Kayo Dot / Maudlin of the Well

http://rateyourmusic.com/top_albums/year_is_2003

They could be oncourse to cross over to THe Explosions in The Sky/ Godspeed You Black Emperor crowd with the new album.

Portland US band, The Ocean on Important - 'Here Where Nothing Grows'

German Ocean newly signed to Metal Blade, new album delayed till March 2006.

i dunno how i missed it, martian! i can't be everywhere. i try, i try...

tip: log into your blogger account and clean it up, or turn off comments.

Not sure if that piece is on the new album, as I spent my money on 'Choirs of the Eye.' Definitely one of my favorite albums of 2003 ... the production quality is super rich.

yeah, i noticed that. i will have to delete that stuff.

http://www.myspace.com/kayodot

also, toby driver of Kayo Dot has a new album on Tzadik:

http://www.myspace.com/tobydriver

AND, the other dude from Kayo Dot has a new solo album:

http://www.myspace.com/baliset

and, hey, dark symphonies is rereleasing the last two (interconnected) maudlin of the Well albums for those who missed them! Both made my Village Voice Pazz & Jop list that year. DS info:

1.) DARK SYMPHONIES is proud to announce the re-issue of former recording artist MAUDLIN OF THE WELL's two groundbreaking works of astral metal entitled, "BATH" and "LEAVING YOUR BODY MAP"! The world wide release date for the Dark Symphonies re-issues for these two cds will be TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2006!

Originally released in the summer of 2001, "Bath" and "Leaving Your Body Map" were presented simultaneously to the world as companion pieces to present the band's vision of what they dubbed "astral metal." Bold and daring in scope, these two releases amounted to nothing less than a conceptual journey of astral dimensions as it transported the listener into the infinite depths of the human imagination. Believing a higher consciousness can be achieved through music, motW skillfuly employed a vast array of instrumentation and vocalization to explore the macrocosmic world of our thoughts and dreams. From delicate guitar harmonics to monsterous walls of sound, motW evoked all the relevant emotions from each of its influences: death metal's rage, gothic doom's melancholy, classical's joy, atmospheric music's psychedelia, folk's reflective tranquility, jazz's excitement and rock's glee. Maudlin of the Well also incorporated autophysiopsychic music techniques into the compositonal structure and sequence of each song making "Bath" and "Leaving Your Body Map" a truly out-of-body listening experience. Majestically crafted and executed with precision, "Bath" and "Leaving Your Body Map" are a stunning achievement of progressive, extreme music!

The re-issue versions will include five bonus tracks selected by the band as well as extensive liner notes written by Toby Driver, the mastermind behind Maudlin Of The Well! The original artwork will remain intact at the request of Toby since he feels it still conveys the meaning and spirit behind the music and lyrics. The repressing for each cd will be limited to 1,000 copies world-wide! And the complete tracklisting will be posted here in the next few days, so stay tuned!

Finally, we thought it would be appropriate to post several comments made by reviewers/critics who reviewed "Bath" and "Leaving Your Body Map" back in 2001. Enjoy!

"Maudlin of the Well has accomplished something that few artists are truly able to pull off: an extensive, lengthy double release that does not sound as though a good half hour could be left off with no detrimental effects. Recommended entirely to those with pioneer spirit and an explorer's heart." ~ John Chedsey - Satan Stole My Teddy Bear

"I, for myself, think that they are geniuses; at least, they are trying to do something really original. What I like the most with them is that you never know when a heavy part or a soft part will come; always letting you guess what will happen next." ~ Math - The Metal Observer

"I can see why there is a great deal of buzz about this band -This is clearly one of the best releases of 2001. I urge you check it out for yourself." ~ progressiveworld.net

"Mark my words, maudlin of the Well are the new guys to watch in the metal world. Highly, highly recommended." ~ Jon Murphree - EER Music

"This is truly art. So what do you do about it? Buy them. Now. As soon as humanly possible. Make no mistake, these are not lightweight albums and if you like your music trite, simplistic, and predictable, you may need to hear this more than those who would be open to it." ~ Matthew - Starvox

It means changing your alpha waves to calm you with ELF in order to empty your bowels.

i like the kayo dot review in decibel:

"You could tell from the earliest stirrings of Maudlin of the Well that there was a lot more going on in chief composer Toby Driver’s head than a proggish take on doom-metal heaviness. In Kayo Dot, his subsequent project, Driver has delved ever further into formally composed and arranged pieces that ebb and flow as inexorably as the tides.

That’s not to suggest that there’s no heaviness on Dowsing Anemone With Copper Tongue. But that density is just as likely to come from thickly clotted chords on violin and trumpet as from walls of distorted guitar. Opening track “Gemini Becoming the Tripod” has it both ways, alternating between stately chamber-music textures and funereal plod. Disorienting and claustrophobic, the track is a tortured fever dream; Driver’s vocal sounds like Billy Corgan being slowly strangled.

Opening in misty drift, “Immortelle and Paper Caravelle” sighs into a sweetly sung ballad, Driver’s fey vocal caressed by Forbes Graham’s warm trumpet and Mia Matsumiya’s purring violin. The stop-start opening of “Aura on an Asylum Wall” transitions through a gently swinging jazz interlude to a driving 5/8 climax worthy of Van der Graaf Generator. The epic “___ on Limpid Form” ranges from blissful Floydian reverie to caustic Khanate dirge before exploding like an iron foundry detonated by Einstürzende Neubauten. Creeping with catlike tread, closing track “Amaranth the Peddler” surrounds Driver’s cryptic lyrics with a pervasive unease more genuinely rattling than any conventional metal release you might care to name."

—Steve Smith

08/30 - Nashua, NH @ Drifter's - w/ Ocean
08/31 - Portland, ME @ Space - w/ Ocean
09/01 - Burlington VT @ 242 - Main - w/ Junius, Carrigan, Tell No One,
State Street Residential
09/02 - Ottawa, ON (or anywhere in QC) - PLEASE HELP!
09/03 - Montreal, QC @ Main Hall - w/ Argon Floozy and Wapstan
09/04 - Amherst, MA @ Mercy House
09/05 - Boston, MA @ TBA
09/06 - Day Off
09/07 - Somerville, MA - Toby & Mia Performance @ P.A.'s Lounge - w/
Dilly Dilly (members of Cerberus Shoal), Fence Kitchen
09/08 - Torrington, CT @ Metropolis Music
09/09 - New York, NY @ Sin-é - w/ Made Out Of Babies, Versoma, Rosetta
09/10 - PLEASE HELP!
09/11 - Asbury Park, NJ @ The Saint - w/ Day Without Dawn, Delft
09/12 - Philadelphia, PA @ The First Unitarian Church - w/ Rosetta,
Belegost, Towers
09/13 - Baltimore, MD @ Talking Head - w/ Neil Michael Hagerty (of Royal
Trux)
09/14 - Baltimore, MD - Forbes Performance @ High Zero Fest
09/15 - Baltimore, MD - Forbes Performance @ High Zero Fest - maybe Toby
& Mia can do a duet somewhere? (please get in touch if you can help!)
09/16 - Baltimore, MD - Forbes Performance @ High Zero Fest - maybe Toby
& Mia can do a duet somewhere? (please get in touch if you can help!)
09/17 - Baltimore, MD - Forbes Performance @ High Zero Fest - maybe Toby
& Mia can do a duet somewhere? (please get in touch if you can help!)
09/18 - Pittsburgh, PA @ TBA
09/19 - Buffalo, NY @ The Soundlab - w/ Novelist
09/20 - Toronto, ON @ The Drake Hotel - w/ Mare
09/21 - MI @ TBA - w/ Larval
09/22 - Indianapolis @ The Secret Location (2455 Broadway St.) - w/ Holy
Bible, Little Boots, Drusilla
09/23 - St Louis, MO (or close by) - PLEASE HELP!
09/24 - Chicago, IL @ The Empty Bottle - w/ Steinski, Trapist, Hamid
Drake/William Parker Duo
09/25 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Cactus Club - w/ Canyons Of Static
09/26 - Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews - w/ Pinbosx Rhythm Revue
09/27 - Omaha, NE @ O'Leaver's - w/ Shinyville
09/28 - Wichita, KS @ TBA - w/ Ricky Fitts
09/29 - Denver CO @ Monkey Mania - w/ The Autokinoton, Across Tundras,
Black Helicopters
09/30 - Salt Lake City UT @ The Urban Lounge
10/01 - Boise, ID @ TBA
10/02 - Seattle, WA @ The Funhouse - w/ Book Of Black Earth, Sugar
Skulls
10/03 - Portland OR @ the Food Hole - w/ Mustaphamond
10/04 - Eugene, OR @ The Samurai Duck
10/05 - Arcata, CA (or close by) - PLEASE HELP!
10/06 - Chico, CA @ 1078 Gallery - w/ The Makai, Intronaut
10/07 - San Francisco CA @ Hemlock Tavern - w/ Oxbow, Intronaut
10/08 - Santa Cruz, CA @ TBA - w/ Intronaut
10/09 - Santa Barbara, CA @ TBA - w/ Intronaut, Crossbows and Catapults,
Mars, Rhino Charge
10/10 - Los Angeles, CA @ Mountain Bar - w/ Intronaut, Upsilon Acrux
10/11 - Riverside, CA @ Medical Abuse Records
10/12 - Las Vegas, NV - PLEASE HELP!
10/13 - Phoenix, AZ @ Counter Culture Cafe
10/14 - Tucson, AZ @ Skrappy's
10/15 - El Paso, TX @ Zeppelin's
10/16 - Odessa, TX @ The Roadhouse
10/17 - Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves - w/ The Great Tyrant
10/18 - Houston TX @ Walters on Washington - w/ Tambersauro, Motion
Turns It On
10/19 - Beaumont, TX @ The Vortex
10/20 - Hattiesburg, MS @ The Green Room - w/ That Yellow Bastard
10/21 - Tallahassee, FL @ TBA - w/ Roboteer
10/22 - Tampa, FL @ Transitions Art Gallery
10/23 - West Palm, FL @ Backbone Music - w/ The Catalyst, Entropy,
Crusades
10/24 - Orlando, FL - PLEASE HELP!
10/25 - Atlanta, GA @ The Drunken Unicorn - w/ Ahleuchatistas
10/26 - Chattanooga, TN @ Ziggy's - w/ Ahleuchatistas, Moscow Theater
Siege
10/27 - Nashville TN @ The Muse - w/ Ahleuchatistas
10/28 - Asheville NC @ The Rocket Bar - w/ Ahleuchatistas
10/29 - Anywhere in NC - w/ Grails - PLEASE HELP!
10/30 - Richmond, VA - w/ Grails - PLEASE HELP!
10/31 - Washington DC @ TBA - w/ Grails

How do I help? I want this to end up being in Charlotte, NC. The perfect club for this type of music: www.milestoneclub.com

1. is the new album any good
2. i ask this because the two older ones are fucking amazing

I'm probably in the minority on this, but I was pretty disappointed in the new one. Way more refined and structured, much less "metal" than anything before and much more "classical". I was hoping for a couple freak-out moments, but it stays pretty restrained throughout.

Yeah, I think it's OK but not brilliant.

i've heard a lot of "meh" about the new one, but haven't checked it out yet.

the new one is just toby and one other person, right? cuz there isn't really a "band" anymore, i don't think. maybe he should have released it under his own name to avoid unfair comparisons.

Toby and the violin playing girl, blanking on her name right now, but also a whole bunch of guest musicians this time around.

yeah he kicked out everyone he wasn't fucking

Yeah, pretty uneven, but last three tracks are strong. My review will be on paperthinwalls sometime.

I love the new one, seems like a natural progression from the first two. KD seem to be becoming increasingly fluid and slippery. the lack of explosive moments just enhances their impact when they finally do arrive.

Yeah, I agree with your last point. Here'e the review I mentioned:
http://www.paperthinwalls.com/singlefile/item?id=1594

Like anime--Toby Driver makes me see Vampire Hunter D, mebbe the same kind of contradictions ("I am blood-celibate, as I hunt my kind under the Law," vs. "I am vast, I *contain*: art, rock, desolation and creation")Triumph Of The Will.

