Murder by Death

  • Bloomington, IN
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  • Rock
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  • 2000
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About Murder by Death


Indiana-based Murder by Death first caught the attention of Thursday's Geoff Rickly while playing a gig together one night in their hometown of Bloomington, Indiana. Rickly promptly brought the band, then called Little Joe Gould, to the attention of his friend Alex Saavedra (Eyeball Records owner), and the group was signed immediately. The band was comprised of vocalist/guitarist Adam Turla, drummer Alex Schrodt, bassist Matt Armstrong, cellist Sarah Balliet, and pianist Vincent Edwards. They issued a 2001 self-titled EP as Little Joe Gould before the band eventually decided to change its name to Murder by Death, taken from the 1976 Robert Moore mystery of the same name. The bandmembers felt the new name better represented their ominous sound, which combined elements of artists like Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Johnny Cash, and the Decemberists.

Their first full-length, Like the Exorcist But More Breakdancing, was released on Eyeball in August 2002. Touring early on with bands like Cursive, Interpol, and the American Analog Set, the band did a summer 2003 split with Volta Do Mar before following up that fall with the well-received Who Will Survive and What Will Be Left of Them? The record was something of a concept album based around the Devil waging war on a small Western town. A benefit 7" appeared at the year's end in memory of Ten Grand's Matt Davis, and the band continued to turn heads nationwide on tours with the likes of Lucero, the Weakerthans, William Elliott Whitmore, and Rasputina.

Edwards amicably parted ways with the group in mid-2004 to go back to school, and when his touring replacement also left by the year's end, the remaining members of Murder by Death decided to just carry on as a more rock-oriented quartet. Balliet, though, picked up keyboard parts along with her cello. After extensive touring, the bandmembers went back to college for a bit while writing their third album. Murder by Death eventually issued In Bocca al Lupo on their East West imprint, Tent Show Records, in May 2006. Another concept album, this one was produced by J. Robbins (Against Me!, Dismemberment Plan), and explored themes of sin and redemption, somewhat inspired by Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy. Touring continued through the summer, including a headlining stint with Langhorne Slim opening.

In March 2008, Murder by Death released Red of Tooth and Claw on Vagrant Records. The band followed up again in 2010 with its fifth studio album, Good Morning, Magpie. Two years later Murder by Death returned with Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon, which found the band taking part in a crowd-sourcing campaign through Kickstarter for the vinyl release of the album. The campaign would find them becoming the third highest-earning band since the site launched. ~ Corey Apar, Rovi

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Music

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  • Sometimes the Line Walks You
    murder-by-death
    Video
    Sometimes the Line Walks You
  • 6487993
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    • Lost River
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g2/9/7/9/0/3/933530979.mp3
    • No Oath, No Spell
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g2/7/3/6/0/3/933530637.mp3
    • Ghost Fields
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g2/9/2/5/0/3/933530529.mp3
    • I Came Around
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g2/5/7/9/0/3/933530975.mp3
    • King Of The Gutters, Prince Of The Dogs
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/6/8/1/9/8/979989186.mp3
    • Steam Rising
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/5/7/5/0/7/115170575.mp3

Photos

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  • Murder by Death
    Courtesy of East/West Records
  • Tent Show
    Murder by Death
    Tent Show

