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Here Be Monsters finds acclaimed musician/visual artist Jon Langford and his bandSkull Orchard scanning the outskirts of popular culture, its title born of medieval cartographers’ term for the dragons, sea serpents, and other mythical beasties that reside beyond the boundaries of the known universe. Set to be released on April 1stvia In De Goot Recordings, this new album will feature a unique piece of artwork specific to each track printed on individual inserts included with copies of the CD. Best known for his work in the The Mekons and the Waco Brothers, Langford has been a leading pioneer in the assimilation of folk/country music into punk rock since the genre’s first evolution over 30 years ago.
“When they didn’t know quite what was there, they put Here Be Monsters,” says Langford. “When I think of where my career has gone over the last 35 years, it’s usually in that area – off the map.”
The album sees the Welsh-born, Chicago-based singer/songwriter, bandleader, producer, painter, and poet plotting a clear-eyed, sharp-elbowed course through such far-flung subjects as alternative hierarchies and astronomy, perpetual war for perpetual profit, the culture of detachment, middle age, fatherhood, fame, and the fleetingness of love. “The subtext of the album is maybe the things our civilization thinks of as fixed and immovable might actually be redundant/obsolete/discredited and it’s up to us to question and find new rocks to be washed up on…,” says Langford, who called in Mekons/Waco Brothers veteran Mike Hagler (My Morning Jacket,Wilco, Neko Case, Billy Bragg) to record this album at Chicago’s Kingsize Sound Labs. “Skull Orchard used to be a fairly solitary activity – songs that didn’t fit anywhere else – stuff that was too Welsh or personal to bother the Mekons or Wacos with,” says Langford, “but something happened with the band I formed to tour with the previous record. It turned into a real group, so this is much more of a band project than any of the solo things I’ve done before.”
A.V. Club premiered the track and video for the first single off Here Be Monsters, titled “Mars,” which you can check out HERE.
Also known for being a prolific visual artist, Langford designed all the artwork for Here Be Monsters himself, including individual designs for each track that will be showcased on separate inserts in the CD and in a collage on the LP jacket. “This album really brings the art and the songs together – a chicken/egg which came first situation. The songs are very visual and in some cases came directly from the paintings,” continued Langford. “Star maps, strange creatures, sympathetic monsters, monsters we have created – the little poem at the top of the album is all about that.” Langford is best known for his compelling portraits of country music icons, including Hank Williams,Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley. Jon has had a continuing collaboration withDogfish Head Brewery and for 10 years now, he’s annually held court at Yard Dog in Austin, TX during SXSW and will do the same in 2014 on Saturday, March 15th in conjunction with In De Goot Recordings. Yard Dog also shows Jon’s paintings and other artwork year round.
Langford’s abundant line of work includes 18 albums with The Mekons, 10 albums with Waco Brothers, 8 albums with The Three Johns, and multiple collaboration projects with names such as Roger Knox, Richard Buckner, Kevin Coyne, Alejandro Escovedo, Sally Timms, The Old 97s, Pine Valley Cosmonauts, and Canada’sWelsh Male Voice Choir. Now based in Chicago, Langford has become a papa bear type figure to many local musicians looking for direction and reassurance
American Songwriter characterized Langford as “Americana’s cool uncle, sweeping through town once a year, regaling you with tales of far flung ports of and seedy characters. And like that cool uncle, he’ll take jabs at your square parents’ suburban mediocrity and inarticulately presented, dearly held conservative values with a wit and vigor that would cause family friction if he weren’t a troubadour, an artist, and a poet.”
U.S. Tour Dates
| March 13 |
Austin, TX |
Gingerman (SXSW) |
| March 15 |
Austin, TX |
Yard Dog Gallery (SXSW) |
| March 21 |
Madison, WI |
Kiki’s House of Righteous Music |
| March 22 |
Carbondale, IL |
The Old Feedstore |
| March 23 |
Chicago, IL |
The Hideout (Hometown Record Release Party) |
| April 3 |
Cambridge, MA |
Atwoods Tavern |
| April 4 |
Brooklyn, NY |
The Bell House |
| April 5 |
Rehoboth Beach, DE |
Dogfish Head Brewing and Eats |
| April 6 |
Arlington, VA |
IOTA Club & Cafe |
| April 7 |
Cleveland, OH |
Beachland Tavern |
| April 8 |
Pittsburgh, PA |
Thunderbird |
| April 9 |
Newport, KY |
The Southgate House Revival |
**More tour dates are set to be announced in the near future**
Here Be Monsters Track List:
1) Summer Stars
2) Weightless
3) Gone Without Trace
4) Mars
5) Sugar On Your Tongue
6) Drone Operator
7) Don’t Believe
8) If You Hear Rumours
9) What Did You Do In The War?
10) Lil’ Ray O’ Light
Here Be Monsters is available for CD pre-order HERE and LP pre-order HERE.
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