Mitski will release Laurel Hell, one of 2022’s most-anticipated albums, on February 4th via Dead Oceans, and will then embark on a sold out North American tour. Today, Mitski presents the new single/video, “Love Me More.”
Recorded with longtime producer Patrick Hyland throughout the isolation of the pandemic, some of the songs comprising Laurel Hell “slowly took on new forms and meanings, like seed to flower” as Mitski “needed to create something that was also a pep talk.”
“As ‘Love Me More’ was written pre-pandemic, lyrics like ‘If I keep myself at home’ had different meanings than what they would now, but I kept them on the album because I found that some of the sentiments not only remained the same, but were accentuated by the lockdown.
“‘Love Me More’ went through the most iterations out of all the songs on the album. It’s been too fast, too slow, and at some point, it was even an old style country song. Finally, I think because we had watched The Exorcist, we thought of Mike Oldfield’s ‘Tubular Bells’ and experimented with floating an ostinato over the chorus. As we steadily evolved the ostinato to fit over the chord progressions, we began to hear how the track was meant to sound.” – Mitski
Mitski Tour Dates:
Thu. Feb. 17, 2022 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel – SOLD OUT
Fri. Feb. 18, 2022 – Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz – SOLD OUT
Sat. Feb. 19, 2022 – Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern – SOLD OUT
Mon. Feb. 21, 2022 – Birmingham, AL @ Iron City – SOLD OUT
Tue. Feb. 22, 2022 – New Orleans, LA @ Civic Theatre – SOLD OUT
Thu. Feb. 24, 2022 – Houston, TX @ The Lawn at White Oak Music Hall – SOLD OUT
Fri. Feb. 25, 2022 – Dallas, TX @ The Factory in Deep Ellum – SOLD OUT
Sat. Feb. 26, 2022 – Austin, TX @ ACL Live at the Moody Theater – SOLD OUT
Mon. Feb. 28, 2022 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren – SOLD OUT
Wed. March 2, 2022 – Los Angeles, CA @ Shrine Exposition Hall – SOLD OUT
Thu. March 3, 2022 – Los Angeles, CA @ Shrine Exposition Hall – SOLD OUT
Fri. March 4, 2022 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater – SOLD OUT
Sat. March 5,2022 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater – SOLD OUT
Mon. March 7, 2022 – Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall – SOLD OUT
Wed. March 9, 2022 – Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre – SOLD OUT
Thu. March 10, 2022 – Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre – SOLD OUT
Sat. March 12, 2022 – Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom – SOLD OUT
Mon. March 14, 2022 – St. Paul, MN @ Palace Theatre – SOLD OUT
Tue. March 15, 2022 – Milwaukee, WI @ Miller High Life Theatre – SOLD OUT
Thu. March 17, 2022 – Detroit, MI @ Masonic Temple Theatre – SOLD OUT
Fri. March 18, 2022 – Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall – SOLD OUT
Sat. March 19, 2022 – Montreal, QC @ St-Jean-Baptiste Church – SOLD OUT
Mon. March 21, 2022 – Boston, MA @ Roadrunner – SOLD OUT
Tue. March 22, 2022 – Boston, MA @ Roadrunner – SOLD OUT
Thu. March 24, 2022 – New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall – SOLD OUT
Fri. March 25, 2022 – Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall – SOLD OUT
Sat. March 26, 2022 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem – SOLD OUT
Sun. March 27, 2022 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem – SOLD OUT
Tue. March 29, 2022 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE – SOLD OUT
Wed. March 30, 2022 – Louisville, KY @ Old Forester’s Paristown Hall – SOLD OUT
Thu. March 31, 2022 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium – SOLD OUT
Thu. April 21, 2022 – Bristol, UK @ Marble Factory – SOLD OUT
Fri. April 22, 2022 – Leeds, UK @ University Union Refectory – SOLD OUT
