Big Harp’s sudden announcement, ‘Waveless’ releases this Friday; Orenda Fink’s Sofar Sounds video premiere, will play Hear Omaha tomorrow

Big Harp has never really been about repetition, so though its new album announcement on extremely short notice may come as a shock, but definitely not a surprise.

Waveless, the Los Angeles-based indie band’s third full-length album, will release this Friday, Aug. 14, on Portland-based tape label Majestic Litter. According to guitarist/vocalist Chris Senseney, most of the songs were self-produced over the last two months with engineer and former Rilo Kiley bassist Pierre de Reeder.

Big Harp also released a new track, “Golden Age,” premiered on Pure Volume. The bouncy upbeat track is fuzz galore, bassist Stefanie Drootin-Senseney’s riffs climbing around a sunny pop beat. If it’s any indication of how the rest of Waveless goes, Senseney isn’t kidding when he says “None of our albums are really related to each other.”

Hear “Golden Age” below, and check out the Waveless track list along with upcoming Big Harp tour dates.

Waveless Track List:

1. Waves
2. Golden Age
3. Numbers
4. Diev
5. Image
6. Opera Lights
7. Trades
8. Portraiture
9. Disappears
10. Wires
11. It’s Over

Big Harp Tour Dates (all dates with The Good Life)

08.17 – Sioux Falls, SD @ Icon
08.18 – St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club
08.19 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
08.20 – Ferndale, MI @ Loving Touch
08.21 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
08.22 – Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel
08.23 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
08.25 – Hamden, CT @ The Ballroom at the Outer Space
08.26 – Boston, MA @ Sinclair
08.27 – New York, NY @ The Bowery Ballroom
08.28 – Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter
08.29 – Carrboro, NC @Cat’s Cradle
08.30 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
09.01 – Orlando, FL @ The Social
09.02 – Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder
09.03 – Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
09.04 – Nashville, TN @ The High Watt
09.05 – St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
09.06 – Iowa City, IA @ Gabe’s
11.06 – Fort Collins, CO @ Lyric Cinema Cafe
11.07 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
11.09 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
11.10 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux
11.12 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
11.13 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
11.14 – Vancouver, BC @ Fortune Sound Club
11.15 – Bellingham, WA @ Shakedown
11.17 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
11.18 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Troubadour
11.19 – Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room
11.20 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
11.21 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar
11.22 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sister
11.24 – Austin, TX @ Mohawk
11.25 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
11.27 – Kansas City, MO @ Riot Room

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In a small, second story living room, in the glow of white Christmas lights, Orenda Fink’s voice lilts gently. A loop pedal sends a gentle wash over a modest crowd. This, after what sounds like a ceramic cup breaking on the wooden floorboards. She smiles and presses on.

It’s the first of a new pair of Sofar Sounds videos, this featuring Orenda Fink’s April 27th performance for the secret Omaha house show series. Flanked by husband Todd Fink’s deep piano chords and Greg Elsasser’s haunting saw manipulation, she coos a harrowing rendition of “Easter Island.”

View the intimate performance below:

Tomorrow, Omaha singer/songwriter Orenda Fink will take the Hear Omaha stage at 13th and Howard, in a performance rescheduled from its original June 11 date. Read our Q&A with Fink from June 9 here, in which she details work on a new collection of cover songs, an electronic project with spouse and The Faint frontman Todd Fink, and that she’s a part of the brand new band High Up.

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A new Omaha children’s vocal music group is aiming to make choral music education accessible to children from all cultural and economic backgrounds.

This Saturday, ahead of its inaugural season, the Omaha Children’s Choir will host an open house at Benson Park. It will serve as a chance for parents, youth and community members to learn more about the choir, as well as an opportunity for interested children to register and audition.

Founder and artistic director Amanda Stevenson explains that the Omaha Children’s Choir will provide a wide variety of programming, including everything from renaissance and classical traditions to gospel, folk, pop, contemporary and world music. She hopes to have the group perform free concerts and community events, and that through the all-inclusive nature of the choir, inspire social change.

We are not just about music education; rather, we are about developing young people into leaders,” Stevenson says.

Omaha Children’s Choir open house runs from 3 to 6 p.m. at Benson Park, and is open to the public. Rehearsals for the inaugural season of the Omaha Children’s Choir start Sept. 15. For more information, visit omahachildrenschoir.org.

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In advance of its Friday release, the entirety of The Good Life’s Everybody’s Coming Down is now streaming via Stereogum.

A brief review of the album is featured alongside the stream, comparing The Good Life to Superchunk and Weezer. While we’re not sure those are apt, we do agree that there are sounds on the record coming from all over the place. Stay tuned for more thoughts, as tomorrow we publish our “On The Record” podcast review of Everybody’s Coming Down.

In the meantime, listen to the album here.

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Tonight, Simon Joyner & the Ghosts will play a free concert at Pageturners with Danny Pound as part of the Omaha lounge’s summer concert series. Joyner posted via Facebook that the set will look similar to ones the Ghosts have played recently, though in such an intimate space, we’re willing to bet he’ll match the mood. RSVP to the 9 p.m. show here.

At Duffy’s Tavern, Denver garage rock band The Trip will play on a billing with Lincoln’s Powers, The Dancing Dead and Magnetic Souls. Entry is $5 at the door. RSVP here.

As always, head to our statewide calendar at hearnebraska.org/events for a fuller listing of shows. If you do not see your show or one you plan to attend, email us at news@hearnebraska.org, or add it yourself. And keep those song submissions, story ideas and news tips coming.