Pitchfork: Ida Prep EP, Hit the Road

Taking their return to working together seriously, the members of Ida will end their collective four-year absence from the music scene not only with the album Heart Like A River, out today on Polyvinyl, but with an additional three-song EP, released on a smaller scale by Portland's Dark Beloved Cloud.

By "smaller scale" we mean, well, smaller in every way. The EP comes on 3-inch CD, the better with which to destroy your laptop's CD drive, my dear. It comes out March 1 and features these three songs:

01 Wait
02 Everything Is Everything
03 Threw It In A River

All psyched up to exchange your currency for Ida-related goods and services? Not so fast, bucko. Dark Beloved Cloud is only releasing Ida's EP as part of its singles club, and rather than selling club memberships, the label gives them away for free in return for your sending in hand-decorated three-inch cardboard squares, which are then sent back out into the world as the cover art for other people's EPs. We're breaking out the tempera paint and Exacto knives, but if you wish to acquire the EP more traditionally, Ida will have copies on its upcoming tour, whose dates were so nifty we might as well print them again:

02-25 Providence, RI - As 220
02-27 New York, NY - Tonic
03-01 Washington, DC - The Black Cat *
03-04 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church Sanctuary *
03-06 Raleigh, NC - Martin Street Music Hall #
03-07 Greensboro, NC - Gate City Noise (early show)
03-07 Asheville, NC - Wedge Gallery (late show) #
03-08 Atlanta, GA - Eyedrum #
03-09 St. Augustine, FL - Cafe Eleven #
03-10 Orlando, FL - The Social #
03-12 Tampa, FL - The Infinity Room (The Masquerade) #
03-15 Houston, TX - Walter's on Washington #
03-21 Phoenix, AZ - Modified Arts +
03-22 Tucson, AZ - Solar Cultural Gallery +
03-23 San Diego, CA - Che Cafe +
03-25 Los Angeles, CA - Echo +
03-26 San Francisco, CA - Bottom Of The Hill +
03-29 Eugene, OR - W.O.W. Hall
03-30 Portland, OR - The Meow Meow/Loveland (w/Xiu Xiu)
03-31 Olympia, WA - ABC House
04-01 Seattle, WA - Paradox
04-02 Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge +
04-03 Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern +