Something For The (Easter) Weekend 2/04/2010

This week Dum Dum Girls, Gloria Cycles, The Lodger, Freebass ft Pete Wylie, The Candle Thieves Album Review, The Ruby Suns, Oclet, Jim Kerr Tokyo Police Club, The Digital Economy Bill and Lush

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Dum Dum Girls – Jail La La

We serioulsy ♥ Dum Dum Girls!

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­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Gloria Cycles –Debut Album

‘CAMPSITE DISCOTHEQUE’  Released 5^th April 2010 on A&G Record

A gloriously quirky collection of twelve songs oozing with wit and charm, meaningful lyrics and blissful melodies, which twist and turn throughout, accompanied by blustery guitars and upbeat basslines.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CATU29eHEUU]

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The Lodger

The Lodger release new single, ‘Have A Little Faith In People’ on 5th April via This Is Fake DIY Records (6th April via Slumberland in the US).

It is the first single taken from the band’s forthcoming third album, ‘Flashbacks’, which follows on 26th April, itself the follow-up to 2008’s ‘Life Is Sweet’ and 2007 debut, ‘Grown Ups’.

[soundcloud url=”http://soundcloud.com/the-lodger/have-a-little-faith-in-people”]

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­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Freebass ft. Pete Wylie – ‘The Milky Way Is Our Playground’

[soundcloud url=”http://soundcloud.com/radio-wah/freebass-ft-pete-wylie-the-milky-way-is-our-playground” params=”show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=d11a00″ width=”100%” height=”81″ ]

Debut Freebass EP “Two Worlds Collide” which brings together a selection of famous guest vocalists including Tim Burgess, Pete Wylie, Howard Marks and Peter Hook.

Online shop: http://www.fac51thehacienda.com

Originally born out of a conversation between Mani, Hooky and Rourkie some five years ago, Freebass has been through a long gestation process. Finding the right lead singer proved arduous leading Mani to suggest that the band approach their famous friends to contribute vocals. Howard, Tim and Pete all responding to the call.

“Two Worlds Collide” is the result of these early Freebass sessions and is released as a full four track EP including bonus tracks.

Opening up is Tim Burgess’ contribution, “You Don’t Know This About Me”, second track, “The Milky Way Is Our Playgroud” as Pete Wylie takes on vocal duties for a soaring, euphoric space rock track. http://www.myspace.com/petewylie

Howard Marks delivers a sterling vocal on “Dark Starr” as its driving bassline spins off into a grungey piece of rock and roll mischief. A change of pace for final track “Live Tomorrow You Go Down” as Hooky growls his way through a dance track whose Blackburn raves bassline, crunching beats, and Giorgio Moroder style electro flourishes bring about a leftfield, punkish techno track .

So there you have it finally, the debut Freebass EP, you thought you’d never see.

The EP includes 6 tracks and is available as a one track continuous download.

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The Candle Thieves–“Sunshine & Other Misfortunes”-mini review

[youtube= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i7eZbqCXaQ]

The Candle Thieves?  Peterborough’s answer to Eels or a Cambridgeshire version of Ben Folds? Well based on their début album “Sunshine & Other Misfortunes” possibly a bit of both. It’s an album full of  jaunty Casio led pop, which has the duo pondering on the vagaries of life  but ultimately deciding that faced with our own mortality we might as well have a bit of fun.  The albums opener, not surprisingly titled “We’re All Gonna Die( Have Fun)” aptly sums up the Candle Thieves ethos whilst channeling the spirit of “Mr E’s Beautiful Blues” circa  Eels. Recent single “The Sunshine Song” follows in a similar vein, whilst “My Love Will Clap Its Hands” slows things down a jot with a chorus that recalls the Lightning Seeds at their most  more reflective and saccharine  free. “Dreaming Of Lucy” is pure “Songs for Silverman” era Ben Folds and there are many other sparkling pop nuggets on offer here.

