MÚM HEADLINE SHEPHERDS BUSH EMPIRE

Múm headline a show at the Shepherds Bush Empire, London on February 28th following their appearance at the Slint curated ATP. Support comes from fellow Icelander Emilana Torrini with one more to be confirmed. 

EB

30/01/05

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WILLIAM ELLIOTT WHITMORE 

The handsome Mississippian William Elliott Whitmore releases 'Ashes To Dust' via Southern on the 21st February. Having just played two dates in the UK this past week returns to the UK at the end of March accompanying Planes Mistaken For Stars and Converge on their UK tour. Comparisons run from the gravely voice of Tom Waits and the lyrical story telling of Johnny Cash. Catch William E Whitmore's deep, sexy as hell earthy voice at the following dates:

Sun Mar 27 CLWB IFOR BACH CARDIFF 
Mon Mar 28 JILLYS ROCKWORLD MANCHESTER 
Tue Mar 29 GARAGE 2 GLASGOW 
Wed Mar 30 VOODOO LOUNGE DUBLIN 
Fri Apr 1 MEAN FIDDLER LONDON

EB

30/01/05

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RUMOURS & BLOG GOSSIP... SILVER JEWS BACK RECORDING WITH STEPHEN MALKMUS?!

Pavement and Silver Jew fans everywhere rejoice for David Berman and Stephen Malkmus may well be back with a new and probably final record! What started out as a cryptic clue on Malkmus' website "Nashville is unseasonably warm, there are termites in my computer that adds things to the dialog" followed by rumours and then a bit of blog gossip. According to this blog, the Silver Jews are making another record in Nashville at the moment.

Well while details at the moment are far too embryonic Drag City have confirmed to Pitchfork Media that, yes, Stephen Malkmus, Steve West, and Bob Nastanovich are on board to help David Berman with his latest masterpiece. The indie rumor mill also named Will Oldham as a participant, but, Drag City deny this. 

EB

30/01/05

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I LOVE THE RAMPS, YOU WILL TOO

The Black Ramps release their debut 'Shark Attack EP' this week. The limited edition release, which features Battlecat, Megatron Hair, Fountains Never Freeze and Concrete Symmetry is released through their own label str82tape records. To celebrate the release they play a Dead or Alive night at The Comedy (Leicester Square) with The Guild, The Silver Lounge and Velvet Quicksand on the 2nd February. Doors open at 8pm and entry is £5 or £4 with a flyer. For more information on The Black Ramps (think Pavement, Urusei Yatsura, etc) go to www.blackramps.com.

JM

30/01/05

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WHERE THERE'S HEAT THERE'S AN ARCADE FIRE

Well we really are an impatient bunch aren't we? In response to the eager anticipation of the release of The Arcade Fire's debut 'Funeral' on UK domestic release, Rough Trade Records have announced the albums availability before the official release date (28th February) on iTunes from 25th January. However this means that no more import copies will be available to the UK. But pah! If you really really want a real hard copy in your sweaty palms then you can always buy online from, I dunno, someone like say, insound or amazon.com, hell it'll even be cheaper (hooray for the low dollar to the pound!)

A limited edition 12" two track promo of the album (featuring tracks 'Neighborhood 2 (Laika)' and 'Neighborhood 3 (Power Out)') is available in Rough Trade shops as of the 25th January. Also the band have confirmed their debut UK live date will be March 8th at London King's College following suit with a full UK tour. 

EB

25//01/05

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CAN'T SEE 'THE WOODS' FOR SLEATER KINNEY

Sleater Kinney have announced details of their new album, the first for their new home Sub Pop. Entitled 'The Woods' and reportedly produced by Dave Fridmann their seventh full-length release Sub Pop claims reveals a very different side to the band. "honest-to-god guitar heroics/solos; new depth and heaviness to the songs; fuzzed out lows cropping up in places formerly reserved for staccato highs." 'The Woods' hits the stores May 23rd. Tracklist:

01 The Fox
02 Wilderness 
03 What's Mine is Yours 
04 Jumpers 
05 Modern Girl 
06 Entertain 
07 Rollercoaster 
08 Steep Air 
09 Let's Call It Love 
10 Night Light 

The band are currently lining up some live dates to proceed the album, let's hope they'll be some UK/Euro ones! Sleater-Kinney will also be playing SXSW along with a selection of other fine Sub Pop bands.

