Mr. Gnome, Pink Frost, VomBom

×

Expand

courtesy Mr. Gnome

A close-up of Mr. Gnome.

Mr. Gnome

Nearly two decades into their musical career, the Cleveland duo Mr. Gnome remains an unpredictable force; are they punk, synth-pop, shoegaze or…? Their new album, A Sliver of Space, explores those styles and more. The duo of Nicole Barille and Sam Meister will be joined by touring member Jonah Meister for what is always an exciting live show. With Pink Frost, VomBom.

media release: The Frequency Live is ecstatic to bring Mr Gnome to Madison’s newest hot spot Gamma Ray Bar!

New album drops 9/27!

Chicago’s Pink Frost opens the evening, do not miss them!

$18 adv, $20 dos. Doors 7 pm; show 8 pm.

Pushing the limits of sonic exploration, Cleveland art-rock duo, Mr. Gnome, create a living, breathing, shapeshifting realm of psychedelic orchestration on their eagerly anticipated LP, A Sliver of Space, set to be released September 27th on El Marko Records. 

Following the first single "Nothing and Everything," today Mr. Gnome shares the new single "Fader" -- and it's a monster, ripping through its 7 minute run time with an unrelenting ferocity and full on sonic assault. 

Check out "Fader" via YouTube, and see below for the most up-to-date list of North Americna fall tour dates as well.  Pre-order the vinyl and cd, and find it on Bandcamp.

"We had just finished mixing our album and we were about to send it off for mastering when this song crept into our brains. We fell in love with the heavy, gritty vibe and the juxtaposing gooey vocals, and kept pushing this song as far as we could take it, " they describe. "Our brother and longtime collaborator/touring guitarist/bassist, Jonah Meister, added lead guitars that dance all around the vocals, and a breakneck improvised solo. Combining our love of The Stooges, Black Sabbath, Joy Division, and 90s shoegaze, we had a ton of fun writing this one."

Mixed by Claudius Mittendorfer (Interpol, Tennis, Temples, Panic at the Disco, Parquet Courts, Ra Ra Riot), A Sliver of Space explodes with hypnotic, gritty rock anthems that suddenly give way to long-form, drug-fueled journeys that transport the listener on a surreal trip from start to finish. 

Continuing to defy simple genre classification, Mr. Gnome creates a dense tapestry of textures, aural fabrics, and influences that all coalesce into a unique, defining sound. Throughout its relatively compact runtime, electronica, desert rock, punk, indie rock, and lush soundscapes swirl and converge, all woven with the continuous thread of lead singer/guitarist, Nicole Barille’s golden harmonies.

"When we started writing A Sliver of Space," they describe, "we were working through a lot of personal loss and life upheaval. Lyrically and musically, nothing was off limits and we dove headfirst into really exploring the liminal, dreamlike spaces between life and death, consciousness and unconsciousness, the past and the future, happiness and sadness, the real and the make believe. This album is essentially about our descent into madness and our ultimate salvation through love."

Since 2005, Barille and drummer/pianist Sam Meister have been crafting a vision of expansive, technicolor art-rock, receiving critical acclaim from the likes of Rolling Stone (named "Band To Watch" in a spotlight review), Pitchfork, NPR, Paste, Esquire, Spin, Magnet, MTV, KEXP, and American Songwriter, among others. In addition to this wholly-realized sonic presentation, Mr. Gnome has an extensive history of producing head-turning DIY visuals in the form of otherworldly album covers, artistic press photography and mind-bending short films.

Such ambitious audiovisual presentation is matched perhaps only by the energy of their live shows, as Mr. Gnome has long held a strong cult following across the United States for their cathartic, raucous performances. This sixth release sees the long-awaited return of Mr. Gnome to the stage for their upcoming, coast-to-coast U.S. tour this fall. They will be joined by touring guitarist/bassist Jonah Meister, who is also a featured player on A Sliver of Space.

Whether via sound, visuals, or live experience, Mr. Gnome has a knack for taking the beautiful monsters that exist within all of us and shining a glorious light on them. A Sliver of Space finds beauty in chaos by alchemically fusing spectral sounds with a widescreen cinematic perspective. This soaring, introspective musical journey constantly beckons the listener - to get lost watching stars explode, to gaze upon souls splitting and swirling to reunite, and to melt their minds if only for a moment.

Won’t you join them?