The Vacant Lots
The Vacant Lots | |
---|---|
Jared Artaud and Brian MacFadyen of The Vacant Lots | |
Background information | |
Origin | Burlington, Vermont, U.S. |
Genres | Electro, psychedelic rock, garage rock, neo-psychedelia, minimal, shoegazing |
Years active | 2010-present |
Labels | Sonic Cathedral, Mexican Summer, The Reverberation Appreciation Society, Fuzz Club |
Website | Official Website |
Members |
Jared Artaud Brian MacFadyen |
Notable instruments | |
Silvertone 1484 Amp, Vox Phantom XII Guitar, Gretsch Country Gentleman Guitar, Live Visual Projector, Drone Box, TVL FUZZ Pedal, TVL Flight Case |
The Vacant Lots are an American electro psych band based in New York City and Burlington, Vermont.[1]
History
The Vacant Lots are a two-piece electro psych band formed by Jared Artaud (guitars, vocals, drone) and Brian MacFadyen (electronics, vocals, drums) in Burlington, Vermont.[2] The group is now based out of New York City and Vermont.
The Vacant Lots have developed a layered and powerful sound with only two people that combines a minimalist aesthetic of rock n roll with hypnotic guitar riffs, intense drum patterns, dynamic electronics, poetry-driven lyrics and live visual projections.[3][4][5]
The group has cited Native American drumming, Indian tanpura, early rock n roll, The Gun Club, and Television as major influences on their sound.[6]
In 2010, the duo were invited by Sonic Boom of legendary UK psych band Spacemen 3 and EAR to tour the U.S. for the first time with his band Spectrum.[7]
In 2011, The Vacant Lots signed to Mexican Summer[8] and released their first official single "Confusion" b/w "Cadillac."[9][10][11]
Later that year, The Black Angels and The Reverberation Appreciation Society invited The Vacant Lots to perform at Austin Psych Fest 4. In the summer of 2011, The Vacant Lots supported Dean Wareham (Galaxie 500, Luna, Dean & Britta) for one of the last performances of Dean Wareham Plays Galaxie 500 Songs at The Bell House in NYC.[12]
In 2012, they were invited back to play Austin Psych Fest 5 and the band signed to Austin Psych Fest's record label, The Reverberation Appreciation Society, for their second official 7" single release, "High And Low" b/w "Let Me Out."[13][14][15][16]
In January 2013, The Vacant Lots toured the U.S. with The Growlers.[17] In February, the duo's third single "6 AM" was released on Sonic Cathedral Records (UK), as part of a 6 band contemporary psych-rock compilation called Psych For Sore Eyes, mastered by Sonic Boom.[18]
In October 2013, The Vacant Lots' cover version of "No More Christmas Blues" by Alan Vega of Suicide was released on Cleopatra Records as part of a compilation album called Psych-Out Christmas that featured Iggy Pop, Psychic Ills, Dead Meadow, The Fuzztones and more.[19]
In February 2014, Jared Artaud released a book of poetry called Empty Space that was published by Dactyl Poetry. The Vacant Lots have also announced that they have completed their debut album, which will be released in the summer of 2014.[20] In addition, a documentary on The Vacant Lots called 2 Chords 1 Drone 3 Drums is currently being worked on.[6]
In April 2014, the two-piece supported indie-rock icon and label-mate Dean Wareham on a tour of the U.S.[21][22]
The Vacant Lots announced their debut album 'Departure' would be released on UK independent record label Sonic Cathedral on July 1, 2014. 'Departure' was produced by The Vacant Lots, mixed and mastered by Sonic Boom and features Dean Wareham on guitar.[21][23]
BrooklynVegan premiered the first single and music video for "Mad Mary Jones" from the debut album.[24][25]
On May 21, 2014 The Vacant Lots and Alan Vega of influential New York punk band Suicide released a split 10" vinyl on Fuzz Club Records.[26] The release debuts a new track by Alan Vega entitled "Nike Soldier" and an alternate mix of "Mad Mary Jones" by The Vacant Lots.[27] In the same week, Interview Magazine premiered the music video for "Before The Evening's Thru", which is the second released track from the band's upcoming debut album Departure.[28]
In June and July 2014, The Vacant Lots toured the UK for the first time with legendary neo-psych band The Brian Jonestown Massacre.[24][29]
On July 1, The Vacant Lots released their debut album 'Departure' on London independent label Sonic Cathedral.[30][31][32]
In September, Spanish independent label Ayo Silver! released a limited edition 10" vinyl entitled 'Arrival' compiling the band's singles and remixes. 'Arrival' was also included as a bonus disc in the first initial copies of the group's debut album and features artwork by LA Pop-Surrealist artist Anthony Ausgang. Additionally, in September the band toured Europe and the UK as well as a performance at Liverpool Psych Fest.