EB

25/01/05

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'OPEN SEASON' FOR BRITISH SEA POWER

Those jolly good boys British Sea Power return to our stereos this March (21st) with the release of their second album, 'Open Season'. To celebrate in time honored tradition the band set off shortly thereafter on a tour of the UK. Dropping anchor in a town near you this April!

6th - Bristol, Anson Rooms
7th - Birmingham, Academy
8th - Leeds, Blank Canvas
9th - Edinburgh, Liquid Rooms
10th - Manchester, Academy 2
11th - Norwich, Waterfront
13th - London, Forum

EB

19/01/05

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THE DECEMBERISTS; NEW ALBUM & MORRISSEY COVERS...

One of my personal favourite bands, The Decemberists release their third studio album outing via Kill Rock Stars, March 21st entitled, 'Picaresque'. Decemberists mainman Mr. Colin Meloy has previously described the band's third long-player (to pitchfork media) as "ambitious," "dynamic," and rife with subject matter like "Portland male prostitutes, Spanish child princesses, Cold War spies, joint suicides, injured soccer players, the ghost of a dead barrow boy, a mourning sea-widow, politico celebrities and cannibals." The full Decemberists lineup has changed with the fond farewell of long time drummer Rachel Blumberg to be replaced by John Moen, whose worked sticks for the likes of Stephen Malkmus' Jicks. The 'Picaresque' tracklist:

01 The Infanta
02 We Both Go Down Together
03 Eli, the Barrow Boy
04 The Sporting Life
05 The Bagman's Gambit
06 From My Own True Love (Lost at Sea)
07 Sixteen Military Wives
08 The Engine Driver
09 On the Bus Mall
10 The Mariner's Revenge Song
11 Of Angels and Angles

Also in Decemberists news, as part of Colin Meloy's current solo tour stateside "Colin Meloy Sings Morrissey." Yes that's right a tour-only EP of Morrissey covers. Although obviously not available in the UK there's always ebay! The tracklist:

01 I Know Very Well How I Got My Name
02 Pregnant For the Last Time
03 Jack the Ripper
04 I've Changed My Plea to Guilty
05 Sister, I'm a Poet
06 Everyday Is Like Sunday

EB

19/01/05

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HOOD TOUR DATES

Hood have announced a full UK tour which follows their first London show since October 2003. The Spitz show (Tuesday 22nd February) will feature the DJ talents of Pedro. Hood's new album 'Outside Closer' is in shops this week.

27 Jan La Lune Des Pirates, Amiens, France 
28 Jan Le Cafe de La Danse, Paris, France 
29 Jan Dieppe Scene Nationale, Dieppe, France 
11 Feb Arts Centre, Norwich, UK 
13 Feb The Social, Nottingham, UK 
15 Feb The Wheatsheaf, Oxford, UK 
16 Feb The Flapper and Firkin, Birmingham, UK 
18 Feb Stereo, Glasgow, UK 
20 Feb Vis:onic Festival, Belfast, UK 
21 Feb TBC, Brighton, UK 
22 Feb The Spitz, London, UK 
24 Feb The Cube, Bristol, UK 
25 Feb Creation, Leeds, UK 

EB

18/01/05

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BONNIE 'PRINCE' BILLY & MATT SWEENY TO HEADLINE GREEN MAN 

Bonnie Prince Billy & Matt Sweeney have just been confirmed as headliners
for this year's Green Man Festival.

