Sic Alps release new album on Drag City in January

Sic Alps are back with their new album Napa Asylum on 24 January on Drag City. Hailing from San Francisco, they have a modern approach to a psychedelic sound, laden with reverb and pretty lo-fi, they create gorgeously moody, spooky pop songs with themes of reincarnation, magic and schizophrenia. They'll also be back for a tour next year after their successful European jaunt in May/June, which included an appearance at the Pavement curated ATP as well as supporting at one of Pavement's sold-out Brixton Academy shows.

More info below and here:
http://www.sicalps.com/
http://www.dragcity.com/artists/sic-alps

The Loves December Boy Trailer

The new single by The Loves, December Boy, is the first to be taken from their fourth and final album …Love You, and the first on which Jenna Love (The Loves' J-Lo) takes lead vocals. Recorded live at Soup Studios in London's glittering East End, it turns the chorus for September Gurls by Big Star into a Spector-esque girl group pop number, with help from Liz Hunt from The School and Emma Hall from Pocketbooks on backing vocals, as well as Rob Jones (AKA The Voluntary Butler Scheme) on organ. Real life violins also make an appearance. Flip-side Bubblegum is equally upbeat, but with more of a 60s garage Nuggets feel. The single will be released on bubblegum coloured 7" vinyl.

The album …Love You will be released in January before The Loves call time on the whole tawdry ten years by imploding in a mess of badly drawn paper hearts, cheap alcohol and bodily fluids on Valentine’s Day 2011.

The very talented Simon Love from The Loves has created not one but TWO videos for the forthcoming double A-side single December Boy/Bubblegum. First up, here's the trailer for the "December Boy" video, just to tease you before the real unveiling in a few weeks (by then it'll be nearly time for the December Boy to take centre stage!) and you can see how the story of a boy in search of his missing heart unfurls.

The Loves Live

November

27th- The Cardigan Arms, Leeds with Ringo Deathstarr

December

4th- The Luminaire, London with The School
5th- The Buffalo Bar, Cardiff with The School

February

5th- Prince Albert, Brighton with The Lovely Eggs
12th- The Loves Retirement Show with very special guests

The Loves links:
http://www.myspace.com/lovetheloves
http://www.fortunapop.com/artist_details.php?id=30

Allo Darlin' - My Heart is a Drummer (Official Video)

As Allo Darlin' are set to release their new single "My Heart is a Drummer" (15 Nov, Fortuna POP!) from their critically acclaimed self-titled debut album, here's a fabulous video made by Joseph Brett and Simon Taffe from End of the Road. Bursting with charm and indiepop loveliness, "My Heart Is A Drummer" is the perfect antitode to the encroaching winter.

The band play a single release gig on 17 November at Cargo.

http://www.myspace.com/allodarlin - http://allodarlin.com/

It's True!! Thee Spivs Mojo Rising!

Yes! Thee Spivs are featured in the new issue of Uncut (coverdate December 2010) in one of the Mojo Rising features. Ignore them at your peril, these boys are ready to have a crack at the big time!

Shrag - album of the month in Artrocker!!

Ok, so this was LAST month's issue but here's a lovely review from the nice people at Artrocker who made Shrag's new album "Life! Death! Prizes!" their album of the month!!

Here's also a link to a feature on the Artrocker website with Shrag talking about making the album.

THEE SPIVS It's true (Emergency Films 2010)

I'm delighted to announce that I'll be working with another band on the Damaged Goods label called Thee Spivs. Their new album Taped Up is out in November and mixes 70s punk with 60s garage and a little bit of rock'n'roll. They're playing an album release show on 12 November at London's Hope and Anchor... hope to see you there!

Here's the video for their last single "It's True". Their next single "I Don't Want It" is out on 1 November.

www.myspace.com/theespivs

Bearsuit: Please Don't Take Him Back

Tying in with telly's new crop of costume dramas for the autumn, bearsuit bring you their own version in the brand new video for their new single "Please Don't Take Him Back".

