(Upcoming Release) Umphrey’s McGee Launches Death by Stereo – Cover Art, move to ATO Records

Very soon on the heels of their self-released 2 LP and digital-only release of 2010 Hall of Fame that I reported on previously, Umphrey’s McGee announced their new studio album! To be titled Death By Stereo, it will be released on September 13th.

Death By Stereo marks the first release by the band since their move to ATO Records— home of Dawes, My Morning Jacket and Drive-By Truckers. While no explicit reason is given for the move from long-time home SCIFidelity, it is my opinion that this move will probably give the band some resources not available to them on SCIFidelity as far as distribution and promotion, if not visibility.

The press-release which came out earlier this week, says that Death By Stereo is a “lethal musical gumbo” which pretty well describes the genre-crunching band. The tracks mentioned in the article include “Wellwishers” which was originally going to be part of a digital EP series and was freely downloadable as an mp3 in exchange for an e-mail address via TopSpin (who was also the method for selling Hall of Fame) and also downloadable via umlive (my article here). Also mentioned are “Conduit” and “Booth Love” which both have been performed in concert (links to archive.org). “Conduit” was also included in the Summer 2011 free sampler provided by the band. Two tracks we haven’t formally heard as of this writing are “Miami Virtue” described as a psychedelic blend of Pink Floyd and Phoenix, and “Black Keys-style blues” track “Domino Theory.”

With the amazing pre-sale madness surrounding Mantis with its massive amount of free downloads, I’m sure we’ll get something just as cool with this release. Since they are on ATO, I’m hoping that the vinyl release will be 2 LP’s of 45 RPM 180g vinyl, just like Dawes has done for their two LPs. The band is already soliciting opinions about whether to include a CD or just download codes, so they are maintaining their practice of keeping their finger on the pulse of the fans.

Stay tuned for more details as they arrive!

Unplugged Musings has an article with some speculation on additional songs that could make Death By Stereo with video clips.

Upcoming Release : Booker T. Takes “The Road From Memphis” with The Roots and Daptone’s Gabriel Roth on May 10.

Following up 2009’s GRAMMY-winning Potato Hole should have been tough for Booker T. Jones to follow. In fact, who would have blamed him if he took a break, resting on the achievement– which was a tribute as much as an updating of the Southern Fried B-3 fueled sound he effectively served on dozens of sides on Stax Records with his band The MG’s. Backing Booker T. on Potato Hole was an Überband of Neil Young and The Drive-By Truckers and produced by main Trucker Patterson Hood which delivered its Hammond barbeque with a side of Gibson distortion.

The formula for following up Potato Hole was to enlist go-to backing band from Philly THE ROOTS! Titled The Road From Memphis the album also features vocals from Sharon Jones, Lou Reed, Yim Yames from My Morning Jacket, and Matt Berninger from The National. Jones himself steps up for a rare vocal as does his daughter Liv. The album is produced by ?uestlove of The Roots and is engineered by Gabe Roth of Daptone Records.

Frankly, this album has GRAMMY written all over it.

Anti- Records released Potato Hole on 2 LP 180g that sounded pretty damn amazing. For The Road From Memphis according to Amazon, it will be 1 LP. No word on weight, but I’d have to believe it will be 180g again.

Here is some footage of Booker T. and the Roots taking on Lauren Hill‘s “Everything is Everything”:

 

Full track listing for ‘The Road from Memphis:

Walking Papers
Crazy
Progress (feat. Yim Yames of My Morning Jacket)
The Hive
Down In Memphis
Everything Is Everything
Rent Party
Representing Memphis (feat. Matt Berninger & Sharon Jones)
(On April 4th, you’ll be able to download this mp3 for $0.99 from Amazon).
The Vamp
Harlem House
The Bronx (feat. Lou Reed)

Click Here for the Anti- Records Page on The Road From Memphis

Click Here for Booker T. Jones’ website

Click Here for The Booker T. Facebook Fanpage