John Darnielle - vocals, guitar
Franklin Bruno - pianos, keys, guitars, backing vocals
The Extra Lens, having streamlined their operation by dropping a G and a superfluous N from their name-and why gnot-enter the new century not a minute too soon, following up on 2000's Martial Arts Weekend with Undercard, a collection of eleven original songs and a pretty ominous-sounding cover version.
Comprised of John Darnielle (the Mountain Goats) and Franklin Bruno (Nothing Painted Blue, the Human Hearts) and formed in the Inland Empire during the region's brief next-Seattle shortlist period, the project began as a potential home for any song John wrote that had a) more than three chords or b) a bridge. New songs for the group only happened when John figured he'd written something that Franklin might find clever or amusing, although at least one such song, remembered as "Anti-Witchcraft Song," is lost. Reasoning that permanent-bridesmaid status means you never have to actually buy the dress, the duo have approached record-making at a pace that one would call "leisurely" if it wouldn't make the leisure class look like busybodies: one 7", several compilation appearances, one full-length at the dawn of the aughts, and now, arriving with Paul Masson-like deliberation, Undercard.
Ah, the French champagnes! Recorded with Brian Paulson (Slint, Beck, US Maple) at the Rubber Room in Carrboro, North Carolina, and with Mitch Rackin (Excepter, Heavy Hands) at Seaside Lounge in Brooklyn, Undercard is the first Extra Lens record to arrive as a full collaboration between songwriters. The recording method, however, persists: John plays guitar, sings, and then gets the hell out of Dodge City, leaving Franklin to provide arrangements as the songs required: here sparing, here ornate; sometimes gentle, sometimes not; once with vibraslap, mostly without.
Main events bloat and sink under the weight of expectations: ever seen a Klitschko fight? Us neither. The Extra Lens invite you to sit down, put your feet up, and enjoy the Undercard.
Franklin Bruno - pianos, keys, guitars, backing vocals
The Extra Lens, having streamlined their operation by dropping a G and a superfluous N from their name-and why gnot-enter the new century not a minute too soon, following up on 2000's Martial Arts Weekend with Undercard, a collection of eleven original songs and a pretty ominous-sounding cover version.
Comprised of John Darnielle (the Mountain Goats) and Franklin Bruno (Nothing Painted Blue, the Human Hearts) and formed in the Inland Empire during the region's brief next-Seattle shortlist period, the project began as a potential home for any song John wrote that had a) more than three chords or b) a bridge. New songs for the group only happened when John figured he'd written something that Franklin might find clever or amusing, although at least one such song, remembered as "Anti-Witchcraft Song," is lost. Reasoning that permanent-bridesmaid status means you never have to actually buy the dress, the duo have approached record-making at a pace that one would call "leisurely" if it wouldn't make the leisure class look like busybodies: one 7", several compilation appearances, one full-length at the dawn of the aughts, and now, arriving with Paul Masson-like deliberation, Undercard.
Ah, the French champagnes! Recorded with Brian Paulson (Slint, Beck, US Maple) at the Rubber Room in Carrboro, North Carolina, and with Mitch Rackin (Excepter, Heavy Hands) at Seaside Lounge in Brooklyn, Undercard is the first Extra Lens record to arrive as a full collaboration between songwriters. The recording method, however, persists: John plays guitar, sings, and then gets the hell out of Dodge City, leaving Franklin to provide arrangements as the songs required: here sparing, here ornate; sometimes gentle, sometimes not; once with vibraslap, mostly without.
Main events bloat and sink under the weight of expectations: ever seen a Klitschko fight? Us neither. The Extra Lens invite you to sit down, put your feet up, and enjoy the Undercard.
10/22/10
The Extra Lens will perform live on KEXP from the CMJ festival in New York City today at 4:30 PM EST. KEXP is broadcasting live from the Ace Hotel and invited John and Franklin to stop by and play songs from their newly released Merge debut, Undercard.
John and Franklin also shared some of their favorite albums through the years with Pitchfork for their 5-10-15-20 feature. Franklin chose all duos in honor of The Extra Lens, while John’s selections ran the gamut from Elton John to Amy Grant!
The Extra Lens finish up their short run of east coast tour dates on Saturday in Northampton at Iron Horse. Undercard is available on CD, LP and digital download now in the Merge store.
John and Franklin also shared some of their favorite albums through the years with Pitchfork for their 5-10-15-20 feature. Franklin chose all duos in honor of The Extra Lens, while John’s selections ran the gamut from Elton John to Amy Grant!
