Very excited to announce Let's Pretend Records is now exclusively distributed by Recess Ops. Recess Ops is a new company that has brought together like-minded labels aimed to get their records out there, stocked in record stores worldwide. To get in touch and check out their new website...click here!: www.recessops.com
News
News and Album Releases
Pre-order Spencer Moody and the Anzalones 'An Old Man Called Me Bud Cort' LP/ TAPE and Future Virgins 'Dirty Smile 7" Anthology' LP!
CLICK HERE! To order Spencer Moody and the Anzalones 'An Old Man Called Me Bud Cort' LP / TAPE! Ships February 10th.
Anthony Anzalone and Spencer Moody, (Murder City Devils, Dead Low Tide, and Smoke & Smoke) started working on these songs years ago. At first recorded on their own at a practice space and later finishing up in a nice studio provided by friend, Bryan Ray Turcotte.
What is expressed on this record is totally uncompromised. It's really truly the two of them, Spencer and Anthony. They will continue to make records together until they have torn the head completely loose of the body. Please enjoy.
In 2016, Spencer Moody released Gothic Songs for Shelley, and has a split 7” with Rad Payoff coming out in Spring 2017. Both coming out on Let’s Pretend Records.
CLICK HERE! To order Future Virgins 'Dirty Smiles 7" Anthology' LP! Ships February 17th!
Loyal fans of Chattanooga’s FUTURE VIRGINS finally have the band’s early recorded material in one place! The Dirty Smiles 7” Anthology LP contains the first three 7”s released between 2006 and 2009 on Plan-It-X-South, and 2 tracks from 2010’s Do Ya Hear We compilation. More than just the convenience of 6 less side changes required to hear all these tracks, the LP is also sonically superior, having been remastered for maximum punch and clarity. What stands out the most here is how fully-formed the band actually was from the beginning. A decade into their career that continues to pick up speed (2 full-length LP’s came after these early recordings in quick succession, with a third forthcoming), you’re reminded of how intact the songwriting and playing has always been.
Present day Future Virgins shows us something we rarely get to see in the fickle punk world – a long-running band with no member changes that stays perfectly on target. Quite a concept, right? Dirty Smiles isn’t showing us the blueprint for that (look even further into Chattanooga punk history for that); it’s revealing just why the band has endured and why their music will live on.
Middle Children 'Earth Angel'LP/ TAPE Pre-Order
Everything is on track with the debut release by Middle Children titled 'Earth Angel'. It is my pleasure to announce that you can now pre-order this great album on LP and TAPE. CLICK HERE! All orders will ship no sooner than March 3rd.
Also the kind folks at Impose premiered the first single "True" and have so many positive things to say about the single! Check it out Middle Children, "True" | New Music | Impose Magazine
OUT NOW AND COMING SOON!
Middle Children's debut LP "Earth Angel" coming out March 3. Newest project from Purple 7 and Hot New Mexicans' songwriter Patrick Jennings. Ten reclusive pop songs birthed from deep down in his basement. Then, sculpted by his band which include old friends Ginger Alford and Matt Tobey of Good Luck. Ya don't wanna miss this one!
180 GRAM VINYL AND A LIMITED RUN OF CASSETTES
Howardian "Do You Know I Wiggle" is a collaboration between Ian Vanek and Schuyler Maehl. The best way to describe Ian Vanek's drumming is caveman power with a surf surgeons precision. Schuyler Maehl's left handed guitar tinkling spices this power perfectly and suitor's the wound with grace and cleanliness.This release is limited to 30 12" lathe cuts. www.howardian.net
Howardain tour dates:
Feb 2nd Cincinnati, OH Northside Yacht Club with Dead Vision
Feb 4th Chicago, IL TBA
Feb 5th Milwaukee, WI @ High Dive 701 E Center St.
Feb 6th Madison. WI @ Willy Magnet 1019 Williamson St.
Feb 7th Detroit, MI @ UFO Factory 2110 Trumbull
Feb 8th Columbus, OH @ Ace Of Cups 2619 N High St. with Vacation
Feb 9th Pittsburgh, PA @ TBA with Muppet Babies 2
Feb 10th Montclair, NJ @ The Meatlocker 8 PARK ST. with Math The Band
Feb 11th Philly, PA @ The Sound Hole w/ Teenage Halloween & Math The Band
Feb 12th Manhattan, NY @ Berlin 25 Ave. A w/ Teenage Halloween & Math The Band
Feb 13th Boston, MA @ ZuZu 474 Massachusetts Ave. with The Monsieur
BAD TASTE 'MELT DOWN' TAPE!
Six new songs of rock and roll, hardcore, horror punk by Carbondale's Bad Taste. These songs were recorded and mastered in Bloomington, IN at Russian Recording. Get this tape while it last cause only 100 were pressed.
- Sass Dragons, Sleeping Bag, and Nervosas !!!
