Harlem Releases Hippies Album April 6th: SXSW Dates and NA Tour

Harlem started out in Tucson, Arizona and relocated to Austin, Texas garnering buzz for their live shows and their self-released Free Drugs. They'll follow that with a new album called Hippies, in stories April 6th.

Harlem's trio - Michael Coomers and Curtis O’Mara, who rotate on vocal, guitar, and drum duties, and Jose Boyer on bass - freshly blend bluesy garage rock with a pop sensibility.

Hippies the New Album from Harlem on Matador

The album’s first track, “Someday Soon 1,” is one of the more up-tempo songs taking cues from The Strokes and The Velvet Underground (most notably in guitar sound).

“Friendly Ghost” is a clever jangly number about living in a graveyard and “Number One” is the most intricate and skillful song on the album, while “Be Your Baby” and “Cloud Pleaser” show a softer side, but all remain clap-your-hands danceable.

Other songs of note include, “Gay Human Bones,” which is groovy and melodic – an ode to songs that appear on Harlem’s older material. However, songs such as “Faces” and “Prairie My Heart” are a large step forward in style and songwriting.

The drums on “Scare You” stand-out while the concluding track, “Poolside,” is a 3.5-minute honest love song.

Harlem's SXSW Gig and Tour Dates

Harlem has created a very hip album that should get its share of listening. The songwriting is more mature and structurally more impressive.

Harlem will be at SXSW later this month and continue to tour in support of Hippies throughout the spring. Here is the full list of shows:

3/13 – Aquarium Drunkard party, Red Eyed Fly, Austin, 3pm
3/16 – House Of Guys, 1907 Rio Grande, Austin, (with The Beets, Fungi Girls, Air Waves)
3/18 – Red 7, Austin (official SXSW event with Bad Sports, Pierced Arrows, Ravonettes)
3/19 – Levi’s Fader Fort, Austin, 2:15 pm
3/19 – Spin Party, Stubbs (indoors), Austin, 3:40pm
4/1 – Mohawk, Austin (record release bash)
4/13 -One Eyed Jacks, New Orleans, LA
4/14 – Bottletree, Birmingham, AL
4/15 – The Earl, Atlanta, GA
4/16 – JJ’s Bohemia, Chattanooga, TN
4/17 – Night Light, Chapel Hill, NC
4/19 – DC 9, Washington DC
4/20 – Golden West, Baltimore, MD
4/21 – Kung Fu Necktie, Philadelphia, PA
4/22 – Mercury Lounge, NYC, NY (early show)
4/23 – Market Hotel, Brooklyn, NY
4/24- Maxwell’s, Hoboken, NJ (with Titus Andronicus)
4/25 – Great Scott, Allston, MA
4/27 – Green Room, Montreal, Quebec
4/28 – Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, Ontario
4/29 – Now That’s Class, Cleveland, OH
4.30 – Majestic Cafe, Detroit, MI
5/01- Empty Bottle, Chicago, IL
5/02 – Mad Planet, Milwaukee, WI (with Jail)
5/04 - 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis, MN
5/05 – Vaudeville Mews, Des Moines, IA
5/06 – Waiting Room, Lincoln, NE
5/07 – Riot Room, Kansas City, MO (with Gil Mantera)
5/08 - Firebird, St. Louis, MO
5/10 – The Summit, Columbus, OH
5/11 – Southgate House, Newport, KY
5/12 – Zanzibar, Louisville, KY
5/13 – The End, Nashville, TN
5/14 – Hi Tone, Memphis, TN
5/15 – City Tavern, Dallas, TX

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