The Extra Lens finish up their short run of east coast tour dates on Saturday in Northampton at Iron Horse. Undercard is available on CD, LP and digital download now in the Merge store.
10/11/10
The Extra Lens (John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats and Franklin Bruno of the Human Hearts) will release their Merge debut, Undercard on October 19.
You can stream Undercard in its entirety as part of NPR’s First Listen feature. NPR’s Stephen Thompson describes Undercard, “As always, Darnielle’s strangely lovely phrasing and gift for language — “Oblivion’s been knocking since I gave it my address,” et al — keep Undercard from devolving into nihilistic ugliness. Instead, it’s merely human, with all the messiness and strange beauty the word implies.” Stream the album now at NPR.org.
To further commemorate this occasion, Franklin & John will head up the east coast for a few dates in October. All dates are with John Vanderslice, and tickets are on sale now!
Undercard is now available for pre-order on CD and LP in the Merge store, and you can download the free MP3 “Only Existing Footage” now!
Follow the Extra Lens on twitter, too!
The Extra Lens on tour:
*all dates with John Vanderslice
Oct 19 Philadelphia, PA Tin Angel
Oct 20 Washington, DC Rock and Roll Hotel
Oct 21 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Oct 23 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall
You can stream Undercard in its entirety as part of NPR’s First Listen feature. NPR’s Stephen Thompson describes Undercard, “As always, Darnielle’s strangely lovely phrasing and gift for language — “Oblivion’s been knocking since I gave it my address,” et al — keep Undercard from devolving into nihilistic ugliness. Instead, it’s merely human, with all the messiness and strange beauty the word implies.” Stream the album now at NPR.org.
To further commemorate this occasion, Franklin & John will head up the east coast for a few dates in October. All dates are with John Vanderslice, and tickets are on sale now!
Undercard is now available for pre-order on CD and LP in the Merge store, and you can download the free MP3 “Only Existing Footage” now!
Follow the Extra Lens on twitter, too!
The Extra Lens on tour:
*all dates with John Vanderslice
Oct 19 Philadelphia, PA Tin Angel
Oct 20 Washington, DC Rock and Roll Hotel
Oct 21 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Oct 23 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall
09/15/10
The Extra Lens (John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats and Franklin Bruno of the Human Hearts) will release their Merge debut, Undercard on October 19. To commemorate this occasion, Franklin & John will head up the east coast for a few dates in October. All dates are with John Vanderslice, and tickets will go on sale this weekend.
Undercard is now available for pre-order on CD and LP in the Merge store, and you can download the free MP3 “Only Existing Footage” now!
The Extra Lens on tour:
*all dates with John Vanderslice
Oct 19 Philadelphia, PA Tin Angel
Oct 20 Washington, DC Rock and Roll Hotel
Oct 21 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Oct 23 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall
Undercard is now available for pre-order on CD and LP in the Merge store, and you can download the free MP3 “Only Existing Footage” now!
The Extra Lens on tour:
*all dates with John Vanderslice
Oct 19 Philadelphia, PA Tin Angel
Oct 20 Washington, DC Rock and Roll Hotel
Oct 21 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Oct 23 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall
09/01/10
The Extra Lens, the musical collaboration between John Darnielle (Mountain Goats) and Franklin Bruno (Nothing Painted Blue, the Human Hearts), will release their Merge debut, Undercard on October 19. You can now stream Undercard in its entirety and pre-order the album on CD and LP in the Merge store.
Undercard is the first new album from this distinguished partnership since 2002′s Martial Arts Weekend and is comprised of eleven original songs and a pretty ominous-sounding cover song, and will include copious song notes from John and Franklin. The artwork features an illustration by Ian Dingman and a vintage boxing poster feel inspired by the title, Undercard, which references the fights listed under the main event at a boxing match.
The Extra Lens have a few surprises in store for us this fall, so stay tuned! Download a free MP3 of “Only Existing Footage,” and be sure to follow the Extra Lens on twitter!
Undercard is the first new album from this distinguished partnership since 2002′s Martial Arts Weekend and is comprised of eleven original songs and a pretty ominous-sounding cover song, and will include copious song notes from John and Franklin. The artwork features an illustration by Ian Dingman and a vintage boxing poster feel inspired by the title, Undercard, which references the fights listed under the main event at a boxing match.
The Extra Lens have a few surprises in store for us this fall, so stay tuned! Download a free MP3 of “Only Existing Footage,” and be sure to follow the Extra Lens on twitter!
