The Audio Perv

Polyvinyl is pleased to announce the release of Joan of Arc’s latest album, Life Like, which will be released worldwide on May 10 through Polyvinyl Record Co. Life Like will be available on physical (CD / T-Shirt + MP3 & 180 gram black or limited cyan LP) along with digital formats.

Life Like is Joan of Arc distilled down to/embracing its rock essence. Gone from the band’s music (for now) are the electronics and layers upon layers of tracks. Gone from their liner notes are an extensive list of musicians and instruments. Instead, Life Like is the result of four men adhering to Thoreau’s famous principle, “Simplify, simplify, simplify!”

But, when it comes to Joan of Arc, even “simple” isn’t an entirely straightforward concept. Judging only by the record’s impeccable guitar-bass-drum interplay, it might be hard to imagine that Life Like was entirely conceived with one less member than Joan of Arc ultimately entered the studio with. After recording October’s two-song Meaningful Work 7″ as a trio, frontman Tim Kinsella, drummer Theo Katsaounis, and bassist Bobby Burg (Love of Everything, Vacations, Chin Up Chin Up) welcomed guitarist Victor Villarreal (Owls, Cap’n Jazz, Ghosts and Vodka) into the fold shortly before leaving on a month-and-a-half long tour of the U.S. and Europe. Villarreal and Kinsella re-connected during Cap’n Jazz’s reunion tour, marking Life Like as the first collaboration between them since the 2001 self-titled Owls album.

Although Life Like’s nine tracks had essentially already been written as a three-piece effort, Villarreal was quickly taught the structure of the new songs and allowed to work out his parts while performing each night on the road.

After playing 20 concerts in 20 days on European soil, the band returned home on a Tuesday night and then on Thursday morning – before the jet lag could even wear off – entered Chicago’s Electrical Audio with Steve Albini (who has previously engineered records for two other Kinsella projects: Owls and Make Believe). Five days later they emerged with Life Like.

With plans for a full US tour, including appearances at this year’s SXSW festival, Joan of Arc have a lot in store for 2011. Check out the first single off Life Like, “Love Life,” below.

Life Like Tracklisting
1. I Saw the Messed Blinds of My Generation
2. Love Life
3. Like Minded
4. Life Force
5. Night Life Style
6. Howdy Pardoner
7. Still Life
8. Deep State
9. After Life

Tour Dates
3/16 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
3/17 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
3/18 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
3/19 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
5/4 – Lawrence, KS @ Jackpot Saloon
5/5 – Denver, CO @ Hi Dive
5/6 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
5/7 – Bozeman, MT @ Zebra Cocktail Lounge
5/9 – Seattle, WA @ The Vera Project
5/10 – Portland, OR @ Holocene
5/12 – San Francisco, CA @ Cafe du Nord
5/14 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Smell
5/16 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah
5/17 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room
5/19 – Austin, TX @ The Mohawk
5/20 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
5/21 – Fayetteville, AR @ JR’s Lighbulb Club

Listen/Download “Love Life” MP3

Purchase Limited Edition Vinyl – http://www.polyvinylrecords.com/lifelike

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