Hardly Art Records

Shana Cleveland: Manzanita [Album Review]

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Shana ClevelandManzanitaHardly Art Records [2023] Manzanita is the common name for a kind of small evergreen tree endemic to California which has strong medicinal properties. It is a fitting title for the newest solo album from La Luz’s Shana Cleveland as the record displays a gorgeousness that will instantly change your state of mind in … Read more

Colleen Green: Cool [Album Review]

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Colleen GreenCoolHardly Art Records [2021] After 2015’s solid I Want To Grow Up we were fully prepared to see much more of Colleen Green’s guitar pop smarts and then she went quiet. After 6 years we finally have new material in Cool from Colleen Green that is full of mature guitar pop which is direct, … Read more

My Idea – “Stay Away Still / That’s My Idea” [Video]

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Hardly Art has signed My Idea, the new pop duo comprised of musicians Nate Amos and Lily Konigsberg, who will release That’s My Idea, their debut five-song EP digitally and worldwide on July 30th, 2021. Today, you can watch their two-in-one official video for singles “Stay Away Still” and “That’s My Idea,” directed by Luca … Read more

Lala Lala – “Scary Movie” [Video]

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Lala Lala’s new album The Lamb was recently released on Hardly Arts records. Lala Lala (Lillie West) has a new video for album track “Scary Movie,” which contains recently-discovered footage that was originally filmed on 16mm by West’s parents before she was born. West re-edited it for the new song, explaining, “‘Scary Movie’ is primarily about perception and the often blurred line between reality and non reality.

Lala Lala is out on the road that include additional dates supporting WHY? and Mothers, including a stop at LA’s Resident on October 12th and a new NYC show at Brooklyn’s Elsewhere on November 30th. See below for all the tour dates.

TOUR DATES

Tue, Oct 2 – Gasa Gasa, New Orleans LA (w/ Mothers)
Wed, Oct 3 – White Oak Music Hall, Houston TX (w/ Mothers)
Thu, Oct 4 – Barracuda, Austin TX (w/ Mothers)
Fri, Oct 5 – Curtain Club, Dallas TX (w/ Mothers)
Mon, Oct 8 – Lowbrow Palace, El Paso TX (w/ Mothers)
Tue, Oct 9 – 191 Toole, Tuscon AZ (w/ Mothers)
Wed, Oct 10 – Soda Bar, San Diego CA (w/ Mothers)
Thu, Oct 11 – Constellation Room, Santa Ana, CA (w/ Mothers)
Fri, Oct 12 – Resident, Los Angeles CA (w/ Mothers)
Sat, Oct 13 – Cafe du Nord, San Francisco CA (w/ Mothers)
Thu, Nov 1 – The HiFi, Indianapolis IN (w/ WHY?)
Fri, Nov 2 – Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland OH (w/ WHY?)
Sun, Nov 4 – Cedar Cultural Centre, Minneapolis MN (w/ WHY?)
Mon, Nov 5 – Waiting Room, Omaha NE (w/ WHY?)
Tue, Nov 6 – Record Bar, Kansas City MO (w/ WHY?)
Thu, Nov 8 – Gothic Theater (CO), Denver CO (w/ WHY?)
Fri, Nov 9 – Urban Lounge, Salt Lake City UT (w/ WHY?)
Sat, Nov 10 – Visual Arts Collective (VAC), Garden City ID (w/ WHY?)
Mon, Nov 12 – Neumos, Seattle WA (w/ WHY?)
Tue, Nov 13 – Revolution Hall, Portland OR (w/ WHY?)
Wed, Nov 14 – WOW Hall, Eugene OR (w/ WHY?)
Wed, Nov 21 – Ready Room, St Louis MO
Fri, Nov 23 – The Loving Touch, Ferndale MI (w/ WHY?)
Sat, Nov 24 – Sprit Hall, PIttsburgh pA (w/ WHY?)
Sun, Nov 25 – Space Ballroom, Camden CT (Space Ballroom)
Tue, Nov 27 – 3S Artspace, Portsmouth NH (w/ WHY?)
Wed, Nov 28 – The Sinclair, Boston, MA (w/ WHY?)
Thu, Nov 29 – Union Transfer, Philadelphia PA (w/ WHY?)
Fri, Nov 30 – Elsewhere, Brooklyn NY (w/ WHY?)
Sat, Dec 1 – U Street Music Hall, Washington DC (w/ WHY?)
Mon, Dec 3 – The Broadberry , Richmond Canada (w/ WHY?)
Tue, Dec 4 – Motorco, Durham NC (w/ WHY?)
Wed, Dec 5 – Terminal West, Atlanta GA (w/ WHY?)
Thu, Dec 6 – Grey Eagle, Asheville NC (w/ WHY?)
Sat, Dec 8 – Cosmic Charlie’s, Lexington KY (w/ WHY?)

