In his email regarding the upcoming Ladies Auxiliary tour, singer/keyboardist Colin Pate stated, “we’re not a real popular band.” I couldn’t help but grin. That sort of timid honesty always charms me to pieces, and it just so happens that Ladies Auxiliary play the wistful, Beach House-y sort of dream pop that I currently can’t get enough of. Plus, the tour swings through a string of Southern cities — my neck of the woods! Are they vying for my personal affection? Probably not, actually.
Even if Ladies Auxiliary aren’t particularly popular, they sure have been busy this year. They released their debut album, My Side of the Mountain (TMT Review) back in March, and they’re about to release another one titled On the Shadow, which the band describes on their Tumblr:
Without much thought for a unifying sound, the group submerged their twangy, whimsical impulses, and went right for the gut. Taking cues from early Factory Records, Suicide, Philly Soul, Scott Walker and anthemic heartland rock, the songs have gigantic hooks and melodies, but still allow plenty for nuance and space. Lyrical themes, though they remain personal, touch on universal notions of the comforts and distress of nostalgia, instability of friendship, and fear of demise.
My Side of the Mountain is currently available on the Ladies Auxiliary Bandcamp page (name your own price), and On the Shadow is slated for a November 8 release. Also, since most of the upcoming shows are just a hop, skip, and a jump away from me, who knows, maybe I’ll see you there?
Dates:
11.01.11 - Harrisonburg, VA - Downtown 34
11.02.11 - Winston-Salem, NC - Elliott’s Revue
11.03.11 - Wilmington, NC - Satellite
11.04.11 - Columbia, SC - Conundrum
11.05.11 - Atlanta, GA - Wonderroot
11.06.11 - Raleigh, NC - King’s Barcade
11.07.11 - Richmond, VA - The Camel
• Ladies Auxiliary: http://ladiesauxiliary.tumblr.com
[Photo: David Norbery]