Today, Jack Ladder is releasing their new album Playmates, out now via Fat Possum Records. Its release ushers in a run of tour dates, bringing the Australia-based Ladder and his band The Dreamlanders, featuring Kirin J. Callinan (whose own album Embracism was released last year on Terrible / XL) Laurence Pike (of PVT) and Donny Benet, to the US. Their American dates currently include stops at SXSW, Brooklyn and Los Angeles, and more dates will be announced soon. Current dates are listed below.
Playmates has received much early praise, including NPR naming Jack Ladder a “Musician You’ll Tell Your Friends About In 2015” as well as featuring one of the two tracks to feature Sharon Van Etten “To Keep And To Be Kept” as a “Song We Love.” Noisey praised the album, noting “Miami Vice synths, Bryan Ferry-style crooning, and a slightly gothic 80’s vibe… are omnipresent [on Playmates].” Buzzfeed declared Ladder among Australia’s “Very Best of 2014,” praising his ability to shift from an “’80s inspired, rhythmic tone at times, and a dark, thrashing rock n’ roll at others… The album is a great listen to from start to finish (without shuffle).” Stereogum also recently lauded his “haunting baritone” while Renowned for Soundcalled the album a “stunning work.”
Three years after the acclaimed HURTSVILLE and a move from the inner city of Sydney, Australia to the Blue Mountains, Jack Ladder returns with his new album Playmates. The album is produced by Kim Moyes of The Presets, and mixed by David Wrench (Jungle, FKA Twigs, Caribou, Seekae).The Dreamlanders reunite to play on the record, with Sharon Van Etten contributing vocals to two tracks.
Playmates will be Jack Ladder’s fourth album, and his first on Fat Possum. His previous two albums (2008’sLove Is Gone and 2011’s HURTSVILLE) were shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize. It’s been a long journey to this point, and Playmates finds Jack Ladder at a creative apex, moving on from the darker roads into the curious, bold komische synthesizers which backlight Playmates.
Playmates songs are muscular, raw – yet polished to the texture of a skyscraper. The lyrics themselves are haunting; they possess the poetic slur of a black-pupilled vision of romantic despair, love’s unsure footing and a palpable air of Ballardian discord beneath the surface. The songs pulse with life. Synthesizers and drum machines rub shoulders with glam guitars and pedal steel, while above all, Ladder’s granite baritone slashes at love and darkness like a heavy blade. He is a tender, persistent lover; a despairing prince at the battlements.
There is also the notable presence of Sharon Van Etten. On working with Jack Ladder, she says, “When I first saw Jack Ladder…it blew me away. He’s got a darkness to his vocals and lyrics but with a wink. It was really fun and an interesting challenge and his songs are killer. I feel lucky to have been a part of it.” On singing her part on “To Keep And To Be Kept”, Van Etten revealed “I usually try to hang back because I aim to support people whenever I sing with someone, so I was cautious with the duet. I just leaned into him. It was really fun and an interesting challenge and his songs are killer.”
Playmates breadth of ideas, its sinister anxiety-dream lyrics and particular vision of the world offer us as complete a view of this unfathomable Jack Ladder character as we are ever likely to observe in this dimension.
Playmates tracklist:
2. Her Hands
3. Model Worlds
4. Reputation Amputation
5. Let Me Love You
7. The Miracle
8. Neon Blue
9. Our Ascension
10. Slow Boat To China
Jack Ladder upcoming shows:
3/17-22 – SXSW – Austin, TX
3/26 – Rough Trade – Brooklyn, NY
3/30 – The Echo – Los Angeles, CA