When "___on limpid form" is the most accurate musical rendition of one's mood, you're in a pretty fucking dark place. I think the 24 hours without food and massive alcohol consumption might have something to do with this. Regardless, it's probably one of the best 20 songs of the decade.

I think I like this a lot but I am basically new to this band and this album is kinda different to what I was expecting.... like I fuck with jazz-rock but feel largely unqualified to say anything intelligent or conclusive about music made in the style

Have you only got the new record? That's the only one I don't have. The first two are sorta ambient-jazz-metal but even weirder and more esoteric than that sounds.

Kayo Dot mainman Toby Driver will resurrect his original outfit maudlin of the Well. The cult avant-metal outfit were active from 1996 to 2003 with members going on to form Kayo Dot after its demise, but Driver aims to bring it back by next Spring with a new LP. Speaking to Rock-A-Rolla, he stated: “We should be finished by early Spring. I’m trying to get as many of the members involved as possible… Let me be very clear that all the material is very old - it won’t have anything to do with my current compositional mind and the purpose of this revival project is to just bring these old pieces to the fans. The music will be released completely for free.”

Well, cool.

I tried hard to like the new album, but couldn't, and wrote about why here, sort of:

http://blog.rhapsody.com/2008/11/oh-well-guess-w.html

i don't think i ever got around to hearing the last album.

that maudlin of the well news is, um... a little confusing. are they just recording
old stuff that they never got around to recording the first time or re-recording
stuff that did get recorded back then.

in any case, i am totally the grinch of reunions/reformations. i rarely get excited about stuff
like that.

Recordings of old songs that were never recorded.
Scott, I thought you would've been excited by this. It's why I posted it here.

aw, sorry, i'm a bummer. like i said, i am seriously ho-hum about reunions or whatever. like poo posting about seeing flux of pink indians, only one of my all-time fave bands, and it doesn't excite me a bit. don't get me wrong, i've seen some enjoyable greybeard shows, chameleons and pretty things being two, but they are too dime a dozen these days. it's easier to name the bands that HAVEN'T gotten back together for some shows then the ones that have. did you know that EVERY SINGLE BAND THAT EVER PLAYED THRASH METAL IN THE 80'S, even if they were only together for a month, has toured between 2000 and 2008. it's true.

"Whatever lies in my past
Or what is yet in the future
Time passes so fast
Suppose there's always the danger
I won't pull through
I'll have to think this thing through
Despite my fear it helps to
Share my nostalgia with you

Tomorrow I'll remember yesterday
Tomorrow I remember yesterday
Tomorrow, remember yesterday
Tomorrow, remember yesterday

Tomorrow, remember yesterday...
Tomorrow, nostalgia will lead me away"

but i would probably buy a maudlin of the well album of new material. cuz it's not like they were around THAT long ago and their stuff would still sound fresh and creative today, i'm sure.

Hah, I was about to say I bet you still buy it.

mia's hot

Yayyy! I'm really ecstatic about the way this album turned out. I think it's really gorgeous and exciting music!

I'm not sure if you guys know the story behind this album, but maudlin of the well was basically pre-Kayo Dot. Toby Driver (the composer of both bands) had really wanted to record some maudlin of the well albums way, way in the past but just never had enough money to do it. He blogged about the possibility of a fan-funded album to be released online for free and to his surprise, fans actually seemed to be interested! So 86 awesome fans in all donated to make this record possible. I think the result is really fantastic!

I'm really happy because I've always loved maudlin of the well's music but was always kinda bummed that I wasn't a part of it.

Anyway, Toby made some awesome artwork for the album too, that you can view on the streaming tracks. Check it out! It's kind of like Kayo Dot and maudlin of the Well had an awesome car crash.

http://www.maudlinofthewell.net

Enjoy!

xo
Mia

cool. i'll listen tonight at home.

Ah, his Yoko

Well, her violin and vocals are always welcome; regarding any possibly Ono-esque ambition, consider the following show preview (writ by yr. humble servant)

Kayo Dot’s chamber/pit rock has been called “post-metal,” with some trace elements of the anime character Vampire Hunter D, now hunting his own kind, in the shadows of justice. Kayo Dot’s own tension lines can twist all too slowly, but co-founders Toby Driver and Mia Matisumiya (touring with four other multi-instrumentalists) can raise valleys and drop mountains, sounding like Mia’s blog promises. Everything’s screwed, but she’s unscrewing it, literally: “One day the world will go Crash! For lack of screws, and I will be Queen of the Universe!” Kayo Dot’s passing through the purpose-driven afterlife.

(brags about collapsing a booth in a Tokyo MacDonald's, for inst)

I just listened to Blue Lambency Downward. There's some really great stuff on there. Like a manly Thinking Plague or something. Their other albums are similar?

That is the most of its kind (and mostly what my show preview was thinking of).

Was mostly joking about Mia being his Yoko upthread...she's pretty ace

However, I'm reviving this thread because

When "___on limpid form" is the most accurate musical rendition of one's mood, you're in a pretty fucking dark place. Regardless, it's probably one of the best 20 3 songs of the decade.

― Just got offed, Friday, 20 June 2008 00:31 (11 months ago) Bookmark

needed to be amended, the thing is simply and utterly mind-melting

Now I listen to that new motW thingy

is sweet

but nothing on it is quite as face-slappingly essential, as atavistically primal, as fundamentally kickass as ___on limpid form

hmmm i have difficulties enjoying this band

:(

Blue Lambency Downward was my default car album for the last week or two.

(Wavering Radiant before that.)

JJ I insist you hear the following, if you have not already heard it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=173XU6OE55Q

If you liked that, then get the goddamn studio version. Not often I'd say an album is worth *buying* for one song alone (and there's actually 3 genuinely great pieces on the record, adding up to like 35 minutes of music), but this one most certainly is. 18 minutes of life-changing, head-rattling insanity.

whiney, why did you not say

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/archives/2010/02/premiere_kayo_d.php

am listening to this preview track and basically YES OH GOD YES

2010 is actually blowing my mind

"Not really any guitar on this album," says frontman Toby Driver. "A tiny bit, but it doesn't even sound like guitar, so it perhaps doesn't really count. There's that quest to make some brutal rock sans guitar."

i know your album is going to be fucking amazing and a unique vision and all but VdGG kinda won that quest 40 years ago

griping over. get stoked.

Metal In Opposition

New track is pretty awesome.

maudlin of the Well Limited Vinyl Box Set! **LESS THAN 40 COPIES LEFT**

Hey there,

We´re a Finnish non-profit, whose mission is the preservation of extreme metal culture.

We´re co-releasing a maudlin of the Well 4xLP + 7" Deluxe 200-gram Vinyl Box Set. Their records were written while in the course of astral projection (out of body experiences). Their CD´s have been out of print for a long time, and there are no plans to repress them.

Our limited deluxe vinyl box set has been available for pre-order for only a few weeks, and we´re very near selling out. There will be only 300 in total, and we have LESS THAN 40 COPIES LEFT!

There will be no repress afterwards, and only a VERY limited amount of barebones black LP gatefolds afterwards, with none of the extras (no 7", no box, no mp3 downloads, nothing).

The box set includes "Bath" and "Leaving Your Body Map" on 200gram colored vinyl. Also: "The Secret Song" on 7", a signed poster with new artwork by Toby Driver, deluxe hand-numbered box, motW guitar picks, mp3 download cards, and much more.

Here´s a promo for it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Afo_L_VXPpc

Blood Music (Worldwide, except USA/Canada):
http://bloodmusic.bigcartel.com

Antithetic Records (USA/Canada ONLY):
http://antitheticrecords.storeenvy.com

Hey all,

We managed to get rights to re-release maudlin of the Well's albums on CD. "Bath" and "Leaving Your Body Map" are coming out with one bonus song each, as well as the never-before-released "Part the Second." 300 copies of each, with an option to buy one of 75 signed by Toby Driver.

Pre-orders of the CD's go live on March 1st at 10AM Finnish time. The CD's will be shipped on April 13th.

We'll also have 100 copies each of "Bath" and "LYBM" on black vinyl in gatefolds (none of the box set extras).

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm6tfF8jzYg

Sounds: http://soundcloud.com/bloodmusic-1/sets/maudlin-of-the-well/

Everything goes live at 10AM Finnish time, tomorrow (March 1st).

http://www.blood-music.com/store

Check your time zone, as it correlates to Helsinki:

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/

Release date is in two days, and CDs will begin shipping then.

We've got roughly 50 copies left of each disc if anyone is still interested.

jesus, this thread title haunts me. i'm so fucking annoying. hurry up and sell your CDs.

haha didn't image there's a kayo dot thread

Hurrying, Scott! Almost gone.

This morning's update from Toby:
Hey guys, I'm writing to you from Santiago, Chile. Holy cow! Here's a really brief, uncharacteristically charmless message about the upcoming excruciatingly exciting weekend in NYC!

I'm premiering a brand new, 30+ minute piece at The Stone, this coming Saturday, callled "Ichneumonidae," which features me, Timba Harris (of Secret Chiefs 3, etc), and Michelle Morinaga. This one is super special to me for a number of reasons, and I really hope you can make it if you're in the area. I don't want to give away too much of the surprise, so I can't really give any more details, but trust me, it'll be a spectacle!
And it's ALL AGES. If you are planning on coming from far away for this, PLEASE let me know in advance so we can reserve a space for you... The Stone does fill up/ sell out quickly and there are no advance tickets.

I'm participating in a couple abutting events as well - make a weekend out of it! All this is part of CHIPPYFEST - thanks to Heung-Heung Chin!

Friday April 20 @ 11pm : Vaura acoustic renditions
(Toby Driver - piano, Kevin Hufnagel - guitar, Josh Strawn - guitar, Charlie Schmid - percussion)

Saturday April 21 @ 9:30pm : ICHNEUMONIDAE WORLD PREMIERE
(Toby Driver - guitar, Timba Harris - violin, Michelle Morinaga - Parasitomorphism, Butoh & percussion)

Saturday April 21 @ 11pm: Stern LIVE BAND
(Chuck Stern - voice, Tim Byrnes - keys, Toby Driver - guitar, Keith Abrams - drums)

And, if you're currently in Santiago or Sao Paulo, come say hi to me at one of the upcoming Secret Chiefs 3 shows this week! YeaaaahhH!!!

That's all for now - I hope this message was truly quick and unscrollable, although I guess that would've depended on your screen resolution. Thanks for making it this far!

Toby Driver

We've only got 19 copies of "Part the Second" left on CD :) Around 25 copies of "Bath" and "LYBM" left. :)

CDs SOLD OUT! Thanks all. :D

Join us at http://www.facebook.com/BlooodMusic

To get updates on when My Fruit Psychobells and The Secret Song will be re-released.

See bandcamp at the end for all the music posted
Subject: Ichneumonidae, the parasite insect theme continues. (a.k.a., issue 7)

Fear of humiliating failure aside, I'm trying to prevent myself from becoming a lesbian-coiffed aging rocker by writing music for "classical," "fine arts," and/or "serious" contexts such as amazing creepy zombie-esque Japanese modern dance forms!

In April, I held a performance of such a piece, ICHNEUMONIDAE, as a trio (guitar, violin, and dance/percussion). I like to think of that performance as sort of like a flag along the road of commitment to a larger-scale and more intensive work. So, the time has now come to try to expand this piece for a larger ensemble and actually make some killer media (album, film, yes!!!) out of it that people can enjoy at home. Ergo, a Kickstarter campaign to try to get this thing going...!

