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NYC-based, sister-fronted, post-genre group, The New Tarot, gear up to release their debut full-length album, in the wake of their third EP, God of Science. Forthcoming LP, The Book of Promises, is about enlightenment from another century and revelation in era of political and spiritual uncertainty. Some of the tracks are previewed in their demo form on the band’s live album, however, the album versions are specifically curated for what Blackbook describes as ” a sci-fi rock opera, based on the reincarnation of 16th Century English mathematician, astronomer and occult philosopher John Dee (you can see him advising the Queen – as played by Cate Blanchett – in the 2007 film Elizabeth: The Golden Age). Which, surely, is a welcome break from all the lyrical blubbering about broken hearted sadness as proffered by so many of their contemporaries.”
Singles from the band’s least EP release, God of Science — including “Heavy Metal,” “Tell Me You Like Me” and “Solid Sun” — paved the way for the debut full-length. The EP adopted the name of title track “God of Science,” a sardonic take on modern faith, yet the themes running through this collection have a much wider range – from social media-based egoism to ephemeral existence.Psychology Today, who premiered “Heavy Metal” did an in-depth interview with songwriter, Monika Walker, on it’s theme: magical consciousness – it’s been a fan-favorite ever since.
Inspired by the grooves of David Bowie, Regina Spektor and The Flaming Lips, The New Tarot create songs that Music Times call “one part synth-filled pop, one part thrashing alternative rock, a splash of sisterhood and a sprinkle of the occult.” Diffuser.fm praise the unique sound of the group stating, “The New Tarot flip alternative rock on its head with the powerful stories found in their irresistible songs.” They’ve previously been featured on BreakThru Radio, Last FM, SoFar Sounds (NYC and Athens, Greece) and other studio sessions. With love from Consequence of Sound, Bitch Magazine, Indie Shuffle, BUST, Baeble Music and many more, there’s no signs of slowing down – especially with a full-length album on the way.
The Walker sisters, Monika (vocals/guitar) and Karen (vocals/keyboard), formed their band in the spring of 2014. While performing poetry outside Union Squares’ subway entrance, Monika Walker captivated the attention of a passing man, who would later become the band’s manager. After hearing the brilliance in Monika’s use of verbiage and poetry, and learning she had a sister studying music composition at college, the soon-to-be manager convinced Karen to leave college and pursue a career in music with her sister. Now, a full band supports them: Derek Broomhead (drums), Dave Kahn (bass), Beth Callen (guitar) and David Banker (trombone). The sextet creates archetypes throughout their music and their stories are filled with chaos, harmony and the concept of space within ourselves and the universe.
The band will be headlining their biggest show yet on August 4th in NYC at The Bowery Ballroom, after multiple headlining shows at Brooklyn’s Knitting Factory and Manhattan’s Le Poisson Rouge and playing at other major NYC venues, including Mercury Lounge, Rockwood Music Hall, The Slipper Room and The Bitter End. The New Tarot has taken off like a rocket within a few years after playing The Deli’s CMJ event, and being dubbed them a band to “Keep An Ear On.”
LISTEN & SHARE: The New Tarot – “Mistake To Choose”
LISTEN & SHARE: The New Tarot – Wild Arcana (Live) Album
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“The Walker sisters, Monika and Karen, have been twisting the concept of alternative music as The New Tarot for just over two years now. Over the course of two EPS, their self-titled debut and last summer’s Stella!, the New York duo and their four-piece backing band delighted as a frenetic sort of rock-synthpop beast. It’s a sound that demands its alt label if for no other reason than it’s so beyond genre that calling it “other” is really the only recourse. On the band’s third and latest extended play, God of Science, they continue to stretch limits with distinct deftness and inventiveness.”
– Consequence of Sound
“The New Tarot is indie rock for witchy babes. Equal parts mystical and danceable, it’s fronted by a couple of new-agey sisters (literally sisters, not just spiritually).”
– Nylon
“Monika Walker and her band, The New Tarot, are certainly making their way into the public consciousness…But for Walker, the band is more than music: it’s a way for her to understand and connect with the various aspects of her own identity.”
– Psychology Today
“The group’s intricate melodies and passionate lyrics give a fresh approach to relationships, mental health, and what it means to be “liked” on Facebook.”
