Land of Talk

Land of Talk, the Montreal-based outfit led by Elizabeth Powell, today released Applause Cheer Boo Hiss: The Definitive Edition, the expanded and remastered first vinyl reissue of the band’s acclaimed debut EP, via Saddle Creek in the U.S. and Canada (One Little Independent for the rest of the world). The anticipated reissue arrives alongside Powell’s ‘Influences’ feature at Brooklyn Vegan, where they discuss the formative artists that inspired the LP’s creation, like Fugazi, Tracy Chapman, Metric, Mary Margaret O'Hara, and more. The acoustic version of Land of Talk classic “Some Are Lakes” arrived today as well, joining four other pre-release singles: the electric and acoustic versions of “Magnetic Hill” (acoustic counterpart) and “Speak to Me Bones” (acoustic counterpart). Order/stream the reissue via all DSPs HERE.

Also released today is the compilation of two beloved Land of Talk EPs–2009’s Fun and Laughter EP and 2021’s Calming Night Partner EP–titled The EPs, now available together on vinyl for the first time. Order/stream The EPs HERE.

Applause Cheer Boo Hiss: The Definitive Edition is a collector’s dream, with bonus music spread out across two LPs housed in a gorgeous gatefold jacket with new and updated artwork. The first LP features a 10-song version of the original EP, along with five additional downloadable bonus tracks of live material and remixes. The second LP features a remastered version of L'Aventure Acoustique–including five mixed/engineered by Justin Vernon (who would go on to produce and play guitar on Land of Talk’s debut full length, Some Are Lakes)–as well as acoustic versions of “Young Bridge,” the future Land of Talk track “Some Are Lakes,” and a cover of Wintersleep’s “Weighty Ghost,” all on vinyl for the first time. “I feel like I’m never going to be fully satisfied with anything I do, but having said that, I’m super proud of the whole EP. If that’s my legacy, I’m good,” says Powell. 

Land of Talk’s music can be difficult to describe due to the fact that it has evolved so much over the past 18 years. And with all its gorgeous growth and permutations, there’s something poignant and evergreen about Applause Cheer Boo Hiss. Land of Talk’s debut EP is comprised of angular, guitar-driven rock songs that take sonic cues from artists ranging from post-hardcore acts like Fugazi to spacey pop bands like Broadcast, creating a collection that continues to gather urgency nearly two decades later. 

This is less of a nostalgic victory lap, however, than it is a momentary pause to appreciate Land of Talk’s unique musical trajectory, and acknowledge the myriad of artists that Powell has inspired along the way, including Hand Habits (“Land of Talk was my entry point into contemporary music that inspired me to start songwriting. Lizzie’s voice, sense of melody, unexpected harmony, and incredibly unique guitar arrangements lit a poetic fire in my own approach to finding my voice”); Sylvan Esso’s Nick Sanborn (“Simultaneously harder hitting and more vulnerable than anything else at the time, Applause Cheer Boo Hiss is a hugely influential high watermark of mid-aughts indie rock. It didn’t leave my first gen iPod until the battery finally died.”); Ratboys’ Julia Steiner (“Even though I can't pin down the exact moment I first heard and fell in love with Powell's songwriting, it doesn't really matter: Land of Talk sounds timeless. The artistic throughline on all of their records captures this perfect balance of mystery and familiarity, of intimacy and intrigue, that doesn't feel tied to any certain genre or era and that truly doesn't get old”); Sharon Van Etten, who collaborated with Powell on Land of Talk’s 2017 album, Life After Youth (“I admire Lizzie so much. Their guitar playing and melody writing is so effortless. Their phrasing so rhythmic, their delivery so intimate, familiar, playful, loving, mysterious and at times, pleading…so many sides of their delivery keeps you guessing. It’s exciting at every turn of a Land of Talk album.”); and many more.

The truth is that Land of Talk has always been ahead of their time. From the gentle guitar-driven experimentation of 2010’s Cloak and Cipher, to the dreamy pop of Life After Youth and tasteful experimentation of 2020’s Indistinct Conversations, Powell has never followed trends. And in the process, they’ve forged a career that’s as interesting as it is enigmatic. In fact, the EP’s title is both a celebration and a provocation, a dichotomy that lies at the core of their music and keeps them pushing forward–mostly recently in the form of 2023’s Performances. It’s a musical journey that is still incomplete and evolving, but these songs are a glimpse into the formative years that irrevocably shaped what Land of Talk would become.