Hooves on the Turf

The Antlers are self-releasing their album, Hospice, on March 3, and playing a record release show with guest performers at Union Hall on March 5th. To be entered to win two tickets, write to hoovesontheturf [at] gmail [dot] com about what you think of the song, “Bear”, posted below. Deadline is March 3, Tuesday, 4pm, and a winner will be picked using a top secret, super magical, out of this world algorithm. [Photo by Bryan Bruchman]

For a band out of Brooklyn, Hospice has an unlikely climate: a good deal of it sounds like it’s been weathered by clouds that are always a dull grey and winters that are especially long; not the kind of sullenness that’s too forthcoming, not like Antony and the Johnsons, but a sort of disinterested calm you’d think would creep from underneath cool shadows. Kind of like Sigur Ros in English, with far less yelling. When fellow Brooklynite Sharon van Etten* makes a brief (yet awesome) appearance in “Thirteen”, though, the sulks get fiery and warm again, and you recognize it right away. “Hand-assembled” copies of Hospice can be pre-ordered from the band’s website.

Download “Bear“

Websites: The Antlers Myspace, The Antlers Official

*I’ve yet to see the liner notes, but I’d be pretty damn surprised if that isn’t her.

[UPDATE: Winner has been picked (using aforementioned super machine) and notified, thanks so much for playing]