On January 25, Merge Records will release The Year of Magical Drinking, the debut album from Apex Manor.
Ross Flournoy founded Apex Manor after the 2009 demise of The Broken West. Named after his Los Angeles ˇČzen place,ˇÉ Apex Manor was the idyllic apartment of his close friend and long-time collaborator Adam Vine.
Having relocated from the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles to Pasadena, Flournoy was enjoying suburban tranquility, but his car wouldnˇÇt start and he found himself isolated. He whiled away the days cleaning the house, sitting on the porch, and splitting tallboys with the gardeners who worked nearby. And battling a case of writerˇÇs block.
Enter an unlikely source of inspiration: an online songwriting contest. NPRˇÇs Monitor Mix was soliciting original songs from readers, giving the prospective songwriter one weekend to write, record, and submit. Flournoy decided to give it a go and set about writing and recording at home. At least he would be doing something with his time. The song, ˇČUnder the Gun,ˇÉ turned out to be about the process itself.
Now feeling inspired for the first time in months, Flournoy began writing at a feverish clip, penning more than 25 songs, nearly a third of which were co-written by Adam Vine. Flournoy then teamed up with former Broken West bandmate Brian Whelan to record some proper demos, and Apex Manor was born.
The Year of Magical Drinking was recorded at three different studios around LA and was produced by Dan Long (Film School, Local Natives) and Brian Whelan.
Ross Flournoy founded Apex Manor after the 2009 demise of The Broken West. Named after his Los Angeles ˇČzen place,ˇÉ Apex Manor was the idyllic apartment of his close friend and long-time collaborator Adam Vine.
Having relocated from the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles to Pasadena, Flournoy was enjoying suburban tranquility, but his car wouldnˇÇt start and he found himself isolated. He whiled away the days cleaning the house, sitting on the porch, and splitting tallboys with the gardeners who worked nearby. And battling a case of writerˇÇs block.
Enter an unlikely source of inspiration: an online songwriting contest. NPRˇÇs Monitor Mix was soliciting original songs from readers, giving the prospective songwriter one weekend to write, record, and submit. Flournoy decided to give it a go and set about writing and recording at home. At least he would be doing something with his time. The song, ˇČUnder the Gun,ˇÉ turned out to be about the process itself.
Now feeling inspired for the first time in months, Flournoy began writing at a feverish clip, penning more than 25 songs, nearly a third of which were co-written by Adam Vine. Flournoy then teamed up with former Broken West bandmate Brian Whelan to record some proper demos, and Apex Manor was born.
The Year of Magical Drinking was recorded at three different studios around LA and was produced by Dan Long (Film School, Local Natives) and Brian Whelan.
06/06/11
Due to unforeseen circumstances, Norman Blake and Euros Childs aka Jonny have to cancel their US tour. We apologize for the inconvenience and refunds are available at point of purchase. Apex Manor have also canceled their appearances.
Hopefully, Jonny will reschedule their tour later this year, but in the meantime, listen and purchase their debut album Jonny now in the Merge store. Apex Manor’s The Year of Magical Drinking is also available for stream and purchase in the Merge store.
Hopefully, Jonny will reschedule their tour later this year, but in the meantime, listen and purchase their debut album Jonny now in the Merge store. Apex Manor’s The Year of Magical Drinking is also available for stream and purchase in the Merge store.
05/18/11
Jonny, the new musical partnership between Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub and Euros Childs of the now-defunct Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, have premiered their new video for “You Was Me” today at IFC.com.
Sure to make you long for a trip to beautiful Wales, the video showcases Pembrokeshire and wild horses frolicking along the water.
Watch the video for “You Was Me” at IFC.com now
Norman spoke with IFC.com about the Jonny partnership, the video, and more:
Jonny is available now on CD (with 4 bonus tracks!) and digital download now in the Merge store.
Jonny on tour:
All dates with Apex Manor except June 20 & 21 with Yo La Tengo!
