Posted on: November 6, 2007 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Fresh out of the LA studio where they’ve been recording their full-length debut with producer Mickey Petralia (Beck, Eels, Peaches, Flight of the Conchords, Saul Williams), Illinois are back on the road, this time supporting Menomena on their US Tour. A limited edition 7” vinyl is being released in conjunction with the trip including never before heard tracks ‘We Were Wrong’ and ‘Life Takes a Week’, both recorded at Arch’s home studio in Bucks County, PA this Summer. Mickey is currently at work mixing the full-length due out on Ace Fu this Spring, stay tuned for more details.

US TOUR DATES
w/ Menomena
November 6 – Washington DC – Black Cat
November 7 – Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church
November 8 – Hanover, NH – Dartmouth College
November 9 – Boston, MA – Paradise
November 10 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
November 12 – Montreal, QC – La Sala Rossa
November 13 – Toronto, Ont – Mod Club
November 14 – Ann Arbor, MI – Blind Pig
November 15 – Chicago, IL – Metro
November 16 – Grinnell, IA – Grinnell College
November 17 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theatre
December 1 – State College, PA – State Theatre (**without Menomena)

Illinois and PureVolume teamed up for an interview between Arch and Craig Finn of The Hold Steady at the World Trade Center Memorial Show this past September, check out the video here: http://www.purevolume.com/videos/illinoistheband/tourvideoupdate2

Missed The Brick Dance? Catch Nancy Botwin shaking it to Illinois’ ‘Nosebleed’ on a rather pivotal scene from Weeds via Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtlElBLg354

Illinois’ EP ‘What the Hell Do I Know?’ is out now on Ace Fu Records.

Photo by Jonny Leather

To interact cyber-ally with Arch, Martin, Andrew, JP and Dan check out:
http://www.myspace.com/illinois

For press inquiries or RSVP requests, please contact +1.
Ashley P or Jonny Kaps

‘Illinois flaunted a banjo in rowdy songs that mingled Merseybeat rock, skiffle and punky absurdism.’ – NY Times

‘This Pennsylvania-based quartet are akin to an American take on the eccentric noodlings of the Beta Band, or Weezer cribbing the Mercury Rev songbook.’ – NME

‘Illinois became this weeks biggest band in the world’ – Idolator on SXSW 2007

‘Sheer brilliance…add lyrics that range from musing to angsty to melancholic, and this is one impressive set, turning the clock back to a dreamier, more introspective time via a panoply of styles.’ – All Music Guide, 4 star review

‘Layered vocals delivered through a telephone-cum-mic mingle with bright and pingy piano and funk-laden banjo on Illinois’ EP, a debut that somehow boasts pepped-up soundscapes even as Arch reflects on nosebleeds and bad day’” – Spin.com, Band of the Day

‘What’s most impressive about Illinois at this early stage is their ability to indulge in lovelorn lyricism and cosmic-cowboy reveries while honoring pop music’s premium on levity and brevity’ – Pitchfork

‘Taut, winsome rock with keyboards that evokes Spoon and the Shins and points to a bright future.’ – Playboy

‘Their folk/roots inspired indie rock is catchy as hell, the arrangements are diverse, and live they’re just fun to watch’ – CMJ

‘Freewheeling up-beat folk-pop ‘ – Filter

’A blend of small town warmth and a bristling sense of distorted melody, tracks like “Screen Door” and “One on One” have helped turn Illinois’ debut album… into one of the biggest surprises of the year.’ –The Sentimentalist

‘Giddy, fuzzy indie folk’ – NY MAGAZINE

‘Bound to inspire a seriously infectious case of head-bobbing’ – NY Post

‘The indie-poppers from, ironically, Pennsylvania, play skewed banjo-laden rock’ – LA Times

‘Full bodied, richly melodic indie rock’ – Time Out New York

‘Engaging, eclectic folk-tinged indie rock numbers’ – AM NY

‘We’re falling in love with Philadelphia’s Illinois and we think you will too. They remind us of Built to Spill, Hot Hot Heat, and even weird early 90s indie pop bands like Air Miami.’ – L Magazine

