News
New Episodes Every Wednesday
Nov 10, 2021
By Laura Studarus
Welcome to Why Not Both Wednesdays. Every week, in partnership with Why Not Both podcast, we’ll be presenting new podcast episodes that explore how multiple passions inform the inspiring lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives. This week: Thao Nguyen‘s well-timed identity crisis. More
Temple - Deluxe Edition Due Out October 29 via Ribbon Music
Sep 14, 2021
By Joey Arnone
Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, the band led by Thao Nguyen, have announced the release of a deluxe version of their latest studio album, Temple, which will be out on October 29 via Ribbon Music. The band has subsequently shared a video for a strings version of “Marrow.” More
Featuring Helios, Jesu, Gordi, Half Waif, and Thao
Sep 01, 2021
By Joey Arnone
Today, Julien Baker releases her EP Little Oblivions Remixes, which features reworkings of songs from her most recent album Little Oblivions done by artists Helios, Jesu, Gordi, Half Waif, and Thao. It is out via Matador Records. More
The New Episode of Season 2 of Under the Radar with Celine Teo-Blockey Is Out Now on Major Podcasting Platforms
Jun 07, 2021
By Celine Teo-Blockey
Listen to the latest episode of the Under the Radar Podcast, which features our interview with Thao Nguyen of Thao & The Get Down Stay Down. Also listen to our additional bonus mini episode featuring tape that didn’t make it to the Emmy the Great (Emma-Lee Moss) episode. Our other guest on the mini episode is Chinese-American writer Jenny Liao. More
Tour Will Feature Supporting Performances by Katie Malco, Thao, Dehd, and Ratboys
Apr 06, 2021
By Joey Arnone
Julien Baker has just announced a string of tour dates for later this year. Yes, you read that right, new tour dates! Katie Malco will be the opening act for all North American tour dates, with Thao as support for the September 2021 dates and Dehd supporting the October/November 21 dates. Ratboys will be the opening act for all of the 2022 European dates. More
Plus Nick Hakim, The 1975, Moses Sumney, Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, and a Wrap-up of the Week’s Other Notable New Tracks
May 15, 2020
By Christopher Roberts
Welcome to the nineteenth Songs of the Week of 2020. It’s another week under quarantine, the same as the last week. Not much has changed, except that more and more people seem to think it’s a good idea to get back to normal, but a return to anything close to the pre-pandemic society seems a long way off. More
Temple Due Out This Friday via Ribbon Music
May 11, 2020
By Christopher Roberts
Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, the band led by Thao Nguyen, are releasing a new album, Temple, this Friday via Ribbon Music. Now they have shared another song from it, “Pure Cinema,” via a video for the track. More
Plus Jess Williamson, EOB, The 1975 and Phoebe Bridgers, and a Wrap-up of the Week’s Other Notable New Tracks
Apr 03, 2020
By Christopher Roberts
Welcome to the thirteenth Songs of the Week of 2020. While more album release dates were pushed back due to COVID-19 and it seems we haven’t reached the peak number of coronavirus cases in America yet, none of that stopped artists from sharing a whole lot of new songs this week. More
Temple Due Out May 15 via Ribbon Music
Apr 03, 2020
By Christopher Roberts
Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, the band led by Thao Nguyen, are releasing a new album, Temple, on May 15 via Ribbon Music. Now they have shared another new song from the album, “Phenom,” via a video that was shot via the Zoom video conferencing app and features Nguyen and various dancers from their homes. More
Plus Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, Vundabar, and a Wrap-up of the Week’s Other Notable New Tracks
Mar 13, 2020
By Christopher Roberts
Welcome to the tenth Songs of the Week of 2020. It’s been a scary week thanks to the COVID-19 coronavirus, which meant the postponement of Coachella, Record Story Day, various movie releases, sporting events, and more, as well as school closings and a stock market crash. More
Temple Due Out May 15 via Ribbon Music
Mar 11, 2020
By Christopher Roberts
Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, the band led by Thao Nguyen, have announced a new album, Temple, and shared its first single, title track “Temple,” via a video for the track. More
Part of the Anti-Trump “30 Days, 30 Songs” Project
Oct 17, 2016
By Christopher Roberts
Thao Nguyen of Thao and the Get Down Stay Down has shared a brand new song, “Before You Vote,” that is a clear statement against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. The song is part of the “30 Days, 30 Songs” anti-Donald Trump campaign put together by author/publisher Dave Eggers and Death Cab for Cutie manager Jordan Kurland. “Before You Vote” questions why anyone would vote for Trump and is accompanied by a lyric video that features the lyrics on top of a portrait of the Donald. More
A Man Alive Out Now via Ribbon Music
Apr 28, 2016
By Thao Nguyen
When we asked Thao Nguyen of Thao & the Get Down Stay Down to take part in one of our recurring guest blog series, instead she decided to pen a more personal piece about the inspiration behind the band’s new album, A Man Alive, which came out last month via Ribbon Music. More
Oct 08, 2013
By Michele Yamamoto
We the Common is Out Now Via Ribbon Music
May 23, 2013
By Laura Studarus
Thao Nguyen and her pals get all mixed up in the video for “Holy Roller,” a cut from her most recent album We the Common. More
Jan 24, 2013
By Laura Studarus
On February 5, Thao Nguyen (along with her band The Get Down Stay Down) will release new album, We the Common. More
New Album We The Common Out Feb. 5
Dec 03, 2012
By Mike Hilleary
Recently announcing the arrival of their newest album We The Common Thao & the Get Down Stay Down have scheduled themselves an extensive tour through North America starting in March in support of the record. More
Debut Album Due Out April 26
Mar 29, 2011
By Lauren Barbato
Earlier this month, we reported the dates for Thao & Mirah’s West Coast tour. Luckily, the songstresses have decided to head east. We have the added dates. More
Due April 26 on Kill Rock Stars
Jan 25, 2011
By Laura Studarus
On April 26, Thao and Mirah test the theory that two heads are better than one when they team up for their debut self-titled album. More
Interviews
Growing a New Record and Garden In a Lifeless Time
Jun 01, 2020
By Mark Moody
Thao Nguyen, founder and leader of Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, has recently released her fifth album with the group, Temple, on Ribbon Music. The daughter of Vietnamese refugees, Nguyen began writing songs at an early age in Northern Virginia. Her first album with the band was 2008’s We Brave Bee Stings And All. Nguyen has slowly revealed more of herself through her songs, leading up to 2016’s A Man Alive, which focused on her absentee father. More
Reviews
Feb 06, 2013
By J. Pace
Thao Nguyen and her backing band return with something bigger and better here, after Nguyen spent a year settling down and building a non-transient life in San Francisco. The album title speaks directly to her experience of becoming part of a community and doing her part. Also implied is an artistic leap beyond that geographic or cultural adjustment, from more stylistic pursuits to introspective, life-revealing stuff. More
Nov 06, 2009
By Laura Leebove
Know Better Learn Faster, the sophomore LP from Thao With The Get Down Stay Down, begins with the lively chant of “If this is how you want it, OK, OK” with clapping behind it. It’s a perfect intro to this break-up record: a warning to watch out because what’s coming next is not going to be pretty. More