Isis Announce New Album Details, But Remain Mysterious
By Kid Midnight on 01-27-2009
Here for your reading pleasure is an "interview" I conducted with Aaron Turner, head of Hydra Head Records, founding member of Isis, and metal music mastermind.
Kid Midnight: Hey, Aaron, great to see you again!
Aaron Turner: Oh, yeah, for sure, last time I saw you I didn’t think that you were going to get out of that prison alive.
KM: Yeah, well, you know… Mondays, right?
AT: Hahaha, you are so funny Kid Midnight.
KM: Thanks. Now let’s get down to the new album… what can you tell us?
AT: The new album is called Wavering Radiant, and it’s coming out on Ipecac Recordings May 5.
KM: Excellent, are we going to see a vinyl release?
AT: Of course, of course. We love vinyl just as much as any metal band does, which is a lot, so we’re going to have a limited-edition vinyl version that comes out April 21.
KM: Wow, I can’t wait! Can you tell us anything else about the album?
AT: It’s produced by Joe Baressi, who’s worked with Tool and Queens of The Stone Age -- Adam Jones from Tool even contributed some guitar work to two songs.
KM: That sounds awesome! Kind of like Iggy Pop singing for Ramones?
AT: EXACTLY!
KM: Well, I’m excited for the new stuff.
AT: Good to hear.
KM: Use three words to describe the new material.
AT: Monolithic, atmospheric, dense.
KM: Ah, the classic favorites, but, like I said, I’m excited. Like I always say: a bad Isis album would still be better than most other good metal albums.
AT: Wise words…
KM: Can you tell us anything else about the album?
AT: More details will follow.
KM: Oh… that’s a little mysterious… tracklist? song titles? A peek at the album artwork?
AT: More details will follow.
KM: Alright, I get the picture, can’t pull back the veil of secrecy too far, right?
AT: More details will follow
Clap Your Hands and Say “Dan Deacon to Tour and Release Album and Split Single.” Now Clap Them Again and Say “Give Papa a Cup of Proper Coffee in a Copper Coffee Cup.” Not So Easy, Is It?
By David Nadelle on 01-27-2009

“Adversity makes men, and prosperity makes monsters.” – Victor Hugo
If the quotable 19th-century French Romantic ponce was correct, then Baltimore-based beat party monster Dan Deacon must be doing very well for himself. There is nothing quite as grotesque and powerful as witnessing the spectacle that is Deacon in a live setting. To celebrate his good fortunes, Deacon has announced a behemoth North American tour, which will group him with Future Islands and Teeth Mountain for 36 dates. The long jaunt starts in a church -- that is, the incredibly progressive, forward-thinking First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia on April 3. Much sooner than then and in just a few days, Deacon will play a solo set in Brooklyn. Alone or complemented by a couple of hometown hero opening acts and a dozen-plus musicians, you may just see the light... or cower from it.
Monster trucking:
01.30.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Danbro Studios (solo set)
04.03.09 - Philadelphia, - PA First Unitarian Church
04.05.09 - Williamsburg, VA - The Little Theater
04.06.09 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
04.07.09 - Knoxville, TN - Catalyst
04.08.09 - Birmingham, AL - Bottletree
04.09.09 - Athens, GA - 88/cp
04.10.09 - Atlanta, GA - Eyedrum
04.11.09 - Tallahassee, FL - FSU, Club Downunder
04.13.09 - New Orleans, LA - The Candle Factory, The Heavy
04.15.09 - Baton Rouge, LA - Spanish Moon
04.16.09 - Houston, TX - Orange Show
04.18.09 - Ft. Worth, TX - The Ft. Worth Modern Museum
04.20.09 - Tempe, AZ - The Clubhouse
04.21.09 - San Diego, CA - Ché Café
04.22.09 - Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour
04.23.09 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
04.24.09 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
04.25.09 - Seattle, WA - The Vera Project
04.26.09 - Vancouver, British Columbia - Richards on Richards
04.29.09 - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court
04.30.09 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
05.01.09 - Kansas City, MO - Pistol S.C
05.02.09 - Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock (early and late shows)
05.04.09 - Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre
05.05.09 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall Ballroom
05.06.09 - Urbana, IL - Canopy Club, Club Void
05.07.09 - Chicago, IL - The Metro
05.08.09 - Mt. Pleasant, MI - CMU, The Wesley Foundation
05.09.09 - Detroit, MI - Scrummage
05.10.09 - Toronto, Ontario - The Deleon White Gallery
05.11.09 - Montreal, Quebec - La Sala Rossa
05.12.09 - South Burlington, VT - HG Showcase Lounge
05.13.09 - Cambridge, MA - Middle East Downstairs
05.15.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Danbro Studios
05.16.09 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
05.17.09 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
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“Perfectly ordered disorder designed with a helter-skelter magnificence.” – Emily Carr
The Canadian Pacific Northwest First Nations-inspired painter may have lived and died a good number of years before the Deacon seed was conceived, but she perhaps was presciently speaking of the experience of listening to Dan Deacon on record. As previously reported, his much-anticipated Bromst is due March 24 on Carpark Records.
Monster tracking:
1. Build Voice
2. Red F
3. Paddling Ghost
4. Snookered
5. Of The Mountains
6. Surprise Stefani
7. Wet Wings
8. Woof Woof
9. Slow With Horns / Run For Your Life
10. Baltihorse
11. Get Older
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“We gave one guy who messed with us a popsicle that was 10% lemonade and 90% pee. We were smoking a joint and licking our popsicles when he goes 'This tastes like shit.' Without missing a beat Joan (Jett) said, 'You're getting close.’'' – Sandy West
Er, this quote given by the late Runaways drummer doesn’t make much contextual sense for a Dan Deacon story, does it? But it’s a pretty good quote, and nothing introduces a small songlist for a split Deacon/Adventure 12-inch like a blurb about a split lemonade/pee popsicle, am I right? This single features two tracks by each artist and is out TODAY on Carpark.
Mini monster tracking:
Dan Deacon:
1. Get Older
2. Cave Birth
Adventure:
1. Poison Diamonds
2. Lifeguard