Crazy Arm new album, Union City Breath

Crazy Arm new single, ‘Tribes‘, is to be released on Monday 15th August followed by a new album, ‘Union City Breath‘ due for release on 10th October 2011. Both are to be released on vinyl, CD & digital download via Xtra Mile Recordings (UK & rest of the world) & Gunner Records (mainland Europe).

Devon folk roots-punks, Crazy Arm new single is the first release ahead of their imminent new album, ‘Union City Breath‘.  A highlight of this live favourite, it is a song of two distinct parts, combining the band’s love of Springsteen, gospel and honest punk rock.  The lyrics are an indictment of man-made structures of violence and a call for a return to simpler, more ethically-centred ways of interacting. Also on the record: the voice of Victoria Butterfield (who sang on the band’s last single ‘Sweet Storm‘) and keys courtesy Patrick James Pearson.  The single will coincide with the band’s debut acoustic tour in August with Cory Branan and Sam Russo in August.

The follow-up to 2009’s dramatic debut, ‘Born To Ruin‘, ‘Union City Breath‘ was produced/engineered once again by Peter Miles (King Blues, The Computers, Sonic Boom Six) at his new studio in the South Devon countryside.  Taking its cue from the spurious idea of the Big Society, ‘Union City Breath‘ is a reminder that all societies are made by people and can be changed or at least challenged by people whenever they see fit. The band will be touring the album throughout the UK in September, and are the main support to Against Me! on their European/UK tour in November.

Crazy Arm set up camp in mid-2006. Not easy to categorise, and all the better for it, their sound is an accumulation of decades of influence and inspiration: rooted in hardcore/punk, 1960’s protest folk/country and classic rock’n'roll, combined with a grass-roots political overview that embraces anti-war, anti-fascist and pro-community activism.

They have toured extensively throughout the UK and Europe many times, sharing stages with the likes of Frank Turner, Chuck Ragan, The Xcerts, Bangers, Apologies I Have None, The Cut Ups, Two Cow Garage and Sonic Boom Six; and have made appearances at festivals including 2000 Trees, NASS, Leopallooza, Boardmasters, Reading and Leeds.

Crazy Arm ‘Union City Breath‘ tracklist:

1.    Of The Tarantulas
2.    Bandalito
3.    Tribes
4.    The Right Wing Never Sleeps
5.    The Endless Carriage
6.    Little Boats
7.    Song Of Choice
8.    200 Pints Of Blood
9.    Meet The Marines
10.    Southway Drive
11.    City & Western
12.    Charnel House Blues
13.    White Canyon

Crazy Arm are currently on tour and will be touring throughout the Autumn – firstly a UK Album tour (23rd September – 10th October 2011) followed by a UK & European tour with Against Me! (2nd November – 28th November).

AUGUST
14th – Tiger Lounge, Manchester (with Apologies + Cory Branan + Russo)
15th – Duke Of Wellington, Lincoln (with Cory Branan + Sam Russo)
16th – Royal Park Cellars, Leeds (with Cory Branan + Sam Russo)
17th – The Maze, Nottingham (with Cory Branan + Sam Russo)
18th – Edge Of The Wedge, Portsmouth (with Cory Branan + Sam Russo)
19th – Windmill, London (with Cory Branan + Sam Russo)
20th – Prince Albert, Brighton (with Cory Branan + Sam Russo)

SEPTEMBER
9th – Ivylive Festival, Ivybridge
11th – Plymouth Punks Picnic, Nowhere Inn
23rd – White Rabbit, Plymouth (with Damerels + more)
27th – Corporation, Sheffield
28th – Karma Café, Norwich (tbc)
29th – Barfly, London (with Apologies I Have None + Great Cynics)
30th – Unit, Southampton (tbc)

OCTOBER
1st  – Cambridge
2nd – Duke Of Wellington, Lincoln (with Above Them)
3rd – The Cluny, Newcastle (with Above Them)
4th – Stereo, Glasgow
5th – Central Station, Wrexham
6th – Fibbers, York
7th – West End Centre, Aldershot
10th – Croft, Bristol (with RVIVR)
22nd – White Rabbit, Plymouth (with Capdown)

NOVEMBER
2nd – Prince Albert, Brighton

(the following dates are with Against Me!)

