High Places - Sonora [VIDEO/MP3]

MP3: High Places - Sonora

High Places
"Sonora"
Original Colors
Thrill Jockey 2011
Director: Keith Musil

On tour:
Fri Nov 4       - Los Angeles, CA - The Smell - Post Present Medium (PPM) Ten Year Anniversary Celebration
Tue Nov 8     - Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie
Thu Nov 10 - Baltimore, MD - Softhouse w/Purity Ring
Fri Nov 11      - Ann Arbor, MI - WCBN presents w/Damned Dogs at the Halfass
Sun Nov 13 - Grand Rapids, MI - Pyramid Scheme w/Memoryhouse
Mon Nov 14 -  Toronto, ON - Garrison
Tue Nov 15      - Montreal, QC - Il Motore
Fri Nov 18      - Brooklyn, NY - Glasslands

Fri Nov 25      - Madrid, Spain - Primavera Club      
Sat Nov 26      - Barcelona, Spain  - Primavera Club  
Tue Nov 29      - London, UK  - Plan B
Wed Nov 30 - Paris, France  - Batofar 
Thu Dec 1       - Kortrijk, Belgium  - De Kreun
Fri Dec 2       - Koeln, Germany  - Week-End Festival 
Sat Dec 3       - Berlin, Germany  - HAU 2    
Sun Dec 4       - Prague, Czech Republic  - Meet Factory      
Mon Dec 5       - Vienna, Austria - B72
Tue Dec 6       - Muenchen, Germany  - Feierwerk      
Wed Dec 7       - Luzern, Switzerland  - Suedpol      
Thu Dec 8       - Yverdon, Switzerland - Amalgame     
Fri Dec 9 - Torino, Italy  - Spazio 211
Sat Dec 10      - Bologna, Italy  - Locomotiv 
Sun Dec 11      - Bourogne, France  - Generiq Festival
Tue Dec 13      - Den Haag, Netherlands  - State-X New Forms Festival 
Wed Dec 14- Amsterdam, Netherlands  - OT301   
Fri Dec 16      - Lisbon, Portugal - ZDB      
Sat Dec 17      - Guimaraes, Portugal - CCVF

New High Places: "I Was Born"

(via P4K)

I'm on record saying this, but once again: I really did not enjoy High Places when I first heard them. My girlfriend was the one who brought them to my attention and she was beyond on board, but it took quite awhile for it to click on my end. Their self titled full length was what did it for me, and they've been succeeding ever since (like their split with Soft Circle out now on PPM, holy shit is it great).

They released a new video for the new song "I Was Born" that will be on a 12 inch single shortly from Thrill Jockey, then we can expect a full length in 2010. Radical. Check this out, it's awesome and features the debut of the bassoon in their sound. Also a fun fact: they left Brooklyn for LA! Good for them, seriously.

PPM25

MP3: Soft Circle - Light Bright

The Soft Circle side of the 12 inch vinyl split with High Places is a real revelation. I had caught audible glimpses of them (or him I guess) a couple of times, but what's on here is completely awesome. It's got the right stuff: beats, interesting repetition and killer vocals. A total hit, both jams.

I chose not to post the High Places song, despite being my favourite thing on the split, for 2 reasons: it's too long to just give away and everyone already loves this band. It's totally worth buying though and you get a download code to boot. Pitchfork posted a stream of the High Places track awhile back, which can be found here.

This split is out now from PPM. Keep killing it Dean.

High Places

MP3: High Places - Golden
MP3: High Places - From Stardust to Sentience

The new eponymous record from High Places is very much worthy of it's self-titling in that it is a fine representation of the group and all of it's strengths. What was merely hinted at on the group's singles collection "03/07 - 09/07" is realized to it's fullest potential; it is two people's musical outlet at it's greatest hour.

You've certainly heard of High Places, probably starting late last year and well into 2008, as they've fit in like a glove at your favourite band's gigs and consumed all of your favourite internet news and mp3 publications. It felt like there was a bit of a label race to snag up this talent (in the shadows of course) and when it was announced that Thrill Jockey had reigned victorious, everybody seemed deserving of their winnings.

All of this, of course, makes for an interesting introduction, but it requires ignoring once you get down to the dirt and actually listen to the band and it's debut long player. They're not exactly reinventing the 'High Places' wheel, as they are that rare band that has found it's sound and embraced it completely, but they have perfected it, erasing any near-impossible flaws that could've been found in the past. It is the perfect pop record in the sense that it only goes 19 seconds over 30 minutes, and the beat never stops. It is ethereal and it is bouncy, it is sweet and it is challenging, all of the things that make it so rewarding to be a fan of this music. While it's less buried treasure than it was when it started, it still sounds personal enough for everyone to hold dear: when you're listening to songs like "Vision's the First..." or "Golden", it is yours. You get the empty room percussion, you get the rarely pitch-shifting vocals and the synths serve to sew it together into a well fitting shirt. It's all yours. High Places have done their part, and now it is our turn to sit back and enjoy it. Be it at a party or a candle lit dinner, this record is the soundtrack to every possible activity in life, and I personally am thankful to have that in any band, it is aces that it comes from these folks. An audible job well done.

"High Places" is out now from Thrill Jockey.

{purchase high places releases from insound}