Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Hiss Golden Messenger announces Southern Grammar EP

Hiss Golden Messenger performed Lateness of Dancers highlight “Southern Grammar” as a nine-piece on The Late Show with David Letterman last night. Watch it here!


A live version of the song opens the forthcoming Southern Grammar EP, to be released worldwide February 3, 2015, on Merge.


Frontman M.C. Taylor on the EP:


This three-song collection that we’re calling Southern Grammar is good for a few good reasons. It gives the song “Brother, Do You Know the Road?”—formerly an orphan tune with no fixed address—a proper physical home. It also offers up a song called “He Wrote the Book” that was a near-casualty from the Lateness of Dancers sessions. Incidentally—and this I didn’t realize until we had gathered the material for this record—“Brother, Do You Know the Road?” and “He Wrote the Book” share a lyric that goes:


And though the storm’s passed over

And the sun is in its place

It’s been a long time

And the rain, how I know it


Sometimes that feels just about as close to a summation of the HGM philosophy as I can get at. And this is the first and only time that I have ever shared words between two songs.


Finally, this version of “Southern Grammar” shows off the HGM road band, which includes Scott Hirsch, Phil Cook, Matt McCaughan, Matt Douglas, and Alexandra Sauser-Monnig, who are all friends and inspirations. The fine, fine crew at WXPN in Philadelphia engineered the recording of this song and graciously agreed to let us use it for this record.


Hiss Golden Messenger has two full-band UK tours on the horizon beginning with a December run supporting Ben Howard. A full list of dates can be found below.


Bio, photos, and more information on Southern Grammar can be found here. To request music or more information, christina@mergerecords.com.


Hiss Golden Messenger on tour:


Dec 03 Manchester, UK – O2 Apollo*

Dec 04 Wolverhampton, UK – Civic Hall*

Dec 05 Birmingham, UK – Hare & Hounds

Dec 06 Edinburgh, UK – Usher Hall*

Dec 07 Dublin, IE – Olympia*

Dec 08 Dublin, IE – Olympia*

Dec 10 London, UK – O2 Academy Brixton*

Dec 11 London, UK – O2 Academy Brixton*

Dec 12 Middelburg, NL – De Spot

Dec 13 Den Haag, NL – State-X Festival

Dec 14 Borger, NL – Vanslag

Dec 15 Lisbon, PT – Musicbox

Dec 17 Brussels, BE – Forest National Club*

Dec 18 Amsterdam, NL – Heineken Music Hall*

Dec 19 Amsterdam, NL – Heineken Music Hall*

Dec 20 Amsterdam, NL – Heineken Music Hall*

Feb 06 Brighton, UK – Bleach

Feb 07 Sunderland, UK – Independent

Feb 08 Leeds, UK – Brudenell Social Club

Feb 09 Glasgow, UK – Stereo

Feb 10 Manchester, UK – The Deaf Institute

Feb 11 Bristol, UK – The Lantern

Feb 12 London, UK – Bush Hall

Feb 13 Brussels, BE – AB

Feb 14 Rotterdam, NL – Rotown

Feb 15 Utrecht, NL – EKKO

Feb 17 Berlin, DE – Privat Club

Feb 18 Arhus, DK – Atlas

Feb 19 Gothenburg, SE – Pustervik

Feb 20 Oslo, NO – John Dee

Feb 21 Copenhagen, DK – Vega

*supporting Ben Howard