3rd – La Maroquinerie, Paris, France
4th – Ex-Haus, Trier, Germany
5th – JC De Klinker, Aarschot, Belgium
6th – Dusseldorf, Germany
7th – Abart, Zurich, Switzerland
9th – Wuk, Vienna, Austria
10th – Rock House, Salzburg, Austria
12th – Den Haag, Netherlands (headline show)
13th – O13, Tilburg, Netherlands
14th – Faust, Hannover, Germany
15th – Knust, Hamburg, Germany
16th – Skaters Palace, Munster, Germany
17th – De Onderbroek, Nijmegen, Netherlands (headline show)
18th – Cockpit, Leeds
19th – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
20th – Talking Heads, Southampton
21st – Arts Centre, Norwich
24th – Cavern, Exeter (with Living Daylights)
28th – Peel, Kingston

For more information visit www.facebook.com/thecrazyarm.

johnny foreigner

Having returned from a lengthy absence to release their debut EP/Mini album with the impossibly long name, on indie label Alcopop! towards the end of last year, Johnny Foreigner are suddenly back in the game again, announcing a Spring UK tour.

The Birmingham indie punk rockers will first perform in their hometown at a one off gig as part of the Topman CTRL Student parties week at the Custard Factory on March 7th.

Since the release of their EP/Mini album in 2010, Johnny Foreigner have been on the road doing what they do best, with a series of shows across the UK and USA over the winter.

The band have already started work on a new album which will be their third full length and it has been mooted that some of the new tracks might be ready to be heard during the upcoming UK tour although that has not been confirmed and Johnny Foreigner are keeping it all close to their chests as usual.

The band have also confirmed their place at this years Camden Crawl on May 1st and there will be a full European tour starting in later in the month, with dates to be confirmed soon.

Johnny Foreigner UK and Spring tour dates:

March
7th Birmingham – Custard Factory (Topman CTRL show)

April
2nd Edinburgh – Haddowfest
3rd Edinburgh – Haddowfest
19th Aberdeen – Cafe Drummonds
20th Glasgow – Nice n Sleazy
22nd Nottingham – Bodega Social
23rd Preston – Mad Ferret
24th Milton Keynes – Sno Bar
26th Birmingham – Hare & Hounds
27th Liverpool – The Shipping Forecast
28th Manchester – Night & Day
29th Stoke – Underground
30th Wimbledon – Grove Tavern

May
1st London – Camden Crawl

letlive - Fake History artwork

Proclaimed as the ‘most exciting in the world today’ by UK Rock Sound Magazine, Los Angeles hardcore rockers letlive are currently on the UK leg of a European Tour with Your Demise and Stick To Your Guns. The tour started last night in Southampton and will finish in London at Underworld on 27th February.

The heavy rock outfit have also announced the release of their album Fake History through Epitaph Records on April 11th and have recently posted their kinetic high energy track The Sick, Sick 6.8 Billion on video.

letlive – The Sick, Sick 6.8 Billion

letlive have joined the renowned Los Angeles punk rock label Epitaph to release their third studio album Fake History and vocalist Jason Aalon Butler enthused;

“When thinking of Epitaph Records I affix Bad Religion, Atmosphere, and the reawakening of the late great Refused to those thoughts (an impressively unorthodox composition in my eyes). Now I think of letlive. to be included amongst that lineage. Pipe dreams realized, ladies and gentlemen.”

The band has been building a reputation for themselves in the Los Angeles hardcore scene. With their eclectic arsenal of influences, letlive take heavy music to new heights with dynamic songwriting, blistering and precise rhythms, hook loaded metal riffs and Butler’s remarkable ability to balance cathartic screams and melodic vocals. Commenting on his band’s sound, Butler says they are “a punk rock band with a soul band’s modus operandi. Vice versa.”

Fake History exudes a youthful swagger and power. The album’s opener, Le Prologue, begins with tribal drums that give way to an outburst of thundering riffs and defiant vocals with front-man Butler exclaiming “There are no martyrs in resolution. If you remain still, don’t expect restitution. Stand up!”.  The band’s most notable gift lies is in their songwriting with tracks like The Sick, Sick, 6.8 Billion, Renegade ’86, Casino Columbus and Muther, which strikes a pitch perfect balance of sonic aggression and unforgettable melodic choruses.

