Click HERE for “Take Me To The Hospital”
The Faint Tour Dates
* = with Trust
^ = with Casket Girls
# = with Icky Blossoms
11/08: Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre *
11/09: Salt Lake City, UT @ In The Venue *
11/10: Reno, NV @ Knitting Factory *
11/13: Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom *
11/14: Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
11/16: Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades *^
11/17: San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom ^
11/20: San Diego, CA @ House of Blues ^
11/23: Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom *^
11/24: Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues *^
11/27: Dallas, TX @ House of Blues *#
11/28: Austin, TX @ Emo's East #
11/30: Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom *#
12/01: Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade – Heaven Stage *#
12/02: Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel #
12/05: Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club *#
12/06: Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero *#
12/07: New York, NY @ Terminal 5 *#
12/08: Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club *#
12/09: Montreal, QC @ Club Soda *#
12/11: Toronto, ON @ Sound Academy *#
12/12: Chicago, IL @ Metro *#
12/13: Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue *#
12/14: Omaha, NE @ Sokol Auditorium *#
Do you remember a time before the words “dance” and “rock”
were linked by a hyphen and the synthesized sounds of the ’80s were a regular
part of the modern musical landscape? The members of The Faint do,
because they were there when it started to happen. In fact, you could even say
they’re one of the main reasons it happened at all.
On October 30, Saddle Creek will
reissue one of the crown jewels of the movement, an album that over time has
proven to be as influential as it is exhilarating: The Faint’s third album,
2001’s Danse Macabre. The remastered release, which features
six bonus tracks from the era as well as an extensive booklet, will be
available on CD in a triple-disc format with a DVD, and on double vinyl that
also includes the CDs and DVD. Additionally, the DVD will include archival
video footage from the band, live projection videos from that era's tour dates,
the "Agenda Suicide" music video (directed by MK12), some live
footage, and more. Copies of the physical album will be limited to 5,000 for
the 2xCD/DVD package and 3,000 for the 2xLP/2xCD/DVD package. The Faint are
sharing one of the bonus tracks from the release “Take Me To the Hospital,”
the remastered version of the original track which just premiered on Pitchfork.
The release is being supported by a tour starting the first
week of November that will find the group performing Danse Macabre in its
entirety for the first time ever. The Faint will also be performing favorites
from their catalog, as well as debuting new songs. And aside from some warm-up
gigs in August and September (including The Faint’s inaugural shows at
Slowdown, the Omaha club run by Saddle Creek, and an FYF headlining spot), it
will be the first time fans have been exposed to the new slim-and-trim quartet
of vocalist Todd Fink, keyboardist Jacob Thiele,
guitarist Dapose, and drummerClark Baechle.
Differentiating from previous albums, The Faint attempted to
conjure the energy of bumping Berlin dance floors nearly 5,000 miles away from
their home in eastern Nebraska with the release of Danse Macabre. The nine-song
album sizzled with perfectly aggressive synth lines, Fink’s menacingly effected
vocals, infectious beats, bits of industrial and goth, and, at the heart of it
all, strong songwriting featuring the kind of minor-key melodies that make
singing along inevitable. Lyrically, Fink moved on from the sexually-charged
nature of Blank-Wave to explore themes related to the importance of living for
yourself and doing what you love, most notably showcased in the ominous “Agenda
Suicide.” Death-metal guitarist Dapose, who had been brought in to be the
band’s art director and assist with the videos projected during live shows,
eventually started adding to the music, and upstart engineer and producer Mike
Mogis (whose name can be found all over Saddle Creek’s illustrious catalog)
perfectly captured The Faint’s sound and attitude despite never previously
working on an electronic record.
“We thought about what it would be to capture the essence of
a dance club,” says Thiele. “I’m glad that the BPMs are all over the place and
that we didn’t actually do a bunch of house tempos, which is more the direction
we were trying to emulate. But we kind of kept it rock ’n’ roll.”
Not surprisingly, Danse Macabre gained a lot of attention,
including that of major labels, though the band eventually decided to remain on
its independent path. Saddle Creek owner Robb Nansel fondly
recalls watching the group blow up before his eyes, a phenomenon that became
more and more apparent when The Faint took its storied live show—full of sweat,
smoke, eyeliner, and those invigorating strobe lights—on the road.
“I remember some of the shows at the Metro in Chicago—just
seeing the crowds react was always the most rewarding moment,” says Nansel.
“Seeing like 800 people, or whatever was in the room at the time, all freaking
out and dancing around. We’d seen that in Omaha happen over the years, but it’s
so different when you see it out of town.”
And they’re still freaking out over the band’s live
performances, which take rocking and dancing to epic heights. In addition to
the songs from Danse Macabre, this fall’s tour will include entries from across
The Faint’s discography, which also includes 2004’s Wet From Birth and 2008’s
Fasciinatiion, as well as some brand-new material. What better way to celebrate
the band’s past, present, and future than with the dance party of the year?
Pre-Order the album HERE
Track Listing
1. Agenda Suicide
2. Glass Danse
3. Total Job
4. Let The Poison Spill From Your Throat
5. Your Retro Career Melted
6. Posed To Death
7. The Conductor
8. Violent
9. Ballad Of A Paralysed Citizen
Bonus Tracks
1. Take Me To The Hospital
2. Mote
3. Dust
4. Falling Out Of Love At This Volume
5. The Conductor (Thin White Duke Remix)
6. Glass Danse (Out Hud Remix)
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