Friday, August 28, 2009

Electric Six release new album and tour

Detroit's ELECTRIC SIX lives in a world filled with double entendres, subversive scenarios, and a soundtrack that relies on equal parts rhythm and melody. On October 20, 2009, that world takes a murderous direction with their sixth album KILL on Metropolis Records.

"Basically it's kind of like our first record Fire," explains vocalist Dick Valentine. "We noticed an abundance of references to fire in the lyrics on that record. Same thing here. After listening to the mixes, it became clear that the word 'kill' was prevalent. Plus, it's a word we use quite frequently when we are on the road."

The band will be kicking off their "I'm Trying to Cut a F*cking Spot, Tony" Tour in support of KILL, starting Oct. 15th in Rochester, NY and circling around the US straight through the end of November (tour dates below).

"We feel terrible for the thousands of ticket holders in London who won't get to see Michael Jackson this summer. We offer ourselves as a stand-in."
- Dick Valentine, Electric Six

Produced by guitarist "The Colonel" a.k.a. Zach Shipps (who, aside from the last three Electric Six records, has produced The Meatmen and The Hard Lessons, among many others), KILL is a bigger, heavier record that's packed solid, as he explains, with, "more of everything. The stuff we'd normally throw at an album, we threw ten times more of it. It's fucking intense. If you like guitars, there's tons of guitars. If you hate guitars, then there's no guitars. It's literally the most intense thing you've ever heard. If you want more rock, it's more rock... and more dance. We used different techniques this time around... I can't really talk about it."

"I think this is a record that, if left to its own devices, could be considered our most 'experimental'," adds Dick. "But we consciously dressed it up with heavy guitars to sort of reign it in. I think this record is reminiscent of our first record, with the big guitars. The difference is that record was made by guys in their twenties and this was made by guys in their thirties. These are big angry guitars with a mortgage and a retirement account."

More of everything and big angry guitars isn't too far off either. With "Egyptian Cowboy" as a case study, KILL is filled with synth bloops and bleeps, slash and burn guitars, a banging bassline, frenetic and powerful drums, and Dick's trademark hilarious lyrics ("there's no such thing as an electric tuba") alternately sung in the commanding carny vocals as well as his velvety falsetto. The melodically chugging "Escape from Ohio" is a big anthemic rock track which Dick says, "I am a sucker for the poppy rock goodness of that song. It really sums up my feelings about that state perfectly."

The first single "Body Shots" is a quintessential Electric Six song that will undoubtedly wind up as an encore staple at their live shows. The video (which is still in production) was directed by Nabil Elderkin who most recently directed Kanye West's "Welcome to Heartbreak" video (as well as John Legend's "PDA").

Electric Six's previous album Flashy received high marks all around from SPIN ("despite the ironic humor, there’s a compassion in the music that’s unexpected coming from a band best known for a Taco Bell–referencing novelty hit") to the sadly-missed Blender ("Flashy is the sardonic sextet's fifth album of apocalyptic buffoonery shot through with metal, new wave and disco, all of it hilarious, none of it a joke") to Rolling Stone ("a saxed up, disco-metal epic").

Electric Six is Dick Valentine (vocals), The Colonel (guitar), Johnny Na$hinal (guitar), Smorgasbord (bass), Tait Nucleus? (synths) and Percussion World (drums). Their sixth album, KILL, will be released on Metropolis Records on October 20, 2009.

I'M TRYING TO CUT A F*CKING SPOT, TONY Tour*
ELECTRIC SIX w/ The Gay Blades, Millions of Brazilians

Oct 15 Penny Arcade Rochester, NY
Oct 16 Hiro Ballroom New York, NY
Oct 17 Middle East Cambridge, MA
Oct 18 Southpaw Brooklyn, NY
Oct 20 Johnny Brenda’s Philadelphia, PA
Oct 21 Black Cat Washington, DC
Oct 22 Sonar Baltimore, MD
Oct 23 V Club Huntington, WV
Oct 24 Cat’s Cradle Carrboro, NC
Oct 26 The Earl Atlanta, GA
Oct 27 Jack Rabbits Jacksonville, FL
Oct 28 The Engine Room Tallahassee, FL
Oct 29 Culture Room Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Oct 30 The Social Orlando, FL
Oct 31 Exit / In Nashville, TN
Nov 03 Bottle Tree Birmingham, AL
Nov 05 Rock Bottom Bar San Antonio, TX
Nov 06 Emo’s Austin, TX
Nov 07 The Boiler Room Denton, TX
Nov 09 Plush Tucson, AZ
Nov 10 The Casbah San Diego, CA
Nov 11 Key Club West Hollywood, CA
Nov 12 The Independent San Fran, CA
Nov 13 Dante’s Portland, OR
Nov 14 WOW Hall Eugene, OR
Nov 15 Neumos Seattle, WA
Nov 16 Neurolux Boise, ID
Nov 17 Urban Lounge Salt Lake City, UT
Nov 18 The Hall of Champions Casper, WY
Nov 19 Larimer Lounge Denver, CO
Nov 20 The Waiting Room Omaha, NE
Nov 21 The Riot Room Kansas City, MO
Nov 23 First Avenue Minneapolis, MN
Nov 24 Mad Planet Milwaukee, WI
Nov 25 Small Planet East Lansing, MI
Nov 27 St. Andrew’s Hall Detroit, MI
Nov 28 Otto’s Nightclub DeKalb, IL

www.myspace.com/electricsixmusic
www.electricsix.com

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