Cover image: Venus Transit, Edge, 2004 by Wolfgang Tillmans

On July 17th/16th, Ribbon Music will release on behalf of John Maus, throughout the world, a sixteen song collection of music spanning eleven years of creative output titled A Collection of Rarities and Previously Unreleased Material.

Of the sixteen songs showcased, five: “This is the Beat,” “Castles in the Grave,” “Bennington,” “My Hatred is Magnificent,” and “No Title (Molly),” have appeared on previous compilations. Most notably “No Title (Molly)” was originally released on a flexi disc as part of Ribbon Music/Domino’s Record Store Day release Smugglers Way. Two songs: “Angel of the Night” and “Lost” have never been released on any format, nor across any media. The same can not be said of the remaining nine songs, the majority of which initially appeared on Demos 2011, a bundle of tracks originating from mausspace.com where they had been uploaded by their creator (John Maus) to be appreciated, if not reviewed, by those eager enough to search them out.

Devout fans may notice a few of the ‘demos’ from this period are not represented on the album. The answer to this is simple: “Some of the songs are in fact just that – DEMOS – better left unreleased” – John Maus.

A Collection of Rarities and Previously Unreleased Material has been entirely remixed and remastered for release on CD, limited edition LP, and digital formats July 17th in North America and July 16th throughout the rest of the world and features artwork and design by Turner Prize winning artist Wolfgang Tillmans.

The LP version of the album will be limited to a one time pressing of 3000 hand numbered copies. In addition, 500 copies of the release will be issued on translucent pink vinyl and are available exclusively to pre-order now through the Ribbon Mart.

JOHN MAUS
A Collection of Rarities and Previously Unreleased Material
1. North Star (2008)
2. The Law (2003)
3. Castles in the Grave (2010)
4. Angel of the Night (2010)
5. Mental Breakdown (2004)
6. Bennington (2007)
7. Big Dumb Man (2003)
8. No Title (Molly) (2008)
9. Lost (2003)
10. All Aboard (2007)
11. This is The Beat (2005)
12. My Hatred is Magnificent (2008)
13. The Fear (2003)
14. Fish With Broken Dreams (1999)
15. Rock the Bone (2008)
16. I Don’t Eat Human Beings (2008)

Listen to “Mental Breakdown” here:

John Maus will also be playing a handful of live shows around the world this summer.

See below for dates:
06/15 Toronto, ONT – Lee’s Palace (NXNE)
07/12 New York, NY – Pier 84 (River Rocks Series) *
07/20-22 Seattle, WA – Capitol Hill Block Party
08/09 Oslo, Norway – Oya Festival
08/10 Gothenburg, Sweden – Way Out West Festival
* w/ Dan Deacon

Today Black Dice dropped a new video from their latest album Mr. Impossible for the single “Rodriguez” plus announced the existence of a rare 7″ featuring the same track with b-side “Pissed in a Cave”. The new video, like “Pigs”, was directed by the band. The “Rodriguez” 7″ will be available through the Black Dice merch table and Ribbon Mart only. The tour starts tonight in Boston and goes all over the world. Chances are they’re coming to a town near you! If not, get it from us. Tour dates, video and 7″ art below.

BLACK DICE, Rodriguez 7″

BLACK DICE
05/03 – Brookline, MA – BATV
05/04 – Montreal, QC – Il Motore
05/05 – Toronto, ON – Polyhaus
05/06 – Detroit, MI – PJ’s Lager House
05/07 – Chicago, IL – The Bottom Lounge
05/08 – Minneapolis, MN – Cedar Cultural Center
05/11 – Seattle, WA – Sunset Tavern
05/12 – Portland, OR – YU
05/14 – San Francisco, CA – The LAB
05/15 – Los Angeles, CA – Eagle Rock Center for the Arts
05/16 – Tucson, AZ – Club Congress
05/17 – El Paso, TX – Low Brow Palace
05/18 – Austin, TX – Red 7
05/19 – Dallas, TX – Sons of Hermann Hall
05/20 – New Orleans, LA – One Eyed Jacks
05/21 – Memphis, TN – The Poplar Lounge
05/22 – Atlanta, GA – 529
05/23 – Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506
05/24 – Washington, DC – U Street Music Hall
05/25 – Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts
05/26 – Brooklyn, NY – Secret Project Robot
09/11 – Berlin, DE – Festsaal Kreuzberg
09/12 – Cologne,DE – Baustelle Kalk
09/13 – Paris, FR – Point Ephemere
09/14 – Tilburg, NL – Incubate Festival
09/15 – Brussels, BE – AB Club
09/16 – Zurich, CH – STALL 6 @ Theaterhaus Gessnerallee
09/17 – Lyon, FR – Ground Zero
09/18 – Bordeaux, FR – L’iboat
09/19 – Madrid, ES – Moby Dick
09/20 – Lisbon, PT – Music Box
09/22 – Barcelona, ES – Bam Festival
09/26 – Milan, IT – Concept Loft
09/27 – Roma, IT – Init
09/28 – Torino, IT – Spazio 211
09/29 – Boligna, IT – Locomotiv
09/30 – Vienna, AT – Arena
10/2 – Kortrijk, BE – DeKreun
10/3 – Amsterdam, NL – OT 301
10/4 – London, UK – Birthdays

Propagation is the second video to be made available from the recently released Lower Dens‘ album Nootropics (pronounced No-eh-tro-pics).

