Bishop Allen’s new album Grrr… comes out in March, but I’ve got two songs off it for your advance enjoyment. I have to confess that they’re not my two favorites from the record, but they’re a good place to start.

MP3: Bishop Allen – The Ancient Commonsense of Things
MP3: Bishop Allen – Dimmer
The real key to loving Grrr… is to focus on the lyrics like there’s going to be a test on them later. The Broken String was a fun pop album, but this one requires more brain activity than any of their prior works. After listening to it once through in such an attentive state, I found songs like “The Ancient Commonsense of Things” sublimely beautiful. Similarly “Dimmer” actually turned me off in the beginning, but had a lot to offer once unfolded. Once it hits the second verse, they start throwing out lines that are as visual as anything they’ve done in years. So yes, the hard truth is that this album (and these songs) aren’t likely to be an immediate grabber; but Bishop Allen fans that have been devotees for more than a few months are likely to find themselves revisiting this record far more than the last.

People who have already downloaded the album are particularly advised to spend some time with “Oklahoma” and “True or False” — I honestly believe those two are the key to the entire record.

Preorder Grr… for $12

Bishop Allen Tour Dates
03/10/09 New York City, NY – Other Music (Free In-Store)
03/12/09 Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church
03/13/09 Washington, DC – Black Cat
03/14/09 Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506
03/15/09 Asheville, NC – The Rocket Club
03/16/09 Memphis, TN – Hi Tone Cafe
03/17/09 Little Rock, AR – Sticky Fingerz Chicken Shack
03/18/09 Dallas, TX – House of Blues – The Pontiac Garage
03/19/09 Austin, TX – SXSW
03/20/09 Austin, TX – SXSW
03/23/09 West Hollywood, CA – The Troubadour
03/24/09 San Francisco, CA – The Rickshaw Shop
03/26/09 Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
03/27/09 Provo, UT – Velour
03/28/09 Denver, CO – Hi Dive
03/29/09 Lawrence, KS – Jackpot Saloon
03/31/09 Chicago, IL – Subterranean
04/02/09 Northhampton, MA – Iron Horse
04/03/09 Cambridge, MA – Middle East
04/04/09 Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
04/05/09 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom