In support of their upcoming new album Whistle Tips out tomorrow on Ernest Jenning Record Co., New York-based infectious pop quartet Dinosaur Feathers have premiered a stream of their entire forthcoming release exclusively at Spin.com.
In addition, Dinosaur Feathers are currently wrapping up their ongoing full US tour, which saw the band performing alongside indie-rock mainstays Built To Spill, Lucero, Battles and more, with upcoming dates throughout the Midwest and Northeast with guests Grandchildren and others.
With the release of Whistle Tips, the band now finds itself pushing forward into unexplored — and ultimately rewarding — new territories. Evolution is, however, only a theory. From the instant bounce of “Young Bucks” and power popper “Untrue” to the impressively ambitious segued trilogy of “Certain Times,” “City Living” and “Beatcha,” through the hints of prog riffing that open up “SURPRISE!,” it is clear that Dinosaur Feathers have made their boldest step yet in Whistle Tips.
Check them out live this week — and if you can’t make it, check out their Stairwell Sessions here at The Orchard on YouTube.
4.11.12 Boston, MA Church *
4.12.12 Portland, ME Empire *
4.13.12 Hamden, CT The Outer Space *
4.14.12 Brooklyn, NY Glasslands *
* = w/ Grandchildren
Brooklyn quartet Dinosaur Feathers have debuted a new track, “Beatcha,” from their upcoming album Whistle Tips, out on April 10 on Ernest Jenning Records (pre-order it on iTunes now!). The band is currently on a tour of the U.S. with Built To Spill, Battles, Of Montreal and many others.
With the release of Whistle Tips, the band now finds itself pushing forward into unexplored – and ultimately rewarding – new territories. Evolution is, however, only a theory. For all you indie creationists, the Dinosaur Feathers you may have known and loved lives on through their sunny melodies, still-infectious grooves, and ever-boisterous harmonies between Greg Sullo (vocals, guitars), Ryan Michael Kiley (bass), and Derek Zimmerman (keyboard). These elements, plus such seemingly disparate influences as The Soft Boys, The Olivia Tremor Control, XTC and of course Paul McCartney’s Wings, now inform a jazzier/punkier/maybe even poppier mélange.
Dinosaur Feathers recently premiered the track “Untrue” at Paste Magazine, which proclaims they “use their voices like instruments, stacking and weaving them into a textured sonic tapestry that drips with 60′s nostalgia.” From the instant bounce of “Young Bucks” and power popper “Untrue” to the impressively ambitious segued trilogy of “Certain Times,” “City Living” and “Beatcha,” through the hints of prog riffing that open up “SURPRISE!,” it is clear that Dinosaur Feathers have made their boldest step yet in Whistle Tips.
To keep you busy while you’re waiting for the album to hit stores, enjoy a clip of their exciting performance at our very own stairwell – or check out their tour dates after the jump:
With another February comes yet another Groundhog Day where the groundhog does in fact see his shadow and we are doomed yet again to six more weeks of winter. Since you’re inevitably going to be staying inside, why not get cozy and settle into the weekend with some free tunes?
Start the month off right and warm your ears up with single streams from RACES and Dinosaur Feathers or download tracks by CFCF and The Big Sleep:
RACES: “Big Broom” via Facebook
Year Of The Witch out March 27th on Frenchkiss Records
Dinosaur Feathers: “Untrue” via Paste
Whistle Tips out April 10th on Ernest Jenning
CFCF: “Exercise #3 (Building)” via Soundcloud
Exercises out April 24th on Paper Bag Records
The Big Sleep: “Ace” via Sterogum
Nature Experiments out now on Frenchkiss Records
On February 15th, The Forms will release new EP Derealization on Threespheres / Ernest Jenning. The EP features guest appearances from the likes of Matt Berninger (The National), Craig Wedren (Shudder To Think), and members of Pattern Is Movement, Dirty Projectors, St. Vincent and more.
Last week, Pitchfork premiered the track “Fire to the Ground“, which features The National’s Matt Berninger. Also check out “Steady Hand”, featuring Thiboldeaux, over at Stereogum, who heralded Derealization as “sparkly, densely packed, airy dance music by guys who like their post-punk darker.”
In addition to the “Fire to the Ground” debut, The Forms announced that they will be hitting the road over the next couple of months, including two dates opening for the Dismemberment Plan’s reunion shows.
Robert Pollard and Doug Gillard of Guided By Voices are LIFEGUARDS. The two first worked together outside of the GBV realm on the 1999 fan-classic Speak Kindly of Your Volunteer Fire Dept, which included “Do Something Real” the anthemic theme to Steven Soderbergh’s film Full Frontal. Their debut release as Lifeguards, Mist King Urth, emerged in 2002 on Pollard’s own Fading Captain Series label to fervent fan approval. In 2010, Pollard and Gillard reconvened for the first time since the end of GBV in 2004 to create the astounding follow up: Waving at the Astronauts. Gillard wrote and recorded 10 complex and beautiful instrumentals at home then sent the finished compositions off to Pollard who graced the tracks with some of the most unforgettable melodies and strangely poetic lyrics of his career. In May 2010, Pollard recorded his vocals with Gillard and Travis Harrison at Serious Business Music in NYC where drums and overdubs were added and the record was mixed.
From the ragged and triumphant rock masterpiece “Paradise Is Not So Bad,” to the chugging “Sexless Auto” and the off-kilter ramble of “What Am I,” this is the latest gem from a songwriting team whose limits are larger than any arena you might try and squeeze them into.
Nearly sold out, the final copies of the album’s first 7″ single “Product Head b/w Naught Windsor” are available right now.