I would so so so greatly appreciate it if you could take a look at the project page and consider donating to support the production of this movie. I'm super-excited to finally take this first step into the realm of combining intrinsic visual elements with my music, something I have always wanted to do. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tdriver/toby-driver-and-michelle-morinaga-ichneumonidae

It took me a while to decide which one of my running projects to try to fund this way. I've got a whole bunch of things on my plate, such as a handful of solo songs, as well as new Kayo Dot stuff (in the style of Gamma Knife and hoping to do a real studio recording, what!) But, I decided to do Ichneumonidae here because it seems like the MOST difficult to fund through other means. Just to be candid for a minute here, you know there is a whole scene of musicians who apply for and receive grants/commissions to do stuff like this. I tried to get into that world a bit over the past couple of years and have had no luck with it whatsoever. Can't get anything funded through those means. Really, that sort of thing makes a guy start to get pretty dark on himself, to be succinct. And labels don't want to fund Ichneumonidae, it's unmarketable. Anyway, you guys are the listeners. You're the people that actually want to put this stuff on your iPods and have it come at you during a rainy train ride, instead of keeping it on a shelf in an archive of all the classy shit your organization helped produce and only pulls out of storage when it comes time to apply for more funding. So if you're interested in hearing/seeing it, please consider donating to the kickstarter campaign, that's the only way it'll happen! http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tdriver/toby-driver-and-michelle-morinaga-ichneumonidae

Yeah, I know it seems like summer is kickstarter season and everyone's doing it. I felt a little bit weird about launching this at this exact moment just because two of my closest friends have also just launched their own kickstarter campaigns for their own incredible music. Just want you to know that we are not competitive. You can check their projects out at the following links, and also please consider donating. Their music needs to be out in the world and it gets my highest recommendation.

Tim Byrnes/Hazel-Rah: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1158799759/hazel-rah-the-full-length-album

Jeremiah Cymerman: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1767687795/purification-dissolution

And, this one: http://www.ifc.com/portlandia/videos/portlandia-kickstarter

---------

In other news, the Kayo Dot west coast tour has been moved to August 16-September 1. We have some if it booked already but are still looking for dates. If you can help, please get in touch!

And - our most recent album GAMMA KNIFE is having its vinyl and CD release and is available for preorder at http://antitheticrecords.storenvy.com/products/327764-kayo-dot-gamma-knife-12

And - I've just put almost ALL of my recorded output up for streaming, buying, downloading, whatever, at
http://kayodot.bandcamp.com - check it!!!!

Thanks for reading. Your support means everything,
much love
Toby Driver

"about a ghost who wants to kill himself but he can't because he's a ghost."

http://www.queensofsteel.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Kayo-Dot-21.jpg

and here's the xpost West Coast tour--"Kayo Dot on a mountaintop": always did get me into topography--
Hello Listener. I hope all is well in your universe.

There are a couple weeks' worth of Kayo Dot shows coming up on the US West Coast very soon (next week!!!).
Just thought I'd send the dates along to you in case you'd be interested in attending/spreading the word/whatever!
This will be our first headlining tour of the west coast since 2008, and our first EVER in a few special towns, such as Vancouver, and others! So, we're really excited about it, and would love to share the excitement with you.

I also just want to quickly say that we are able to come out to the west coast and do these dates ONLY because of the generosity of some of our friends out there who are supplying us with gear and transportation, crash space, opening local bands taking beans at the door, and especially, those of you who purchased GAMMA KNIFE directly from us on bandcamp. All profits from the sales of GK went towards getting our airfare to come out there. So, thank you VERY much!

Saturday, August 18, 2012 Kayo Dot with Thrones @ Slabtown
1033 NW 16th Ave., Portland, OR 97209 (United States)
Set: 8:00 PM
21+
Also Playing: Thrones, Hang The Old Year, Proqxis

Sunday, August 19, 2012 Kayo Dot @ Northern
414 1/2 Legion Way, Olympia, WA (United States)
Set: 8:00 PM
All Ages
Also Playing: Shadows, Ragana

Tuesday, August 21, 2012 Kayo Dot @ Oakland Metro an Opera House
201 Broadway, Oakland, CA (United States)
510 763 1146 Set: 6:00 PM
All Ages
Also Playing: Hollow Mirrors, Wild Hunt, Marching Mind

Wednesday, August 22, 2012 Kayo Dot on some mountaintop in SLO??? @ a mountaintop??
some mountaintop, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 (United States)
Set: 8:00 PM
All Ages

Thursday, August 23, 2012 Kayo Dot in Fresno @ Chinatown Youth Center
901 F Street, Fresno, CA 93706 (United States)
Set: 8:00 PM
All Ages
Also Playing: Wreck and Reference, Ovarian Office, Strawberry Jam

Friday, August 24, 2012 Kayo Dot @ Biko Garage
6612 Sueno Rd., Isla Vista, CA (United States)
Set: 8:00 PM
All Ages
Also Playing: The Yiffs, Prof. Cuddlecore, Maribelle

Saturday, August 25, 2012 Kayo Dot with miRthkon and The Anti-Job @ The Mezz
501 S. Spring St. 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, CA (United States)
RETURN OF MIA
Set: 8:00 PM
21+
Buy Now

Monday, August 27, 2012 Kayo Dot @ The Blue Lagoon
923 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (United States)
Set: 8:00 PM
21+
Also Playing: Author & Punisher, Blue Lagoon

Tuesday, August 28, 2012 Kayo Dot with miRthkon @ Elbo Room
647 Valencia St., San Francisco, CA (United States)
Set: 8:00 PM
18+
Also Playing: Mirthkon, Author & Punisher

Wednesday, August 29, 2012 Kayo Dot with West By Swan @ Cafe Coda
265 Humboldt Avenue Chico, CA, Chico, CA (United States)
Set: 8:00 PM
All Ages
Also Playing: West By Swan, Bogg, Akasa

Thursday, August 30, 2012 Kayo Dot plays a special chilled-out set plus solo performances by the members @ Common Grounds Coffee House
4321 Se Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97215 (United States)
Set: 7:00 PM
All Ages

Friday, August 31, 2012 Kayo Dot @ Zoo Zhop Record Store
223 Main Street , Vancouver, BC (Canada)
Set: 8:00 PM
All Ages
Also Playing: Bubonic Bear, Yellowthief, Heavy Medical

Saturday, September 1, 2012 Kayo Dot @ Highline
210 Broadway E, Seattle, WA (United States)
Set: 8:00 PM
21+
Tickets: $10
Also Playing: Rose Windows, Dog Shredder

Those are from Toby

sent by: othervoyce✧✧✧@gm✧✧✧.c✧✧ Learn more Report phishing

Hello everyone!

I feel like it's been a while since I've sent one of these. A lot has happened, but I want to keep this message focused mainly on one thing - the new and forthcoming Kayo Dot album!

Basically what's going on is that we've been working on an epic double-album prog masterwork. I'm pasting the press release below so you can read all the details and trade it around, post it on your blogs (if you would be so kind!) and all that. We think this is one of the best things we've ever done, honest. So, we're incredibly excited about it. It'll be our first pro studio album in a few years', too... the last two were more or less home recordings due to budget constraints. So, the pre-order is really what's going to make this possible for us or not - therefore, if this is something that interests you, please place a pre-order now! We need to sell a bunch of these before the beginning of April... crunch!!! Check out the press release below.

And, since we're running a new preorder for Kayo Dot, I also wanted to anticipate any questions about the Ichneumonidae DVD and record that we funded last year. If you're not on my facebook or missed the post, the music part is totally finished - there are some samples from Ichneumonidae up at this soundcloud link:https://soundcloud.com/tobydriver/sets/ichneumonidae-unmastered-clips"> https://soundcloud.com/tobydriver/sets/ichneumonidae-unmastered-clips . And the film portion is still forthcoming. I hope the audio clips can tide you over until we are able to make that happen.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Boston-born, and now New York City-based veteran avant-metallers KAYO DOT, led by Toby Driver, are set to hit the studio for their 7th album, Hubardo, this April. This album will mark the 10-year anniversary of KAYO DOT's debut and landmark release, Choirs of The Eye, and the band will trek out to Avast Studios in Seattle, Washington, with producer RANDALL DUNN (SunnO))), Wolves In The Throne Room, Black Mountain) returning to the helm.

Hubardo is an approximately 90-minute conceptual epic double-album, with story and lyrics written by longtime lyricist and former MAUDLIN OF THE WELL vocalist, Jason Byron. Musically, the album covers the spectrum of all of the band's works, from the sparse doomy elements of Choirs of The Eye to the blast-beat, woodwind-driven Gamma Knife, the chorus-bass goth fusion of Coyote, and even lush orchestrated prog moments harkening back to the days of their previous band, MAUDLIN OF THE WELL, and, as with all the band's releases, Driver and Co. venturing into new territory. The album sees a returning cast of characters with Toby Driver on Bass, Keys, Guitars and Vocals, Terran Olson on Keys and Woodwinds, Daniel Means on Woodwinds and Synth, Mia Matsumiya on violin, Tim Byrnes on Trumpet and Horn in F, the first proper studio recording with Keith Abrams on drums, and the first recording contribution of longtime live collaborator Ron Varod on Guitar. Hubardo will also feature a very special guest vocal appearance by Jason Byron - his first recorded appearance since MAUDLIN OF THE WELL's 2001 albums, Bath and Leaving Your Body Map.

This album will be self-released on the band's own imprint, ICE LEVEL MUSIC, and pre-orders will be taken to help fund the recording and travel costs. Pre-Orders will be offered in 3xLP Deluxe, Standard, and Digital-only editions, featuring limited 200g colored vinyl in a triple gatefold (6 huge panels of artwork), a 5-chapter poem by Jason Byron entitled The Sword Of Satan, signed poster, T-shirt, guitar pick, and sticker. The Pre-Order system is now LIVE at http://kayodot.bigcartel.com The records will be limited to 300 copies for the Deluxe Edition and 200 copies for the Standard Edition. Hubardo is slated for a fall 2013 release to coincide with Kayo Dot's tenth anniversary.
Here is the track listing for the album:
1. The Black Stone (~7:00)
2. Crown-In-The-Muck (~9:00)
3. Thief (~5:30)
4. Vision Adjustment To Another Wavelength (~5:00)
5. Zodelida Caosaji (To Water The Earth) (~6:00)
6. The First Matter (Saturn In The Guise Of Sadness) (~9:30)
7. The Second Operation (Lunar Water) (~10:30)
8. Floodgate (~7:00)
9. And He Built Him A Boat (~7:00)
10. Passing The River (~8:00)
11. The Wait Of The World (~18:00

Thanks for reading, and for your continued support!

Toby Driver on behalf of Kayo Dot.

Whoops, that second soundcloud link (after the <) is one to click; sorry.

nobody ever told me that the split w/ bloody panda contained one of their best songs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhKgoMX3n_4

Greetings! Just a very brief message to let you know that a 13-minute teaser trailer for the new KAYO DOT double-album, HUBARDO, is now online at
https://soundcloud.com/tobydriver/kayo-dot-hubardo-teaser

We're still running our preorder to help fund the mastering and manufacturing of this record, so please have a listen to the trailer, and then head on over to http://kayodot.bigcartel.com to preorder a.s.a.p. so we can get this record out in time for our tenth anniversary in Autumn 2013. We need to sell about 200 more copies of the vinyl to move this along! Thanks so much for your ears & heart & continued support!

Toby Driver on behalf of Kayo Dot

It's with great pleasure that we present to you the first preview track, "And He Built Him a Boat," from Kayo Dot's forthcoming double-album, HUBARDO, due this fall.

http://kayodot.bandcamp.com/track/and-he-built-him-a-boat-2

"And He Built Him A Boat" is the record's ninth track, so the lyrics have to do with events about 5/8 of the way through the album's narrative. Along with the band's core members, the song also features guest backing vocals by Jessika Kenney (who has also sung for Wolves in the Throne Room, Sunn0))), ASVA, and many others), and BC Campbell.

We hope you enjoy this song, and please spread the link around if you may!
We're still running the preorder for the 3xLP at http://kayodot.bigcartel.com
--we need to sell about 150 more copies of the vinyl in order to have enough money to manufacture it, so please don't hesitate to snap this up.

We also have a few shows coming up in NYC:

This Saturday, July 13 at Spectrum as part of the NYX II: New York Progressive and Experimental Rock Festival. Playing all new material!

http://www.spectrumnyc.com/

Friday, August 16 at St. Vitus Bar with MIRRORGATE, their first show in two years and possibly their last ever?

Thanks for reading, listening, and supporting!
Toby Driver on behalf of Kayo Dot

Hello all!

