Posted on: January 18, 2013 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0
“Blues Control are one of the most intriguingly unclassifiable outfits in contemporary music, putting forth music that is clear and refined while also being absolutely incomparable.” – Tiny Mix Tapes
“If you’re not familiar with this duo, allow yourself to change that, with one of the prettiest, interesting, and mellowest records of the summer.” – The Big Takeover
Blues Control’s Drag City debut album, Valley Tangents, was released in June to a huge amount of buzz, garnering praise from Pitchfork, SPIN and others; and appearing on Billboard’s New Age charts. Since then, the duo has toured steadily–performing in all corners of the world–and have also shared a number of transcendent videos for tracks including “Love’s A Rondo,”and“Walking Robin” (not to mention stopping by Drag City for a sweaty Drag City Limits steam room session taping of “Iron Pigs”). Today, with esteemed video and performance artist Kathy Rose, they present a new video art masterpiece to you.
Reminiscent of videos made by Tony Oursler and Joan Jonas, with hints of Shana Moulton; and inspired somewhat by the anarchist/para-surrealist painter Remedios Varo, Blues Control’s video “Opium Den/Fade to Blue”explores a mysterious environment when a figure opens a pandora’s box containing an unknown substance [insert your own metaphor here]. The visuals culminate into a swirling maelstrom, portraying an inner-sanctum; an interior environment of thought, of meditation, and of the soul. A metaphor mayhaps, or an interpretation of the Blues Control sound, or both, we step into this fascinating and poetic alternate universe where the synthesis of sound and visual imagery creates an eerie, yet enticing environment. What’s more, this environment is headed your way! Blues Control bring their “unknown substance” to the friendly, local hop in towns across the United States beginning February 1st (with two warm-ups in Brooklyn to close out January). No mask necessary, but attendance is crucial if not downright mandatory!

Blues Control Tour Dates
Fri. Jan. 18 – Brooklyn, NY @ Cozy Royale  w/ Sightings and 1-800-BAND
Sat. Jan. 26 – Brooklyn, NY @ Shea Stadium  w/ Home Blitz
Fri. Feb. 1 – State College, PA @ Schlow Centre Region Library
Sat. Feb. 2 – Ithaca, NY – House Show
Mon. Feb. 4 – Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar  w/ Raw Thug
Wed. Feb. 6 – Oxford, MS @ Lamar Lounge
Thu. Feb. 7 – Shreveport, LA @ Fatty Arbuckles
Fri. Feb 8 – Houston, TX @ Mango’s
Sat. Feb. 9 – Austin, TX @ Holy Mountain
Mon. Feb. 11 – Marfa, TX @ Lost Horse Saloon
Tue. Feb. 12 – Albuquerque, NM @ Small Engine Gallery
Wed. Feb. 13 – Santa Fe, NM @ Radical Abacus
Thu. Feb. 14 – Tucson, AZ @ Topaz
Fri. Feb. 15 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom  w/ OM, Sir Richard Bishop
Sat. Feb. 16 – San Diego, CA @ The Void
Tue. Feb. 19 – Los Angeles, CA @ Human Resources  w/ Lamps, Jaws, The Urxed
Thu. Feb. 21 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Biko House
Fri. Feb. 22 – Eagle Rock, CA @ Center for the Arts *
Sat. Feb. 23 – San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel *
Mon. Feb. 25 – Davis, CA @ Chillanova House
Tue. Feb. 26 – Arcata, CA @ MexNwoW  w/ R. Stevie Moore
Thu. Feb. 28 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
Fri. Mar. 1 – Vancouver, BC @ Electric Owl
Sat. Mar. 2 – Seattle, WA @ Comet Tavern
Sun. Mar. 3 – Olympia, WA @ Northern
Tue. Mar. 5 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux **
Wed. Mar. 6 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge **
Thu. Mar. 7 – Denver, CO @ Hi Dive **
Fri. Mar. 8 – Lawrence, KS @ Jackpot Music Hall **
Sat. Mar. 9 – St. Louis, MO @ 2720 Cherokee
Sun. Mar. 10 – Madison, WI @ Good Style Shop
Tue. Mar. 12 – Chicago, IL @ Permanent Records (instore)
Wed. Mar. 13 – Kalamazoo, MI @ The 411 Club
Thu. Mar. 14 – Toledo, OH @ Mickey Finn’s
Fri. Mar. 15 – Bloomington, IN @ The Ream
Sat. Mar. 16 – Columbus, OH @ Double Happiness  w/ Tommy Jay
Sat. Apr. 27 – Detroit, MI @ Detroit Center for Contemporary Photography
Fri. Jun. 21-23 – Camber Sands, UK @ ATP curated by Deerhunter (Blues Control with Laraaji)

* w/ Rangda
** w/ Psychic Ills

 
Blues Control’s Valley Tangents purchase link: http://www.dragcity.com/products/valley-tangents

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