In addition to the previously reported US and UK/Europe spring dates, Lower Dens have now announced a headlining tour throughout North America this summer. All dates below.

05-01 New York, NY – Mercury Lounge ^ [SOLD OUT]
05-02 Brooklyn, NY – Glasslands + [SOLD OUT]
05-03 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s $
05-04 Washington, DC – Rock and Roll Hotel $
05-05 Baltimore, MD – Ottobar %
05-10 Brussels, Belgium – La Chocolaterie
05-11 The Hague, Netherlands – Walk the Line Festival
05-12 Gent, Belgium – DOKarena
05-13 Paris, France – le Point Ephemere
05-14 Brighton, UK – The Hope
05-15 London, UK – White Heat at Madam Jojo’s
05-16 London, UK – The Lexington [SOLD OUT]
05-17 Rotterdam, Netherlands – Worm
05-18 Hamburg, Denmark – Hafenklang
05-19 Aarhus, Denmark – Pop Revo
05-20 Copenhagen, Denmark – Loppen
05-21 Berlin, Germany – West Germany
05-23 Krakow, Poland – Green Zoo Festival
05-24 Prague, Czech Republic – Club 007
05-25 Vienna, Austria – Chelsea
05-26 Kleinreifling, Austria – Seeweisen Festival
05-28 Turn, Italy – Blah Blah Festival
05-29 Milan, Italy – Video Sound Art Festival
05-30 St. Gallen, Switzerland – Palace
05-31 Dudingen, Switzerland – Kilbi Festival
06-01 Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Sound
06-03 Dublin, Ireland – Forbidden Fruit Festival
06-21 Raleigh, NC – Kings Barcade #
06-22 Atlanta, GA – The Earl #
06-23 New Orleans, LA – One Eyed Jacks #
06-24 Dallas, TX – Club Dada #
06-25 Houston, TX – Fitzgerald’s #
06-26 Austin, TX – The Parish #
06-28 Phoenix, AZ – Sail Inn #
06-29 Santa Ana, CA – Constellation Room #
06-30 Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour #
07-01 San Francisco, CA – The Independent #
07-05 Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios #
07-06 Seattle, WA – Neumos #
07-07 Vancouver, BC – The Media Club #
07-10 Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge #
07-11 Lawrence, KS – The Jackpot Saloon #
07-12 St. Louis, MO – The Luminary Center for the Arts #
07-13 Chicago, IL- Pitchfork Music Festival
07-15 Louisville, KY – Forecastle Festival
07-16 Detroit, MI – Magic Stick #
07-17 Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace #
07-18 Montreal, QC – Ill Motore #
07-19 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom #

^ w/ Matteah Baim
+ w/ Air Waves, Twisted Wires
$ w/ Violens
% w/ Celebration, Violens, Sprayer
# w/ No Joy, Alan Resnick

In addition to her previously scheduled summer tour Laura Marling announced six new shows today in Salt Lake City, Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. The new dates will follow appearances at Bonnaroo, Prospect Park Bandshell (FREE), Telluride and a few places in between. All shows include Laura and her band. See below for a full list of dates. For information on tickets visit lauramarling.com.

Listen to a live version of ‘Salinas’ recorded last year at York Minister below:

Lastly, in addition to releasing Laura’s latest A Creature I Don’t Know, Ribbon Music recently re-released her first two records I Speak Because I Can and Alas, I Cannot Swim on heavyweight vinyl as well as CD and digitally. Click on the titles for additional news on each release plus links to buy.

LAURA MARLING
06/08 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
06/09 – Asheville, SC – The Orange Peel
06/10 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse
06/12 – Washington, DC – 930 Club
06/14 – Brooklyn, NYC – Celebrate Brooklyn!
06/15 – Boston, MA  – Berklee Performance Center
06/16 – Montreal, QC – Corona Theater
06/17 – Toronto, ON – Pheonix Concert Theater
06/19 – Chicago, IL – The Athenaeum
06/21 – Telluride, CO – Telluride Bluegrass Festival
06/22 – Salt Lake City, UT – The State Room
06/25 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theatre
06/26 – Seattle, WA – Showbox at the Market
06/27 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
06/29 – San Francisco, CA – Grace Cathedral
07/01 – Los Angeles, CA – John Anson Ford

On May 1st, Lower Dens will release their second studio album Nootropics in North America. Given both The Mercury Lounge and Glasslands shows are sold out Ribbon Music and Lower Dens have set aside five tickets to each show at both Other Music (Mercury) and Sound Fix (Glasslands). All ten tickets will be given away for FREE on May 1st to the first five purchasers of Nootropics on either CD or LP. Get to Other Music and/or Soundfix early and secure your spot.

