Thursday, 28 August 2008

The Young Knives are cutting edge

• ASHBY’S finest musical export The Young Knives release a new single on September 8.
Dyed In The Wool, an abstract, anthemic slice of drum-driven indie, is the third track to be lifted from their second album Superabundance.
And in a world-first for the rock world, the single will be accompanied by a promo video shot entirely in 3D.
• Rolo Tomassi are finally releasing a debut album after the success of their self-titled debut EP in 2007.
The group’s debut, Hysterics, is "a joyous explosion of melody, noise, anger, youthful exuberance, getting into the groove, not feeling the need to compromise or make music for any other reason than the drive to create something unique, messy and wonderful, a love of science, experimentation and punk/hardcore/what-the-hell-is-that-core".
• Tokyo Police Club – who are Canadian, civilian and not open to new members – have released new single Graves.
The track, taken from debut album Elephant Shell, is another furious, angular indie stormer with more hooks than a Peter Pan convention.
• Soul sensation Estelle releases her sassy new single Pretty Please (Love Me) on September 15.
The track, taken from Mercury Music Prize nominated album Shine, is a collaboration with Gnarls Barkley’s Cee-Lo.
• Tasty power pop outfit The Hot Melts release their debut single (I Wish I Had) Never Been In Love on October 20.
The track is a showcase for the awesome foursome’s sizzling driving energetic sound.
• Sheffield band Little Man Tate are hotting the charts with a quick one-two in the form of single Hey Little Sweetie on September 8 and album Nothing Worth Having Comes Easy on September 15.
The group are also heading out on tour to coincide with the releases, including a visit to Nottingham’s Rescue Rooms and Leicester’s Charlotte.
• Cuban fusion group Madera Limpia release new album La Corona on September 29.
The duo, who hail from Guantanamo, mix modern rap and raggae and dancehall with the traditional Changui music of Cuban.
• Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Joan As A Policewoman is taking a trip into the charts from September 22, with new single Holiday.
The track, available on download and as a 500-copy limited edition 7" picture disc, is lifted from her acclaimed sophomore album To Survive.
• If all of this is music to your ears, you can read more from the pop world online at Isaac Ashe's Sound Advice.

Thursday, 21 August 2008

Go with the Flo

• UP-AND-COMING rapper Flo Rida is to release a fist-pumping new single, titled In The Ayer.
The Will.I.Am collaboration, taken from the album Mail On Sunday, hits stores on September 8.
• Mercury Music Prize nominees Elbow are to release a new single, The Bones Of You, on Spetmebr 29.
The track, which samples George Gershwin’s Summertime, is taken from their latest album The Seldom Seen Kid.
• Max Pashm, who mixes traditional Jewish, Greek and Balkan music with electronic beats, has a new album out next month.
Never Mind The Balkans - Here’s Max Pashm is out on September 29 on Elektrikos Organikos Records.
• Elliptical, insidious, multi-coloured and richly textured art-pop group Metronomy are set to release a new album.
Nights Out, the band’s second LP, hits the shelves on September 8.
• Towers Of London, the band fronted by Celebrity Big Brother contestant Donny Tourette, have announced a new album, new single, a new UK tour and new members.
The group’s return begins on September 29 with the single Naked On The Dancefloor.
• Mercury Music Prize nominee Laura Marling has added new dates to her UK tour.
As part of the Night Terror Tour, promoting her Mercury album Alas I Cannot Swim, Laura will be visiting Nottingham Rescue Rooms on November 4 and Birmingham Glee Club on November 9.
• Moby will release his new single Disco Lies on September 15.
Taken from Moby’s latest album, Last Night, the new single features the vocals of Shayna Steele.
• Welsh rockers the Manic Street Preachers return to the studio next month to record their ninth studio album.
The LP is remoured to be the band’s darkest material since 1994’s classic The Holy Bible.
• Castle Donington band Late Of The Pier have entered the album charts with their debut album, Fantasy Black Channel.
The group’s new album entered the UK top 40 at number 28.
• The Faff, whose lineup includes a Loughborough University architecture student on bass and vocals, have released a new single.
The track, That’s A Nice Glove?, was released on August 25.
• Rose Kemp's brand new album, Unholy Majesty, is out September 1.
Rocker Rose will also be touring the UK during September.
• If all of this is music to your ears, you can read more from the pop world online here.

