Good old Fence Records. Not content with being home to some of the country’s finest musical talent and putting on Homegame – our finest music festival – it’s now picking off some talent from overseas.

The Shivers, from NYC are one such act. A two-piece, starring “your typical East Coast American tortured neurotic/love-lorn romantic” Keith Zarriello and “your typical Australian travelling dreamer/virtuoso keyboard player” Jo Schornikow, their sound drifts between a Velvetty drone, post punk scratch and plenty in between.

Their first album to get a proper release on these shores is More, which has just been pinged out on Fence, and to celebrate the label are bringing them to the UK for a few weeks for a number of shows with some rather stellar tourmates (see below). First up is their Hallowe’en party in London and the jaunt also takes in Flamin’ Hott Loggz in Anstruther on Bonfire Night which sounds altogether painful. However, our sources can exclusively reveal that it’s less about fire-related maiming and more about great music with that Song, By Toad character also roping in the likes of Meursault and Jonnie Common to play. Details here.

Anyway, we’re digressing – the Shivers are great. More is out now, you can sample a tune below and there’s ample opportunity to catch this unique act live in the next few weeks as the below gig list surely demonstrates.

We also had a chat with Jo this week.

So who the hell are you?

Who the hell are YOU?

Fair point. Describe your sound in ten words or less!

Raw. Honest. Beautiful. Weird.

How on earth did you end up on a Fife-based record label? Were you familiar with any of their other signees?

I’d actually been listening to King Creosote for years after hearing him on the radio in Australia. Then we met Johnny (Lynch – a.k.a. The Pictish Trail) at SXSW in Austin, Texas, and became friends. Then we started talking about releasing something from The Shivers on Fence. It felt very natural and right.

Who would you say your musical inspirations are?

Velvet Underground, Leonard Cohen, Dolly Parton, Beyonce, Tom Waits, Races, Washington.

For the uninitiated, how does the new album differ from your previous work?

It’s probably our most cohesive album, sound/recording and personnel wise. Its all analog and pretty much one band , one studio sound – Analogue Catalogue Studio, Manchester, and a little at The Floods, Brooklyn.

Any plans to give older material an official UK release?

You never know…

Have you toured the UK before? Looking forward to it?

Yes, Johnny from Fence booked us a short tour there with Matthew and the Atlas Mountains after we recorded the album in Manchester in April 2010. It was a blast and we can’t wait for this one.

“Flamin’ Hott Loggz”??? Errr, worried???

Sounds right up our alley! We love Anstruther. And Johnny. And King C. And Fence. And most especially the fish and chip shop.

Well, us too! You can catch the Shivers at the following dates:

Oct 31 Fence Hallowe’en Party at London Wilmington Arms, supported by Player Piano and Jonnie Common

Nov 1 Newcastle Cluny supporting King Creosote and Kid Canaveral 

Nov 3 Durham Alington House

Nov 4 Wigan Tudor House 

Nov 5 Fence’s Flamin’ Hott Loggz, Anstruther (all day event) 

Nov 7 Glasgow Mono with support from Randolph’s Leap 

Nov 8 London XOYO supporting Givers

Nov 10 Bristol Louisianna with support from Player Piano

Nov 11 Reading South Street Arts with support from Player Piano and Barbarossa

Nov 12 Brighton Hobgoblin with support from Barbarossa