– Bust
“Shapeshifting between 90s-style alt-rock to indie psych to metal-pop (or something like that, in keeping with the TNT abbreviation of their band name), the sisters keep your ears guessing as to what they’re going to do next. There’s a fantastical side to their songs and imagery that made for a memorable session…”
– Break Thru Radio
Watch this clip from “Miss Universe 2017” on FOX and hear The New Tarot’s “Mistake to Choose” on-air debut!
THE NEW TAROT SHARE DEBUT ALBUM
VIA BILLBOARD
LP AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE ON OCTOBER 26
“The New Tarot’s debut album Book of Promises… is a dream come true for New York-based sisters Monika and Karen. And rest assured it was quite a dream.” -Billboard
“it would fit not uncomfortably besides any number of classic 4AD recordings.” -Blackbook
“The Walker sisters, Monika and Karen, have been twisting the concept of alternative music… as a frenetic sort of rock-synthpop beast. It’s a sound that demands its alt label if for no other reason than it’s so beyond genre that calling it “other” is really the only recourse.” -Consequence of Sound
“The New Tarot is indie rock for witchy babes. Equal parts mystical and danceable, it’s fronted by a couple of new-agey sisters (literally sisters, not just spiritually).” -Nylon
“Monika Walker and her band, The New Tarot, are certainly making their way into the public consciousness…But for Walker, the band is more than music: it’s a way for her to understand and connect with the various aspects of her own identity.” -Psychology Today
“Shapeshifting between 90s-style alt-rock to indie psych to metal-pop (or something like that, in keeping with the TNT abbreviation of their band name), the sisters keep your ears guessing as to what they’re going to do next.”- BTRtoday
[On the LP’s debut single, “America”] “The New York-based indie band delivers a new song that’s both simple and complex, just like the country that it’s about.”-noisey
[On fan-favorite single, “Tell Me You Like Me] “The group’s intricate melodies and passionate lyrics give a fresh approach to relationships, mental health, and what it means to be “liked” on Facebook.”- BUST
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LISTEN TO BOOK OF PROMISES VIA BILLBOARD NOW:
www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/8481700/the-new-tarot-book-of-promises
STREAMING EVERYWHERE ON OCT 26:
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WATCH NEW VIDEO FOR “THE SKINNY”
& meet the protagonist from the story the album tells:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9cy5pjImoQ
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You only get one debut album, and The New Tarot are well-aware. Their first full-length is now streaming on Billboard in advance of the LP’s release on Friday, October 26.
Monika and Karen Walker, the sisters who front the band, told Billboard the behind-the-scenes story of the album’s creation, in an interview. Monika explains:
“We were just writing music.. and I just had this dream where I was in this giant room with these gods and old mythic beings.”
Billboard says, “The dream also included John Dee, a 16th century English scientist, occultist and advisor to Queen Elizabeth.”
Monika goes on to say, “He approached me and was telling me my album was going to be about his life, but in our modern world. And I thought, ‘OK, great — now I have an album to write!’ So that was kind of like a gift, and the stuff we had been writing at the time coalesced into this story.”
She adds, “Trump had not even announced his (candidacy) when this story came about. These songs just came to life and started telling us something that felt very urgent, and as events started to happen the album started becoming this reflection of that. A lot of our fears about the future are in the album — but a lot of our hope is, too.”
Billboard reports, “Following several EPs, the 10-track Book of Promises became what the Walkers call “a sci-fi rock opera” taking some of Dee’s philosophies and perspectives and applying them to the current political and social climate.”
Billboard describes the album, saying, “The genre-blending set shoots wide stylistically as well. Book of Promises rolls from the ambient textures of the opening “Kingdom (Overture)” and “Alaska” to the folk-rock flavor of “America,” the fuller rock sound of “The Ruse” and the slinky Arabic undertone of “The Skinny.”
The band has been teased new tracks at recent NYC headlining shows, such as Bowery Ballroom and Brooklyn Bowl. Billboard asked the sisters about future plans for touring, and Monika responds:
We’re trying to really build this into something with more theatrics that we can take on the road…We’re hoping this (album) is going to get some traction so we can tour. Wherever listens to it most, that’s where we’re going to go.”
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Stand-alone single “Mistake To Choose” featured on
Debut LP Book of Promises Due Out in October 2018
Check out the first single from new album, “America,” which premiered exclusively on Noisey: LISTEN HERE
Listen to their last EP, God of Science, now streaming on Consequence of Sound HERE.
LINKS :
Watch The New Tarot’s headlining performance of “Ghost” at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC
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Shervin Lainez