Following the mysterious release on Monday of a new track, “Julia, (or, ‘Holy to the LORD’ on the Bells of Horses)” and the appearance of a countdown clock heralding a pre-order beginning Friday at midnight on their website, experimental rock act mewithoutYou have revealed two new releases.
The band digitally released a brand new EP, [untitled] e.p., today while simultaneously announcing a new album, [Untitled], which arrives October 5, 2018 on Run For Cover Records.
Stream below mewithoutyou’s brand new EP.
“It’s a perennial question within the band of how far to push out into the unknown,” says vocalist Aaron Weiss. “Of course it’s nice to do something new, but to what extent, and to what end?” For [Untitled] novelty came naturally. Weiss had become a husband and father and relocated to Idaho, where a makeshift home studio rig and MIDI keyboard facilitated lo-fi, synthetic experimentation. Meanwhile in Philadelphia, guitarists Mike Weiss (Aaron’s brother) and Brandon Beaver stockpiled ideas ahead of the recording session with producer Will Yip. And the addition of Dominic Angelella—who took up bass duties while Greg Jehanian was on sabbatical (he’s since returned to the band)—gave drummer Rickie Mazzotta the chance to spread out and explore a new sonic palette.
“I thought I was going to write a record about the ‘rising political tide,’ but that didn’t happen,” he says. Relational turmoil, including certain tensions within the band, were a more immediate catalyst for creativity, as outside forces pushed Weiss to look inward and focus on the things he could change about himself. “Whenever I pointed a finger ‘out there,’ I tried to pull it back and ask, ‘What does this say about me that I’m having this reaction?’” There was no shortage of material in this self-examination, as Weiss hints at a prolonged, intensely bizarre psychological journey that accompanied the songwriting. When pressed for more detail, he’s uncharacteristically guarded. “I’m usually pretty transparent about what inspired a given project, but that’s not gonna work this time.”
“I guess I need to hit rock bottom and experience some kind of quasi-trauma. It tends to sharpen my senses and strip away what’s superfluous and leave me with a more bare bones, crystalline understanding of where I’m at,” he explains. “It also helps my otherwise impoverished sense of humor. After all, it’s a pretty silly thing we’re doing.”
[Untitled] track list and artwork:
1. 9:27a.m., 7/29
2. Julia (or, ‘Holy to the LORD’ on the Bells of Horses)
3. Another Head for Hydra
4. [dormouse sighs]
5. Winter Solstice
6. Flee, Thou Matadors!
7. Tortoises All the Way Down
8. 2,459 Miles
9. Wendy & Betsy
10. New Wine, New Skins
11. Michael, Row Your Boat Ashore
12. Break on Through (to the Other Side) [pt. Two]
Additionally, mewithoutYou announced a fall US headlining tour in support of the releases today.
10-03 Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere
10-04 Boston, MA @ The Sinclair
10-05 Pawtucket, RI @ The Met
10-06 Ottawa, ON @ Babylon
10-07 Toronto, ON @ The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
10-08 Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place
10-09 Columbus, OH @ Skully’s
10-10 Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Small’s
10-31 Grand Rapids, MI @ The Pyramid Scheme
11-01 St Paul, MN @ Turf Club
11-03 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater
11-04 Salt Lake City @ Metro Music Hall
11-6 Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
11-7 Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
11-10 San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Shop
11-12 Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
11-13 Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom
11-15 Austin, TX @ Mohawk
11-16 Dallas, TX @ The Curtain Club
11-17 Memphis, TN @ Hi-Tone Cafe
11-19 Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge
11-28 Akron, OH @ Musica
11-29 Indianapolis, IN @ The HiFi
11-30 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
12-1 Lexington, KY @ The Burl
12-2 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade (Hell)
12-4 Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
12-5 Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of the Living Arts