New Album - Pussycat - Artwork, Tracklist announced - plus live shows in April 2017

The new album details are here!

It's called Pussycat and is due for release on April 21, 2017 now April 28, 2017.

The press release:

“I wasn’t planning on making a record,” says Juliana Hatfield, of her new “Pussycat” album. In fact, she thought her songwriting career was on hiatus, and that she had nothing left to say in song form; that she had finally said it all after two decades as a recording artist.

But then the presidential election happened. “All of these songs just started pouring out of me. And I felt an urgency to record them, to get them down, and get them out there.” She booked some time at Q Division studios in Somerville, Massachusetts near her home in Cambridge and went in with a drummer (Pete Caldes), an engineer (Pat DiCenso) and fourteen brand-new songs. Hatfield produced and played every instrument other than drums—bass, keyboards, guitars, vocals. From start to finish—recording through mixing—the whole thing took a total of just twelve and a half days to complete.

“It was a blur. It was cathartic,” says Hatfield. “I almost don’t even understand what happened in there, or how it came together so smoothly, so quickly. I was there, directing it all, managing it, getting it all done, but I was being swept along by some force that was driving me. The songs had a will, they forced themselves on me, or out of me, and I did what they told me to do. Even my hands—it felt like they were not my hands. I played bass differently-- looser, more confident, better.”

“Pussycat” comes on the heels of last year’s Hatfield collaboration with Paul Westerberg, the I Don’t Cares’ “Wild Stab” album, and before that, 2015’s Juliana Hatfield Three (“My Sister”, “Spin The Bottle”) reunion/reformation album, “Whatever, My Love”.

“I’ve always been prolific and productive and I have a good solid work ethic but this one happened so fast, I didn’t have time to think or plan,” says Hatfield. “I just went with it, rode the wave. And now it is out of my hands. It feels a little scary.”

”Pussycat” is being released into a very tense, divided and inflamed America. The songs are reflective of that atmosphere—angry (“When You’re A Star”), defiant (“Touch You Again”), disgusted (“Rhinoceros”), but also funny (“Short-Fingered Man”), reflective (“Wonder Why”), righteous (“Heartless”) and even hopeful (“Impossible Song”, with its chorus of ‘What if we tried to get along/and sing an impossible song’).

The artwork:

The tracklist:

  1. I Wanna Be Your Disease
  2. Impossible Song
  3. You're Breaking My Heart
  4. When You're A Star
  5. Good Enough For Me
  6. Short-Fingered Man
  7. Touch You Again
  8. Sex Machine
  9. Wonder Why
  10. Sunny Somewhere
  11. Kellyanne
  12. Heartless
  13. Rhinoceros
  14. Everything Is Forgiven

The pre-order info:

Orders are being taken now for Vinyl, CD and Cassette(!) at American Laundromat Records: alr-music.com/collections/catalog/products/juliana-hatfield-pussycat.

The US Tour in April / May 2017:

April 21 Newport, RI - The Café at Parlor
April 22 New Haven, CT - Cafe Nine
April 23 Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair
April 24 Philadelphia, PA – Boot & Saddle
April 25 Vienna, VA – Jammin Java
April 26 NYC, NY – Mercury Lounge
April 27 NYC, NY - Mercury Lounge
April 29 Lakewood, OH - Mahall's
April 30 Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups
May 1 Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall

This page will update if any further shows are announced.

Freda Love Smith (the Blake Babies) Plans to March for ‘I Am Women’ Everywhere - The Talkhouse

On the day of the Women's March events around the world, Freda has written about the issue for The Talkhouse.

Juliana's on board too:

Rough Trade Publishing Unveils Benefit Campaign for Southern Poverty Law Center | Billboard

Lars Brandle, writing for Billboard:

It's been a tough, strange and oft-brutal year by any measure. Rough Trade Publishing is determined to get the New Year off to the right start.

The music publisher today declares “war on complacency” through its music-led, fundraising project "2017: A Song a Day Keeps the Pain Away."

The winter-warming initiative will feature a previously-unreleased song from one of the label’s roster of artists released each day for the first 90 days of 2017 via Bandcamp.

,,,

Subscriptions begin at $20.17 and all proceeds will be donated to the Southern Poverty Law Center, an organization dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry and seeking justice for those who need it the most.

Juliana is one of the artists involved.

The project's site is roughtradepublishing.bandcamp.com

Update, Jan 4, 2017 - Juliana's song is titled "Kellyanne" and is available now.

My So-Called Life Cast Interviews - Wilson Cruz, Devon Gummersall and More Reflect on My So-Called Life

Juliana is one of several contributors to Elle's The Agony and the Angst: An Oral History of My So-Called Life:

I remember Jared kind of following me around on set and watching me a lot. I think he was interested in me as a person who made a living in music; he really wanted to make music and I got that sense that he was really serious about it. We kind of became pals after that. He was in my apartment a couple times in New York, just hanging out, and he would pick up my acoustic guitar and start singing and playing, and I would just kind of swat him away. I didn't think his music was going to go anywhere. Like, oh god, another actor with a guitar.

 

Lightning 100 - Blake Babies Perform Waiting For Heaven and Lament

Missed this from a couple of weeks ago (Oct 14, 2016). A radio session / interview with two thirds of Blake Babies. Lightning 100, Nashville:

Juliana Hatfield and John Strohm stopped by the ONErpm studio to catch up with Ana Lee before their show at The Basement East. John gives a personal shout out to Phoebe Bridgers, the history of Blake Babies, and their reunion show. Blake Babies perform an acoustic version of “Waiting For Heaven” and “Lament” live in the studio.

Listen at Lightning 100.