Sat. April 23, 2022 – Glasgow, UK @ Barrowland Ballroom – SOLD OUT
Mon. April 25, 2022 – Dublin, IE @ Vicar Street – SOLD OUT
Tue. April 26, 2022 – Manchester, UK @ Manchester Academy – SOLD OUT
Thu. April 28, 2022 – London, UK @ The Roundhouse – SOLD OUT
Fri. April 29, 2022 – London, UK @ O2 Academy Brixton – SOLD OUT
Sat. April 30, 2022 – Brussels, BE @ Les Nuits Botanique Festival – SOLD OUT
Mon. May 2, 2022 – Tourcoing, FR @ Le Grand Mix – SOLD OUT
Tue. May 3, 2022 – Paris, FR @ L’Olympia – SOLD OUT
Wed. May 4, 2022 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso – SOLD OUT
Fri. May 6, 2022 – Zurich, CH @ Kaufleuten
Sat. May 7, 2022 – Lausanne, CH @ Les Docks SOLD OUT
Mon. May 9, 2022 – Berlin, DE @ Metropol – SOLD OUT
Tue. May 10, 2022 – Copenhagen, DK @ Vega – SOLD OUT
Wed. May 11, 2022 – Stockholm, SE @ Fållan SOLD OUT
Thu. May 12, 2022 – Oslo, NO @ Sentrum Scene SOLD OUT
Sat. May 14, 2022 – Hamburg, DE @ Fabrik – SOLD OUT
Sun. May 15, 2022 – Cologne, DE @ Carlswerk Victoria – SOLD OUT
Tue. May 17, 2022 – Vienna, AT @ WUK – SOLD OUT
Wed. May 18, 2022 – Prague, CZ @ Archa Theatre – SOLD OUT
Thu. May 19, 2022 – Munich, DE @ Strom – SOLD OUT
Sat. July 2, 2022 – Stockholm, SE @ Lollapalooza Stockholm
Fri. Sep. 16 – Sun. Sep. 18, 2022 – Los Angeles, CA @ Primavera Sound LA
SASAMI shares a visualizer for “Say It,” her new industrial-influenced single. “‘Say It’ is a rage anthem dance track about spinning out because someone isn’t communicating with you,” says Ashworth. “I feel like when I hear the song I see a hot femme with a mystical flamethrower engulfed in emotional blue flames throwing elbows alone in an industrial dance club in outer space.” SASAMI’s anticipated new album Squeeze is due February 25th via Domino.
Squeeze was produced by SASAMI, with a handful of the tracks co-produced by Ty Segall. Other notable contributors include: Hand Habits’ Meg Duffy, King Tuff’s Kyle Thomas, Christian Lee Hutson, Barishi, Moaning’s Pascal Stevenson, Jay Bellerose and No Home.
SASAMI will be touring with Mitski & Haim in 2022.
TOUR DATES:
3/4 – Brattleboro, VT @ The Stone Church
3/5 – Woodstock, NY @ The Colony
3/6 – Rochester, NY @ The Bug Jar
3/8 – Lakewood, OH @ Mahall’s
3/10 – Charlotte, NC @ Snug Harbor
3/11 – Savannah, GA @ Savannah Stopover
3/21 – Nashville, TN @ The End
3/22 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade Purgatory Stage
3/24 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
3/25 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
3/26 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
3/27 – Cambridge, MA @ Sonia
3/30 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Cafe
3/31 – Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe
4/1 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
4/2 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
4/3 – Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge
4/5 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
4/7 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The State Room
4/8 – Boise, ID @ The Shredder
4/9 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
4/10 – Seattle, WA @ Barboza
4/12 – San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel
4/13 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
4/21 – Bristol, UK @ Marble Factory * – SOLD OUT
4/22 – Leeds, UK @ University Union Refectory *
4/23 – Glasgow, UK @ Barrowland Ballroom *
4/25 – Dublin, IE @ Vicar Street * -SOLD OUT
4/26 – Manchester, UK @ Manchester Academy *
4/28 – London, UK @ The Roundhouse * – SOLD OUT
4/29 – London, UK @ O2 Academy Brixton *
4/30 – Brussels, BE @ Les Nuits Botanique Festival *
5/2 – Tourcoing, FR @ Le Grand Mix * – SOLD OUT
5/3 – Paris, FR @ L’Olympia *
5/4 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso * – SOLD OUT
