LOS ANGELES (Top40 Charts/ Pavement PR) CAMPOUT will take place
September 15th, 16th and 17th at Pappy & Harriet's Pioneertown Palace in the High Desert of Southern California. The locale of this fest ties in perfectly with Cracker's own history as their signature album Kerosene Hat was recorded here back in 1993 in the now-closed movie soundstage next to the Palace.
Previous CAMPOUT's have hosted a broad range of indie, alternative, blues and country acts and this year's bill features the talents of Heavy Cream, He's My Brother She's My Sister, The Calamity and Gram Rabbit's The Country. Along with full band performances from both Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven (performing their respective signature albums Kerosene Hat & Key Lime Pie in their entireties), there will also be a number of performances from various members of both bands, including Jonathan Segel, The Hickmen, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Johnny Hickman's pre-Cracker band The Dangers and a special David Lowery/Johnny Hickman semi-acoustic duo set.
Bandmembers from both Cracker & CVB are currently available for interviews.
7TH ANNUAL CRACKER / CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN CAMPOUT
September 15-17 2011
Pappy & Harriet's Palace
53688 Pioneertown Rd.
Pioneertown, CA
This Festival is All Ages (12 and under free)
3-DAY PASS $60
1-DAY PASS $25
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH
INDOOR:
Ashley Raines 8:00pm
McCabe & Mrs. Miller 9:00pm
Hickman/Lowery Duo 10:00pm
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH
OUTDOOR:
He's My Brother She's My Sister 7:30pm
Camper Van Beethoven 9:00pm [performing their album Key Lime Pie in its entirety]
INDOOR:
Ted Quinn 6:00pm
Giant TV 6:45pm
The Country 11:15pm
The Dangers 12:30am
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH
OUTDOOR:
Meet-and-greet with Cracker & Camper Van Beethoven 4:00-5:00pm
The Calamity 6:30pm
The Hickmen 7:30pm
Cracker 9:00pm [performing their album Kerosene Hat in its entirety]
INDOOR:
Stephen Brower 6:30pm
Jonathan Segel 8:15pm
Heavy Cream 11:15am
Victor Krummenacher 12:30am
To purchase tickets and for more info on CAMPOUT go to: www.pitchatent.com or call Pappy and Harriet's at 760.365.5956 to purchase tickets the day of show.
ADDITIONAL CRACKER & CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN TOUR DATES
AUG. 30 GERALD FORD AMPHITHEATER, VAIL, CO [CRACKER]
SEP. 12 BODY ENGLISH @ HARD ROCK CASINO, LAS VEGAS, NV [CRACKER]
SEP. 13 MARTINI RANCH, SCOTTSDALE, AZ [CRACKER PERFORMING KEROSENE HAT / CVB PERFORMING KEY LIME PIE]
SEP. 14 THE SATELLITE, LOS ANGELES, CA [CRACKER PERFORMING KEROSENE HAT / CVB PERFORMING KEY LIME PIE]
FOR MORE INFO ON CRACKER: crackersoul.com
FOR MORE INFO ON CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN: campervanbeethoven.com
FOR MORE INFO ON CAMPOUT 2011: www.crackersoul.com/fr_campoutwest.cfm
FOR MORE INFO ON DAVID LOWERY AND HIS RECENT DEBUT SOLO ALBUM THE PALACE GUARDS: davidlowerymusic.com
FOR MORE INFO ON DAVID LOWERY'S 300 SONGS BLOG: 300songs.com
FOR MEDIA & INTERVIEW REQUESTS:
Tony Bonyata
Pavement PR
e: [email protected]
pavementpr.com
HERE'S WHAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SAYING ABOUT DAVID LOWERY'S RECENT SOLO DEBUT THE PALACE GUARDS:
'The Palace Guards is a rip-roaring effort that showcases Lowery's mordant wit, raw vocals and rambunctious spirit.' - PASTE
'...rootsy, tautly atmospheric tracks. Lowery's lean, ragged baritone can be a deceptively potent vehicle for emotional ambivalence, whether he's waxing wry and nostalgic on the ironically rousing 'Big Life' or lending understated pathos to the shimmering 'Ah, You Left Me.' For anyone who dismisses indie rock as the purview of the permanently adolescent, Palace Guards' relaxed, matter-of-fact maturity may be eye-opening.' � USA TODAY
[4/5] "Amazingly, after more than 25 years in music, this is Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker frontman Lowery's first solo album. He's not fooling around; these cuts show the serious side of Lowery, eschewing his usual biting sardonicism and roots-rock crunch for more sincere emotions and a score of laid-back alt-country. It's a pleasure to meet him." � LONDON FREE PRESS
'... these songs are rich and clever, and Lowery's many friends and collaborators offer excellent musical support on a piece of work that in subtle but important ways is an album he couldn't (or wouldn't) have made with either [Cracker or Camper Van Beethoven]. Lowery might not want to make a career out of his serious side, but The Palace Guards shows he can wise up and still make music that's smart and satisfying.' � Mark Deming / ALL MUSIC
