This site is nearly non-functional, almost deceased. I have been seriously considering deleting the whole lot of this garbage/miscellanea. In the meantime, I will post a brief summary of the things that have occurred in the past long section of time since our last posting:
-THE PRAYERS & CURSES WINTER TOUR 2011:
A small-scale tour of New England back in January. We played the following dates:
SUNDAY JANUARY 2ND.
The Red Door in Portsmouth, NH w/ Greg Jamie (O'Death, Blood Warrior) and Dan Blakeslee.
-WEDNESDAY JANUARY 5TH.
Audubon Strings in New Haven, CT w/ Doctor Caterwaul's Cadre of Clairvoyant Claptraps & Book Slave.
-SATURDAY JANUARY 8TH.
Langdon Street Cafe in Montpelier, VT w/ Lady Lioness and Seth Gallant.
-SUNDAY JANUARY 9TH.
Radiobean in Burlington, VT w/ Lady Lioness and Seth Gallant.
-MONDAY JANUARY 10TH.
The Castle in Mexico, ME w/ In Houses In Trees & Jesse Pilgrim.
-TUESDAY JANUARY 11TH.
Poland Street in Portland, ME w/ Jesse Pilgrim, In Houses in Trees, Jacob Augustine, and Liza Victoria.
A special tour-only collection of demos, covers, & alternate versions of existing songs (and also some unreleased jams) was available for absolutely free at all of these shows. It was limited to 75 copies. Also, tour-only stickers were available for free, black & white 2.75"x2.75" vinyl stickers printed by STICKER GUY.
While on tour we officially sold out of the last physical copies of 'Heavy the Mountains, Heavy are the Seas.' A reprint/reissue is in the works, but no details have been nailed down at this point.
-Our first MA shows, the first of which (An official Deli Magazine event) was 01/23/2011 with the incredible Gem Club and Humble Tripe at Precinct in Somerville. The second show took place on 01/30/2011 at Chris North's house in Jamaica Plain with the Chris North dream quartet, Coyote Kolb, and Mornin' Old Sport.
-We released our latest effort, a short-form EP entitled 'Bloodworm Songs', via our own home-run imprint/project/deal-thing HORSEHOUSE Ltd.
There are still around 50 gorgeous hand-made copies of Bloodworm Songs available for national & international mail-order at our bandcamp. This release garnered a fair amount of press & attention from outlets both close to home and far away, the highlights of which were as follows:
"I think Jakob Battick is reaching maximum velocity and he hasn’t even put out a full length yet. Bloodworm Songs is his third EP in the past couple years, each with the promise of a long player on the horizon, and each one getting darker and weirder. This one is by far the darkest & weirdest yet, which means it’s fucking great."
-Justin Snow @Antigravity Bunny (MA)
"For those unfamiliar with Battick and his work this effect is intentional, the group plunges the listener under a blanket of noise and discord only to contrast the calm, soothing yet urgent mood of the rest of the music on the EP. Battick's minimalist style is evident here yet again, using hauntingly sparse rhythms he and his group of nocturnal shut ins weave a tapestry of loose ends and lamentations which ultimately conjure a sensation similar to standing on a cliff over the ocean just before dawn breaks. "
-Sean Esten @Hell is Only Knee-Deep (ME)
"Battick and Friends have tread into some new ground here - while retaining the organic, ethereal vibe that is like a hallmark of the band, sound-bite fragments and a rolling, wave-like presence throughout create an eerier atmosphere than usual, particularly on "My Second Bloodworm Song" which is surely the most harrowing track they've put out yet."
-Marilyn Roxie @A FUTURE IN NOISE (CA)
"Portland, Maine’s Jakob Battick & Friends finally return with their very unique take on contemporary folk music, once again turning classic tropes of 20th century Americana into haunted and eerie pieces of forward-looking yet history-informed “nightmarefolk”."
-Henning Lahmann @NOFEAROFPOP (Berlin)
"Battick continues to awe by repeatedly capturing such a vivid and distinct mood in his music. The further he wanders trying to find where he belongs, the more complex and intriguing this world becomes."
-Kegan Zema @MaineCampus (ME)
"“Leper K” is a sedated folk-ballad that rises from static ambiance to an out-right embracement of Claude Debussy’s otherworldly classical impressionism. Over a plodding acoustic guitar and a John Cale indebted screeching violin, Battick croons: “Deep within/The heart of the wood/And in the moon’s dim light/Lay me down there/Where the nightshade grows.” The track is eerily familiar and plays out like a distant memory, masterfully illustrated by the multiple reverb-drenched vocals and hazy instrumentation that Battick & Friends have comfortably grown into their sonic calling card."
-Kevin Steeves @The Usm Free Press (ME)
In addition, BLOODWORM SONGS was also featured at Toronto's GOLD SOUNDZ, Germany's DYING FOR BAD MUSIC, Sweden's SKOGSGOSPEL, and Boston's (always incredible) BRAINWASHED.
-Four physical JB&F releases were featured overseas at Oxford University's EDITIONS OF YOU DIY Music packaging exhibit. In the exhibit was featuring demos, alternate versions, unreleased tracks, and some covers. These where showcased in the university's O3 Gallery at the Oxford Castle.
-We were voted Portland's Best Category Defying Act in the Portland Phoenix's annual year-ends. This was a tremendous honor and a pleasant surprise. We were in the running with Aleric Nez & Big Blood, among others, and felt/feel very honored to be placed alongside such stellar musicians/creators/composers/performers.