Reunited Unsung Boston Cult Heroes Blake Babies Head South | Nashville Scene

Nashville Scene has a short article ahead of this weekend's Blake Babies shows:

“There’s an ease to playing with them, John and Freda,” Hatfield explains. “A chemistry that I don’t have with any other things that I’ve done. So it’s not just going back and getting together and playing the old songs — it’s really trying to use our present energy, who we’ve become as people, taking this new, older, richer, experienced energy and bringing that to the old songs and seeing how they mix together.”

There's also an interview with John at weld for Birmingham.

Furthermore, did we know that there are Blake Babies fans in R.E.M.?

A reminder of the shows this weekend:

Saturday, October 15, 2016 - The Basement East, Nashville, TN
Sunday, October 16, 2016 - Saturn, Birmingham, AL

Trump’s Recent Comments About Sexual Assault Had Juliana Hatfield Reaching for Her Valium - The Talkhouse

Juliana, writing for The Talkhouse:

A few months ago I tweeted, “All Trump footage should be prefaced by a trigger warning.” I was sort of joking, but sort of not. Trump’s lurid omnipresence has been irritating, but you could kind of laugh it off: “Oh, he’s just a clown, he’ll eventually go away. The country that voted for Barack Obama — twice! — will never elect Trump president.” He was unpalatable, but he was still a clown. A scary clown, but a clown.

But it’s not funny anymore. Since the Trump “pussy grab” tapes were released, I’ve found myself wanting to reach for my emergency supply of valium, which I keep mainly for plane travel to ease my visceral fear of flying. These viscera of mine are currently in a state of constant high anxiety. It’s the Trump effect: the sight of his face and/or the sound of his voice tightens the stomach, the heart, the sphincter. Everything’s clenched. Even — maybe especially — the “pussy.”

The venom-spewing from and around Trump is a black cloud hovering over this country. Trump has re-opened the emotional wounds of millions of people. It’s his special talent, apart from self-propagandizing and con-artistry. He stirs up bitterness, hatred, anger; he brings out the worst in people. He does it to people on both sides — all sides. There’s bile all around.

Trump hits people where it hurts, he feeds on bad blood; he’s a viper. Trump hits people where it hurts, he feeds on bad blood; he’s a viper. (“Everything Trump Touches Dies ” read one recent headline quoting a GOP strategist.) He brings back bad memories — memories that have been safely stored away in the dusty basements of our minds.

Juliana goes on to recount such a memory, dating back to the early Blake Babies days.

Read the whole thing.

thetalkhouse.com/trumps-recent-comments-sexual-assault-juliana-hatfield-reaching-valium

The Morning After: Tanya Donelly, Juliana Hatfield, and Yuck on the Legacy of Elliott Smith | Consequence of Sound

Juliana, speaking to Ryan Bray at Consequence of Sound:

Just by choosing the song, that’s tribute enough. You’re honoring its existence by tributing it. Whenever I’m choosing covers, I wonder, ‘Can I bring something of myself into this? Can I add anything to this?’ And if not, then I won’t do it. You have to throw yourself into the mix.

Juliana's cover of Needle In The Hay features on Say Yes! A Tribute to Elliott Smith, due for release this week by American Laundromat Records.

This is the same recording as released in 2014 as part of a tribute to the film director Wes Anderson.

Today's article at Consequence of Sound features further comments from Juliana about writing to Smith back in the Blake Babies era, and her approach to the song's theme of addiction.

Bray also speaks to Tanya Donelly and Yuck's Max Bloom, who also feature on the album.

Juliana Hatfield covers "Needle In The Hay" for "Say Yes! A Tribute To Elliott Smith" due out October 14, 2016. Exclusive pre-order bundles now available from www.ALR-MUSIC.com

Audio Interview - The Future Of What - Episode #54 - God Bless the Blake Babies

In 1986, iconic alt-rock band Blake Babies was born at Berklee School of Music. John Strohm, Freda Love and Juliana Hatfield released a few albums and toured before breaking up in 1991, but their work impacted both the Boston and national alternative music scenes. Despite their short run, Blake Babies helped define what we think of today as an independent band. On the heels of their reunion, we welcome John, Freda and Juliana on the show to talk about their enduring legacy and future plans. Music: "Mind Your Own Business" - Delta 5 "Nothing Ever Happens" - Blake Babies "On" - Blake Babies "Waiting for Heaven" - Blake Babies Produced by Will Watts and Anna McClain. Recorded by Brent Asbury at Beta Petrol.

Released today, here's a 53 minute long show featuring interviews with all 3 Blake Babies by Kill Rock Stars president Portia Sabin for the radio / podcast The Future Of What.

The first 30 minutes features John in conversation touching mainly on his involvement in the music industry both as artist and lawyer.

The second part is Juliana and Freda interviewed together on the Blake Babies history. It's great to hear Juliana describe Earwig and Sunburn as 'timeless'. She's rightly proud of the band.

Juliana goes on to confirm that they have new material planned with songwriting either imminent (in Juliana's case) or having already started (John and Freda). Fabulous.

You can listen right here from the embed above or subscribe to the podcast via the links at killrockstars.com/thefutureofwhat.

Thanks to Anna McClain who produced the show for getting in touch.

Ye Olde Records selling 7-CD back catalog package

Juliana, at her official site:

I am liquidating the Ye Olde Records CD back catalog, so now is your chance to stock up on my music at a huge discount. I am offering, for a limited time, a 7-CD package for $25 plus $10 shipping (and packaging) to anywhere. There are 83 songs in this package. The titles are “How To Walk Away”, “Made In China”, “Wild Animals”, “Juliana Hatfield” (cover songs), the “How To Walk Away” demos (all solo albums), plus “Whatever, My Love” by The Juliana Hatfield Three and “Sittin’ In A Tree” by Juliana Hatfield and Frank Smith. Get ‘em while they’re hot/before they’re destroyed!