Jonathan Meiburg sure isn’t shy about reminding you about his day job. The sometime-Okkervil River collaborator and ornithologist won’t stop with naming his band after a sea bird: no, now he’s getting set to release the final album of a triptych — the second of which was called Rook, by the by — about the gradual destruction of nature at humankind’s hands. It’s like the UN Climate Change Report, with more pianos and ghostly vocals.
The Golden Archipelago, inspired by Meiburg’s student trips to such far-flung islands as the Falklands, Tierra Del Fuego, and the Galapagos — I mean see, geez, man, we get it, you care about nature — is due February 23 on Matador, with Meiburg and the shifting groups of musicians he calls Shearwater also heading out for a supporting tour in March. No word yet on whether they’ll be bringing a field guide and a pair of binoculars.
Keeping with the whole diligence-of-a-scientist thing, though, Archipelago will also feature a “dossier” full of related materials compiled by Meiburg himself, though you’ll only get it if you’re willing to help the band out.
The Golden Archipelago tracklist:
01. Meridian
02. Black Eyes
03. Landscape at Speed
04. Hidden Lakes
05. Corridors
06. God Made Me
07. Runners of the Sun
08. Castaways
09. An Insular Life
10. Uniforms
11. Missing Islands
North American Tour dates
03.13.10 - Austin, TX - Red 7 #
03.24.10 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl *
03.25.10 - Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506 *
03.26.10 - Washington, DC - Rock N Roll Hotel *
03.27.10 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom *
03.28.10 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s *
03.30.10 - Boston, MA - T.T. the Bears *
03.31.10 - Montreal, QC - La Sala Rosa *
04.01.10 - Toronto, ON - Lee’s Palace *
04.02.10 - Ithaca, NY - Castaways *
04.04.10 - Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall *
04.06.10 - Minneapolis, MN - 400 Bar *
04.07.10 - Grinnell, IA - Gardner Lounge at Grinnell College *
04.09.10 - Norman, OK - The Opolis *
04.22.10 - Phoenix, AZ - Rhythm Room
04.23.10 - Tuscon, AZ - Club Congress
04.24.10 - Los Angeles, CA - Spaceland
04.25.10 - San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill
04.27.10 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge
04.28.10 - Vancouver, BC - The Biltmore Cabaret
04.29.10 - Seattle, WA - Triple Door
04.30.10 - Pullman, WA - The BellTower
05.01.10 - Boise, ID - Nuerolux
05.04.10 - Denver, CO - The Walnut Room
05.07.10 - Austin, TX - The Parish=
# Jonathan Meiburg solo, backed by Xiu Xiu
* Wye Oak
• Shearwater: http://www.shearwatermusic.com
• Matador: http://www.matadorrecords.com
