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