It’s a poorly kept secret around the office and the band’s hometown but one we can finally confirm — Matador has signed the Austin, TX trio HARLEM to a multi-record, worldwide deal.
Pitchfork’s Roque Strew has hailed Harlem as “a marvel of cartoonishly masculine, crudely analog brevity”, while Gorilla Vs. Bear considers ‘Free Drugs’ to be “super infectious, instantly endearing”, and kindly supplying a quote that we’ll gladly take out of context, the Austin Chronicle’s Audra Schroeder has fallen preil to the album’s “anxious, stuttering charm”. I know, that all sounds highly suspicious, but anyone who’s heard ‘Free Drugs’ or witnessed Harlem laying waste to any number of shoebox sized venues (some of which, were in fact, shoeboxes) can attest, the band’s casual virtuosity is only eclipsed by their otherworldly songwriting skills.
Congratulations to all involved but why is the announcement accompanied by a still from O.C. and Stiggs?
Haha, that’s Steve Terebecki in the background, member of the BPC and some band called White Denim.
thank you, but our legal dept. advises that I can neither confirm or deny Mr. Terebecki’s appearance in this photograph.
I think pretty soon Matador will just be the only label I listen too, haha. You guys just keep snapping up all the good artists.
Noice. Coomers talks a lot.
OK, time to sign Black Shirts outa Austin too. Dayam!
Free Drugs is an awesome album, let’s hope there’s many more to come for Matador.
It’s featured in our favourite albums of the year so far as it only made its way to us this year.
Looking forward to hearing them in Chattanooga–just don’t piss on my pre-amps!
This band is so good so good! Plus their videos are hilarious. Come to Philadelphia!
Does anyone know where I can find the lyrics to Number One?
Did these guys break up?
as of this writing, Harlem are not playing together. Coomers has a forthcoming record of his own ; Curtis has a new Austin quartet called Grape St. Jose is playing with NY-based Daytona.
None of which is to say it’s impossible that Harlem will perform in the future, but they’re pretty busy doing their own stuff in other cities.
Please make another record! PLEASE!
I have been listening to harlem and they are one of my favorite bands since 2 years. I was wondering what happen to them because they don’t play since the last tour in Europe I’m guessing.
please scroll a few comments above.
I want to buy Harlem’s album Hippies, where can I buy?