[8/10] 'Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker frontman David Lowery splits the difference between the former's loose eclectic twang and the latter's tight psych-country on his solo debut. Assisted by some Virginia studio pals, Lowery sticks it to celebrity on the acerbic title track and the cock-schlockin' "Baby, All Those Girls Meant Nothing to Me." He logs his own love story in the heady aquatic shimmer of "Deep Oblivion" and its sweetly redemptive sequel "Submarine." Sincerity trumps sarcasm, especially in his convincing cover of the Belgian band Mint's gloriously morose "Ah, You Left Me." - SPIN
"At 50 years old, David Lowery is still out-performing musicians half is age, and on February 1, his debut solo album, The Palace Guards, will be released through the 429 label. The title track and first single from the LP bears all the signature wit and observations of Lowery at his finest, though the new record represents the direction he's never gone: songs that fit neither here nor there but that deserve equal attention." - MAGNET MAGAZINE
'If the eclectic, alternative rock of Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker lit you up, Lowery's new album is going to make you a very happy camper all over again. The nine tracks on The Palace Guards, eight written by the singer, are as good as anything he's done in the past, and he's done some mighty good things.' � SEATLLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
'A gleeful, all-over-the-map vibe that signals the songwriter's liberation from Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven's musical modus operendi, From sprawling ballads to raging rockers, Lowery's quirky aphorisms, childlike wonder and deep irony remains thankfully intact.' - UNCUT
'David Lowery's The Palace Guards is a vitalizing, thoughtful collection of songs that are not merely B-sides or out-takes of material intended for his two working bands. Instead they fall somewhere in-between the generous confines of both, showcasing a songwriter that has matured without losing his buoyant, crackling wit.' � GOOD TIMES SANTA CRUZ
'The songs on The Palace Guards are at times moody and introspective and other times they are glorious and indignant. They are, perhaps, more personal accounts of those things that have been addressed thematically and musically with the same charisma and charm in both Camper and Cracker.' - HOLLYWOOD ICON MAGAZINE
'... intellectually stimulating and musically entertaining.' - M: MUSIC & MUSICIANS MAGAZINE
'Though the songs are neither Cracker nor Camper tunes, they are unmistakably Lowery's, full of the droll wit and sly subversion that has characterized his songs for 25 years.' � SPINNER
'The Palace Guards showcases his current musical vision in a way that neither of his bands [Cracker & Camper Van Beethoven] could have done justice to... hits to the core of what Lowery is able to do best.' � UNDER THE RADAR MAGAZINE
'The Palace Guards creates a wide palette of musical styles, sounds and moods, from Americana to soft rock to pure angst.' � PERFORMER MAGAZINE
'A very cohesive affair with some serious high points.' - SKOPE MAGAZINE
'At the age of 50, Lowery brings a maturity to these songs that may not have been there earlier in his career. This is a great solo effort.' � SCATTERED BLACK AND WHITE
'... a little bit of country, rock, Americana, and thankfully 'weirdness' thrown together that ranks as amongst the best stuff he has ever produced. This album gets better and better every time I spin it.' - HUGH SHOWS REDUX
' This is amongst Lowery's best work to date and easily one of the year's best releases to date.' - RYAN'S SMASHING LIFE
'Bona fide gems.' � EXCLAIM! / CANADA
[5/5] 'The lyrics are unsurprisingly wonderful and it's also a very well-sequenced disc... If you've ever enjoyed Lowery's peculiar vision in the past it's well worth surrendering to The Palace Guards.' - TIME OUT SYDNEY
'The songs are pure Lowery all the way: droning violins, drawled song-spiel singing, and lyrics that pierce the heart while revealing a slacker's wit.... this intimate album is a welcome addition to the Lowery catalog.' - AMERICAN SONGWRITER
[4/5] 'The deliriously wry songwriting and raspy vocals remain intact, and Lowery continues to blend rock snarls with almost literary smarts.' � RICHMOND STYLE WEEKLY
'The Palace Guards is equally good at being gorgeous, particularly on the illusory 'Deep Oblivion,' where a spaced-out Lowery weaves surreal imagery about 'a place below the sea... cold, bright, and white.' It's delivered with a sly grin, but like the rest of The Palace Guards, it's seriously good.' - THE ONION
'The Palace Guards, is blissfully idiosyncratic, indulging in sweet buckwheat hootenannies, tempered garage-rock blessings and hard-earned alt-pop homilies.' � MAXIMUM INK
"... a stylistically diverse effort. There are, of course, bits of Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven to be heard throughout the disc, but it wanders from folk to psychedelic rock and back." - CHARTATTACK
