PRAISES returns with a full band and their second studio album In This Year: Hierophant. Through instinct, talent and of course, blind luck, Praises harnessed their sound through the course of the pandemic, leaning into the creative spirit and a recording process reminiscent of a Bad Seeds project, key players wrote their parts from only a demo track and a feeling. The result pushes beyond their industrial synth-based offerings, incorporating the intensity of their highly regarded live performances with an intimate, collaborative and distanced songwriting process.

As with their highly acclaimed debut album, In This Year: Ten Of Swords, Jesse Crowe works with career-long collaborator Josh Korody (Beliefs, Breeze, Candle Studio) on the mix and with Heather Kirby mastering (Dreamlands). Every new year Crowe draws a tarot card to represent what is to come, shaping the character of the coming album and its title. On In This Year: Hierophant, Praises delves deeper into a world of hypnotic vocals, textured synths and arrangements to transcendent effect. This album expands Praises’ sonic palette stylistically and lyrically, exploring themes of human reckoning and hope. Above all, this is clearly an album made by a band who love working together. “This record dances like a story book, flirting with vignettes of hidden gender, through the birth of a child, a poisonous new world, matriarchal death, and transcendent love. A graduation beyond a solo project.” – Crowe

Praises first emerged at a time when Beliefs co-front, Jesse Crowe, struggled to find an outlet to release their inner conversations into a public forum. Into a place where their creative outlet has evolved and spanned over a course of four EPs and two albums. Dark and theatrical, Crowe’s influences move through the hum of Rachel Goswell’s shoegazing, the drive of Patti Smith’s poetic delivery, blending the art-gloom of Beth Gibbons’ sultry jazz with Annie Lennox’ avant-gardism found on a “Night Full of Tension” and “Sweet Surprise.” A unique mixing which “makes Praises’ dark nights of the soul feel hypnotic, carving out territory between Bat for Lashes and Nick Cave’s Skeleton Key.” (Exclaim! Magazine)

The songs on this new record grew both slowly and reflective. “March” is a call to action and a sister song to “A World on Fire” from EP4. The song explores the gaslighting of colonial extraction industries and the culpability of those who stay silent, beginning with a motorik beat and crafting the tension with a full band in tow. “Life is Just a Picture” is a song that breathes with both the sorrow and joy of a lifetime of memories, it was written in dedication to the intermingling stories of Grandma Upton and Granny Crowe. “In the years following the Me Too movement, it can feel as though every safe feeling male mentor will be exposed as an abuser” reflects Crowe, “the song “Our Father” is a letter to Nick Cave, and is meant to playfully invoke his tone as a means to warn him against ever being a pig.”

In This Year: Hierophant is released June 17th 2022 via Hand Drawn Dracula.

“Toronto’s Praises Delivers EP of Woozy, Introspective Electronica – EP4” – XLR8R

“Dreamy vocals, pulsing rhythms, and eerie synths come together to create luxe but ominous atmospheres” – NEW & NOTABLE / DAILY BANDCAMP

“Heavily reverbed vocals, keys and percussion conjure minimalism and psychedelia in equal measure” – ESSENTIAL NEW RELEASES / EXCLAIM

“With ominous, pulsing instrumentals and shoegazey vocal lines, this ambient tune is definitely a must-listen.” – INDIE88

“15 August Albums You Need To Know About” – ET CANADA

“a welcome respite from the optimism of North America in 2021” – EARS TO FEED

“A World On Fire” radio premiere June 27th, 2021 – THE STROMBO SHOW

“experimental, post-punk/goth orchestral song feels like something straight out of a classic 1970s thriller” – BTR TODAY

INTERVIEW: In depth interview online & in print with the UK’s ASBO MAGAZINE

8/10 : “Crowe makes her dark nights of the soul feel hypnotic, carving out territory between Bats for Lashes and Nick Cave’s Skeleton Key. Bleak but vivid, there’s a power to its precision” – EXCLAIM!

