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June 18th, 2006
Filed under: Uncategorized — @ 9:53 am
‘We Are The Pipettes’
The debut album released 17
th July 06 on Memphis Industries
‘Pull Shapes’
Single released 3rd July 06
Sold Out UK tour July 06
July
03 LONDON, KINGS COLLEGE
04 SOUTHAMPTON, JOINERS
05 BOURNEMOUTH, OPERA HOUSE
06 LEICESTER, THE CHARLOTTE
07 STOKE ON TRENT, THE UNDERGROUND
08 COTSWOLDS, STANWAY HOUSE - VICE 24 HOUR FESTIVAL
10 MANCHESTER, LATE ROOMS
12 GLASGOW, KINGS TUTS WAH WAH HUT
13 ABERDEEN, TUNNELS
14 LATITUDE FESTIVAL, SOUTHWOLD, SUFFOLK
29 LONDON, BEN & JEERY’S FESTIVAL, CLAPHAM COMMOM
August
05 MANCHESTER, D PERCUSSION FESTIVAL
26 CARDIFF, GET LOADED IN THE PARK
27 LONDON, GET LOADED IN THE PARK
Polka dot princesses, The Pipettes (Rosay, Gwenno & RiotBecki) have announced the release of their eagerly awaited debut album, ‘We Are The Pipettes’ on July 17th through Memphis Industries. Available on CD, Vinyl and Digital the album includes all the singles, ‘Pull Shapes’ (out July 3rd), Top 40 hit ‘Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me’ and ‘Dirty Mind’ as well as 11 other smashes.
‘Pull Shapes’ is currently brightening up radio and TV stations, look out for the ‘Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls’ Video.
A glorious, Technicolor knee in pop’s groin. ‘We Are The Pipettes over the course of 14 tracks invents the kind of girl-power The Spice Girls could only dream of. Referencing the likes of The Shangri-La’s, The Crystals, The Shirelles, et al, both sonically and in style, but whereas the girls of yesteryear were happy to defer to the men in their lives (He Hit Me It Felt Like A Kiss, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?) on tracks such as One Night Stand (I left You Alone/At four in the morning / not a stitch to wear/ because you ignored my warning) or Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me (Can’t You See We’re Through/Boy get out of my face!) it’s plain to see The Pipettes are calling the shots. Although Brill-building, Motown and Spector references are inevitable (The Pipettes understand who made the greatest pop music) perhaps the most apt comparison would be with The Ramones. Like da bruddas, these sisters have created a record that whilst understanding pop music’s past are forging ahead in their own image.’
‘We Are The Pipettes’ is an album written by teenagers for teenagers. An album that understands the heartbreak of leaving the disco alone (It Hurts To See You Dance So Well), tells stories of befriending the school’s outcast (Judy) and the older boyfriend who only wants one thing (Sex). However it’s the tunes that are most important - quite simply nobody is writing more infectious melodies than The Pipettes right now - from the string-drenched, four to the floor, call to the dance-floor that is lead single, Pull Shapes or the lonesome melancholy of A Winter’s Sky …
www.thepipettes.co.uk
and www.myspace.com/thepipettes
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June 18th, 2006
Filed under: Uncategorized — @ 9:51 am
‘
Album Release Date:Do folk dream of opium sheep?
www.myspace.com/thesinglemanaffair
When Poptones signed The Singleman Affair they knew nothing of the band, only of the songs. And in the first place only the opening sitar drone of ‘Is Madras Morning Is’ that is to be found on the Two Million Tongues Festival compilation alongside No Neck Blues Band, Josephine Foster, Pearls and Brass and Jack Rose.
They knew the song was pretty ace. And they knew the name ‘The Singleman Affair’ was a reference to the classic movie ‘The Graduate’ starring Dustin Hoffman.
Neither did they know that The Singleman Affair was in the midst of recording a nigh-perfect debut album of home recordings called ‘Lets Kill The Summer’. Why? Why the Summer? Who knows? They only knew that The Singleman Affair was a solo vehicle for Dan Schneider, a one-man Jandek at war with himself trying to create iconic, timeless, classic songs. A short time spent in the company of ‘Lets Kill The Summer’ will find the listener indoctrinated into the grooves of a dusty old 7", peppered with references to the Byrds, Scott Walker, Ananda Shankar, Leonard Cohen, Fred Neil and less known cult artists such as McDonald and Gilles and Christine Harwood.
