new LP Maybe These Are The Breaks out this October on Kindercore/Magic Marker
LISTEN: Eggshells
(via Brooklyn Vegan)
LISTEN: Belushi
"Maybe These are the Breaks
which might just be the best thing Masters of the Hemisphere have
released. "Eggshell" is typical of the tuneful, ridiculously catchy pop
contained within it." - Brooklyn Vegan
TOUR DATES
10/14 Athens, GA - 40 Watt (Athens Popfest)
10/15 Lexington, KY - Al's Bar#%
10/16 Iowa City, IA - tba
10/17 Chicago, IL - Burlington%
10/18 Columbus, OH - Carabar#%
10/19 Pittsburgh, PA - Hambone's Pub%
10/20 Philadelphia, PA - tba
10/21 NYC, NY CMJ - Rock Shop
10/22 NYC, NY CMJ - Bruar Falls
10/23 DC - Velvet Lounge
10/24 Chapel Hill, NC - the Layabout
10/25 Atlanta, GA - 529*
# w/ Red Pony Clock
% w/ Monnone Alone (ex-Lucksmiths)
* w/ Gold-Bears
Some nine years after having called it a day, Athens GA's Masters of the Hemisphere
reconvene to slap a little extra polish on their indiepop silverware. This fall the group return with Maybe These Are The Breaks, their strongest album to date out on the storied Kindercore Records. The physical versions on CD and LP will come courtesy of pop enthusiasts Magic Marker. The celebrate the quartet's return the tape label, Modern Country
, will be issuing a cassette box set of Masters of the Hemisphere's
three prior albums (with unreleased bonus tracks), in addition to the
new album. In addition to the slew of new releases, Masters Of The
Hemisphere will be touring the US this October, stay tuned for dates.
Forming
in 1996, Masters of the Hemisphere released several albums, EPs and
singles before disbanding in 2002. Having remained close friends over
the years (and sharing the stage in various bands including Still Flyin'
and Je Suis France), the quartet's reunion is less a tiresome
exhumation than a happy embracing of the inevitable.
Maybe These Are the Breaks,
the watershed new album finds messrs Rawls, Mead, Finch and Griggs in
supreme form, building on their strong back catalogue of alluring pop
and ambitious conceptual outings, while expanding their sonic landscapes
considerably. Recorded in Athens by Ken Henslee and mixed in
Gothenburg, Sweden by Wyatt Cusick (The Aislers Set, Trackstar, Love is
All), the new album hits on some typically out-there themes and is set
to rekindle old Masters flames and ignite new ones amongst a young
generation of indiepop fans.
With
each member drawing on their myriad influences and contributing to the
writing, the Masters sound is as hard to pigeonhole as ever; amongst the
new album's confines you'll hear strapping jangle-pop collide with
walls of synths, while gorgeous acoustic ballads slow-dance with 80s
production, making for a diverse and rewarding listen. Indeed, 'Half a
Fool' (the album's quasi-title track) is an unabashed country-folk
ditty, complete with steel guitars and tear jerkin' sentiment.
Throughout though, big melodies are the common thread and Maybe These
Are the Breaks is a welcome return from a great pop group.
Masters of The Hemipshere
Maybe These Are The Breaks
out October 4th on Kindercore/Magic Marker
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