June 03 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel
June 04 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel
June 07 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall
June 08 Boston, MA Brighton Music Hall
June 09 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge
June 10 Brooklyn, NY The Bell House
June 11 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live Upstairs
June 12 Vienna, VA Jammin’ Java
June 14 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
June 15 Decatur, GA Eddie’s Attic
June 16 Nashville, TN The Bluebird Cafe
June 17 Louisville, KY Zanzabar
June 18 Chicago, IL Old Town School of Folk Music @ Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall
June 20 Columbia, MO Blue Note w/ Yo La Tengo
June 21 Iowa City, IA Englert Theater w/ Yo La Tengo
Sure to make you long for a trip to beautiful Wales, the video showcases Pembrokeshire and wild horses frolicking along the water.
Watch the video for “You Was Me” at IFC.com now
Norman spoke with IFC.com about the Jonny partnership, the video, and more:
What about “You Was Me”? It’s nothing fancy, but it’s hard to let go once you’ve heard it.Read the full interview at IFC.com.
That was another one that was just at the kitchen table. You know what, I tell a lie: We were sitting in the living room of my flat in Glasgow, when I was living there. The flat overlooks a bowling green in Glasgow. Bowling is very popular. I think we were siting, having a glass of wine, next to guitars and keyboards. I think I may have started playing the main guitar riff. I think of that song as being a bit like a T. Rex song, with a very simple groove. That was the template for the music that inspired that. It was a pretty much stream-of-consciousness lyric. We were looking at the bowlers. Euros came up with the first line: “Keep on seeking/ Roll the ball/ Monday comes to nothing.” It must have been a Monday. The song really was stitched together that way. We wrote the lyrics in a few minutes.
That’s how most of the songs happen; we don’t really spend a great deal of time thinking about it too much. That’s, again, quite liberating because when I’m writing Teenage Fanclub and Euros is writing for his solo records, we spend much more time on the composition of the lyrics and the music. With Jonny, we wanted to take it pretty easy. Even if it doesn’t quite make sense, that’s OK. The lyrics start when we were watching the bowlers, then it goes somewhere else. We write it down, and we don’t tend to edit it too much.
Jonny is available now on CD (with 4 bonus tracks!) and digital download now in the Merge store.
Jonny on tour:
All dates with Apex Manor except June 20 & 21 with Yo La Tengo!
June 03 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel
June 04 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel
June 07 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall
June 08 Boston, MA Brighton Music Hall
June 09 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge
June 10 Brooklyn, NY The Bell House
June 11 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live Upstairs
June 12 Vienna, VA Jammin’ Java
June 14 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
June 15 Decatur, GA Eddie’s Attic
June 16 Nashville, TN The Bluebird Cafe
June 17 Louisville, KY Zanzabar
June 18 Chicago, IL Old Town School of Folk Music @ Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall
June 20 Columbia, MO Blue Note w/ Yo La Tengo
June 21 Iowa City, IA Englert Theater w/ Yo La Tengo
05/04/11
Apex Manor visited the World Cafe studios in Philadelphia on their recent tour to perform songs from their debut album The Year of Magical Drinking and chat with host David Dye. The session aired last week on NPR’s World Cafe.
You can now listen to the entire session on NPR Music!
Apex Manor will join Jonny on their upcoming North American tour beginning June 3 in Toronto. The places are small, so get your tickets now!
The Year of Magical Drinking is available on CD and digital download now in the Merge store.
Apex Manor on tour!
All date w/ Jonny
Jun 3 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel
Jun 4 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel
Jun 7 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall
Jun 8 Boston, MA Brighton Music Hall
Jun 9 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge
Jun 10 Brooklyn, NY The Bell House
Jun 11 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live Upstairs
Jun 12 Vienna, VA Jammin’ Java
Jun 14 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Jun 15 Decatur, GA Eddie’s Attic
Jun 16 Nashville, TN The Bluebird Cafe
Jun 17 Louisville, KY Zanzabar
Jun 18 Chicago, IL Old Town School of Folk Music @ Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall
You can now listen to the entire session on NPR Music!
