Chicago, IL Highwheel Records (Arks, Airiel) has announced its next two releases: the gypsy pop of La Scala and the thunderous rock of Dragged By Horses. Each record will see release as, well, an actual, honest-to-goodness vinyl record as well as a CD. That should satisfy lovers of vinyl's warmer tones and superior packaging as well as those who appreciate the convenience of the CD. La Scala's The Harlequin EP will release on February 26 while Dragged By Horses' Deep in the Woods LP will arrive on March 11.
La Scala plays the kind of music found in the Sicilian alleys frequented only by the forlorn street singer, or in the smoky cabarets of prewar Paris, or in the tiny hillside villages of the Eastern bloc, tucked away all those years behind that iron drapery. It is this spirit, this old world sense of melody, that La Scala employs with such expert skill, creating a sound that is equal parts rock, Eastern European folk, and saccharine 1960's Continental Pop music.
The frontman at work here is Balthazar de Ley. A childhood split between Paris France and Champaign USA taught him the art of melancholy and the art of song, both of which he honed in his previous endeavors with bands such as Menthol and Hum. The driving rhythms are provided by drummer Joshua Lohr, formerly of The Dirty Things, and electric bassist Ryan Jewel. Rounding out the lineup is Kirk McMahon, responsible for the tremolo guitars and the thick blanketing of reverb.
The band made its live debut in early 2007 with a commanding performance Chicago's Empty Bottle. This first live set and the general sense of elation it spread throughout the club quickly earned the band invitations to appear at a number of other esteemed Chicago venues such as Metro, the Double Door, and the Hideout.
Roughly six months after this first performance, La Scala began work on its debut EP, which is soon to hit the shelves on the Highwheel Records imprint. Entitled The Harlequin, it was recorded in one of Chicago's dark corners and mixed by renowned producer Brain Deck (Iron & Wine, Modest Mouse, etc.).
Calling Humboldt County California their home, Dragged by Horses hail from behind the redwood curtain. Humboldt has only two roads in and two roads out, located at least five hours from the nearest urban center. The isolation is exactly what drives Dragged by Horses and gives them the freedom to develop their crafts without outside input.
This three-piece sonic assault (Pablo Midence - vocals and guitar, Jody Goldman - bass, and Chris Jaster - drums) has found Humboldt's out of the way location with its beautiful, quiet scenery, and even its crushing poverty level to be inspirational forces that have helped them evolve beyond a typical stoner-rock band; describing themselves as sounding like a "natural disaster" or a "violence orchestra." Dragged by Horses write heavy, sharp and intelligent tracks.
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