Epitaph’s release of Fake History will include three brand new tracks Hollywood, And She Did, Lemon Party and the Brett Gurewitz (president & founder of Epitaph, guitarist for Bad Religion) produced track This Mime [A Sex Symbol].

Fake History Track Listing:
1. Le Prologue – 1:45
2. The Sick, Sick, 6.8 Billion – 3:13
3. Renegade 86′ – 3:35
4. Enemies [Enemigos] – 4:56
5. Casino Columbus – 3:59
6. Muther – 5:40
7. Homeless Jazz – 3:41
8. We The Pros Of Con – 4:13
9. H. Ledger – 3:37
10. Over Being Under – 3:38
11. Day 54 – 6:45
12. Hollywood, And She Did – 4:00
13. Lemon Party – 4:00
14. This Mime [A Sex Symbol] – 3:25

Catch letlive at the following UK venues in February 2011

21.02.11 UK Birmingham O2 Academy 3
22.02.11 UK Nottingham Rescue Rooms
23.02.11 UK Newcastle O2 Academy 2
24.02.11 UK Leeds The Cockpit
25.02.11 UK Manchester Sound Control
26.02.11 UK Plymouth White Rabbit
27.02.11 UK London Underworld

J Mascis

Dinosaur Jr. frontman J Mascis, one of the pioneers of grunge rock music is about to introduce another side to his unlimited talents when he releases his first ever solo album Several Shades of Why on March 14th. The album is preceded by the release of the single Not Enough on February 28th.

The album marks a departure from the fuzzy electric guitars that have been Mascis trademark since those early days with Dinosaur Jr. and is instead an acoustic collection of some incredible beauty.

Recorded at Amherst Massachusetts’ Bisquiteen Studios, the album was created with the help of a few friends. Notable amongst them are Kurt Vile, Sophie Trudeau (A Silver Mount Zion), Kurt Fedora (long-time collaborator), Kevin Drew (Broken Social Scene), Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses), Pall Jenkins (Black Heart Procession), Matt Valentine (The Golden Road), and Suzanne Thorpe (Wounded Knees).

Together in small mutable groupings, they conjure up classic sounds ranging from English-tinged folk to drifty, West Coast-style singer/songwriterism. But every track, every note even, bears that distinct Mascis watermark.

Mascics comments;

“Megan from Sub Pop has wanted me to do this record for a long time, she was very into it when I was playing solo a lot in the early 2000s, around the time of the Fog album [2002’s Free So Free].  She always wanted to know when I’d do a solo record. Several Shades of Why came out of that. There are a couple of songs that are older, but the rest is new this year. And it’s basically all acoustic. There’s some fuzz, but it’s acoustic through fuzz. There’re no drums on it, either. Just one tambourine song, that’s it. It was a specific decision to not have drums. Usually I like to have them, but going drum-less pushes everything in a new direction, and makes it easier to keep things sounding different.”

In celebration of the release, a free download of  wonderful album track ‘Is It Done’ has been made available, downloadable direct from Sub Pop.

In this amusing video interview Mascis gives an insight into the new album as well as a quick look around his studio.

Playing European shows in support of his forthcoming album Several Shades of Why, Mascis will arrive in London on April 14^th for an intimate performance at London’s Cargo. The full European dates are:

13^th – Dublin, Whelans

14^th – London, Cargo

16^th – Paris, Point Ephemere

17^th – Milan, Bloom

18^th – Rome, Circolo degli Artisti

20^th – Antwerp, Trix

21^st – Amsterdam, Sugar Factory

22^nd – Madrid, Moby Dick

23^rd – Barcelona, La (2)

Following the release of their latest highly acclaimed album Blood/Candy, which received five star ratings from Mojo, Uncut and Sunday Express, The Posies will be performing a one of gig at The Garage, in London tomorrow night, October 5th.

Sublime with Rome

Having announced their return earlier this year with new frontman Rome, Sublime will be making their first ever appearance in the UK this week.

The band will play two live dates, the first in Manchester at the O2 Academy2 on October 7th, followed by the O2 Shepherds Bush Empire on October 8th.

21 year old Rome was introduced to the band in 2008 and following jam sessions the trio first performed together at an impromptu gig in Nevada to a packed house.

