casbah
Nov. 23 – Las Vegas, NV – Beauty Bar