"Waitin' on the midnight hour / Swimmin' in the moon forever / Staying where the sun come up / Feeling like it's now or never..."
The evocative electronica poured over the emotional organica of "Nothing and Everything" by Mr. Gnome, the Cleveland art-rock duo comprised of lead singer/guitarist Nicole Barille and drummer/pianist Sam Meister, feels distilled from a cross generational / multi-genre'd visual and sonic stew. Against the warbling sinewy synth sounds, the hybrid trap beat and Barille's bedroom pop noir vocal stance, there are complex washes of psychedelic rock, industrial, baroque pop, shoegaze and house pushing buttons and touchstones of eras past and future. Somehow, the lush, soulful patchwork feels decidedly and excitedly retro and futuristic. I have always adored synthwave / darkwave that pulls from vintage, from kitch and from dystopic places in terms of the sonic imagery produced and Barille, Meister and collaborators have achieved this and more.
I love when this track amps up as it goes, get's more emotional and distorted. In it's final third act it feels like the theme song for a new NetFlix of Hulu binger. The duo have been around since 2005, universe building and receiving critical acclaim from the likes of Rolling Stone (named "Band To Watch" in a spotlight review), Pitchfork, NPR, Paste, Esquire, Spin, Magnet, MTV, KEXP, and American Songwriter and more, as well as creating DIY visuals for their album covers, press related photography and short films. Their upcoming album "A Sliver of Space" poised to drop Septermber 27th, 2024 via El Marko Records will be their first full length since 2020's "The Day You Flew Away".
From LINER NOTES, the duo share:
"When we started writing 'A Sliver of Space' we were working through a lot of personal loss and life upheaval. Lyrically and musically, nothing was off limits and we dove headfirst into really exploring the liminal, dreamlike spaces between life and death, consciousness and unconsciousness, the past and the future, happiness and sadness, the real and the make believe. This album is essentially about our descent into madness and our ultimate salvation through love."
08/24 • Lexington, KY • Expansion Music Fest • The Burl
09/27 • Wheeling, WV • Waterfront Hall
09/28 • Frostburg, MD • The Deep End
10/01 • Washington, D.C. • Pie Shop
10/04 • Pensacola, FL • The Handlebar
10/05 • Adams, TN • Spoopy Festival
10/08 • St. Louis, MO • The Platypus
10/09 • Grand Rapids, MI • Pyramid Scheme
10/10 • Madison, WI • Gamma Ray Bar
10/11 • Columbus, OH • Ace of Cups
10/12 • Dayton, OH • Dayton 20th Music Fest - Blind Bob’s
10/14 • Kansas City, MO • Sister Anne’s Records and Coffee
10/15 • Denver, CO • Lost Lake
10/16 • Salt Lake City, UT • The DLC
10/17 • Boise, ID • Shrine Social Club (Basement)
10/18 • Portland, OR • Star Theater
10/19 • Seattle, WA • Sunset Tavern
10/22 • San Francisco, CA • Bottom of the Hill
10/23 • Los Angeles, CA • Permanent Records Roadhouse
10/25 • Tucson, AZ • 191 Toole
10/26 • Albuquerque, NM • Juno Brewery
11/01 • Chicago, IL • Beat Kitchen
11/02 • Cleveland, OH • Beachland Ballroom
Stepping into the emotional haze of "Nothing and Everything" I am feeling a rather diverse amalgam of artists like Nation of Language, Beach House, Empire of The Sun, Sunset Rubdown, Raven Numan both attitundinal and artistically. I look forward to stepping into "A Sliver of Space".
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM
https://www.youtube.com/@MrGnomeMusic
https://mrgnome.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/mrgnomemusic/
https://www.facebook.com/mrgnomemusic
https://x.com/mrgnomemusic
Pushing the limits of sonic exploration, Cleveland art-rock duo, Mr. Gnome, create a living, breathing, shapeshifting realm of psychedelic orchestration on their eagerly anticipated LP, A Sliver of Space, set to be released September 27th on El Marko Records.
Today, the duo share the swirling, hypnotic first single from the record, "Nothing and Everything." The track is filled with the uncertainty, fear, sadness and confusion over the unexpected losses the duo experienced during the recording process, leaving them feeling like the world had shifted in the wrong direction.
"It’s also about an understanding that with love, we can get through even the most fucked up of times," the band adds about the new single. "The end of this is about passion and escape, allowing yourself to let go for a moment and live in the now vs. longing for the past."
Check out the new single via YouTube, pre-order the vinyl and cd, and find it on Bandcamp. Additionally, the band is also announcing a full North American fall tour in support of the new album.
"When we started writing A Sliver of Space," they describe, "we were working through a lot of personal loss and life upheaval. Lyrically and musically, nothing was off limits and we dove headfirst into really exploring the liminal, dreamlike spaces between life and death, consciousness and unconsciousness, the past and the future, happiness and sadness, the real and the make believe. This album is essentially about our descent into madness and our ultimate salvation through love."
Since 2005, Barille and drummer/pianist Sam Meister have been crafting a vision of expansive, technicolor art-rock, receiving critical acclaim from the likes of Rolling Stone (named "Band To Watch" in a spotlight review), Pitchfork, NPR, Paste, Esquire, Spin, Magnet, MTV, KEXP, and American Songwriter, among others. In addition to this wholly-realized sonic presentation, Mr. Gnome has an extensive history of producing head-turning DIY visuals in the form of otherworldly album covers, artistic press photography and mind-bending short films.
Such ambitious audiovisual presentation is matched perhaps only by the energy of their live shows, as Mr. Gnome has long held a strong cult following across the United States for their cathartic, raucous performances. This sixth release sees the long-awaited return of Mr. Gnome to the stage for their upcoming, coast-to-coast U.S. tour this fall. They will be joined by touring guitarist/bassist Jonah Meister, who is also a featured player on A Sliver of Space.
Whether via sound, visuals, or live experience, Mr. Gnome has a knack for taking the beautiful monsters that exist within all of us and shining a glorious light on them. A Sliver of Space finds beauty in chaos by alchemically fusing spectral sounds with a widescreen cinematic perspective. This soaring, introspective musical journey constantly beckons the listener - to get lost watching stars explode, to gaze upon souls splitting and swirling to reunite, and to melt their minds if only for a moment.
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