May 23, 2023
Photo Credit: David Doobinin
Juliana reveals latest addition to her covers series with release of the first single “Don’t Bring Me Down” available everywhere today. Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO will be out on November 17, 2023, and is available for pre-order now.
CAMBRIDGE, MASS. – American Laundromat Records is thrilled to announce the third installment from Juliana Hatfield’s covers series with the release of “Don’t Bring Me Down,” the first single from Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO available today!
“ELO’s ‘Don’t Bring Me Down’ is such a solid construction that trying to rework it initially felt like taking a sledgehammer to concrete,” describes Juliana of the Herculean task of reworking a beloved classic to make it your own. “I didn’t worry about matching all the original’s exact sounds and parts, and we even dared a few cymbal crashes (the ELO version has one famously unchanging drum loop--no crashes—from start to finish). This is not a radical reinvention but it is a little more bubbly.”
The covers series aims “to go deep into covering artists that were important to me in my formative years” with each album and its celebrated artist thoughtfully chosen and curated. Preceded by Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John (2018) and Juliana Hatfield Sings The Police (2019), Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO will create a trifecta of pop/rock icons that have served as inspiration.
Juliana previously noted to Billboard, “Recording covers is like a working vacation. It’s fun, and it also informs my own stuff afterwards.”
“ELO songs were always coming on the radio when I was growing up. They were a reliable source of pleasure and fascination,” she explains. “With this album of covers I wanted to get my hands deep into some of the massive ‘70’s hits but I am also shining a light on some of the later work… My task was to try and break all the things down and reconstruct them subtly until they felt like mine.”
Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO is available for pre-order on CD, cassette, LP (4 color options), and a limited edition 7-inch featuring 2 non-album tracks (“I’m Alive” and “When I Was A Boy”). More information available at American Laundromat Records.
TOUR DATES
JUN 17 / NORTHAMPTON, MA @ One Roof Concert For The Homeless
JUL 28 & 29 / NEW YORK CITY @ City Winery (Nuggets 50th Anniversary)
More Tour Dates To Be Announced
Pre-Order Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO today.
April 28, 2023
Kansas City synth pop quartet Dragon Inn 3 return with Trade Secrets, a natural follow-up to 2018's charming Double Line. The ensuing five years have done little to diminish the band's nostalgia for glowing '80s pop, which they continue to mine with pleasing results. As on their debut, the aesthetic they present is a curious mixture of noirish sci-fi and romantic sweetness with punny undertones of corporate intrigue. Led by producer, multi-instrumentalist, and former Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin frontman Philip Dickey, the group benefits from the airy vocals of Grace Bentley and Sharon Hamm, who inject enough earnest intent into repetitive lyrical hooks like "I Can't Stop" and "It's Not Enough" to make them lay just right. Nods to '80s largesse are scattered throughout the set, especially on the yearning, pastel-hued "Out of Control (Bad Boy 2)" with its steamy sax solo, and there is even a cover of Yaz's arpeggiated 1982 synth pop classic "Only You," but by and large, Dickey gets the tone just right, avoiding outright genre parody by simply making catchy, enjoyable pop music. Without breaking out of the overall arc, Dragon Inn 3 move through different tones on the new wave-leaning "Teleport," the bright indie pop of "I'll Be Right Over," and the lush and dreamy "Trade Secrets Theme," giving the album some variety as it zips along. Well-crafted and easy on the ears, Trade Secrets is another strong entry in the band's catalog. - AllMusic [4 out of 5 stars]
Buy the album here, or from your favorite record shop or digital service.
March 16, 2023
We're stoked about this outstanding review in the new issue of Razorcake magazine. The 7" also made Daryl's Top 5 list.
Tim Kerr and Mike Watt pairing up and taking stabs at covering one another’s songs. It’s a celebration. An homage. And a reaffirming statement of cultural importance. Not just a look back at a bygone era, but a proclamation that we’re still here! Side A is Watt and Co. doing a chillaxed version of “We Got Soul,” and it definitely rules, but Up Around The Sun kind of steal the show by including some twenty-something other people to contribute a line of vocals to their cover of “History Lesson—Part II.” It’s a wide range of super badass folks and it totally caught me off guard with how impactful it was when I put it on. These fuckers got me tearing up while I read along, looking at everyone who contributed. Expertly facilitated reflection on the cultural milestones of the past as well as a rare moment of true optimism for the possibilities that lay ahead. Throw it on and just let the build up of pretention and jadedness flush down the toilet. This is what it’s supposed to be! –Daryl
Buy the split 7" here.
