- january 11, 2010 -
a couple of months ago, we played austin city limits with daniel johnston,
but we also did another daytrotter session with him! it’s up now. listen!
daytrotter.com (search for daniel johnston)
- september 16, 2009 -
‘appaloosa’ just got 3 stars in rolling stone magazine!
check out the PRESS section.
- august 3, 2009 -
hi again.
our ep hasn’t even been out for two weeks and we already have some more good news for you!
(in list form):
a. during this past sxsw, we were lucky enough to record a daytrotter session with daniel johnston and it is online starting TODAY! it’s pretty cool…or maybe even really really cool. listen/read here: daytrotter.com
b. we just found out that we’ll be playing Austin City Limits Festival this year as Daniel’s backing band! HYMNS, Austin, Johnston!?! yes. we play the first day (october 2), so make sure you’re early…we’ll be playing some HYMNS shows in texas during that week too. we’ll update you when we know more.
c. while we’re on the daniel johnston kick, we should also let you know that we’ll be coming out west with him too. at the end of october, we’ll be playing san francisco, san diego & LA. sorry california, but we couldn’t wait any longer to come back.
d. we have some limited-edition-hand-stamped-and-numbered copies of the new EP ‘appaloosa’ still available. go to hymnsband.com/appaloosa to order!
e. see you soon.
f. love, HYMNS
- july 21, 2009 -
APPALOOSA EP OUT TODAY!!
http://www.hymnsband.com/appaloosa.html
The greatest threat to half-assed New York Americana is a quartet called HYMNS, who will be capping off their residency at Pianos and releasing their new EP Appaloosa. The record boldly presents sundry musical terrains over which the band deftly maneuvers. On one end there’s the post disco bouncer “Wedding Day,” on the other there’s the Latin-tinged string jam “Ten Bells,” which also features Omnichord arpeggios over claves and cabasas without a second thought. Hymns’ staple is their technical mastery of traditional folk tambours, as they often incorporate banjoes, slide guitars and glockenspiels without a hint of kitsch or irony. That the New York City-based band’s members are originally from North Carolina and Texas might explain that authenticity. “Twang” does not do justice to something so essential to their sound, but it hints as to what sets them apart from other ensembles also channeling the songwriting of early Pavement.
Hymns’ credentials shed some light on their appeal; guitarist Jason Roberts was a tour guitarist for Ben Kweller, and the band has also served as full-time accompaniment to Daniel Johnston, earning them footholds in the realms of festival campers to rock archaeologists alike. In their six year run they have released two acclaimed albums (Brother/Sister, Travel In Herds), toured with the likes of Vietnam, Kweller and Lemonhead, and established themselves as a favorite at SXSW. Of their first record, The Deli Magazine said “You will kick yourself if you aren’t the first person you know to own this album.”
Appaloosa finds the band expanding into new extremes of joy and darkness all at once. “You make the money/ I sell the blood in my veins” singer Brian Harding quips over a bed of horns. And if it’s from the heart, Hymns is bringing it in bulk, be it music or blood.
get the EP here:
http://www.hymnsband.com/appaloosa.html
- june 28, 2009 -
hi!
this is the most exciting news we’ve had for you in awhile…
we just spent some time out in LA with our good friends dan horne, loren shane humphrey, drew manne, and sonia powell to record a new EP called ‘Appaloosa’.
we are psyched! we recorded five new songs, none of which sound like the previous version of HYMNS, yet it still sounds like HYMNS. does that make sense!?!
to get you ready for this EP, we’ll be playing 3 shows at Pianos NYC in July and we’ll be playing all of the new songs!
and. you won’t believe this, but the last night at Pianos will be the EP release party. perfect timing, right!?
details:
july 7- Pianos with The Sleeptalkers
july 14 - Pianos with James Levy
july 21 - Pianos with Chase Pagan & Anthony D’amato (RELEASE PARTYYYYY!)