Apex Manor will join Jonny on their upcoming North American tour beginning June 3 in Toronto. The places are small, so get your tickets now!
The Year of Magical Drinking is available on CD and digital download now in the Merge store.
Apex Manor on tour!
All date w/ Jonny
Jun 3 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel
Jun 4 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel
Jun 7 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall
Jun 8 Boston, MA Brighton Music Hall
Jun 9 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge
Jun 10 Brooklyn, NY The Bell House
Jun 11 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live Upstairs
Jun 12 Vienna, VA Jammin’ Java
Jun 14 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
Jun 15 Decatur, GA Eddie’s Attic
Jun 16 Nashville, TN The Bluebird Cafe
Jun 17 Louisville, KY Zanzabar
Jun 18 Chicago, IL Old Town School of Folk Music @ Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall
03/24/11
Apex Manor will join Jonny on their recently announced US tour! Fresh from SXSW, Apex Manor are currently playing shows on the east coast.
Watch John Norris chat with Ross & Adam from Apex Manor for Noisevox and an interview with China Shop over drinks in Austin.
The Year of Magical Drinking is available on CD and digital download now in the Merge store.
Apex Manor on tour!
* w/ Jonny
Mar 26 New York, NY The Mercury Lounge
Mar 28 Chicago, IL Schuba’s Tavern
Mar 29 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar
Jun 3 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel*
Jun 4 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel*
Jun 7 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall*
Jun 8 Boston, MA Brighton Music Hall*
Jun 9 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge*
Jun 10 Brooklyn, NY The Bell House*
Jun 11 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live Upstairs*
Jun 12 Vienna, VA Jammin’ Java*
Jun 14 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle*
Jun 15 Decatur, GA Eddie’s Attic*
Jun 16 Nashville, TN The Bluebird Cafe*
Jun 17 Louisville, KY Zanzabar*
Jun 18 Chicago, IL Old Town School of Folk Music @ Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall*
Watch John Norris chat with Ross & Adam from Apex Manor for Noisevox and an interview with China Shop over drinks in Austin.
The Year of Magical Drinking is available on CD and digital download now in the Merge store.
Apex Manor on tour!
* w/ Jonny
Mar 26 New York, NY The Mercury Lounge
Mar 28 Chicago, IL Schuba’s Tavern
Mar 29 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar
Jun 3 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel*
Jun 4 Toronto, ON The Drake Hotel*
Jun 7 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall*
Jun 8 Boston, MA Brighton Music Hall*
Jun 9 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge*
Jun 10 Brooklyn, NY The Bell House*
Jun 11 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live Upstairs*
Jun 12 Vienna, VA Jammin’ Java*
Jun 14 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle*
Jun 15 Decatur, GA Eddie’s Attic*
Jun 16 Nashville, TN The Bluebird Cafe*
Jun 17 Louisville, KY Zanzabar*
Jun 18 Chicago, IL Old Town School of Folk Music @ Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall*
03/22/11
Adam Vine, songwriter for Apex Manor, checked in with WFUV’s Alternate Side for a SXSW journal. This was Adam’s first experience at the festival, and thankfully he survived! The band is now touring the east cast. Don’t miss them! The Year of Magical Drinking is in stores and available online now!
Can’t help but feel the festival is an instrument you have to learn how to play. A South Asian kinda thing with more strings than there are notes, but luckily every chord sounds all right.
But that could be the hangover talking. Or the queso. One moment you’re on stage, covering Fleetwood Mac with a borrowed melodica in your hands, and the next you’re in a private karaoke room, singing a different Fleetwood Mac song.
Next thing you know, you’re riding shotgun in a limo with a driver named Cedric who wants you to play out in the Hill Country. The live oaks alone would be worth it, but you know it’s never gonna happen.