‘Illinois was sterling with truly punchy melodies and brittle pure-pop sensibilities that never sounded frail or disposable.’ – Philadelphia Inquirer live review

‘’An exceptionally impressive performance’ – U Weekly (Columbus, OH)

‘There’s no schtick here. These guys are just completely themselves. Every song has its own flavor, while remaining true to the band’s overall signature sound.. a roots-rock tinged, twangy kind of indie hybrid’- AOL concert blogger, TixGirl, of TixGirl.com

‘Illinois serves up a veritable grab bag of delectable indie rock.’ – Popmatters

‘Melodic, swaying-in-your-seat worthy indie pop reminiscent of Nada Surf, The Little Ones and The Beta Band’ – The Tripwire

‘A giddy spirit and an eclectic style…turning [ the venue] into its own personal house party’ ­– MP3.com

‘Big beat drums accompanying angry spoken-word slacker rants and sneering vocals rubbing up against toe-tapping banjo loops’ – Metro Pop

‘Banjo-driven jangly, angular pop songs (reminiscent of Violent Femmes), bittersweet serenades, and even some violent shredding in one Wolfmother-sounding beast.’ – Amplifier Magazine live review

‘The rest of the crowd seemed just as blown away as I was. No one was expecting singer Chris Archibald to rock so hard on a banjo… And when he sang into a voice-distorting telephone, the rest of the band pitched in with some of the prettiest harmonies I’ve heard in a long time. Their crowd banter made Illinois even more likeable than their amiable folk-rock already had.’ – Eye Weekly

‘With a gently melodic, yet refreshingly understated framework, Illinois’ EP teases with a number of indie-rock gems for indie-rock fans of all tastes.’ – Playback STL

‘An understated power that latches onto the youth their influences forgot.’ – Illinois Entertainer

‘This young Bucks County, PA band just sound like they’re having a lot of fun on this…good-natured, jangly rock.’ – Artist Direct

‘Like Beck, the band borrows ideas from every sound-making instrument under the sun….from funky, to pretty, to playful it satisfies multiple palates.’ – Ink 19

’the country tinged indie stylings of Illinois…just sorta took over the room’ – The Simple Mission

‘I was enjoying their 7-song EP out on Ace-Fu Records but it didn’t prepare me for how tight and energetic they’d be on stage….really fantastic live.’ – Yeti Don’t Dance

‘The seamlessness in which all the instruments and vocals join together is what makes Illinois so enjoyable. Every instrument, vocal line, and hand clap finds it’s place perfectly. ‘ – Hear Ya

‘A trove of Americana and roots-based songs that stand out among today’s sounds but reach back to a simpler, more traditional, time.’ – Baeble Music

‘Their honesty in music translates into personality. And personality, believe it or not, makes good live music great. ‘ – NY2LON.com

‘What the Hell Do I Know,” is a work of art with a sound unlike any other album that has recently come out of the music world. Each track stands alone, although all seem to work together to create the whole that is Illinois’ groundbreaking EP. Their next album should be a pleasant surprise, as we are sure to find more banjo inspired rock with an electronic flair.’ – The Cheap Pop

‘Sounds like: the cd I’ve been waiting for all year’– Tangible Sounds

‘If loving Illinois is wrong, then I don’t want to be right.’ – The Music Slut

‘Upbeat, mod-rock sound shows real promise, thanks to cute, crunchy guitars and frontman Chris Archibald’s pleasantly nasal voice. ‘ – Buzz Sugar

‘Hooks and jangles, guitars and banjos, incredibly catchy and fun, straight-forward-but-slightly-crooked songs.’ – Berkeley Place

‘A cool combination of indie and folk’ -TuneChomp

‘Combining the best elements of bluegrass, country and indie-pop, Illinois have created a formula for infectious tunes for the analog crowd with contemporary taste’ – Indie Pulse/Broken Dial

‘The kind of sing-along indie pop compositions that justify the rare insertion of the word ‘insanely’ just before ‘catchy’ – Blogs are for Dogs

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