Centro-matic – “Salty Disciple” (and farewell tour)

On the heels of Guided By Voices’ latest breakup comes word that Centro-matic, the Denton, Texas band led by prolific songwriter Will Johnson since 1995, is also going on a possibly-permanent hiatus.

Announcing the band’s final tour “for the indefinite and foreseeable future,” Johnson writes:

We’ve encountered some successes I wouldn’t have imagined when we started, and like just about any band, we’ve run across some unforgettable setbacks. One thing we’ve fortunately avoided over the years is the presence of any notable drama. A couple of folks have even joked that the absence of drama in Centro-matic might contribute to the fact that our profile isn’t bigger; that a good deal of today’s consumer culture might feed off a little pot-stirring. Never been for us to say.

Centro-matic always did fly under the radar. They play a singular blend of growling rootsy/psychedelic/introspective music that sounds like a group of artists working very much on their own terms.

The band almost never toured as far as the west coast; I was lucky enough to cross paths with them in St. Petersburg, Florida in 2006, where on a muggy night on the patio of a crowded bar they played one of the better rock shows I’ve ever seen. Afterward, drummer Matt Pence listened very politely while I drunkenly prattled on about how his band had blown my mind.

Johnson, for his part, is known for embarking on solo “Living Room Tours” for audiences not much larger than a basketball team.

Centro-matic’s most recent release is Take Pride in Your Long Odds, from earlier this year.

Catch the band while you still can:

Dec 04 Nashville, TN Mercy Lounge
Dec 05 Athens, GA Georgia Theater
Dec 06 Raleigh, NC Kings Barcade
Dec 07 Washington, DC DC9
Dec 09 Philadelphia, PA Boot & Saddle
Dec 11 Brooklyn, NY Rough Trade
Dec 12 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Dec 13 Allston, MA Great Scott
Dec 14 Buffalo, NY Sportmen’s Tavern
Dec 15 Chicago, IL Schubas Tavern
Dec 16 St Louis, MO Off Broadway
Dec 18 Austin, TX The Parish
Dec 19 Denton, TX Dan’s Silverleaf
Dec 20 Denton, TX Dan’s Silverleaf