5/6 – Zurich, CH @ Kaufleuten *
5/7 – Lausanne, CH @ Les Docks *
5/9 – Berlin, DE @ Metropol * – SOLD OUT
5/10 – Copenhagen, DK @ Vega * – SOLD OUT
5/11 – Stockholm, SE @ Fallan
5/12 – Oslo, NO @ Sentrum Scene * – SOLD OUT
5/14 – Hamburg, DE @ Fabrik * – SOLD OUT
5/15 – Cologne, DE @ Carlswerk Victoria * – SOLD OUT
5/17 – Vienna, AT @ WUK * – SOLD OUT
5/18 – Prague, CZ @ Archa Theatre *
5/19 – Munich, DE @ Strom * – SOLD OUT
5/22 – Wilmington, NC @ Live Oak Bank Pavillion ^
5/24 – Toronto, ON @ RBC Echo Beach ^
5/25 – Rochester Hills, MI @ Meadow Brook Ampitheatre ^
5/28 – Philadelphia, PA @ TD Pavilion at the Mann ^
5/31 – Milwaukee, WI @ BMO Harris Pavilion ^
6/1 – Indianapolis, IN @ TCU Amphitheatre at White River State Park ^
6/3 – Chicago, IL @ Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island ^
6/4 – Kansas City, MO @ Starlight Theatre ^
6/6 – Minneapolis, MN @ The Armory ^
6/10 – Vancouver, BC @ Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre ^
Mitski made her bold return last month, presenting “Working for the Knife” and announcing a world tour, with all North American dates selling out instantly. Today, Mitski announces Laurel Hell, her new album, out February 4th on Dead Oceans, and unveils a new single/video, “The Only Heartbreaker.” Laurel Hell is a soundtrack for transformation, a map to the place where vulnerability and resilience, sorrow and delight, error and transcendence can all sit within our humanity, can all be seen as worthy of acknowledgment, and ultimately, love. “I accept it all,” she promises. “I forgive it all.” It cements Mitski’s reputation as an artist who possesses the power of turning our most savage and alienated experiences into the very elixir that cures them. “I wrote what I needed to hear. As I’ve always done.”
“The Only Heartbreaker” video, co-directed by Maegan Houang and Jeff Desom, presents the bewildering experience of Mitski’s first time being filmed almost entirely in front of a green screen. Houang comments, “The worst pain I’ve experienced is when I’ve fully understood the pain I’ve caused another. It’s one of the hardest parts of being human, that no matter our intentions, we’ll inevitably do something hurtful to our fellow man, if not someone we love. In this case, the harm Mitski enacts in the video is to the world. It’s unstoppable and destructive, but worst of all, she doesn’t even want it to happen. She’s a stand-in for humanity as we collectively do so little to save ourselves and our planet.”
Mitski Tour Dates
Thu. Feb. 17, 2022 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel – SOLD OUT
Fri. Feb. 18, 2022 – Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz – SOLD OUT
Sat. Feb. 19, 2022 – Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern – SOLD OUT
Mon. Feb. 21, 2022 – Birmingham, AL @ Iron City – SOLD OUT
Tue. Feb. 22, 2022 – New Orleans, LA @ Civic Theatre – SOLD OUT
Thu. Feb. 24, 2022 – Houston, TX @ The Lawn at White Oak Music Hall – SOLD OUT
Fri. Feb. 25, 2022 – Dallas, TX @ The Factory in Deep Ellum – SOLD OUT
Sat. Feb. 26, 2022 – Austin, TX @ ACL Live at Moody Theater – SOLD OUT
Mon. Feb. 28, 2022 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren – SOLD OUT
Wed. March 2, 2022 – Los Angeles, CA @ Shrine Exposition Hall – SOLD OUT
Thu. March 3, 2022 – Los Angeles, CA @ Shrine Exposition Hall – SOLD OUT
Fri. March 4, 2022 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater – SOLD OUT
Sat. March 5,2022 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater – SOLD OUT
Mon. March 7, 2022 – Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall – SOLD OUT
Wed. March 9, 2022 – Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre – SOLD OUT
Thu. March 10, 2022 – Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre – SOLD OUT
