ORCA TEAM

This is has to be one of the thinnest weeks this year for new releases by so-called ‘big’ named artists, with the exception of Silver Jews and Fiona Apple. In fact, Apple released her first album in seven years this week. Plus, listen to notable singles from new releases by Orca Team, Glen Hansard, White Arrow, Hard Drugs, Zulu Winter, Sam Densmore, Fiona Apple, Blues Control, Can, Efren, and others. - Indie Rock Cafe

FRIDAY

Orca Team @ The Smell. While Seattle-bred, Orca Team shouldn't have any problem winning over fans in SoCal. After all, overriding all Orca Team touches is a surf rock bent. But this trio isn't a band of beach party revivalists. The tone is more rusty garage than sandy vista, as Orca Team is punk rock stripped of almost all outerwear. Guitars are wire-mesh-thin, trailing the awkwardly youthful urgency of Leif Anders down multiple detours, be it a muted drum break or high-pitched, finger-scraped guitar lines. Break-ups, hook-ups, dead-end jobs and car drives to Vancouver, British Columbia, in which the band makes a point to skip its home city ("it ain't that great") are all tackled with exuberant charm. The Smell, 247 S. Main St., Los Angeles. Admission is $5. -- Todd Martens - LA Times

"Ocean Ghost” is the first single from ORCA TEAM’s forthcoming Restraint. Like it’s name might imply, the song is somehow simultaneously haunting, yet beachy – a brisk two-and-a-half minutes of dark surf-pop.

The song’s video, directed by frontman Leif Anders, follows the band as they don goth paint and levitate about town in stop-motion fashion.

Restraint is due June 14th on HHBTM. Watch the video for “Ocean Ghost” below. - SSG Music

Orca Team is a band out of Seattle, Washington and they are friends of ours. Some of you may be getting ready to say something like "UGH!!!! It's unethical to write about your friends' bands!" But guess what? We don't give a shit. This is a good band, and this is a great video, and they deserve it more than most shitty bands getting press these days, so go bite your pillow.

Orca Team has a new album called Restraint, and they're also touring. Here's where you can see them:

6/18: Rapid City, SD - Romans with Mystery Pills and Hayden Wheeler
6/19: Fargo, ND - The New Direction (6:00pm) with B Side Bastards, The Ska Skank Redemption, and The Midwest Coast
6/20: St. Paul, MN - Turf Club with Nice Purse, The Miami Dolphins, and Hollow Boys
6/21: Milwaukee, WI - Quarters Rock N Roll Palace with Cray Cray, The Olives, and The Midwest Beat
6/22: Chicago, IL - Saki Records with Twin Peaks (4:00pm)
6/22: Chicago, IL - The Burlington with Summer Girlfriends (Record Release!) and Blizzard Babies
6/22: Chicago, IL - Hostel Earphoria with Twin Peaks, Cray Cray, and Sleepovers
6/23: Detroit, MI - Lincoln Park Sculpture Garden with The Botanical Fortresstra
6/24: Cleveland, OH - Now That's Class with Afternoon Naps and Summerays
6/25: Jamestown, NY - Labyrinth Press with Jaggery
6/26: Buffalo, NY - Filigrees Gallery and Boutique with Myron & The ID, Odiorne, and Great White Plains
6/27: Easthampton, MA - Flywheel Arts with Speak!, Home Body, and Alto Jeffro
6/28: Portland, ME - Bayside Bowl with Flipsides
6/29: Providence, RI - The Funky Jungle with R.S.O., Secret Lover, and Ravi Shavi
6/30: Cambridge, MA - Lorem Ip Sum Books with Orca Orca and Girlfriends/Bent Shapes
7/01: Brooklyn, NY - The Cameo Gallery with The Numerators and Treasure Mammal

By VICE Staff - VICE

Looking more than a little like Joy Division, black-clad Seattlites Orca Team played Knitting Factory on Friday night (5/18) as part of NYC Popfest and were one of the highlights of the weekend for me. Though his resemblance to Ian Curtis was unmistakable, singer/bassist Leif Anders laid down a serious groove with his instrument (played high Beatles style) and never stopped dancing the whole set. Orca Team were crazy tight and a lot of fun.
If you missed their terrific Popfest set a couple weeks ago, Seattle's Orca Team are spending the bulk of Summer 2012 on the road, hitting most spots in the U.S., including two stops in NYC: Cameo on July 1 and Cake Shop on July 18. In between those two NYC dates, the band will fly to Europe for a few dates surrounding the Indietracks Festival which happends July 6 - 8 in Derbyshire, UK. All upcoming Orca Team tour dates are listed below.
Look for Orca Team's new album, Restraint, to be out June 14 on the fine Happy Birthday to Me label. In the meantime, you can watch video of Orca Team's Popfest performance below as well as their video for "Too Busy to Love Me." - Brooklyn Vegan