Have you been in need of a night-time story, one that checks off all the boxes: angst, fury, filled with mourning, viciously soothing instrumentals, and reuniting Pelican after six-ish years? Nighttime Stories‘ is the album for you! Soon to be released on June 7th via Southern Lord, the 8-track LP marks the sixth for Chicago-based instrumental quartet, Pelican, following 2013’s ‘Forever Becoming‘ and 2015’s ‘The Cliff‘ EP. The album is the band’s first to be written with guitarist Dallas Thomas, who took over for Laurent Schroeder-Lebec after the founding member’s departure. Larry Herweg, Laurent Lebec & Trevor de Brauw pay homage to former bandmate Jody Minnoch (off their previous band Tusk) who passed away unexpectedly in 2014, coming together to form ‘‘Nighttime Stories’ and taking many of the song titles from notes their friend and colleague had sent. Opening track ‘W.S.T.‘ is dedicated to Thomas’ father whom passed during the writing of the album, and the guitarist performed the track using his father’s own Yamaha acoustic.
If you weren’t just standing in line at your local record shop, march right back there and get your hands on a copy of the ‘‘Midnight and Mescaline‘ 7” with ”Darkness on the Stairs‘ as the b-side in celebration of Record Store Day (hopefully there’s a copy or two left). Check out their tour dates in North America, the LP’s cover art/tracklisting, and listen to ‘Midnight and Mescaline‘ down below.
Sarah Medeiros
‘Nighttime Stories’ track listing:
1. WST
2. Midnight And Mescaline
3. Abyssal Plain
4. Cold Hope
5. It Stared At Me
6. Nighttime Stories
7. Arteries Of Blacktop
8. Full Moon, Black Water
Tour dates:
6/20 – The Loving Touch – Ferndale, MI
6/21 – Lee’s Palace – Toronto, ON
6/22 – Bar le Ritz PDB – Montreal, QC
6/23 – Great Scott – Allston, MA
6/24 – Brooklyn Bazaar – Brooklyn, NY
6/25 – Boot & Saddle – Philadelphia, PA
6/26 – Ottobar – Baltimore, MD
6/27 – Club Café – Pittsburgh, PA
6/28 – Northside Yacht Club – Cincinnati, OH
6/29 – Metro – Chicago, IL