Harper's Jar - "home is a roach motel" | Premiere

Noted cow band Harper's Jar has been one of the Twin Cities' most revered and most mysterious bands of the last few years. Despite all the (deserved) attention, they still haven't released a full-length record. That is about to change.

Today, we're happy to (sort of) premiere the second single off the debut record from Harper's Jar. "home is a roach motel" keeps things mostly within their wheelhouse, but fortunately, that is one of the best wheelhouses known to man. In an interview with Radio K, the band said that this song is the one that they're most proud of, and it shows. While the overall palette may be similar, it subtly reinvents the expectations fans/listeners may have built up over years of relentless gig-attendance. It lives up to the more colorful, more flavorful sonic universe the band promised. This sounds like a song that will inspire the next generation of DIY punks to start their own bands and flourish in their own realms of noise. Listen below.

The band also put out a strange, elusive video for "home is a roach motel." Watch it below.

As mentioned above, "home is a roach motel" is the second single off of Harper's Jar's forthcoming album Thank You Ancestor Finger, out April 10, 2020. The record will be co-released by Heavy Meadow Records and Brace Cove Records. In a statement, the band said this about the album:

"Basically, "Thank You, Ancestor Finger" is a record of paying dues in sound. It’s a receipt: self checks-and-balances really, personal experience spun with nativity in innocence. A thank you and an introduction to further bridge building. Everyone is connected to one ancestor lighthouse or other — we just wanted to be open upright and honest about the family tree. Dilute smoke and mirrors how[ever] possible. We want to build in our image now. But everyone starts somewhere and it’s important [to] finish chapter one before starting anew."

The phenomenal pair of labels also had this to say about working with Harper's Jar:

"We're both trying to build community in the scene, and though we are two separate operations we are actually good friends in real life, so it only made sense to work together on a project. Harper's Jar has played a lot with bands from both labels, and watching them grow and build up to this great debut, I just really wanted all of us to work together and I'm excited it's working out."

Pre-orders for Thank You Ancestor Finger are available now through Heavy Meadow and Brace Cove. The album release show will be on Saturday, April 11 at Moon Palace Books. The lineup will be announced soon.

The band, along with Heart to Gold and Gramma, was also robbed early last week. Here is a link to donate to support the bands.