Ha Ha Tonka

We are extremely pleased to announce that Murder By Death has signed with Bloodshot Records. The Bloomington, IN quintet has been on our radar for some time with their unique brand of brooding, anthem-riding balladry and orchestral roots-inflicted indie rock, as found on defining albums such as In Bocca al Lupo (2006) and Good Morning, Magpie (2010). And really, with their sing-along/powder-keg performances; fan-first mentality; and consistently exceptional music, Murder By Death has built a decade-plus career embodying all the essential elements that Bloodshot could possibly ask for in band. Plus, Murder By Death + Bloodshot… the combo just has a nice, gruesome ring to it...

The band will release their Bloodshot debut and sixth full-length album this fall. Additional details to come soon.

In the meantime, they are heading out on the road this summer to support their upcoming release, performing with the support of new labelmates Ha Ha Tonka, as well as Cory Chisel and other special guests. Full tour dates are below, along with some candid shots from the official contract signing.

Jul 12 - Mr. Smalls Theatre Pittsburgh, PA - Tickets *
Jul 13 - Black Cat Washington, DC - Tickets *
Jul 14 - Paradise Rock Club Boston, MA - Tickets *
Jul 15 - Heirloom Arts Theatre Danbury, CT - Tickets *
Jul 17 - Webster Hall New York, NY - Tickets *
Jul 18 - Union Transfer Philadelphia, PA - Tickets *
Jul 20 - The Horseshoe Tavern Toronto, Canada - Tickets #
Jul 21 - Grog Shop Cleveland, OH - Tickets *
Jul 22 - Cosmic Charlie's Lexington, KY - Tickets *
Jul 24 - Mercy Lounge Nashville, TN - Tickets *
Jul 25 - Newby's Memphis, TN - Tickets #
Jul 26 - Spanish Moon Baton Rouge, LA - Tickets #
Jul 27 - Fitzgerald's Houston, TX - Tickets #
Jul 28 - Mohawk Austin, TX - Tickets #
Jul 31 - Sol Santa Fe Santa Fe, NM - Tickets *
Aug 1 - The Crescent Ballroom Phoenix, AZ - Tickets *
Aug 2 - The Casbah San Diego, CA - Tickets *
Aug 3 - El Rey Theatre Los Angeles, CA - Tickets *
Aug 4 - Bottom of the Hill San Francisco, CA - Tickets %
Aug 5 - Bottom of the Hill San Francisco, CA - Tickets *
Aug 9 - The Media Club Vancouver, Canada - Tickets %
Aug 10 - Tractor Tavern Seattle, WA - Tickets %
Aug 11 - Dante's Portland, OR - Tickets %
Aug 14 - Neurolux Boise, ID - Tickets %
Aug 15 - Bar Deluxe Salt Lake City, UT - Tickets %
Aug 16 - Bluebird Theater Denver, CO - Tickets %
Aug 17 - Bluebird Theater Denver, CO - Tickets %
Aug 18 - The Waiting Room Omaha, NE - Tickets %
Aug 20 - Plush St Louis, MO - Tickets %
Aug 22 - Gabe's Oasis Iowa City, IA - Tickets %
Aug 23 - Triple Rock Minneapolis, MN - Tickets %
Aug 24 - Turner Hall Ballroom Milwaukee, WI - Tickets %
Aug 25 - Metro Chicago, IL - Tickets *

*w/ Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons + Ha Ha Tonka
# w/ Cory Chisel
% w/ Ha Ha Tonka



Sarah Balliet (cello, keyboards) and Adam Turla (vocals, guitar) at the Bloodshot office signing their contract.



Matt Armstrong (bass) and Scott Bracket (keyboards, accordion, vocals, and more) sign their Bloodshot Records contract on the hood of a nearby parked car after their performance at Chicago’s Do Division street fest. Label co-owner Nan Warshaw looks on.



Sarah and Adam posing with the massive Bloodshot advance.

As we like to say, "we release a lot of good music, but we can't release ALL the good music."

Some former compadres (well, they'll ALWAYS be compadres...that's what makes this job so great) who have moved on to other labels have released a bundle of new music this month.  Being dorky fans, we wanted to let you know about them, as well as offer them up on our site.  So, dig in to the new tunes by some old faves:

KELLY HOGAN: I Like To Keep Myself In Pain

ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO:  Big Station

ANDRE WILLIAMS & THE SADIES: Night & Day

AND check out the sale going on this month for catalog items from these artists.  So, if you are new to the HOGAN/ANDRE/ALEJANDRO camps you can pick up some great music for some friendly prices all through June.

Also new is the LIMITED EDITION LP of Ha Ha Tonka's killer debut album.  You asked, you pleaded, some have even made veiled threats....so HERE it is. But act fast, we only made 500 of these.

The boys in Ha Ha Tonka are big baseball fans (though they have the unfortunate malady of being Cardinals fans), so how cool was it to hear "Usual Suspects" off their latest album being used during segment on TBS' playoff coverage?

Have a view HERE

HA HA TONKA played the much vaunted ACL festival in Austin TX last weekend and by all the accounts we've heard (we weren't allowed to go, our cruel overlord bosses allow no such things) they knocked it out of the proverbial park

HERE'S a link to Rolling Stone's "Best Moments" from the festival photos

HERE'S a great article/interview from the AustinPost called "The ACL Band Stuck In My Head" and it tells how HHT brought on the rain to the drought-stricken area (who knew?) as well as couple of their videos.

Overheard several times were people saying "Did you hear that HHT made it rain?"

Heed their powers...

Here's a video medley of their set (pardon the crappy audio) that gives you sense of the day..

SPIN magazine has compiled 15 tracks from bands that are appearing at this year's Austin City Limits Festival and "Made Example Of" from Ha Ha Tonka made the cut.

So, go HERE and download the collection for free.  Includes tracks from Mavis Staples, The Head and the Heart, Hayes Carll, Smith Westerns, The Cave Singers and more

Ha Ha Tonka, after a somewhat quiet summer, are hitting the road with vengeance.  They will be on the road pretty much the rest of the year supporting their "wow" new record Death of A Decade. So, if you are east of the Rockies, you will have LOTS of opportunities to see the boys and have yerself a fun night on the town.  HERE'S the schedule

In anticipation of the tour, they sent us THIS video today as a way of announcing it.  It kind of frightened/amused us, but it is definitive evidence that they've had too much time on their hands.  Please help them.

Pick up a copy of HHT's latest Death of a Decade, and be entered to win a pair of tickets for a show in a town near you:

GOOD RECORDS- Dallas, TX (9/17 @ LaGrange)

LANDLOCKED MUSIC- Bloomington, IN (9/27 @ The Bishop)

CULTURE CLASH- Toledo, OH (9/30 @ Frankie's)

RECORD ARCHIVE- Rochester, NY (10/1 @ Water St. Music Hall- Also giving away a vinyl prize pack)

Enter to win a pair of tickets and a vinyl prize pack at ZZZ Records in Des Moines (no purchase necessary) (9/21 at Vaudeville Mews)

The album is also for sale through September.

Ha Ha Tonka's version of "12" 3-speed Oscillating Fan" always whips the crowds into a frenzy at the end of their shows.   And, since much of the USA has been, or still is, sweltering under a wicked heat wave, we were happy that the folks over at Music Fog finished up this video of the band performing the song at SXSW.

Enjoy it HERE and we hope it helps cool the room a bit.

Ha Ha Tonka recorded this live session for Reverb's "Mile Marker" sessions ahead of their headling appearance at Denver Post's Underground Music Showcase on July 21. Watch the session below, and then check out pictures from the session here.