Pitchfork

[Posted Monday, November 3rd, 2003 04:00:00 Pitchfork Central Time]

Now that Dave Pajo is no longer spending his time recording guitar licks for Zwan that kewpie Corgan will probably just overdub anyway, he apparently has time to focus on his own Papa M project, of which I bring you many a glad tiding.

Pajo is something of a musical shape-shifter. He practically invented post-rock with Slint. He spent some time in Tortoise, making music that was so uppity and smart that even though it got picked on in the schoolyard, you just know it's going to grow up to clock major loot and pull the hottest chicks. He explored abstruse instrumentals as M and Aerial M, burned his Indie Cred Membership Card to work out his radio-rock fetish with Zwan, and continues to record subtle, arid electro-folk as Papa M. As noted by Billboard, Pajo is currently on tour through Europe, accompanied by fellow ex-Zwanista Paz Lenchantin. Pajo and Lenchantin will be showcasing songs they've written together for an upcoming Papa M album, which Pajo told Billboard are "a weird mixture of Papa M's recent folksy, vocal recordings, and his former instrumental style." Batten down the hatches, here come the tour dates:

11-04 Copenhagen, Denmark - Loppen
11-05 Arhus, Denmark - Vox Hall
11-06 Malmo, Sweden - KB
11-07 Goteborg, Sweden - Playground
11-10 Stockholm, Sweden - Sodra Teatern
11-11 Helsinki, Finland - Tavastia
11-13 Oslo, Norway - Bla
11-14 Bergen, Norway - Sardinen
11-15 Stavanger, Norway - Checkpoint Charlie

Drag City reports that November 4th will see the release of the fourth single in Pajo's Audio Tour Diaries series. The series of singles will carry through at least six (and as many as ten!) installments; this, the fourth, is appropriately titled Four. Man, I haven't seen that many singles since (a) my fourth grade field trip to the U.S. Mint or (b) happy hour at a hotel bar (choose your own bad joke in our new interactive format). The tracklist:

01 Long May You Burn
02 Red Curtains
03 Local Boy Makes Good

According to Drag City, early 2004 will see the release of a compilation of Pajo singles that pre-date the Audio Tour Diaries series. Drag City cannot yet confirm the tracklist for the early 2004 comp, but promises that it will include all the Papa M and Aerial M singles. Of course, Pajo has a wealth of non-Audio Tour Diaries singles to draw from, including the Songs of Mac single, the Three Songs EP, "Mama You Been on My Mind" (from a split single with Unhome), "Blue Black Holler" (from an Aerial M split with Azusa Plane), and so much more. Watch this column for an official tracklist and release date when they become available.

Later, or "very much in the future" to quote directly, some material from the Audio Tour Diaries will be assembled in a separate anthology. Mercy, I need an Advil.