There's a ton of information on the upcoming Robbers on High Street record, if you're willing to look through the dark recesses of the Internet.
The band's newly redesigned website has tour information for their three SXSW shows in Austin, TX.
My Old Kentucky Blog is hosting a live version of "Second Chance," of which the studio version will appear on the new album.
And bandcamp.com just happens to have the entire album available for streaming. I'm not sure if this is the final mix or tracklisting, but it sounds extremely promising. The band's previous album, Grand Animals, was predominantly laid back affair, and the new songs sound much more upbeat and energetic.
If you like what you hear, please do the right thing and support the band when Hey There Golden Hair is released. Still no word on a date for that, though, which may be because the band is no longer working with its former label, New Line Records.
Previewed earlier on GTI, Robbers on High Street have released a limited edition 7" single of "Electric Eye," possibly my new favorite song, and backed by "Face in the Fog." The vinyl will ship with an mp3 download card, and a digital-only release is set for June 22. Check out both tracks here:
The band is also on tour in the NY/Philly/DC area:
Thursday June 10th, 2010 M Room – Philadelphia, PA
w/The Bloodsugars
Friday June 11th, 2010 Velvet Lounge – Washington, DC
w/The Bloodsugars, Kaiser Cartel, Jeremy Messersmith
Saturday June 12th, 2010 Knitting Factory – Brooklyn, NY
“Electric Eye” b/w “Face in the Fog” 45 release show.
w/The Bloodsugars, Israel Darling, Spouse
Sunday June 13th, 2010 TT the Bear’s Place – Cambridge, MA
w/The Bloodsugars
I'll admit, I have a soft spot for Robbers on High Street's debut EP, Fine Lines [2004]. Around 2004/2005, I kept hearing about some song called "A Night at Star Castle", so I downloaded it from one of those mp3 download clients that nobody uses anymore. I listened to it for a while and liked what I heard, although I thought it was a little slower than those reviews had led me to believe. Still, it was an interesting enough tune that I went out and bought Fine Lines.
So, imagine my surprise when track 2, "A Night at Star Castle," sounded nothing like the mp3 I had.
Turns out, the song was mislabeled. I think the track I downloaded was "Mega Money" (not even sure if that's the right title - it wasn't until 2006 that I found out about the band's demo CD from a Google-translated German website).
Anyway, Fine Lines rocks, and you owe it to yourself to track down a copy if you can still find it. On it you'll find five tracks of straight-up rock & roll, and one hauntingly beautiful ode to a departed love. The Robbers have since released two full-length albums, Tree City and Grand Animals, and The Fatalist and Friends EP. The band continues to expand its sound; at times you can almost smell the smokey blues, while other songs evoke a breezy chamber-pop. Each release lends further evidence that this is quickly becoming the most versatile indie rock band around.
"Electric Eye," now streaming from the band's website, is the first taste of Robbers on High Street's as yet unnamed new album. If the rest of the album is anything like this, I think it's time to get really excited.
Here's some more information from Matt Shane, the guy who mixed the upcoming album:
The latest Robbers on High Street album is mixed and in the can. We did 2 songs for Engine Room Recordings. They are putting out a digital single and limited edition 7" of "Face in the Fog" and "Electric Eye." Look for this to be available early June as the band has a release party/concert scheduled at Brooklyn's Knitting Factory. The single and the rest of the album were mixed over 6 days at Dunham Studios in Brooklyn. Really cool place with a classic vibe. We mixed from 1" 16 track through a 16 channel MCI desk from the 70s with the help of some chandler eqs and compression as well as analog reverbs and delays down to 1/4" 2 track.
Probably the coolest aspect of this whole album was that if you purchase the vinyl version of either the album or Engine Room single, there is not a single digital part of any of it. Completely analog from first take straight through to final master tape.The lacquers are being cut straight from the 1/4" mix masters. We haven't looked at a single waveform this entire project, and I could not be more excited or proud of what the band and I produced. Can not wait for everyone to hear it.
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