Thursday, 14 August 2008

Sparkling Perry

• PUCKER up – Katy Perry is set to to release her debut album on September 1.
The I Kissed A Girl singer’s may be yet to release her debut LP, One Of The Boys, but she is already a pop A-lister.
In fact, demand was so high for her debut single it had to be released early – so expect a rush for One Of The Boys.
• After 16 years and six studio albums, the formidable back catalogue of The Chemical Brothers has been dusted down and shaken up for new release Brotherhood.
As well as all time classics such as Hey Boy Hey Girl, Out Of Control and Setting Sun, two new tracks –Midnight Madness and Keep My Composure – have been recorded for the release.
• If you’re after exciting new rock music, definately check out The Maybes?.
The Liverpudlian band, who have compared to giants like Oasis and the Arctic Monkeys, release their debut album Promise on September 15.
• Fear not fans of quirky Scandanavian pop, luckily Lykke Li releases a new single Breaking It Up on August 25.
The single precedes a UK tour for the singer, who will be visiting venues including Birmingham’s Glee Club.
• Band on the run – new kid on the block Fugative’s "hip-pop" single It’s Summertime hits stores on September 15.
The 14-year-old heartthrob will also be performing around the UK – at least during the school summer holidays.
• Following the release of their album A Book Like This earlier this year, Australian duo Angus And Julia Stone release new single Just A Boy on August 25.
• This’ll get you in a sweat – Gym Class Heroes have a new single out on September 1.
The track, Cookie Jar, is the first selected from the American alternative hip hoppers’ new album The Quilt, which is also out next month.
• In an interview, US presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain have revealed their favourite songs.
Obama’s number one was The Fugees' Ready Or Not, and McCain’s all time favourite was ABBA’s Dancing Queen.
• If all of this is music to your ears, you can read more from the pop world at Isaac Ashe's Sound Advice.

Thursday, 7 August 2008

A new Manuva

• RAPPER Rodney Smith, better known as Roots Manuva, releases his fourth album, Slime And Reason, next month.
The British MC’s new LP, already being hailed as a career-best, sees Roots exploring his individual, bass-heavy sound.
Summing up his approach to making music, he said: "You got to sing like no one’s listening. You gotta fart like there’s no one there to smell it."
• It’s all systems go for Go:Audio on August 25, when the band release their debut album.
The LP, Made Up Stories, is, according to a spokesman for the band, "bristling with melody and energy, infectious, exhilarating and inventive".
• The "24-carat voice" of jazz singer Christine Tobin, as captured on the album Secret Life Of A Girl, has been awarded the Best Vocalist award at the BBC Jazz Awards 2008.
The album, which was met with critical acclaim on its release last Spring, is a mixture of Tobin compositions and covers of artists including Leonard Cohen and Rufus Wainwright.
• German contemporary composer Hauschka again pushes the boundaries of the piano with his new album Ferndorf.
Out on September 8, Ferndorf, named after the village he grew up in, sees string backing used by the Dusseldorf-based artist alongside his use of a ‘prepared’ piano for melody, percussion and a basis for electronic overdubs.
• Toronto’s Ten Kens are set to release their self-titled debut album on September 15.
Remiscent of Liars, Black Mountain and Amusement Parks On Fire, the 11-track LP is an overdriven tour of the group’s honed bittersweet alt-rock.
• Dishevelled ‘80s-influenced rockers The Mystery Jets release a new EP, Half In Love With Elizabeth, on August 25.
As well as the live favourite title track, the release also includes the London band’s collaboration with Kat Nash, remixes, live versions and two new tracks.
• The legendary Southside Johnny has teamed up with the even more legendary Tom Waits to perorm an album of Tom Waits tracks with La Bamba’s Big Band.
The album, Grapefruit Moon, hit the shelves on September 8.
• Originally commissioned for Derby Jazz Week 2007, jazz guitarist Phil Robson’s Six Strings And A Beat has since been labelled as "world class".
The album, out last month, sees the guitarist teaming up with a string quartet and drummer to explore influences from cool jazz to classic strings to acid rock to Afropop.
• If all of this is music to your ears, log on to Isaac Ashe's Sound Advice for more from the pop world.