Now in it's third year, the Green Man Festival will take place over three
days on 19, 20 and 21 August. Bonnie Prince Billy and Matt Sweeney, who
release their Superwolf album on Domino on 24 January, will play on Saturday
20 August. They will join festival organisers It's Jo and Danny and another
50 live bands, DJs, films, literature, workshops and a myriad of other
events in the sumptuous surroundings of Baskerville Hall near Hay on Wye in
the heart of the Brecon Beacons.

Tickets for the folk and folktronica festival, which will include on site
camping and access to the festival's child friendly Village Green, with it's
organic cafes, workshops, theatre and mountain arts stalls will go on sale
on Monday 14 February. 

EB

18/01/05

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PATRICK WOLF'S 'WIND IN THE WIRES' LAUNCH

Patrick Wolf plays The Borderline on February 14th in conjunction with the release of his new record 'Wind In The Wires' via Tomlab. The single 'Libertine' is out on the 31st January the video for which is viewable online at playlouder.com. More shows will be announce shortly.

EB

16/01/05

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SEAFOOD/JETPLANE - TSUNAMI BENEFIT

David Line (Seafood) and Andrew Ferris (Jetplane Landing) will be playing a special acoustic show on Sunday Feb 6th to raise money for the Tsunami Disaster.

The event takes place at Range Life at the Bread and Roses, Clapham Manor Street, London SW4 (Clapham Common tube). The first fifty callers can reserve a place by calling the venue on 0207 498 1779 and leaving your name and email address. After that it's a first come first served basis. Names on the list are guaranteed until the 1st band plays. 

JM

13/01/05

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YO LA TENGO'S 'PRISONERS OF LOVE'

With some bands close to all our hearts it's hard to believe some have been a band longer than many of us have been on solid foods. Yes Yo La Tengo have been gracing our stereos for 20 years. To celebrate on March 21st Matador records release a career-spanning Yo La Tengo compilation, 'Prisoners of Love: A Smattering of Scintillating Senescent Songs, 1984-2003' in specially priced double CD and limited edition triple CD formats. 

Said collection ties together recordings going from the band's first 7" on their own Egon label, to their latter-day favorites for Matador, and shall be accompanied by provocative liner notes from longtime associate Byron Coley. The track listings are as follows:

Disc One:

1. Shaker 
2. Sugarcube
3. Barnaby, Hardly Working
4. Little Eyes 
5. Stockholm Syndrome
6. Our Way to Fall
7. From a Motel 6
8. Swing for Life
9. Tom Courtenay
11. I Heard You Looking
12. You Can Have It All
13. Did I Tell You

Disc Two:

1. The River of Water
2. Autumn Sweater
3. Big Day Coming
4. Pablo and Andrea
5. Drug Test 
6. Season of the Shark
7. Upside-Down 
8. The Summer
9. Tears Are in Your Eyes
10. Blue Line Swinger 
11. The Story of Jazz 
12. Nuclear War (version 1) 
13. By the Time It Gets Dark)

Disc Three (outtakes and rarities - limited edition triple CD version only):

1. Stay Away From Heaven - from the film "Invisible Circus", original soundtrack released on Chapter II)
2. Pencil Test* - I Can Hear The Heart... session track
3. Almost True* - And Then Nothing... session track
4. Tom Courtenay (acoustic) - Camp YLT EP
5. Big Day Coming (demo)*
6. Dreaming* - used in the film "Ode"
7. Bad Politics - Tom Courtenay single
8. Blue-Green Arrow - Earworm 7"
9. Decora (acoustic)* - KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic session, circa '95
10. Out The Window (original version) - That Is YLT EP
11. Weather Shy - from the film "Invisible Circus"
12. Dreams - Chemical Imbalance cover mount 7"
13. Autumn Sweater (remixed By Kevin Shields) - Autumn Sweater EP
14. Ashes On The Ground - From A Motel 6 EP
15. Mr. Ameche Plays The Stranger - Camp YLT EP
16. Magnet - from the NRBQ tribute album 'The Q People' (Spirithouse Records)
* previously unreleased

Also in  Yo La Tengo news a DVD compilation  is in the process of being compiled and should be released sometime in 2005.

