15 July 2021 - 0 Comments

Wellington's Grawlixes embark on a New Zealand tour in celebration of the release of their sophomore album Love You To Death.

Grawlixes are an existential indie-folk pop band who explore romance with dry wit and sharp tongue, crafting infectious songs about doomed relationships and not being invited to parties. Continuing the lineage of artists who bring sadness to their sprightly melodies, Grawlixes' music often deals in the melancholy with self-deprecating honesty and beautiful boy-girl harmonies, sung by Robin Cederman (Tahu & the Takahes, Prophet Hens) and Penelope Esplin (French For Rabbits, Lake South).

The past few years have seen Grawlixes tour NZ multiple times, along with an extensive tour of Europe in late 2015, supporting (and playing in) label-mates French for Rabbits. Grawlixes have supported such bands as Steve Gunn (US), Delaney Davidson, Nadia Reid, French for Rabbits and Ha The Unclear, and performed at festivals such as Auckland Folk Festival, Wellington Folk Festival, CubaDupa and The Performance Arcade.

Four years on since their home-recorded debut (which reached #9 in the NZ Album Charts), Grawlixes have emerged with a renewed sound, fresh songs, and new band. The group recorded with award winning engineer Lee Prebble of The Surgery (L.A.B, The Black Seeds, Trinity Roots), and mixed the album with Tom Healy (Julia Jacklin, Tiny Ruins, Finn Andrews) and mastered by Paul Gold of Salt Mastering in Brooklyn, New York (Sufjan Stevens, Grizzly Bear, Dirty Projectors).. The result is lush instrumentation, captivating performances and clean intimate vocals. The melodies and harmonies are lovely, the production crackles with colour, and the whole thing marks a new level of achievement.

Love You To Death features songs that are raw, wry and amusingly cynical; from the desire to be immortalised in photography, through the animalistic qualities people adopt during a fight, to plotting the murder of your partner. Grawlixes now consists of Penelope Esplin (Lake South, French for Rabbits) on vocals and accordion, Robin Cederman (Tahu & The Takahes, Prophet Hens) on vocals and electric guitar, Alex Vaatstra (Julian Temple Band, Emily Fairlight) on violin, Emma Hattaway (BoJack Funkman) on bass, and Hikurangi Schaverien-Kaa (Dawn Diver, French for Rabbits) on drums. They will also be joined in select locations by Leo Coghini (fast becoming known as the best jazz pianist NZ has ever produced) and Phoebe Johnson (probably the busiest musician in Wellington and bass playing extraordinaire).

Grawlixes Love You To Death Tour

Thursday 22/7 - Blenheim, The Plant

Friday 23/7 - Marahau, Tim’s Place

Saturday 24/7 - Takaka, Mussel Inn (no pre-sales)

Thursday 12/8 - Wellington, Meow (tickets through Moshtix)

Saturday 14/8 - Palmerston North, The Stomach

Sunday 15/8 - Hastings, Common Room

Thursday 19/8 - Christchurch, Wunderbar

Friday 20/8 - Dunedin, The Dive

Saturday 21/8 - Oamaru, Grainstore Gallery

Saturday 26/8 - Tauranga, The Jam Factory (tickets through Eventspronto)

Sunday 27/8 - Hamilton, Nivara Lounge

Saturday 28/8 - Auckland, Wine Cellar

Tickets from www.undertheradar.co.nz or thegrawlixes.com/tour

Watch the video Immortalised

Watch the video Honey Bees

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