Cass McCombs and the Meat Puppets Pair, Push Limits

On the surface, Cass McCombs and the Meat Puppets might sound like a strange pairing, but both acts frame their keen, outsider insights amid unique artistry. But it is a strange pairing and their upcoming tour together promises to be the best kind of weird.

Perhaps in a way to memorialize the unlikely pairing, Domino Records is producing a 7" album (out on 10/28) with two new cuts from McCombs and two new covers from the Meat Puppets.

Stream a sample of the 7" below and be sure to catch them if the tour rolls through your zipcode. 

Cass McCombs / Meat Puppets Upcoming Tour Dates:
Sat. Oct. 25 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Cafe 
Mon. Oct. 27 - Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts 
Tue. Oct. 28 - Pawtucket, RI @ The Met Cafe 
Wed. Oct. 29 - Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair 
Thu. Oct. 30 - South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground Showcase Lounge 
Fri. Oct. 31 - Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade 
Sat. Nov. 1 - Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade 
Sun. Nov 2 - Washington, DC @ The Black Cat 
Tue. Nov. 4 - Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506 
Wed. Nov. 5 - Atlanta, GA @ Vinyl 
Fri. Nov. 7 - Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s Downstairs 
Fri. Nov. 28 - Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom 
Sat. Nov. 29 - San Diego, CA @ The Casbah 
Tue. Dec. 2 - West Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour 
Wed. Dec. 3 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent 
Fri. Dec. 5 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos 
Sat. Dec. 6 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge

Amen Dunes Unplugged

On a steamy summer night, on the first stop on Amen Dunes' cross-country tour, I had the good fortune to sit down with the band. Inside the dreamlike Columbus Theatre, Damon McMahon was aided by Jordi Wheeler on piano, and keeping time was Gleb Wilson.

“Lilac in Hand” is a highlight off Amen Dunes’ stellar full-length Love, but it was the cover of The Lemonheads’ "My Drug Buddy” that ended up stealing the show for me. Much like McMahon’s catalogue, its melancholy melody has a tendency to jangle in your head long after the song fades out.

Sharon Van Etten - "I Love You but I'm Lost"

Sharon Van Etten recently hosted The New Yorker up to her West Village apartment where she sang “I Love You but I’m Lost,” from her forthcoming album, “Are We There.” She showcases her rich, earthly tone and even gives a little insight into what makes her tick as a songwriter. Watch the performance above.

If the intimate nature of the video is appealing, be sure to catch her in person. Van Etten is about to embark on an ambitious world tour, featuring local stops at the venerable Iron Horse Music Hall (May 8) and the intimate Columbus Theatre (May 10). For a full list of tour dates, visit her website here.