Still you say maybe next year. And despite Cedric’s best intentions to be there for you the next time you need a ride, you inevitably end up walking across the Congress Bridge, smelling the bats, and wondering if they’re the ones who called in the noise complaints. They do have sensitive ears, you know.
But it’s on to the after party, on to the secret show, on to the hotel, where all the brilliant snippets you’ve overheard will fade into your pillow. Where they will wait for you to return next year. Hopefully you remember which hotel you stayed at.
- Adam Vine
Apex Manor
Apex Manor on Tour:
03-22 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
03-23 Cambridge, MA T.T. The Bear’s
03-26 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
03-28 Chicago, IL Schubas Tavern
03-29 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar
Can’t help but feel the festival is an instrument you have to learn how to play. A South Asian kinda thing with more strings than there are notes, but luckily every chord sounds all right.
But that could be the hangover talking. Or the queso. One moment you’re on stage, covering Fleetwood Mac with a borrowed melodica in your hands, and the next you’re in a private karaoke room, singing a different Fleetwood Mac song.
Next thing you know, you’re riding shotgun in a limo with a driver named Cedric who wants you to play out in the Hill Country. The live oaks alone would be worth it, but you know it’s never gonna happen.
Still you say maybe next year. And despite Cedric’s best intentions to be there for you the next time you need a ride, you inevitably end up walking across the Congress Bridge, smelling the bats, and wondering if they’re the ones who called in the noise complaints. They do have sensitive ears, you know.
But it’s on to the after party, on to the secret show, on to the hotel, where all the brilliant snippets you’ve overheard will fade into your pillow. Where they will wait for you to return next year. Hopefully you remember which hotel you stayed at.
- Adam Vine
Apex Manor
Apex Manor on Tour:
03-22 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
03-23 Cambridge, MA T.T. The Bear’s
03-26 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
03-28 Chicago, IL Schubas Tavern
03-29 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar
02/25/11
This year, we have a very exciting showcase featuring Merge freshmen and a couple of old friends! Get there early to meet newest Merge signees Times New Viking and stay late to see the only nighttime WILD FLAG show of the festival! In between, Apex Manor, Telekinesis & Wye Oak will be sharing songs from their new albums out this spring, and American Music Club & Versus will make a rare appearance in Austin for the festival.
Visit the Merge store to sample the most recent albums from all seven bands, and to pre-order their upcoming releases!
Merge @ SXSW 2011
Friday, March 18
The Parish (214 E. 6th Street)
Austin, TX
Doors at 7p
WILD FLAG 12:45a
Wye Oak 11:45p
Versus 10:45p
American Music Club 9:45p
Telekinesis 9p
Apex Manor 8:15p
Times New Viking 7:30p
Also, we are joining forces with the Home Slice Pizza “Music by the Slice” party again!
Home Slice Pizza
MXTS Party
1415 South Congress
Austin, TX
Thursday, March 17
Apex Manor 3:30 p
American Music Club 5p
Friday, March 18
Versus 1p
Saturday, March 19
Times New Viking 2:20 p
Wye Oak 3:30 p
Be sure to follow Merge on twitter and check back for more opportunities to see our bands at SXSW!
Visit the Merge store to sample the most recent albums from all seven bands, and to pre-order their upcoming releases!
Merge @ SXSW 2011
Friday, March 18
The Parish (214 E. 6th Street)
Austin, TX
Doors at 7p
WILD FLAG 12:45a
Wye Oak 11:45p
Versus 10:45p
American Music Club 9:45p
Telekinesis 9p
Apex Manor 8:15p
Times New Viking 7:30p
Also, we are joining forces with the Home Slice Pizza “Music by the Slice” party again!
Home Slice Pizza
MXTS Party
1415 South Congress
Austin, TX
Thursday, March 17
Apex Manor 3:30 p
American Music Club 5p
Friday, March 18
Versus 1p
Saturday, March 19
Times New Viking 2:20 p
Wye Oak 3:30 p
Be sure to follow Merge on twitter and check back for more opportunities to see our bands at SXSW!
