Photo Credit: Atiba Jefferson
Today, the newly minted Hard Quartet of Stephen Malkmus, Emmett Kelly, Matt Sweeney and Jim White have made their official debut with the release of the “Earth Hater.” The gritty, leftfield track arrives as the first sample of the alternative forerunners’ new ensemble and, in the band’s terms, “an entirely new steppe in the ecosystem of guitar-bass-drums-voice agriculture.” To celebrate its bold new direction, The Hard Quartet also released a stop motion music video for “Earth Hater,” directed by rapper and producer EYEDRESS.
Though only its first foray, “Earth Hater” shows The Hard Quartet at peak performance, seamlessly integrating the diverse styles of its contributors and making good use of their time-honored prestige. Each member brings a sprawling catalog and well-honed chops to the outfit, particularly Malkmus, who has garnered acclaim for his part in such groundbreaking alternative forerunners as Pavement, Silver Jews, the Jicks and Straw Dogs. In addition to The Double with White, Kelly spearheads The Cairo Gang, while White, the group’s drummer, has worked with Dirty Three and Xylouris White. Sweeney is best known for lending guitar efforts to Johnny Cash, Cat Power, Adele and more, as well as joining forces with Chavez and Superwolf. In all, the group’s sound is founded on the experiences that shaped its members and, in their intersection, altogether distinct.
The Hard Quartet’s first single marks Malkmus’ first new music release since Traditional Techniques in 2020. In March, the artist released the Cautionary Tales: Jukebox Classiques compilation with Pavement, which collects all of the band’s early singles and rarities previously unavailable on streaming in an authoritative retelling of the band’s mythic origins.
This October, the outfit is slated for a series of inaugural performances, with a live debut scheduled for Los Angeles’ The Belasco on Oct. 10, with support from Papa M. The next Thursday, The Hard Quartet will take the stage at New York’s famed Webster Hall alongside NYC-native alt-rock combo Weak Signal. Then, to cap off this initial run, The Hard Quartet will head across the pond for a show at London’s Electric Ballroom on Oct. 22 with Welsh indie rockers The Tubs.
Tickets are available for presale on Wednesday, July 31, at 10:00 a.m. local time, with general on sale beginning on Friday, Aug. 2, at 10:00 a.m. local time. The video for “Earth Hater” is out now, and fans can read on for a list of 2024 tour dates, with 2025 dates to be announced soon.
The Hard Quartet Tour Dates:
Oct. 10 – The Belasco – Los Angeles!
Oct. 17 – Webster Hall – New York@
Oct. 22 – Electric Ballroom – London, England%
! = w/ Papa M
@= w/ Weak Signal
% = w/ The Tubs
The post Watch: The Hard Quartet Release Debut Single “Earth Hater,” Detail Inaugural Performances appeared first on Relix Media.