Shrag - Rabbit Kids - Promo Video

Shrag's brand new album Life! Death! Prizes! is out on 4 October. Here's their brand new video for the radio hit "Rabbit Kids". Also keep your eyes peeled for their Album of the Month review in the next issue of Artrocker!

Bearsuit - new single, new line-up, new sound!

bearsuit
please don't take him back
7" and download single
Fortuna Pop!
25 October 2010

Fresh from a line-up change and an invigorated sound, BEARSUIT are back with a brand new single. Please Don’t Take Him Back is the debut single from their forthcoming new album The Phantom Forest, which will be released on Fortuna Pop! on 25 October. To celebrate the band will be playing a few live dates:

October
Sat 9 – Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes – LONDON
Sat 16 – Take 5 – NORWICH
Weds 20 – Buffalo Bar – LONDON
Fri 22 – Big Blue Coffee Company – DERBY
Sat 23 (day) – Edinburgh Pop Fest, The GRV – EDINBURGH
Sat 23 – Newcastle Arts Centre – NEWCASTLE
Weds 27 – The Basement – CHELMSFORD
Fri 29 – The Red House – SHEFFIELD
Sat 30 – Night and Day Cafe – MANCHESTER
Sun 31 – Buffalo Bar – CARDIFF

http://www.bearsuit.co.uk/
http://www.myspace.com/bearsuit

Vatican Cellars - MP3 from forthcoming debut album

for September you lucky lucky people can download the first single from the VATICAN CELLARS' debut album - BITTER PLANS

www.wiaiwya.com

BITTER PLANS will appeal to fans of TIM HARDIN, the LILAC TIME and NICK DRAKE; a georgeous lament to loss and its accompanying guilt. It's an English gent's soul music, an angry acoustic politely strummed, and a cello part to break you heart... Utterly beautiful...

it's coupled with a cover of VAN HALEN's RUNNIN' WITH THE DEVIL... it's cockrockchamberpop... oh, yes... i said COCKROCKCHAMBERPOP... it's the new thing, and all the kids are doing it...

http://www.myspace.com/thevaticancellars

The Piney Gir Country Roadshow - Jesus Wept - 18 October

Just to let you know that I'm going to be helping out with the new release from The Piney Gir Country Roadshow, Jesus Wept, on Damaged Goods. The release date has been put back to 18 October 2010, so let me know if you'd like a copy of the album or if you're able to review or cover in any way. Piney and the gang will be playing some London gigs soon, so let me know if you'd like to come along or are able to write about 'em here:

7th Sept The Lexington, London
3rd Oct 100 Club, London (with Fabienne Delsol)

The queen of country/indie, Piney Gir lasso's in her Country Roadshow to create a fabulously luscious sound with nods to Emmy Lou Harris, Tammy Wynette and Dolly Parton.

More info here;
http://www.pineygir.com/

SHRAG - "Tights in August" for August

Have a listen to this sneaky-peak of the brand new material from Brighton/London indie pop band SHRAG. Their new album "Life! Death! Prizes!" is due for release in October.

"Tights In August" is their first 'single' available as a free download throughout the month of August from their label's website here: http://www.wiaiwya.com/

Direct link here

The single 'sleeve' is a delightful re-hash of the old Mary Quant tights packages.

Here's their myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/shrag

The Holidays - Golden Sky 7"

The Passport Label - 7”/download
23 August 2010

The Passport Label is thrilled to be teaming up with Sydney band, The Holidays, for its latest 7" release in 23 August.

Having emerged from their Sydney studio just in time for the British summer, The Holidays present Golden Sky - a sun-drenched tune that channels warm nights and cloudless skies. The song blends wild percussion, sing-a-long chant choruses, falsetto vocals and squawking guitars into an action-packed, yet equally sublime journey.