Yes, ‘Let’s Kill The Summer’ is esoteric, atmospheric. Schneider has set out with some home recordings to make extraordinary songs that seem to exist in their own place & time, sitting comfortably today, perhaps, alongside the likes of Devendra Banhart and The Flaming Lips. Using the same recording techniques as his hero Skip Spence, The Singleman Affair have used old reverb units and spacious room mic’s to give each song a haunting, expansive feel, exploring the tin pan alley of the outer limits of imagination (and record collections!).
From the cinematic sitar-drench opening of ‘Is Madras Morning Is’ to the drone chord of ‘Dragonflies To Find’, ‘Let’s Kill The Summer’ keeps moving on, figuratively-speaking: through Cohen’s Famous Blue Raincoat, through Midnight Cowboy, Morricone, Cat Stevens, firmly pressing the heightened pleasure button all the while, Schneider’s lysergic, cracking voice on ‘Baby You’ve Been On My Mind’ invoking the ghost of Fred Neil. The Singleman Affair provide a disorientating, evocative soundtrack for the 21st century. Join the carnival.
4th August 2006
Poptones MC5113CD
Let’s Kill The Summer’
The Singleman Affair
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June 18th, 2006
Filed under: Uncategorized — @ 9:43 am
Single: ‘Paul Simon’ released July 17th.
Album: ‘Me, Myself and Rye…An Introduction To The Russian Futurists’ released August 7th.
UK tour August 06
The Russian Futurists are one of the most melodically seductive and exhilarating bands of recent times? UNCUT Magazine
The Russian Futurists burst with electronic pop joy and a sense of wonder worthy of The Flaming Lips? The Guardian
One man, lo-fi electronic orchestra The Russian Futurists aka Matthew Adam Hart has announced details of a live tour to coincide with his debut UK release, ?Me Myself And Rye? An Introduction To The Russian Futurists’. The dates, co-headlines with upcoming Swedish trio Peter, Bjorn And John are as follows:
Aug 5 - London @ Spitz w/Peter, Bjorn and John
Aug 7 - Birmingham @ Bar Academy?w/Peter, Bjorn and John
Aug 8?- Manchester @ Roadhouse w/Peter, Bjorn and John
Aug 9 - Glasgow @ Nice and Sleazys w/Peter, Bjorn and John
Aug 10 - Dublin @ Whelan’s - support to be announced
A collection of the finest moments from their first 3 full-length albums (Method Of Modern Love, Let?s Get Ready To Crumble, Our Thickness), Me Myself And Rye… is pop music?s wonder and gleeful idiocy laid out in rare, brilliant detail, a record that merges lilting melancholy with crushingly loud, shimmering distortion. If Brian Wilson had been commissioned to soundtrack Sega?s greatest 80?s output or if My Bloody Valentine had collaborated with The Pet Shop Boys it would probably have sounded like this.
The Futurists? songs are constructed under the ongoing influence of Phil Spector, Brian Wilson (?he showed me that pop can be listenable and experimental at the same time? says our Matthew), Fleetwood Mac (?they taught me how to be dramatic, plus I just love their music?), and the crackle and comforting simplicity of AM Radio. Of the latter, Hart says, ?I would like to end up on AM when I?m old and grey. There are some songs that were produced to sound like they belonged there. I used to sit up at night and drink a bottle of red wine and listen to AM to get inspired. My roommates used to think I was kind of a weirdo when they would walk into my room at 2 am and find me drunk listening to ?Buttons & Bows.??
And for whatever The Russian Futurists lack in the expensive gloss that many people associate with modern pop, they more than make up for in wit, emotion, and Hart?s own notion of beauty.