4.5/5 – EDITORS PICK : “one of the most gorgeous and sorrowful records to have come out this year” – SPILL

“pretty freaking magical! Jesse Crowe’s voice is powerful and serene at the same time” – CVLT Nation

“For listeners willing to dive deep into Crowe’s world, the album functions well as a forced entry into darkness and unnamable despair” – SLUG Magazine

“Despite the dark times from which it was allegedly conceived, In This Year: Ten Of Swords is strangely, evocatively peaceful.” – NOW

PRESS PHOTO

PHOTO by Alex Gray
view : lo-res | hi-res

PHOTO by Alex Gray
view : lo-res | hi-res

PHOTO by Julia Wittmann
view : lo-res | hi-res

PHOTO by J.M. Ladd
view: view photo | high-res

DISCOGRAPHY

BUY

PRAISES
IN THIS YEAR: HIEROPHANT

1. My Condolences
2. Peace of Mind
3. The Dancer
4. Life is Just a Picture
5. Our Father
6. I Get Lost
7. Persona
8. March
9. Flying

HDD093  · RELEASE DATE: June 17, 2022

Pressed on 300 limited edition ultra clear vinyl.

Written by Jesse Crowe
Engineered by Jesse Crowe and Julia Wittmann
Mixed by Josh Korody (Candle Studio)
Mastered by Heather Kirby (Dreamlands)
Photography by Alex Gray
Art & Design by James Mejia

Performers: Andrew Lacombe, Braeden Craig, James Kearns, Jesse Crowe, Josh Korody, Julia Wittmann, Kristina Koski, Michael Boyd, Sachin Mohindra

BUY

PRAISES
EP4

1. Apples For My Love
2. We Let Go
3. Soil
4. A World On Fire

HDD082  · RELEASE DATE: August 5th, 2021

Written by Jesse Crowe
Engineered by Jesse Crowe and Julia Wittmann
Mixed by Josh Korody (Candle Studio)
Mastered by Heather Kirby (Dreamlands)

Performers:
Jesse Crowe, Kristina Koski, Michael Boyd, Andrew Lacombe,
James Kearns, Julia Wittmann, Braeden Craig, Sachin Mohindra, Josh Korody

BUY

HDD075  · RELEASE DATE: January 10th, 2020

Written & Performed by Jesse Crowe
Produced by Josh Korody & Jesse Crowe
Engineered by Jesse Crowe
Mixed by Josh Korody
Mastered by Jesse F. Keeler
Photography by Michael J. Boyd
Design by James Mejia

BUY

PRAISES
In This Year: Ten of Swords

1. Love Unkind
2. All Demon’s Reign
3. Prey
4. Welcome Home
5. Run
6. Three of Swords
7. Anyone’s Anyone
8. C to C
9. Closer

HDD069  · RELEASE DATE: November 16, 2018

Pressed on 300 limited edition ultra clear base vinyl with black swirl, insert and black dust sleeve.

“The sound is dark and ominous with Crowe’s soft vocals heightening the haunting appeal – Genuine emotion is inspired through the invitation into such a personal and private musical expression in this album” – DISARM

“A dusky drama shimmering beneath synths sounds and a dark presence, the spectral, brand-new track is taken from Jesse Crowe’s forthcoming debut LP.” ~ THE AUTUMN ROSES

“Hear that emotional rawness translated into music” – EXCLAIM!

Written & Performed by Jesse Crowe. Produced by Josh Korody & Jesse Crowe. Engineered by Jesse Crowe. Mixed by Josh Korody. Mastered by Will Brodeur. Photography by Alex Grey. Design by James Mejia.

BUY

HDD062  · RELEASE DATE: December 29, 2017

PRAISES is the solo project of Beliefs co-founder Jesse Crowe. Following the world-wide critical acclaim of Beliefs and the release of her first EP1 as Praises, Jesse Recorded EP2 at Toronto’s Candle Recording Studio with co-producer Josh Korody (drums) and with Andrew Roy on bass, Robyn Phillips (Vallens) on guitar, and Laura Jane Beach on violin.

Recorded & Mixed by Josh Korody.
Written by Jessica Upton Crowe.
Produced by Josh Korody & Jessica Upton Crowe.
Mastered by Jason Fee.

BUY

PRAISES
EP1

1. Breathing In
2. Way Back When
3. The Devil
4. Confessor

HDD035  · RELEASE DATE: April 15, 2014

“quatre morceaux rendant grâce à son timbre de voix titillant celui d’une Patti Smith” – HARTZINE

“Crowe lets her cover slowly hit your core, like a couple extra shots of high-grade NyQuil” – EXCLAIM!

+ Warszawa (Japan) + Indienative (Japan) + PhotogMusic

Recorded by Josh Korody at Candle Recording Studio, Toronto. Written by Jessica Upton Crowe. Performed by Jessica, Josh, & Brock Edwards. Photo by Tess Parks. Design by James Mejia.

 TOUR DATES
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