08/05/10
On October 19, The Extra Lens will release Undercard on Merge Records. The Extra Lens (previously known as The Extra Glenns), having streamlined their operation by dropping a G and a superfluous N from their name — and why gnot — enter the new century not a minute too soon, following up on 2000′s Martial Arts Weekend with Undercard, a collection of eleven original songs and a pretty ominous-sounding cover version.
Comprised of John Darnielle (the Mountain Goats) and Franklin Bruno (Nothing Painted Blue, the Human Hearts) and formed in the Inland Empire during the region’s brief next-Seattle shortlist period, the project began as a potential home for any song John wrote that had a) more than three chords or b) a bridge. New songs for the group only happened when John figured he’d written something that Franklin might find clever or amusing, although at least one such song, remembered as “Anti-Witchcraft Song,” is lost. Reasoning that permanent-bridesmaid status means you never have to actually buy the dress, the duo have approached record-making at a pace that one would call “leisurely” if it wouldn’t make the leisure class look like busybodies: one 7″, several compilation appearances, a one full-length at the dawn of the aughts, and now, arriving with Paul Masson-like deliberation, Undercard.
Recorded with Brian Paulson (Slint, Beck, US Maple) at the Rubber Room in Carrboro, North Carolina, and with Mitch Rackin (Excepter, Heavy Hands) at Seaside Lounge in Brooklyn, Undercard is the first Extra Lens record to arrive as a full collaboration between songwriters. The recording method, however, persists: John plays guitar, sings, and then gets the hell out of Dodge City, leaving Franklin to provide arrangements as the songs required: here sparing, here ornate; sometimes gentle, sometimes not; once with vibraslap, mostly without.
We are also happy to announce that the Mountain Goats will join the Merge roster, as well!
Download “Only Existing Footage” from Undercard now and see The Extra Lens on tour this fall!
Track list:
1. Adultery
2. Crusierweights
3. Only Existing Footage
4. Communicating Doors
5. Programmed Cell Death
6. How I Left the Ministry
7. Some Other Way
8. Ambivalent Landscape Z
9. In Germany Before the War
10. Tug on the Line
11. Rockin’ Rockin’ Twilight of the Gods
12. Dogs of Clinic 17
Comprised of John Darnielle (the Mountain Goats) and Franklin Bruno (Nothing Painted Blue, the Human Hearts) and formed in the Inland Empire during the region’s brief next-Seattle shortlist period, the project began as a potential home for any song John wrote that had a) more than three chords or b) a bridge. New songs for the group only happened when John figured he’d written something that Franklin might find clever or amusing, although at least one such song, remembered as “Anti-Witchcraft Song,” is lost. Reasoning that permanent-bridesmaid status means you never have to actually buy the dress, the duo have approached record-making at a pace that one would call “leisurely” if it wouldn’t make the leisure class look like busybodies: one 7″, several compilation appearances, a one full-length at the dawn of the aughts, and now, arriving with Paul Masson-like deliberation, Undercard.
Recorded with Brian Paulson (Slint, Beck, US Maple) at the Rubber Room in Carrboro, North Carolina, and with Mitch Rackin (Excepter, Heavy Hands) at Seaside Lounge in Brooklyn, Undercard is the first Extra Lens record to arrive as a full collaboration between songwriters. The recording method, however, persists: John plays guitar, sings, and then gets the hell out of Dodge City, leaving Franklin to provide arrangements as the songs required: here sparing, here ornate; sometimes gentle, sometimes not; once with vibraslap, mostly without.
We are also happy to announce that the Mountain Goats will join the Merge roster, as well!
Download “Only Existing Footage” from Undercard now and see The Extra Lens on tour this fall!
Track list:
1. Adultery
2. Crusierweights
3. Only Existing Footage
4. Communicating Doors
5. Programmed Cell Death
6. How I Left the Ministry
7. Some Other Way
8. Ambivalent Landscape Z
9. In Germany Before the War
10. Tug on the Line
11. Rockin’ Rockin’ Twilight of the Gods
12. Dogs of Clinic 17
"Infidelity"+2 (as The Extra Glenns) :: 7" (Harriet) 1994
Martial Arts Weekend (as The Extra Glenns) :: CD (Absolutely Kosher) 2002
Undercard :: CD/LP (Merge) 2010
Martial Arts Weekend (as The Extra Glenns) :: CD (Absolutely Kosher) 2002
Undercard :: CD/LP (Merge) 2010
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