LVL UP is ready to take the next step in their indie rock journey. After releasing two fairly DIY records since forming in 2011, the band has moved to Sub Pop records to release their third album Return to Love. In the lead up to the album release, the band has dropped the video for “The Closing Door” via NPR.
“The Closing Door” is a strong choice to be singled out for a video, as it is indicative of the sound of Return to Love, hewing to a deeply melodic structure that’s spiked with stretches of fuzzed out guitar noise. The video was directed by Robert Kolodny and follows the path of a boy exploring a wood.
If that whets your appetite, you can also stream the entire Return to Love album below before its release on Friday. Fans of ‘90s-style lo-fi indie guitar rock will probably be pleased with what LVL UP has to offer on their new album. In particular, it calls to mind the prolific output of Built to Spill, and if a guitar-focused indie rock band is garnering comparisons to Built to Spill, that’s about as high of praise as they can get.
The band is also on tour through the fall, including some dates with Bear vs. Shark and Alex G. Check out the full dates below.
Tour Dates:
9/22 Burlington, VT @ Arts Riot ~
9/23 Durham, NH @ University of New Hampshire
9/24 New York, NY @ Market Hotel %
9/25 Philadelphia, PA @ PhilaMOCA
9/28 New Haven, CT @ Bar
9/29 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom ^
9/30 Kingston, NY @ BSP Kingston
10/11 Minneapolis, MN @ Dagger
10/14 Missoula, MT @ Palace Lounge
10/15 Boise, ID @ Neurolux
10/16 Olympia, WA @ Track House
10/17 Seattle, WA @ The Black Lodge
10/18 Portland, OR @ Analog Cafe
10/20 San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill ^
10/21 San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill ^
10/22 Pomona, CA @ VLHS
10/23 Los Angeles, CA @ The Echoplex ^
10/24 Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge
10/26 Denver, CO @ Hi Dive
10/28 Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop
10/29 Gambier, OH @ Kenyon College
10/30 Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar *
11/1 Nashville, TN @ The High Watt *
11/2 Birmingham @ The Syndicate Lounge *
11/3 New Orleans, LA @ Siberia *
11/4 Austin, TX @ TBA
11/5 San Antonio, TX @ The Paper Tiger
11/6 Dallas, TX @ Three Links *
11/8 Kansas City @ Davey’s Upstairs *
11/9 Omaha, NE @ Milk Run *
11/10 Madison, WI @ The Frequency *
11/11 Chicago, IL @ Subterranean *
11/12 Lansing, MI @ The Blind Pig *
~ w/ Eskimeaux
% Record Release Show w/ Ovlov, Forth Wanderers and Vagabon
^ w/ Bear Vs Shark
* w/ Alex G and Brandon Can’t Dance
