New three piece group Pfarmers is gearing up to release their debut album, Gunnera, on July 12th, 2015, via Jurassic Pop. And, while the name of the group may not ring any bells, the names of the individual members should, as Pfarmers brings together the talents of: Bryan Devendorf of The National, Menomena’s Danny Seim, and horn player Dave Nelson.
To his credit, Nelson has appeared on albums with St. Vincent, Beirut and Sufjan Stevens, according to Consequence of Sound.
So, how did this new album come into being, and what is a Gunnera?
Pitchfork reports that Seim gave the following statement about his inspiration for the new album, and he also explained what a Gunnera is, and where it can be found. He is quoted as saying:
“The record is about a dream I had where I’m reluctantly accepting a fear of drowning by focusing on being reincarnated as a giant Gunnera plant, which thrive on the banks of rivers (specifically the Jordan River i.e. the Biblical promised land) after I paint myself gold and sink to the bottom like the El Dorado of South American folklore.”
In anticipation of the upcoming album, the trio has released a song called, “The Ol’ River Gang.” Consequence of Sound describes “The Ol’ River Gang” as “Chaotic and synth-happy,” but they note that “the track seems to draw more from Menomena’s experimental rock stylings than The National’s melancholic anthems.”
Check it out, along with the album artwork and track listing, below.
Pfarmers, Gunnera Tracklist:
01. Benthos
02. You Shall Know the Spirit
03. Work for Me
04. El Dorado
05. The Ol’ River Gang
06. How to Build a Tube
07. Promised Land
The album will be released in several physical album variations. First, there will be a limited edition green vinyl version, with only 250 copies pressed. Secondarily, there is a ultra limited edition green vinyl pressing of 50 copies, which comes with a handmade seed bomb sculpture created by artist Edward Cabral. According to Pitchfork, the sculptures that are filled with Gunnera seeds have been created to resemble El Dorado folk art, as the Pfarmers have a song, called “El Dorado,” on Gunnera.
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