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THE LOW ANTHEM TO RELEASE NONESUCH RECORDS DEBUT OH MY GOD, CHARLIE DARWIN ON JUNE 9; East Coast tour dates include NYC’s Bowery Ballroom on June 15

THE LOW ANTHEM TO RELEASE NONESUCH RECORDS DEBUT OH MY GOD, CHARLIE DARWIN ON JUNE 9; East Coast tour dates include NYC’s Bowery Ballroom on June 15

Rhode Island-based trio The Low Anthem releases its Nonesuch Records debut, Oh My God, Charlie Darwin, on June 9. The album, which had a limited but critically praised independent release late last year, has an updated track sequence and packaging, and has been remastered by Gateway’s Bob Ludwig. Rolling Stone says the music on Charlie Darwin feels “homemade” and “solemnly beautiful,” and NPR Music called the song “To Ohio” a “tender stunner” when choosing it as a Song of the Day, saying, “At times languid and haunting, but with detours into Tom Waits-esque stomping and hollering, The Low Anthem’s music seems equally informed by Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, The Band and a late-night ride home in Joni Mitchell’s car.”

In anticipation of the forthcoming release, The Low Anthem spends the rest of April making its way up the northeastern seaboard with Ray Lamontagne and Elvis Perkins before performing at this year’s Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. A headlining show at New York City’s Bowery Ballroom in has just been added for Monday, June 15. Tickets are $13/$15 (day of show) and go on sale today. More shows will be announced soon.

The Low Anthem, which is signed to Bella Union in Europe, recently performed six sets at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, where the New York Times called them “stately” and said, “the Low Anthem harmonized on slow, sustained songs-often waltzes-using instruments like harmonium, clarinet, some kind of small euphonium and a set of metal discs played with a bow for eerie high tones, perfect accompaniment…with lyrics contemplating faith, loss, destruction and self-destruction in visionary imagery,” the BBC called them “stunning” and said, “Expect much flowerier words of praise thrown on this band in the future; they deserve everything said about them.” Mojo describe their set as “heartbreaking” and called the band, “truly startling songwriters and instrumentalists. Theirs is a gloriously romantic vision of America that sits somewhere between Dylan and Waits.”

The Low Anthem comprises Jocie Adams, Ben Knox Miller, and Jeff Prystowsky; Adams plays clarinet, Miller plays guitar and sings (and is the group’s principle songwriter), and Prystowsky plays bass, but they each play a handful of other instruments on Oh My God, Charlie Darwin and in live performances. The three met while studying at Brown University in Providence, RI, and have been playing together for nearly two years. (Before Adams joined the group, an earlier incarnation of The Low Anthem released What the Crow Brings in 2007.)

Oh My God, Charlie Darwin was co-produced by The Low Anthem and Jesse Lauter. The band, Lauter, and several good friends went to Block Island, RI, for ten cold days in January 2008. They brought recording equipment along on the ferry ride and made the album in an empty summer cabin. Among the 27 instruments on the record are zither, pump organ, Tibetan singing bowl, and an oil drum. The Low Anthem pays homage to two heroes with the record’s only cover, a one-take rendition of “Home I’ll Never Be,” with words by Jack Kerouac and music by Tom Waits.

The Low Anthem On Tour:

Sat Apr 11 Portland, ME – Merrill Auditorium at City Hall w/Ray Lamontagne
Sun Apr 12 Burlington, VT – Flynn Center for the Performing Arts w/Ray Lamontagne
Mon Apr 13 Montpelier, VT – Langdon St Cafe
Tues Apr 14 Montreal, QC – Metropolis w/Ray Lamontagne
Wed Apr 15 Toronto, ONT – Massey Hall w/Ray Lamontagne
Sat Apr 18 Boston, MA – Record Store Day – Newbury Comics In-Store
Fri Apr 24 Providence, RI – Lupos w/Elvis Perkins in Dearland & Deer Tick
Sat Apr 25 Burlingston, VT – Higher Ground w/Elvis Perkins in Dearland
Mon Apr 27 Montreal, QC – II Motore w/Elvis Perkins in Dearland
Wed Apr 29 Toronto, ONT – Horseshoe Tavern w/Elvis Perkins in Dearland
Thurs Jun 11 Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo
Mon Jun 15 New York, NYC – Bowery Ballroom