Pitchfork

Watching words on a screen, attempting to sing them as they flash by, and looking like ridiculous fool while doing so? Nothing so complicated about that. But toss Art Brut into the mix and, well, it's going to get a lot more ridiculous.

To get the kids talking about the June 19 (not June 26 as previously reported) Downtown Records/Mute release of It's a Bit Complicated, Art Brut will offer up their new tunes the night before-- minus one fairly crucial element: the witty declarations of charismatic lead vocalist Eddie Argos. Do you have what it takes to fill that man's very, very large shoes? On a Monday night, no less? Are you proficient at just talking-- to the kids??

That's right, it's Art Brut karaoke, going down June 18 at a Beauty Bar near you (that is, if you live in/near NYC, L.A., San Francisco, or Austin). New tunes from It's a Bit Complicated (and some old ones too, we hope) will be available for your butchering pleasure, and in true American spirit, there will be prizes for the best Eddie Argos doppelganger in each city.

If you prefer the real thing, however, you'll probably have to wait for fall, when Art Brut expect to announce a "secret tour" (thereby annulling its "secret" status). Until then, it's a bunch of overseas action, a summer NYC gig, a couple of U.S. fests in early autumn, and a July 11 appearance on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien".

Oh right, and the "Direct Hit" single drops UK-ways next week.

Karaoke dates:

06-18 New York, NY - Beauty Bar
06-18 Los Angeles, CA - Beauty Bar
06-18 San Francisco, CA - Beauty Bar
06-18 Austin, TX - Beauty Bar

Regular dates:

06-13 London, England - Astoria
06-14 Birmingham, England - Academy 2
06-15 Manchester, England - Academy 3
06-16 Glasgow, Scotland - Oran Mor
06-18 Leeds, England - Cockpit
06-20 Paris, France - Trabeno
06-23 Neuhausen, Germany - Southside Festival
06-24 Roeser, Luxembourg - Rock a Field Festival
06-30 La Roche-Sur-Yon, France - Microcosm Festival
07-09 New York, NY - Highline Ballroom *
07-15 Roseto degli Abruzzi, Italy - Soundlabs Festival
07-20 Carhaix, France - Vieilles Charrues Festival
07-21 Angoulême, France - Garden Nef Party
07-27 Valašské Meziříčí, Czech Republic - Hrachkova Festival
07-28 Sumène, France - Les Transcevenoles
07-31 Sédières, France - Sédières Festival
09-02 Seattle, WA - Bumbershoot Festival
09-15 Morrison, CO - Red Rocks (Monolith Festival)

* with White Rabbits