Pitchfork

Photo by Brian Vetter

Make way for six little indie rockers that could: Raleigh, North Carolina's promising Annuals have entered the majors, signing a joint deal with their current farm team home Ace Fu and big leaguer Canvasback, a label under the Sony/Columbia umbrella.

If the name Canvasback sounds familiar, it's also the home of Annuals' previously reported tourmates Manchester Orchestra (who are in fact an Atlanta Emo Rock Band). The pair's travels in tandem kick off September 26 in Manchester Orchestra's ATL hometown.

Annuals plan to share their sophomore full-length-- the follow-up to last year's Be He Me-- via Ace Fu/Canvasback in fall 2008. To tide us over, they'll soon unleash the digital only Frelen Mas EP, which collects Be He Me B-sides, including Annuals' take on "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot". This set is tentatively due in early November.

Finally, Annuals and Manchester Orchestra have tackled each other's songs for a special split 7" to be sold exclusively on the upcoming tour. Annuals do MO's "Where Have You Been", while Manchester Orchestra try their hand at Annuals' indie hit "Brother". Hear both right now over in Forkcast.

Frelen Mas EP:

01 Nah Keseyi
02 River Run
03 Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
04 Misty Coy
05 Sewn to Kites
06 Such a Mess
07 Ease My Mind
08 Frelen Mas

Annuals:

10-19 Reykjavik, Iceland - 12 Tónar Record Shop (in-store)
10-20 Reykjavik, Iceland - Iceland Airwaves
10-25 Málaga, Spain - AV Cervantes Festival
10-26 Atlanta, GA - Drunken Unicorn *#
10-27 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle *#
10-28 Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel *#
10-30 Philadelphia, PA - North Star Bar *#
10-31 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom *#
11-01 Boston, MA - Great Scott *#
11-02 Montreal, Quebec - Le Gymnase *#
11-03 Toronto, Ontario - Mod Club *#
11-05 Detroit, MI - Shelter *#
11-06 Chicago, IL - Subterranean *#
11-07 Minneapolis, MN - Varsity *#
11-10 Seattle, WA - Crocodile Cafe *#
11-11 Vancouver, British Columbia - Plaza Club *^
11-12 Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge *^
11-14 San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill *^
11-15 West Hollywood, CA - Troubadour *^
11-16 San Diego, CA - Epicentre *^
11-17 Tempe, AZ - The Clubhouse *^
11-18 Denver, CO - Hi-Dive *^
11-19 Lawrence, KS - The Bottleneck *^

* with Manchester Orchestra
# with the Never
^ with the New Frontiers