Despite their insanely silly band name, Portland’s Wampire managed to sink their teeth into many a people’s hearts last year (including ours). That was thanks in part to their debut album, Curiosity, which saw the duo of Rocky Tinder and Eric Phipps deftly blend playful psychedelia with bits of ’70s rock and synth-pop for a joyful yet nuanced sound. They parlayed the album into tours with Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Smith Westerns, plus a bevy of festival dates the world over.
Now, Tinder and Phipps are looking toward the future, recruiting a full band for the release of Wampire’s sophomore album, Bazaar, due out October 7th via Polyvinyl. For the nine-track effort, Wampire once again tapped UMO’s Jacob Portrait to serve as producer, spending time recently at The Museum studio in Brooklyn. In a press release, Phipps called his state of mind during the album’s recording sessions as that of a “Kafka-esque insomniac musical novelist.”
For a preview of what that might translate to, Wampire has unveiled “Wizard Staff”. From note one, there’s a distinct ’70s alt-country influence that abounds throughout the track, notably in the lo-fi, twangy guitars and sense of perpetual downtroddenness. It’s not as energetic as past efforts (the band broke through with the sonic gunshot that is “The Hearse”), but this slower, more methodical direction still leaves room for their trademark weirdness and oddball aesthetic.
Listen in below (via Stereogum):
Bazaar Tracklist:
01. The Amazing Heart Attack
02. Bad Attitude
03. Fly On The Wall
04. Wizard Staff
05. Too Stoned
06. Millennials
07. Sticking Out
08. Life Of Luxury
09. People Of Earth
In support of Bazaar, Wampire will be on tour this fall. Consult their full schedule below.
Wampire 2014 Tour Dates:
08/22 – Rock Creek, BC @ Ponderosa Arts & Music Festival
09/19 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom *
09/20 – Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre *
09/21 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater *
09/22 – Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst Atrium *
09/24 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore *
09/25 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda *
09/26 – Pomona, CA @ The Glasshouse *
09/27 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern *
09/29 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom *
10/01 – Boulder, CO @ Fox Theatre *
* = w/ Temples
