Thursday, October 4, 2007

The Octopus Project continues to charm the press, prepares for the release of Hello,Avalanche, launches headlining tour and more good is still to come

“...here's a vote for The Octopus Project as the greatest band ever.” – Boston Globe

“...surprisingly irresistible.” – Nylon

“The lovely Theremin lead... suggests that technology just might save us after all.” – Pitchfork
All things considered, it’s no wonder that taste-making outlets like Rolling Stone, Resonance, Magnet, XLR8R, Harp, CMJ, Wired, ReadyMade, DIW, Pitchfork, Stereogum, Under The Radar and Spin have taken note of The Octopus Project’s remarkable talent and charm. After two albums, a split release with Black Moth Super Rainbow, a performance at last year’s Coachella festival, several high profile South By Southwest appearances, and a sold out headlining tour, the Austin-based band suddenly seems to be everywhere.

The group recently finished road stints with Stereo Total and Aesop Rock, and is now launching a nationwide headlining tour in support of its third album, Hello, Avalanche to be released by Peek-a-Boo Records on October 16th. The new album was recorded and co-produced by The Octopus Project and Ryan Hadlock (Blonde Redhead, The Gossip) at Bear Creek Studio in Seattle and was mixed by the band with Erik Wofford (Voxtrot, Explosions In The Sky) back home in Austin.

The Octopus Project live experience is an exciting one – check out some footage from the band’s recent McCarren Pool Party headlining gig as captured by New York Magazine HERE. Of the tour, drummer Toto Miranda says, “After all the detail-oriented work we put into the record, we're really looking forward to taking the new batch of songs to the people – usually our tunes continue to evolve as we play them out and it's exciting to start crossing them over from the perfectionist studio world into the somewhat more chaotic live show.”

Wow -- this is a band that keeps itself busy! Owing to the age of multitasking, The Octopus Project is involved with appearances in video games, remixes, satirical side bands, crafting, and basically just being the cutest, most endearing group on the planet. “Music Is Happiness” (VIDEO), a track from The Octopus Project’s 2005 album One Ten Hundred Thousand Million currently appears on the soundtrack of the “Tony Hawk's Proving Ground” videogame. Pitchfork recently unveiled The Octopus Project’s remix of the You Say Party! We Say Die! song “Like I Give a Care” (MP3).

And now for something completely different! A The Octopus Project fun fact about drummer Toto Miranda: In addition to time spent in the bands Woozyhelmet, The Fuck Off and Dies, Jracula, and WWJLD (a Jesus Lizard cover band), Miranda also used to play in Terry Gross, an instrumental metal band where all the songs are named after NPR commentators.

The Octopus Project is also collectively crafty. Along with making the adorable stuffed animals and wallets that are sold as band merchandise (see just how adorable HERE – we like Roodee), Theremin goddess Yvonne Lambert sews dresses and belts, Miranda makes collage art and curates a T-shirt line, and Lambert's husband, The Octopus Project guitarist Josh Lambert, is heavily involved with web design and animation which he contributes to the band's videos and visuals.

One of Josh Lambert's next projects is helping to finish the video for the next single from Hello, Avalanche. The song “Truck” has closed the band's show for some time and is not only a crowd favorite, but considered by some to be the group's most revelatory and rocking tune. Stereogum recently debuted the track (LINK) and it can now be downloaded en masse, along with the album's first single “I Saw The Bright Shinies” via the links below. See below for The Octopus Project’s complete tour itinerary as well and stay busy with the band it sets up shop in your town this fall!

Hello, Avalanche Tracklisting:
Stream Selected Tracks HERE
Release Date: October 16th, 2007

01. Snow Tip Cap Mountain
02. Truck (MP3)
03. Bees Bein' Strugglin'
04. An Evening With Rthrtha
05. Black Blizzard/Red Umbrella
06. Upmann
07. Mmaj
08. I Saw The Bright Shinies (MP3)
09. Ghost Moves
10. Vanishing Lessons
11. Exploding Snowhorse
12. Loud Murmuring
13. Queen

The Octopus Project Live:
% = w/ Enon
10/04 Houston, TX Numbers w/ Bring Back The Guns
10/05 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon
10/06 New Orleans, LA House Of Blues
10/07 Tallahassee, FL Beta Lounge
10/08 Orlando, FL Back Booth
10/09 West Palm Beach, FL City Limits
10/10 Jacksonville, FL Jack Rabbit's %
10/11 Atlanta, GA Drunken Unicorn
10/12 Knoxville, TN Pilot Light
10/13 Charlotte, NC Milestone
10/14 Raleigh, NC Duke University
10/15 Baltimore, MD Ottobar
10/16 Washington, DC Rock and Roll Hotel
10/17 Philadelphia, PA John Brenda's
10/18 New York, NY High Line Ballroom
10/19 Northampton, MA Iron Horse
10/20 Boston, MA Great Scott
10/21 Montreal, PQ La Sala Rosa
10/22 Toronto, ONT Sneaky Dee's
10/23 Buffalo, NY Soundlab
10/24 Pittsburgh, PA Garfield
10/25 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop %
10/26 Chicago, IL Abbey Theater %
10/27 Chicago, IL Abbey Theater %
10/28 Milwaukee, WI Mad Planet
10/29 Minneapolis, MN Entry %
10/30 Omaha, NE Waiting Room
10/31 Oklahoma City, OK Opolis
11/01 Lawrence, KS Replay lounge
11/02 Denver, CO Larimer Lounge
11/03 Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge
11/05 Seattle, WA Chop Suey
11/06 Vancouver, BC Media Club
11/07 Portland, OR Holocene %
11/08 San Francisco, CA Bottom Of The Hill
11/08 Visalia, CA Howie's
11/10 Los Angeles, CA The Roxy
11/11 San Diego, CA Casbah %
11/12 Tucson, AZ Plush
11/13 Phoenix, AZ Modified
11/14 Albuquerque, NM Launchpad
11/15 Lubbock, TX Jake's
11/17 Austin, TX Emo's
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