On 31st January 2020, JOE GIDEON will be releasing his brand-new solo album ‘Armagideon’ via Clouds Hill. He has also confirmed details of a UK tour for January/February 2020, with Jim Sclavunos and Gris-De-Lin.
The new record was written and recorded with Jim Sclavunos (Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds/Grinderman), whom Joe met on tour in 2012 with his band Joe Gideon & The Shark, and their band mate Gris-De-Lin.
Joe, Gris-de-Lin and Jim play all the instruments in the densely layered arrangements, which include an army of saxophones, an antique piano, a cranky old synth-vibraphone rescued from the dumpster, heavenly choirs and a menagerie of percussion instruments.
The record’s lead single ‘Expandable Mandible’ is a statement of intent ahead of the new album release — the listener can look forward to Joe’s ruminations on, amongst other things, time travel, primordial bliss and reptile people.
Joe Gideon first came to wider attention with his band, Bikini Atoll, signed to Bella Union in 2003. The first album, Moratoria, was critically well received, with the lead track ‘Desolation Highway’ (described by The Independent as “…an awesome, soul- searching slice of sprawling Americana”) featured in the film My Little Eye. Their second album Liar’s Exit, recorded with Steve Albini and released through Bella Union in 2005, received glowing reviews from the likes of NME and Q magazine.
Soon after, Joe decided to hone his craft as a songwriter and lyricist and formed Joe Gideon & The Shark, a two-piece band with his sister Viva. Their debut album, Harum Scarum, released in 2009 on Bronzerat Records, achieved rave reviews and a rare 6-stars-out-of-5 review in Time Out magazine, with reviewer Bella Todd observing, “To be funny and moving at the same time is one thing, but their combination of true grit and grace is rarer still.”
In a review for his debut solo album Versa Vice in 2016, Joe was described as playing “Pithy, powerful, lyrically erudite and observational, post-financial crisis English blues.” (Mike Barnes – Wire), and the record was supported widely across UK Radio.
UK TOUR DATES
31st January – The Islington, London
6th February – Prince Albert, Brighton
11th February – Louisiana, Bristol
12th February – Cavern Club, Exeter
15th February – The Piper, St Leonard’s, Hastings
16th February – Gullivers, Manchester
17th February – Broadcast, Glasgow
18th February – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
19th February – Cluny 2, Newcastle
