New Lou Barlow LP En Route

The Dinosaur Jr/Sebadoh/Folk Implosion dude dives into the "unknown"...

By Blurt Staff

On October 6, Merge Records will release Lou Barlow's new album, Goodnight Unknown. In the four years since his career-redefining, mostly acoustic record Emoh, Lou Barlow has reunited with Dinosaur Jr. and reissued three of Sebadoh's classic albums. But as the brilliant new Goodnight Unknown illustrates, he's hardly living in the past. Borrowing the live-band energy of Dinosaur Jr. and the stylistic reach of Sebadoh, Barlow has built on Emoh's full production and written a set of immediate, melodic pop songs that Lou describes as, "a cross between my later work with Folk Implosion and my earlier work with Sebadoh...to my ears, anyway."

From the surging opening track "Sharing" to the surprisingly soulful performances on "The Right," Goodnight Unknown benefits from Barlow's tunefulness and his decision to record the record relatively quickly, with old friends and new. The Melvins' Dale Crover adds inspired drum work throughout, and Goodnight Unknown's urgent sound owes just as much to frequent Barlow collaborator Imaad Wasif (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, alaska!). The record's considerable power also stems from the new talents on board, including producer Andrew Murdock and Lisa Germano.

Lou Barlow + The Missingmen will be on tour throughout the fall opening for Dinosaur Jr. The Missingmen are guitarist Tom Watson and drummer Raul Morales. Lou "stole" them from Mike Watt for this tour, and is excited to be bringing you the full band experience of Goodnight Unknown.

Goodnight Unknown Track Listing: 

1. Sharing 

2. Goodnight Unknown 

3. Too Much Freedom 

4. Faith In Your Heartbeat 

5. The One I Call 

6. The Right 

7. Gravitate 

8. I'm Thinking... 

9. One Machine, One Long Fight 

10. Praise 

11. Take Advantage 

12. Modesty 

13. Don't Apologize 

14. One Note Tone 

Lou Barlow + the Missingmen on Tour:

09-30 Toronto, ON - Phoenix Concert Theatre

10-01 Montreal, QUE - Pop Montreal Festival

10-02 Cambridge, MA - Middle East

10-03 Cambridge, MA - Middle East

10-04 Clifton Park, NY - Northern Lights

10-07 New Haven, CT - Toad's Place

10-08-09 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club

10-09 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of the Living Arts

10-10 Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall

10-11 Pontiac, MI - The Crofoot

10-13 Madison, WI - The Majestic Theatre

10-14 St. Louis, MO - The Pageant

10-15 Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre

10-16 Louisville, KY - Headliner's Music Hall

10-17 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse

10-26 Kansas City, MO - The Beaumont Club

10-27 Omaha, NE - Slowdown

10-29 Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater

10-30 Fort Collins, CO - Aggie Theatre

11-03 Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre

11-04 Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up Tavern 

11-06 San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore

11-07 Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom