Herman Dune’s Sweet Thursday Celebrates Southern CA
Herman Dune’s first album in 7 years is a tribute to Southern California that will make you fall in love with the west coast all over again.
In stores May 17th!
David Ivar has spent most of their life on the road performing under pseudonym, “Herman Dune”. Dune hit the ground running – bringing antifolk to France at a time where no songs were performed in English and DIY scenes were virtually nonexistent. Beginning a career in Paris 1998, Dune toured obsessively with acts like Arcade Fire, Jolie Holland, Kimya Dawson, Of Montreal and many more – even opening for Wanda Jackson and Sleater Kinney.
In 2001 they started the MOFO festival, featuring acts like Daniel Johnston, The Silver Jews, Dinosaur JR. and The Moldy Peaches. After bringing the best of American Antifolk to Paris, Dune graduated from lo-fi label Shrimper (The Mountain Goats) and signed to UK Virgin Records in 2006. The next two albums would lead to non stop touring – playing 42 states in only 2 years.
In 2008, Funny Or Die produced the video for “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know”, featuring John Hamm and a puppet made by Jim Henson’s studio. Dune had already won European audiences over long ago thanks in part to an open welcome at major stations such as BBC1 and an impressive record for tracking 10 John Peel Sessions. The Funny Or Die release had finally broke them into American mainstream.
John Hamm, Herman Dune, Muppet and co. on set of “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know.”
This storm of events brings us to 2018 and their first record in 7 years. After all that running around, Herman Dune told me that in California they had finally found their “Cannery Row”. Settling in on Santa Cruz Street, for the first time in decades Dune has allowed themselves to remain stationary. “Sweet Thursday” named after the sequel to John Steinbeck’s legendary novel, Cannery Row – is a tribute to the American loafer.
“Sweet Thursday is the day between Lousy Wednesday and Waiting Friday.” -John Steinbeck
While most Dune albums in the past focused on the heartbreak and struggles of never ending road life, 2018’s “Sweet Thursday” is part story of prolific vagabond finally settling down and part landscape portrait. Teaming up with NYC’s Brett Sullivan of The American Anymen, Dune decided that telling you how much they loved their new home simply wasn’t enough – they would have to show you. The idea of a video campaign seemed natural and in only 2 weeks Sullivan and Dune filmed 9 music videos, one for each song on the album.
Herman Dune recently gave my podcast Unnecessary Robots an exclusive listen to songs, “Down By The Jackaranda” and “Wicked Love”. For the first time ever, Broke-ass Stuart is pleased to present the music video for the latter. Both song and video represent a true adoration for Southern California and share with us the feel of Dune’s new rejuvenating and calming life there.
After years of traveling the world, running from city to city as an immigrant on fire – we can all rest easy knowing, Herman Dune has finally found home.
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