November 19, 2022
We are stoked to share this outstanding review from Big Takeover Magazine.
mike watt + the secondmissingmen & up around the sun
split 7”
(Red Parakeet)
“Tribute to the other artist” split singles are fun. (There was a 1992 double Leatherface/Wat Tyler one I particularly loved.) And when you have ex-Minutemen and ex-Big Boys guys doing each other’s songs from four decades ago, it’s even better. Going with banjo-gussied inversion, UAtS’s Tim Kerr conjures an entire Greek Chorus of ’80s contemporaries to speak-intone Double Nickels on the Dime’s “History Lesson Pt. II,” including one that Watt namechecked on it back in 1984! (Good old X’s John Doe; plus Ian MacKaye, Mark Arm, Cait O’Riordan, T.S.O.L.’s Rom Emory, both bands’ old producer Spot, etc.!) It’s like one great clubhouse. Watt and mates similarly transform, converting The BBs’ 1982 Fun, Fun, Fun… EP stab at Pigbag-meets-Trouble Funk, “We Got Soul,” into a cool Captain Beefheart-Tom Waits-gone-Booker-T smoky tribal groove. More lessons, please! (redparakeet.bandcamp.com) - Jack Rabid
Order "We Got Soul" before they sell-out.
October 11, 2022
Our very first Red Parakeet Records release got a great review in the upcoming issue of The Big Takeover Magazine. We got a sneak peak for you below:
mike watt + the secondmissingmen & up around the sun
split 7”
(Red Parakeet)
“Tribute to the other artist” split singles are fun. (There was a 1992 double Leatherface/Wat Tyler one I particularly loved.) And when you have ex-Minutemen and ex-Big Boys guys doing each other’s songs from four decades ago, it’s even better. Going with banjo-gussied inversion, UAtS’s Tim Kerr conjures an entire Greek Chorus of ’80s contemporaries to speak-intone Double Nickels on the Dime’s “History Lesson Pt. II,” including one that Watt namechecked on it back in 1984! (Good old X’s John Doe; plus Ian MacKaye, Mark Arm, Cait O’Riordan, T.S.O.L.’s Rom Emory, both bands’ old producer Spot, etc.!) It’s like one great clubhouse. Watt and mates similarly transform, converting The BBs’ 1982 Fun, Fun, Fun… EP stab at Pigbag-meets-Trouble Funk, “We Got Soul,” into a cool Captain Beefheart-Tom Waits-gone-Booker-T smoky tribal groove. More lessons, please! (redparakeet.bandcamp.com)
Pre-order now from our Webshop or Bandcamp
October 01, 2022
We are stoked to reissue "Become What You Are" on vinyl to celebrate its 30th Anniversary. This exclusive reissue is limited to 2,500 units worldwide, and available in 4 vinyl variants. *Ships in early January*
Reissue artwork prepared by Aaron Tanner at Melodic Virtue from the original art. Our good friend Sean Glonek at SRG studios handled remastering, Levi Seitz cut metal, and the fine folks at Furnace pressed the vinyl. It looks and sounds amazing! We are very proud of this reissue and hope you enjoy it.
PRE-ORDER
September 14, 2022
Juliana Hatfield and Emma Swift cover Neil Young for charity on this exclusive RSD Black Friday split 7”.
Side A features Juliana covering the classic "Lotta Love" and side B features Emma covering the deep cut "Give Me Strength." Mastering and lacquers cut by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering. Pressed in the USA at Gotta Groove Records on beautiful black vinyl for an optimal audio experience. Limited to 1,500 copies. Spins at 45 RPM with a large hole. Original artwork and design by Casey Burns. Includes digital download card.
One dollar from the sale of each record is lovingly donated to Casting for Recovery, whose mission is to enhance the quality of life of women with breast cancer through a unique retreat program that combines breast cancer education and peer support with the therapeutic sport of fly fishing.
Available only at participating record shops in the USA on RSD Black Friday (Nov 25th). Visit recordstoreday.com for a list of stores near you, and be sure to let them know you're interested in a copy.
August 16, 2022
Juliana is opening (solo-electric) for the Lemonheads on several dates in December. Details and ticket links below:
December 09 | Minneapolis MN | First Avenue | ticket info
December 10 | Chicago IL | Metro | ticket info
December 11 | Detroit MI | St. Andrew's Hall | ticket info
December 12 | Washington DC | 9:30 Club | ticket info
December 14 | Philadelphia PA | Union Transfer | ticket info
December 15 | New York NY | Le Poisson Rouge | ticket info
December 16 | Jersey City NJ | White Eagle Hall | ticket info
December 17 | Boston MA | The Paradise | ticket info
December 18 | Boston MA | The Paradise | ticket info
Buy Juliana Hatfield CD's, LP's and Merch
April 21, 2022
We are stoked to reissue "Sunburn" on vinyl for the first time in over 30 years. This exclusive reissue is limited to 2,000 units worldwide. PRE-ORDER TODAY
Reissue artwork prepared by Aaron Tanner at Melodic Virtue from the original Mammoth art. Our good friend Sean Glonek at SRG studios handled remastering, Levi Seitz cut metal, and the fine folks at Furnace pressed the vinyl. It looks and sounds amazing! We are very proud of this reissue and hope you enjoy it.
"Sunburn is not only the Blake Babies' best album, it's in many ways the last great college rock album." -All Music Guide
Listed as the 7th best album of 1990 by Brooklyn Vegan.
PRE-ORDER NOW
April 06, 2022
We are excited to share "Swimmers in the Gold" from The Loyal Seas upcoming debut album.
Enjoy and be sure to pre-order here.