One of the most notable and successful ska-punk bands of all time, Sublime has sold over 17 million albums worldwide with the group’s music remaining in constant radio rotation across the USA. Influential Los Angeles rock radio station KROQ has listed Sublime as the #3 act in their annual “biggest bands” list for the last six years in a row with the single ‘Date Rape’ ranking as the all-time most requested song at the station.

Formed in Long Beach in 1988, Sublime’s final performance was in the spring of 1996.

October 7   O2 Academy 2 Manchester
October 8   O2 Shepherds Bush Empire London

Seerauber Jenny

Following the release of the top single Push It Away/Waste Of Time, Seerauber Jenny performed at The Borderline in London on September 30th and have announced another addition to their regional tour at the Bull & Gate on October 19th as part of the Club Panda showcase.

October 8th – Brighton Live – Brighton -
October 13th – Band on the Wall (BBC Introducing event @ In The City) – Manchester -
October 19th – Club Panda @ The Bull & Gate – London

Mudhoney

Seattles grunge, garage rock, punksters Mudhoney arrive in Newcastle tonight, following gigs in the Republic of Ireland and Belfast over the last few days.

Mudhoney will play four more venues in England before two dates in Scotland in Aberdeen and Glasgow on their latest Uk tour.

04-Oct UK Newcastle Northumbira Uni
05-Oct UK Brighton Concorde 2
06-Oct UK London Electric Ballroom
07-Oct UK Leeds Uni Stylus
08-Oct UK Aberdeen Tunnels
09-Oct UK Glasgow Arches

Male Bonding

Beach Boys on speed grunge rock surfers Male Bonding play in Brighton tonight as they continue their current European tour.

Male Bonding will be joined by Blood Red Shoes on their dates in Manchester and London on October 6th and 7th respectively.

04-Oct UK Brighton Audio  with No Age
05-Oct UK Bristol Start The Bus  with No Age // NEW SHOW
06-Oct UK Manchester Club Academy  with Blood Red Shoes
07-Oct UK London Electric Ballroom with Blood Red Shoes
08-Oct UK Sheffield Rollerpalooza @ SkateCentral with No Age
09-Oct UK Glasgow Stereo  with No Age
10-Oct UK Dublin Whelans / Unamed Festival
12-Oct UK Leeds Brudenell  with No Age
13-Oct UK Manchester In The City @ Night and Day
14-Oct UK London XOYO  with No Age

Steve Miller Band return to UK after 25 year absence

Exciting news for fans of the guitar rocking Steve Miller Band who will be making their first appearance in the UK for 25 years with two UK dates announced at the Royal Albert Hall and Manchester Apollo on October 7th and 8th respectively.

Their is also a chance to catch the band in Europe during October with dates in Belgium, France, Germany and Holland announced.

To mark his return Capitol are re-releasing several of the classic Steve Miller Band’s albums in digital format, having been unavailable in the UK for some years.

A recording artist since 1968, Miller made eight albums for Capitol, culminating with “The Joker”, before recording the multi-million selling “Fly Like An Eagle” in 1976. Miller followed this up with the albums “Book Of Dreams”, featuring “Jet Airliner”, and “Circle Of Love”, featuring “Heart Like A Wheel” and the cult post disco classic, the 18 minute “Macho City”. Next up was “Abracadabra” and its # 1 title track, followed by the “Italian X-Rays” album.

Fly Like An Eagle, Book of Dreams, Circle of Love, Abracadabra, Steve Miller Band Live!, Italian X-Rays and Wild River have recieved the digital treatment and are available from this week.

Steve Miller Band – The Joker

Steve Miller Band European Dates:

October 7^th – Royal Albert Hall, London UK

October 8^th – Manchester Apollo, UK

October 10^th – Antwerp Lotto Arena, Belgium

October 14^th – Paris Zenith, France

October 15^th – Dusseldorf Philipshalle, Germany

October 16^th – Hamburg Laeiszhalle, Germany

October 18^th – Amsterdam HMH, Netherlands

Robert Plant releases his ninth solo album, Band Of Joy

This month Robert Plant releases his ninth solo album, Band Of Joy.  The title taken from the name of a group he was in with John Bonham before both joined John Paul Jones & Jimmy Pages to tour the USA as the New Yardbirds, subsequently renaming the band Led Zeppelin. The rest is history!

