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The Drones wander into the wilderness and bring back new musical salvation. Havilah is prime evidence that four humans can corral their ambient fears, creative faculties and many frustrations into a document not of nihilism but of intent, purpose, outrage, hope, fury and ambition.” ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE ****
"Let their sodden, anti-anthemic rock make you feel like a giddy kid stumbling upon something for the first time all over again." PITCHFORK
The new world of The Drones is an exotic place, one populated by dark corners, rarely explored avenues, sparse canvases and dense, exhilarating peaks. Frontman Gareth Liddiard began writing new songs for the album in a mud brick cottage deep within the splendid isolation of Mt Buffalo in country Victoria, Australia. Two months later guitarist Dan Luscombe, The Drones' most recent addition, drummer Michael Noga joined Liddiard and Kitschin to rehearse the new material. Producer and engineer Burke Reid (The Mess Hall, Gerling) lugged his recording gear through the door and off they went _ two weeks flat out _ until it was complete. Havilah is The Drones highly anticipated 4th studio LP, released by ATP Recordings.
Havilah, like everything The Drones have done,is an album of contradictions, where bombast meets beauty, melancholy wrestles with violent guitars. Singer Liddiard's incendiary voice lights up his angular poetry on the nature of, in no particular order, the moon (Penumbra), divorce (The Drifting Housewife) and the acquisition of godlike power and the cult of John Frum (I Am the Supercargo). It's an album that's brimful of the innovation and artistic integrity that has made The Drones one of Australian rock's most critically acclaimed acts here and overseas during the past four years.
It was that spark of originality and blunt-edged chaos that won the Melbourne band the inaugural Australian Music Prize in 2006 for their breakthrough album Wait Long By The River and Your Enemies Will Float By.That same drive to push boundaries took them to an old mill in Tasmania to record the follow-up album, 2006's award-winning Gala Mill, and in 2008 their invention, innovation and isolation have combined to produce the fireworks of their most accomplished work to date.
The U.S last got to glimpse The Drones during their tours with Built To Spill and The Meat Puppets last year. Now, after a blistering festival season in Australia, The Drones are jumping a jet plane and heading to the USA for a tour including a week of performances at SXSW.
Havilah is available now through ATP Recordings.
The Drones U.S Tour Dates
Sunday 15th March Aussie BBQ - Echoplex Los Angeles, CA
1154 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026. Phone:213 413-8200
http://www.attheecho.com/
7pm - $12 w/ The Fumes, Hell City Glamours,My Disco, Leone Carmen and many more.
Monday 16th March Aarvark Fort Worth, TX
2905 West Berry Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76109. Phone: 817-926-7814
http://www.the-aardvark.com/
8pm - $8
Tuesday 17th March ATP Event (SXSW) Austin, TX
Wednesday 18th March
Little Radio/Topspin Event(SXSW) Austin, TX
Friday 20th March Aussie BBQ (SXSW) Austin, TX
Brush Square Park (across the street from the Convention Center)
4.30pm
Friday 20th March Karma Lounge (SXSW Showcase) Austin, TX
Karma Lounge
119 West 8th Street
Austin, Texas 78701 Phone: 512-469-0504
http://www.karma-austin.com
9pm
Saturday 21st March Spider House (SXSW) Austin, TX
2908 Fruth St, Austin, TX 78705. Phone: 512 480-9562
www.spiderhousecafe.com
6.45pm Free Public Party - w/ Kid Congo and the Pink Monkey Birds (DC) , Crystal
Stilts (NYC) , Homosexuals (London), Suecas (Brazil), Black Hollies (NYC), Carrots
(Austin), Kingdom of Suicide Lovers (Austin)and many more.
Thursday 26th March Aussie BBQ - Bell House New York, NY
149 7th Street Brooklyn, NY 11215. Phone: 718 643-6510
www.thebellhouseny.com
10:50pm - $12 - w/ The Fumes, Hell City Glamours,My Disco, Leone Carmen and many more
Saturday 28th March Black Cat Washington, DC
1811 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009. Phone: 202 667-7960
www.blackcatdc.com
9:30pm - $12 w/ Deleted Scenes, Pretty & Nice
Sunday 29th March T.T The Bears Boston, MA
10 Brookline St, Cambridge, MA 02139. Phone: 617 492-0082
www.ttthebears.com
9:15pm - $9 - w/ The War On Drugs
Monday 30th March Union Hall Brooklyn, NY
702 Union Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215. Phone: 718 638-4400
www.unionhallny.com
7:30pm - $10 - w/ The War On Drugs
Wednesday 1st April Johnny Brenda’s Philadelphia, PA
1201 Frankford Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125. Phone: 215 739-9684
www.johnnybrendas.com
9pm - $10
Thursday 2nd April Piano’s New York, NY
158 Ludlow St, New York, NY 10002 . Phone: 212.505.3733
www.pianosnyc.com
9pm - $10
Tuesday 7th April Schubas Chicago, IL
3159 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60657. Phone: 773 525-2508
www.schubas.com
9pm - $12
Thursday 9th April 400 Bar Minneapolis, MN
400 Cedar Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55454. Phone: 612.332.2903
www.400bar.com/
8.30pm - $8
Sunday 12th April Sunset Tavern Seattle, WA
5433 Ballard Avenue
Seattle, Washington 98107 Phone: 206 784-4880
http://www.sunsettavern.com
8.30pm - $10
Monday 13th April Someday Lounge Portland, OR
125 NW 5th Avenue, Portland, OR 97209, USA
8.30pm - $8
Wednesday 15th April Catalyst Santa Cruz,CA
1011 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA 831/423-1338
8pm - $18 - w/ Band Of Horses
Friday 17th April Fox Theatre Oakland,CA
1807 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland, CA 94612, USA
510-548-3010
8pm - $29.50 - w/ Band Of Horses
Saturday 18th April Spaceland Los Angeles, CA
1717 Silver Lake Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026. Phone: 323 661-4380
www.clubspaceland.com
www.thedrones.com.au
www.myspace.com/thedronesthedrones