An exciting year for independent music releases just got another infusion of awesome. Most bar chats and twitter RTs have cited the Grizzly Bear/Animal Collective axis for 2009′s likely blockbusters, and for good reason, but reserve a slot near the top of the year-end list you’ve already compiled: Dirty Projectors are putting out their fifth full-length, and it could be a monster. Bitte Orca follows the triumph of Rise Above, Dave Longstreth’s remembered, impressionistic, avant-rock take on Black Flag’s classic Damaged LP. That last album’s touring lineup has been good for a band that’s historically comprised a revolving cast orbiting around principle and permanent Projector Longstreth, so it’s wise he kept it in tact for these Brooklyn/Portland, OR studio sessions: Next to Dave it’s Brian McComber on drums, Amber Chase and Angel Deradoorian on guitar and bass (respectively) and seraphic supplementary vocals (collectively). This is them on the cover:
(via P4K)
Starting to detect a Dirty Projectors pictures theme.
UPDATE: And that theme is a Slaves’ Graves & Ballads reprise (thanks, Rich):
Bitte Orca will have nine tracks:
01 “Cannibal Resource”
02 “Temecula Sunrise”
03 “The Bride”
04 “Stillness Is The Move”
05 “Two Doves”
06 “Useful Chamber”
07 “No Intention”
08 “Remade Horizon”
09 “Fluorescent Half Dome”
Two of them we’ve been hearing live since MHOW last April: “Temecula Sunrise,” and “Stillness Is The Move” (assuming that’s a new name for then-titled “That’s My Move” (UPDATE: It’s not.). On first listen they seemed to pick up where the band’s snaking, thrashing, and spiraling Rise Above sound left off, shifting into sunnier, poppier territory. This is what they sounded like in April ’08:
“Temecula Sunrise”
“Stillness Is The Move” “That’s My Move”
Bodes well. Bitte Orca is out 6/9 on Domino. In related news, 6/9 can’t get here soon enough. That’ll be preceded by first single “Stillness Is The Move” on 4/21, available digitally and on 12″, including an a cappella mix (smart), a Lucky Dragons remix, and two b-sides: “Wave The Bloody Shirt” and “Bitte Bitte Orca.” Until then, bide your time with Angel Deradoorian’s solo EP, or the DP’s David Byrne collab for Dark Was The Night, or their cover of “Hyper-Ballad” from our tribute to Björk’s Post, or just feverishly re-read this Progress Report. They say the album is about Plaxico Burress (the album is not about Plaxico Burress).
Finally, there will be a tour, and it will see the band jump to a sextet, adding Haley Dekle (vocals) and Rise Above‘s studio bassist (and worthy solo artist) Nat Baldwin. And that’s fresh. Here are the dates. Don’t play games — buy your tix asap.
02/27 – Bennington, VT @ Bennington College Student Center *
02/28 – Haverford, PA @ Lunt Basement
03/06 – Minneapolis, MN @ Walker Art Center
03/07 – Grinnell, IA @ Grinnell College Gardner Lounge
03/19 – Austin, TX @ The Parish (NPR SXSW party)
03/19 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s Annex (Windish Agency SXSW showcase)
03/20 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s Jr. (Pitchfork/Windish party)
03/21 – Austin, TX (SXSW)
03/24 – Nottingham, England @ Rescue Rooms #
03/25 – Cardiff, Wales @ Clwb Ifor Bach #
03/27 – Belfast, Ireland @ Black Box #
03/28 – Dublin, Ireland @ Crawdaddy #
03/29 – Glasgow, Scotland @ ABC2 #
03/31 – Brighton, England @ Komedia #
04/01 – Manchester, England @ Mint Lounge #
04/02 – London, England @ Scala #
04/03 – Bristol, England @ Arnolfini #
04/04 – Coventry, England @ Taylor Johns House #
* with Icy Demons
# with Lucky Dragons, Polar Bear
[Photo by Nina Mouritzen]
You Might Also Like
 Nat Baldwin – “Weights” Video |  Nat Baldwin – “Lifted” |  Delicate Steve – “Wondervisions” Video (Feat. Nat Baldwin) |  Deradoorian – “You Carry The Deed (Hidden Cat Remix)” |
 |
 |
“…Rise Above, Dave Longstreth’s remembered, impressionistic, avant-rock take on Black Flag’s classic of the same name.”
