LOVE TRACTOR
AROUND THE BEND
Celebrate the 40th anniversary of Love Tractor’s second album, Around the Bend (Remastered Edition).This special release includes two never-before-heard original mixes.The album marked the band’s growth and evolution, featuring vocals and experimental elements that enhanced their sound. “Spin Your Partner,” accompanied by a popular MTV video, was a standout track. Around the Bend was a success both critically and commercially, topping the college charts in 1983.
Release Date: 9.1.23
Available on Limited Edition Color Vinyl/CD//Digital
TRACK LISTING
1. Highland Sweetheart (Focus Track: Out 9.1.23)
2. Cutting Corners [unreleased original mix]
3. Spin Your Partner
4. Pretty (3rd Single: Out 8.1.23)
5. Fat Birds
6. Paint (Your Face And Stand in The Corner) (1st Single: Out 6.15.23)
7. Slum Dungeon
8. J.E.B. Pharaohs (2nd Single: Out 7.11.23)
9. Timberland [unreleased original mix]
It is no act of misguided hyperbole to declare the genre-bending, art rock pioneers, Love Tractor one of the most influential bands of the past 43 years. As one of the inadvertent architects of the Athens, Georgia scene and sound, Love Tractor along with Pylon, The B-52’s, and R.E.M. were essential in staking out the jangly and disco-driven rock that would have — and still has—a huge influence on subsequent generations. Of those bands, Love Tractor always stood out as the most artistically brave and willing to fail in order to succeed.Love Tractor was founded in 1979 by art students Armistead Wellford, Mike Richmond, and Mark Cline as a vehicle to entertain their art school pals in the then backwater college town of Athens. Love tractor first performed at a house party in 1980 at the infamous “Pylon Park” — a rambling and decrepit Victorian house buried on the back of two acres of land and inhabited by members of Pylon, (hence the name) and Love Tractor. Rocking, drunken, drugged house parties were par for the course with Athens’ art students and fitted nicely with the conceptual art movement popular at the time. Kit Swartz (the Side Effects) and Bill Berry (R.E.M.) Shared drumming duties.
Love Tractor is currently at work on an album of new material and is in the midst of rereleasing their back catalog on Propeller Sound Recordings. Love Tractor has played live periodically since 2016 with Andrew Carter and Joe Rowe (The Glands) on drums and Bill Berry playing Keyboards and acoustic guitar on a few songs. In January 2023, Love Tractor rejoined their pals The B-52’s for the final show of their final tour in Athens.