On September 22, Sonic Cathedral released the duo's third single "Paint This City" backed with "Departure." The Quietus premiered the music video for the single, which was directed by Boston filmmaker Samuel Quinn.[33][34][35]
The Vacant Lots were confirmed to support 1970s electro-punk legends Suicide at Webster Hall in New York City on March 7, 2015.[36][37] On March 16, 2015 Sonic Cathedral released a new remix 7" single by The Vacant Lots. The exclusive vinyl release features two remixes by Alan Vega of Suicide and Anton Newcombe of The Brian Jonestown Massacre.[38][39][40][41]
The Vacant Lots performed at acclaimed independent UK music festival Secret Garden Party with Temples and Toy on July 25, 2015.[42][43]
During their 2015 European tour, The Vacant Lots recorded a collaborative EP with Anton Newcombe of The Brian Jonestown Massacre in Berlin, Germany that will be released on record label A Recordings on November 25, 2016.[44]
Band members
Members
- Jared Artaud — Vocals, Guitars, Drone
- Brian MacFadyen — Drums, Vocals, Electronics
Discography
Albums
- Departure (LP) (July 2014) (Sonic Cathedral)
Singles
- "Departure" / "Let Me Out" (Sonic Boom Mix) (7") (April 2015) (Bronson Recordings)
- "6 AM" (Alan Vega Remix) / "Never Satisfied" (Anton Newcombe Remix) (7") (March 2015) (Sonic Cathedral)
- "Paint This City" / "Departure" (Digital) (September 2014) (Sonic Cathedral)
- "Before The Evening's Thru" (Digital) (July 2014) (Sonic Cathedral)
- "Mad Mary Jones" (Digital) (June 2014) (Sonic Cathedral)
- "High And Low" / "Let Me Out" (7") (August 2012) (The Reverberation Appreciation Society)
- "Confusion" / "Cadillac" (7") (January 2011) (Mexican Summer)
EPs
- Berlin (EP 12") (November 2016) (A Recordings)
- Arrival (EP 10") (September 2014) (Ayo Silver!)
- Arrival (EP Tape/CD) (July 2014) (Sonic Cathedral)
- Alan Vega/The Vacant Lots (split 10") (May 2014) (Fuzz Club Records)
Compilations
- "6 AM" (LP) Liverpool International Festival Of Psychedelia Presents PZYK Vol. 1' (October 2016) (PZYK Records)
- "Fame" (LP) A Salute To The Thin White Duke - The Songs of David Bowie (October 2016) (Cleopatra Records)
- "Julia" (LP) The Magical Mystery Psych-Out: A Tribute To The Beatles (March 2015) (Cleopatra Records)
- "She Smiled Sweetly" (LP) Stoned: A Psych Tribute to The Rolling Stones (January 2015) (Cleopatra Records)
- "No More Christmas Blues" (LP) Psych-Out Christmas (October 2013) (Cleopatra Records)
- "6 AM" (EP Psych For Sore Eyes) (February 2013) (Sonic Cathedral)
Logo
The Vacant Lots logo is a black spiral with the band name juxtaposed through and then around the outer layer or ring. Like most of the band's album artwork, concert posters and visual aesthetic, the colors black and white are used to create the logo. The design of the band's logo was created by The Vacant Lots.
