First Listen: The Uncluded - Hokey Fright
April 29, 2013
The Uncluded -- one part Kimya Dawson, one part Aesop Rock -- have put together an incredible sonic array in their new collaboration "Hokey Fright." Stream the album, the latest on the Rhymesayers Entertainment roster, in its entirety before it's released on May 7th.
Having both experienced some loss in recent years, conversations about mortality served as a starting point for what would eventually become an album as much about finding therapy through writing/sharing as it is about being ok with admitting fear in the face of adversity. There is a sense of self-exploration and discovery that happens during the songs, as if the two are doing the problem-solving in front of you.
While much of the album maintains a serious tone, Dawson and Rock's oddball humor plays an integral part in humanizing the obstacles that can initially seem too massive to process.
The Uncluded's debut album Hokey Fright was recorded over the course of a year using a variety of locations and devices, from voice memo recorders to fleshed out studios. Aesop and Kimya wrote, performed, and recorded the whole album, with the exception of the drums on "Delicate Cycle", which were played by James McNew of Yo La Tengo.
Kimya Dawson is a Grammy winning, platinum selling singer songwriter most widely known for her work on the JUNO soundtrack and her former band, The Moldy Peaches. She has released 7 solo albums, including a children's album "Alphabutt".
Aesop Rock (aka Ian Bavitz) is a critically acclaimed hip hop artist/producer, recognized for his dense and abstract word play. He has released six solo albums, three EPs, and a 45-minute piece of music designed for runners, commissioned by Nike. Lyrics have been published in the New York Times Best Seller Hip Hop Speaks to Children, as well as Yale University's Anthology of Rap (Nov. 2010). Aesop is also co-founder of 900bats.com, a creative resource of arts, information, and oddities.
Upcoming Tour Dates
5/28 Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club
5/29 Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live
5/30 Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
6/01 Brooklyn, NY @ Knitting Factory
6/02 Montreal, QC @ Il Motore
6/03 Toronto, ON @ The Blk Box
6/05 Detroit, MI @ Trinosophes
6/06 Pittsburgh, PA @ The Warhol
6/07 Columbus, OH @ Wexner Center @ Ohio State
6/08 Chicago, IL @ Old Town School of Folk Music
6/21 Dallas, TX @ The Texas Theatre
6/22 Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald's Upstairs
6/23 Austin, TX @ Central Presbyterian
6/25 St. Louis, MO @ Firebird
6/26 Kansas City, MO @ The Record Bar
6/29 Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon
6/30 Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center
7/01 Des Moines, IA @ Wooly's
7/03 Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room
7/05 Denver, CO @ The Marquis Theatre
7/06 Colorado Springs, CO @ Black Sheep
7/23 San Diego, CA @ The Irenic
7/25 Los Angeles, CA @ First Unitarian Church
7/26 San Francisco, CA @ Slim's
7/29 Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
7/30 Seattle, WA @ Neumo's
7/31 Vancouver, BC @ Fortune Sound Club
8/02 Missoula, MT @ The Palace
8/03 Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