'... consistently charming and engaging. The Palace Guards is a gift; teeming with spontaneity and vigor. It's one of those cases when grabbing the whole kaboodle is recommended: it's well-ordered, and there are too many winners for it to make sense to favorite some for download.' � SAN DIEGO READER
'... a strong and consistent series of songs that, at times, reaches for the best of Lowery's work. More than two decades into his career, David Lowery has, more or less, just proven his relevancy, which, to crib from an earlier song of his, could just very well be what the world needs now.' - POPMATTERS
'While this is a little different from his full band days, everything that made CVB and Cracker great is used and expanded upon with this collection. The Palace Guards is an excellent mix of alt-country meets folk rock that is guaranteed to stay in your CD player for a while' � RICHMOND PLAYLIST
'... a surprisingly invigorating batch of songs, running the gamut from quirky-sounding indie rock to the more predictable country-leaning stuff Lowery's always been so good at. His voice sounds wonderfully ragged and weary, and the melodies are subtle but addictive. The production really shines too-or maybe 'shines' is the wrong word: It's gritty and dynamic, perfectly matched to the songs themselves.' � CRAWDADDY
'Finally, at 50, Lowery releases his solo debut, The Palace Guards, and the best elements of both his bands share space on the same excellent album. It's about time fans met the man behind the magic of two great bands, and here's a chance to get to know him on engagingly intimate terms. - Gene Triplett / THE OKLAHOMAN
"The Palace Guards takes in the work of his previous bands but adds something else. It might be called maturity, even though Lowery's voice retains the raucous raggedness that implies the rolled-eye snarl of eternal adolescence. And there are twangy and psychedelic touches that will be familiar to fans, but they're unusually muted and focused.' � MILWAUKEE JOURNAL-SENTINEL
'Lowery manipulates chord progressions, taking the sound in an unexpected direction not only between tracks, but within each song. We're not dealing with a new album from a new guy - the maturity and depth on each track screams of the years Lowery has put into mastering his craft.' � THE RED AND BLACK
'That voice and keen melodic sense, the same qualities that typify David Lowery's other projects, are apparent on The Palace Guards. He continues to create anthemic, countrified rock and piquant ballads.' � THE WHEEL'S STILL IN SPIN
'... with a focused weaving of folk, alternative country, psychedelia and peeled back indie pop, beefed up a little help from Cracker mates Sal Maida and Johnny Hickman, plus Sparklehorse's late great Mark Linkous, Lowery has no trouble making his mark as a solo artist.' � HEAR/SAY MAGAZINE
[5/5] 'The Palace Guards is a great sounding record from beginning to end, filled with subtle twists, surprising changes, and great playing throughout. There's a wealth of strange textures, unusual instrument choices, and an overall sound that harkens back to the best records coming out of Britain in the �60s. But, for all the soundscaping that goes on, Lowery's songs and voice are always the main attraction, and he's at the top of his considerable game.' � ROCK GUITAR DAILY
'Lowery has crafted an incredible record in The Palace Guards. Not only does he still have it, his smart songwriting hasn't faltered a bit. The album's title track sounds like a vintage Pavement tune from the �90s. More importantly, it signals that the album is no one trick pony � it's loaded with variety.' - HEAR YA
'...a witty, lyrically clever and incisive, musically eclectic solo debut.' - AMERICANA BOOGIE
'... semi-psychotic alt-country introspection that makes for some real entertainment. The Palace Guards might just be a stop on Lowery's long journey, but a singular and sweet one.' � QRO MAGAZINE
'... the songs exude an air of personal reminiscence and fluctuate between weighted gravity and flighty whimsy, exploring themes of love, loss, and liberalism, sprinkled throughout with songs of sheer beauty.' � THE NEEDLE AND THE GROOVE
'... provides a great survey of the breadth of Lowery's abilities. � TORONTO SNOB'S MUSIC
'Amazing. The Palace Guards is a nine-song wonder, with Lowery employing a bit of twang, dreamy guitars and a host of stirring formidable lyrics well worth taking to heart.' - ABANDONED COUCHES
"Unsurprisingly great" - THE BOSTON PHOENIX
'A batch of incredible songs.' - CULTURE MAGAZINE
HERE'S WHAT PEOPLE HAD TO SAY ABOUT CRACKER'S LAST STUDIO EFFORT SUNRISE IN THE LAND OF MILK AND HONEY:
David Lowery and Johnny Hickman loosened the songwriting reins for the ninth Cracker album, involving drummer Frank Funaro and bassist Sal Maida from the outset. The result may be their strongest record to date, with punk- and glam-fueled tunes jostling alongside the band's hooky pop-Americana mainstays. - BILLBOARD
...another set of piercing songs from a consistently good band carrying the torch of The Clash. - PASTE
