Dear friends,

I hope this finds you as well as you can be in this very strange time in the world and in the weird old USA. The plastic cheer of holiday music has never sounded so out of step with reality.

Updates below about our tour, starting Saturday December 10 in Austin, as well as some new/old releases.

1) THE UNCANNY VALLEY TOUR

We’re in Austin now rehearsing for the Uncanny Valley Tour, our last for Jet Plane and Oxbow (dates below, video promo ft. Safe Houses here). I’m looking forward to playing these songs for the last time this year—since it’s a protest record it feels especially appropriate—and seeing new and old friends. There are still tickets available for all shows; we’re going to make them as cathartic as we can.

Cross Record, who’ve been on the road with us for most of this year, are honoring us with their presence again. Their record Wabi-Sabi is one of the year’s best; you owe it to yourself to listen.

We will also have a few remaining LP copies of our cover of Bowie’s Lodger for sale at these shows.

Also – as we mentioned online, if you would like to come to one of these shows but can’t afford the ticket, let us know via a message on our Facebook page or by email. We’ll figure out a way to get you in, even if we have to buy you a ticket ourselves. (Unfortunately, we can’t afford to pay for travel.) If you want to see us, we want to see you, especially right now.

Final 2016 US Tour Dates:

Dec. 10 – Austin, TX – ACL Live
Dec. 13 – Atlanta, GA – Terminal West
Dec. 14 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle Back Room
Dec. 15 – Baltimore, MD – Ottobar*
Dec. 17 – Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts
Dec. 18 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
(All shows w/ Cross Record. Tickets on sale now.)

* also wsg Lexie Mountain, playing first

2) NEW DIGITAL RELEASE: LIVE IN SAINT-MALO (2010)

We’re releasing another in our series of live shows from past incarnations of the band, following the Rook premiere show from 2008.

The new release, Live in Saint-Malo, was recorded in France at the Route du Rock festival in 2010. Listen for free or purchase here.

This was the tour for The Golden Archipelago and featured original members Thor Harris and Kimberly Burke on drums and bass, along with Jordan Geiger and Kevin Schneider on guitar, keyboard, trumpet, and other instruments.

This performance was an especially good one and includes most of TGA and a few songs from Rook and Palo Santo; it’s warm, wooly, and very alive—even out of control at moments. It was remastered from the original 24-bit source by Max Lorenzen.

3) OTHER ITEMS FOR SALE, ON TOUR AND ONLINE

Online, we have:
1. a few signed European tour posters for Jet Plane and Oxbow
2. limited-edition digital downloads of our Lodger cover
3. the second limited CD pressing of The Dissolving Room, our very first album from 1999, as well as a newly issued digital version

On tour, we’ll have:
1. a few CD copies of The Dissolving Room and
2. a few CD copies of the original version of Palo Santo
3. about 20 of the Plays Lodger LPs left (first come first serve!)
4. an updated version of producer Danny Reisch’s wild instrumental JPOBremix Safe Houses; we’ll be selling download cards with unique, hand-screened design by Danny. (Those of you who’ve already purchased it will be able to download two new songs soon! General release still forthcoming.)

All best. See you out there in the uncanny valley.

JM/SW