Tags: Struck Dumb, The Futureheads, The Lexington

We’re pleased to announce that until Wednesday 2nd December you can download brand new Futureheads track ‘Struck Dumb’ for free exclusively from clashmusic.com or myspace.com/thefutureheads. This track is the first taster from their forthcoming new album.

We can also announce that the band will be playing a tiny Christmas show on December 14th at The Lexington, Pentonville Road, London. Tickets to the show, priced £10, will go on sale at 10am on Thursday 26th November to everyone signed up to the band’s database, and on general sale to the public at 10am on Friday 27th November.

After December 2nd the track will only be available for purchase via itunes so make sure you don’t miss out on this one week free exclusive.

Tags: Codeine Velvet Club, Jon Lawler, The Fratellis, We7

Seizing opportunities presented by the digital space, Codeine Velvet Club’s album will be released in an innovative manner.

Starting from November 16^th free online music service we7 (www.we7.com) will be streaming two tracks a week from the bands’ eponymously titled debut album, ultimately streaming the full album before it is realeased on general sale.  In addition, we7 will have exclusive access to the band, publishing interviews with Jon Lawler, lead singer and chief songwriter of The Fratellis, on its website at the opening and close of Codeine Velvet Club’s UK tour.

For fans who listen to the tracks at we7 or via a distributed we7 widget and want to experience the band live, we7 will also be running a series of nationwide and regional ticket giveaways, helping fans to get as close to the band and the music as possible.

On December 7th Spotify subscribers can hear the album via its premium service aswell as an additional three exclusive live tracks.  Non paying Spotify users (on the ad-funded site) will be able to hear a sampler of six tracks from the album from the same date.

The physical and complete digital Codeine Velvet Club album will be made fully available across all platforms on December 28^th along with their next single “Hollywood”.

Says Island GM Jon Turner: “At Island we are keen to embrace innovative ways to deliver our artists’ music to the consumer.   The Codeine Velvet Club album is such a strong and unique body of work that we felt it was vital for fans to hear as much music as possible upfront of release to create what we are confident will be a huge word of mouth viral uptake. We wanted to partner with Spotify and we7 who both have a passionate audience of music lovers and are the perfect digital platforms to spread the word”

Codeine Velvet Club is a new musical collaboration featuring Jon Lawler – lead singer and chief songwriter of The Fratellis – and singer-songwriter Lou Hickey, that celebrates their shared love of ’60s girl-boy duets, dramatic orchestral pop, and dark post-war Hollywood and Las Vegas romanticism.

Tags: Lady GaGa, Spotify

…. a measly $167 in royalties!

Spotfy, the new force to be reckoned with within the music industry has not been without it’s critics, most notably people have complained about the massive record companies holding stock in the young start up. Most music fans agree that the record labels take far too much revenue away from the artists which has seen groups like Radiohead go for a ‘pay what you feel’ deal. It might surprise you how much of an influence the record industries have over Spotify, and how cheap it was for them to get it.

According to TorrentFreak…

Sony BMG bought 5.8% of Spotify for 2,935 Euros, Universal Music got 4.8% for 2,446 euros, Warner Music paid 1,957 Euros for 3.8% and EMI pocketed 1.9% for an investment of 980 Euros

That’s nearly a 16% steak of Spotify that is owned by these major record labels. So what about the artists?

In August, Swedish artist and composer Magnus Uggla launched a scathing attack on the owners of Spotify. After discovering that Sony BMG is a shareholder and receiving virtually no cash from his music being played there, he withdrew his tracks from the service and stormed away, declaring controversially: “I’d rather be raped by The Pirate Bay.”

So this brings us nicely back to the title of this news item, how much does the Spotify generate for our beloved artists?

What about really, really big artists with huge international appeal. Say, an artist like Lady Gaga, who has sold more than 4 million albums and shifted in excess of 20 million paid digital downloads?According to a report today, Lady Gaga’s track “Poker Face” was one of the most popular tracks during a five month period on Spotify and was played more than a million times. So how much money does she get paid by STIM (the Swedish Performing Rights Society) for this massive achievement?

SEK 1150 – that’s around $167 or roughly 113 Euros.

Commenting on the story, Douglas Léon, better known as Swedish rapper Dogge Doggelito, said he was dismayed.

“It is totally sick. We musicians have no rights, you may not charge [for music] anymore,” adding that Lady Gaga could’ve earned more driving an illegal taxi-cab.

