Burying Strangers, Claiming Victory

Exciting news week, methinks! First up today is the news that A Place To Bury Strangers are set to release their new LP, Victory, June 11 through Dead Oceans. It will be their first album with new bassist Dion (last seen in The D4), and shows a shift in sonic dexterity that will surely divide fans, but I think it opens up a plethora of opportunities The new single is 'You Are The One', and it starts off moody and jangling, down a sleek monochrome hallway before exploding in your face, the closest you can get to a 4D aural experience. Seriously, get some wicked headphones and plug into this, see if it doesn't forge itself onto your eardrums.



A Place To Bury Strangers - You Are The One

I mentioned a while back that APTBS phoenixed out of the death of a band called Skywave, and the other band to do the same was Ceremony (not Rohnert Park and Zoo Ceremony - these guys have nary a hardcore bone in their bods). The similarities are rife. Well, there is obviously no bad blood between them, as they have this ltd edition 7" split with each other! Out on Famous Class Records, expect this to fly out the window, so buy it here.

Gauntlet Hair Go Chillwave On The Top Bunk

You've gotta give it to Gauntlet Hair - despite their constant pigeonholing, the Denver duo refuse to be taken seriously. Latest track 'Top Bunk' is impressive in its innate ability to capture the shimmering insularity of the "chillwave" movement (I shall refrain from this abhorrent name from here on out) whilst remaining solely live instrument based, and wearing their Animal Collective thinking caps for all to see. The skewering of the coastal sounds is of particular note. Now, I haven't heard their self titled debut (on Dead Oceans) yet - I know, I'm a bad person - but with this twist in the tale track, I'm sure their noisy pop has many other trajectories on which to travel. I think I will try to find this record today...

Gauntlet Hair - Top Bunk

Burying Strangers Beyond The Wall

We, along with just about everybody, loves A Place To Bury Strangers' 2009 LP Exploding Head. Hell, I played the Dinosaur Hunt light gun arcade game with former bassplayer Jono at ATP the very night this blog came to be! But since then it has been kinda quiet. Now they have announced February's launch of EP Onwards to the Wall, their first release since leaving Mute Records for Dead Oceans. The incredible noisy shoegazers (complete with new bassist Dion, formerly of cool Ramones-obsessed Kiwi band The D4)have done everything behind the scenes in order to bring these new tracks to light, which pretty much ensures it will be loud as fuck and just as exhilarating.

A Place To Bury Strangers - So Far Away