[Four stars!] David Lowery's piercing intelligence and smartass humor click on Sunrise, his smoke-stained voice adding genuine soul to the quartet's chunky guitar pop. - SPIN
Cracker's new album, Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey finds the band in renewed dynamic form with visceral guitar hooks, insistent beats, along with Lowery's trademark wry lyrics. - INTERVIEW Magazine
With its unique merger of warped pop hooks and classic Americana, Cracker has won a devoted following in its 15 years together. On Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey, frontman Dave Lowery sounds as sharp and cynical as ever. Ferocious in its cynicism the album finds Lowery performing against unusually muscular instrumentation. - World Cafe / NPR
[A-] Cracker carries on in the grandly sarcastic/ironic traditions of Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones and the Grateful Dead with a fresh set of vocally rough hewn, guitar and organ-scorched rockers. Welcome back. - Philadelphia Daily News
In a world overrun with vacant hipsterism, we arguably need the cantankerous musings of Dave Lowery and the recently revived Cracker now more than ever. - Eye Weekly / Toronto
Cracker has responded to this changing world with a vintage Cracker album - characterized by alt-country hooks, power guitar chords and Mr. Lowery's reedy yet forceful voice. - Washington Times
Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey is another in a long line of smart, strange, tuneful, and well-crafted albums. - The Boston Globe
David Lowery, Johnny Hickman, Sal Maida and Frank Funaro serve notice that, despite the indie label, Cracker remains a major band with big hooks, solid lyrics and attitude to spare. - RELIX Magazine
David Lowery lends a life-or-death enormity to the simplest of phrases. - TIME OUT New York
Sunrise is an awesome guitar-rock album that's sure to make many a top-10 list this year. - The Georgia Straight / Vancouver
Sunrise In The Land Of Milk And Honey, and its quirky, soulful grooves and smart lyrics don't disappoint. - The Vancouver Sun
What ties everything together is a rare professionalism - guitarist Johnny Hickman is one of the more unheralded musicians playing today - and a swagger that comes through by way of their indifference to trends or styles. They're good, they know it, and those who don't get it aren't worth worrying about. - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
... wicked, unapologetic and catchy as hell. - Houston Press
[9/10] There isn't a duff track on 'Sunshine....'. Lowery has re-discovered his keen sense of lyrical mischief, while Hickman still knows how to make his Les Paul wail like no other. Crucially, long time band member Frank Funaro and relatively new bassist Sal Maida dovetail with Lowery and Hickman to form the most rocking version of the band since Davey Faragher jumped ship back in the mid-nineties. - Americana UK
On Cracker's latest, Sunrise In The Land Of Milk And Honey, David Lowery's having fun doing doughnuts at the crossroads of dirty country sensibilities and weird globe-trotting lyrics. - Philadelphia City Paper
...kind of like an old friend dropping by (except this old friend still rocks on occasion like a younger friend). - BLURT magazine
With a minimal amount of stage banter and a maximum amount of face-melting guitar solos, Cracker banged out a stellar set of rock 'n' roll music that made us think that maybe a '90s rock revival isn't such a bad thing after all. - Nashville Scene
For a band that's been around for close to two decades, Cracker sounds remarkably fresh and energized on its latest album, 'Sunrise In The Land Of Milk And Honey.' Whether wryly commenting on the state of the world or paying homage to a close-but-dysfunctional friendship, David Lowery, Johnny Hickman and crew have delivered some of their best material in years. - The Portland Tribune
On Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey, Cracker still shines their light bright nearly two decades since formation. - Synthesis Magazine
David Lowery, Johnny Hickman and company reaffirm their rock cred on this solid outing. - Pasadena Weekly
Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey is like a jukebox -- a great mixed bag of sounds and influences that reflects the band's early '70s-'80s pop-punk and New Wave influences. - The Patriot-News
If Cracker can continue firing on these razor sharp cylinders, there's no reason the guys can't keep cranking out the jams for another 20 years" - Hear/Say Magazine
David Lowery and his crew still have rootsy drive and twisted humor. - The Boston Herald
