Austra shares ‘Forgive Me’ as new single

Austra posted this week on Soundcloud that “Forgive Me” is the second single from their sophomore album Olympia. But even better is that the single’s release will feature a three-track bundle with two new songs. The Nov. 25 release will feature “Hopeless Place” and “Holy Place.”

The band also mentions that they will be continuing their tour in the U.K. during November with the following dates:

21st November: Glasgow – CCA
22nd November: Dublin, Ireland – Button Factory
23rd November: Manchester – Deaf Institute
25th November: London – KOKO

Listen to “Forgive Me” after the jump.

REVIEW: Austra at Trees in Dallas

Strangely, I got what I expected from last night’s Austra show in Dallas — this is not a bad thing. Just like the band’s music, they delivered a solid and sleek set without ever wasting an iota of time or energy on anything unnecessary. No overuse of banter, but just enough. No posturing, but lead singer Katie Stelmanis showed off her rock moves so that we never forgot they are awesome and no fluff in their delivery of a dozen songs that played out like an epic show. Austra kicked ass, but in all the proper ways.

With paper lamps and an abundance of lights on a fairly small stage, Austra filled the dais with spirited playing and Stelmanis’ powerful and ethereal vocals. When the band delivered “Lose It,” Stelmanis hit her xylophone of vocal notes with the same precision heard on the band’s debut Feel It Break. They gave proper attention to Break and their sophomore release Olympia and devout fans soaked it all in with whatever the chill version of slam dancing might be called along with arms raised and entranced stares.

As she did speak with the audience a tad, someone in the crowd wished the out singer “Happy Pride” as it is celebrated this month in Dallas. In return, she responded with this. And then watch our Vine from the show after the jump.

LISTEN: Austra’s ‘Olympia’

NPR has posted a First Listen of Austra’s second release, Olympia. If it’s anything like their phenomenal 2011 release Feel It Break, expect good things. That album was legendary and only set the bar high for this sophomore effort.

From NPR.com:

Over time, Austra has expanded from a core trio — with bandleader [Katie] Stelmanis joined by percussionist Maya Postepski and bassist Dorian Wolf — to a sextet, and its sound has naturally become bigger and busier. In the process, that’s meant letting some of the spare, arty mystery of 2011’s Polaris Prize-nominated Feel It Break give way to the bombastic throb of Olympia, out June 18. But the new album still showcases Stelmanis’ massive voice and increasingly personal lyrics in style, keeping one foot in the conservatory even as both are occupied on the dance floor.

Do yourself a favor and check out Break as well.