Led Zeppelin became the biggest rock, loudest, heaviest heavy rock group in the world and Robert Plant had a voice to match.  The band continued their phenomenal global success until the untimely death of John Bonham in 1980.  Since then Robert Plant has refused to tour as Led Zeppelin and only played a handful of one-off gigs for charity and friends.  Instead he has continued to broaden his music horizons releasing both solo albums and collaborating with artists from many music genres.

In 1994 he recorded and toured the critically-acclaimed No Quarter with Jimmy Page.  The album was mainly acoustic and influenced by folk rather than blues rock, and included a great version of Led Zeppelin’s Gallows Pole.

In 2007 Robert Plant collaborated with bluegrass-country singer Alison Krauss to release the Grammy Award-winning Raising Sands, bizarrely voted Best Album of 2009.

On his official Robert Plant website, he explains why he named the latest album after one of his first groups:

“In the Band of Joy, when I was seventeen, I was playing everybody else’s stuff and moving it around, and it’s kind of…time to reinvoke that attitude and sentiment.”

Band Of Joy is similar in parts to the acoustic-led No Quarter and sees Robert Plant return to his musical roots.  Accompanied by guitars both acoustic and electric, as well as mandolin and banjo, the Band Of Joy themselves produce a perfect traditional, organic folk music; and the steel-guitar on tracks like Harm Swift Way & Falling In Love Again give the album an authentic country ingredient.

But the album twists and turns from folk and country-inspired blues to the dark & moody Monkey, with its controlled feedback and distorted electric guitar, reminiscent of Bauhaus and guitarist Daniel Ash; and then there’s Silver Rider with its verses like a calm ocean before a distorted guitar comes crashing like stormy waves on jagged rocks.

Praise must be given to Robert Plant as he still looks to widen his musical output rather than succumb to reforming Led Zeppelin and playing for easy money.

Robert Plant – Band Of Joy Track listing:
1.    Angel Dance
2.    House of Cards
3.    Central Two-0-Nine
4.    Silver Rider
5.    You Can’t Buy My Love
6.    Falling In Love Again
7.    The Only Sound That Matters
8.    Monkey
9.    Cindy, I’ll Marry You Someday
10.    Harm’s Swift Way
11.    Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down
12.    Even This Shall Pass Away

Robert Plant European Tour 2010

In October Robert Plant and his Band Of Joy embark on an eleven date tour of Europe.
Robert Plant European Tour dates include UK concerts in Edinburgh, Gateshead, Liverpool, Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester & Belfast.

14th October
Annext, Stockholm, Sweden

16th October
Sentrum Scene, Oslo, Norway

18th October
Edinburgh, Usher Hall

20th October
Gateshead, The Sage

21st October
Liverpool, The Olympia

24th October
Paris– Palais De Sports, France

26th October
St David’s Hall, Cardiff

27th October
Symphony Hall, Birmingham

31st October
Palace Theatre, Manchester

1st November
Olympia, Dublin, Ireland

2nd November
Waterfront Hall, Belfast

Robert Plant Tickets

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The Gaslight Anthem 2010 UK dates

New Jersey based punk rock band The Gaslight Anthem have announced a European tour which will kick off a couple of months after their scheduled appearance on the festival stages of Reading and Leeds.

The Gaslight Anthem have been catapulted into the mainstream spotlight on the back of their third album release American Slang, reaching top twenty album status in the UK and USA and pretty much everywhere else that matters.

American Slang sees the band finding their own voice, the lyrics are perhaps more personal and introspective but singer Fallon’s raw throated vocals are stronger than ever, behind the bands driving dynamic force.

The Gaslight Anthem have continued to build on the success of 2009, which was a monumental year for the band, touring the world in support of their much acclaimed album The ‘59 Sound and performing at all of the major festivals around the globe.

The Gaslight Anthem full UK and Eire dates;

October:
21st        UK    London, Hammersmith Apollo
22nd      UK    Southampton, Guildhall
23rd       UK    Bristol, Academy
24th       UK    Wolverhampton, Civic
November:
16th        UK    Nottingham, Rock City
17th        UK    Leeds, O2 Academy
18th         UK    Newcastle, O2 Academy
19th         UK    Edinburgh, Picture House
20th        UK    Manchester Apollo
21st         IRL    Dublin, Olympia
22nd       N.IRL    Belfast, Mandela Hall

For further information visit the The Gaslight Anthem MySpace page.

