“Nightlands investigates cool niches like psyche-folk or deep house, all the while embracing wimp rock and anthemic cheese of the ’70s and ’80s by fusing Mike & the Mechanics pleasantries with acid-seared solo blues of Syd Barrett.” — SPIN [5 Best New Artists for January]
“It’s total classic rock stuff, but Hartley turns it into a sci-fi oddity by decking out the song with bizarro studio touches– peppy horns, wafts of glassy sounds, and robotic falsetto harmonies straight from the ELO manual. Imagine Bruce Springsteen trying to outrun a vocoder-wielding Jeff Lynne, and you’ve got ‘I Fell In Love With A Feeling.'” — Pitchfork
“But for Oak Island, Hartley considerably expands the Nightlands universe . . . this year looks to belong to Nightlands.” — KUT.org [Song of the Day]
“Nightlands crafts the kind of music that feels intimate and deeply personal, even as it sprawls into otherworldly realms.”
— WNYC Soundcheck’s “Check Ahead” series
Nightlands, aka Philadelphia’s Dave Hartley, releases sophomore album, Oak Island, next week on Secretly Canadian. Listen to the record now in its entirety via WNYC Soundcheck’s “Check Ahead” series and allow Nightlands to boldly guide you on a journey through lush forests down into The Uncanny Valley. Throughout Oak Island’s 10 songs about sadness and love, each distorted, silver-voiced melody is wrapped in the warm sounds of 70s AM gold – plucked acoustic guitars, trumpets, dulcimers and hand percussion – resulting in the faded feelings that tide in and out of you when conjuring the past. Nightlands proves through Oak Island’s individuality and confident vision that this is not merely a simple side project, but a creation that stands on its own.
When not backing John Cale on late night TV, owning it on bass with The War On Drugs, landing new high scores among the pinball elite throughout Philly or scribbling deep thoughts on the NBA for a variety of outlets, Dave has been hard at work on the new Nightlands live show. We are excited to announce Nightlands will tour North America this March with Efterklang. Dave will play electric 12 string guitar and will be joined by the inimitable Eric Slick on trap kit, Eliza Hardy Jones on Wurlitzer and Jesse Moore on synth.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oTnJJNZ0FI&w=560&h=315]
NIGHTLANDS TOUR DATES:
Sat. Jan. 26 – Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie [RECORD RELEASE SHOW]
Tue. Feb. 12 – Brooklyn, NY @ Knitting Factory w/ Retribution Gospel Choir
Fri. March 1 – Raleigh, NC @ Kings Barcade *
Sat. March 2 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl *
Sun. March 3 – Nashville TN @ The End *
Tue. March 5 – Dallas, TX @ Dan’s Silverleaf *
Wed. March 6 – Austin, TX @ The Mohawk *
Fri. March 8 – Mexico City, MX @ Lunario *
Sat. March 9 – Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex *
Mon. March 11 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall *
Wed. March 13 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge *
Thu. March 14 – Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore *
Fri. March 15 – Seattle, WA @ Neumo’s *
Mon. March 18 – Minneapolis, MN @ The Cedar Cultural Center *
Tue. March 19 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall *
Thu. March 21 – Toronto, ON @ Mod Club [Canadian Music Week] *
Fri. March 22 – Montreal, QC @ Il Motore *
Sat. March 23 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom *
* with Efterklang