B-side “Heavy Feathers” complements the lead track perfectly. A little more downbeat than the elation of “Golden Sky”, “Heavy Feathers” is a dreamy, hazy come-down evoking the relaxed atmosphere of The Caribbean.
The Golden Sky single consolidates The Holidays' foray into an exciting new direction that genuinely stakes their claim as one of the most exciting new bands in the Australia. Remixes of their track “Moonlight Hours” by Modular new kids on the block Jonathon Boulet and The Swiss have also attracted generous lashings of hyperbole in the blogoshere. The latter recently appeared on an exclusive NME download Mixtape complied by UK disco/electro wunder-kid Grum, and made much-loved Belgian remixers Aeroplane’s February Chart podcast.

Golden Sky will sit comfortably on The Holidays’ forthcoming debut album, which is nearing completion and has been self-produced by the band and mixed by Tony Espie (Midnight Juggernauts, Cut Copy, Avalanches). The album is shaping up to be a thrilling musical ride traversing a myriad of influences and genres that ultimately will see light of day as a groove-based record full of summer vibes, elec-tropical dance floor anthems and mellow, breezy melodies.


http://www.myspace.com/theholidays

WRECKLESS ERIC & AMY RIGBY

WRECKLESS ERIC & AMY RIGBY

Two-Way Family Favourites

30 August 2010 – Southern Domestic Recordings


Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby are a two-piece rock and roll group who have individually been making distinctive and original music for decades: he a British iconoclast and wild-card survivor of the early Stiff Records, she as a long-standing heroine of the New York pop scene. Their 2008 debut album Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby and their live show have enjoyed rapturous critical acclaim in the US, UK & Europe. Now they're back with Two-Way Family Favourites, a shimmering collection of songs written by other artists - to be released 30 August 2010 on their own Southern Domestic Recordings label and supported with a UK tour.

"When we started playing together, we hoped to get work as a covers band playing in bars in France – but when people heard our version of playing covers they were confused. So we knew we were on to something."

Wreckless Eric recorded the legendary single “Whole Wide World” back in 1977. Since then he has made countless albums in different guises, moving between bubblegum, pop, grunge, psychedelia and techno, but always remaining true to the DIY spirit of his early days on Stiff.

Amy Rigby started a country band in eighties New York City, went on to form girl group The Shams, and began her solo career in 1996 with the US hit album Diary Of A Mod Housewife. Her five solo albums embrace pop, country, folk-rock, psychedelia and the indefinable.

With Two-Way Family Favourites the duo continue to develop their warped, harmony-rich sound. There are no other musicians involved – Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby accompany themselves with electric and acoustic guitars, bass guitar, keyboards and percussion.



"... their loopy, layered approach, keenly turning conventional boy/girl pop-group convention on ear, sinks in deep." UNCUT

"The static-riddled spiritedness highlights their individual quirks as well as the easy chemistry between the pair." Pitchfork



UK Tour Dates (more dates to be announced probably)

Friday 20 Aug Bedford Rhythm Festival

Saturday 21 Aug Coventry Taylor John's House
Friday 10 Sept Nottingham Rescue Rooms

Friday 17 Sept Glasgow Stereo

Saturday 18 Sept Hyde, Cheshire The Verge

Friday 24 Sept London The Lexington

Saturday 25 Sept Bury Lancs The Met

Tuesday 28 Sept Winchester The Railway



http://www.myspace.com/wrecklessericamyrigby


http://www.amyrigby.com/wrecklessericamyrigby.html

Cours Lapin - twisted French pop - Gigs this week!

Just thought I'd alert you to a couple of gigs this week from the band COURS LAPIN. The album isn't out til September but it'd be great if you wanted to pop down and check them out. They play at Notting Hill Arts Club on Wednesday and at Rough Trade East on Thursday.

COURS LAPIN are four Danish film score composers who make twisted pop fairytales drawing from the old 'chanson' tradition, inspired by the films of Tim Burton and David Lynch.

Live concerts in London:

Death Disco @ Nottinghill Arts club, wednesday july 7th at 9pm.
21 Notting Hill Gate, London W11

Rough Trade East, in-store gig, Thursday july 8th at 7pm.
'Dray Walk' Old Truman Brewery 91 Brick Lane

UK release, September 13th.

