A Place to Bury Strangers may have lost its home base when Death By Audio closed in 2014, but it hasn’t lost its mojo, as evidenced by its new single, “Never Coming Back.” The title is somewhat ironic, since the band announced today that it will be coming back with a new album, Pinned, on April 13.
After leaving the Williamsburg home he shared with his effects pedal company and venue, both named Death By Audio, APTBS frontman Oliver Ackermann had to tone things down a little. “After DBA closed, I moved to an apartment in Clinton Hill,” he’s quoted as saying. “I couldn’t make too much noise, couldn’t disturb my neighbors. I would just sit there and write with a drum machine. It had to be about writing a good song and not about being super, sonically loud.” That’s saying a lot, since APTBS is often referred to as “the loudest band in New York.”
From left: Oliver Ackermann, Lia Simone Braswell, and bassist Dion Lunadon. (Photo by Ebru Yildiz)
Ackermann has since relocated his effects pedal company, rehearsal space and recording studio to Ridgewood, Queens. The Girl Who Walks Home Alone at Night-esque video for “Never Coming Back,” however, was filmed partly back in Brooklyn, at The Gateway. APTBS will be back in the borough April 12, for an album release party at Elsewhere (tickets go on sale Feb 2 at 10am).
This fifth album, released by Bloomington, Indiana-based Dead Oceans, will feature a new drummer, LA transplant Lia Simone Braswell, who also contributed vocals to “Never Coming Back” and other tracks. It’ll be available on pink vinyl and bundled with goodies such as a vegan guitar strap and a Death By Audio effects pedal. You can pre-order here.