I am sure that Lady Gaga isn’t too bothered about not earning from Spotify when she rakes in millions from live concerts and merchandise, however some of the smaller bands which we review on this site don’t have that luxury. There is no doubt that Spotify has been a major turning point in our industry and many people now overlook the fantastic Last.fm, but next time you fire up Spotify just remember that it is (as per usual) the big labels who are making the money from their artists.

Tags: Alex Turner, Arctic Monkeys, Little Noise Sessions, Mencap, Richard Hawley

Arctic Monkeys‘ Alex Turner played a surprise set tonight (November 19) at the Mencap Little Noise Sessions.

Taking place at Islington Union Chapel the Arctic Monkeys man performed a seven-song set which featured two new songs – ‘Joining The Dots’ and an untitled track.

Turner’s set also included the Arctic Monkeys tracks ‘Fluorescent Adolescent’, ‘Secret Door’ and current single ‘Cornerstone’. He also performed two covers – The Ink Spots’ ‘I Don’t Want To Set The World On Fire’ and ‘Only You Know’, which appeared on Dion’s 1975 album ‘Born To Be With You’, and was co-written by the album’s producer Phil Spector.

Accompanied by a keyboardist, Turner was also joined on stage by his bandmate Jamie Cook who played guitar on ‘Secret Door’ and ‘Cornerstone’.

Alex Turner played:

‘I Don’t Want To Set The The World On Fire’
‘Joining The Dots’
‘Flourescent Adolescent’
‘Only You Know’
‘Secret Door’
‘Cornerstone’
‘Untitled New Song’

Headlining the event was Richard Hawley whose set featured the songs a cover of Elvis Presley’s ‘Crawfish’ and ‘Hushabye Mountain’ from the 1968 film ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’.

Later in the set Hawley then brought back on Alex Turner introducing him as “the lizard of lounge”, before the pair played the Arctic Monkeys song ‘Only Ones Who Know’.

Richard Hawley played:

‘Born Under A Bad Sign’
‘Ashes On The Fire’
‘Lady Solitude’
‘For Your Lover, Give Some Time’
‘Serious’
‘I’m On Nights’
‘Only Ones Who Know’
‘Crawfish’
‘Hushabye Mountain’
‘Run To Me’
‘Open Up The Door’

The Mencap Little Noise Sessions gigs continue tomorrow night (November 20) with Lostprophets taking on the headline slot.

Multi-platinum hip-hop artist Eminem will release Relapse: Refill on December 21ST, 2009, on Aftermath/Interscope Records. This re-release of Eminem’s chart-topping fifth studio album includes seven bonus tracks, including the single “Forever”, also featuring Drake, Kanye West, and Lil Wayne (previously found on the More Than A Game soundtrack), “Taking My Ball” (also released only with the DJ Hero video game), and five never-before-heard tracks.

“I want to deliver more material for the fans this year like I originally planned” Eminem says. “Hopefully these tracks on The Refill will tide the fans over until we put out Relapse 2 next year”. Eminem has been busy in the studio creating even more new material since Relapse was released. “I got back in with Dre and then a few more producers, including Just Blaze, and went in a completely different direction which made me start from scratch. The new tracks started to sound very different than the tracks I originally intended to be on Relapse 2, but I still want the other stuff to be heard.”

One of the most anticipated albums of the year, the platinum-selling Relapse entered the Billboard Top 200 album chart at No. 1 in May 2009 and sold more than 618,000 domestic copies in the U.S. in its first week. Relapse is also the top selling hip-hop album of 2009. The first song to debut from the album, “Crack a Bottle”, was released in February and set a first-week record for digital sales at the time, while the first official single and video, “We Made You”, debuted in April. The best-selling hip-hop artist of the SoundScan era, Eminem has sold more than 75 million albums worldwide. His previous studio album, Encore, reached No. 1 and dominated the charts in late 2004. The Grammy-nominated disc was certified quadruple-platinum, generated four Top 40 Hot 100 hits, and has sold more than 11 million copies. In October 2008, Eminem published Eminem: The Way I Am, a compilation of thoughts, stories and memorabilia that entered the New York Times bestseller list at No. 11.

Source: http://www.eminem.com/blog/default.aspx?nid=23741

Tags: Hold Me Down, Take Off Your Colours, Virgin Records, You Me At Six

You Me At Six look set to cement their rise from underground heroes to mainstream success with the January 11^th release of their second album ‘Hold Me Down’ on Virgin Records. ‘Hold Me Down’ is the follow up to their 2008 debut ‘Take Off Your Colours.’