The Posies Blood/Candy

Seattle’s alternative popsters The Posies are set to release their first album for five years, promising a trip into unknown territories while maintaining their trade mark sound. The album Blood/Candy is released in September.

The almost entirely self-produced record boasts melodic hooks, provocative lyrics, and intricate layers of instrumentation that blend far-out, spacey sounds with sophisticated hues. The bulk of the album was recorded and mixed in Spain and their hometown of Seattle, with stops in Ecuador, Canada, Paris and Los Angeles.

Co-founder Ken Stringfellow considers the latest work to be the album that he would choose The Posies to be remembered for, he says:

“After the eclecticism of our last album, we thought it would be a good idea to make a kind of classic, back to our roots album, guitar pop with lots of harmonies, etc. We didn’t end up doing that–however, what stands in place of that, is an album even more adventurous, more playful, and more heartfelt than I think we’ve ever done. If I had to pick one album for us to be remembered by and delete all the others, no doubt that I would choose this one.”

Jon Auer, the other co-founder of The Posies adds;

“With Blood/Candy, We definitely sound like us, but some of these songs are completely from an alternate Posies universe. We subscribe to the “evolve or perish” philosophy. We directed ourselves to new places with this recording and tried not to travel down familiar paths when it could be avoided. Expect the unexpected.”

Blood/Candy is released on September 27th on the Ryko label and precedes an extensive European Tour for the band, featuring just one date in the UK at the Garage in London on October 5th.

The full European Tour dates for The Posies are as follows:

Sept. 28,  Sala Stereo (Murcia, Spain)
Sept. 30, Heineken (Madrid, Spain)
Oct. 1,Wah Wah (Valencia, Spain)
Oct. 2, Apolo 2 (Barcelona, Spain)
Oct. 4, Divan du Monde (Paris, France)
Oct. 5, Garage (London, UK)
Oct. 6, Trix (Antwerp, Belgium)
Oct. 7, Botanique Orangerie (Brussels, Belgium)
Oct. 8, Kazerne Fonck (Liege, Belgium)
Oct. 9,Melkweg Sugar Factory (Amsterdam, Holland)
Oct. 10, Vera (Groningen, Holland)
Oct. 12, Tivoli de Helling, (Utrecht, Holland)
Oct. 13, Gleis 22 (Munster, Germany)
Oct. 14, Comet Club (Berlin, Germany)
Oct. 15, Silber Club (Hamburg, Germany)
Oct. 17, Inkonst (Malmo, Sweden)
Oct. 19, Debaser Slussen (Stockholm, Sweden)
Oct. 20, Sticky Fingers (Gothenburg, Sweden)
Oct. 21, John Dee (Oslo, Norway)
Oct. 22, Kvarteret (Bergen, Norway)
Oct. 23, Blaest (Trondheim, Norway)
Oct. 25, Tavastia (Helsinki, Finland)
Oct. 26, Klubi (Turku, Finland)

internet warrior-oh no ono

Oh No Ono
Following weekend gigs at the Proud Gallery and the Camden Crawl over the weekend, Oh No Ono return to the stage for two shows later this month, headlining at London’s Lumiere on May 17th and Liverpool Sound City on May 19th.

On the back of the critically acclaimed album Eggs, Oh No Ono will also be releasing an EP of remixes called Internet Warrior on May 17th. The album will be available for download only with a limited edition vinyl version to follow.

One of the standout tracks from Eggs, Internet Warrior includes remixes of the title track along with two mixes each of Eleanor Speaks and Swim.

The remixes are plucked from a quiver of talented artists, coincidentally all North American on this occasion. Currently touting his eagerly anticipated fifth album, Leaf-alumnus Caribou weighs in with his “liquid, techno-stroked” (Stereogum) remix of ‘Eleanor Speaks’, already a blogsville hit and destined to be a dancefloor essential this summer, with DJs as diverse as Trentemøller and Four Tet getting behind it.

Shlohmo (not the UK beatboxer Shlomo, but the West Coast indie hip-hopper and Wedidit Collective member) offers a sparkly slice of backpack thug life, with a blippy, bouncey take on ‘Swim’. Coming up close behind is hotly tipped Brooklyn-based sister-fronted outfit, Zambri, with a woozy, echoey, bruised darkwave distortion that takes ‘Eleanor Speaks’ deep into dystopia. You need to play this one loud. New York’s Phenomenal Handclap Band give ‘Swim’ an understated cosmic disco revamp, while The Depreciation Guild (who dabble in a little side project called The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart) take ‘Internet Warrior’ into a mirrored hall of shoegazey, mindbending effects.