Listen to "Cache-Cache" on Soundcloud here: http://soundcloud.com/butilikeyou/cache-cache-by-cours-lapin

www.myspace.com/courslapin

CLOUD CONTROL - UK Tour + Album news

www.myspace.com/cloudcontrol


After sensational reactions to debut single “Gold Canary” released earlier this year, Australia’s Cloud Control are returning to the UK for a brief spell of shows in July having signed to bespoke independent label Infectious Music.

Described by Record Collector as “…somewhere between Animal Collective’s Beach Boys spin and the sophisticated pop shenanigans of The Shins” and having a victorious nomination on BBC 6 Music’s Rebel Playlist, Cloud Control play London’s The Luminare and Brighton’s Freebutt before debuting at Secret Garden Party. This string of intimate gigs pre-empts the bands first single release on Infectious Music this autumn with the bands stunning debut album ‘Bliss Release’ due in early 2011.

Hailing from the picturesque and rugged terrains of Australia’s Blue Mountains, the ethereal melodies and tribal rhythms of the enigmatic quartet drift wonderfully between the psyche-flourishes of Jefferson Airplane and the dreamy vastness of The Go-Betweens.

Since their UK debut at The Great Escape Festival in 2009, Cloud Control have evolved into a thrilling live act, headlining their first sell-out tour of Australia earlier this year after supporting Vampire Weekend on their Australasian tour by special request. Nurtured from the same vein of eccentricity that nourished David Byrne & Nick Cave and loaded with a stellar collection of quirky layered harmonic pop, Cloud Control is sure to excite this summer.

Cloud Control are Alister Wright (guitar/lead vocals), Jeremy Kelshaw (bass) and siblings Heidi Lenffer (keyboards/vocals) and Ulrich Lenffer (drums).


Cloud Control Play :

Fri 16 July London, Barfly - 7.30pm

Tue 20 July Brighton, Freebutt (www.wegottickets.com/event/84977)

Thur 22 July London, The Luminaire (Black Cab Session Presents) (www.wegottickets.com)

Fri 23 July Cambridge Green-Mind, Haymakers (www.wegottickets.com/event/84160)

Sat 24 July Huntingdon, The Secret Garden Party (www.seetickets.com/secretgardenparty2009)

www.myspace.com/cloudcontrol

www.infectiousmusicuk.com

Cours Lapin - debut album from four Danish Film Composers

We're delighted to bring you the debut album from Cours Lapin - Four noted Danish film composers create a timeless French musical adventure with their debut album. Cours Lapin’s unusual combination of words, tones and textures leads us into a theatrical underworld consisting of a French adventure shaped by the old ‘chanson’ tradition. The mood of the album moves from the dark and sensual to naive and hopeful, reminiscent of the atmosphere found in the films of Tim Burton and David Lynch. One minute you are initiated into the mysterious intrigue surrounding a murder scene in the 1950s and the next minute you are following strange creatures on strings in a 20th century puppet theatre.

For a little taster, here's a free MP3 for the song Cache Cache -
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/631249/Cache%20Cache.mp3

JULY DATES

07 Notting Hill Arts Club

08 Rough Trade East Instore


http://www.myspace.com/courslapin

New video from TENDER TRAP

A celebration of indie-hang outs, the new video from Tender Trap begs the question - "Do You Want a Boyfriend?". Well. The answer is quite evidently - YES - especially when one of the contenders is none other than label impresario John Jervis.

The single for Do You Want a Boyfriend comes out on limited edition white vinyl this month, so grab it while you can!!

TENDER TRAP - new album Dansette Dansette from band led by indiepop legend Amelia Fletcher

We're pleased to announce the brand new full-length album from indiepop legend Amelia Fletcher's band TENDER TRAP (also featuring Elizabeth Morris from Allo Darlin'). It is called Dansette Dansette and will be released on Fortuna POP! on 12 July 2010. Just before that there will be a single from the album called "Do You Want a Boyfriend" with the b-side of "The Sum and the Difference". Look out for live shows in July (see dates below)!

