New York, NY (Top40 Charts / Girlie Action) 2011 is the year that Portugal's psych-pop group
The Gift has their sights set on the U.S., with the release of their new album, Explode, coming out
September 27th on their own imprint, La Folie. To get fans excited for the release of this album, the band would like to share a new video for "Race Is Long" that they filmed earlier this summer in New York with acclaimed director TONE, with portions of it shot at Bowery Ballroom. The band will be heading back to the U.S. in October, performing at FILTER's Culture Collide Festival at
The Echoplex in L.A. on October 7th. Keep an eye out for more tour dates!
The Gift may be a new name to some here in the U.S., but this isn't an overnight success story. For seventeen years, the totally DIY band has built a rabid fanbase in their native country, and all over Europe, without the aid of a major label, booking agent, or management company. Not bad, considering they're one of the top-selling artists in Portugal (and Europe!). The band has a rich history, having released five studio albums to date. They've also shared the stage with some of the world's biggest artists, including The
Flaming Lips and Arcade Fire, all while topping charts worldwide.
Made up of Nuno Gonçalves, John Gonçalves,
Miguel Ribeiro, and their beautiful, and amazingly versatile lead singer Sónia Tavares, the band manages themselves, finances their own recordings, and produces some of the most visually-stunning live shows around (check out this video of "My Sun" for an idea). 2011 and 2012 has a lot in store for The Gift,
keep an eye out for all sorts of good news, coming soon!