Mexicans wave hello

• MEXICAN acoustic duo Rodrigo Y Gabriela are due to follow up their cult classic debut album in 2009.
The pair have left their adopted home of Ireland to fly to Ixtapa in Mexico to record their second studio album, due to be released in Summer 2009.
• The new album from Colin Blunstone, formerly of The Zombies, is also in the pipeline - however its release has been delayed due to an exploding mixing desk.
Fans waiting for the release of The Ghost Of You And Me are now likely to have to wait until March for the album, which has been a Guns N’ Roses-esque 13 years in the making.
• 2008 surprise package Frightened Rabbit are to release a live album titled Quietly Now! in the New Year.
The acclaimed Scottish indie rockers will follow up their album The Midnight Organ Fight with the recording made at the Captain’s Rest in Glasgow.
The band will also play fates at The Musician, Leicester, and Glee Club, Birmingham, in March next year.
• West Yorkshire band Random Hand will release an new album, Inhale/Exhale, next February.
The up-and-coming ska-meets-metal band are also playing in Nottingham and Birmingham in the New Year in support of Reel Big Fish.
• Folk’s brightest young star, Benjamin Taylor, releases his new album The Legend Of Kung Folk Part One (The Killing Bite) next April.
The artist, the son of stars James Taylor and Carly Simon, is being tipped for big things with the release.
• Teitur, the most promising musician to come from the Faroe Islands probably ever, is to make his UK debut next year.
The artists will release his debut album The Singer and single Catherine The Waitress early in 2009.
• If all of this is music to your ears, you can read more from the pop world online at www.echoisaacashe.blogspot.com

Fall Out Boy out

• FALL Out Boy’s fourth album, Folie A Deux, marks a maturing of the group’s immensely popular sound.
Taking their distinctive pop punk rock to new levels of symphony and harmony, the polished LP features the hit singles I Don’t Care and America’s Suitehearts as well as their cover of Michael Jackson’s Beat It.
Speaking about the release, frontman Pete Wentz said: “Honestly, we have never been a critically acclaimed band or ‘cool’ band, but we have always moved the needle because of our fans and we don’t want that to change.”
• Urban brand TwiceasNice have compiled their three-CD Urban Club Album Of The Year.
The storming compilation, mixed by Shortee Blitz, Scottie B and DJ Ironik, features hits from Rihanna, Sway, Estelle, Britney Spears, Wiley, Dizzee Rascal, Sean Paul, Usher, Flo Rida, Dr Dre, Brandy and many more.
• Refreshing singer songwriter Jason Mraz’s new album, We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things hits stores on December 29.
The patter of acoustic artist Mraz, that has spawned hits such as I’m Yours and Make It Mine, is also teamed up with Colbie Caillat and James Morrison on the LP.
• The hottest ever cuts from the garage scene have been put together for the bumper The Very Best Of Pure Garage.
Spread over four CDs mixed by Matt “Jam” Lamont the collection of old skool, bass, vocal and nu garage features tracks by artists including Craig David, Dreem Teem, MJ Cole, Shanks And Bigfoot, Azzido Da Bass, CJ Bolland, DJ Zinc, Mr Oizo, and DJ Luck And MC Neat.
• If all of this is music to your ears, you can read more from the pop world online at www.echoisaacashe.blogspot.com - and there’s still time to log on and vote for your favourite Album Of The Year for 2008.

Albums Of The Year 2008

JUST to say that the Upbeat-endorsed Albums Of The Year 2008 vote is now up and running here.
Please click across and vote for your favourite.

Get your Kixx

• POP pickers can thank this column for an early Christmas present this week - as we introduce next year’s big thing, The Kixx.
A four-piece pop rock band already tipped to top the success of McFly and The Jonas Brothers, the Reading-based band have released their debut single this week.
Apology, an infectious pop rock track, is in stores now.
• Experimental classical composer Hauschka has announced a new LP is set to be released.
The Snowflakes And Car Wrecks album, out in February 2009, is a collection of material recorded during the sessions which produced his critically acclaimed Ferndorf album earlier this year.
• Top hip hop label Ninja Tune has announced a series of albums to be released in the coming months.
The label will put out new material from artists including The Qemists, Diplo, the Long Lost and Sway and Amon Tobin’s collaboration Two Fingers in early 2009.
• Swedish pop group Peter, Bjorn And John have announced that their fifth album will be released in 2009.
The as-yet-unnamed release will be preceded by a new track, Lay It Down.
• Out of this world musical project N.A.S.A. will hit stores in February next year.
The hip-hop album will feature input from artists as diverse as Santogold, Kanye West, Kool Keith, Tom Waits, George Clinton, KRS One, David Byrne, Karen O and even ODB.
• Leading lights of British hip hop Dan le Sac and Scroobious Pip have teamed up with American rapper Pos Plug Won of De La Soul for a new single.
The group, who are currently on a tour of British libraries, will release Thou Shalt Always Kill on January 19.
• If all of this is music to your ears, you can read more from the pop world online at www.echoisaacashe.blogspot.com - and this week the website behind this column unveils it’s top 10 Albums of the Year 2008.
Please log on to www.echoisaacashe.blogspot.com from December 17 to see the list, and to vote for your favourite one.

Metallica in dream land

• THE dream return to the charts Metallica had with their number one album Death Magnetic is set to contuinue with the release of their new single All Nightmare Long.
The breakneck track is released on December 15 is eight full minutes of brutal riffs and unforgiving beats typical of the rock gods’ latest material.
The b-sides to the single are two classic Metallica tracks, Wherever I May Roam and Master Of Puppets, recorded live.
• Kanye West’s latest single, Love Lockdown, is in stores now.
The track, taken from his new album 808s And heartbreak, is a storming slice of tribal synth-based hip hop sure to fill any dancefloor.
• Britney Spears has announced that her next single from her latest album, Circus, will be the title track, Circus.
The follow-up to current barnstormer Womanizer is alread flirting with the charts, ahead of its release, on digital downloads from the album tracklisting alone.
• Underrated songwriter Paul Carrack is to release a new single, I Don’t Want Your Love (I Need Your Love), on January 5.
The song is the third to be taken from the prolific colloborator’s latest album, I Know That Name.
• Disgraced comedian Johnathan Ross’s backing band, Four Poofs And Piano, are heading out on tour early next year.
The comedy group, who rose to fame on Ross’s Friday Night programme, will be playing at Loughborough Town Hall on February 28.
• To celebrate moving to a new record label Brighton supergroup the Brakes have released a new track.
Crystal Tunings, which will feature on their 2009 album Touchdown, can be downloaded from http://echoisaacashe.blogspot.com/.
• The Big O, better known as Roy orbison, is releasing a new Best Of box set.
The release will feature all of the guitarists hits, such as Oh Pretty Woman, Only The Lonely, Drove All Night and Runnin’ Scared.
• And if all of this is music to your ears, you can read more from the pop world online at http://echoisaacashe.blogspot.com/.