Sat. March 12, 2022 – Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom – SOLD OUT
Mon. March 14, 2022 – St. Paul, MN @ Palace Theatre – SOLD OUT
Tue. March 15, 2022 – Milwaukee, WI @ Miller High Life Theatre – SOLD OUT
Thu. March 17, 2022 – Detroit, MI @ Masonic Temple Theatre – SOLD OUT
Fri. March 18, 2022 – Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall – SOLD OUT
Sat. March 19, 2022 – Montreal, QC @ St-Jean-Baptiste Church – SOLD OUT
Mon. March 21, 2022 – Boston, MA @ Roadrunner – SOLD OUT
Tue. March 22, 2022 – Boston, MA @ Roadrunner – SOLD OUT
Thu. March 24, 2022 – New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall – SOLD OUT
Fri. March 25, 2022 – Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall – SOLD OUT
Sat. March 26, 2022 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem – SOLD OUT
Sun. March 27, 2022 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem – SOLD OUT
Tue. March 29, 2022 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE – SOLD OUT
Wed. March 30, 2022 – Louisville, KY @ Old Forester’s Paristown Hall – SOLD OUT
Thu. March 31, 2022 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium – SOLD OUT
Thu. April 21, 2022 – Bristol, UK @ Marble Factory – SOLD OUT
Fri. April 22, 2022 – Leeds, UK @ University Union Refectory – SOLD OUT
Sat. April 23, 2022 – Glasgow, UK @ Barrowland Ballroom – SOLD OUT
Mon. April 25, 2022 – Dublin, IE @ Vicar Street – SOLD OUT
Tue. April 26, 2022 – Manchester, UK @ Manchester Academy – SOLD OUT
Thu. April 28, 2022 – London, UK @ The Roundhouse – SOLD OUT
Fri. April 29, 2022 – London, UK @ O2 Academy Brixton – SOLD OUT
Sat. April 30, 2022 – Brussels, BE @ Les Nuits Botanique Festival – SOLD OUT
Mon. May 2, 2022 – Tourcoing, FR @ Le Grand Mix – SOLD OUT
Tue. May 3, 2022 – Paris, FR @ L’Olympia
Wed. May 4, 2022 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso – SOLD OUT
Fri. May 6, 2022 – Zurich, CH @ Kaufleuten
Sat. May 7, 2022 – Lausanne, CH @ Les Docks
Mon. May 9, 2022 – Berlin, DE @ Metropol – SOLD OUT
Tue. May 10, 2022 – Copenhagen, DK @ Vega – SOLD OUT
Wed. May 11, 2022 – Stockholm, SE @ Fållan
Thu. May 12, 2022 – Oslo, NO @ Sentrum Scene
Sat. May 14, 2022 – Hamburg, DE @ Fabrik – SOLD OUT
Sun. May 15, 2022 – Cologne, DE @ Carlswerk Victoria – SOLD OUT
Tue. May 17, 2022 – Vienna, AU @ WUK – SOLD OUT
Wed. May 18, 2022 – Prague, CZ @ Archa Theatre – SOLD OUT
SASAMI announces her new album, Squeeze, with the release of videos for dual lead singles “The Greatest” and “Skin A Rat,” two tracks that perfectly encapsulate the album’s breadth and wide range. “The Greatest” video is directed by Jennifer Juniper Stratford, and the “Skin A Rat” visualizer was created by Andrew Thomas Huang (Björk, FKA twigs), who also designed the album cover. Squeeze is available for pre-order now and due February 25th via Domino.
Of the power ballad-inspired “The Greatest” Sasami Ashworth says “this song is about how often the greatest, heaviest feelings we have for someone are in the absence of the realization or reciprocation of that love. Like power born out of a black hole. All fantasy.”
Inspired by violent fantasy, “Skin A Rat” is “a soundtrack to cathartic release of anger and frustration with oppressive systems and humans. Very nu-metal influenced. Wrote and demoed the whole song on my ipad with midi drums and hired an epic drummer to perform it live to tape.” The song features Dirk Verbeuren of Megadeth on drums and gang vocals by Vagabon’s Laetitia Tamko and actress and comedian Patti Harrison.
Both songs were produced by Ashworth and recorded at Ty Segall’s studio in Topanga, CA and Log Mansion in Mt. Washington.
SASAMI is currently on tour, dates include support in North America for Japanese Breakfast this fall, and EU/UK support for Mitski in the Spring of 2022. All dates below.
