Since Tanlines announced the release of Highlights, their long-awaited follow-up to 2012’s Mixed Emotions, the duo has revamped their website into their own, “tribute” version of Netflix, held a listening party via public conference call, and even took Sound Advice from Janessa Taylor (a.k.a SNL’s Vanessa Bayer). To anyone unfamiliar with the band, they’d seem to be trolling all of us with these “promotional tools.”
But for fans, this is business as usual. Tanlines have never taken themselves too seriously, and it’s a good thing too, because the process of making Highlights had its share of drama, including having the power supply blow up in their computer while working on the album.
This never stopped Eric Emm and Jesse Cohen from pushing forward. The duo continued on: the previously shared “Invisible Ways” arose from the ashes of the drama, no pun intended. Today, the group has shared the Funny or Die video for the third track shared from Highlights, “Pieces” showcasing not only their [ahem… limited] basketball skills, but also that Cohen and Emm have maintained their unique sense of humor throughout it all.
This week, Tanlines will begin the true promotion of Highlights, as the duo start to play their first shows since they announced the album. Tanlines will play two sold out album release shows in NYC Wednesday, May 13 and Thursday, May 14, and a show at Los Angeles’ Echoplex on Monday, May 18. Needle & Thread will be traveling to Los Angeles for the show, and as of this post, tickets are still available here.
We’ve seen Tanlines before in the past, but this show (and upcoming tour dates found below) is shaping up to be something special. Cohen seems excited to embark on the tour, as well as for the brand new live set the guys will be bringing to stages and ears throughout the country. The album promises to be deeper and more impassioned, and we expect this to translate into the live show completely; not only is the album three years in the making, but this tour is as well.
Jesse Cohen stated via the band’s Twitter, “There’s a line on a second album between taking the opportunity to explore & staying true to what you do. I think we rode it really well.”
From what I heard on last week’s conference call, I couldn’t agree more.
Preorder Highlights here, and head here for tickets for Tanlines’ upcoming tour dates, including that Los Angeles release show on Monday.
