“Robbers”, the music video!!

We’re super excited to announce the release of our first ever music video today, for “Robbers” from our latest album Spells.

Thanks to Sara Jean Cough, Joey Potts, and Brian Keller for being an awesome production team and helping us solidify and realize our vision. And extra special thanks to our robbers - Adam Wolak, Christopher Burke, Jonathan Burden – for taking time out of their schedules to become actors for a day. Everybody did a great job and we couldn’t be happier with the result.

And, without further ado, we present….“ROBBERS”, THE VIDEO!

Robbers from The Laureates on Vimeo.

The Laureates on Daytrotter

We recorded a session at Daytrotter in 2011, and it’s live on the site today! Sign up for a free trial at daytrotter.com to listen and download the session. Also on today’s playlist are the incredible Laura Marling and Part 3 of Daytrotter’s “Best of 2011″. Download the Daytrotter session here » Also, keep your eyes peeled for our debut video from Spells for “Robbers”, coming out soon. Don’t forget, Spells is available for free download at Candy Dinner. Finally, we have a show coming up at the Double Door on January 27th with Victorian Halls, Fly Over State, The Black Tape, Eiffel Tower. That’s 5 bands on one night, wow! RSVP HERE »

Spells out today – FREE download at CandyDinner.com!

Our new LP, Spells, is out today! You can grab the MP3s for free over at Candy Dinner, and you can purchase the vinyl over there as well. Go check it out here:. Here’s what a few folks have had to say about the record so far: “Lo-fi, brash and loud as hell, the Chicago band’s latest record proves that they can still write slick and sinister rock.”- AOL/ Spinner “The Laureates stick to their strengths – rough-and-tumble garage rock with a power pop sheen. The songs on Spells are energetic and wild, but the band never lets things get too out of hand.”- Loud Loop Press “Undeniable!”- Casy Meehan, Chicago Mixtape

Stream the new album today, get it tonight at Schubas

Spinner.com is running a full stream of Spells today in their Listening Party section. Go check it out here: http://music.aol.com/new-releases-full-cds/spinner#/25.

Tonight, we’ll be at Schuba’s with Sleeper Agent and Sergio Leone. Hope to see you there!

Timing is Everything

Look what just arrived at the studio:

Record Release Show + Daytrotter

We’re throwing a party at the Beat Kitchen on Friday! Come out to celebrate the release of our new LP, Spells. It all starts at 9pm and we’ve got a great lineup set for this one:

9pm – The Visitor
10pm – Innkeepers
11pm – The Laureates

RSVP on Facebook »

We’re also hitting the road for a short jaunt, landing us in Iowa City, Cincinnati, and a quick recording session at Daytrotter.

06/16/2011 – Iowa City, IA – Blue Moose Tap House
06/17/2011 – Rock Island, IL – Daytrotter Session
06/17/2011 – Chicago, IL – Beat Kitchen (Record Release show!!)
06/18/2011 – Cincinnati, OH – The Comet

MP3 Premier: Alarm Press

Listen to the track and read the original here »

“You might recognize one of The Laureates‘ multi-instrumentalists, Adam Penly, as a member of fellow Chicago rocker Paul Cary‘s band.

The song featured here, ‘Don’t Lose Your Cool,’ appears on his other group’s upcoming full-length album, Spells, which was recorded “old school” on an 8-track tape machine. It shakes off any traces of the harsh Midwest winter during which it was recorded and comes out swinging with a summery pop-rock riff replete with resonant harmonizing.

In 2010, The Laureates undertook a year-long project, recording and releasing a cover each month as part of its ‘Year of The Covers’ experiment. All of the tracks, including covers of Dinosaur Jr.,  Yo La Tengo, Wire, and more, are available for download on the band’s website.”

New album is done! + Empty Bottle

Hey! It’s been a while, but we’ve been holed up in the studio with our buddy John Crawford making a new album. At long last, the record is finished. Carl Saff put the finishing touches on it with his mastering-wizardry ways, and now we figure out when this thing is gonna drop. We’re thinking sometime fairly early next year. Stay tuned.

Also, we’ve got an early Sunday show coming up at the Empty Bottle with Chicago’s own Warm Ones and John Roeser Avenue. Get there at 7pm on November 21st. We’ll play around 8. AND it’s only 3 bucks. You’re welcome.

May Cover – Sugarcube (Yo La Tengo)

Hey, it’s getting warm out so we decided to pick one of the best summer songs from one of the best summer albums of all time. I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One was a huge record for us, as I’m sure it was for a lot of you. I can remember vividly the first time I saw Ira shred a guitar on stage at Gabe’s Oasis in Iowa City. It was truly a life-changing event. Here’s our take on Yo La Tengo’s great tune, “Sugarcube”.

Listen to the right >>
or
DOWNLOAD

WFMU’s Beware of the Blog: Live set recap

Evan Davies over at WFMU just posted this great entry on the WFMU blog about our live set at the station: http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2010/04/the-laureates-play-live-at-wfmu.html

You can get all the links there, but if you haven’t heard the WFMU set yet, it’s available for free download at the Free Music Archive right here along with the first 7″ EP and No Kontrol. There are a few unreleased tunes on there as that will probably become a part of our next LP. You heard it from Evan’s show first!