(press release) Capitol recording group Marjorie Fair has set July 19th for the release of their already widely acclaimed label debut, "Self Help Serenade." Recorded with producer Rob Schnapf (Beck, Elliott Smith, Foo Fighters), the album finds Marjorie Fair - singer/songwriter Evan Slamka(Vocals/Guitar), Dain Luscombe (Keys), Scott Lord (Bass), and Mike DeLisa (Drums) - offering up a twelve-track collection of haunting,
piano-driven ballads, bright pop confessionals, and buoyant, melodic gems such as the high flying "Waves" and the one departure from Schnapf, the Jerry Finn Produced "Empty Room." For "Self Help Serenade," the Los Angeles-based New Jersey native turned to musical luminaries and kindred spirits the likes of Billy Preston and Jon Brion, in addition to drummer Joey Waronker (Spain, Walt Mink, Beck).
The album has quickly earned a collection of critical raves across the U.K., where NME's Cat Goodwin called "Self Help Serenade," "disarming stuff for the disenchanted." Andy Gill of The Independent, in a five-star review, dubbed the album, "A stroke of genius. . . a modern classic," while James McNair cheered in the pages of Mojo, "a candidate for debut of the year."
Slamka, Luscombe, Lord and DeLisa will preview "Self Help Serenade" for audiences across the nation beginning May 24th at the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles. The tour - featuring Montreal's the Dears - winds up (at the moment) June 15 in Baltimore, Maryland.
Marjorie Fair on Tour Spring, 2005 with the Dears
May
24 Los Angeles, California El Rey Theatre
25 San Francisco, California Great American Music Hall
26 Portland, Oregon Dante's
27 Seattle, Washington Crocodile Cafe
30 Salt Lake City, Utah Urban Lounge
31 Denver, Colorado Climax Lounge
June
2 Lawrence, Kansas Bottleneck
3 Minneapolis, Minnesota Ascot Room at the Quest
4 Chicago, Illinois The Metro
5 Detroit, Michigan Magic Stick
6 Cleveland, Ohio The Grog Shop
11 New York, New York Bowery Ballroom
12 Boston, Massachusetts The Paradise
14 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania North Star Bar
15 Baltimore, Maryland Fletcher's
Many more dates to be added.