The digital release date of the new KAYO DOT double-album epic prog avant-goth tenth-anniversary meisterwerk, HUBARDO, is upon us!

I want to thank everyone who pre-ordered - your support has truly made this record possible - and all the members of the press who have supported us with streams, articles, and reviews thus far (I'll link this stuff below).

Here's the release schedule:

Thursday, August 29: I'll send an email to everyone who pre-ordered, containing a personal download code for the music, around 6pm Eastern Time. Let's all have a virtual listening party together!

Friday, August 30: The album will go up for sale on our bandcamp page - http://kayodot.bandcamp.com

NB: I originally said I was going to do this on Sept 1, but I realized that it would probably be cool for people to have this album for the long weekend (Labor Day in the U.S.)

Tuesday, Sept 10: The album will be available via iTunes, Spotify, etc. etc.!

Sometime in November - the vinyl will be ready and hopefully all pre-orders will be able to be shipped. We still need to raise several thousand dollars to completely fulfill all the physical preorders, so any support in that regard (buying the digital version or pre-oredering the vinyl) would be invaluable! We'll continue to run the vinyl pre-order until we raise enough, but the digital pre-orders will be closed (obviously). Anyone who pre-orders the vinyl after the digital release date will receive their digital download relatively immediately.

If you haven't heard any of HUBARDO yet, check out these streams of preview tracks, and excellent reviews that we have so far received:

STREAMS
-------

CVLT Nation - Exclusive CVLT Nation Streaming: KAYO DOT – “Passing the River”
http://www.cvltnation.com/exclusive-cvlt-nation-streaming-kayo-dot-passing-river

NPR - Viking's Choice: Kayo Dot Sums Up A Decade Of Sonic Transgression In 'Thief': http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2013/08/01/207932250/vikings-choice-kayo-dot-sums-up-a-decade-of-sonic-transgression-in-thief

Invisible Oranges - Stream: Kayo Dot – “And He Built Him A Boat” : http://www.invisibleoranges.com/2013/07/stream-kayo-dot-and-he-built-him-a-boat

REVIEWS
-------

Scene Point Blank (10/10!!!) http://www.scenepointblank.com/reviews/kayo-dot/hubardo

Hearwax: http://hearwaxmedia.com/kayo-dot-hubardo

--------------------

We are planning on touring this music as much as possible, beginning with a leg down the Southeast US (and yes, including Florida!) for a couple weeks from November 8-23.

Here are the dates, with more in Florida to be confirmed soon:

Sept 6, Brooklyn NY @ The Bell House with Sal Mineo (Eugene Robinson of Oxbow and Jamie Stewart of Xiu Xiu)
Sept 14, New York NY @ Bowery Electric with Ahleuchatistas and Psalm Zero

Nov 8, Baltimore MD @ The Wind-up Space
Nov 9, Asheville NC - TBC
Nov 10, Nashville TN @ The End (subject to change)
Nov 11, Little Rock, AR - TBC
Nov 12, Hattiesburg, MS @ The Tavern
Nov 13, New Orleans, LA @ Big Top
Nov 14, 15 - Florida TBC
Nov 16, Miami, FL @ Churchill's
Nov 17 - Florida TBC
Nov 18 - Atlanta, GA @ Goat Farm Arts
Nov 19 - West Columbia, SC @ Conundrum
Nov 20 - Greenville NC - TBC
Nov 21 - Richmond, VA @ Gallery 5
Nov 22 - Brooklyn, NY at 285 Kent with Vaura and Psalm Zero
Nov 23 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Khyber Upstairs with Vaura and Cleric

----------

Just one more thing. If you have ordered merch from our site and have been waiting for a while, I apologize. It has been hard for me to keep up with the orders since work began on the record, touring, and other things this past spring. But - I'm working on it as we speak and everything should be sent out by the end of next week. I thank you immensely for your patience and continued support.

THANKS again to all, and best wishes!

Toby Driver on behalf of Kayo Dot

http://kayodot.bandcamp.com/album/hubardo

album available now!

Yep, it's still on bandcamp, and now on Spotify, iTunes, maybe others. More details on some tour venues, mail order issues:

KAYO DOT FALL 2013 TOUR
--------------------------------------------

Friday, November 8, 2013 @ The Windup Space
12 West North Avenue, Baltimore, MD

Saturday, November 9, 2013 @ The Mothlight (at Mr. Fred's)
Asheville, NC with Ahleuchatistas

Sunday, November 10, 2013 @ The End
Nashville, TN with The Ascent Of Everest and The Most Amazing Century Of Science

Monday, November 11, 2013 @ White Water Tavern
2500 W. 7th St., Little Rock, AR with Coliseum

Tuesday, November 12, 2013 @ Big Top
1638 Clio, New Orleans, LA with Glish

Wednesday, November 13, 2013 @ The Tavern
1825 Hardie St., Hattiesburg, MS 39401

Friday, November 15, 2013 @ Fubar
658 central ave, St Petersburgh, FL

Saturday, November 16, 2013 @ Gramps Bar
176 NW 24TH STREET, Miami, FL

Sunday, November 17, 2013 MATINEE SHOW @ Backbooth
37 W Pine St., Orlando, FL
Set: 4:00 PM
All Ages

Monday, November 18, 2013 @ Goat Farm
1200 Foster St. NW, Atlanta, GA

Tuesday, November 19, 2013 @ Conundrum
626 Meeting Street, West Columbia, SC

Wednesday, November 20, 2013 @ The Tipsy Teapot
409 South Evans Street, Greenville, NC

Thursday, November 21, 2013 @ Gallery 5
200 W Marshall St., Richmond, VA

Friday, November 22, 2013
Kayo Dot / Vaura / Psalm Zero @ 285 Kent Ave
285 Kent Ave, Brooklyn, NY
HUBARDO vinyl release show, and Vaura CD release show!

Saturday, Nov 23, 2013
House show at 10 Nyack Ave, Lansdowne PA
(one block from the Lansdowne stop on the train from Phiadelphia - don't snooze!)
A couple other things:

HUBARDO preorders - I've been receiving a few emails asking where your stuff is. Just want to reiterate that this was a PRE order and everything is still in production. Everything should be ready to ship out by the end of November! All the materials are looking beautiful so far, so we're confident you guys will be happy with the goods. Thanks for your patience.

On that note - I'm notoriously bad at keeping up with mailorder, and I know some people have been waiting a bit for their non-Hubardo orders. I was just on tour for a while, etc etc, but anywho, I'm happy to report that I'm now caught up all the way through mid-September, so if you'd placed your order before then, you should expect your package within a week or so (except Australians, maybe longer). Thanks again for your continued support and patience about this. If anyone wants to be my mailorder intern, lmk. :)

That reminds me - please add me on Facebook and Twitter http://facebook.com/tobydriver and http://twitter.com/tobydriver, because that's where I put all my daily updates about this kind of stuff. It keeps me from having to constantly bombard the mailinglist for just minor updates. Thanks!

Hope to see you out there in November - we haven't been down to those parts in a few years!
Love & Respect,
Toby Driver on behalf of Kayo Dot
http://www.kayodot.net
http://www.kayodot.net/toby
http://www.tartarlamb.com
http://www.maudlinofthewell.net

New album is incredible for the first 2 tracks then peters out a little

I also think Kayo Dot features the worst lyrics of any band I like

I mean, the first track is easily the best.

I normally dig insane complexity in composition but my favourite Kayo Dot songs are often their most linear (if still highly abstract) pieces

Well, then

http://theflenser.com/kayo-dot-coffins-on-io/

I'm a massive fan of this band and Toby Driver in general but I have serious misgivings about this... all the musical references in this statement are fucking awful in my view (apart from Bowie, nothing against him). I'm not a fan of 80s music in general mostly, and the whole retro-futurist thing seems awfully commonplace nowadays.

Driver always delivers though, even his lesser albums (Blue Lambency Downward is seriously underrated) are serious growers after a few listens. Even if I don't like it that much I can at least hold on to the thought that the album afterwards will be completely different again.

I'll listen to this, of course (they derived from 80s music in the bass tone of Coyote, a great record way more underrated IMO than BLD), but I will confess, on this thread only, to a dislike of Bowie

Sisters of Mercy meets Peter Gabriel-era Genesis, Scritti Politti and early Roxy Music

hellloooo

Lotta bad news first, then the good or anyway better (for one thing, would like to hear Stern, with members of KD and a guy from Time of Orchids):

Hello from Kayo Dot!

Haven't sent out one of these in a while because it's been a totally insane year for us. Firstly, our entire year has been taken up by trying to fulfill pre-orders and orders for our 2013 triple-LP, Hubardo. I have a few things to say about it - One: The interest and support you guys have shown us for that album has been AMAZING and overwhelming, and we have great love and appreciation for you (If you haven't heard it yet, head on over to our bandcamp page,http:kayodot.bandcamp.com/album/hubardo or Spotify or wherever suits you)!!! Two, the experience has almost been a bit too overwhelming in terms of trying to do a self-release of this scale. As a result, I know that there are some of you out there who are still waiting for your packages. Please know that they are trickling out gradually and that it is at the forefront of our minds. The slowness has to do with the fact that I've been balancing handling mailorder with my busy tour schedule (as usual), and also that postage ended up being quite a bit more expensive than we had anticipated, so we can only send out packages as quickly as our bank account allows. Additionally, many packages have been returned to us and we haven't been able to get in touch with those people via email. If you are one of the people who hasn't received your Hubardo package yet (or if there's any other order that you have questions about), please feel free to email me at band at kayodot.net. This is our official address, so please use it for all correspondence... we don't check our Facebook inbox.

Three: We are never doing this again!!!*** Between making the music itself, handling artwork, layout, record production, T-shirts, hand-manufacturing the Sword of Satan booklets, mailorder... it was (and continues to be) just way too much work and expense for our tiny, independent, band-run operation. Kayo Dot actually exists right now in this weird purgatory space that small businesses often go through, where the demand for your stuff is high but the income isn't enough to be able to hire anyone or outsource any of the grunt-work. We're trying hard to get out of this purgatory. Your support always helps!

On that note, we put up some older live performances on our bandcamp page that you can buy digitally for cheap. I would especially like to draw attention to the live performance of Coyote on WMBR-FM from 2010 http://kayodot.bandcamp.com/album/coyote-live-on-wmbr-august-31-2010 I think this performance of Coyote really does the piece justice, and it makes me feel very proud of my band. Please check it out, along with the other live albums, and throw 5 bucks down if you're so inclined. Your support will help us get the outstanding mailorder out faster, and will also help us cover some old bills that hang over our heads.

***Speaking of never doing a self-release like Hubardo again, hopefully we will never have to, because we finally have some label support again! And, it's with the great Flenser Recordings out of San Francisco. They've just announced our next album, Coffins on Io, to be released later this year. Check out the blurbage, and visit this link http://theflenser.com/kayo-dot-coffins-on-io/ for images of the album cover and band photo:

Kayo Dot - Coffins on Io

Led by founding member Toby Driver (also of Secret Chiefs 3), Kayo Dot emerged in Boston, MA in 2002 from the ashes of metal group Maudlin of the Well. Since then, Driver has led Kayo Dot through several lineup changes and dramatic stylistic shifts: from traditional metal, to atmospheric, avant-garde metal; and now with their new album Coffins on Io, the bats-in-your-belfry hard rock of Sisters of Mercy meets Peter Gabriel-era Genesis, Scritti Politti and early Roxy Music.

In 2013, Kayo Dot demarcated the beginning of a sonic change by releasing their critically acclaimed conceptual double-album, Hubardo. Undeniably experimental, but largely unclassifiable, Hubardo received rave reviews: SputnikMusic ranked it among their best albums of 2013, and CVLT Nation called it, “mesmerizing avant garde blackened doom,” and a “towering achievement.”

