WUSSY Announce Record Store Day single “Ceremony”

WUSSY  Announce Record Store Day single "Ceremony"

Ceremony is a RSD exclusive single featuring two new unheard tracks from Cincinnati’s Wussy, released by Damnably records on Gold Vinyl. The band will be heading out on tour in the UK on 27 April, starting at the Sage in Gateshead with Shonen Knife. They’ll play two London shows at the Windmill in Brixton over the first May bank-holiday, the second night of which they will play their new album Forever Sounds in its entirity.

Following hot on the heels of the bands 6th album Forever Sounds (released March 4th), this single features a noise drenched cover of the Joy Division/New Order classic “Ceremony” (premiered on Stereogum) and “Days and Hours” (premiered on Clash) – a lush slow-burner filled with gargling guitars, almost orchestral swathes of noise. Lisa and Chuck duet over the desolation which at times approaches Joy Division’s more somber moments.

Following the band’s first US TV appearance (CBS) in 2014 and increased critical acclaim from the likes of Pitchfork and Spin, they headed to the studio to record Forever Sounds with renewed vigour and a new engineering team. John Hoffman and Jerri Queen (both of Vacation), along with John Curley (Afghan Whigs), at Curley’s Ultrasuede Studios enabled the band to take more chances and create the sound they had always been reaching for. Although the new album is a natural progression from 2012’s Strawberry and 2014’s Attica!, the cleaner production of previous records has been set aside for a move towards shoegaze and drone rock sounds. While their pop sensibilities remain intact, the mix and instrumentation are more reminiscent of the band’s noise-heavy live shows. There are quiet moments, as with all Wussy records; but the overarching sonic theme is a wash of heavy psychedelia.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/248488430″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

Wussy formed on a dare in 2001 when retired stonemason Chuck Cleaver (formerly of Ass Ponys) and Lisa Walker began playing together as a result of Cleaver’s stage fright. The duo’s first performance was largely unplanned but went without incident, so Mark Messerly was recruited on bass and later Joe Klug on drums and keys. The band’s newest member, John Erhardt, has helped Wussy truly come into its own, adding a David Gilmour-esque layer of heavy shoegaze pedal steel. Cleaver and Walker share singing and songwriting duties, trading lead vocals, harmonising in patterns on top of one another. Both are known for sharing tales of the supernatural combined with day-in-the-life portraits, both disquieting and tranquil.

Wussy have evolved over the last decade to become forerunners of New Midwestern Psychedelia. The band has been heralded by critics for both their songwriting and varied sonic palette, often drawing comparisons to admitted heroes, Television, Velvet Underground, Crazy Horse and Yo La Tengo. Wussy have recorded sessions for BBC 6Music’s Marc Riley/Gideon Coe and KEXP. They have showcased at SXSW and CMJ, and have supported several tours for fellow Ohioans Afghan Whigs and Heartless Bastards, as well as sharing the stage with bands such as Yo La Tengo, The Breeders, Best Coast, Mudhoney, Okkervil River, The Mekons, COME, Wreckless Eric and Jeffrey Lewis.

WUSSY “Forever Sounds” UK 2016 Tour

April 27 Newcastle – Sage Gateshead w/ Shonen Knife
April 28 Manchester – The Castle Hotel, 66 Oldham Street, Manchester M4 1LE w/ False Nines
April 29 York – The Crescent Community Venue
April 30 Cardiff – The Full Moon w/ Personal Best
May 1 London – Walpurgis Nacht Festival @ Windmill Brixton w/ Kath Bloom (US), おとぼけビ~バ~ - Otoboke Beaver (JP)
May 2 London – ‘Forever Sounds’ played in it’s entirety Windmill Brixton w/ Slowgun Hurtling BRUJA #Hobbled
May 3 Leicester – The Musician Pub w/ echolocation
May 4 Derby – The Hairy Dog
May 5 Brighton – The Hope & Ruin w/Garden Centre
May 6 Birmingham – Hare & Hounds Kings Heath
May 7 Edinburgh – The Electric Circus
May 8 Bristol – The Fleece Bristol w/ Shonen Knife & Leggy

Xsnoize Author
Mark Millar is the founder of XS Noize and looks after the daily running of the website as well as hosting interviews for the weekly XS Noize Podcast. Mark's favourite album is Achtung Baby by U2.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*