01/25/11
Apex Manor are celebrating the release day of their debut album, The Year of Magical Drinking, with a new video for “My My Mind” and new East Coast tour dates!
Directed by Jonathan Singer-Vine, the cousin of band member Adam Vine, the video for “My My Mind” features bloody heartache in the gritty desert. “My cousin happens to be an incredibly talented video director (Nick Cannon, Marty McFly), and he came up with the idea for this when he first heard the song,” Vine says. “So we headed out to the high desert in mid-December, at the beginning of the LA monsoon, and the clouds parted just enough for us to make this.”
Watch “My My Mind” now!
The west coast tour of the brand new Apex Manor band starts Feb 2 in Santa Cruz, but now east coast fans will get their chance! Get your tickets now!
Apex Manor’s debut album, The Year of Magical Drinking, is available at your favorite music store and in the Merge store!
Keep up with Apex Manor on Facebook & Twitter.
Apex Manor on tour:
Feb 2 Santa Cruz, CA Crepe Place
Feb 4 Seattle, WA Tractor Tavern
Feb 5 Portland, OR Mississippi Studios
Feb 7 Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge
Feb 8 Denver, CO Hi Dive
Feb 10 Tucson, AZ Hotel Congress
Feb 12 Los Angeles, CA Satellite
Feb 24 San Francisco, CA Cafe Du Nord (Noise Pop Festival)
Mar 16-19 Austin, TX SXSW Festival
Mar 21 Washington, DC Red Palace
Mar 22 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
Mar 23 Cambridge, MA TT the Bear’s
Mar 26 New York, NY The Mercury Lounge
Mar 28 Chicago, IL Schubas Tavern
Mar 29 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar
Directed by Jonathan Singer-Vine, the cousin of band member Adam Vine, the video for “My My Mind” features bloody heartache in the gritty desert. “My cousin happens to be an incredibly talented video director (Nick Cannon, Marty McFly), and he came up with the idea for this when he first heard the song,” Vine says. “So we headed out to the high desert in mid-December, at the beginning of the LA monsoon, and the clouds parted just enough for us to make this.”
Watch “My My Mind” now!
The west coast tour of the brand new Apex Manor band starts Feb 2 in Santa Cruz, but now east coast fans will get their chance! Get your tickets now!
Apex Manor’s debut album, The Year of Magical Drinking, is available at your favorite music store and in the Merge store!
Keep up with Apex Manor on Facebook & Twitter.
Apex Manor on tour:
Feb 2 Santa Cruz, CA Crepe Place
Feb 4 Seattle, WA Tractor Tavern
Feb 5 Portland, OR Mississippi Studios
Feb 7 Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge
Feb 8 Denver, CO Hi Dive
Feb 10 Tucson, AZ Hotel Congress
Feb 12 Los Angeles, CA Satellite
Feb 24 San Francisco, CA Cafe Du Nord (Noise Pop Festival)
Mar 16-19 Austin, TX SXSW Festival
Mar 21 Washington, DC Red Palace
Mar 22 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
Mar 23 Cambridge, MA TT the Bear’s
Mar 26 New York, NY The Mercury Lounge
Mar 28 Chicago, IL Schubas Tavern
Mar 29 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar
11/30/10
Apex Manor’s The Year of Magical Drinking will be released on January 25. In celebration, lead singer-songwriter Ross Flournoy will introduce his new band on tour beginning February 4 in Seattle.
Expect more tour dates from Apex Manor soon including a stop at the SXSW music festival in March.
Download “Under the Gun” and pre-order The Year of Magical Drinking in the Merge store. Keep up with Apex Manor on twitter, too!