EB

12/01/05

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DEAD MEADOW OF 'FEATHERS'

Washington DC's dirge masters, Dead Meadow release their fourth studio album on the 21st February. 'Feathers' is the bands second for Matador Records, and its first as a quartet with new guitarist Cory Shane. Dead Meadow play an unusual blend of flawless Hendrix/Sabbath riffage, dreamy psych, heavy undulating rhythms, dirty blues-rock, and environmental jams, with eerie high-pitched vocals. Check em out.

EB

12/01/05

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HAVE A LOOSE ALLDAYER  

For those of you in the vicinity of Cardiff on Sunday 13th of February you'd be a fool not to get your ass down to the Loose Club all-dayer at Cardiff's Toucan Club. Should you venture along you'd be treated to a day of bands of the like listed beolw:

THE BEAT UP
MR DAVID VINER
THE BOYFRIENDS
THE SCHLA LA LAS
THE REAL LOSERS (tbc)
THE CAVES
RED PONY
THE MARDOUS
EXIST
THE DANCING BULLETS
+more tba

GUEST DJS: HELEN LOVE!! / TWISTED BY DESIGN

Doors: 3pm (first band approx 4.30pm) until 12.30am Sunday 13th Feb
Venue: Toucan Club, St Mary Street, Cardiff (2 mins from station)
Tickets: £7 adv from http://www.looseclub.co.uk
Megabus: currently going at £2.70 london-cardiff!
Further info: Looseclub@hotmail.com / www.looseclub.co.uk

EB

11/01/05

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SATURDAY LOOKS GOOD TO ME, WHAT ABOUT YOU?

At last everyone's new favourite band, Saturday Looks Good To Me are making their way to Europe this February. The Polyvinyl records loveys of the best of year lists across every two-bit stateside zine will be accompanied on all dates with c86 indiepoppers Speedmarket Avenue. Go see them. I love em and I think you will too. 

2.2 Debaser, Stockholm Sweden
3.2 John Doe @ Herrgår'n, Linköping Sweden
4.2 Indigo@Blekingska, Lund Sweden
5.2 Velocity@Östgöta Nation, Uppsala Sweden
7.2 Café Söderport, Kalmar Sweden
8.2 Huset i Maegstrade, Copenhagen Denmark
9.2 TBC, Gothenburg Sweden
10.2 1000fryd, Aalborg Denmark
11.2 TBC, Hamburg Germany
12.2 Gleis 22, Münster Germany
13.2 TBC Netherlands
14.2 Water Rats Theatre, London UK (Track & Field w/ Milky Wimpshake)
15.2 Rescue Rooms, Nottingham UK
16.2 Hev'n & Hell, Liverpool UK
17.2 The Royal Park Pub, Leeds UK
18.2 TBA, Edinburgh UK
19.2 TBA, Glasgow UK
20.2 The Head of Steam, Newcastle upon Tyne UK
21.2 TBA, Middlesbrough UK
22.2 The Ferryboat, Norwich UK
23.2 Cherry Jam, London UK
24.2 Purr@Moles, Bath UK (w/ The Cuban Heels)

EB

09/01/05

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LOW AND BEHOLD! SOME LIVE LOW DATES

In support of Low's new album 'The Great Destroyer' (their debut on Sub Pop for the US) the band play the UK & Ireland including a grand date at the Royal Festival Hall, London. The Great Destroyers hits the shelves on 24th January.

THU 17/02 Cambridge, The Junction 
FRI 18/02 London, Royal Festival Hall 
SAT 19/02 Wolverhampton, Wulfrun Hall 
THU 24/02 Sheffield, The Leadmill 
FRI 25/02 Glasgow, Glasgow University Union 
SAT 26/02 Edinburgh, The Queens Hall 
MON 28/02 Dublin, The Village 

EB

09/01/05

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...SO I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, WHAT WOULD GOD DO? SO, IF GOD LOVES RECORDS...

