The Music Tapes announce tour with Olivia Tremor Control, released new EP

When people say the Elephant Six Collective are an incestuous group of musicians, what they mean is: "My god these fucking people are attached at the hip!" In what I’m sure could be proven by someone with a doctorate in “Obscure ‘90s Psychedelic Pop,” any time a member of the E6 is up to something (a tour, an album, decorating an apartment), another member of the E6 is at all times within a maximum radius of twelve feet away. Case in point: Julian Koster (who recently played in the Elephant Six Holiday Surprise Tour, and was also a touring member of some group called Neutral Milk Hotel) and his band The Music Tapes will hit the road in August on a tour opening for E6 stalwarts The Olivia Tremor Control. Shocker.

The Music Tapes’ tour will hit NYC at the previously mentioned Le Poisson Rouge show opening for the OTC on September 21, for which you can still grab a ticket. And in case you wanted to freshen up on the group, you can download the brand new Music Tapes digital EP Purim’s Shadows which is available now in the Merge Store, and anywhere else digital music is sold. Yep, even at the recently launched US version of Spotify, so head to our Facebook page where we are sharing Purim’s Shadows right now if you have an account. And believe me, you should definitely have an account! But if you do happen to go with ordering from the Merge Store (and we do love supporting one of our favorite indie labels), you will receive a special limited-edition Music Tapes Kazoo (see below), a bonus track, and what Merge describes as a “special surprise from Julian Koster himself.” I’m all for the first two goodies, but that last part just sounds creepy…

Below, check out all of the Music Tapes’ tour dates, with all but one date opening for The Olivia Tremor Control, and also get a look at what these “Music Tapes” kazoos look like…

The Music Tapes on tour:
# = w/ The Olivia Tremor Control
Aug 28 Albany, NY – Restoration Festival – St. Joseph’s Church
Aug 31 Austin, TX – Mohawk #
Sep 05 San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall #
Sep 08 Seattle, WA – The Vera Project #
Sep 09 Portland, OR – MFNW – Someday Lounge #
Sep 12 Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater #
Sep 13 Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge #
Sep 14 Columbus, OH – Wexner Center for the Arts #
Sep 15 Pittsburgh, PA – The Warhol at New Hazlett Theater #
Sep 16 Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace #
Sep 17 Montréal, QC – Il Motore #
Sep 19 Allston, MA – Brighton Music Hall #
Sep 21 New York, NY – Le Poisson Rouge #
Sep 23 Philadelphia, PA – UPenn Rotunda (SPEC Jazz & Grooves’ Fall Concert) #