But when it comes to Kayo Dot, change is the only constant. And like the best pop culture chameleons of the past, Kayo Dot’s evolution is governed by an inscrutable inner-logic. Despite the accessible songwriting of Coffins on Io and the emphasis on vocal melody and electronic percussion, Kayo Dot fans will find the record’s darkness and intensity familiar and relatable. For example: the dark wave of Coffins on Io album-track “Off-Ramp Cycle, Pattern 22” might be unrecognizable to Kayo Dot’s metal fans. “The sound is kind of like a sexy combination of Type O Negative, Peter Gabriel, Sisters of Mercy,” Driver says. But the track also encompasses the brooding menace of classic Bauhaus as well as current dark wavers Cold Cave and Crystal Stilts: artists young and old who live and die in those unknowable corners where heaviness meets delicacy and sincerity meets theatricality.

Elsewhere, Driver’s penchant for prog rock surfaces in the ethereal “Spirit Photography,” complete with a saxophone melody line—strikingly gentle when compared to Kayo Dot’s brutal back catalog. “Long Time Disturbance on the Miracle Mile” could be a Bryan Ferry-era Roxy Music cut, and “The Mortality of Doves” could be Eno-produced David Bowie.

Driver says there’s also an element of sexuality in Coffins on Io. “Basically the vibe that we’re going for here is inspired by 80s retro-future noir— Blade Runner,” Driver explains. “I wanted to make a good record to put on while you drive across the desert at night under a toxic, post-apocalyptic atmosphere,” he says, adding, “There’s a weird underlying theme of murder, shame and death.”

Coffins on Io is slated for on October 16th release via San Francisco’s Flenser Records. Pre-orders and more information coming soon.

1. The Mortality of Doves
2. Offramp Cycle, Pattern 22

3. Longtime Disturbance on the Miracle Mile

4. Library Subterranean

5. The Assassination of Adam

6. Spirit Photography

LIVE ACTIONS:

We're looking into touring for Coffins on Io for December/January for the United States and Canada, and South America/Mexico for February/March. Interested in hosting us? Let us know! And please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kayodot.official and Twitter https://twitter.com/KayoDotOfficial for further updates about this (and anything else)!

Also, did you guys know that our guitarist Ron Varod has a solo project called Zvi? He's doing a tour next month up to Canada, so check it out if you may: https://www.facebook.com/ronvarodmusic and help him fill in any off-days that he has, if you can.

OTHER NON-KAYO DOT STUFF THAT I DID OR AM DOING:

Some of you probably remember this Kickstarter for a dance film, Ichneumonidae, that I started two years ago and that is still in the process of completion. As far as the film/DVD portion go - that's still in the works (of course), but since I felt bad for taking so long, I released the audio-only version of Ichenumonidae on bandcamp earlier this year.http://kayodot.bandcamp.com/album/ichneumonidae-official-soundtrack Check it out! If you were one of the backers and you didn't receive this in your email, let me know and I'll send you a free download.

I have another band called Vaura - we released our second album, The Missing, late in 2013 on Profound Lore and on vinyl on The Flenser a few months ago. Check it out! http://profoundlorerecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-missing

There's a band called Stern that I'm a part of, along with Keith and Tim from Kayo Dot and Chuck Stern of Time of Orchids. It's the most insane music I've ever played. It's basically like really slow-moving, through-composed disgusting Lynchian vibes. We just completed our second album and are looking for a label to release it. Also, if anyone knows how to get a copy to David Lynch, please let me know. :) Here's a link to the first Stern album, which was shamefully a bandcamp-only release a year ago: http://entitlement.bandcamp.com/album/entitlement

Tartar Lamb 3 is a thing. We'll be performing new music on November 13 at The Stone in NYC. The lineup is the usual crew (Driver, Cymerman, Byrnes, Means) along with Brian Chase of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on drums.

I'll be touring with Secret Chiefs 3 to Russia, Finland, Scotland, Israel (maybe???), Turkey, and the US and Canada from August 21-November 9 or so. Here are some of the dates, with more to be announced shortly:

Aug 23 - Doune the Rabbit Hole - Scotland
Aug 30 - International Kansk Festival - Siberia w/ Krasnoyarsk Russian Traditional Orchestra
Aug 31 - TBA - Moscow, Russia
Sep 01 - TBA - St. Petersburg, Russia
Sep 2 - Kuudes Linja - Helsinki, Finland
Sep 9 - Corsica Studios - London, United Kingdom
Sep 10 - Corsica Studios - London, United Kingdom
Sep 11 - Corsica Studios - London, United Kingdom
Oct 2 - Sait's The Gateway - Calgary AB, Canada
Oct 3 - The Starlite ROOM - Edmonton AB, Canada
Oct 4 - Vangelis Tavern - Calgary AB, Canada
Oct 5 - West End Cultural Centre - Winnipeg, Canada
Oct 7 - Turf Club - Saint Paul, MN
Oct 8 - The Cactus Club - Milwaukee, WI
Oct 9 - Double Door - Chicago IL
Oct 11 - Lee's Palace - Toronto ON, Canada
Oct 14 - la vitrola - Montréal, Canada
Oct 15 - la vitrola - Montréal, Canada
Oct 16 - Black Sheep Inn - Wakefield, Ottawa QC, Canada
Oct 17 - Café Culturel de la Chasse-Galerie - Lavaltrie, Montreal, Canada
Oct 18 - Le Cercle - Québec, Quebec, Canada
Oct 19 - Brighton Music Hall - Boston, MA
Oct 21 - (le) poisson rouge - New York, NY
Oct 22 - Saint Vitus Bar - Brooklyn, NY
Oct 23 - Boot & Saddle - Philadelphia, PA
Oct 24 - Gallery 5 - Richmond, VA
Oct 26 - The Earl - Atlanta, GA
Oct 31 - Larimer Lounge - Denver, CO

Thanks for reading this far and bearing with our insane overambitiousness! We really appreciate your fandom and are always working hard to bring you as much interesting music as possible. :)

Very warm regards,
Toby Driver on behalf of Kayo Dot

http://kayodot.net
http://kayodot.bandcamp.com

I'm glad Chuck Stern's doing stuff, I miss Time of Orchids.

That live album from Krakow is well worth listening to if anyone's a megafan, btw, especially if you're like me and think Tartar Lamb II is one of Driver's high watermarks

I've not heard any Driver solo. Might have to change that.

I recommend this http://kayodot.bandcamp.com/album/polyimage-of-known-exits (makes a good companion piece to Coyote) and the 1st half his solo album on Tzadik but it's not what I think of as friday night music to be honest

oh I've been following your tastes quite assiduously ultros; your predilection for speed-garage has been noted

BANGIN BEATZ M8 (do people still say that? did they ever?)

more than ever, tbh

I tried to get into Time of Orchids, but they just seemed too "pleasant sounding" for my tastes, which is my standard issue with a lot of prog and prog-influenced music.

The thing with Time of Orchids for me was underneath the lush harmonies there were usually these churning jagged riffs and all sorts of stuff going on underneath. Pleasant a lot of the time but a lot more going on underneath. I don't think many people like them as much as I do to be honest which is probably why they broke up!!!

They were a good band. I booked them at my venue back in the day. I just felt like had the stuff that was going on "underneath" been more on the surface I would have liked them more.

I never heard them sound *merely* pleasant---more like lulling you, while slipping the needle in---then, yes, a lot more going on underneath(maybe it worked better in the studio?)

I am perfectly willing to be in the minority on this one. It's hard for me to articulate sometimes why some music gives me the "close but no cigar" feeling, and as far as Time of Orchids goes, I definitely had that feeling, as opposed to the more common, "no." A friend of mine once said that he liked his prog to be less "nice" and more "garlicky" -- and I feel like Time of Orchids didn't have enough garlic for me to adore.

Maybe this belongs here rather than on Rolling Metal:

I saw Zvi (Rob Zvi Varod of Kayo Dot) on Saturday night. He's doing some interesting work with solo processed guitar (+ a synth box) and vocals: more dark doom/drone-like compared to Kayo Dot. At times, it reminds me a bit of Cathedral; sometimes a bit Sunn O))) (?); sometimes he just uses subtle drones, hums, and noises to support the vocals: http://ronzvivarod.bandcamp.com/album/zvi

I've been streaming to the album since then and enjoying

it

cool, will scope out! weirdly enough kayo dot have just today previewed a song from their new album:

https://soundcloud.com/flenserrecords/kayo-dot-library-subterranean

i can't hear that right now either due to internet difficulties. you'll have to fill me in

I guess everything on the Bandcamp is guitar + voice, actually.

OK so I've listened to the new song a couple of times now and I'm somewhat impressed.

It starts like something off Coyote but prettier, with some great basslines then goes into the 'song' section which sounds like Vaura and is somewhat conventional. I don't really like the synth sounds or some of the vocal affectations much (I've already voiced my reservations about retro 80s gubbins). After that though it gets proggy as fuck, some nice polyrhythmic stuff in there. I really really like the riff that covers the last third or so of the track, but I'm a little bit disappointed that it just sort of rattles along for a few minutes before having a sax solo and ending abruptly. The drumming is fucking phenomenal, though.

But I must say for the first time to me KD sounds more like an actual 'band' than ever before than a Toby Driver project (though I know it's just that), probably because for the first time there's been two albums in a row with largely the same lineup.

...I write more about this band than any other for some reason. Well, someone has to.

Yeah I really liked it right up until that fucking saxophone clodded clumsily in, as if to remind us all why Hubardo was a signal case of 'too many cooks'. Until then, much better than almost all of Hubardo, which I mostly thought dull (sorry), the big exception (as stated) being the monolithic opener (which everyone else hated for some reason)

But yeah, the section just before the sax is kinda awesome & I'm somewhat excited. Think Driver's a precious wanker obv (it's mostly the lyrics) but an enlightened one

http://noisey.vice.com/blog/kayo-dot-coffins-on-io-stream

First two tracks are fucking awesome. They sound nothing like Kayo Dot, really - synth-led gothic excursions - as if Coyote was the blueprint for some darkwave reinvention

like, people who liked the Brendan Perry solo album from a few years back would dig this

OK so I really like this. It's very atmospheric, and it's good how it's still recognisably KD (to me anyway), though in a different form. It's kind of odd hearing them sound so 'pop'.

My biggest criticism is that a few sections outstay their welcome, the outros to Offramp Cycle and Library Subterranean in particular. They don't seem to go anywhere, in contrast to, say, the last part Abyss Hinge pt. 2 where there are a lot of little variations over the repetitive bass riff.

Assassination of Adam is probably my favourite track, it captures the same kind of roiling chaos as many Hubardo cuts without the 'metal.'

Anyway, I'm surprised at how much I like this considering the eye-rolling disdain I have for much of the record's influences.

Wow, this sounds very nice, even though the descriptions left me a little unsure.

I love the new record. It's very similar to the David Sylvian records made w/ Robert Fripp. The Brendan Perry comparison is pretty on the nose too.

Oct 28, 2006 23:23 ET, Apparently, in addition to being KO'd, Ott injured his ankle as he fell to the ice and will be out of action for quite some time.

I don't know the Sylvian/Fripp records! I'll definitely listen to them. I mostly just know the track Sylvian did with Fennesz, which is awesome.

Note free show in Miami (like Miami needs any more gifties)

Hey folks,

Kayo Dot is headed down the U.S. East Coast this week for a string of shows in support of our latest album, "Coffins on Io." The dates are listed below, and here's a link to the Facebook event page for the whole tour– you can add yourself to the guest list to receive general updates.

https://www.facebook.com/events/778414258862658/

Hope to see you out there!

Thursday, January 8, 2015
Gallery 5
200 W Marshall St., Richmond, VA

Friday, January 9, 2015
The Milestone Club
3400 Tuckaseegee Rd., Charlotte, NC

Saturday, January 10, 2015
The Pilot Light
106 E Jackson Ave., Knoxville, TN

Sunday, January 11, 2015
The Mothlight with AHLEUCHATISTAS
701 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC

Monday, January 12, 2015
Local 506
Chapel Hill, NC

Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Conundrum
626 Meeting Street, West Columbia, SC

Wednesday, January 14, 2015
TBA in Savannah, GA

Thursday, January 15, 2015
The Orpheum
1902 Republica de Cuba Ave., Tampa, FL

Friday, January 16, 2015
Gramps Bar
176 Northwest 24th Street, Miami, FL
Free show!