From the makers of Big Scary Monsters comes If God Loves Records a brand new label, whose mission is to do something very old fashioned, in a slightly updated kind of way. Yes If God Loves Records is here on a crusade to keep the analogue scene alive (there's a scene?). Their claim is to fill the yawning gap between "your five CD digital surround sound sub-woofered stereo, your two-bit car tape player and your crackly old gramaphone, the label is all about the formats many claim to be on their last legs". yes that's right vive la Cassettes and vinyl. Launching this month the label the first release is a split 7" EP released on 14th February. Featuring  KING LIFTING and ESCUCHA. Followed suit with their first cassette compilation (release date TBC), and later still a 5 track 7" EP from Nottingham's own noisecore heroes SHOOTING VICTOR FRANCIS (April) and a 10" split between potentially the UK's two loudest and most enthralling live bands, CHARIOTS and THE GUILLAUME SEAM (May).

To mark the launch of If God Loves Records, the boys are putting on night at the Windmill in Brixton, London. Monday 7th February will see CHARIOTS, THE GUILLAUME SEAM, KING LIFTING and ESCUCHA. In good old internet tradition check website  for details

EB

09/01/05

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RTX JENNIFER HERREMA'S UK LIVE DEBUT 

Royal Trux main lady, Jennifer Herrema brings her new band RTX to make their debut UK live performance on Wednesday 2nd February at 93 feet east (ID Party) and later on 24th February at the Electro Werks London. The dates will be supported by the release of the first single to be taken from RTX's recently released 'Transmaniacon' album. Called "Speed To Roam", the single is backed with "Hello Kitty Gromit" and "Beth". In between these UK dates the band play some mainland euro dates, check the Drag City website for details.

EB

09/01/05

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OH COME ON! GET YOUR SCHWERVON!

Donut lovers, Schwervon! return to the UK to brighten up your dreary February and play you some songs. Tagging along for the ride will be anti-folk spokeswoman, Kimya Dawson. The bands new album 'Poseur' will be released in the UK via Shoeshine Records later this year.

Feb 18-Brighton-The Freebutt
Feb 19-Glasbury-Glasbury Village Hall
Feb 20-Bristol- Bristol Music Club  
Feb 21-Liverpool-Zanzibar
Feb 22-Leeds-Brudenell Social Club
Feb 23-Leicester-The Pride of Leicester
Feb 24-London -Water Rats (Track & Filed)

EB

09/01/05

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LIONEL, I'LL NAME THAT TUNE IN 4...

A message from Distopia...

"Check out our website- we've uploaded two brand-new tracks which we've been working on in our spare time over the winter. The tracks are both demos, recorded using our eight track recorder and a couple of borrowed SM58 microphones- hence the rough-and-ready recording quality. The tracks are so new that they've come around (much) too late to be featuring on our forthcoming studio album, due for release during the first quarter of this coming year- in fact, they're so new that they don't even have titles! And that's where you lot come in... 

We want people to listen to the two tracks and suggest suitable titles for them. Download them and post title suggestions to our message board, or just send them to info@distophia.com if you're feeling a bit shy. Don't worry if your suggestion is random, irrelevant, or just plain stupid- it can be anything from a lifted lyric to something totally abstract and unrelated, so long as it makes a good title and that you feel it fits well with the song. 

If you suggest a title and then think of another, then go ahead and suggest your new one too- we want to hear all your ideas, and if any of them are good enough then we'll choose them as the actual, set-in-stone titles to the songs when we get `round to recording them properly at the studio. Your suggestion could go down in history as the title of the next top 1000-busting, bona fide Distophia worldwide superhit- so what are you waiting for? 

Let us know what you think of the tracks too on our message board..."

EB

09/01/05

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