‘Hold Me Down’ finds the Surrey quintet fulfilling their potential with a collection of soaring hooks and irresistible melodies. It captures You Me At Six’s live exuberance with ‘Playing The Blame Game’ breaching the gap between pop-punk energy and the snappy immediacy of new wave, while ‘Safer To Hate Her’ alternates between a tender, melancholic riff and a fiercely defiant chorus. But ‘Hold Me Down’ demonstrates that the band aren’t reliant on pure energy as closing track ‘Fireworks’ escalates from its initial reflective tone into a soaring conclusion. The album also highlights a guest appearance from Kids In Glass Houses vocalist Aled Phillips on ‘Trophy Eyes.’

An air raid siren heralds the hi-octane thrills of album opener ‘The Consequence’ which will preview the album when it’s released as a free download from the official You Me At Six website on November 25^th plus it features guest vocals courtesy of The Blackout’s Sean Smith. The first full single to be taken from ‘Hold Me Down’ will be the crunchy power-pop attack of ‘Underdog’ due for release on 7^th February 2010.

The album was produced by John Mitchell (Funeral For A Friend, Enter Shikari, Architects) and Matt O’Grady (The Blackout, Hexes), and mastered by Bob Ludwig (Radiohead, Coldplay, Pearl Jam).

You Me At Six soon became one of the most vital emerging talents around when they released their debut set ‘Take Off Your Colours.’ The album’s continuing popularity was proven when it was recently released as a 2CD Deluxe Edition that featured their first Top 40 hit ‘Finders Keepers’.

However, it’s been You Me At Six’s famously adrenalized live shows that have cemented their growing reputation as one of the UK’s most exciting ascending bands. The band will conclude 2009 with an arena tour as guests to Paramore, before returning for a full UK headline tour in March 2010 that concludes with a show at Brixton Academy.

www.youmeatsix.co.uk www.myspace.com/youmeatsix

Tags: Trashcan Sinatras

Following their 5 star Oran Mor, Glasgow and Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh gigs, the band announce 2 intimate acoustic shows at Brel on Monday 23 and Wednesday 25 November in the conservatory of the venue where they played a series of never to be forgotten concerts in 2003.

Capacity restricted to 80. 7.30 doors. No support.  Band onstage 8pm. £15 plus bf.  Tickets on sale now via Ticketweb (www.ticketweb.co.uk) and in person at venue (no booking fee) from Tuesday 17 November. Brel, Ashton Lane, Glasgow G12 8SJ 0141 342 4966.  www.brelbarrestaurant.com

Also Trashcan Sinatras are pleased to be playing an outdoor stage in the town centre as part of Kilmarnock’s Homecoming celebrations at 4pm on Saturday 28th November. It is the band’s local area where their celebrated Shabby Road studios were located. TCS and in particular John Douglas have been vociferous and eloquent opponents of the Diageo withdrawal from the town. Many of the workforce are mates of Frank, Stephen, Paul and John who themselves know what its like to be kicked when you’re down.

Its a free gig – come and support the cause and celebrate the switching on of the Christmas lights the next day”

In the five years since we last heard a full album from Trashcan Sinatras, things have been looking up. After two decades in the business the guys behind the 1990’s GO! Discs albums Cake, I’ve Seen Everything, A Happy Pocket and 2004’s Weightlifting have decided to throw caution to the wind, fall in love and get happy.

With a triumphant Fujirock Festival, Japan appearance and 18 date US tour under their belts this July / August, the band can’t wait to play their first UK dates for 4 years and from the critical response neither can we!

Combining smooth melodies with wry bittersweet lyrics, the new songs – full of relaxed harmonies, typical Trashcans – were set to arrangements in a back room in the South Side of Glasgow over the summer of 2007. Just over twenty years after first gigging in Glasgow the last two decades have seen the band conquer the musical landscape on both sides of the Atlantic with their blend of Caledonian melody and harmony.

People is the third single taken from the bands fifth studio album In The Music and builds on the mass of trans-Atlantic plaudits the band have received throughout their career. The single will also be supported by a national video release. Last year saw the band release the first single Oranges and Apples, a song inspired by the late, great Syd Barrett with all proceeds from the download only single going to the Syd Barrett charitable trust.

In early summer they released “I Wish You’d Met Her” which received BBC Radio 2 support as well as BBC Radio London & BBC6 plays. Clash magazine described the single as ‘…one of the most beautiful songs of the year’. Now the opening track “People” should see the band attract a new army of devotees hypnotised by the smooth hooks and beguiled by the musicianship that has become the hallmark of the band.

