One of my bands opened up for Pit Er Pat a while back - we sought them out because we have a healthy fixation for anything on the Thrill Jockey label. If you dig on off-kilter carnival rhythms and cryptic interlocking male/female vocals, you’ll be doing yourself a favor by clicking here.

Tour dates after the jump:

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Bobby Conn’s “Never Get Ahead.”

Brilliant. Many people, however, voted this as the “Worst Video Ever” on VH1. I worry for those people. Bobby went so far as to discuss the video on one of his blogs, which if you fear clicking on that link, is copied and pasted below the jump.
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My band Bear Hunter played with these guys a few years back in Sacramento and it’s safe to say that they own. Can’t wait to hear the new album.

NEW ALBUM HIGH TIME SET FOR RELEASE IN OCTOBER!

Thrill Jockey is pleased to announce the imminent arrival of High Time on October 21st! The new album finds Chicago’s Pit Er Pat exploring new sonic territory, pushing boundaries, and continuing to defy categorization. Fay is playing a lot more guitar, her wiry guitar lines holding down the rhythm, while Rob and Butchy are using an array of new percussive instruments, sequencers and beat making machines to supplement their already tight grooves, and in general the band has once again branched out to experiment and explore new sounds which are completely different from their previous albums yet remain undeniably Pit Er Pat. A feat that elludes many bands. Keep an eye out for an extensive US tour in support of High Time this fall!

PIT ER PAT - HIGH TIME:

Pit Er Pat is Fay Davis-Jeffers (vocals, piano, guitar, kalimba), Rob Doran (bass, vocals, guitar, electronics) and Butchy Fuego (drums, vocals, percussion, electronics/programming). High Time was recorded at the bands own studio, “Top Cat”, by Butchy Fuego, who has also recently recorded Soft Circle and Matteah Baim.

From Shakey to Pyramids, from 3D Message to Feel No Pain, Pit Er Pat’s recorded output has no easily definable style. It instead represents their evolution as modern musicians, who’s affinity for pop and melody is filtered though their desire to have a truly singular voice. Modern Music if you will. The band are clearly comfortable with the fact that this music acknowledges several, yet exists outside of any one, genres. There is a consistency in all of the recordings in that they are all unmistakably Pit Er Pat. Their musical focus remains firmly grounded in rhythm, while incorporating a strong sense of melody and harmony to dance above the complex rhythms and to stretch the layers to lofty heights. A significant difference on High Time was that because it was recorded in the band’s own studio, they could spend the natural amount of time that the songs needed to become fully realized. The additional time allowed the band to work a horn section into several songs. The horn arrangements were done by Dylan Ryan (Icy Demons, Bronze, Herculanium) while Nick Broste and Nate Lepine played trombone and flute. Pit Er Pat also employed a variety of new instruments including electric kalimba, bobo balaphone, Burmese temple gongs, agogo bells, anandolohori, cuica, timbale, conga, bongos, vibraslap, various shakers, bells, chimes, claps, and melodica to name a few. Many of these instruments are used in traditional and spiritual music. That connection with music made for escape appealed to the band who personally explore elements of spirituality, be they mystical or merely the more introspective exploration of the terrible joy of existence.
It is important to note that whilst layered with many delicate details the record was not assembled like a collage. Pit Er Pat instead wanted to be sure to capture the energy of the performances, so little or no editing was done on the basic tracking. From song to song the album unfolds revealing many aspects of the band’s aesthetic attitude - from the raw, lively sound of “The Cairo Shuffle,” to the mellow, slinky funk of “Omen,” to the expansive swirling celebration of “The Good Morning Song.” The powerful focused energy in the music is consistent throughout. Even the more laid back grooves on songs such as “My Darkers” have this undeniable bounce to them. High Time is a perfect elixir for your Indian Summer. Its gentle and driving grooves are irresistible and its delicate layers reveal with every listen.

I’m feeling the new Tunng video, it’s kinda like Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey meets The Muppets Take Manhattan, set to an early Bowie-esque ragtime-y shuffle.

Good to know there are still some bands that pack enough heat to blow up the sun. US Tour dates after the jump.
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This is just a little reminder of how rad Bobby Conn is.

I defy you to listen to Never Get Ahead and not smile.

In fact, you can stream most of his catalog from the Thrill Jockey Catalog Archive. (I highly recommend his surreal cover of Badfinger’s “Without You” off Lovessonnggs.

Video for (the family friendly version of) “Never Get Ahead.” Check out the dance moves.

Long live Bobby Conn. Tour Dates and video for “Vanitas” off of King For A Day after the jump.
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