References
- ↑ "Things You Should Know About The Vacant Lots". Seven Days. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "Fully Occupied". Seven Days. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "LEVITATION - RVRB-006 : Vacant Lots – HIGH & LOW". austinpsychfest.com. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "Burlington Free Press". Burlington Free Press. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "Pop Matters". Pop Maters. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
- 1 2 http://www.thedumbingofamerica.net/2013/01/09/the-vacant-lots-revisted/
- ↑ "Stuck in Vermont - Seven Days: The Vacant Lots [221]". blogs.com. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ Mexican Summer. "The Vacant Lots -". Mexican Summer. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "The Vacant Lots". Pitchfork. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ http://alteredzones.com/posts/792/vacant-lots-cadillac/
- ↑ "Pitchfork.tv - Pitchfork". Pitchfork. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "Welcome angioplastymedia.net - BlueHost.com". angioplastymedia.net. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ Julian Woolsey. "Interview with Jared Artaud of The Vacant Lots". rockedition.com. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "LEVITATION - THREE NEW RECORD RELEASES!". austinpsychfest.com. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "Covert Curiosity". covertcuriosity.blogspot.com. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "In Review: The Reverberation Appreciation Society & The Black Angels Present Austin Psych Fest 5". mxdwn.com. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "This Little Underground". Orlando Weekly. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ http://www.soniccathedral.co.uk/2012/12/psych-for-sore-eyes-ep-out-february-pre-order-now/
- ↑ "Psych-Out Christmas (LP)". cleorecs.com. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "Vacant Lots begin work on debut LP". The Downcast. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- 1 2 http://cultureaddicts.com/2014/04/06/vacant-lots-announce-debut-lp-release-video/
- ↑ http://www.mysocialist.com/tour/Dean+Wareham
- ↑ "The Vacant Lots - 'Mad Mary Jones' - Video - The 405". The 405. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- 1 2 "The Vacant Lots releasing 'Departure' in July (stream a track), playing dates w/ Dean Wareham, Brian Jonestown Massacre". brooklynvegan.com. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "Exclusivité IPR : The Vacant Lots". indiepoprock.fr. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "The Quietus - News - LISTEN: Alan Vega/Vacant Lots Split". The Quietus. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "THE VACANT LOTS VERSUS ALAN VEGA". soniccathedral.co.uk. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "Exclusive Video Premiere: 'Before the Evening's Thru,' The Vacant Lots". Interview Magazine. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "INTRODUCING: THE VACANT LOTS". soniccathedral.co.uk. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "The Vacant Lots track by track and album stream « Loud And Quiet - New music, features, reviews, news and free mp3s". loudandquiet.com. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "Departure by The Vacant Lots « Loud And Quiet - New music, features, reviews, news and free mp3s". loudandquiet.com. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "AdHoc". AdHoc.fm. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "The Quietus - News - WATCH: The Vacant Lots - Paint This City". The Quietus. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "THE VACANT LOTS – NEW SINGLE OUT NOW". soniccathedral.co.uk. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ Dom Gourlay. "How do you define "Psych" in 2014?". DrownedInSound. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ http://newyork-shows.relix.com/event/2015/03/07/suicide
- ↑ "THE VACANT LOTS TO SUPPORT SUICIDE IN NEW YORK". soniccathedral.co.uk. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "The Vacant Lots – 6 AM (Alan Vega Remix)". qthemusic.com. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "The Vacant Lots share video for '6 AM [Alan Vega remix]' [405 Premiere]". The 405. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/records/n34cxv
- ↑ <http://heatwavemag.com/interviews/dig-this-the-vacant-lots/
- ↑ "Eddy Says: Live And Let Die – or The birth of the Psychedelia Smithsonian tent at Secret Garden Party and monthly club night in London's Clapham Grand". completemusicupdate.com. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ "SPECTRES, THE VACANT LOTS, SONIC CATHEDRAL AT SECRET GARDEN PARTY". soniccathedral.co.uk. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ↑ https://agiantleappromotion.wordpress.com/2014/10/23/the-vacant-lots/
External links
- Official site
- Official Sonic Cathedral
- Official Reverberation Appreciation Society
- Official Mexican Summer