A free download single is already available for the track "Girls With Guns" which you can download here http://www.fortunapop.com/girls_with_guns_free_download.php

There's also a fabulous video for this track here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_GnEXrEXoY

Gone is the more contemplative pop classicism of recent years to be replaced by a riot-grrrl-esque tale of sisterhood and revenge that wouldn’t be out of place among the punkest moments of Amelia's previous outfits Talulah Gosh and Heavenly. While guitars and drums rush by in a blur, Amelia and her new girl crew swear a cold-hearted vengeance on the unreliable and untrustworthy menfolk of the town.

“In a nicer parallel universe, Tender Trap’s Amelia Fletcher is the most influential artist of her day” (NME)

LIVE:

May 21 New York Popfest, New York, US
May 22 Pilam, Philadelphia US
Jul 3 The Hope, Brighton
Jul 9 The Library, Leeds
Jul 10 TBC, Liverpool
Jul 13 The Wheatsheaf, Oxford
Jul 14 Rough Trade East Instore, London

The Pack a.d. UK TOUR!

We're thrilled to announce that Vancouver's finest female rock duo The Pack a.d. will be in the UK playing some shows after their European tour with Nomeansno. They'll be at the Great Escape in Brighton and Liverpool Sound City Festival with 3 London shows in between. There's also a new video for the album track "Deer" which is off their album WE KILL COMPUTERS which is out on 3 May...

UK TOUR

14 May - Brighton - Great Escape, Komedia daytime show
14 May - London - Windmill - Brixton
15 May - Brighton - Great Escape, Artrocker stage
18 May - London - The Gaff (Artrocker night - NHS Club (New Heavy Sounds))
19 May - London - The Lexington - Fleur-de-Lys Club
20 May - Liverpool - Sound City Festival - Jacaranda
21 May - Liverpool - Sound City Festival - Canadian Blast Showcase at Masque


Brand new video for "Deer"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00pfn0bVtM0

Rangda - Richard Bishop, Ben Chasny and Chris Corsano

RANGDA

FALSE FLAG
CD/LP – 10 May 2010
(Drag City)

Drag City are pleased to announce the new album from Sir Richard Bishop, Ben Chasny and Chris Corsano with a European tour in May.

EUROPEAN TOUR DATES (more to be announced)
MAY 2010

27 London, UK, Bardens Boudoir (with Plurals)
28 Bristol, UK, the Croft (with Acid Mothers Temple)
29 Cornwall, UK, Miss Peapods
30 Newcastle, UK, The Cumberland
31 Glasgow, Scotland, Stereo

June
1 Dublin, Irl, whelans
2 Cardiff, Wales, Norwegian Church
3 Brighton, UK, FreeButt
4 Aalst, Be, Netwerk
5 Hasselt, Be, Kunstzentrumbelgie
6 Utrecht, Nl, tivoli
7 Krefeld, de, Kulturrampe
8 Lyon, fr, Grnd zro
9 Geneva, Sw, L'Usine


When individuals with the originality and talent of the trio gathered for Rangda get together, something truly remarkable is bound to happen. All well respected musicians and leaders in their field, Sir Richard Bishop (Sun City Girls), Ben Chasny (Six Organs of Admittance, Comets on Fire) and drummer extraordinaire Chris Corsano create a glorious cacophony as an instrumental super-group exploring the edges of sound through improvisation and collaboration. With an explosion of psychedelia and classic rock, the album ricochets between gorgeous, blissed-out guitar melodies and thrashed-out noise.

The Blackeyed Susans play two London gigs

THE BLACKEYED SUSANS

The Barbican, London (with The Triffids)
Fri 19 April 2010
The Borderline, London (headline show)
Sat 10 April 2010

Londoners will get their first opportunity to see Australia’s Blackeyed Susans live when they play the Barbican on April 9 as part of The Triffids’ ‘A Secret in the Shape of a Song’ show. The Susans will also play one headline show of their own the following night at The Borderline on Saturday 10 April with friends and special guests including Melanie Oxley and Chris Abrahams.