The Friday Fire Track: Lala Lala – “Destroyer”

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Lala Lala is the Chicago-based project of Lillie West. She recently just signed to Hardly Art Records and will release her new album, The Lamb, on Friday, September 28th. The Friday Fire Track today is your first listen to Lala Lala as “Destroyer” has a very early Liz Phair meets Snail Mail sound. I also … Read more

Dick Stusso – “In Heaven” [Video]

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Dick Stusso, the Bay Area’s own “failure-prone fantasist in a cowboy hat” (East Bay Express), hits the road again next week for a run of dates with Sub Pop’s Jo Passed, preceded by a solo acoustic set opening for Angel Olsen at the Masonic Temple in Asheville, North Carolina. You can see his dates below.

Here is Stusso’s new music video for “In Heaven,” the title track from his recent Hardly Art debut. Filmed on 16mm, the video from director Sarah Strunin takes its inspiration from vintage Leonard Cohen and Nancy Sinatra/Lee Hazelwood clips.

TOUR DATES:
06.05.18 – Asheville, NC – Masonic Temple *
06.06.18 – Washington, DC – DC9 ^
06.07.18 – Philadelphia, PA – Boot & Saddle ^
06.08.18 – Brooklyn, NY – Park Church Co-Op ^
06.09.18 – Allston, MA – Great Scott ^
06.10.18 – Providence, RI – Fete Music Hall ^
06.11.18 – Montreal, QC – Bar le Ritz ^
06.12.18 – Ottowa, CA – Makerspace North ^
06.13.18 – Detroit, MI – Marble Bar ^
06.14.18 – Columbus, OH – Ace of Cups ^
06.16.18 – Chicago, IL – Sleeping Village ^
08.10.18 – 08.12.18 – San Francisco, CA – Outside Lands Festival

* – w/ Angel Olsen
^ – w/ Jo Passed

Dude York: Sincerely [Album Review]

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Dude York Sincerely Hardly Art Records [2017] Who: Dude York is a three-piece band (Peter Richards, Claire England, Andrew Hall) from Seattle. Sound: Power pop with a punk rock twist. TFN Final Take: There is a lot to like with Dude York’s debut LP, Sincerely. Two elements really work: the band’s use of tempo to … Read more

La Luz: “You Disappear”

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La Luz has just shared their new video for “You Disappear.” It is in support of their latest, Weirdo Shrine, and incorporates some far-out 3-D visuals that anyone at home with a pair of 3-D glasses (which were complementary in every copy of the band’s new record) can enjoy.

Tomorrow, the band inaugurates an ambitious 32-date European tour with a set at the Incubate Festival in Tilburg. Dates are below.

Tour Dates:
09.18.15 – Tilburg, NL – Incubate Fesival
09.19.15 – Leffinge, BE – Leffingeleuren Festival
09.20.15 – Haldern, DE – Haldern Pop Bar
09.21.15 – Hamburg, DE – Aalhaus
09.22.15 – Lund, SE – Mejeriet
09.23.15 – Stockholm, SE – Geronimos FGT
09.24.15 – Oslo, NO – Cafe Mono
09.25.15 – Copenhagen, DK – Stengade
09.26.15 – Berlin, DE – Berlin Independent Night
09.28.15 – Prague, CZ – Klub 007
09.29.15 – Vienna, AT – Rhiz
09.30.15 – Schorndorf, DE – Manufaktur ~
10.01.15 – Freiburg, DE – Slow Club
10.02.15 – Brescia, IT – Lio Bar
10.03.15 – Bologna, IT – Covo Club
10.05.15 – St. Gallen, CH – Millionaires Club
10.06.15 – Zürich, CH – Bogen F >
10.07.15 – Lyon, FR – Marché Gare @
10.08.15 – Montpellier, FR – Les Internationales de la Guitares
10.09.15 – Barcelona, ES – La [2] De Nitsa
10.10.15 – Madrid, ES – Villamanuela Festival
10.11.15 – Lisbon, PT – Casa Independente
10.13.15 – Bilbao, ES – Kafe Antzokia
10.14.15 – Bordeaux, FR – Iboat
10.15.15 – Paris, FR – Batofar
10.16.15 – Brighton, UK – Bleach
10.17.15 – Manchester, UK – The Eagle Inn
10.19.15 – Glasgow, UK – The Hug & Pint
10.20.15 – Leeds, UK – Brudenell Social Club
10.21.15 – Cardiff, UK – Moon Club
10.22.15 – London, UK – Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen
10.23.15 – Brussels, BE – Madame Moustache
10.24.15 – Amsterdam, NL – Paradiso

~ – w/ Vetiver
> – w/ Ladylamb
@ – w/ Crocodiles

The Friday Fire Track: La Luz – “You Disappear”