At a point in their career when most of their peers are unplugging, turning down and wussing out, Cracker has tapped into some unchecked aggression and started rocking out like never before. Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey still delves into twangy alt-country and bluesy slide guitar, but the bulk of these 11 songs are amped-up, fuzzed-out ravers. Searing solos, gang vocals and maximum riffage grab the ear, but it's the lyrics that will keep you coming back. ... The band's most collaborative album to date is also one of its best. - Fast Forward Weekly / Calgary
17 years along in their remarkably consistent career, Cracker's new album is as musically gutsy and lyrically sharp as anything in the band's catalog. - Creative Loafing : Atlanta
... should ruffle feathers and inspire a few choruses of "Hell yeah!" - Raleigh Independent Weekly
"Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey'' is one of the best releases of 2009. If this 11-song romp through the woods of punk 'n' harmony doesn't convince you Cracker should be seen and heard live, maybe there's no honey left in your beehive. - Six String Sanctuary music blog
...as good as everything on Cracker or Kerosene Hat. No shit. - REAX music magazine
Nothing says 'let the good times roll' like a new Cracker record. Their latest single 'Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out with Me' is quite possibly the alt-rock favorites' most gorgeous composition to date. - Duluth News Tribune
There is a strain of quirkiness in the band that's manifested itself on its ninth studio album Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey, a meeting place for late '70s-era California punk swagger and No Depression-flavored Americana gilded by guest shots by Adam Duritz, John Doe and Patterson Hood. - Long Island Press
If there's one constant in Cracker's career, it's simple: they know how to rock. Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey boasts a strong set of infectious, punchy songs... all decked out with a pounding rhythm section, throbbing guitar chords, and a slick set of hooks. - Indieville
Cracker's best record in years - 'Sunrise...' will remind you why you loved this rock band in the first place, while also offering a fresh urgency and relentless drive. David Lowery's firecracker wit and intelligence is as explosive as ever, with up to date commentary on the world at large, as well as his own unique brand of love song. Mix that with the high energy musicianship the band is known for, and this a very satisfying listen. - Extra! / Toronto
...a collection of hard-edged tracks that expose their socially opinionated humanity, augmented by pieces that transcend the alt-rock genre. Sharp witted and seasoned in a music scene where very little newness is left, they have managed to posit an original collection of thoughts and sounds that surprises and inspires. - Playback:stl
Cracker's ninth studio album Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey is a meeting place for late-Seventies-era California punk swagger and No Depression-flavored Americana. - East Bay Express / San Francisco
Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey will remind all the Cracker / Camper Van Beethoven fans out there that David Lowery is a clever lyricist and the band's mix of country and punk remains infectious. - OnMilwaukee
Cracker are better than they've ever been at honoring both the straight and the twisted sides of their musical personality. Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey, is as engaging and enjoyable as anything they have released since Kerosene Hat in 1993. - All Music
Weaving a decades worth of influences into their newest album Sunrise In The Land of Milk and Honey, the album is dominated by alt-rock guitar riffs, quirky lyrics, catchy hooks and pop/rock melodies. Cracker is definitely a unique and defining force. - Metromix Washington DC
...careens from maniacal punk to sullen country putting the fun into dysfunctional. - Glide Magazine
A rollicking return. - Montreal Gazette
After seventeen years the band is in top form on this strong, solid record. - Lumino Magazine
Sunrise In the Land of Milk and Honey is solid from start to finish. - QRO Magazine
... a glorious return to the music scene. - Blog Critics
... their toughest, most tenacious effort yet. - Bullz-Eye
On the group's newest album, Cracker demonstrates deep command of rock 'n' roll essentials. Much of Sunrise sounds indebted to classic '70s Stones (even the Americana influences seem filtered through Beggars Banquet), when they aren't drawing from the energy of punk. Most of all, Cracker is in control of the surging dynamics and killer riffs, the song craft, of great rock. - Shepherd Express / Milwaukee
Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey is an album dominated by loud guitars and biting lyrics. - Louisville Courier-Journal
...a unique sensibility that suppresses artier impulses with snarling guitars.. - Arkansas Democrat Gazette
Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey, is another unassuming gem laced with bittersweet lyrics and guitar hooks galore. - Lexington Herald-Leader