Sass Dragons new LP and TAPE ‘True Adventure’
The 6-year wait is over, friends! Our favorite Chicago punk rock goof balls, Sass Dragons, new LP and TAPE ‘True Adventure’ is out on Let’s Pretend Records NOW! The Sass Dragons 4th LP is also a split release with our brother label, No Breaks Records from Atlanta, GA. ‘True Adventure’ strays away from party punk and instead focuses on the humor of getting old. As always, we are looking forward to what they are going to bring next.
For extra insight, be sure to check out this awesome interview:
Growing Up For Grown Ups: Stream the new Sass Dragons track
Also, be sure to check out what Vice Noisy has to say about the new album and stream it in its entirety:
Hear a New Album from Chicago Party Punks, Sass Dragons | NOISEY
Sleeping Bag’s new TAPE and TOUR DATES
Let’s Pretend Records is stoked to announce Sleeping Bag’s ‘Demons From the Deep’ new TAPE! From Bloomington, Indiana’s garages, Sleeping Bag is fuzzed out and low-fi, with simple songs, great hooks, and killer melodies. Limited 100 translucent green tapes! Be sure to check out their tour dates below!
Aug 06 The Comet Cincinnati, OH
Aug 07 Spacebar Columbus, OH
Aug 09 Mr. Roboto Project Pittsburgh, PA
Aug 12 Silent Barn Brooklyn, NY
Aug 13 Gold Sounds Brooklyn, NY
Aug 16 Now That’s Class Cleveland, OH
Aug 18 FooBar Nashville, TN
Nervosas S/T 3rd and FINAL pressing is available NOW
Although we are all super bummed about this band’s break up, LPR is still very stoked to do a third pressing of this record. This third pressing has a few new features to make it an awesome addition to your vinyl collection. This double LP is pressed on randomly mixed colored vinyl with an etching on the D-side, no screen print. The jackets have been upgraded to a thicker cardstock with a wide spine to fit both records better. Don’t snooze on this final release from Columbus, OH’s speed-goth punk, Nervosas.
Erin Tobey 'Middlemaze" LP/ TAPE is Out Now and West Coast Tour Dates!
Let's Pretend Records is proud to present our friend Erin Tobey's Middlemaze, out now! Erin is heading out west with Jeff Grant and Patrick Jennings as a tidy 3-piece to join up with Stephen Steinbrink for a couple weeks of west coast dates, below.
June
04 Bloomington, IN at John Waldron Arts Center
10 Bloomington, IN at Blockhouse (Middlemaze release show)
12 Denver, CO at Larimer Lounge
13 Salt Lake City, UT at Diabolical Records
15 Langley, WA at TBD*
16 Seattle, WA at The Future *
17 Port Townsend, WA at Uptown Pub *
18 Anacortes, WA at Acme *
19 Olympia, WA at Stable Studio *
20 Portland, OR at Turn, Turn, Turn! *
21 Astoria, OR at Albatross *
23 San Francisco, CA at Sylvan Annex *
24 Oakland, CA at Badger Claw Castle *
25 Santa Cruz at Hannover Street Studios *
26 Santa Barbara at Dashain Co-op *
29 Los Angeles, CA at Bootleg Theater *
30 Pomona, CA at Acerogami *
* with Stephen Steinbrink
What folks are saying about Middlemaze:
"Measured and assured... Erin Tobey's blossoming music opens just at the moment of revelation. After more than a decade, the Bloomington singer-songwriter returns with a reflective second album." – NPR
"Middlemaze has the vastness you could expect from someone who’s gathered experience in many worlds, including the worlds of punk and folk in near equal measure." –She Shreds
"Immediate familiarity, a tenderness so big it feels potent" – Impose
New Great things in the works!
Spencer Moody "Gothic Jazz for Shelley"
SPENCER MOODY breaks away from the rock n roll boundaries where his long time running group, THE MURDER CITY DEVILS, exist. This release is musical, interesting, arty, and most of all MOODY. This 7" kicks off a string of SPENCER's releases on Let's Pretend, and we couldn't be more proud of our new partnership. Support! Out now on 7 inch vinyl!
Erin Tobey "Middlemaze" Out June 3rd!
Photo by Chaz Mottinger
So stoked to share NPR's premiere of "I'm Young". The first song off Erin Tobey's new album Middlemaze, out June 3.
Lars Gotrich writes:
"Measured and assured... Erin Tobey's blossoming music opens just at the moment of revelation. After more than a decade, the Bloomington singer-songwriter returns with a reflective second album."
He also calls it "cosmic country." We'll take it!
Paste Magazine also did a sweet write-up for the premiere. People are chompin' at the bit for this new ET album and we can't wait for everyone to hear the whole thing!
Impose Magazine posted about the premiere.
Concrete Beez
Nothing but the best was expected from region rockers' Eric Nelson, Grady O'Rear & Cole Champion, and as CONCRETE BEEZ, the boys delivered a solid collection of basement singalong jams. After ten plus years of writing songs for ADD/C, FUTURE VIRGINS, HIDDEN SPOTS, and more, it goes without saying that the music these dudes make will have your hands stompin' and feet clappin'. 7 song tape OUT NOW.