Apparently some people have said that The Candle Thieves are “a little bit Owl City”…which is a  rather like suggesting  Ben Folds is “a little  bit Dean Friedman”. There may be some who feel that at (effectively)  fourteen songs long the introspective yet sprightly pop becomes a little wearisome and there may indeed be an argument that  shaving off a couple of tracks would make this album a slightly tighter offering.  However  there’s no doubting “Sunshine and Other Misfortunes” is a fine début and showcases the Candle Thieves wide eyed brand of  “guilty pleasure pop for deep thinkers” to great effect (VP)

7/10

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The Ruby Suns Free Download

Subpop, who release The Ruby Suns over the seas and far away, have offered up the sublimely delicious ‘Closet Astrologer’ as a free download. Right click here to download

A splendid ambassador it is too for the very wonderful new album Fight Softly, which you can purchase from the following shops:
Amazon
iTunes
Memphis Shop

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Ocelot

DEBUT SINGLE – BEATING HEARTS
RELEASED ON WALL OF SOUND ON 26th APRIL
[soundcloud url=”http://soundcloud.com/ocelot-music/02-beating-hearts-album-version”]

For their first single on Wall Of Sound, trans-Atlantic-duo Ocelot are smashing their way to the dancefloor with a dark-disco anthem, Beating Hearts released 26th April.

Featuring future pop sensation Emil (B Unique) on vocals, the Quincy-Jones-on-pills of ‘Beating Hearts’ is a foretaste of the high-octane pop, sprayed liberally across their debut album. Crunching electro songs, culled from their collective hardcore background and a willingness to embrace some huge irony-free pop melodies, make Ocelot an addictive force on the dancefloor.

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LOSTBOY! AKA-Jim Kerr Releases Debut Solo Album

[youtube= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvKs0DsFI7w&feature=related]

Lostboy AKA is the debut solo album from the legendary Simple Minds’ singer/ songwriter Jim Kerr. It is released in the UK & Ireland on 16th May 2010 on earMUSIC, the international pop rock label of Edel Group, distributed by Absolute via Universal. Produced by Jez Coad (Simple Minds last 2 albums) and featuring Charlie Jones on bass (Robert Plant, Page & Plant, Goldfrapp) alongside long-time Simple Minds drummer Mel Gaynor, Lostboy! AKA showcases a new musical alter ego for Jim, whilst retaining strong links with his 40-million selling, 33-year career with Simple Minds.

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Tokyo Police Club Return!

Tokyo Police Club has just put the finishing touches to their new album “Champ” due to drop this summer. According to lead singer Dave Monks the new album will feature “… eleven songs, a Disney character, fuzzy bits, Canadian spelling, ice hockey sound effects, me singing the lowest note in my range, one (1) saxophone note”. They’ve offered up a taster from the album in the form of new track “Breakneck Speed”, a languidly ambiguous ode to lost youth, with Dave delivering the pay off line “It’s good to be back”. Check out Breakneck Speed here: www.tokyopoliceclub.com

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The Anti-Digital Economy Bill campaign gains momentum

Civil rights campaigners 38 Degrees and Open Rights Group (ORG) have raised nearly £12,000 to fund an initiative aimed at persuading MPs to oppose the Digital Economy Bill’s controversial disconnection clauses becoming law without being debated.

A letter-writing campaign targeting MPs has already generated 18,000 letters and last week  people protested outside Parliament against the passage of the bill.

The Digital Economy Bill will receive a second reading on 6 April, the same day the General Election is expected to be called.

More info here

Dan Bull- Dear Lily

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL9-esIM2CY&feature=related]

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Retro Track Of  The Week

Lush- “Desire Lines”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9tcEuUWuhc]

Miki was recently quoted about life after being in a band ‘My job now isn’t as fun or exciting as it was to be in a band, but on the other hand, I don’t have to worry about complete strangers approaching me and telling me I’m a c—.’ There are also quotes from Justine Frischmann and  Tanya Donelly on the same subject here