Over the past year or so, Austin teenager Noah Faulkner has been a regular presence on many of our instagram feeds, posting daily pedal steel covers on his Pedal Steel Noah account. His choices are usually not what you’d normally think of for pedal steel; he picks from a deep well of songs, with a particular focus on ’80s alternative, including The Cure, Echo & The Bunnymen, Joy Division, New Order, Cocteau Twins, The Smiths, and more, all backed by his brother Nate on bass and their dog, Kara, looking on.
Pedal Steel Noah is now releasing an EP, Texas Madness, featuring full-length covers of Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven,” and Tears for Fears’ “Head Over Heels,” plus two original songs. It’s out April 1 via Lightning Rod Records, and you can listen to “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” and “Cleopatra” (an original) below.
If you’re in Austin this week for SXSW, you’ll have a lot of chances to see Pedal Steel Noah. He’ll also be opening for The Polyphonic Spree in Dallas, Austin and Houston this month — Texas Madness, indeed! All dates are listed below.
Texas Madness EP:
1. Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division)
2. Just Like Heaven (The Cure)
3. Cleopatra (Pedal Steel Noah)
4. Head Over Heels (Tears For Fears)
5. Lucy and Dixie (Pedal Steel Noah)
Pedal Steel – 2024 Tour Dates
March 12 – Austin, TX – SXSW Music Opening Party (6:20-7:00 pm)
March 14 – Austin, TX – SXSW Keynote Introduction for Black Keys (12:45-12:55 pm) – SXSW St. David’s Historic Sanctuary (9:00-9:40 pm)
March 15 – Austin, TX – SXSW New West Records at Still Austin (5:00-5:45 pm)
March 16 – Austin, TX – SXSW Austin City Limits Radio/KGSR Live Broadcast (8:30 am) – SXSW Honky Tonk Brunch at Hotel Vegas (11:30 am)
March 29 – Dallas, TX – Longhorn Ballroom (w/ Polyphonic Spree)
April 26 – Cedar Park, TX – Haute Spot (w/ Polyphonic Spree)
April 27 – Houston, TX – The Heights Theater (w/ Polyphonic Spree)
