Pitchfork

Photo by Rebecca Brown

You would think, in these tough economic times, record labels would be taking every precaution not to bring death upon themselves. But not those devil-may-care sorts at Sub Pop, who've probably weathered worse storms than this one anyway. Now they've signed on Brooklyn's Obits, the newish project of Rick Froberg of Hot Snakes/Drive Like Jehu fame (those who caught July's SP20 fest probably saw this one coming).

Sub Pop will release the band's debut album, I Blame You, on March 24. It follows Obits' debut single "One Cross Apiece"/Put It in Writing", which arrived this week via the band's own Stint Records.

Obits are on the road right now with Constantines, and have a trio of dates coming up with Froberg's old pal John Reis and his Night Marchers. And like a few bands out there, they plan to head down to Austin come March for SXSW, where they'll play Sub Pop's showcase alongside Handsome Furs and fellow new signings Vetiver.

I Blame You:

01 Widow of My Dreams
02 Pine On
03 Fake Kinkade
04 Two-Headed Coin
05 Run
06 I Blame You
07 Talking to the Dog
08 Light Sweet Crude
09 Lilies in the Street
10 SUD
11 Milk Cow Blues
12 Back and Forth

Obits:

12-12 Columbus, OH - The Summit *
12-13 Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle *
12-14 Pontiac, MI - Pike Room *
12-15 Cleveland Heights, OH - Grog Shop
12-16 Philadelphia, PA - The Khyber ^
12-17 New York, NY - Santos Party House ^
12-18 Boston, MA - Harpers Ferry ^
03-18-22 Austin, TX - SXSW

* with Constantines
^ with the Night Marchers