Saturday, January 17, 2015
Backbooth
37 W Pine St., Orlando, FL

Sunday, January 18, 2015
TBA - Gainesville, FL or Birmingham, AL

Monday, January 19, 2015
529 Bar
529 Flat Shoals Avenue Southeast, Atlanta, GA

Tuesday, January 20, 2015
TBA - Greensboro, NC

Wednesday, January 21, 2015
The Metro Gallery
1700 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD

Thursday, January 22, 2015
Johnny Brenda's
with PLANNING FOR BURIAL and INFINIEN
1201 N Frankford Ave., Philadelphia, PA

Friday, January 23, 2015
Just Be Cause
1013 West State Street, Ithaca, NY

Saturday, January 24, 2015
The Shop with GNAW and SANGUINISTAS
234 Starr St., Brooklyn, NY

Many thanks,
Toby Driver
on behalf of Kayo Dot
http://kayodot.net
http://kayodot.bandcamp.com

West Coast dates, also note Maudlin later on:

Hello all! Just a quick message to let you know about some MASSIVE live actions this summer.

Firstly, Kayo Dot will be touring the US West Coast, beginning next week, accompanied by Seattle's DUST MOTH (ex-members of These Arms Are Snakes, Minus the Bear, Shift). It's our first West Coast tour since 2011, and will include our first Las Vegas appearance ever. Here are the dates:

Thursday, June 25, 2015
Hemlock Tavern
1131 Polk St., San Francisco, CA
Also Playing: Dust Moth, Kowloon Walled City

Friday, June 26, 2015
Sweet Springs Saloon
990 Los Osos Valley Road, Los Osos CA
Also Playing: Dust Moth

Saturday, June 27, 2015
The Tower Bar
4757 University Avenue, San Diego, CA
Also Playing: Dust Moth

Sunday, June 28, 2015
Complex
Los Angeles, CA
Also Playing: Dust Moth

Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Bunkhouse Saloon
124 S 11th St., Las Vegas, NV
Also Playing: Dust Moth

Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Kilby Court
741 S Kilby Ct., Salt Lake City, UT
Also Playing: Dust Moth

Thursday, July 2, 2015
Crazy Horse
Boise, ID
Also playing: Dust Moth

Friday, July 3, 2015
The Hindenburg
Vancouver, BC
Also Playing: Dust Moth

Saturday, July 4, 2015
Highline
210 Broadway East, Seattle, WA
Also Playing: Dust Moth, Dama/Libra

Sunday, July 5, 2015
Panic Room (formerly Tonic)
Portland, OR
Also Playing: Dust Moth

--------------------------------------

Shortly after that, in late August, I'll be having a residency/retrospective at The Stone in New York City. Two concerts per night, each one different, featuring music and musicians from my entire career up until this point. The calendar is below. If you can make it to NYC in August for any of these shows, it would mean a lot to me. Please note: The capacity of the venue is about 70, and there are no advance ticket sales. So if you come from out of town, you should expect to show up a couple hours early to wait in line. The weather here should be nice and sunny, but not too humid, during that week. :) http://thestonenyc.com/

8 and 10 pm
Maudlin of the Well
Toby Driver (guitar, vocals) Greg Massi, Josh Seipp (guitars) Sam Gutterman (drums) Terran Olson (woodwinds, keys) Jason Byron (vocals, keys) Special Guests Ron Varod (bass) Mia Matsumiya (violin)
mOTW's first performances in 14 years. Two different sets, TWENTY DOLLARS each

8/26 Wednesday
8 pm
Kayo Dot plays Choirs of the Eye
Toby Driver (guitar, bass, vocals) Greg Massi, Ron Varod (guitars) Sam Gutterman (guitar, bass) Keith Abrams (drums) Dan Means (woodwinds, keys) Mia Matsumiya (violin) Tim Byrnes (brass, keys) Terran Olson (woodwinds, keys)
TWENTY DOLLARS

10 pm
Ichneumonidae, and Kayo Dot plays Stained Glass
Toby Driver (guitar, bass, vocals) Timba Harris (violin) Russell Greenberg (percussion) Terran Olson (rhodes, synth) Keith Abrams (drums) Tim Byrnes (synth) Ron Varod (guitar) Mia Matsumiya (violin) Dan Means (clarinet, sax, keys)

8/27 Thursday
8 pm
Tartar Lamb: Sixty Metonymies
Toby Driver (guitar) Mia Matsumiya (violin) Jeremiah Cymerman (clarinet, electronics) Tim Byrnes (trumpet) David Bodie (percussion)

10 pm
Toby Driver: New Chamber Works
Timba Harris (violin)
New compositions for violin.

8/28 Friday
8 pm
Toby Driver, Greg Massi, and Nick Hudson
Toby Driver (guitar, voice) Greg Massi (guitar) Nick Hudson (piano, voice)
A special collaboration between these MOTWOGs and the brilliant British songwriter and composer from Academy of Sun.

10 pm
Toby Driver: Ballads
Toby Driver (piano, guitar, voice)
For the haters.

8/29 Saturday
8 pm
Stern
Chuck Stern (vocals, composition) Toby Driver (guitar, vocals) Keith Abrams (drums) Tim Byrnes (synth)
Sinewy, through-composed pop-as-distress-signal.

10 pm
Kayo Dot plays Coyote
Toby Driver (bass, vocals) Mia Matsumiya (violin) Terran Olson (keys) Keith Abrams (drums) David Bodie (percussion) Dan Means (alto sax) Tim Byrnes (trumpet) Ron Varod (synth)

8/30 Sunday

8 pm
The Tanks
Ches Smith (drums) Brandon Seabrook (guitar) Toby Driver (bass)
Loud.

10 pm
Kayo Dot plays current material
Toby Driver (bass, synths, voice) Ron Varod (guitar) Keith Abrams (drums) Daniel Means (sax, synths)

----------------

Thanks for reading, and hope to see you at a show!

There's no way in hell I'll make it to these. Wrong side of the Atlantic and poor. I just hope some of it is recorded esp. the motW sets.

Is anyone else looking forward to their new album?

sounds glorious! " a hopeless dead and polluted world transitioning into artifice and mechanism and reacting by being self-destructive, either to the point of utter obliteration or a glorious transhuman condition."

Apparently it's out next month?

i feel bad cuz i listened to a maudlin of the well album the other day and i wasn't feeling it. i think i'm too old now. they were probably really young when they made that stuff. just the juxtapositions of emo/heavy/etc didn't grab me like when i first heard it. but i should play the other ones too. i think i played Bath. haven't played any of them in so long.

I considered bringing this up but I thought I was the only one to give a shit. I was hoping they'd leave behind the whole 80s thing this time and they certainly haven't if the new track's anything to go by but I quite like it anyway.

i maybe 70% give a shit

Kind of cringing at my posts upthread about Coffins on Io since in hindsight it's definitely my least favourite KD album.

https://soundcloud.com/flenserrecords/kayo-dot-magnetism

this sounds...ok

It's grown on me a bit tbh. There's an instrumental lineup floating around that suggests this will be a lot more detailed than the last one... on the other tracks it seems. Trying not to have expectations either way though

hey I really like it now

http://noisey.vice.com/blog/kayo-dot-plastic-house-on-base-of-sky-stream

this is p cool

Not really feeling this one too much sadly. On paper I would really dig a Kayo Dot album inspired by Japanese avant-pop but that stuff is usually quite eccentric and playful; Driver's musical sensibilities are too gloomy to pull it off that convincingly.

what was the consensus then

The consensus seems to be that this is one of the best things KD have ever done, which to me is madness since it's easily the worst. If I heard PHOBOS blind I probably would have dismissed it as 80s fetishist hipster crap... it's probably better than that though. Probably.

Youre too hard on that stuff tbh

Yeah, maybe... I'm really not a fan of those sorts of sounds though, as I can't help but make clear. But, sometimes it's taken me a few years and another couple of releases to put a KD album into context before I get into it more so there's a chance I'll warm to this down the line.

just got this e-mail:

We're heading out today for a 3-week run in the US (and Toronto), in support of our new album, PLASTIC HOUSE ON BASE OF SKY ( via http://nowflensing.com/ )! Check the dates here or at http://www.kayodot.net/ to see if there's one near you!

10/21 @ Gorham Brothers Music
Syracuse, NY

10/22 @ The Baby G -
Toronto, ON, Canada

10/23 @ Cobra Lounge -
Chicago, IL

10/24 @ Vaudeville Mews -
Des Moines, IA

10/25 @ Fubar - St Louis, MO

10/27 @ The Lost Well -
Austin, TX

10/29 @ Mammal Gallery -
Atlanta, GA

10/30 @ Upsidedown Plaza -
Birmingham, AL

10/31 @ The Milestone Club -
Charlotte, NC

11/1 @ Neptune's -
Raleigh, NC

11/2 @ Strange Matter -
Richmond, VA

11/3 @ Orion Sound Studios -
Baltimore, MD

11/4 @ Trans-Pecos -
NYC (Ridgewood), NY

11/5 @ Kung Fu Necktie
Philadelphia, PA

Thanks for reading, and hope to see you!

Toby Driver/Kayo Dot

From Toby Driver:

Just wanted to send a quick note out about a couple big dealie shows and releases happening these next two months. Thanks for your eyes and ears–

Coming in a few weeks (April 21), The Flenser will be releasing my long-awaited solo ballads album, MADONNAWHORE. The album also features members of Kayo Dot on various songs. Simultaneously, The Flenser will be releasing a repress of Kayo Dot's 2013 triple-vinyl LP, HUBARDO (on both 3xLP and CD). You can preorder both now, via http://nowflensing.com in the Americas or http://www.deathwishinc.eu/products/587443-toby-driver-madonnawhore for Europeans.

Concerts:

March 16: I'll be performing some of these ballads at SXSW in Austin, Texas, and will be hanging out there for the week. Check out (and add) my Facebook page for further details: http://facebook.com/tobydriverofficial

March 21: I'll be presenting the songs from MADONNAWHORE, plus an entire set of completely new, never-before-heard ballads, accompanied by a band that includes violins, grand piano, organ, and percussion, at the beautiful theatre of Roulette Intermedium in downtown Brooklyn, NY. This is very likely the only time this music will ever be presented this way, so don't miss it. Check out the event page and preorder your tickets: http://roulette.org/event/toby-driver-madonnawhore-with-string-noise/

March 23-31: Kayo Dot will be joining the awesome PALLBEARER and MARISSA NADLER for a short tour. We're the opening band (we play at 8pm), so come early! Dates are listed below, and visit http://kayodot.net for any updates as they happen. I'm also excited to announce that David Bodie, who recorded with us on our 2010 album, COYOTE, and toured with the band from 2009-2011, will be handling drum duties for this tour. In addition, I'm very happy to announce the addition of a new, second guitarist, Matthew Serra, for this tour. Some of the shows will feature two guitarists (Ron and Matt) and some will have just one. Kayo Dot hasn't had a guitar-guitar-bass-drums configuration onstage in a long time, so this will be a real heavy treat.

THU 23 MARCH
The End, Nashville, TN

SAT 25 MARCH
Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

SUN 26 MARCH (Marissa Nadler and Kayo Dot - no Pallbearer on this show)
WFMU Monty Hall, Jersey City, NJ

TUE 28 MARCH
Grog Shop, Cleveland Heights, OH

WED 29 MARCH
Pyramid Scheme, Grand Rapids, MI

THU 30 MARCH
The 5th Quarter Lounge, Indianapolis, IN

FRI 31 MARCH
Thalia Hall, Chicago, IL

of course that's what his album of solo ballads is called

probably the worst lyricist in the avant-garde scene, maybe the worst ever

From May of '08, here's the KD review I mentioned way upthread, for the long-gone Paper Thin Walls, where we spotlit new tracks --the ones cleared for posting were not always the best on the album, but this selection was pretty good.

