The Pines Meld Soundscapes With Landscapes On ‘Above The Prairie,’ Out Feb 5 On Red House Records

On their forthcoming album ‘Above the Prairie’ (Feb 5/Red House Records) The Pines sound like an Eno of the Great Plains. Exploring the vast expanses around and above them, they find beauty in isolated towns and farms that dot the landscape, and the array of stars that dot the night sky.

Rolling Stone’s David Fricke has called The Pines “quietly gripping” and though most of the ten new, original songs on ‘Above the Prairie’ were captured in just a couple takes, the album represents the band’s most ambitious work to date.  Songwriters David Huckfelt and Benson Ramsey, and keyboardist/songwriter (and Benson’s brother) Alex Ramsey, meld a lush, layered sound with vivid, imagistic lyrics.

‘Above the Pines’ is also a celebration of the community and history that gave birth to it.  On “Here,” the band is joined by Iowa friends and family, including Greg Brown, Iris DeMent, Pieta Brown, and Ramsey patriarch Bo Ramsey, who co-produced the LP with The Pines.  The album closes with ‘Time Dreams,’ a collaboration with American Indian activist and poet John Trudell.

The Pines have shared the stage with everyone from Arcade Fire and Bon Iver to Mavis Staples and The Holmes Brothers. Their 2012 LP ‘Dark So Gold’ was named #3 best album of the decade by the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and Vintage Guitar called it “a soundtrack of American Gothic intensity…a stunner of an album.” 

The Pines kick off a headlining tour on January 29; see below for a full list of dates.

‘Above The Prairie’ tracklist:

1. Aerial Ocean
2. There in Spirit
3. Lost Nation
4. Hanging From the Earth
5. Here
6. Where Something Wild Still Grows
7. Sleepy Hollow
8. Villisca
9. Come What Is
10. Time Dreams feat. John Trudell & Quiltman

The Pines North American tour dates:

11/21/15 – Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon

11/22/15 – Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern

11/28/15 – Cedar Rapids, IA – CSPS

12/4/15 – Burlington, IA – The Washington

12/5/15 – Des Moines, IA – Wooly’s

12/11/15 – Mineral Point, WI – Mineral Point Opera House

1/9/16 – Northfield, MN – Northfield Arts Guild Theater

1/16/16 – Lake City, MN – Oak Center General Store

1/29/16 – Rockford, IL – Severson Dells Nature Center

1/30/16 – Goshen, IN – Ignition Garage

1/31/16 – Columbus, OH – Rumba Café

2/2/16 – Pittsburgh, PA – Club Café

2/3/16 – New York, NY – Rockwood Music Hall: Stage 2

2/5/16 – Philadelphia, PA – World Café Upstairs

2/6/16 – Vienna, VA – Jammin’ Java

2/7/16 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle – Back Room

2/9/16 – Decatur, GA – Eddie’s Attic

2/10/16 – Nashville, TN – The High Watt

2/11/16 – St. Louis, MO – Off Broadway Nightclub

2/13/16 – Milwaukee, WI – Club Garibaldi

2/20/16 – Sioux City, IA – Vangarde Arts

2/21/16 – Omaha, NE – Reverb

2/23/16 – Houston. TX – McGonigel’s Mucky Duck

2/24/16 – Austin, TX – Cactus Café

2/25/16 – Dallas, TX – Three Links

2/26/16 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Blue Door

2/27/16 – Kansas City, MO – Knuckleheads

For more information please contact Chris Taillie (ctaillie@shorefire.com), Max Lefkowitz (mlefkowitz@shorefire.com) or Matt Hanks (mhanks@shorefire.com) at Shore Fire Media – 718.522.7171