TOUR DATES:
10/29 – Dallas, TX @ Studio at the Factory ^
10/30 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall ^
10/31 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s (Levitation)
11/1 – San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger ^
11/3 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress (Outdoor Plaza) ^
11/4 – Tempe, AZ @ Coca-Cola Sun Deck at Sun Devil Stadium ^
11/7 – Berkeley, CA @ UC Theatre ^
11/9 – Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades ^
11/11 – Sonoma, CA @ Gundlach Bundschu Winery ^ – SOLD OUT
11/12 – San Luis Obispo, CA @ Madonna Inn ^
11/13 – Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst ^
11/15 – Pomona, CA @ The Glass House ^ – SOLD OUT
11/16 – Pomona, CA @ The Glass House ^ – SOLD OUT
3/4 – Brattleboro, VT @ The Stone Church
3/5 – Woodstock, NY @ The Colony
3/6 – Rochester, NY @ The Bug Jar
3/8 – Lakewood, OH @ Mahall’s
3/10 – Charlotte, NC @ Snug Harbor
3/11 – Savannah, GA @ Savannah Stopover
3/21 – Nashville, TN @ The End
3/22 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade Purgatory Stage
3/24 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
3/25 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
3/26 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
3/27 – Cambridge, MA @ Sonia
3/30 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Cafe
3/31 – Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe
4/1 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
4/2 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
4/3 – Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge
4/5 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
4/7 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The State Room
4/8 – Boise, ID @ The Shredder
4/9 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
4/10 – Seattle, WA @ Barboza
4/12 – San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel
4/13 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
4/21 – Bristol, UK @ Marble Factory * – SOLD OUT
4/22 – Leeds, UK @ University Union Refectory *
4/23 – Glasgow, UK @ Barrowland Ballroom *
4/25 – Dublin, IE @ Vicar Street * -SOLD OUT
4/26 – Manchester, UK @ Manchester Academy *
4/28 – London, UK @ The Roundhouse * – SOLD OUT
4/29 – London, UK @ O2 Academy Brixton *
4/30 – Brussels, BE @ Les Nuits Botanique Festival *
5/2 – Tourcoing, FR @ Le Grand Mix * – SOLD OUT
5/3 – Paris, FR @ L’Olympia *
5/4 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso * – SOLD OUT
5/6 – Zurich, CH @ Kaufleuten *
5/7 – Lausanne, CH @ Les Docks *
5/9 – Berlin, DE @ Metropol * – SOLD OUT
5/10 – Copenhagen, DK @ Vega * – SOLD OUT
5/11 – Stockholm, SE @ Fallan
5/12 – Oslo, NO @ Sentrum Scene * – SOLD OUT
5/14 – Hamburg, DE @ Fabrik * – SOLD OUT
5/15 – Cologne, DE @ Carlswerk Victoria * – SOLD OUT
Mitski makes a daring return with “Working for the Knife,” a new single/video and the announcement of a spring 2022 North American tour. “Working for the Knife” surges with synth and a syncopated beat, driven by Mitski’s tenor and production by longtime collaborator Patrick Hyland. “It’s about going from being a kid with a dream, to a grown up with a job, and feeling that somewhere along the way you got left behind. It’s being confronted with a world that doesn’t seem to recognize your humanity, and seeing no way out of it,” explains Mitski. The video, filmed at The Egg in Albany, NY and directed by Zia Anger with Ashley Connor directing photography, presents a performer returning to the same cruel world that gave birth to her. Mitski’s dedication to both sonic and physical presentation is on full display — every muscle is activated and purposeful, giving itself over to the story of the choreography. It’s dynamic and gritty with a new intensity we haven’t yet seen from Mitski.
Mitski will return to the stage in February 2022, playing theaters throughout the country, including Radio City Music Hall in New York, Shrine Exposition Hall in LA, Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, The Anthem in Washington, DC, and more. These are Mitski’s first live performances since her September 2019 Central Park SummerStage run in support of 2018’s Be the Cowboy, one of that year’s most praised albums. Named as Album of the Year by the likes of Pitchfork, New York Magazine, Consequence, ESQUIRE, and FLOOD, it launched Mitski from cult favorite to indie star. Tickets are on sale Fri. Oct. 8th at noon EST.
Japanese Breakfast at Larimer Lounge – Denver, CO – July 16, 2016
Photos by Charles Powell
http://www.larimerlounge.com/
https://www.facebook.com/japanesebreakfast/
Spin Magazine