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Let’s start out by saying that I think La Luz will be one of the bigger indie surprises in 2015. The Seattle surf-rock female foursome had an excellent debut with 2013’s It’s Alive and after hearing today’s fire track, “You Disappear,” I have a heightened anticipation for their sophomore effort Weirdo Shrine due out August … Read more

Colleen Green: I Want To Grow Up [Album Review]

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Colleen Green I Want To Grow Up Hardly Arts Records [2015] Fire Note Says: Colleen Green shows you why age doesn’t matter. Album Review: We all have been there or soon will be, when it comes to celebrating birthday decades. For lo-fi punkster Colleen Green, that celebratory number is 30 on her newest full length, … Read more

The Friday Fire Track: Colleen Green – “Pay Attention”

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Colleen Green’s lo-fi pop punk charm shined on her Hardly Art debut, Sock It To Me, and now we have her first single from her forthcoming 2015 release I Want To Grow Up. “Pay Attention” already gives you an idea that Green has stepped it up sonically this go around, as the song is a … Read more

La Sera: Hour Of The Dawn [Album Review]

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La Sera Hour Of The Dawn Hardly Art Records [2014] Fire Note Says: La Sera rocks it up on third LP Hour Of The Dawn. Album Review: The Vivian Girls at this point seem like a very distant past when it comes to bassist Katy Goodman. Even though they technically broke up this past January … Read more

Gem Club: In Roses [Album Review]

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Gem Club In Roses Hardly Art Records [2014] Fire Note Says: Take a serene walk through the park with Gem Club. Album Review: Gem Club is a chamber pop trio that hails from Somerville, Massachusetts. The group is comprised of Christopher Barnes (piano and vocals), Kristen Drymala (cello), and Ieva Berberian (vocals). They released their … Read more

La Luz: It’s Alive [Album Review]

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La Luz It’s Alive Hardly Art Records [2013] Fire Note Says: La Luz’s debut is full of surf rock surprises. Album Review: Surfy rock from the Pacific Northwest? Sign me up! The all-female Seattle four piece, La Luz have just released their debut, It’s Alive, and it is a very modernized surf record by heart … Read more

Jacuzzi Boys self-titled third full-length out September 10

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You can now pre-order the Jacuzzi Boys’ third self-titled record from Hardly Art. The LPs will be on limited colored vinyl (clear with blue/red swirl), and all preorders will receive an official Jacuzzi Boys patch and postcard, while they last! All LPs include a download code. The album is released on September 10, 2013. You … Read more

The Moondoggies: Adiós I’m A Ghost [Album Review]

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The Moondoggies Adiós I’m A Ghost Hardly Art Records [2013] Fire Note Says: The Moondoggies return with the memorable and confident Adiós I’m A Ghost. Album Review: By the time a band gets to their third album they typically have reached some sort of crossroad. For Seattle’s Moondoggies, their third album Adiós I’m A Ghost … Read more

Hunx And His Punx: Street Punk [Album Review]

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Hunx And His Punx Street Punk Hardly Art Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Believe the title as Hunx And His Punx bring the noise! Album Review: With an album title like Street Punk and an album cover with a tattooed bare-chested dude you better bring it when it comes to the music. Hunx And His … Read more

Hausu: Total [Album Review]

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Hausu Total Hardly Art Records [2013] Fire Note Says: Hausu provide a fresh and precision based debut record. Album Review: It wasn’t till about the fourth track here on Hausu’s debut, Total, that I started to get where the Portland, OR band was coming from with their retro post-punk sound. Did they sound like Fugazi? … Read more

Hunx & His Punx’s Street Punk, due July 23rd / New Tour Dates

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July 23rd, Hardly Art will release the new full-length by California’s Hunx & His Punx. Street Punk, as the title implies, is a dramatic departure from the band’s previous outing, 2011’s Too Young to Be in Love, and includes a deep-cut Beastie Boys cover (“Egg Raid on Mojo”) and brief, blistering anthems like “Everyone’s a … Read more

Jacuzzi Boys drop new single, tour with Man or Astro Man?

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Miami’s Jacuzzi Boys, have dropped a catchy new single called “Double Vision,” (not a Foreigner cover) from an upcoming 7″ single of the same name (B Side “Sunsets”). Out July 9th, the “Double Vision” single serves as your taste of the Boys’ upcoming self-titled third LP, due out September 10th on Hardly Art Records. Next … Read more

Shannon And The Clams: Dreams In The Rat House [Album Review]

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Shannon And The Clams Dreams In The Rat House Hardly Art Records [2013] Fire Note Says: 50’s rock ’n’ roll meets 60’s garage on this chaotic collection. Album Review: There are lots of “retro-rock” or “neo-garage” bands out there these days who play gritty, 60s-inspired tunes. Shannon and the Clams differentiate themselves from all those … Read more