We’ve already told you about Herman Dune’s plans for a new album. Well, now you can here something from it as well!

The duo are giving away a single from the new LP completely for FREE, entitled ‘My Home Is Nowhere Without You’ and you can download it from here.

And check out the video for the track here…

The duo are then going on a short trip around the UK, calling in at:

December
13 - The Deaf Institute, Manchester
14 - Stereo, Glasgow
15 - Brudnell Social Club, Leeds
16 - Thekla, Bristol
17 - Scala, London

The Herman Dune brothers have announced a new album. To be called Next Year In Zion, songwriter and vocalist David-Ivar Herman Dune and drummer Neman Herman Dune have conjured up a dozen new songs for our delight.

Herman Dune habr expand the core duo to include their extended family of female backing vocalists The Babyskins, The John Natchez Bourbon Horn players (on loan from Beirut and Arcade Fire) and guitar virtuoso Dave Tattersall, (from TLOBF-faves The Wave Pictures).

“I’ve always loved knowing how records I love were made, I love watching footage of The Beatles recording, seeing pictures of Bob Dylan, Lou Reed or The Doors in a studio. I’ve always gathered facts about how Phil Spector, Ellie Greenwich, Carole King and Shadow Morton got those songs to sound that good. I went to visit Motown in Detroit, and used to carry a picture of Sam Phillips in my textbook when I was a kid. Trying producing records myself is like trying all those toys and tools I’ve seen in pictures. It’s a lot of fun….”

Marvellous… more details when we get them folks!

With the unfeasibly warm Spring that we’re having, it only seemed appropriate to be in the Shed on a Thursday night to see the sunshine twisted pop of Herman Düne. Before we were exposed to that, however, we were treated to the wonderful world of Mr. Turner Cody. Member of Düne’s touring band, he exposed us to a wonderfully whimsical and lyrical take on anti-folk. Recounting tales of love, loss and whiskey influenced dreams it starting off as a solo acoustic set, his angular guitar playing and twisting leg movements only augmented his American Civil War persona, resplendent in his blue blazer, brass buttons and unkempt beard. When joined by the rest of the Düne band for the latter half of his set, it might have lost some of its quirkiness, but the change in tempo was a welcome one and proof of a quietly confident and impressive singer songwriter.

A brief interlude later and we’re treated to a similarly executed set by Mr. David Düne. Looking like a Jewish Barry Gibb with his long flowing locks and beard, it begins with just him on electric guitar accompanied by the scene-stealing drummer on various pieces of percussion; Düne weaving his beautifully quirky songs of love. Taking his cues from the American west coast, the newer material is more uplifting and lighter, but that doesn’t stop him from executing some harsh, fuzzed up passages of darkness once joined by the full band. Current single “I Wish That I Could See You Soon”, a lush tale of a long-distance relationship, is out of the way early. The set not overly stacked with songs from the recent album, “Giant”, but the rollicking tale of “Bristol” and the aching beauty of“When the Water Gets Cold And Freezes In The Lake” are stripped back live but the arrangements sound full and fresh. The guitars and lyrics full on, the rhythm section weaving increasingly delicate lines through the songs. Whilst it sometimes drifts a little too close to jazz influenced soft-rock in places, it’s still a joy to behold with the band playing with smiles on their faces and obviously coming off the back of a very enjoyable tour. Düne a modern pied-piper, telling tales and casting a spell over the audience, including a spoken word fable of forbidden love that comes true.

As the set draws to a close, and Düne has finished it with some of his darker moments, he genuinely thanks the crowd for coming. In fact, he can’t seem to say enough to thank us and, as we leave the venue, there he is already, helping out and chatting to fans outside. You could almost believe that they’ve been mesmerised into following him out there and onto wherever he goes next.

Links
Turner Cody [myspace]
Herman Düne [official site] [myspace]
Picture courtesy of Jude Clarke [rhythm online]