Pitchfork

Sub Pop class of 2006, meet the new freshmen: puberty-voiced folk crooner Death Vessel and sunny, foreign exchange stud(ent) Loney, Dear. The two join the ranks of ace pupils the Shins, Band of Horses, the Thermals, CSS, Low, Comets on Fire, Oxford Collapse, and more as the latest two acts to matriculate at the plasma-hot Seattle imprint's University of Rocking U.

Death Vessel features Joel Thibodeau and a rotating cast of players, and if you've heard anything about the man, you've heard he sings in a pretty ridiculously high voice. More importantly, he writes solid folk tunes, haunting ones even, including those showcased on last year's sleeper hit Stay Close (North East Indie Records). The dude has toured with Low, Iron & Wine, and the Books, and hits the road again this month with acoustic heartwarmer José González. Expect his Sub Pop debut to arrive, tentatively, early next year.

The curiously named, intentionally comma'd Loney, Dear (real name Emil Svanängen), meanwhile, hails from Jönköping, Sweden (also home to twee superstars of the moment I'm From Barcelona). Dude's been quite the darling of all the Swedepop blogs in recent months. Yes, there are Swedepop blogs. Folks seem particularly keen on his latest, Sologne. Loney will soon tour the UK and eventually make his way Stateside just in time for CMJ.

Loney, Dear will release his Sub Pop debut, Loney, Noir, on February 6. That's a mere five months away, kiddos, and chances are his cheery, lo-fi orchestrations will be most welcome during that soul-numbingly frigid time of year (in Chicago, anyhow).

As if that weren't enough, Sub Pop's Rocking U also welcomes part time student and Seattle-based singer-songwriter Jesy Fortino, superhero name Tiny Vipers, who will release an EP via the label in the near future.

Dates with Death:

09-20 Charlottesville, VA - Starr Hill Music Hall *
09-21 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle *
09-22 Asheville, NC - Orange Peel *
09-23 Atlanta, GA - The Earl *
09-24 Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theater *
09-25 Birmingham, AL - Bottletree *
09-26 New Orleans, LA - House of Blues *
09-29 San Antonio, TX - Limelight *
09-30 Dallas, TX - Gypsy Tea Room *
10-02 Tucson, AZ - Plush *
10-03 Tempe, AZ - Clubhouse Music Venue *
10-04 San Diego, CA - The Casbah *
10-05 Los Angeles, CA - Vista Theater *
10-13 Rochester, NY - German House *
10-14 Pittsburgh, PA - Artist Image Resource
11-04 Brooklyn, NY - Northsix

* with José González

Dates with Dear:

09-23 Nottingham, England - Liars Club at Stealth
09-24 Liverpool, England - Bar Academy
09-25 London, England - Dingwalls
09-26 Bristol, England - Louisiana
09-27 Brighton, England - Sumo
09-28 Derby, England - Derby First Floor Club
09-29 York, England - Fibbers
09-30 Glasgow, Scotland - ABC2
10-02 London, England - Vice Pub
10-03 London, England - Dublin Castle
10-28 Helsinki, Finland - Tavasti
11-02 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
11-03 New York, NY - TBA