"they record vivid little tantrums that produce a whole lot of tension and foreboding from very elemental sounds..a visceral surprise every time." - Pitchfork
"this Charm City duo does postpunk the way Wire intended: As sparse, rudimentary, and ferocious as possible." -Stereogum
"It's truly refreshing to hear a band not fuck around and bring their formidable talent to the front of a record...irresistible, in-your-face post-punk" - SPIN
"Equal parts sonic chaos and minimal bliss...[Ed Schrader's Music Beat] masterfully blends mixed tempos and shock hooks in an unexpectedly visceral, enjoyable fashion." - Dazed
"go see Ed Schrader's Music Beat immediately - total surprise of the night." - Brooklyn Vegan
"Baltimore's Ed Schrader's Music Beat...waste little time in setting speakers ablaze with a fierce and breakneck post-punk juggernaut that's sure to blow an eardrum or two." - Consequence of Sound
Today Baltimore-based post-punk band Ed Schrader's Music Beat announce their third full-length record and their Carpark Records debut entitled Riddles. Band members Ed Schrader and Devlin Rice met nearly a decade ago while performing in separate acts on the legendary 2008 Baltimore Round Robin tour, which also included Beach House and Future Islands and was curated by Dan Deacon. Fast forward 10 years, fellow Baltimore-based artist Dan Deacon has produced, arranged and co-written Ed Schrader's Music Beat's forthcoming record that broadens their sonic palette and explores the possibilities of the art-rock and alt-rock genres. Riddles comes out March 2nd - pre-order the album at Carpark or on iTunes, and pre-save the album on Spotify. Some pre-order bundles include Ed Schrader's Music Beans, bags of coffee roasted by ESMB's resident coffee connoisseur Devlin. Album art, track listing, and more info on Ed Schrader's Music Beans below.
"Dunce" is the visceral, hard-hitting first single off of Riddles. Ed, Devlin and Dan caught up with Noisey to tell them more about the song, its cinematic music video and the new record. Listen to the new song, check out the video and get the scoop on Riddles HERE.
Ed Schrader's Music Beat will take Riddles out on the road this Spring - see below to find a show near you, and get your tickets HERE.
Ed Schrader's Music Beat needed to make this record. Nineteen tours in the U.S. since the Baltimore-based duo's formation in 2010, from headlining underground spaces to opening massive venues for Future Islands, had left vocalist Ed and bassist Devlin Rice exhausted - and hungry to take their music to the next level. ESMB originally worked in a maximalist drums, bass, and vocals mode, releasing the noise-rock full-lengths Jazz Mind (Load Records, 2012), and Party Jail (Infinity Cat Recordings, 2014). However, Ed and Devlin dreamed of a fuller sound - layered, breathing arrangements their early rapid-fire compositions always seemed to imply, without yet having the tools to realize. On Riddles, their first release for Carpark, the Music Beat begins their new life.
In search of a fresh direction, Ed and Devlin invited their close friend, electronic-pop maestro Dan Deacon, to expand their sound and experiment with them as the album's producer, arranger, and co-writer. Working steadily in Dan's studio for two years in total collaboration, three evolving musicians pushed through an intense period of personal tumult and found purpose in the sounds they were committing to record. The result: a polished and passionate masterpiece of nuanced alt-rock. From driving opening track "Dunce" and the soaring single "Riddles" to the disarmingly gorgeous closer "Culebra," Ed and Devlin unapologetically channel their personal pantheon of pop and rock gods while growing into the band - and people - they'd previously kept caged inside.
Dan, Ed, and Devlin all poured emotions produced by major life changes into these sessions. While in Puerto Rico on a rare vacation, Ed learned of the death of his stepfather, a charismatic but abusive figure who'd cast a dominant shadow on his formative years (feelings explored on the elegant "Tom," and crucial to the flow of the album). Devlin sat at the bedside of his brother, who'd long lived with a terminal illness, as he saw through his choice to die with dignity. And Dan's longest relationship, which had stretched across his entire career as a musician thus far, came to an end. "I looked forward to these sessions when everything else in life was a shit-show," recalls Devlin, who began the record commuting from Providence to Baltimore, but moved into Dan's studio as it neared completion.
"For me, the album parallels feelings of confronting the past, resolving it, facing the music, and blasting out of it," says Ed. "It's the album our hearts wanted us to make." Riddles is a full-length collaboration between Ed Schrader's Music Beat and Dan Deacon. All three people invested their souls into this record for two full years, and it shows.
Info on Ed Schrader's Music Beans:
"Throughout the process of writing and recording Riddles, coffee was the source of our focus and creativity. Every session would start with a pot, immediately followed by brewing a backup pot...both of which would vanish shortly after it was made. We decided to had to share our recording process muse with you. Ed Schrader's MUSIC BEANS are roasted and packaged by the band at Thread Coffee in Baltimore MD. Devlin has been roasting coffee for 13 years and Ed was practically born with a mug in his hand, so we are confident that Ed Schrader's MUSIC BEANS will be a joy to anyone who loves coffee. Thank you for your support!" - Ed and Devlin