Acclaimed band Trampled by Turtles continue to receive praise for their new album Stars and Satellites available now on Thirty Tigers/RED. The new album, which debuted #32 on Billboard Top 200 and #11 on the Billboard Alternative chart, was described by Paste as having “unexpected nuances that allow these songs to transcend their genre.” The record follows the band’s 2010 release Palomino (Thirty Tigers) that garnered critical acclaim from NPR Music who praised both the band’s “impeccable dexterity” and “charm and melody to the songs.” To celebrate the new release, the band performed on “The Prairie Home Companion,” “The Late Show with David Letterman,” and “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.” The new Squidbillies animated video for the track “Walt Whitman” is out now: http://youtu.be/Vk2xM_YuP2o. The band will continue to celebrate the new release on the summer festival circuit and with further dates throughout December in the U.S. Full details on reverse.
Since forming in Duluth, Minnesota in 2003, Trampled by Turtles always felt they were able to attain an energy on stage that can’t be found in the studio. They were so comfortable playing on the road that they treated their previous albums’ recording processes like tours. For Stars and Satellites, however, Trampled by Turtles didn’t want to simply try to recreate a live show. “We wanted to make a record that breathes,” explains Dave Simonett (guitar/vocals), “musically we wanted to step out of our comfort zone.” “This record is all about going inward,” Erik Berry (mandolin, vocals) adds, “building a focused bond as players and friends, and bringing a different mindset to the sounds Trampled by Turtles can make.” With the help of engineer Tom Herbers (Low, Jayhawks) the band moved into “Soleil Pines,” a log home outside of Duluth, to record. “You know how sometimes they say ‘less is more,’” notes Berry, “that’s what Stars and Satellites is about.”
Trampled by Turtles is Dave Simonett, Tim Saxhaug (bass, vocals), Dave Carroll (banjo, vocals), Erik Berry and Ryan Young (fiddle). Within the contained music scene of Duluth, the members of the band did their own time in punk and rock bands, brandishing their electricity proudly before switching to acoustic instruments. While they never set out to be a “bluegrass” band, Trampled by Turtles employs many of the same traditional techniques of the genre, but their differences in influences, attitude and attack make for their unique sound.
After spending years refining their live show and building fans via word of mouth, Trampled by Turtles released Palomino to little fanfare out of the gates. The story quickly built and eventually the record spent over a year straight on the Billboard Heatseakers Chart. Along the way their one-of-a-kind live show, along with a video for the song “Wait So Long,” built them legions of fans. In 2011 the band sold out nearly every show they headlined and played top national festivals including Coachella, Newport Folk and Telluride Bluegrass.
TRAMPLED BY TURTLES TOUR DATES
August 30 Winnipeg, MB West End Cultural Centre
August 31 Saskatoon, SK Amigo’s
September 1 Calgary, AB Republik
September 2 Whitefish, MT Great Northern Bar
September 4 Missoula, MT Wilma Theatre
September 5 Boise, ID Knitting Factory
September 6-7 Portland, OR MusicFest NW
September 8 Seattle, WA The Neptune
September 9 Bozeman, MT Emerson Theatre
September 13 Grand Marais, MN Mountain Stage
September 14 Mankato, MN Verizon Wireless Center
September 21 Pensacola, FL DeLuna Festival
September 23 North Adams, MA Fresh Grass Festival
October 3 Grand Rapids, MI The Intersection*
October 4 Nashville, TN Live on the Green*
October 5 Roseland, VA The Festy
October 7 Wilmington, NC Greenfield Lake Amphitheater*
October 8 Jacksonville, FL Freebird Live*
October 10 New Orleans, LA Tipitina’s*
October 11 Houston, TX Bronze Peacock @ House of Blues*
October 12 Austin, TX Austin City Limits
October 14 Dallas, TX Sons of Hermann Hall*
October 15 Fayetteville, AR George’s Majestic Lounge*
October 16 Columbia, MO The Blue Note*
October 18 Louisville, KY Headliners Music Hall*
October 19 Indianapolis, IN The Vogue*
October 20 St. Louis, MO The Pageant*
November 1 Duluth, MN Clyde Iron Works†
November 7 Fargo, ND Venue @ The Hub
November 8 Sioux Falls, SD Orpheum Theatre Center
November 10 Milwaukee, WI Pabst Theatre
November 13 London, UK Hoxton Bar & Kitchen
November 14 Leeds, UK The HiFi Club
November 15 Edinburgh, UK Sneaky Pete’s
November 16 Belfast, UK McHughs Basement Bar
November 17 Dublin, IE Workmans Club
November 18 Birmingham, UK Hare & Hound
November 29 Buffalo, NY Town Ballroom
December 2 Portland, ME Port City Music Hall
December 4 South Burlington, VT Higher Ground
December 6 Cleveland, OH Beachland Ballroom
December 7 Urbana, IL The Canopy Club
*HoneyHoney supports
†Benefit for Duluth Public Schools