UTR Presents
95bFM, undertheradar & Radio One by arrangement with Artist Voice welcome back home:
UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA
Dunedin – Thursday July 18th, ReFuel
Auckland - Friday July 19th, Kings Arms
Wellington – Saturday July 20th, Bodega
All shows R18, tickets available today from www.undertheradar.co.nz, Real Groovy - Auckland, RPM & Slowboat - Wellington, Cosmic - Dunedin.
“II finds the usually wild and free Nielson sounding, dare I say it, quite mature, even heartfelt - and yet its still an undeniably seductive, hook-filled collection.” – NZ Herald, 5 stars.
“The appeal of both UMO and The Mint Chicks is/was their ability to balance on a knife-edge - that sharp, metallic place between solidity and total destruction” – Undertheradar.co.nz
“Like an indie bromance waiting to happen, you could put UMO’s second album in a room with Tame Impala’s Lonerism and they’d undoubtedly end-up Best Friends Forever.” – Groove Guide
After disbanding the Mint Chicks, Portland, Oregons (by way of NZ of course) Ruban Nielson planned to quit music and take on a day job. For a hobby, he started making psychedelic demos in his basement, using samples. Soon, music took over as a career again, and his fun brand of experimental pop ended up in the hands of Fat Possum Records, who released Unknown Mortal Orchestras self-titled debut in the early summer of 2011. That album won The Taite Music Prize here in NZ in 2012.
As interest in the project grew, Nielson enlisted the help of a full band (welcome bassist Jacob Portrait and drummer Riley Geara) signing with Jagjaguwar for their sophomore album, II, released in January this year.
Only one look at their long list of tour dates shows this is a band in worldwide demand, tours with Grizzly Bear, Weezer & sold out shows across the US UK, Europe & Japan. Appearances at SXSW (where they were named one of the 30 Must See Acts by Fuse TV), ATP & The Jimmy Fallon show are merely just a stop over on an intense worldwide touring schedule that allows us to celebrate the band here in New Zealand once again this July on the back of their new album II.
With II, Nielson builds on the break-beat, junk-shop charm he’s become known for, solidifying the now trio, as an infinitely intriguing, brave psychedelic band; unafraid to dig deeper and hit harder than the rest to lock into their intoxicating, opiate groove to bring rock’n’roll’s exaggerated myths to life.
II is a precisely assembled insight into a frayed and frazzled period of a fascinating life; journeying from despair to euphoria with stops for highs, hangovers, communication failure, anger and love in between. Unknown Mortal Orchestra was once Ruban Nielson’s closeted, home-recorded concern. With an album that uses his singular musical imagination and extraordinary talent to parade his emotions with unyielding honesty, it is now a fully realized, reinvigorated, mature band operating at the peak of its powers.
After a whirlwind couple of shows earlier this year, the Psych-pop trio return in July for a New Zealand tour proper and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome them home.
“New Zealand/American trio Unknown Mortal Orchestra blend crisp, hip hop-influenced percussion with insanely catchy, fuzzed-out guitar riffs and Motown. The trio find the sweet spot between Mayer Hawthornes croon and Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbachs world-weary melancholia.” – FUSE TV, 30 Must See Acts at SXSW 2013
