We don't get enough events in the world of jittery DIY indie rock, but here's one! Toronto rockers Kiwi Jr. released Chopper, their most recent album, in 2022. Last year, they followed it with the one-off single "Hard Drive, Ontario." Today, the band announces plans for a new album called Blowin' Up. It's coming this summer, and it's got guest appearances from a whole mess of the band's peers, as well as an extremely catchy title track that's out today.
Kiwi Jr. recorded Blowin' Up in Detroit, with Holy Fuck's Graham Walsh on production. The album includes appearances from Detroit rockers Stef Chura, Fred Thomas, and Protomartyr's Joe Casey and Greg Ahee, as well as buddies like Alvvays' Kerri Maclellan and En Attendant Ana's Margaux Bouchaudon. Fred Thomas helped mix the record, too. "Hard Drive, Ontario" is on the album, and so is the nervous anthem "Blowin' Up."
How do you feel about the Feelies? The Modern Lovers? Parquet Courts? You like all those bands, right? We all like all those bands. Otherwise, what the fuck are we doing here, reading blog posts about Kiwi Jr.? If you like those bands, then you will also find a lot to like about "Blowin' Up." This is a fun song. Below, check out the Ben Rayner-directed video, along with the associated album tracklist and Kiwi Jr.'s upcoming tour dates.
TRACKLIST:
01 "Photos Of The Reenactment"
02 "Blowin' Up"
03 "Hard Drive, Ontario"
04 "Pure Michigan"
05 "New Jade Rabbit"
06 "Stage Names"
07 "Caught In The Wild"
08 "Painting After Painting"
09 "World Like Polly"
10 "Landscape With Limousine"
TOUR DATES:
6/06 - St Johns, NL @ Lawnya Vanya Festival
6/07 - Toronto, ON @ Do West Fest
11/06 - London, UK @ TBA
11/07 - Leeds, UK @ Hyde Park Book Club
11/08 - Brighton, UK @ Hope & Ruin
11/09 - Brussels, Belgium @ Botanique Rotunde
11/10 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
11/11 - Rotterdam, Netherlands @ Rotown
11/12 - Paris, France @ Hasard Ludique
Blowin' Up is out 8/14 on K Records/Perennial/Kiwi Club.
