Pop Music

Nonesuch Records tells me that they've signed the Providence-based trio The Low Anthem, who play an updated version of Americana music on a wide variety of instruments, and will re-release their latest disc, Oh My God, Charlie Darwin, on June 9.

Nonesuch might have been influenced by the band's shows at SXSW last month. The BBC certainly was, calling them "stunning" and adding, "Expect much flowerier words of praise thrown on this band in the future; they deserve everything said about them." Mojo said it was "heartbreaking" and called them "truly startling songwriters and instrumentalists. Theirs is a gloriously romantic vision of America that sits somewhere between Dylan and Waits." (This is all according to Nonesuch's e-mailed statement.)

Jocie Adams, Ben Knox Miller and Jeff Prystowsky combined to play 27 instruments on Oh My God, Charlie Darwin, and some dope from the Providence Journal said "it was recorded 'in the ghostly stillness of a Block Island winter' - and it sounds like it. There's a nearly equal mix of the impulse to give in to that ghostly stillness and to rage against it." (But what does he know?)

Anyway, the statements quotes Miller as saying, "We have great respect for Nonesuch's taste and ethics. Their roster is brilliant and frankly intimidating. We're thrilled they'll be supporting our records. Now we're going to Disney World!"

They're also going to Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel, where they'll play along with Elvis Perkins in Dearland and Deer Tick on April 24. It was already going to be a show of local bands made good. Now it's local bands made even better.

 Tags  Deer Tick Elvis Perkins In Dearland Low Anthem Nonesuch Records

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