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June 18th, 2006
Filed under: Uncategorized — @ 9:38 am
THE RANK DELUXE
‘Style’ b/w ‘What Do You Want’
Formats: Ltd. 7" / Digital
Release Date: 24th July 2006
Cat #’s: 7FAT22 / DS7FAT22
7": 6-00116-07227-6 / Digital: 6-00116-07225-2
24th July 2006, sees the release of ‘Style’/’What Do You Want’, the second in a series of three Rank Deluxe 7"s, due out on FatCat over the summer months. As with previous single ‘Doll Queue’/’Come On’, the band take an audibly straightforward, live approach to recording: it’s very raw and very direct. Exactly how they want it to be in fact.
The band’s name is a quote from a glamour model overheard entering a strip club, above the bands old rehearsal space. "This place is so rank deluxe" she said; apparently she meant the height of scum. Drawn to the multiple implications, they took the phrase as their own. The band comprises four 20-somethings from South East London; Rich Buchanan on Lead Vocals, Lew Dyer on Lead Guitar, John Wallis on Bass, and Chris Ballard on Drums. Lew and Rich grew up on the same estate in Thamesmead, South East London, and the bands current line up formed early in 2005. The band refer to their music as "a sonic picture of council estate youth". But what elsewhere often amounts to little more than posturing is here backed up by a strong sense of identity, and an aptitude and commitment beyond their short lifespan.
A somewhat atypical indie outfit by current standards, the band share as much of an affinity with Grime or Old School UK punk as they do with any of their more immediately apparent musical contemporaries. The band write music about life as young Londoners, using the subject matter of their own lives as inspiration. This AA single again highlights two sides of a fast-developing band - ‘Style’ is an irreverent call and response argument, unapologetically direct and full of it’s own conviction; ‘What Do You Want’ wears it’s origins on its sleeve in a slightly different manner; a full-blooded, more typically structured punk/pop slice of working class urban alienation. Those familiar with John Kennedy’s XFM show (London) may already be familiar with ‘Style’, as it’s been in heavy rotation in recent times (albeit in a slightly cleaner ‘in session’ form).
Informed by reggae, ska, punk, and rock and roll, The Rank Deluxe’s sound is assured, POP savvy and uncompromising. Varying in style from cathartic pop to stabby, dub rhythms, lyrically the band align themselves with the social commentary of UK-based artists such as The Specials, Gang of Four, or even Ian Dury. They follow their own ideas, and steer clear of fashion statements and stereotypes, preferring songs and shows to do the talking. Often playing amongst the crowd, shows are frenetic, full of youthful exuberance, and occasionally divisive, but always fun.
FORTHCOMING DATES INCLUDE:
15/08/06 London, Islington, Artrocker at The Buffalo Bar (w/ Hot Club De Paris)
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June 14th, 2006
Filed under: Uncategorized — @ 2:56 pm
Following in the footsteps of The Futureheads and Maximo Park, The Mororettes are proving with certain ferocity the wealth of talent The North East has to offer. There’s an overwhelming energy to their 2 and a half minute pop bursts and it’s not easy to pigeon whole there sound.
The Motorettes are clearly impressed with elements of American punk but are defineately more old school than contemporary. Despite the title track to this ep sounding like the track The American Rejects wish they had written, their product knowledge delves into the archive of classic acts such as Dinasaur Jr and Superchunk whilst also maintaining a very British indie slant, this is more evident on the track, Is That Mine, which in my humble opinion runs rings around the a side.
This 3 piece have a lot to offer and have clearly done their homework, live appearances with the likes of Kubicheck and Editors have already demonstrated their live capabilities. Definitely ones to watch.
8/10
James Heward
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June 14th, 2006
Filed under: Uncategorized — @ 2:51 pm
Ever since the Killers made it cool to sound like Shed Seven, we have had a deluge of mediocre major label indie pop creations, all plying their trade in a considerably saturated market. The Automatic’s record label, Polydor, have a great deal to answer for. They tried to give us Protocol last year and flogged their synth fronted insipidness with sickening persistency, but the phrase, you can’t polish a turd seems to have thankfully won the day…..
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June 13th, 2006
Filed under: Uncategorized — @ 5:41 pm
Cerys Matthews makes an eagerly-anticipated return to the fray on August 21st with the Rough Trade release of her second solo album ‘Never Said Goodbye’.