To mark the release, Oh No Ono have created a space invaders-style video game which you can find on their website.

wildbirds & peacedrums

Wildbirds & Peacedrums
Wildbirds and Peacedrums release the first of two special EPs this month,  Retina is available on vinyl only from May 24th, the release has been put back due to production problems, but the five track EP will surely be worth the wait and comes in stunning silver and black packaging.

The second EP, Iris, is scheduled for June release and together the EP’s will form the nucleus of a double CD album called Rivers, which should be available for August.

Retina comprises five extraordinary new songs, stratospheric in scale and emotional scope, thematically linked by the idea of water as a reflection of emotions. The songs were recorded in Iceland in just three days by Mariam Wallentin and Andreas Werliin and the 12-strong Schola Cantorum Reykjavík Chamber Choir (who also featured on Björk’s Medulla album). The EP features a stellar cast drawn from the Bedroom Community group, recorded by Australian émigré sound artist and engineer Ben Frost, mixed by Valgeir Sigurðsson (Camille, CocoRosie, Bonnie Prince Billy, etc) and with choral arrangements by Hildur Guðnadóttir (who has collaborated with Fever Ray, Throbbing Gristle and is a member of Múm).

‘Bleed Like There Was No Other Flood’ opens the EP, with a majestic, celestial rise and fall of choir voices and Mariam’s passionate, soaring, reverb-drenched lead vocal. Andreas’s percussion ranges from first raindrops through to the high-hat hiss of a storm at night. It is an immense track.

“It was amazing, the feeling of other voices lifting my voice and letting me float on top of it,” Mariam says. “Normally I take my power from a more grounded place, but when another voice layer was added, I could somehow rely on them and just sing what my emotions told me to. Not forcing anything. This experience gave me a safe and warm feeling, being a part of something bigger, a collective force.”

‘Tiny Holes In This World’ is sparse, with the percussion echoey and backwards-sounding, the sprightly vocal interplay from the choir sending spine tingles. ‘Under Land And Over Sea’ is solemn and reverent, and the drums are entirely absent. They reappear with characteristically vivid, unpredictable energy on ‘Fight For Me’, a tower of song with tremendous emotional power. ‘Peeling Off The Layers’ ends the EP, erect with an almost military tattoo, gales of angelic choir and Mariam singing a deeply confessional water-spiritual.

The release of Retina coincides with Wildbirds & Peacedrums’ short European tour, backed by a 12-piece choir, including a live premiere at the Pavement-curated ATP and a London show at Bishopsgate Institute. Their growing live reputation suggests these will be shows to remember. The band recently returned from a US tour with St Vincent, and wowed audiences around the world in 2009.

Here is a short teaser to give some idea of what to expect:

Wildbirds & Peacedrums Tour & Retina EP Trailer from Leaf Label on Vimeo.

May UK Tour Dates:

Oh No Ono
Monday 17 May
The Luminaire, LONDON
311 Kilburn High Rd, NW6 7JR
Doors 7.30pm
Tickets £7 adv / £8

http://www.theluminaire.co.uk/live-music/May/2010/1194

Wednesday 19 May
Liverpool Sound City, LIVERPOOL (with Archie Bronson Outfit, White Hinterland & Django Django)
The Kazimier, 4-5 Wolstehome Sq, L1 4JJ
Doors 8pm
Tickets £8

http://www.liverpoolsoundcity.co.uk

Wildbirds & Peacedrums and Voices
Friday 14 May                ATP Festival, Minehead, UK
Saturday 15 May            Bishopsgate Institute, London, UK
Sunday 16 May              Café De La Danse, Paris, France
Monday 17 May              Dampfzentrale, Bern, Switzerland
Wednesday 19 May        Babel, Malmö, Sweden
Thursday 20 May            Jazzhouse, Copenhagen, Denmark
Friday 21 May                Blå, Oslo, Norway
Saturday 22 May            Södra Teatern, Stockholm, Sweden
Sunday 23 May              Pusterviksteatern, Gothenburg, Sweden