Patrick Wolf Heads To The City

Fresh out the studio, Patrick Wolf announces a brand new set of shows to take place across the UK in March 2011. After the storming success of his last single ‘Time Of My Life’, Patrick is now gearing himself up for what are sure to be some of his finest live performances yet.

Patrick’s new album is due for release in May 2011 through brand new label, Hideout Recordings, and will be preceded by second single “The City”, on March 14th 2011. The new single will be available for download and on limited edition 7”, with a selection of remixes available on limited edition 12”.

Discussing the new single, Patrick says: “The City’ saved my life. Living in central London, I woke up one broody morning having booked some studio time. It was a hot summers day and in the midst of the protests against the banks and BBC6 Music closing down. Seeing how the recession had worked its way into peoples relationships and ambitions, I went to my piano and started to fight against the negative by writing in the positive.”

Enter Richard X...who makes this single a beam of sunlight on a grey day. Richard X has been lending his brand of magic to indie folk for ages turning them into dance floor monsters and he's done it yet again here with his remix of, "The City."

UK Tour Dates...
21-Mar Dublin Sugar Club
23-Mar Glasgow Oran Mor
24-Mar Nottingham Rescue Rooms
25-Mar Birmingham Academy
26-Mar Manchester Club Academy
28-Mar Bristol Thekla
29-Mar London Koko

Download: The City (Richard X Remix)

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The Sweet Serenades Are Sweet

Martin and Mathias found each other for the first time in May 1991. They were both wearing the same CCCP-cap (a hip thing among pre-teens in northern Sweden at the time) and riding similar BMX-bicycles. Ever since then they’ve been inseparable.

The Sweet Serenades was officially formed in Stockholm, Sweden 2002. The sound is mainly influenced by great songs, broken hearts, sexual frustration and musical acts as Tom Waits, Clap your hands say yeah, Arcade Fire, The Strokes, ACDC, Eddie Meduza, ABBA, The Technicolors, The Perishers, The Shins and many more. We call it Jungle Rock. Or testosterone Pop.

As of late, they've been everywhere. From Hype Machine charts to weepy medical drama Grey's Anatomy. It's well deserved despite looking like a couple of axe murderers who just happen to make some darn fine indie pop. Their album, Balcony Cigarettes should be out any day if it isn't already until then or until the next episode of Grey's you can check out a mini best of below.

Download: Greatest Hits (zip file)

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Datarock Compute Their Return

I meant to post this a couple of days ago, but I got sidetracked with other stuff.

Datarock have returned and it's hard to believe that it's been so long since they've been around. In fact it's been so long that most of the people that download this were probably still eating baby food.

Delays and time aside, it's nice to have these guys back as they so easily combine the whole dance thing with a tongue planted firmly in cheek and as a result come up with stupidly good songs that will linger long after your kids go to college.

They’ve done everything from tearing the roof off Coachella to playing Yo Gabba Gabba and now Datarock will release Catcher in the Rye, the most extravagant single in history on March 21! The single will come as a designer toy with a USB stick that features 110 tracks, 1500 photos taken at their shows in 33 countries, 20 music videos, and Never Say Die a brand new hour-long concert film. The single will also be released as a digital 5 track EP. The USB features the EP, the new album Music For Synchronization, both of their previous albums with bonus tracks, the new Lost and Found b-sides and rarities compilation, 15 new instrumentals, and the 40 track remix album Mixed Up.

Download: Catcher In The Rye

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The Good Suns

In performing their beautifully crafted, old time pop gems in and around London for the past year, The Good Suns have won a faithful following that have fallen for their dreamy guitar pop.

At the core sits the partnership of James Hearn and Bobby McBrierty - a songwriting duo in the purest sense and meticulous over every word they pen. Their lyrics connect over similar themes of love, lust, and the anxiety of going nowhere fast.

As for their songs...think Hermans Hermits brought bang up to date and hanging out with someone like The La's or maybe even Cinerama. It's all very retro-tinged and jangly and as a result hits you right between the ears. Not overly complicated but ridiculously good, The Good Suns are mining all the best influences to come up with a sound that is uniquely their own.

February sees their first official release in the double A-side of Shadow/At Last I’m Bored.

Download: Shadow

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Take It Dag For Dag

American-Swedish. Brother and sister. Nomadic wanderers. From Missoula, to Wisconsin, to Honolulu, to, finally, Stockholm...that's Dag för Dag in a nutshell.

Dag för Dag bring their sprawling mix of dirty guitars, layered textures, and anthemic guy/girl vocals via a full-length album. Boo is set for a April 26th release on Brooklyn's Ceremony Recordings. The band's name, Swedish for "day by day," was originally taken from a language-learning tape the duo once stumbled across, the name has become an apt descriptor of their approach to music and life in general.

With a sort of dark and dreary sound, their single, "I Am The Assassin," sounds like a James Bond outtake that slinks it's way around slaying you with subtle hooks, and slinky guitar work. It's a subtle sort of tune that sticks with you until it gets the job done. If Boo is anything like this tune, we're in for one heck of a thrill ride.

Download: I Am The Assassin

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They're U.S. Royalty

Today, January 25, DC-based U.S. Royalty releases the anticipated debut album, MIRRORS.

"With this record we wanted to present a body of work, a complete thought," says singer John Thornley. To achieve this, the band wrote and rewrote songs for a year, demoing and dissecting while on the road and at home. John continues, "Because we traveled for about a year and a half before we recorded the album, there is definitely a travel vibe to the record."

And for some strange reason, the thing sounds like Fleetwood Mac if they hung out with some sort of rustic version of Foals. It's an interesting combination of sounds the combine into something far greater than it's parts. Several people have called the Royalty, folk-pop. This is a massive disservice as the songs here are about as folky as Slayer is easy listening. Pastrol pop with a wides screen feel, yes...folk...no. If the singles below of how the rest of the album sounds, then this is destined to be one of the cooler records you'll hear this winter.

Download: Monte Carlo
Download: Equestrian

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Acrylics Afternoons

NY duo Acrylics (Molly Shea and Jason Klauber) have debuted the video for "Nightwatch," the fifth track off their forthcoming full-length, Lives and Treasure. The video for "Nightwatch" was a collaboration with House Plants, and was filmed on location at The Wassaic Project - an upstate NY oasis of spooky ancient buildings, ominous rivers, and eerie landscapes that set the tone perfectly for the single.

Lives and Treasure will be released on Friendly Fire Recordings/Hot Sand Records on March 1st, and the band will be touring down to this year's SXSW behind it. The album follows the band's acclaimed 2009 EP All of the Fire, which was produced by Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear and the first new signing to his label, Terrible Records.

Download: Nightwatch
Download: Mollys Vertigo
Watch:

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