This week, Durham N.C. trio and former Justin Vernon bandmates Megafaun released their fourth LP, the self-titled Megafaun. The album was the #3 Most Added record at CMJ this week, and already the reviews are rolling in! Check out some of the initial praise below!
From Pitchfork
“Megafaun have quietly completed the smart, sizable stylistic shift they started on last fall’s Heretofore EP, drawing back on the burly backwoods weirdness of their earlier work while widening their stylistic scope and pushing compositional delicacy to the forefront. And Megafaun may be their most immediately ingratiating, rewarding LP yet” – 7.8
From PopMatters
“No matter how you frame it, Megafaun is a stunning, expansive, and utterly satisfying record. It’s roadworn but hopeful, melodically fascinating, and never misses a step on its wandering, restless path” – 8/10
From KCRW
“With a new self-titled recording that ranges from free jazz to Delta blues, Megafaun proves they can cover all kinds of classic American music.”
Megafaun are in New York for two shows at Mercury Lounge, on September 25 and 26. Details can be found here in The New Yorker.
MEGAFAUN ON TOUR:
09.22 • Cat’s Cradle w/ Perry Owen Wright (Carrboro, NC)
09.23 • Red Palace w/ Matthew White (Washington, DC)
09.24 • Mercury Lounge w/ Doug Paisley (New York, NY)
09.25 • Mercury Lounge w/ Doug Paisley (New York, NY)
09.27 • Beachland Tavern w/ Doug Paisley (Cleveland, OH)
09.28 • Schubas w/ Doug Paisley (Chicago, IL)
09.29 • High Noon w/ Doug Paisley (Madison, WI)
09.30 • Cedar Cultural Center w/ Doug Paisley (Minneapolis, MN)
10.01 • Waiting Room w/ Doug Paisley (Omaha, NE)
10.04 • Tractor w/ Doug Paisley (Seattle, WA)
10.05 • Electric Owl w/ Doug Paisley (Vancouver, BC Canada)
10.06 • Doug Fir w/ Doug Paisley (Portland, OR)
10.07 • Cafe DuNord w/ Doug Paisley (San Francisco, CA)
10.08 • Satellite w/ Doug Paisley (Los Angeles, CA)
10.09 • McCabe’s w/ Doug Paisley (Santa Monica, CA)
10.10 • Casbah w/ Doug Paisley (San Diego, CA)
Megafaun from Hometapes on Vimeo.
PopMatters just posted a review of Megafaun‘s Gather, Form and Fly, calling it “one of the best records of 2009.” (We agree!)
Also, Megafaun wrapped up their tour with Bowerbirds this past Monday in Atlanta. Best night EVER! Check out our Tumblr for photos of pre-show downtime with the guys, or our intern Alyssa’s Flickr for shots from the show!
Check out Megafaun’s FOUR STAR review of Gather, Form & Fly by David Fricke in Rolling Stone!
Also in case you missed it, here is their review from the Onion A.V. Club and their 8.1 rated review from Pitchfork!
The trio from North Carolina by way of Eau Claire, Wisconsin are clearly making the most out of 2009! It feels like everything these guys have accomplished prior to this years release Gather, Form & Fly, has been in preparation for this summer! From their days as DeYarmond Edison alongside longtime friend* Justin Vernon* (a.k.a. Bon Iver) to their first release Bury The Square in 2007, they’ve only gotten better and better at what they already do best, write amazing songs and tour their hearts out.
Thenew record Gather, Form & Fly on Hometapes has been getting rave reviews across the country (the most recent being an 8.1 in Pitchfork). They are certainly celebrating their success on the road, as they are also on an amazing tour with Bowerbirds (check out pics of their stop to Bowery Ballroom courtesy of Brooklyn Vegan). It doesn’t seem like things are going to slow down for Megafaun, and I bet that’s just fine with them.
SXSW parties keep on coming and this is one of the best yet! Once again Team Clermont has joined forces with Hometapes, Absolutely Kosher, and Misra to present Friend Island!
This year, we will be are transforming a close-in eastside-Austin art space into an all-day party hideout: the third annual Friend Island! The day kicks off at 11am with Sam Amidon and an organic pancake breakfast provided by the excitingly-named Batter Blaster company. It won’t be too early to start enjoying beer from Oregon’s Deschutes Brewery (and it will be free all day long). Afternoon snacks by The Ice Cream Man – and possibly even nachos – will also accompany the greatest lineup of bands in all of Texas.
Saturday March 21
Hometapes’ Friend Island Party!
301 Chicon St. (at E. 3rd St. – 6 blocks east of the 6th St. corridor)
Starts @ 11AM
FREE music, beer, and food
SCHEDULE:
11:30 – Sam Amidon (Vermont/New York, NY/Bedroom Community)
12:00 – The Low Lows (Austin, TX/Misra)
12:45 – American Princes (Little Rock, AR/Yep Roc)
01:30 – Matthew and the Arrogant Sea (Denton, TX/Nova Posta)
02:15 – The Caribbean (Washington DC/Hometapes)
03:00 – Azeda Booth (Calgary, AB/Absolutely Kosher)
03:45 – Balmorhea (Austin, TX/Western Vinyl)
04:30 – Megafaun (Durham, NC/Hometapes)
05:15 – The Physics of Meaning (Durham, NC/Trekky)
06:00 – Peter Broderick (Copenhagen, DK/Portland, OR/Hush, Type, Bella Union)
06:45 – Slaraffenland (Copehagen, DK/Hometapes)
PLUS SPECIAL PERFORMANCES BY:
Slaraffenklang (Copehagen, DK) *Slaraffenland and Efterklang supergroup!
CYNE (Gainesville/Miami, FL/Hometapes)
All Tiny Creatures (Madison, WI/Hometapes)
Stars Like Fleas (Brooklyn, NY/Hometapes)
