Pitchfork: The Robot Ate Me Preps New LP, Tours

Another year, another The Robot Ate Me album. In 2003, it was They Ate Themselves. 2004 brought On Vacation. Last year, Carousel Waltz. And on June 6, our poverty-entrenched, war-ridden globe will receive Good World. The album will be released on CD on Kill Rock Stars sister label 5RC, with the vinyl handled by Swim Slowly Records.

As the one-man power act behind The Robot Ate Me, Ryland Bouchard recorded the album alone in a cold, cold firehouse (which is perhaps why the album clocks in under 23 minutes). But he does get some company from David Greenberg (who recorded drums on previous albums) and Thomas Bartlett (aka Doveman) on a few tracks.

What to expect from an album that apparently features a thrift store clarinet, an 80s drum machine and synth, and an out-of-tune 1800s piano? According to Bouchard, the listener will encounter "mythical characters like Djien (a monster spider the size of a man whose heart is buried in the ground causing it to survive the most critical attacks), the Stone Giants (who are invulnerable except on the soles of their feet) and She Owl (the wife of Bloody Knife)." Add some closeted hobbits and you've got Lord of the Rings. Moving on...

Bouchard also says, "Songs become puzzle pieces as parts of a much larger narrative that is alluded to but ultimately left up to the listener's imagination. Although not the accessible pop album that last year's Carousel Waltz was, Good World is an album that puts faith in a listener's imagination, embraces the surreal, and explores the vibrant curiosity of the human spirit." Right.

Good tracklisting:

01 The Hunter #1
02 The Hunter #2
03 Djien
04 Stone Giants
05 Sin Like Holy Men
06 She Owl #1
07 She Owl #2
08 She Owl #3
09 A Pillow
10 Bloody Knife #1
11 Bloody Knife #2
12 Bloody Knife #3
13 Celebration Time
14 Good World #1
15 Good World #2
16 Warrior #1
17 Warrior #2

Bouchard is a busy fuckin' bee, as this week, the Robot will also kick off the Good World tour, leading up to the release of the album. More confirmed dates are on the way, but if you don't see your city on the list, e-mail Ryland (hello@therobotateme.com) and maybe he'll play in your living room.

Robot on Vacation:

04-14 Bellingham, WA - Western Washington University
04-15 Portland, OR - Lewis and Clark College
04-30 Moscow, ID - TBA
05-01 Missoula, MT - Higgins Alley
05-02 Pierre, SD - The Oahe Inc. Conference Room
05-04 Chicago, IL - Beat Kitchen *
05-05 Traverse City, MI - American Legion Hall
05-06 Madison, WI - University of Wisconsin *
05-07 Northfield, MN - Carleton College
05-08 Lexington, KY - Underlying Themes
05-09 Nashville, TN - Grimey's (in-store)
05-09 Nashville, TN - 310 Chestnut
s 05-10 Fort Wayne, IN - Convolution Records
05-11 Bloomington, IN - TBA
05-12 Kansas City, MO - The Pistol
05-13 Grinnell, IA - Grinnell College
05-14 Lawrence, KS - The Replay
05-15 Omaha, NE - Sokol Underground
05-16 Des Moines, IA - Vaudeville Mews
05-17 Wichita, KS - TBA
05-18 Denver, CO - Hi-Dive
05-19 Phoenix, AZ - Hunt's Hideaway
05-20 Las Vegas, NV - Aaron's House, 222 Basic Road
05-22 San Diego, CA - Che Caf� <br> 05-23 Los Angeles, CA - Knitting Factory
05-24 San Francisco, CA - TBA
05-25 Davis, CA - Delta of Venus
05-26 Portland, OR - Artistery
05-27 Olympia, WA - TBA