And we're back...

So last night we had a rehearsal for the first time in....in...hell i don't know when. It's been a really long time. In fact it seems like we've dedicated the last 6 months or so to writing and recording 2 new records. If we could just fill the other 6 up with touring then we would totally be like ACDC circa '76 or Aerosmith or Abba or Angel. No not Angel.

But the point is this, David wrote out the potential for set songs and I got to tell you...we are sitting in the veritable cat birds seat when it comes to the 'ol setlist session. Or maybe it's more like the devils chair. I dunno, either way there are a lot of new songs to play live which is very exciting.

After rehearsals i got to chum it up with our bros from Venus Valient Thorr, fresh off a 2 month tour. They looked and sounded great. They did not smell good though. No one smells good after 2 months of touring. I think tonight they are playing in Greenville, NC which is their "hometown" of sorts (on Earf of course) and let me tell you something...the kids in Greenville are certifiable. We are talking batshit crazy when it comes to VT...so you can imagine the party.

Anyway, if you made it to the end of this post I applaud you.

Scott

New Album, Tour Details

Photo by Gary Copeland

The new Birds of Avalon album, Uncanny Valley, will be released June 23rd 09 on Volcom Entertainment. Recorded in Mordecai, mixed at Fidelitorium in Kernersville. Tracklist is as follows

Unkaany Valley
Side Two
I Never Knew
Your Downtime Is Up
Dad Cage
Eyesore
Student Teaching
Spirit Lawyer
Last Rites (Funky Slide)
Peregrinations
Micro-Infinity

Thanks to Mitch Easter for the tape, the 3M 16 track machine... everything else. Thanks Ash Bowie and Brian Quast for the microphones, etc and Kings for the board and cables.


All songs written by Birds of Avalon, Raleigh, NC... Spring, 2009.

We should have some preview tracks streaming on our website sometime soon so check back.

We will be doing east coast shows in late June, here's some dates-

Mon 6/22/09 The Red and Black Bar Washington DC

Tue 6/23/09 Santos Party House New York NY

Wed 6/24/09 Harper’s Ferry Allston MA

Thu 6/25/09 Cafe Nine New Haven CT

Fri 6/26/09 Union Hall Brooklyn NY

Sat 6/27/09 Zumiez Skate Tour at Monmouth Mall Eatontown NJ

Sun 6/28/09 Zumiez Skate Tour at Crossgate Mall Albany NY

Mon 6/29/09 Johnny Brendas Philadelphia PA

Tue 6/30/09 Talking Head Club Baltimore MD

Scott put together some killer artwork for this release. I don't have a preveiw for you yet but in the meantime check THIS shit out.

top that, Nurkin.

DM

ENO

we have been hard at work on a new project with Eno


Eno the cat, of course. The other Eno was busy or something. Who cares? This cat's great with drums.

Extant Work

This is the first spring in several years that we have not been on the road but we've been working hard on writing and recording. Just this week we've set up a cozy home studio at Paul and Cheeties house and have begun tracking a set of new songs.

When we got home from tour back in August we soundproofed the garage at P&C's and walled in the overhead door. We even hung office cubicle panels, purchased from state surplus, from the ceiling. For years before this we were rehearsing in a mega complex (Practiceland!) surrounded constantly by din and hijinx. Moving the rehearsals to P&C's created a much more relaxed and productive atmosphere, though I do miss Dudegarden sometimes (I just tried to find link for them and nothing is coming up... Dudegarden, we've lost ye!).



My Dad jokes "So you guys are an actual garage band now" (har!). I prefer the term "carriage house band"


Earlier this week we set up a de facto control room in the basement. It took a few days to wrangle all the equipment we needed (big thanks to mitch, ash and brian ) and a few more to figure out mic placement, run cables, etc. We are rolling now. Scott and I worked out some rhythym tracks last night. Despite the usual anxiety and confusion common to any recording session, this is a great atmosphere to work in. We are all comfortable and excited about the sounds we are getting.

The final details on the release date for our new album are just about settled. Don't want to say anything specific before the ball is actually in the air but we should have a release date to announce in a few days here.

DM

show, new musics

Just wanted to remind everyone about our show at the Pourhouse tomorrow night 2/7, night two of the 6th annual WKNC 88.1 Double Barrel Benefit. The show starts at 9 and will run as follows- I was Totally Destroying It, Violet Vector and the Lovely Lovelies, Birds of Avalon, Polvo.

We'll be playing some songs from our forthcoming 2nd full length, now in the can and due out later this year. Tune in to wknc 88.1 FM (or wknc.org )today at 5 pm- Paul and I are going to have a sit down with DJ Steveo and preveiw a track off the new record.

Also in the new music category, we've posted a new single, (Your) Lucky Day, to our myspace page. Stop by and check it out. This is available on a split 7" with our bros Dark Meat from the Volcom Ent Singles Club. Furthermore, within the next week, our Cytunes released Live at the Cat's Cradle will be available at cytunes.org

hope you are all well

DM

mastering pics

here are few belated pics from our session at the legendary Sterling Sound mastering in nyc with the equally legendary Greg Calbi (go ahead, follow the jump- this guy has has done everything).


greg and mitch- we went to Greg at Mitch's recommendation- Greg just worked on the deluxe Murmur remaster- Mitch's liner notes for the booklet are a great read.

I also just found out Greg worked on the new Antony record which is currently blowing my mind on a nightly basis.

But the crown jewel is of course a gold record for RETURN TO 36 CHAMBERS RIP ODB





Once again, we've just finished all production on our new record- release date, titles, etc to follow....

We've got a few shows coming up- feb 7th at the Pour House for WKNC double barrel benefit with Polvo et al. and a secret house party show mid febuary with hardcore monoliths DOUBLE NEGATIVE and the semper summer jammin (even in the winter) WHATEVER BRAINS. stay tuned for details..

DM

On a side note, I have no home internet right now (finally got the gas turned on though) and have to do all my ebusiness from the Brueggers in the broke down shopping center near my house. The music they pipe into this place is a true insult to all ears- human, animal and beyond. There is no way to qualify the extent of the affront. Then they played Feist and it was like someone taking the bamboo splints out of my eardrums for a merciful two and a half minutes before jabbing them back in abruptly as vocoders and fake tambourines reoccupied the looted wastelands of my inner ear. Just in case you were wondering.

a wrap.....

We have now finished recording, mixing and mastering the album. It was mastered at Sterling Sound in NYC by Greg Calbi. Details to follow but I wanted to go ahead and let everybody know we are playing the WKNC Double Barrel Benefit at The Pourhouse in Raleigh on Feb. 7 with POLVO!!!!!!! and a host of others. We'll be playing lot's of stuff from the new album. I think Polvo has some new songs in the works as well....