In The Music was written in Scotland, recorded in New York and the band even managed to attract Carly Simon to lend her legendary vocals to one track. Confirmation if needed of the bands status in the music industry. “People” shows Trashcan Sinatras at their effervescent best and shows just how effortlessly the band craft and create music of such beauty.

As The Word simply said  ‘Seek them out…let this beguiling band be your friend’

www.trashcansinatras.com

Maccabees-headlined Shockwaves NME Awards Tour goes on sale

Tags: A Grave With No Name, Ariel Pink, Spectrals

Mesmeric three piece A Grave With No Name have slowly and steadily been building a reputation for themselves as one of the most adventurous and captivating bands we have at the moment, folding layers of distortion and noise into fragile melodies and wistful, heartbreaking lyricism to create a sound uniquely their own. Their forthcoming debut, “Mountain Debris”, released on No Pain in Pop, is a testament to their brittle beauty, collecting together long sold out singles and EP’s and never before heard recordings to form a cohesive, albeit deeply haunting, whole.

To coincide with the album release on December 7, they are playing a show with perhaps the godfather of all things brilliant and eccentric, Ariel Pink, as he makes one of his all too rare trips to the UK. As if this wasn’t exciting enough, support comes from hotly tipped nouveau doo-wop posters Spectrals, sure to enchant the crowd with their charmingly ramshackle take on vintage 50’s pop, and Design A Wave. Without a doubt, this is a show not to be missed.

Tags: Flood Of Red, Jordan Spiers, The Xcerts, We Are The Ocean

Tours with We Are The Ocean (November) and The Xcerts (December) announced

www.floodofred.co.uk

Jordan Spiers – vocals | Sean McGroarty – guitar | Calum Doris – guitar & backing vocals  |  Jamie McGowan – bass guitar | Dale Gallacher – keyboards | Graham Griffith – drums

Following the release of Flood of Red’s debut album through their own label Dark City exclusively at www.floodofred.co.uk, the band will be hitting the road hard on the lead-up to Christmas.

Firstly, the band head out with We Are The Ocean next week. Vocalist Jordan says about the announcement of Flood of Red’s addition to the tour – “We have never really had the chance to play a good set of shows with We Are The Ocean and we’re all stoked about it. With both our debut albums recorded with producer Brian McTernan and both out this very year, it’s an exciting time for both our bands.”

Of The Xcerts Christmas Tour in Scotland, Jordan has the following to say – “The Xcerts are one of the most talented young bands out there and we have been good friends with them for several years now. Every opportunity we get to play with each other is an enjoyable one. Expect lots of crazy festive surprises when we pair up to tour in December, it’s gonna be awesome!”

Flood Of Red formed in Airdrie, a satellite town twelve miles east of Glasgow in 2004. Starting out as a trio who met via school and the local skate scene, they soon expanded to a sextet. The band went straight out on tour just months after their formation, all aged just seventeen. Fast-forward to January 2nd 2009 when Flood Of Red flew to Baltimore, Maryland where they spent a month recording their debut album with punk rock extraordinaire producer Brian McTernan  (Cave In, Thrice, Converge) in his Salad Days studio. Having been so far on their journey up to this point, Flood Of Red are now more than ready to share their lovingly crafted debut full-length with the world as they continue to tour tirelessly in support of the record.

Supporting WE ARE THE OCEAN on tour –

18 Nov 2009        White Rabbit      PLYMOUTH

19 Nov 2009        Le Pub                  NEWPORT

20 Nov 2009        The Pitz                MILTON KEYNES

21 Nov 2009        Rescue Rooms  NOTTINGHAM

23 Nov 2009        O2 Academy 2   BIRMINGHAM

24 Nov 2009        Academy 3          MANCHESTER

25 Nov 2009        King Tuts              GLASGOW

26 Nov 2009        Cockpit                 LEEDS

29 Nov 2009        Arts Centre         COLCHESTER

30 Nov 2009        Concorde 2         BRIGHTON

1 Dec 2009           Electric Ballroom               LONDON

DECEMBER SCOTLAND TOUR WITH THE XCERTS

10 Harley’s          Bathgate
11 Devitos           Arbroath
12 Twa Tam’s     Perth
13 The Cell          Kilmarnock
15 Electric Circus Edinburgh
19 Dog House    Dundee
20 King Tuts        Glasgow
21 Ironworks      Inverness

22 Tunnels          Aberdeen