LIVE: WYE OAK – 22/08/2011
– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – The loudest thing in music must be the 2 piece rock band. The White Stripes managed to make my ears bleed from the other side of a field in Leeds, The Black Keys had Manchester Academy shaking in it’s foundations and I remember The Kills forced the keen ones at the front to retreat in The Methodist Hall. I spent the first couple of minutes of the Wye Oak gig stopping glasses from vibrating their way off the shelf beside me. The... Read More
NEWS: THE DRUMS – AUTUMN UK TOUR
The Drums will return to the UK later this year for a full headline tour in support of their second album, ‘Portamento’, out September 5th through Moshi Moshi / Island Records. For the week of album release, the band plays three intimate, sold out, launch shows in London to preview the new record. Tour Dates: Mon 05-Sep – London, Hoxton Bar & Kitchen Tue 06-Sep – London, Lexington Wed 07-Sep – London, XOYO Thurs 08-11-Sep – Bestival Sat 17-Sep – Split... Read More
NEWS: TOTAL SLACKER ANNOUNCE ALBUM ‘THRASHIN’ AND STREAM OF ‘PSYCHIC MESA’
In one year as a group, Total Slacker have released two singles on independent record labels both in the U.S. and Europe, and have played over 100 shows at some of the largest venues in New York, garnishing the attention of notable press and international radio play, including their single ‘Crystal Necklace’ being voted #36 in the Pitchfork Top 50 Songs readers poll of 2010. ‘Crystal Necklace’ was also featured on a compilation cassette tape from Fierce Panda with the... Read More
NEWS: THIS FRONTIER NEEDS HEROES – NEW ALBUM ‘THE FUTURE’ STREAM & VIDEO
Named after Woody Guthrie’s guitar scrawl during WWII, “This Machine Kills Fascists”, This Frontier Needs Heroes is the Alt-Folk duo, Brad and Jessica Lauretti from Brooklyn, NY. Their songs are personal, honest stories of love, loss and longing for a better world. Utilising Kickstarter donations from their growing fan base to fund their second album, The Future that you hold in your hands, the band decided to leave the studio for a more intimate approach, recording... Read More
LIVE: WILD NOTHING – 21/08/2011
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Now Wave have built a great reputation in Manchester, their events always appear to provide large crowds and great support acts to supplement their exciting, current and fresh headliners. Tonight is no exception, I’ve regrettably been unable to leave the house earlier due to too much Sunday roast and only catch the last two tunes from ∆. If you type Alt-J on an Apple keyboard you get a ∆. I heard the band from Leeds on Steve... Read More
NEWS: FUJIYA & MIYAGI – NEW FREE DOWNLOAD RELEASED
Following on from their latest album ‘Ventriloquizzing’, Brighton electronic pop band Fujiya & Miyagi have released a running track. Entitled ‘Different Blades From The Same Pair Of Scissors’, the one-off extended track is available via the band’s own label Strange Tongues from today (Monday 22nd August). Fujiya & Miyagi recorded the track originally in 2008 as commissioned for Nike’s running series. With tracks off of this recording such as ‘Sick And Tired’... Read More
WHO ARE YA? – MACHINE BOY
Each week, one of our contributors will recommend an artist/band they think deserves to be brought to your attention. No record labels, PR companies, bands or bands management will ever have made these recommendations. It is simply one music fan putting their taste on the line in the hope of sharing good music. The questions are intended to give just a basic introduction to possibly your new favourite artist/band. So without further ado, let’s crack on with this week’s introduction,... Read More
Single Review: King Midas Sound (Kuedo & Mala Remixes)
Two musical pioneers break it and remake it on Hyperdub’s fifty fourth release, as Kuedo (aka Jamie Vex’d and Mala) rework two tracks off King Midas Sound’s début long player, Waiting For You. The tracks are our first taste of what to expect from King Midas Sound’s next album Without You, a re-voiced and re-worked new edition of their début LP. Since first stumbling across King Midas Sound, when asked to review their album on these here very pages, I... Read More
EP Review: DJ Shadow – I Gotta Rokk
DJ Shadow is perhaps the ultimate postmodern expression of the potential within electronic dance music. His 1996 debut album “Entroducing” was recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the first to be composed purely of samples. Forget the Halle orchestra – all Josh Davis needs to make music is an Akai sampler, a dark mood, and a pair of turntables. Perhaps not surprisingly the tracks on this EP – comprising remixes of tracks from the latest album “The Less... Read More
NEWS: MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA ANNOUNCE UK TOUR
Following the success of their third album ‘Simple Math’ out earlier this year, Manchester Orchestra return to the UK for a headline UK tour. Kicking off in Bristol on October 2nd and ending with an appearance at Camden’s KoKo on October 7th. This is the band’s first ever UK Headline Tour, after opening for the likes of Kings of Leon and Biffy Clyro, as well as performing twice at the Reading and Leeds Festivals and Latitude. Manchester Orchestra was formed in 2004... Read More