THE FUCKING ALBUM WAS CALLED DAMAGED! Seriously, if you don’t know or bother to check your facts, stop writing. Please.
You should consider reading the sentence in full, you fucking idiot. Re-read.
The story as originally posted had an error. Reread Michael H.’s quote of the original article and then call yourself a fucking idiot.
I get the impression that Longstreth rejected Kimpossible’s request to tour with the band. Don’t worry, Kim, you’ll get you chance. In the meanwhile, try listening to the soothing sounds of Ed Droste’s taint’s pulse; it’ll make you feel better.
I can’t wait to hear this
02/28 – Haverford, PA @ Lunt Basement w/ Cymbals Eat Guitars!
GB publicist > DP publicist
DP > GB
they are both so different and I love both. I doubt GB’s publicist is sending commenters to talk about getting SEMEN roll down their face or taints.
Really looking forward to this. I’m glad that they’ve kept the lineup from the Rise Above touring. They’re probably a bit too oddball to ever get huge but this might be the year that a lot more people pick up on them.
God, those two are gorgeous.
i’m pretty sure this is my favorite year in music, or, will hopefully be. I am only 19, so that isn’t saying too much. also, i’m not sure if competition for public recognition between AC, GB, DP, Junior Boys, Crystal Antlers, Dan Deacon, Swan Lake, and Lotus Plaza, is a bad thing. will most likely just make for a more memorable year.
also, could you guys do a progress report on Fuck Buttons? I can smell a new EP/LP surfacing from the bowels of their nintendo consoles.
HAHA, Awesome.
angel,angel,angel..have my children so I can have good looking kids,please?
I cannot wait for this album and am hoping they come back to LA soon.
The Dirty Projectors can suck my rock hard black cock.
clever!
They want kids masturbate to that cover?
And they’re playing with Cymbals Eat Guitars tomorrow night at Haverford College…
http://www.myspace.com/cymbalseatguitars
that will possibly the best show this year. two amazing bands
Domino is really on the ball …Don Draper can go plaster another !))) pepsi ads all over town… it won’t matter. Dig A Pony! Charlie Kaufman will win an Oscar yet!
I love all the band vs band comments. Maybe you doucheys should try following sports, music isn’t a competition.
…i would fucking win anyway.
Go fucking Kansas City Royals!!!!!!!
Even New Yorkers should hate the Yankees on principal!
That video isn’t “Stillness is the Move.” It is “That’s My Move.” I saw them play stillness last night and it was sick. Black as night. Most of the people there sucked…including Cymbals Eat Guitars.
Yeah I don’t think ‘That’s My Move’ is actually on the album at all.. ‘Stillness Is The Move’ is a different song.. Also somebody pointed out that this Bitte Orca cover seems to be a sort of tribute to their own Slaves Graves and Ballads album cover from a few years back (google it!)
Dirty Projectors may have been the worst band I’ve ever seen live. Their singer can’t play guitar to save his life, he’s always noodling on the high strings but ends up hitting so many of the wrong strings at the same time, and it just comes out sounding like he’s playing a different song than everyone else. It was torture to sit through them in Toronto.
God damn it. Fuck dirty posts glorifying Grizzly Bear as some kind of force above all other bands that have albums out this year. First of all, there’s no reason other music can’t get people excited at the same time as Grizzly Bear’s album. If you want to listen to nothing but that for the rest of the year, it’s your prerogative, not a requirement for all people. Second, the imagery is disgusting.
(I’m guessing this is the same poster who claimed he would rate the sound of Grizzly Bear’s semen rolling down his face a 9.6/10. So, yeah, fuck him.)
He’s making a stupid joke and being sarcastic. He’s not funny, but you are also taking it WAY too seriously.
LOL at you hunter w. for doing exactly what umm said.
you’d want to fuck him hunter w. wouldn’t you, you dirty projector loving dirty whore you…