Apex Manor on tour:
Feb 4 Seattle, WA Tractor Tavern
Feb 5 Portland, OR Mississippi Studios
Feb 7 Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge
Feb 8 Denver, CO Hi Dive
Feb 10 Tucson, AZ Hotel Congress
Feb 12 Los Angeles, CA Satellite
Expect more tour dates from Apex Manor soon including a stop at the SXSW music festival in March.
Download “Under the Gun” and pre-order The Year of Magical Drinking in the Merge store. Keep up with Apex Manor on twitter, too!
Apex Manor on tour:
Feb 4 Seattle, WA Tractor Tavern
Feb 5 Portland, OR Mississippi Studios
Feb 7 Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge
Feb 8 Denver, CO Hi Dive
Feb 10 Tucson, AZ Hotel Congress
Feb 12 Los Angeles, CA Satellite
10/26/10
On January 25, Merge Records will release The Year of Magical Drinking, the debut album from Apex Manor.
Ross Flournoy founded Apex Manor after the 2009 demise of The Broken West. Named after his Los Angeles “zen place,” Apex Manor was the idyllic apartment of his close friend and long-time collaborator Adam Vine.
Having relocated from the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles to Pasadena, Flournoy was enjoying suburban tranquility, but his car wouldn’t start and he found himself isolated. He whiled away the days cleaning the house, sitting on the porch, and splitting tallboys with the gardeners who worked nearby. And battling a case of writer’s block.
Enter an unlikely source of inspiration: an online songwriting contest. NPR’s Monitor Mix was soliciting original songs from readers, giving the prospective songwriter one weekend to write, record, and submit. Flournoy decided to give it a go and set about writing and recording at home. At least he would be doing something with his time. The song, “Under the Gun,” turned out to be about the process itself.
Now feeling inspired for the first time in months, Flournoy began writing at a feverish clip, penning more than 25 songs, nearly a third of which were co-written by Adam Vine. Flournoy then teamed up with former Broken West bandmate Brian Whelan to record some proper demos, and Apex Manor was born.
The Year of Magical Drinking was recorded at three different studios around LA and was produced by Dan Long (Film School, Local Natives) and Brian Whelan. The full-band Apex Manor plans to tour extensively in 2011 including SXSW.
Apex Manor is Ross Flournoy, Adam Vine (if he learns how to play the bass), Brian Whelan, and Andy Creighton.
NPR premiered “Under the Gun” from The Year of Magical Drinking on the All Songs Considered blog, and you can download it here!
Ross Flournoy founded Apex Manor after the 2009 demise of The Broken West. Named after his Los Angeles “zen place,” Apex Manor was the idyllic apartment of his close friend and long-time collaborator Adam Vine.
Having relocated from the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles to Pasadena, Flournoy was enjoying suburban tranquility, but his car wouldn’t start and he found himself isolated. He whiled away the days cleaning the house, sitting on the porch, and splitting tallboys with the gardeners who worked nearby. And battling a case of writer’s block.
Enter an unlikely source of inspiration: an online songwriting contest. NPR’s Monitor Mix was soliciting original songs from readers, giving the prospective songwriter one weekend to write, record, and submit. Flournoy decided to give it a go and set about writing and recording at home. At least he would be doing something with his time. The song, “Under the Gun,” turned out to be about the process itself.
Now feeling inspired for the first time in months, Flournoy began writing at a feverish clip, penning more than 25 songs, nearly a third of which were co-written by Adam Vine. Flournoy then teamed up with former Broken West bandmate Brian Whelan to record some proper demos, and Apex Manor was born.
The Year of Magical Drinking was recorded at three different studios around LA and was produced by Dan Long (Film School, Local Natives) and Brian Whelan. The full-band Apex Manor plans to tour extensively in 2011 including SXSW.
Apex Manor is Ross Flournoy, Adam Vine (if he learns how to play the bass), Brian Whelan, and Andy Creighton.
NPR premiered “Under the Gun” from The Year of Magical Drinking on the All Songs Considered blog, and you can download it here!
The Year of Magical Drinking :: CD (Merge) 2011
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