The follow-up to her critically acclaimed debut solo album ‘Cockahoop’ from 2003 was produced by Stuart Sikes (The White Stripes, The Walkmen), Ben Elkins (Heypenny) and Cerys Matthews, and mixed by Jeremy Ferguson (Josh Rouse, Be Your Own Pet).
The release of ‘Never Said Goodbye’ will be preceded by the release of a single - ‘Open Roads’ - on August 7th.
Cerys will also be touring the UK for the first time in three years in support of ‘Never Said Goodbye’. The dates run as follows:
July
22nd - Llangollen, Town Hall
24th - Cardiff, The Point
26th - London, Scala
29th - Cambridge Folk Festival (second on the bill to The Chieftains)
August
4th - T On The Fringe @ The Liquid Rooms, Edinburgh
6th - Cardiff, Big Weekend Festival (headliner)
Previously vocalist for Catatonia, one of the most successful bands to have ever emerged from Wales, Cerys Matthews now lives in Nashville with her husband and two young children.
Cerys’s post-Catatonia solo career has gone from strength to strength; ‘Cockahoop’ was met with widespread acclaim, The Times describing the album as, "one of those unexpected triumphs of literal thinking in pop… certainly an album worth cheering about", whilst The Independent declared, "the instant you hear ‘Cockahoop’, you wonder why she never made it before".
www.cerysmatthews.info
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June 12th, 2006
Filed under: Uncategorized — @ 4:09 pm
Hailing from London, this unsigned act consists of four young musicians and budding virtuosos in their trade.
Their trade being hard rock music equally from the heart and groin. Current ep doing the rounds consists of three differing tracks, from the nice n sleazy opener ‘Atmospheric tumult’ they immediately mean business, reminiscent to Rage against the machine in their musical slickness with singer Jack Abraham straining for rock greatness similar to Chris Cornell, who need Audioslave?
‘Time we learn’ is a sweet semi acoustic track in the vein of Alice in Chains and the rip roaring ‘Track Further down the road’ gives all emo fools a run for their money.
Live, they achieve a kind of accomplished confident sound that only a band that has been playing together can give despite their three years together and in Abraham they have a brilliant and captivating lead singer not only with a voice that demands attention but the cocksure stage presence that goes with it, he looks uncannily like a late 60’s Robert Plant with the same sort of should I be watching this stage presence. Watch this space! 7/10
Chris Todd
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June 9th, 2006
Filed under: Uncategorized — @ 8:35 am
1. Morrissey - Ganglord (taken from the new single ‘The Youngest Was The Most Loved’)
A perfect example of the famed Moz tradition of pulling exquisite jaw dropping tracks from a hat when you least expect it. Like the ‘Never Played Symphonies’ and don’t Make Fun Of Daddy’s Voice’ from the Quarry sessions that heard a nation simultaneously scream "Why weren’t these tracks on the album", Ganglord plays a similar trick. A towering thundersome Melody clatters along biting lyrics that are sugared with deceptive sensitivity. He berates the police with the inspired lyrics, "The headless pack are back, small boy jokes and loaded guns" before uttering the climatic chorus line of "Get Back To The Ghetto". It’s classic Moz in that it takes your breath away at a time when you are totally unprepared. It’s also worth noting that this particular song was co-written by the much sidelined Alain Whyte. Further proof, if ever we needed it as to his importance within the mozzer camp.
2. Ed Harcourt - Whirlwind in D minor (taken from the album ‘Beautiful Lie’)
3. Mojave 3 - Kill The Lights (taken from the album ‘Puzzles Like You’)
4. Keith - Faces (taken from the album ‘Red Thread’)
5. The Longcut - A Quiet Life (taken from the album ‘A Call And Response’)
6. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Phenomena (taken from the album ‘Show Your Bones’)
7. Richard Hawley - The Ocean (taken from the album ‘Coles Corner’)
8. The Morning After Girls - Always Mine (taken from the album ‘Shadows Evolve’)
9. The Pet Shop Boys - I Made My Excuses And Left (taken from the album ‘Fundamental’)
10. Sonic Youth - Reena (taken from the album ‘Slightly Ripped’)
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The Pipettes announce release date for hotly tipped debut
