Pioneering New York City indie rock band The Van Pelt has released “Grid,” the final pre-release single ahead of its long-awaited fourth studio full-length, ‘Artisans & Merchants,’ set for release on March 17 via Spartan Records in North America, La Castanya in Europe/World and Gringo in the UK.
The Van Pelt stands among a select few of the most revered second-wave emo / indie bands of all time including their peers in The Promise Ring, Mineral, Christie Front Drive, Boys Life, Braid, Karate, and Rainer Maria.
The band’s first studio recording in over 25 years, was recorded and mixed in Summer / Fall 2021 by Jeff Zeigler (The War On Drugs, Kurt Vile) at Uniform Recording in Philadelphia, PA, and features guest appearances by Nate Kinsella and Ted Leo among others.
The Van Pelt will play a series of UK, EU and Brooklyn shows in March and April. See dates below.
Pre-order ‘Artisans & Merchants’ in the Spartan Records store.
“”Finds the band’s Slint-like mix of post-rock, post-hardcore, and spoken word in fine form. It sounds like it could be stripped straight from the band’s classic ’90s era, and it sounds fresh today too.”- Brooklynvegan
“The lines between post-hardcore, indie rock, and emo blurred on the two mid-’90s full-lengths from the Van Pelt.”- Pitchfork
“New York City’s The Van Pelt are an influential, but too often overlooked indie rock band — cult favorites for many an emo-inclined crate digger.” – Consequence
“…should be mentioned a lot more than they are when you talk about the history of emo.”- Washed Up Emo
Upcoming Shows:
3/16 – Leeds, UK @ Warf Chambers
3/17 – Nottingham, UK @ The Old Cold Store
3/18 – London, UK @ The Garage
3/19 – Antwerp, BEL @ Trix
4/23 – Brooklyn, NY @ St. Vitus
More than two decades later, The Van Pelt has returned to explore what was left behind with a new collection of songs, ‘Artisans & Merchants.’ This is not a reunion album. This is vindication.
For lovers of The Van Pelt, listening to ‘Artisans & Merchants‘ is like hearing the voice of a dear friend you haven’t seen in years — a friend you used to share countless beers with over banter that went nowhere other than delivering a solid night. Your friend is older, they’ve changed. In some ways you’re worried for them, looks like they might be teetering on the brink of something. In other ways, it’s the same old them, a nugget of a soul too unique to ever be altered. It’s for those unfamiliar with The Van Pelt though for whom we should be truly jealous.
This is a stand-alone album, incredible vital songwriting in and of itself regardless of the long history this band has. The climax of the single “Image of Health” perhaps describes the beautiful desperation best: “And you never felt more alive / Than when the priest came to read you your rites!”