Kayo Dot: “Symmetrical Arizona”
from Blue Lambency Downward (Hydra Head)
Out Now rating: 7.0

Kayo Dot, led by the versatile singer/multi-instrumentalists Toby Driver and Mia Matsumiya (who is especially evocative on violin), have a way of trailing guitars, bass, drums, sax, vibes, clarinet, gamelan, keyboards, et cetera, through traces of metal, avant jazz, and Late 20th Century-based Western takes on Eastern music, sometimes sketching out vast dayscapes of seemingly emptied beauty, along the way. Yet there’s also a furtive, sometimes tingling sense of possibilities, too, for Those Who Know: hooded figures, bowed but still standing on the verge of getting it on, one more time. So their albums are tantalizing enough, though promising passages through the vastness can knock up against too many dramatic pauses, too many creeping beats. Still, Blue Lambency Downward eventually lives up (and down) to its title, with a concluding arc of tracks, saving the best for last. “The Awkward Wind Wheel” keeps wobbling until it’s pulled through an avalanche by bass and drums, right through trees of smoke and ganglia (strings and woodwinds), on through the parting spikes of “The Useless Ladder,” into “Symmetrical Arizona,” where damn if woodwinds and maybe cellos don’t grown and press contemplation into the hollow heads of abandoned gods of vanished cliff-dwellers, as thee coalescing image of a prodigious prodigal, no bigger than a Kayo Dot, gauges and gouges a valley of personal mythology(dropping in: percussive beads, talons, wine-streaked sheet music, flapping like wings), until it’s raised from the dry undertow of his affectations, casting and rattling real-enough shadows across my virtual attention span, for quite a while.

I DO hate that title, but

probably the worst lyricist in the avant-garde scene, maybe the worst ever

― an uptempo Pop/Hip Hop mentality (imago), Thursday, 16 March 2017 19:55 (fifteen minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

...hardly, and I'm not huge on his lyrics, though tbh most of what he sings is written by Jason Byron anyway.

I quite like that new track, I have a feeling I'll probably enjoy this more than the last KD album

oh that's true re: Byron

the fact that Kayo Dot are the opening act for Pallbearer and Nadler just proves again how little justice there is in this tasteless, ridiculous world

We're having a big year in the Kayo Dot camp... one of those years that feels like all the work we've put in is finally paying off. I'm super excited to let you know about a few of these upcoming items:

1. Summer tour dates!

We're going all around the U.S. and Canada this summer opening up for a couple killer bands. In July, we'll be opening up for TODAY IS THE DAY– a band that changed the way I see live performance and heaviness the first time I saw them back in 1999. Their singer, Steve Austin, has been one of my biggest vocal influences since then, and it's a honor to join them on this trip. Then we head out in late August once again with the mighty PALLBEARER, a band we had the pleasure of opening for in March this year, and we're so stoked to continue cracking open the cosmos with them across Canada and America. Here are all the dates!

with TODAY IS THE DAY

Jul 06 @ Saint Vitus, Brooklyn, NY
Jul 07 @ Bungalow, Manchester, NH
Jul 08 @ The Depot, Washington, DC
Jul 09 @ The Backstage at Championship Bar, Trenton, NJ
Jul 10 @ Charlie's American Cafe, Norfolk, VA
Jul 11 @ Local 506, Chapel Hill, NC
Jul 12 @ The Masquerade, Atlanta, GA
Jul 13 @ Walters Downtown, Houston, TX
Jul 14 @ Spanish Moon, Baton Rouge, LA
Jul 15 @ The Curtain Club, Dallas, TX
Jul 16 @ The Lost Well, Austin, TX
Jul 19 @ Joe's Grotto, Phoenix, AZ
Jul 20 @ Gideon's Hall, Upland, CA
Jul 21 @ DNA Lounge, San Francisco, CA
Jul 22 @ Tonic Lounge, Portland, OR
Jul 23 @ Highline, Seattle, WA
Jul 25 @ Club X, Salt Lake City, UT
Jul 26 @ Marquis Theater, Denver, CO
Jul 27 @ The Riot Room, Kansas City, MO
Jul 28 @ The Token Lounge, Westland, MI
Jul 29 @ Hard Luck, Toronto, ON
Jul 30 @ L’Esco, Montreal, QC

with PALLBEARER

8/22 Regina, SK @ The Exchange
8/23 Winnipeg, MB @ The Good Will @ Social Club
8/24 Fargo, ND @ The Aquarium
8/25 Iowa City, IA @ Blue Moose Tap House
8/26 Dekalb, IL @ The House Cafe
8/27 Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club
8/29 Detroit, MI @ El Club
8/30 Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace
8/31 Ottawa, ON @ The Brass Monkey
9/1 Quebec City, QC @ Bar L'Anti
9/2 Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz PDB
9/5 Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
9/6 Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery
9/7 Raleigh, NC @ Hopscotch Festival
9/8 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
9/9 Knoxville, TN @ The International - Knoxville

2. Choirs of the Eye vinyl!!!

Finally! After 14 years of asking our first label, Tzadik, we've been granted permission to self-release our debut album CHOIRS OF THE EYE on vinyl! We're running a pre-order now, and there are some special bonus items available for anyone who pre-orders. Grab your copy before they're gone! http://kayodot.bigcartel.com

3. Sacrum Profanum Festival in Krakow

I'm happy to let you all know that I've been commissioned to compose a chamber orchestra piece for the ensemble Spółdzielnia Muzyczna to appear at Sacrum Profanum Festival this year in Krakow, Poland. The programme will also be featuring new commissions from Aaron Turner (Isis, Sumac) and Faith Coloccia (Mammiffer), Aidan Baker (Nadja), Mika Rättö and Jussi Lehtisalo (Circle), and Paweł Kulczyński (Wilhelm Brass). I'm extremely excited for this cool opportunity! http://sacrumprofanum.com

4. Madonnawhore, and Hubardo reissue

If you haven't picked it up yet, my solo album, MADONNAWHORE, is now available from The Flenser on CD and vinyl. Simultaneously, The Flenser has reissued our 2013 concept album, HUBARDO, on 3xLP and CD. Get 'em! http://nowflensing.com

For more frequent updates, please follow us on social media:
http://facebook.com/kayodotofficial
http://instagram.com/kayodotofficial
http://twitter.com/kayodotofficial

Thanks so much for listening and for your continued support, and hope to see you out there this summer!

Hi folks, just a quick one!

I'm happy to announce the special limited release of this collection of choice cuts from my March 2017 concert at Roulette, featuring the wonderful work of K.M. Abrams, Kelly Moran*, and String Noise (Pauline Kim Harris and Conrad Harris), plus a bonus outtake from the 2015 "Madonnawhore" sessions.

https://kayodot.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-roulette-march-2017

Please pick this up for a mere five bucks (or more! Your choice!) to help fund a proper studio recording of these live tracks and a few additional ones, to be completed this winter in New York. This collection will only be available until the end of 2017. Thanks for the support, and hope you enjoy!

All the best,
Toby Driver
* from The Nee Yorker:
Kelly Moran: “Hallucinations”

Moran, a composer and pianist, employs stylistic devices borrowed from Satie, Cowell, and Cage with the hands-on assurance of a classically trained performer; after growing up infatuated with electric jazz, minimalism, and metal, she cut her teeth in art-rock bands. “Bloodroot,” the album she released in March on the Brooklyn label Telegraph Harp, features appealing works for prepared piano and synthesizer; here, she concentrates on the former, introducing gently narcotic reveries accompanied by video projections of her own design.

Oct. 16 at 8.
Roulette

509 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn

From Toby:
Hi everyone,
I would just like to share some news of the past several months with you all, in regard to my various ongoing music projects.

1) PIGGY BLACK CROSS

I've started a new band with singer Bridget Bellavia. The music is electronic, dark industrial-influenced IDM. We just released our first EP a few days ago on Bandcamp, and would love if you go have a listen. We're starting a US West Coast tour **tomorrow** (August 22!!) in Los Angeles, going up to Seattle, and back down again, joined by the amazing THIEF (members of Botanist). If you like what you hear, please consider purchasing a download via the Bandcamp page to help us along the road.

https://kayodot.bandcamp.com/album/always-just-out-of-r-e-a-c-h-robotic-eclosion-after-coming-hylozoic

Tour dates // PIGGY BLACK CROSS with THIEF:
Aug 22 - Los Angeles @ Resident (also with Deth Crux)
Aug 23 - Goleta @ Half Pipe House
Aug 24 - Modesto @ Still Smoking
Aug 25 - Portland @ Bit House Saloon (also with Jason W. Walton (Agalloch, Khorada))
Aug 26 - Seattle @ Highline (also with Jason W. Walton and Convictions)
Aug 27 - Olympia @ Cryptatropa (also with Harsh R and Seed Bed)
Aug 29 - Arcata @ The Miniplex
Aug 30 - Sacramento @ Old Ironsides (also with Killer Couture)
Aug 31 - Oakland @ Jack London Elbo Room (also with Botanist)

2) SOLO WORKS
I've also completed a new solo album of ballads, entitled "They Are The Shield," which will be released by Blood Music on September 21. This will be followed by tour dates in the US, Mexico, and Europe. You can have a listen to a preview track here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5LkZiboJy0

This album features some fantastic violin work by Conrad Harris and Pauline Kim Harris, drums by Brian Chase, piano by Kelly Moran, and guest vocals by Bridget Bellavia.

TOBY DRIVER solo US/Mexico tour dates:

SEP 22 Newark, DE @ Newark Bike Project
SEP 23 Philadelphia, PA @ Ortlieb's
SEP 24 Raleigh, NC @ Neptune's
SEP 25 Atlanta, GA @ The Bakery Atlanta
SEP 26 Little Rock, AR @ Vino's Pizza-Pub-Brewery
SEP 27 Florence, AL @ 116 E Mobile St
SEP 28 New Orleans, LA @ Poor Boys Bar
SEP 29 Houston, TX @ Vinal Edge Records
OCT 4-5 Mexico City, Mexico @ venue TBA
Oct 5-6 Monterrey Mexico @ venue TBA
Oct 9 Austin, Texas @ The Lost Well TBC
OCT 10 Denton TX @ The Mustard Zone
OCT 12 Chicago, IL @ Cobra Lounge
OCT 14 Lakewood, OH @ The Foundry Concert Club
OCT 15 Ann Arbor, MI @ The Blind Pig
OCT 16 Toronto, ON @ TBA
OCT 17 Hamilton, ON @ TBA
OCT 18 Ottawa, ON, Canada @ Mavericks
OCT 20 Providence, RI @ Machine’s with Alec K. Redfearn TBC
OCT 21 Allston, MA @ O'Brien's Pub
OCT 22 New Haven, CT @ cafe nine

3) KAYO DOT
I'm very happy to let you all know that Kayo Dot has signed to Prophecy Productions, a longstanding label from Germany who've just launched an American branch. We're proud to be in their first round of signings. We're just finishing up our new album now, details of which will be announced soon. We'll also be premiering some of the new material at Prophecy Fest in New York, November 2-3, alongside Alcest, Xasthur, and others!

----

If you haven't received your copy of the Choirs of the Eye vinyl yet, please know that I'm aware of the delay and am working on it. I got held up a bit this summer after mid-July mostly by the enormous cost of overseas shipping; it has slowed me down quite a bit and I'm only able to get a couple copies out the door per week. I'm trying to stay on top of it as best I can and I haven't forgotten about your shipment. I really appreciate your patience with this and apologize for the length of time. You can help move this along by picking up a download of the new Piggy Black Cross album - that money will go straight to us. https://kayodot.bandcamp.com/album/always-just-out-of-r-e-a-c-h-robotic-eclosion-after-coming-hylozoic

As always, you can follow on my socials and get the most current news and ongoing updates on added shows and premiered tracks.
Thanks for reading and listening, and hope to see you out on the road soon!

Toby
http://instagram.com/tobydriver
http://facebook.com/tobydriverofficial
http://facebook.com/kayodotofficial
http://facebook.com/piggyblackcross

They Are the Shield is actually great! This song is the best thing he's done in some time imo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0YpoYE1VHc

Which makes me cautiously optimistic for the next Kayo Dot but we'll have to see

Some rare concerts coming up soon:

May 29, 2019: PIGGY BLACK CROSS at Arcadia!, an event at The VNYL Vintage New York Lifestyle, New York NY. 8pm.