‘Appaloosa’ will be released as an iTunes exclusive on July 21st, but we will also have some limited-edition-hand-stamped-and-numbered copies available at the shows. (shhh. don’t tell iTunes!)
we just put up a new song on hymnsband.com, facebook & myspace.com/hymnsband.
it’s called ‘wedding day’. go listen NOW and make sure you comment to let us know what you think…
we also have some videos coming soon. we’ll let you know!
we’ll see you soon.
love,
HYMNS
follow us: twitter.com/hymnsband
- may 14, 2009 -
so, this is exciting!
we just finished our FIRST music video and it’s online just for you…
our good friend, matt cole, followed us around austin for a day with his super 8 camera and edited the footage to our song ’streets alone’ from our last record ‘travel in herds’.
pretty cool, yes?
check it out here:
http://www.vimeo.com/4638940
hold on, though: this is only part of the exciting news!
we’re going to record 5 new songs for an upcoming HYMNS EP in june!! can you believe it!?
we are SO excited.
we have finished demos of the songs (maybe we’ll put one up at some point!?) and we think you’ll like them! it’s definitely the most excited we’ve ever been about new HYMNS songs.
we’ll keep you updated…
if you’re in new york, come see us saturday at mercury lounge with the mother hips. we’ll be playing some new songs with some GREAT horn players!
love always, HYMNS
- march 2, 2009 -
holy shit. we’re getting excited!! we’re about to leave for our tour leading
to our third sxsw! last year was pretty successful. lots of sparks/shows/people/
lighters/press (including spin.com calling us one of the best discoveries of the festival!)
this year we’ll be touring down with the bridges & death on two wheels and then playing 8-10 shows
at the festival! we’re going to die…but it’s worth it! check out our dates. we’ll have some new-colored
merch too. see you soon.
- september 5, 2008 -
what are you doing a month from today? well..we know what
we’re doing and what you should be doing! that’s the day that
we start the MTV Choose or Lose Tour with our friends Locksley!
all of the shows are all ages and there is even a free show in LA.
check out the dates on our ’shows’ page. looks like we’ll be voting together…
- august 7, 2008 -
wow. it’s been a long time since we’ve updated this!
our tour with daniel johntston was incredible. you can see
youtube videos on our myspace and more at youtube.com.
we also played an incredible show with sam roberts band
near niagara falls. thanks to everyone who came out!
we’ve got some good shows coming up (especially one with beachwood
sparks in new jersey!) keep a look out for more..see you soon!
- may 16, 2008 -
we just got some amazing shows to add to our schedule:
a. 3 dates with annuals!
b. 4 dates with daniel johnston!! we’ll be opening for him AND playing
as his band.
check our ’shows’ section for details…
- may 16, 2008 -
some press news:
a. we’re doing dylan fest this year and the nme mentioned it..
check: nme
b. pitchfork finally recognized us. ugh.
- may 10, 2008 -
oh! we’re so excited. we just got a cool show outside
of niagra falls with our friends, sam roberts band! check our
’shows’ page.
- april 23, 2008 -
HYMNS on NPR!
we’ll be performing two songs live and doing an interview on
april 24th for WNYC NPR’s Soundcheck!
Listen: 2pm on NPR or WNYC.COM
- march 11, 2008 -
‘travel in herds’ is out today! order it at our ’store’ or you can buy it on itunes, amazon,
or in select stores.
- march 4, 2008 -
our new site is up!
- march 3, 2008 -
pre-order our sophomore record ‘travel in herds’ out on blackland records, march 11th
you’ll receive it by that date!
pre-order now
- march 2, 2008 -
hymns plays sxsw 2008!
we’ll be playing several parties with bands like the soundtrack of our lives, joseph arthur and the a-sides!
- march 1, 2008 -
check out spin magazine’s review for ‘travel in herds’!
- febrauary 29, 2008 -
we are spin.com’s artist of the day!
- february 20, 2008 -
travel in herds record release party announced!
march 11th at sons of hermann hall with justin townes earle
- february 16, 2008 -
fearless music tv (fox) showed us performing ‘it’s a shame’ check out the video here
