Saturday, November 20, 2010

THE GOOD LIFE EP


Album cover artwork by Alan Forbes and David D'Andrea, 2010.


Hello Friends,

As we prepare to embark on a tour of the UK and western Europe throughout December I am proud (thrilled, relieved, short circuiting) to announce that Howlin Rain have a new release coming into the world. No, this is not our long awaited 3rd album, though we are nearly done tracking the new record, making great sounds and progress and should see it's release in summer or fall of 2011. "The Good Life" EP is 3 songs, nearly 20 minutes of new music.

After almost two years of pre-production work with producer Rick Rubin for our next album we found ourselves with an over abundance of material and an increasing gap of time between the forecast release of our next album and our last record "Magnificent Fiend". On the eve of hitting the studio and beginning to record #3, Howlin Rain took a week to step into a studio and complete this mini album or EP. It was envisioned as both an introduction to the forthcoming full length due in 2011 (the songs are exclusive to this EP) and as a piece that cold stand on it's own in HR's catalog as a trilogy of songs that present their own unique journey and sonic arch. After such extended rehearsals and pre-production work we were interested in taking this opportunity to try and produce high quality recordings and performances off the cuff and against the clock that could capture a blend of immediacy and sonic intrigue. All three songs were tracked in one evening live in the same room at Lucky Cat Studios in San Francisco by Trans Am's brilliant Phil Manley and taken back to Louder Studios to be overdubbed and mixed by Tim Green in a handful of days. From the time we set up at Lucky Cat to the time the EP was completely mastered and ready to go was a week and a half. In the midst of a journey to complete an album that will have been years in the making, the Good Life EP is a catharsis of immediacy for us blasted down from a long highway, a postcard from the outer regions where we've been navigating now for a lot of moons.

The digital version of the The Good Life EP, by American Recordings is in gloriously sharp 1's and 0's, the details of our analog recording reproduced and represented in digital for your convenience, each kilobyte of information meticulously placed and crafted by a giant black computer, the only one or its kind, deep inside of the Columbia Records building in Beverly Hills.

The analog version of the EP, released by Birdman Records is a limited edition of 1000 vinyl package. It was printed by RTI on beautiful heavy black vinyl and comes in a silk screened sleeve designed by Bay Area psychedelic artists Alan Forbes and David D'Andrea and printed at Monolith Press in Emeryville.

The vinyl is at the plant getting pressed and will most likely be available in January or February. Pre-Order the vinyl here. Buy the digital EP now from here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-good-life-ep/id403876985

best and love

Ethan

12 comments:

  1. Something new from the Howlin' Rain are always good news. We wait whith our ears ready!

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  2. Is the analog version available for preorder? I could not find it on Birdman's website.

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  3. Great stuff as always! Can't wait for the album! Thanks for the new jams

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  4. Hey Ethan,
    Great to see you are coming back to Barcelona on 15th december, two years after the great concert at Sidecar! Let me say that Apolo (the venue you'll be playing) is not as hot and claustrophobic (in the good sense). I remember all the audience and musicians were sweating a lot that day.
    Though I don't work as a promoter, I brought (as a fan) the band Earthless to Barcelona last April. As I told you there's a huge following for psych music in Barcelona. A promoter from Barcelona have also brought Moon Duo, Cave and Wooden Shjips (great show!) since last summer. I'm now a lot into Sic Alps. I love them! I'm really looking forward seeing you. One last thing: Will you bring any merch goodie as you did in 2008 ("Wild Life")?
    Best,
    Sergi

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  5. Loving the new EP - can't wait for the album.

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  6. Whilst it is good new to hear there is some new Howlin' Rain out, the fact it only seems to be available as a download or on vinyl means I won't be buying it. What about a cd version?

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  7. Ethan,
    After the great gig in Barcelona from last wednesday I forgot to ask you how many Silver Currant CDRs have been done. I'm already enjoying the ones I bought at your merch desk: nº8 (Live at the Mercury Lounge, NYC, 2006), nº10 (Live compilation from the UK/Ireland 2008 tour), nº11 (Live at the Sidecar, Barcelona 2008: I was there!), nº13 ('Three From a Phnatom Saloon' unreleased Acoustic E.P: I love those acoustic guitars!).

    *Concerning the Good Life EP, it was sold out. It's a pity for vinyl purchasers. I also vote for a CD release or at least a WAV one to download. Though I have an iPod full of mp3, the music I enjoy the most (in my opinion)deserves to be listened at its best sound quality. Well, I'm 36 so I still prefer to be at the sofa listening to my music than with a PC with shity headspeakers.

    The best luck for 2011 and for the promotion of the new album. Hope to see the band again in Barcelona. And maybe some day with your other band, which I've never seen live...

    Best,

    Sergi

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  8. Hey Friends,
    great to see some of you on tour this December! The vinyl manufacturing plant didn't finish the vinyl in time for tour so Good Life EP vinyl is now available for pre-order: http://www.birdmanrecords.com/howlinrain/index.html
    and should be available for shipment in January or February. A cd release of the Good Life EP isn't out of the question down the line but for now we are just releasing vinyl and digital. After we finish the new album we will look into the details of a possible WAV digital or CD release of the EP and finish the double vinyl release of the self titled first album which will also be released in 2011.
    Sergi, I think you now have all the Silver Currant Howlin Rain bootlegs except for "Howlin Radio" and "live at the Luminaire in London". All of which we will make sure to have on the table next stop through Spain. Raj and I are going to try to put together a Howlin Rain merchandise store through our site also this year, so check back in on those. Happy New Year to you all!
    best,
    Ethan

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  9. I love you guys
    This ep is great!

    I missed your last tour in europe but next time i'll be there.

    all the best

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