New Releases
Remember the dynamite BRENDA'S FRIEND EP we released last year? Half of that magnetic duo is AMY O, and she has swiftly provided us with another fantastic collection of amped-up folk tunes that Let's Pretend is privileged to release. Need further convincing? Check out the rave reviews (links below) that AMY is already receiving.
Treble Zine - http://www.treblezine.com/reviews/27988-amy-o-arrow-review/
Gold Flake Paint - http://www.goldflakepaint.co.uk/amy-o-arrow-lp-review/
Unbelievably excited and humbled to announce the release of SPENCER MOODY's Gothic Jazz for Shelley 2-song EP available March 25th in the limited quantity of 300 black vinyl. Can't wait for the physical copies? Head over to the LPR bandcamp page to get your fill! SPENCER, a long time multi-media avant garde artist and singer of THE MURDER CITY DEVILS, has many of his works for public preview here.
Erin Tobey “Middle Maze” Full Length
Very excited to announce that Let’s Pretend will be releasing the second full length by Bloomington’s own Erin Tobey. It’s been 11 years in the making. “Middle Maze” will be released on June 3rd, 2016. Stay tuned for a song to premier and other promotional media.
Amy O “Arrow” Cassette Tape
This Bloomington-based singer/songwriter amped up her style with a full-band rock sound. She will be releasing her 6th album on February 19th, 2016. Check out a song here.
Tweak Bird
Tweak Bird “Any ol Way” has finally been repressed! 400 copies in total were pressed on translucent purple drank vinyl. So, get trippy with it HERE.
Coming soon…
- Spencer Moody "Gothic Songs for Shelley" 7-inch (early March)
- Sass Dragons "True Adventure" LP/Tape
- Nervosas S/T repress (three sided double LPs with etching on D-side, pressed on recycled vinyl)
Tour Dates and More!
Vacation is hitting the road with limited copies of Do Shit, their first demo remastered and pressed on opaque red 10-inch wax. The Do Shit wax will be available at letspretend.com on 9/4. You can stream and buy the digital HERE! They're also on tour in support of their new full-length record Non-Person released on http://dongiovannirecords.com/.
In other news, on 9/4 LPR will also be releasing:
- Constant Insult S/T six-song LP/TAPE
- Al Scorch/Dave Dondero Split 7"
Check out tour dates from Bloomington's Chud and Laughing Gas below!
VACATION / SCREAMING FEMALES TOUR DATES:
07/27/2015 Cleaveland, OH Now That's Class w/ Screaming Females
07/28/2015 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle w/ Screaming Females
07/29/2015 Chicaho, IL Bric-a-Brac Records matinee
07/29/2015 Chicago, IL Subterranean w/ Screaming Females
07/30/2015 Milwaukee, WI Borg Ward w/ Screaming Females
07/31/2015 Madison, WI The Frequency w/ Screaming Females
08/01/2015 Minneapolis, MN the Triple Rock Social Club w/ Screaming Females
08/02/2015 Iowa City, IA The Mill w/ Screaming Females
08/03/2015 Omaha, NE The Sweatshop Gallery w/ Screaming Females
08/04/2015 Denver, CO Larimer Lounge w/ Screaming Females
08/06/2015 Boise, ID Neurolux w/ Screaming Females
08/07/2015 Portland, OR Mississippi Studios w/ Screaming Females
08/08/2015 Vancouver, BC Media Club w/ Screaming Females
08/09/2015 Seattle, WA Chop Suey w/ Screaming Females
08/11/2015 San Francisco, CA Rickshaw Stop w/ Screaming Females
08/12/2015 Oakland, CA the Nightlight w/ Street Eaters, Birthday Girl, Composite
08/13/2015 San Pedro, CA tba w/ tba
08/14/2015 Los Angeles, CA house w/ Tenement
08/15/2015 Pomona, CA VLHS w/ Screaming Females
08/16/2015 Los Angeles, CA The Observatory BERSERKTOWN FEST w/ Dead Moon
08/17/2015 San Diego, CA Soda Bar w/ Screaming Females
08/18/2015 Phoenix, AZ Valley Bar w/ Screaming Females
08/19/2015 El Paso, TX Lowbrow Palace w/ Screaming Females
08/20/2015 Denton, TX Macaroni Island w/ No Touching, Hate Your Friends
08/21/2015 Austin, TX Red 7 w/ Screaming Females
08/22/2015 Dallas, TX The Foundary w/ Screaming Females
08/23/2015 Houston, TX Fitzgerald's Downstairs w/ Screaming Females
08/24/2015 New Orleans, LA Siberia w/ Screaming Females
08/25/2015 Nashville, TN Stone Fox w/ Screaming Females
08/26/2015 Atlanta, GA Aisle 5 w/ Screaming Females
08/27/2015 Durham, NC Pinhook w/ Screaming Females
08/28/2015 Washington, DC Rock and Roll Hotel w/ Screaming Females
08/29/2015 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer w/ Screaming Females
09/11/2015 Cincinnati, OH Ice Cream Factory (record release show) w/ Babe Rage