Posted on: April 17, 2008 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0


One year after releasing his third full-length effort A Cork Tale Wake, the most widely praised album of his surprisingly short career (and the best selling record of any artist on Quite Scientific to date!), Chris Bathgate has returned with a brand new six song EP entitled Wait, Skeleton.

Recording for the Wait, Skeleton. was split between Evolution Helmet studios in Michigan and Jim Roll’s Backseat Productions (where the entirety of A Cork Tale Wake was tracked). It will be available digitally on April 8th (Next week!), and in a limited edition hand-made hardcover book format on April 22nd as the second installment of the Quite Scientific Art-Book series. Only 250 total copies will be available for purchase of the hardcover format, which can be bought through the Quite Scientific webstore and a limited number of independent retailers.

On the recording are three brand new songs (“Casual Way”, “Salt Year” & “Been Out All Night”) which see Bathgate reaching deeper into his DIY bag for a more fuzzed-out batch of folk arrangements, heavy with reverb and the hushed vocals that have become a fixture in his music. The EP’s title track, “Wait, Skeleton.” originally appeared on his debut full-length, Silence is for Suckers, but has been re-recorded/re-worked for this release. Rounding out the release are an additional pair of new recordings for “Yes, I’m Cold” (which appeared on 2006’s Throatsleep) and “Cold Press Rail” (which appeared on the UK version of A Cork Tale Wake).

Chris will also be embarking on his second European tour this week in support of the overseas release of A Cork Tale Wake through Tangled Up/One Little Indian (Bjork, Forget Cassettes, Talkdemonic) this past January. While across the Atlantic, he will be stopping by BBC Radio 2 to play a few songs and have a chat with Dermot O’Leary on his weekly show. The channel has also seen a flurry of praise for Chris through their most popular program, Radcliffe & Maconie, where A Cork Tale Wake was selected as a “Pick & Mix Album of the Week”.

Following his UK tour, fans stateside will have their last chance to see Chris Bathgate play for some time as he does a short string of dates through the northeast before taking a few months off to relax and record.

Wait, Skeleton. Tracklisting:
1. Casual Way
2. Yes, I’m Cold
3. Salt Year
4. Been Out All Night
5. Cold Press Rail
6. Wait, Skeleton.

Press:

“While the world hardly needs another singer-songwriter, exceptions can always be made when required.” – Q Magazine

“If Bathgate has mastered one thing in his young and enormously promising career, it’s the art of distlling alienation into bruised-sounding beauty.” – NPR

“Absolutey phenomenal. We encourage all of you to get on this record, ASAP.” – Alternative Press

“you’d be misguided to pass up a performance or purchase.” –Billboard

“In the saturated parade of indie singer-songwriters, Michigan native Chris Bathgate carries enough bleak, brooding identity to gain attention beyond the Sufjan Stevens crowd.” – The Onion AV Club

“This is an album, and talent, worthy of your most careful attention.” –PopMatters

“File this under ‘Breathtaking Moments in Music’…Bathgate is a genius” –Soundcheck Magazine

“A beautiful album that will appeal to fans of Okkervil River and Wilco. This is the first i’ve heard of this guy, but i’m betting it won’t be the last” –Performing Songwriter

“this is a damn good sounding album.” – The Tripwire

“If you’re not from Ann Arbor, there’s a good chance you’ve never heard the name Chris Bathgate. That’s okay. There was a time when people outside of Louisiana hadn’t heard of Jeff Mangum. There was a time when people outside of Chicago hadn’t heard of Jeff Tweedy. There was a time when people outside of Louisville hadn’t heard of Will Oldham (aka Bonnie `Prince’ Billy). You get my point. Anonymity is fleeting when you have the goods, and Chris Bathgate definitely has the goods. Remember, there’s a time in every famous person’s life when they’re not famous. And even if Chris Bathgate doesn’t break out into superstardom like Damien Rice or David Gray, if you’re lucky enough to hear his music, you’ll know the difference.” – TrebleZine

http://www.myspace.com/chrisbathgate

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