As the founder of the Woodsist label, Jeremy Earl is one of the most influential figures in the current lo-fi scene, releasing music by buzz-worthy bands like Real Estate, Wavves, Vivian Girls, Crystal Stilts and many more.
As well as building up an impressive roster for his label, Earl is also the front-man of psychedelic folk outfit Woods, with whom he has released an album every year since 2006. This is no mere vanity project for a label boss however, as last year's Songs of Shame was an effectively eerie mix of back-porch folk and stoned wah-wah jamming. This year, Woods will return with At Echo Lake, its title a reference to the band's 2007 album, At Rear House.
According to a press release, the album "feels like a diamond-sharp distillation of the turbulent power of their live shows." It also reportedly contains more lush instrumentation than last year's sparse Songs of Shame, including MV & EE's Matthew Valentine contributing harmonica and modified banjo/sitar to the song "Time Fading Lines." Elsewhere, tape engineer G. Lucas Cranes offers up psychedelic tapework on "Suffering Season."
Still, the press release insists that "At Echo Lake is all about the vocals," with Earl's high, quavering voice "bolstered by heavenly arrangements of backing vocals."
The album will be out on May 11 on Woodsist. You can check out the full 11-song tracklist below and the cover above.
Woods will likely be unveiling some new material on tour this month, as they will be hitting the road for a string of North American shows will label-mates Real Estate. Scroll past the tracklist to see the dates, including two Canadian performances in Montreal and Toronto. The shows are this weekend, so don't waste any time picking up a ticket.
At Echo Lake:
1. "Blood Dries Darker"
2. "Pick Up"
3. "Suffering Season"
4. "Time Fading Lines"
5. "From the Horn"
6. "Death Rattles"
7. "Mornin' Time"
8. "I Was Gone"
9. "Get Back"
10. "Deep"
11. "Til the Sun Rips"
Tour dates:
3/12 New York, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg ^#
3/13 Montreal, QC - Lambi ^
3/14 Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern ^
3/15 Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall ^
3/16 Lawrence, KS - Jackpot Music Hall ^
3/19 Austin, TX - French Legation Museum (Other Music Lawn Party @ SXSW)
3/19 Austin, TX - Cheer Up Charlie's AKA Ms. Bea's (SXSW)
3/20 Austin, TX - Red 7 (Woodsist Showcase @ SXSW)
3/22 Nashville, TN - The End ^
3/23 Bloomington, IN - The Bishop ^
3/24 Cleveland, OH - The Spot at Case Western ^
3/25 Pittsburgh, PA - Univ. of Pittsburgh ^
3/26 Haverford, PA - Haverford College ^
3/27 Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel ^
3/28 Durham, NC - Duke Coffehouse ^
5/13 New York, NY - Abrons Art Center (Joshua Light Festival) *
^ with Real Estate
# with Happy Birthday and Wild Nothing
* with MV + EE
As well as building up an impressive roster for his label, Earl is also the front-man of psychedelic folk outfit Woods, with whom he has released an album every year since 2006. This is no mere vanity project for a label boss however, as last year's Songs of Shame was an effectively eerie mix of back-porch folk and stoned wah-wah jamming. This year, Woods will return with At Echo Lake, its title a reference to the band's 2007 album, At Rear House.
According to a press release, the album "feels like a diamond-sharp distillation of the turbulent power of their live shows." It also reportedly contains more lush instrumentation than last year's sparse Songs of Shame, including MV & EE's Matthew Valentine contributing harmonica and modified banjo/sitar to the song "Time Fading Lines." Elsewhere, tape engineer G. Lucas Cranes offers up psychedelic tapework on "Suffering Season."
Still, the press release insists that "At Echo Lake is all about the vocals," with Earl's high, quavering voice "bolstered by heavenly arrangements of backing vocals."
The album will be out on May 11 on Woodsist. You can check out the full 11-song tracklist below and the cover above.
Woods will likely be unveiling some new material on tour this month, as they will be hitting the road for a string of North American shows will label-mates Real Estate. Scroll past the tracklist to see the dates, including two Canadian performances in Montreal and Toronto. The shows are this weekend, so don't waste any time picking up a ticket.
At Echo Lake:
1. "Blood Dries Darker"
2. "Pick Up"
3. "Suffering Season"
4. "Time Fading Lines"
5. "From the Horn"
6. "Death Rattles"
7. "Mornin' Time"
8. "I Was Gone"
9. "Get Back"
10. "Deep"
11. "Til the Sun Rips"
Tour dates:
3/12 New York, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg ^#
3/13 Montreal, QC - Lambi ^
3/14 Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern ^
3/15 Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall ^
3/16 Lawrence, KS - Jackpot Music Hall ^
3/19 Austin, TX - French Legation Museum (Other Music Lawn Party @ SXSW)
3/19 Austin, TX - Cheer Up Charlie's AKA Ms. Bea's (SXSW)
3/20 Austin, TX - Red 7 (Woodsist Showcase @ SXSW)
3/22 Nashville, TN - The End ^
3/23 Bloomington, IN - The Bishop ^
3/24 Cleveland, OH - The Spot at Case Western ^
3/25 Pittsburgh, PA - Univ. of Pittsburgh ^
3/26 Haverford, PA - Haverford College ^
3/27 Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel ^
3/28 Durham, NC - Duke Coffehouse ^
5/13 New York, NY - Abrons Art Center (Joshua Light Festival) *
^ with Real Estate
# with Happy Birthday and Wild Nothing
* with MV + EE
