Mice Parade announce mini-tour, live record, full-length studio album, and their own personalized dinnerware

Mice Parade announce mini-tour, live record, full-length studio album, and their own personalized dinnerware

Contrary to what you might think, Mice Parade, at least in some form, have been around for quite a while. Multi-instrumentalist Adam Pierce, for whom the band is anagrammatically named, oversaw the inception of the group in the late 90s, and in 1998, their first proper LP, The True Meaning of Boodleybaye, was released on Pierce’s own record label, Bubble Core. The fact that kids who were born during that year are now on the verge of entering (or are already enrolled in) high school is a disturbing reminder of not only how long ago that was, but also, you know, kids — the fact that they exist. Additionally, it’s a testament to Pierce’s dedication to a band that has seen, and continues to see, numerous transformations in terms of its membership, as well as his work ethic, which appears to be hitting a notable peak this year, with the announcement of a short tour of the Northeast, the release of an as-yet-untitled live album, and Candela, their ninth studio album set to be released this fall on FatCat Records.

As I just alluded to, the members of Mice Parade have been somewhat alternating, and no exception is to be made for their upcoming mini-tour in mid-April. Joining Adam Pierce on stage will be classical guitarist Dan Lippel and a “special guest” Icelandic female vocalist — presumably not Björk, but stranger things have happened. The “quieter” threesome presents an obvious contrast with their traditional live ensemble, around whom their upcoming live album is centered. That album, which currently lacks both a name and a release date (except for “summer”), was recorded at shows in England and France in 2010, and features a seven-piece band comprised of two drummers, two guitarists, a bassist/keyboardist, and “vibes, samples, and vocals” from Pierce and Caroline Lufkin, a Japanese-American musician who has reportedly injected “a newfound energy into the studio creations.” It’s kind of a surprising thing to say about a live album, but Pierce refers to it as “their proudest achievement yet.” It must be pretty damn good then.

As far as Candela goes, details are minimal, but as is fitting for a band that seems immune to genre pigeonholing, they’re expected to explore something resembling “catchy shoegaze pop.” Yeah, I have no idea what that means either.

Dates:

04.17.12 - Boston, MA - O’Brien’s Pub
04.18.12 - New Haven, CT -Bar Night Club
04.20.12 - Hudson, NY - Helsinki *
04.21.12 - Brooklyn, NY - Littlefield
04.22.12 - Philadelphia, PA - Milkboy

* Curtis Harvey

• Mice Parade: http://www.facebook.com/miceparade
• FatCat: http://fat-cat.co.uk

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