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The Rosebuds release two exclusive tracks through Hopscotch
In celebration and anticipation of their big hometown music festival, Hopscotch, Merge Records artists The Rosebuds have released two exclusive tracks—a sexy, somber cover of the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” and the slinking, dark travelogue “Secret Life of The Rosebuds”—through the festival itself. Download them here: "Stayin' Alive" and "Secret Life of The Rosebuds."
From Sept. 9–11, Hopscotch will gather more than 120 bands in North Carolina’s capital city. On Friday, Sept. 10, on the festival’s biggest stage, The Rosebuds will play their only remaining show of 2010 with Broken Social Scene and Panda Bear. (To purchase tickets, visit Hopscotch's ticketing page.)
“We’ve long felt that we were part of an amazing, if somewhat secret artistic community in the Triangle,” says The Rosebuds co-founder Kelly Crisp. “Now, people everywhere are starting to pay attention to bands we consider neighbors, friends and family. Hopscotch seems like it will bring even more of that attention. Worst case scenario, we’re going to have a blast.”
Both “Secret Life of the Rosebuds” and “Stayin’ Alive” were previously included on a long out-of-print tour EP, but their release by Hopscotch Music Festival is the first time either track has been widely available. The Rosebuds will continue to release one archival track every week for the rest of the year via various online outlets in anticipation of their fifth album, which is currently scheduled for release in early 2011. The band chose to launch the series with Hopscotch because of their excitement for the festival in their hometown.
“Secret Life of The Rosebuds” was recorded during the home studio sessions that ultimately yielded the band’s much-lauded third album, Night of the Furies. Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon produced the track, while Daniel Hart of St. Vincent and The Physics of Meaning added several violin tracks. Lee Waters of Portastatic and Work Clothes contributed drums. A new music video for the track, shot and produced by Raleigh photographer Tim Lytvinenko during one of the band’s homecoming shows, is also available for the first time here. (Direct link to Tim Lytvinenko's Vimeo page.)
The Rosebuds decided to cover “Stayin’ Alive” after Crisp and Ivan Howard fell for the Bee Gees hard several years ago. Howard went through an obsessive Bee Gees phase, especially infatuated with how the Gibb brothers handled their drums heading into such memorable choruses. Meanwhile, Crisp noticed the dark-hearted lyrics of “Stayin’ Alive” and wanted to bring them to the surface. “Kelly had the idea to record it at a slower tempo to illustrate the heaviness of the lyrics,” says Howard. “This is what we came up with that day.”
Again, see The Rosebuds in Raleigh City Plaza with Panda Bear and Broken Social Scene on Friday, Sept. 9, 2010, at Hopscotch Music Festival. The festival runs Thursday, Sept. 9-Saturday, Sept. 11, in 10 locations throughout downtown Raleigh, N.C. Other performers include Public Enemy, No Age, The Love Language, Fucked Up, Tortoise, Akron/Family, Lucero, Raekwon, 9th Wonder, Best Coast, Dungen, Bowerbirds, Megafaun, Washed Out, Cults, Pontiak, Harlem, Sleepy Sun, Balmorhea and 100 more. For tickets, please visit hopscotchmusicfest.com/tickets
