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Tuesday, March 11th, 2014

The Melodic Embark On US Tour

Brixton’s THE MELODIC have been garnering heaps of praise on both sides of the Atlantic for their effervescent blend of melodic English folk with African and Caribbean rhythms. The band have just embarked on a seven week tour of the USA, which see’s them take to the road supporting label peers Saintseneca for a collection of dates leading into SXSW Festival in Austin (March 10-15). After SXSW, the band will take to the road for a 20 date tour with West African blues legends Tinariwen as well as playing a string of their own headline shows. Their debut album, EFFRA PARADE is out now.

Paste recently wrote of the young group,"with their bright melodies and bouncy, bare-boned instrumentation, The Melodic couldn't be more aptly named. Percussion shuffles along as the group's harmonies intertwine, coalescing into a soft yet poignant timbre that evokes shimmering memories of careless days."

The band recently covered the song “Love Letters” by English electronic group Metronomy. You can listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ7bwd7s9Cc

On a previous US tour with Johnny Flynn, The Melodic captivated packed venues with their unique and moving sound. Mother Jones wrote of a show in San Francisco, “The sold-out crowd showed up for Flynn, but gave The Melodic its full attention and was rewarded with a set of richly layered, harmony-laden, often upbeat, evocative music.”

Tour Dates:

3/11-3/16 - SXSW Festival - Austin, TX
3/18 - Nashville, TN - High Watt w/Tinariwen
3/19 - Athens, GA - Georgia Theatre w/Tinariwen
3/20 - Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle w/Tinariwen
3/21 - Philadelphia, PA - Prince Music Theatre w/Tinariwen
3/22 – Washington, DC - Sixth & I w/Tinariwen
3/23 & 3/24 - Brooklyn, NY- Brooklyn Bowl w/Tinariwen
3/25 – Boston, MA- Paradise w/Tinariwen
3/26 – Ridgefield, CT- Ridgefield Playhouse w/Tinariwen
3/27 – Northampton, MA- Iron Horse w/Tinariwen
3/28 - Portland, ME - Port City Music Hall w/Tinariwen
3/29 – South Burlington, VT – Higher Ground w/Tinariwen
3/30 - Fall River, MA - Narrow Centre for The Arts (Headline show)
4/2 – Kent, OH - Kent Stage w/Tinariwen
4/3 – Cincinnati, OH - MOTR Pub (Headline show)
4/4 – Nelsonville, OH - Stuart’s w/Tinariwen
4/6 – Minneapolis, MN - Cedar’s w/Tinariwen
4/8 – Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre w/Tinariwen
4/9 - St Louis, MO - Old Rock House w/Tinariwen
4/10 - Kansas City, MO - Record Bar (Headline show)
4/11 – Denver, CO - Bluebird Theatre w/Tinariwen
4/12 - Salt Lake City, UT- State Room w/Tinariwen
4/14 – Seattle, WA - Sunset Tavern (Headline show)
4/15 – Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater w/Tinariwen
4/18 - St Grass Valley, CA - Centre for The Arts w/Tinariwen
4/19 – Berkeley, CA - Starry Plough (Headline show)
4/20 - Los Angeles, CA - The Satellite (Headline show)
4/22 - New York, NY - Rockwood Music Hall (Headline show)

Critical Acclaim For The Melodic:

“The Melodic’s debut prove unexpectedly life-affirming” – Q

“The Melodic don't sound much like anyone else in British pop, and their individuality, imagination, and vision already make them something special.” – All Music Guide

“For a band in their early 20s, the Melodic’s debut, Effra Parade, sounds aged and knowing.” – Electronic Musician

“Effra Parade packs impressive arrangements…Effra Parade is a desirable locale." - Mojo Magazine

“Much of the Melodic’s orientation is reminiscent of the Simon & Garfunkel hit ‘El Condor Pasa (If I Could).’” – Kansas City Star

"Employing such worldly instruments as the charango, kora, and melodica, the band's sound is one filled with globe-bouncing catchiness, young spirited harmonies, and melodically whimsical rhythms." - No Depression

“Their blend of folk, world music and pop is incredibly earnest and aurally pleasing with hints of bands like The Magnetic Fields, The Decemberists, and Belle and Sebastian...this it what good folk pop should sound like." – OurVinyl.com

"For its debut LP, Effra Parade, the band self-recorded a shuffling set of beautiful tunes, utilizing 18 different instruments, over several years. Although the album was recorded in a “modest” studio built out of a former South London bedroom, the sound is as gorgeous and explorative as the music. Songs such as “Roots” and “Runaway” are perfectly plucked gems, while “On My Way” could be a legit hit. But the Melodic, which releases its debut on the Anti- label, following its acclaimed EP On My Way, don’t seem too concerned about hits. The innovative Brit pop ensemble would rather take its time crafting retro sounds, saluting English ’60s folk heroes such as Bert Jansch, the Incredible String Band, Vashti Bunyan, Fairport Convention and Nick Drake while taking the baton from Scotland’s Belle & Sebastian for a stretch. – Atlantic City Weekly

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