The previously mentioned Insound.com hosted secret show on April 30th is now sold out.

Black Dice‘s previously announced NA tour in support of their latest offering Mr. Impossible will now be followed by an extensive run of dates throughout the UK and Europe this fall. All dates below!

BLACK DICE
05/03 – Brookline, MA – BATV
05/04 – Montreal, QC – Il Motore
05/05 – Toronto, ON – Polyhaus
05/06 – Detroit, MI – PJ’s Lager House
05/07 – Chicago, IL – The Bottom Lounge
05/08 – Minneapolis, MN – Cedar Cultural Center
05/11 – Seattle, WA – Sunset Tavern
05/12 – Portland, OR – YU
05/14 – San Francisco, CA – The LAB
05/15 – Los Angeles, CA – Eagle Rock Center for the Arts
05/16 – Tucson, AZ – Club Congress
05/17 – El Paso, TX – Low Brow Palace
05/18 – Austin, TX – Red 7
05/19 – Dallas, TX – Sons of Hermann Hall
05/20 – New Orleans, LA – One Eyed Jacks
05/21 – Memphis, TN – The Poplar Lounge
05/22 – Atlanta, GA – 529
05/23 – Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506
05/24 – Washington, DC – U Street Music Hall
05/25 – Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts
05/26 – Brooklyn, NY – Secret Project Robot
09/11 – Berlin, DE – Festsaal Kreuzberg
09/13 – Paris, FR – Point Ephemere
09/14 – Tilburg, NL – Incubate Festival
09/15 – Brussels, BE – AB Club
09/17 – Lyon, FR – Ground Zero
09/18 – Bordeaux, FR – L’iboat
09/19 – Madrid, ES – Moby Dick
09/20 – Lisbon, PT – Music Box
09/22 – Barcelona, ES – Bam Festival
09/26 – Milan, IT – Concept Loft
09/27 – Roma, IT – Init
09/28 – Torino, IT – Spazio 211
09/29 – Boligna, IT – Locomotiv
09/30 – Vienna, AT – Arena
10/2 – Kortrijk, BE – DeKreun
10/3 – Amsterdam, NL – Paradiso
10/4 – London, UK – Birthdays

On May 1st / April 30th Lower Dens will release Nootropics their second studio album and first for Ribbon Music. Listen to the new album track “Lamb” at the link below. In addition, Lower Dens are on tour throughout the spring and summer. All dates here. While both NYC release week shows are sold out there’s still one last chance to see them though very few spots remain. More info on that over here.

It’s simple: The first 50 people to pre-order Lower Dens‘ forthcoming album Nootropics on LP or CD from Insound.com get to see Lower Dens perform live in a secret NYC location where they’ll receive both their order plus an exclusive signed poster. Given both Glasslands and Mercury shows are now sold out this is your last chance to see the band in NYC week of release. For a complete list of details click either the album or Insound button above! The show goes down April 30th and is space limited so move fast. Free beer lovingly provided by Brooklyn Brewery.

Release week shows continue around our Insound event – all dates below.

LOWER DENS
04-27 Pawtucket, RI – The Met
04-28 Hamden, CT – The Outer Space
04-29 Boston, MA – Great Scott
05-01 New York, NY- Mercury Lounge SOLD OUT
05-02 Brooklyn, NY- Glasslands SOLD OUT
05-03 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
05-04 Washington, DC – Rock and Roll Hotel
05-05 Baltimore, MD- Ottobar

Nootropics is out May 1st / April 30th! Listen to second single “Propagation” now.

This Saturday, three days before the US release of MR. IMPOSSIBLE (4/10) BLACK DICE will host and headline what may very well be the “substance-fueled basement party” of the decade at Living Bread in the neighborhood of Bushwick, Brooklyn. Come early for Oneohtrix Point Never and Turn to Crime. Copies of MR. IMPOSSIBLE on both LP and CD will be available for purchase. This is a Todd P Presented showdown. Tickets available here. Party with us!

Initially uploaded to the internet by John Maus as an incomplete composition aka “demo” (where it still remains), the version of “No Title (Molly)” put forth now, and forever moving forward, has been partially re-recorded, entirely re-mixed and re-mastered “aka wholly worked over” by John Maus himself for inclusion in our Smugglers Way Flexizine. Listen and download below.

The zine comprises 24 pages of original art and prose from Domino and Ribbon artists. Highlights include a short story penned by James Yorkston; a long form poem by Laura Marling; short form pieces by Alex Bleeker (Real Estate), Ade Blackburn (Clinic), and Tom Fleming (Wild Beasts); illustrations from Alison Mosshart (The Kills), Andrea Estella (Twin Sister), Conor O’Brien (Villagers) and Jon Hopkins; photography from Jana Hunter (Lower Dens), and an original arranged score of music by Owen Pallett. Bjorn Copeland of Black Dice designed the cover and Rob Carmichael at SEEN is responsible for the art direction and layout.

Record Store Day goes down April 21st around the world.