September 2015 is a funny old month for gigs. With the Jungle Brothers, Stereo MCs and Polyphonic Spree all out on the road, it would be extremely difficult for a time traveller to accurately pinpoint what decade, let alone year, it actually is. Thankfully Unknown Mortal Orchestra are also touring, allowing respite from a wave of nostalgia for acts that were, in fact, fairly atrocious the first time round.
Portland’s Unknown Mortal Orchestra are singer and guitarist Ruban Nielson, Jake Portrait on bass and drummer Riley Geare and they released their third album, Multi-Love earlier this year to rave reviews. Rolling Stone wrote “Multi-Love sees Nielson colouring outside the lines for a vibrant vision of connection”, which is a completely baffling statement, but certainly sounds good.
See if you agree by taking a look at the video for the title track:
Interesting Wikipedia-based fact – The album, Multi-Love, reached number 70 in the Flanders area of Belgium, but only 158 in Wallonia. It’s also worth mentioning that the longest-running number one single in Wallonia is Las Ketchup’s Ketchup Song, so it’s probably best not look at the Walloon record-buying public as tastemakers.
There’s a sentence I never thought I’d write.
What the Walloons failed to see was a swooping, swirling kaleidoscope of a record that it is very easy to get lost in during its 42-minute running time. In a good way.
If you want to hear this cracking album live, here are the Unknown Mortal Orchestra tour dates:
Tuesday Sep 22 – Brighton – Concorde 2
Wednesday Sep 23 – London – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire
Thursday Sep 24 – Birmingham – The Library at the Institute
Friday Sep 25 – Manchester – The Ritz
Saturday Sep 26 – Dublin – Whelan’s
Monday Sep 28 – Nottingham – Rescue Rooms
Tuesday Sep 29 – Leeds – Brudenell Social Club
Wednesday Sep 30 – Glasgow – QMU
Also…check out this great, but very rude (you have been warned) video for their song Swim and Sleep (Like a Shark):
Keep an eye on the Dad Gigs section to find out the one gig a month worth booking a babysitter for.
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