The Blackeyed Susans and The Triffids have a long and intertwined history. The Susans started as a side project for members of The Triffids and Chad’s Tree in the late eighties before growing into the legendary collective that has over the years boasted members of the Dirty Three, The Drones, The Bad Seeds and many other luminaries of the Australian alternative music scene. They have also released six albums across this time, marking their twentieth anniversary last year with the release of the four disc retrospective box set, ‘Reveal Yourself 1989-2009’.

Lush, dark and romantic, The Blackeyed Susans twist their op-shop stylings into something uniquely their own.

Featuring with The Blackeyed Susans will be a number of special guests including pedal steel ace “Evil” Graham Lee of The Triffids.

FRI APRIL 9

THE BARBICAN – THE TRIFFIDS ‘A Secret in the Shape of a Song’

Silk Street, London EC2Y 8 (Barbican tube)

TICKETS ON SALE: www.barbican.org.uk

SAT APRIL 10

THE BORDERLINE – THE BLACKEYED SUSANS AND FRIENDS

Orange Yard, Off Manette Street, London W1D 4JB (Tottenham Court Rd tube)

TICKETS ON SALE: 08448 472 465 www.meanfiddler.com or www.ticketweb.co.uk

Special guests: Melanie Oxley & Chris Abrahams

Leader of the Pack

Thrilled to be adding another great band to the roster! Since I've been spending most nights this week glued to the Winter Olympics (doubles louge anyone? why is curling so addictive?), I'm glad to be able to welcome the next best thing to come out of Vancouver, the band THE PACK A.D. With growling rock'n'roll vocals and sounds that you didn't think a woman could make from singer/guitarist Becky Black, and Maya Miller's explosive drums attacking the songs rather than playing them, the duo make up one of the most exciting garage rock/pop/punk combos around.

Their new album 'We Kill Computers' will be released in the UK by Mint Records on 3 May.

Here's a little teaser right here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE9pMFzdR_Y

Keep posted for more postings...
http://thepackafterdeath.com/

Cloud Control Press

I'm well and truly chuffed about the great reception people have been giving Cloud Control's "Gold Canary" 7". As well as getting single of the week in Drowned In Sound this week, we also got great reviews in Artrocker, Record Collector, Subba-Cultcha and This is Fake DIY. To cap it all, the track won Steve Lamacq's rebel playlist on 6 music last week!!

Drowned in Sound: http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4139096-this-weeks-singles--15-02-10
This is Fake DIY: http://www.thisisfakediy.co.uk/articles/tracks/cloud-control-gold-canary
Subba-Cultcha: http://www.subba-cultcha.com/features/article.php?contentID=17962

Thrill Jockey Records

As well as working on freelance projects with butilikeyou, I have also just started working for Thrill Jockey Records here in London. I'm very excited to be here and working on some really fantastic releases and with a label that I've been a fan of for many years. This blog is mainly for my freelance stuff but I might post a few MP3s and exciting tidbits of news about TJ stuff as well... www.thrilljockey.com

One of the first bands that I'm working on is HIGH PLACES (pictured left). The second full-length from Mary Pearson and Rob Barber, High Places vs Mankind, tackles the complex, gigantic subject of being human and what it's like to interact with human beings. Having moved from Brooklyn to LA last year, the duo combine luscious, effect-drenched vocals with off-kilter dance rhythms and a DIY aesthetic. Both are very creative and interested in art, designing all their own sleeves and making all their own videos. You can see some of their photography on their blog here: http://hellohighplaces.blogspot.com/

Here's an MP3 of the album track, 'On Giving Up'
http://thrilljockey.com/assets/freedownload/High_Places-On_Giving_Up.mp3

They're touring the UK in May...
Mon 3-May-10 Brighton Freebutt
Tue 4-May-10 London Cargo
Wed 5-May-10 Dublin Whelans
Thu 6-May-10 Glasgow Nice & Sleazy
Fri 7-May-10 Sheffield The Harley
Sat 8-May-10 Leeds The Brudenell Social Club

More Cloud Control radio action

Ok, so I got a bit over excited by a couple of plays on Lauren Laverne's show... so you should have seen me when 'Gold Canary' got added to Steve Lamacq's rebel playlist!! Go on, do your bit and vote to see Cloud Control in 6 music's playlist!! I think it lasts for a week (until 6pm Tues 17 Feb)...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/shows/steve_lamacq/rebel_playlist.shtml

Cloud Control track played on the radio

Lauren Laverne played 'Gold Canary' on her daytime show on 6 Music yesterday (20 Jan 2010). See track listing here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00q2n7x#segments
On the very same evening, John Kennedy played the track on X-Posure on XFM.