Also very happy to announce that our album, Always Just Out of R.E.A.C.H., will be seeing a cassette release later this year through Tartarus Tapes.

June 6, 2019: TOBY DRIVER plays solo guitar at Best Video Film & Cultural Center, Hamden CT. I'll be trying out some new material, which will be recorded and released later this summer. Also playing will be my longtime friend, composer, singer, and accordionist Adam Matlock.

ASVA plays their only concert of 2019 at Litha Cascadia Festival, June 21-23 in Washington State. This promises to be a beautiful and unique experience all around. Asva will be premiering some new material and in this incarnation will feature not only Stuart Dahlquist and myself, but also Nick Hudson, Ron Varod, and Adam Dahlquist. So utterly stoked for this!

August 8-16, 2019: TOBY DRIVER and JEREMIAH CYMERMAN Northeast US and Canada tour. We have a few dates set up for this but are still trying to sort out the rest, and will then announce next month. Please let me know if you can help arrange something inside this window.
---Toby Driver td at kayodot.net

Toby Driver <td at kayodot.net>
Fri, Sep 6, 1:39 AM
to me

Hi, some words I'd like to share.

Having completed this album a year ago, along with a label change, a lineup change, and even a change in my city of residence, the past 12 months leading up to this release have been absolutely grueling in so many ways. I want you to know that a lot of these painful changes in my life have come as a direct result of me throwing every last bit of myself into this record. I fully exhausted my spirit with this one. To make this record happen, I had to relinquish many things that were important to me, things material and immaterial that I'd thought of as crucial. I needed to grow into another stage of existence, and that was terrifying and pummeling. Why do this? I have never known beyond compulsion.

I've been existing in a limbo state for the past year, feeling my future being pulled fearfully closer as a duality. Almost like Donnie Darko– you feel something coming and everything around you collapses at a faster rate as you approach. The bridge crumbles behind you as you run. I've felt that the past year was the longest year, and have felt that yesterday may have been my last good day. Blasphemy didn't seize power from me; I granted it fully to Her. She leads me, as the new timeline begins today at this moment.

I'm so proud of my collaborators Jason Byron, Ron Varod, Phillip Price, Leonardo Didkovsky, Randall Dunn, Jenya Chernoff, Matthew Serra, Casey Mathewson, and our team at Prophecy Productions for making this thing come to life and allowing me to push them into perhaps unfamiliar territory. I couldn't be more happy with the way the music and the packaging turned out, and if you have a chance to get the full experience with the lyrics, images, novel, and remix album, I highly encourage you to do so because that's all a major part of the release.

I want people to question why they're hearing what they are, why a decision was made, how things are constructed beyond the perfunctory. Creating music is always a perfect opportunity to express yourself, to be Extra AF when you might not be able to do so in your day-to-day life. I most greatly admire musicians who go to extremities in their work, whatever those may be. Musicians who will do the thing that the other people won't do. I try to do my best to live up to the example set by those I admire.

I'm thrilled, anxious, and proud to finally present this album to the world: Kayo Dot's BLASPHEMY.

https://spoti.fi/2m2MTTv

“A Masterpiece.” –Radical Research
9/10 –Metal Injection
9.5/10 –Ave Noctum
9.3/10 –Metal Trenches
8/10 –Metal Italia
R! Choice Pick –Rocking.gr
Pick of the Week –MeatMeadMetal
“Uncompromising in its vision and its execution.” –HeavyBlog
“Blasphemy is Kayo Dot at their most comfortable. It is effortless and hangs delicately in the sky, but carries the weight of Kayo Dot’s creativity with it.” –Invisible Oranges

Toby says giving up on current web host's mailing list practices, asks that we follow on bandcamp---gotta lotta stuff there: https://kayodot.bandcamp.com/

New one is p sick, and I've not said that in a very, very, very long time

Yeah this is very very good. The last one I liked was Coffins on Io, but this is probably the best since Hubardo.

been listening to coffins a bunch lately and its definitely my fav

broke: best since Hubardo

woke: best since Dowsing

nah, Hubardo is better than Dowsing, but only just.

The Knight Errant adds to their impressive litany of incredible opening tracks

Dear friends,

You may have heard me talk on the socials about my trio with Mario Diaz de Leon and Jeremiah Cymerman, Bloodmist, a lot in the past year and a half. It's all because of this album, Arc, which we recorded in Novermber 2020 and is just about to be released. We came up with a new sound for this one through some serious chemistry and situational vibrations, and I walked away from the session feeling like this band was a huge missing piece of the puzzle of my musical life. Making this record set my mind in a new direction and I haven't yet realized the affect it's going to have on all the other music I make– but it'll be huge.
The album comes out June 3, but we're releasing a intense and exciting premiere track today: "Battle Mountain." Check it out over at my Bandcamp page.
https://kayodot.bandcamp.com/album/arc
What's more, ICYMI we had good success trying out the Bandcamp vinyl pressing service a year ago with Bloodmist's previous album, Phos. Those LPs just came in a couple weeks ago, and we couldn't be happier with them. Because it went so well, we're making an attempt to get the new one, Arc pressed on vinyl through the same method. This one's a longer album so it'll be a 2xLP. Because Bloodmist's music is totally self-released and self-funded, the only way for us to get vinyl pressed is to go the pre-order/crowdfund way. If you're interesting in seeing this come to light, please don't hesitate to pledge to the campaign! There are some very special exclusive bonuses for supporters, too, and the campaign ends in just 30 days. The link for that is the same as the above.

I also wanted to let you know that Bloodmist will be playing at the very prestigious festival, FIMAV, in Quebec this month. We all couldn't be more excited about that. It's a festival I personally have wanted to be a part of since as long as I can remember, and for Bloodmist's first out-of-town appearance, this is an amazing standard to set. We feel extremely fortunate for the opportunity and for everyone's well-wishes.

Thanks very much for everything, and stay tuned for some more good news and announcements coming in the next few weeks.

Yours, Toby Driver

KAYO DOT announces full-album, original lineup "Choirs of the Eye" performance at Complexity Fest, Netherlands!
Hello,

I couldn't be more excited to share with you all that after a 3-year pandemic-related live hiatus, Kayo Dot will be returning with a performance at the next edition of Complexity Fest in the Netherlands, Feb 25, 2023! In celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the band and our debut album, Choirs of the Eye, we have reassembled the original Choirs... lineup of maudlin of the Well ex-pats: Greg Massi, Terran Olson, Sam Gutterman, and myself, plus additional members Matt Serra (Wet Math!!!), violin and trumpet powerhouse Timba Harris (Secret Chiefs 3, Alora Crucible, Grails, etc), and woodwind multi-guy Jeff Tobias (Sunwatchers), to perform the album in-full! We have never before toured European shores with this music or lineup, despite some smatterings of reorchestrated Choirs... songs on a tour or two around 2010, so this is really exciting for us. Tt's been a long time coming. And furthermore, it's been a few years of Kayo Dot playing with a minimized lineup so I'm super stoked that we're now getting back to big!

Tickets are now onsale for Complexity Fest at this address:

One month away, Kayo Dot's “Choirs of the Eye” 20th Anniversary Tour begins

Toby Driver | Kayo Dot
Wed, Jan 25, 8:07 AM (2 days ago)

Hello, I'm writing this to you from the back of a tour van in the midst of a long, full-day drive from Grenoble to Brussels on a grey and snowy day. I've joined my friend Charlie Looker, playing bass for his crushing project Extra Life on this trip, which has lasted the full month of January and traversed almost the entire UK and France. The music and hangs have been deep, the hospitality has been loving, and the heating has been almost entirely nonexistent. After the past few years of staying off the road due to the wills of external forces, I'm so fortunate to have the opportunity to join Charlie on this run. I enjoy touring and find it to be an essential facet of my vocation on this Earth, even in the role of a backing musician, and the relative absence of it in my life in the past few years has hurt. But here I am again in the right place, blessed to travel and blessed to be with my head above the surface, engaged in the arts with immediacy.

Only three weeks after returning home from this trip with Charlie, I'll set out again, this time in the bandleader's role with my own long-running, chief project Kayo Dot. This year is the project's 20th Anniversary, and to honor the milestone, I've gathered the original lineup of the fellows who formed the band out of maudlin of the Well to perform our 2003 debut album, Choirs of the Eye in full. The first leg of the tour hits a few places UK and Europe (see below) because this music was never really presented over there. By the time Kayo Dot started touring Europe, Choirs of the Eye was a few albums in the past and the band no longer had an instrumentation that could support the music's proper orchestration. Some of the ex-maudlin guys that are coming along for this trip left the band before ever having the chance to go on a European tour, so this is exciting in many ways. To even further exploit that vibe, we're preparing a few additional songs from the Kayo Dot repertoire that have never once been played in Europe. How about that!

It's very meaningful for me, far beyond the words I can say, to have the opportunity to bring this music back on the road for you. For Choirs of the Eye, but also for Kayo Dot as a project in general. If I had it my way, Kayo Dot would tour all around the world for 150 shows a year. But, I think since 2016 Kayo Dot has only played about 60 times. In 7+ years. That's horrible. I really want to remedy that situation with a ton of music and a ton of live concerts, and this Choirs of the Eye tour is the first step towards that. So, I really hope to see you at one of these upcoming concerts to encourage me along this path. Make sure you buy pre-sale tickets as soon as possible because it allows us to know how to better plan for the trip in terms of merch production and other resource investment. The dates and the ticket links are below.

But first, one more very exciting thing. We're being joined on this tour by our longtime lyricist and former maudlin of the Well vocalist, Jason Byron, who has never been on the road before and was only seen once in public at the MOTW reunion performance at the Stone NYC in 2015. He's bringing copies of his two novels, Blasphemy and Amalia, to sell at the merch table. Kayo Dot fans will recognize those titles as being closely related to Byron's words and stories in our music– and the novels go a lot further to expand upon the universe. He is limiting this first printing to only 50 copies of each. Preceding each concert, we're holding a special pre-show event in which Byron will read a little from his books and then have a Q&A session with the audience and other members from MOTW. The pre-show events are limited-entry, and you can find out more about how to get access at the ticket links below.

24 Feb, London UK at Signature Brew Blackhorse Road
https://dice.fm/event/ayg5q-kayo-dot-uk-exclusive-24th-feb-signature-brew-blackhorse-road-london-tickets?lng=en
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25 Feb, Haarlem NL at Complexity Fest:
https://www.ticketmaster.nl/artist/complexity-fest-tickets/994553
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26 Feb, Berlin DE at Urban Spree
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/usu-pres-kayo-dot-urban-spree-tickets-493975733717
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28 Feb, Warsaw PL at Hydrozagadka:
https://goout.net/pl/bilety/kayo-dot/acpq/
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01 Mar, Krakow PL at Klub RE:
Fb event: https://www.facebook.com/events/712136530028492/
Ticket link: https://goingapp.pl/wydarzenie/kayo-dot-us/marzec-2023
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02 Mar, Prague CZ at Underdogs:
Tickets: https://www.goforboom.com/events/kayo-dot-choirs-of-the-eye-20th-anniversary-tour/order

RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/666880521665504
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03 Mar, Belgrade SB at Elektropionir
(no tcket link available yet)
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04 Mar, Graz AT at Wakuum:
They sell memberships and it's a free show for members, or pay-what-you-wish.
www.wakmusic.at
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05 Mar, Mantova IT at The Academy:
https://k2music.bigcartel.com/product/kayo-dot-the-academy-mantova-biglietti

One final thing. Last week, I launched a fundraiser to help cushion some of the risk involved in undertaking such an ambitious tour. In the past week, we reached our goal thanks to our generous fans and friends, for which I'm profoundly grateful. If you would like to contribute, the fundraiser is still open, and everything raised will go towards making the tour an easier and less anxious experience. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your belief in what I do.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/kayo-dots-20th-anniversary-tour-fundraiser?qid=da48484f64450af2476a656eb81f0930

Many thanks for reading, and hope to see you out there! Any questions or desire to unsubscribe please let me know.

Toby td at kayodot dot net