News

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  • Murder by Death
    Titan Comics' 'Death Sentence' #2 Sneak Peek [EXCLUSIVE]
    MTV Geek
    June 19, 2013
    by Alison Mayer The clock is ticking for three super-powered Londoners in Titan Comics' new 'Death Sentence' series , and we've got your exclusive ...
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  • Murder by Death
    The Builders and the Butchers Tour With Murder By Death
    Paste
    Paste Band of the Week alums The Builders and the Butchers will hit the road with Murder By Death in the new year. The band has a new album on the way...
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  • Murder by Death
    Ex-Okkervil River Member Joins Murder By Death
    Paste
    gun for them," Brackett said in a statement. "And we really hit it off; it would have been a shame to leave it at that. So when they offered me a spot...
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  • Murder by Death
    Murder By Death Signs to Bloodshot Records
    Paste
    Bloodshot Records, home to Justin Townes Earle, and having launched the careers of Ryan Adams and Neko Case, announced today that they have signed ind...
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  • Murder by Death
    Murder By Death: Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon
    American Songwriter
    Murder By Death Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon (Bloodshot) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars On the surface, Murder By Death operates most like a punk band. Their s...
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  • Murder by Death
    Man Man, Murder By Death, Samantha Crain @ Music Hall Of Williamsb | Prefix
    www.prefixmag.com
    Tweet Photo gallery of Man Man, Murder By Death and Samantha Crain at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn (February 28, 2013)Previous · Next Man M...
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Tour Dates

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  • Jul 6 Saturday
    Silverado, CA, US Oak Canyon Ranch
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  • Aug 10 Saturday
    St Louis, MO, US Off Broadway
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  • Aug 23 Friday
    Minneapolis, MN, US Fine Line Music Cafe
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  • Aug 25 Sunday
    Fargo, ND, US House of Rock Fargo
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  • Aug 27 Tuesday
    Billings, MT, US Railyard Ale House
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  • Aug 28 Wednesday
    Missoula, MT, US Top Hat
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  • Aug 29 Thursday
    Lethbridge, AB, Canada The Slice
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  • Aug 30 Friday
    Edmonton, AB, Canada Starlite Room
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  • Aug 31 Saturday
    Calgary, AB, Canada Republik
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  • Sep 2 Monday
    Vancouver, BC, Canada The Electric Owl
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  • Sep 3 Tuesday
    Portland, OR, US Unknown venue
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  • Sep 3 Tuesday
    Seattle, WA, US The Crocodile
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  • Sep 6 Friday
    San Francisco, CA, US The Independent
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  • Sep 7 Saturday
    San Diego, CA, US The Casbah
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  • Sep 9 Monday
    Phoenix, AZ, US The Crescent Ballroom
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  • Sep 10 Tuesday
    Albuquerque, NM, US Launchpad
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  • Sep 12 Thursday
    Salt Lake City, UT, US Bar Deluxe
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  • Sep 13 Friday
    Denver, CO, US Bluebird Theater
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  • Sep 14 Saturday
    Kansas City, MO, US The Record Bar
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  • Sep 17 Tuesday
    Tulsa, OK, US The Vanguard
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  • Sep 20 Friday
    Dallas, TX, US Sons of Hermann Hall
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  • Sep 21 Saturday
    Houston, TX, US Fitzgerald's
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  • Sep 22 Sunday
    New Orleans, LA, US One Eyed Jacks
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  • Sep 25 Wednesday
    Carbondale, IL, US Hangar 9
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  • Sep 26 Thursday
    Urbana, IL, US Canopy Club
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  • Sep 29 Sunday
    Chicago, IL, US Reggie's Rock Club
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Discography

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  • Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon (2012)
    Murder by Death
    Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon (2012)
    Bloodshot Records
  • Good Morning, Magpie (2010)
    Murder by Death
    Good Morning, Magpie (2010)
    Vagrant
  • Finch (2009)
    Murder by Death
    Finch (2009)
    Tent Show
  • Red of Tooth and Claw (2008)
    Murder by Death
    Red of Tooth and Claw (2008)
    Vagrant
  • Boy Decide (2006)
    Murder by Death
    Boy Decide (2006)
    Cooking Vinyl Records
  • In Bocca al Lupo (2006)
    Murder by Death
    In Bocca al Lupo (2006)
    Tent Show
  • Who Will Survive and What Will Be Left of Them? (2003)
    Murder by Death
    Who Will Survive and What Will Be Left of Them? (2003)
    Eyeball Records
  • Like the Exorcist, But More Breakdancing (2002)
    Murder by Death
    Like the Exorcist, But More Breakdancing (2002)
    Eyeball Records
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