With some romance and drama, You and Me harnesses a sense of classic live-band production into meticulously constructed, unique-sounding rock songs. The sound would definitely not be mistaken for old, but it would be impossible to ignore the most timeless influences. You and Me offers a distinctive twist to the“Walkmen” sound of their first three records. Each song shows focus, and an up-beat enthusiasm apparent in all lyrics, music, and performances. It is a long record, clocking in at just under an hour, and it presents a wide range of ideas. The pacing is very important, as the band felt it was essential to set the right tone, and show each song in its proper light.
Writing and recording of You and Me happened over a vibrant and rigorous 2-year period, during which the members of The Walkmen were split between Philadelphia and New York. The band rode China Town busses five days a week to work in two small rehearsal spaces (an old nightclub in Chelsea, New York and a warehouse in Fish Town, Philadelphia) to freeze by the kerosene heater in the winter, and sweat it out in the summer. By the time of the record’s pressing there were over four hundred cast-off 8-track tapes littering both spaces.
The song I Lost You was the first major breakthrough, and inspired many songs to follow. Maroon was teaching himself the viola and trumpet at the time, and the song was the culmination of many 8-track experiments. The new warmth and romance in the music seemed to beg for the same from the lyrics, so the cold and stand-offish tone that had run a-ground in recent years was abandoned for a more personal and real approach. I Lost You’ s strange pacing, and the way in which both the music and the lyrics together pushed towards an Orbison-like crescendo, was the new direction everyone had hoped for. Songs like Red Moon, On the Water, If Only it Were True, and In the New Year were soon to follow.
The album was recorded in two installments - the first at Sweet Tea studios in Oxford, Mississippi (where they had worked on Bows and Arrows) with engineer John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr., Hold Steady, Sonic Youth) and in a couple of sessions in New York's Gigantic Studios (built by Phillip Glass) with engineer Chris Zane (who the boys consider "the best f@#king engineer in the world" and a "f@#king god-send").
You and Me is a solid and complex showcase of inspired songwriting. Romantic and celebratory, this is the sound of The Walkmen returning to classic form.
The Walkmen You & Me
1. Dónde está la Playa
2. Flamingos (for Colbert)
3. On the Water
4. In the New Year
5. Seven Years of Holidays (for Stretch)
6. Postcards from Tiny Islands
7. Red Moon
8. Canadian Girl
9. Four Provinces
10. Long Time Ahead of Us
11. The Blue Route
12. New Country
13. I Lost You
14. If Only It Were True
August Tour
8/18: Bowery Ballroom, New York
8/19: Bowery Ballroom, New York
8/21: Troubadour, Los Angeles
8/22: Troubadour, Los Angeles
8/23 : San Francisco, CA (Outside Lands Festival)
8/27: Doug Fir, Portland
8/28: Richards on Richard, Vancouver (co-bill w/ Man Man)
8/29: Rifflandia Festival, Victoria (Black Mountain, Destroyer, etc.)
8/30: Bumbershoot Festival, Seattle
Bitter:Sweet:
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/bittersweettunes
Quango: http://www.quango.com/ecards/drama/
KCRW: http://www.kcrw.com/music/programs/mb/mb080603bittersweet
US Tour Dates
7/18/08 El Rey Theatre Los Angeles CA
7/19/08 Stateside Santa Barbara CA
7/25/08 North Beach Jazz Festival San Francisco CA
7/27/08 Catalyst Atrium Santa Cruz CA
7/28/08 Six Rivers Brewery McKinleyville CA
7/30/08 Berbati’s Pan Portland OR
7/31/08 The Triple Door Seattle OR
8/1/08 Neurolux Boise ID
8/2/08 Urban Lounge Salt Lake City UT
8/3/08 The Marquis Theatre Denver CO
8/5/08 Varsity Theatre Minneapolis MN
8/6/08 Subterranean Chicago IL
8/9/08 Blender Theatre at Gramercy New York NY
8/10/08 World Café Live Philadelphia PA
8/11/08 Middle East Underground Cambridge MA
8/12/08 DC9 Night Club Washington, DC
8/14/08 Vinyl Atlanta GA
Gus Black Releases His 5th Full Length Record “Today Is Not The Day...To F#@k With Gus Black” via iTunes Exclusive On Cheap Lullaby Records
In the last century Gus Black has released two records under just the name GUS, so, we don’t want you to get all confused. Maybe you know Gus (Black).
Some things you should know about Gus Black:
May 2008 - Gus was kicked off Fab TV in Berlin for refusing to lip synch seriously...i.e. lip synch with more feeling!!!
April 2008 - Black embarked on a sold out tour of Germany
March 2008 - “Today Is Not The Day…” was released in Europe to much love –Germany’s INTRO magazine called it “one of the most engaging folk/pop records of the year”
Gus has songs in movies and and on TV including his cover of “Don’t Fear the Reaper” was featured in the original "Scream". There are several videos on youtube created by confused fans of his cover of “Don’t Fear The Reaper” that credit his version of the song as being performed by H.I.M. (The faux goth rockstar). When I asked Black about this he laughed” it’s amazing…thank god for retarded H.I.M. fans…they have helped spread my music to more people than I could have done on my own.”
Check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U51sr7Icoa4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unXIRoOpHgM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSyXjgDZlDM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz1qpWka6y0
The Death Set Tour Dates:
Wed. Jul. 9 Chicago, IL @ The Abbey Pub w/ The Mae Shi
Thu. Jul. 10 Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick w/ The Mae Shi
Mon. Jul. 14 Boston, MA @ Great Scott w/ The Mae Shi
Tue. Jul. 15 Burlington, VT @ Club Metronome w/ The Mae Shi
Wed. Jul. 16 Providence, RI @ As220 w/ The Mae Shi
Thu. Jul. 17 Danbury, CT @ Heirloom Arts Theatre w/ The Mae Shi
Fri. Jul. 18 New York, NY @ Cake Shop w/ The Mae Shi
Sun. Jul 20 Philadelphia, PA @ The Barbary w/ The Mae Shi
Tue. Jul. 22 Washington, D.C. @ The Velvet Lounge
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