“On Else, the duo — recently expanded to a trio — only gets more ambitious and expansive. Lead single “Blank Stare,” which the band shared earlier this month, saw the band at their most scuzzy and sour; “Wait It Out” is more of a slow-burn, digging into a groove and refusing to let go.” – Stereogum
Solids’ 2014 debut LP Blame Confusion (Fat Possum/Dine Alone) was lauded for its revved-up take on alt-rock from the early ’90s. Its poppy melodies set against a dense, relentless soundscape pointed to guitarist Xavier Germain-Poitras and drummer Louis Guillemette’s formative years in the hardcore scene.
Their forthcoming Else EP, out on Topshelf/Dine Alone Records on April 15, 2016, sees the band checking in after a year of near-endless touring. Having played more than 200 shows in 2014-2015 with the likes of Pity Sex, Makthaverskan, Nothing, PUP, Single Mothers and Metz, the EP reflects that road weariness with a group of songs that vibrate at a lower frequency. These tracks document the waiting, the bleary-eyed confusion and the blur of days that come with life on the road.
The EP serves as a melancholic deconstruction of the ’90s slacker ethos explored on their first LP. But it also charts Solids’ transition into a wider and more experimental sound, borrowing strands from Dinosaur Jr., Hum and Unwound and coiling them into an anxious, alienated sound that’s all their own. The final product is a snapshot of a band that’s travelled 5000 miles in 19 minutes; a band that’s chained itself to the road in search of inspiration.
And in case you were worried, even with their recent successes and ambitious new approach, Solids still jam econo. Whether they’re playing majors events like SXSW, CMJ, CMW, Osheaga, Pop Montreal, The Great Escape and Sled Island or in some packed and humid basement, Xavier and Louis sweat blood because they don’t know any other way to make music.
Else can now be pre-ordered from Topshelf at http://tpshlf.co/tsr148
The vinyl 12″ will be available in three variations:
250 // Opaque Blue (Topshelf exclusive)
250 // Opaque Red (Dine Alone exclusive)
1,000 // Black
Tour dates:
May 24 Lata de Zinc Oviedo, Spain
May 26 Dabadaba San Sebastian, Spain
May 27 Get Mad Festival Madrid, Spain
May 28 La [2] de Apolo Barcelona, Spain
May 30 Nieuwe Nor w/ Metz Heerlen, Netherlands
May 31 Rotterdam w/ Metz Rotterdam, Netherlands
Jun 01 Veraw/ Metz Groningen, Netherlands
Jun 03 El Chicho Bordeaux, France
Jun 04 Less Playboy Is More Cowboy Poitiers, France
Jun 06 Old Blue Last w/ BIRDSKULLS London, United Kingdom
Jun 07 The Picture House w/ BIRDSKULLS Sheffield, United Kingdom
Jun 08 The Hope w/ BIRDSKULLS Brighton, United Kingdom
Jun 09 Druckluft Oberhausen, Germany
Jun 12 Ottinger Villa Darmstadt, Germany
Jun 13 Cafe V Lese Prague, Czech Republic