Bird Show Band

Here's another great project that I'll be working on. The self titled Bird Show Band album will be out in the UK on 8 March via the New York based label Amish Records (who also brought you Oakley Hall, Mike Wexler, PG Six and many others).

Here's a bit of background info: Bird Show is the solo project of Ben Vida (who used to be in Town and Country and now plays with various bands including; Soft Circle [with former Black Dice member Hisham Bharoocha], Singer [on Drag City] and The For Carnation – who were in the UK recently for the 10 Year Anniversary of All Tomorrow's Parties).

With two solo albums out on Kranky, Vida has now expanded the scope of Bird Show, incorporating a band featuring a who's who of Chicago's improvisational luminaries, including Dan Bitney and John Herndon (Tortoise, Isotope 217) as well as Josh Abrams and Jim Baker (they have played with the likes of as Jeb Bishop, Hamid Drake, Ken Vandermark, Jim O’Rourke). While Herndon and Bitney’s percussion invokes German psych, progressive rock, and jazz idioms, Vida’s synth-based experiments rely heavily on the Moog and fluid, lyrical melodic lines.

We also have the pleasure of offering you an MP3 for absolutely free of the track Quintet Four, which you can download right here, right now...

Quintet Four MP3

For more info, drop me an email or find out for yourself at:
www.amishrecords.com

Cloud Control

CLOUD CONTROL
Gold Canary
7" and download out 22 Feb 2010

The next 7” single from the Passport Label is the brilliantly uplifting ‘Gold Canary’ by Cloud Control. Hailed as one of the best new bands in Australia after winning the Best New Artist prize at the Sydney Music, Arts and Culture Awards, Cloud Control have finished recording their debut album which will be released by Ivy League Records in early 2010. 'Gold Canary' combines their many influences to create an infectious song infused with tribal chants, dub rhythms and inventive pop melodies.

You can download 'Gold Canary' on their myspace page and listen to some tracks from their rare EP as well as snippets from their forthcoming album here:
http://www.myspace.com/cloudcontrol.

Amy Millan Press

Some great reviews came in for the new Amy Millan album 'Masters of the Burial', which came out in December. The Stars/Broken Social Scene singer combines her own compositions with some great covers such as Death Cab For Cutie's 'I Will Follow You Into the Dark' and Richard Hawley's 'Run For Me'. The album was CD of the Week in The Sunday Times (see left) on 13 December.

‘… a warm, rounded and altogether lovely album.” – Mojo ***

'... sumptuous...' – Uncut ****

“a beautiful collection of warm, folksy tunes… A fine album” – THE LIST

“these country tinged lullabies do indeed contain a seductive and sedate magic” – INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY

“A lovely, late-night listen” – TELETEXT

“…scratch the surface and there’s a veritable treasure trove of heartbreak and lost love. Masters of The Burial is bursting with subtly intelligent ideas…” – THE LINE OF BEST FIT

“…its melancholy heart shimmers in similar terrain to Bon Iver or Smog.” – BBC

Rowland S Howard RIP

I was very sad to learn that Rowland S Howard died just before New Year. He had been ill for some time. My thoughts go out to his family and friends. I had the pleasure of working on the 7" single of Pop Crimes/Girl Called Johnny for the Passport Label. Lots of people were very excited that he was back making music after so many years and were looking forward to hearing his last full length, Pop Crimes, which has already been released in Australia but yet to be made available in the UK. It's great that he was able to make one last amazing album to add to his already great legacy. He will be missed.

http://www.passportlabel.com/artists/150:rowland-s-howard
also see great recent feature in Uncut