Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk
What better way to kick-off a mammoth US tour, including four dates at SXSW than by releasing a new EP to celebrate the occasion. Florida's Merchandise are doing just that, and will be showing off their shiny new full-time drummer Elsner Niño in the process. The 'Totale Nite' EP will contain five tracks and is loosely scheduled for "spring", so there may not be an exact date planned yet, but it sounds like one that's worth keeping an eye out for. There's the slight suggestion that the Tampa group are looking towards more ambitious sounds on this one, although we've only got second track 'Anxiety's Door' to go on at the moment.
What we learn from this song it that Merchandise are capable of doing sprawling alternative rock (it's seven minutes long) without sacrificing any of the tune along the way. 'Anxiety's Door' hits you a bit like a wave, the verses come and go but in between nothing pauses, the music constantly washes by, gaining momentum if anything. Some nifty guitar breaks carry these spaces brilliantly, becoming the high points of the song where in less switched-on hands they could become boring showmanship. This is a slightly psychedelic garage-rock track, it's difficult to believe it's as long as it is. The time flies by; a surefire sign of a good song.
Merchandise's website
Catch them live:
3/7 - Savannah, GA - The Savannah Stopover
3/8 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl *
3/9 - Oxford, MS - Lamar Lounge
3/10 - Denton, TX - 35 Denton Festival
3/11 - Mcallen, TX - Cine El Rey Theatre (GALAX Z FAIR II) !
3/12 - San Antonio,TX - Korova
3/13 - Austin, TX - SXSW
3/14 - Austin, TX - SXSW
3/15 - Austin, TX - SXSW
3/16 - Austin, TX - SXSW
3/18 - El Paso, TX - Black Market
3/19 - Phoenix, AZ - Dead Horse Warehouse #
3/20 - San Diego, CA - The Soda Bar #
3/21 - Los Angeles, CA - The Echo #
3/22 - Santa Ana, CA - Observatory (Burgerama Festival) # $
3/23 - Bakersfield, CA - Munoz Gym #
3/24 - Santa Cruz, CA - The 418 Project #
3/25 - San Francisco, CA - The Rickshaw Shop # ^
3/26 - Oakland, CA - The New Parish # ^
3/28 - Portland, OR - Backspace #
3/29 - Vancouver, Canada - Media Club #
3/30 - Seattle, WA - Barboza #
3/31 - Olympia, WA - The Northern #
4/2 - Boise, ID - Neurolux #
4/3 - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby #
4/4 - Denver, CO - The Marquis Theater # ^
4/6 - Norman, OK - Opolis %
4/7 - Houston, TX - Mango's
4/8 - New Orleans, LA - Siberia
4/9 - Gainesville, FL - The Atlantic (
6/1 - Austin, TX - Chaos In Tejas
6/2 - Austin, TX - Chaos In Tejas
* = w/ Chelsea Light Moving, Talk Normal
! = w/ Mac DeMarco, Audacity
# = w/ Wet Hair
$ = w/Black Lips, Nick Waterhouse, Bleached
^ = w/ Iceage
% = w/ Mr. Lies
( = w/ White Lung
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