The Warped Tour is close to be back in London. Just announced today is the full line up for this two dayer at Alexandra Palace, November 16th + 17th. Expect noise from Enter Shikari, Yellowcard, Decade, The Wonder Years and a hell of a lot more.
In anticipation of Touché Amoré’s upcoming release, Is Survived By, Pitchfork is streaming the album in its entirety now. Produced by Brad Wood (Sunny Day Real Estate, Smashing Pumpkins, mewithoutYou), this album is twelve tracks strong showcasing Touche Amore’s sheer musical ferocity, picked up by Kerrang! today they dubbed it “one of the fiercest hardcore records of 2013”
Is Survived By is out September 23rd on Deathwish. Listen to the album here
New York veterans Television have announced UK shows for November. Back from the 70’s for another stint, they’re set to perform four gigs on British soil this winter, a rare thing indeed considering they hardly leave the US these days. Check out the dates below. Might as well give Marquee Moon a spin for old times sake while you’re there too.
November
15th Gateshead – The Sage
17th Manchester – Academy 2
19th London – Roundhouse
23rd All Tomorrow’s Parties – End Of An Era Fest
Joanna Gruesome w/ Playlounge
Shacklewell Arms
16th September
Gathered in spirit of Cardiff quintet Joanna Gruesome, their Fortuna Pop!/Slumberland debut Weird Sister is now ripe and ready for the picking, they’re joined tonight by friends Playlounge to celebrate.
Brothers in noise Playlounge kick it off tonight at the Shacklewell with a raucous punk stampede. For just a two piece, these guys make a hell of a noise, Sam annihilates the drums, playing with such zest I don’t know how he manages to keep his mouth next to the microphone, let alone sing his lines. Paired with some nifty chords stemming from guitarist Laurie’s fingertips, Playlounge remind me of lo-fi clan Paws. The combination of quick, tight drums, choppy riffs and that reigned in softly-scream all chime together dead nice.
Despite announcing the cancellation of their September tour only a couple of days before this gig due to lead singer and front woman Alanna having her appendix removed, the Cardiff Collective show now fear this evening. With 3 on the stage and 2 in the crowd it’s clear they’re right at home here in the Shack. As with their debut, Joanna Gruesome keep their set short, sweet and noisey, rattling through their fuzzy crowd pleasers one after another. Highlights come in the form of ‘Secret Surprise’ and closer ‘Sugar Crush’ brings the house down, taking off into pure thrash territory to close. They’re not just a one trick punk pony though, end track on Weird Sister, ‘Satan’ builds to a cool climax mid-set, with a soft boy/girl vocal soaring subtly over the fuzzed out guitars. How exactly one “soars subtly” I’m not sure, but Joanna Gruesome are. Their sound is both refreshing while retrospective. These guys take influence from all kinds of places, from the token MBV reference to a bit of Velvet Underground swagger, Converge, I can hear Veronica Falls in those harmonies too, but if you want to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth, check out our interview with Owen, the guitarist and primary song-smith in the band.
All the songs Joanna Gruesome reel off tonight sound totally on par with their debut record. The rough round the edges production adopted for their album resonates through the live set alike. Ticking all the right boxes, these guys make honest, energetic music delivered behind three of our favourite things; pummelling drums, fuzzed out fenders and sweet vocals. Set to tour with Los Campesinos in December and with a re-scheduled Weird Sister tour lined up for early 2014, be sure to catch them live when they roll into town.
Dave Palmer
MGMT are mixing it up big time with a brand new music video for ‘Cool song No.2’, taken from their new self titled album. Ever renowned for a mad video, this time around things get dark. The narrative plays out around our lead characters antics, he appears to be some kind of plant hunter, wreaking havoc around town stealing jungle leaves and collecting sap as he goes. We soon find him harvesting his finds and transforming them into drugs back at his plush pad, however this hard nut appears to have a soft spot for a certain funky looking gentleman.
Click play to explore further the dark, trippy jungle of MGMT and read their first UK interview here.
The new ‘MGMT’ album is out now on Columbia Records.
Rocket From The Crypt are hailing upon the UK in December for an appearance at KOKO and two other dates up and down the country with promise of a couple more, as yet unannounced! KOKO tickets are available here, keep your eyes on their facebook for updates!
December
1st Manchester – Gorilla
4th Leeds – Brudenell Social Club
6th London – KOKO
Here we are again, the shortlist for The Mercury Prize 2013 has been announced. Check out these 12 albums of the year below and leave a comment with your own predictions. Here’s a picture of the most esteemed winners. Our money’s on Dave this year.
Arctic Monkeys – AM
David Bowie – The Next Day
Disclosure – Settle
Foals – Holy Fire
Jake Bugg – Jake Bugg
James Blake – Overgrown
Jon Hopkins – Immunity
Laura Marling – Once I Was An Eagle
Laura Mvula – Sing To The Moon
Rudimental – Home
Savages – Silence Yourself
Villagers – Awayland
The winner will be announced at the Mercury Prize awards show on the 30th October, taking place in the Camden Roundhouse.
Drones
‘Free Marked Kid’
Lockjaw Records
Founded in 2010, Camberley punk rockers Drones have made quite an impact on the UK scene, playing anywhere and everywhere with a PA system. The band signed to Lockjaw records in 2011, to release their debut LP ‘Mutiny’. Their forthcoming EP ‘Free Marked Kid’ was released on September 9th via Lockjaw Records.
Drones are coming out with songs which are nothing unfamiliar in the progression of the hardcore scene. However by no means is that a bad thing. After listening to ‘Empty Words’ it’s clear that the band have honed their sound well. The vocal combination of harsh, raw screams folding into catchy upbeat choruses is backed by energetic riffage and pacey drums. Drones seem caught between the melodies of Rise Against and the sheer ginger brutality of pre-Wade Gallows.
Download ‘Empty Words’ for free here.
Henry Jackson
Best Friends
AA Side
Straight outta Yorkshire, this foursome make surf tinged garage pop that bites. Happy Anniversary / Nosebleeds is Best Friends new AA side and it’s great.
Opener ‘Happy Anniversary’ starts with phasers unwinding behind a sedated Damon Albarn-esque vocal before the beat picks up and runs with an infectiously catchy riff that hooks in and shreds its way around your ears. ‘Nosebleeds’ is a belter straight from the off. Led by a mean bass riff, this track could get way heavier if it wanted to, and on stage booming out of the PA I’m sure it does, but here they’re keeping it reigned in with a stripped back verse and a cool jam section leading into the last chorus perfectly.
Infested with catchy hooks and indie groove, these two tracks do share exactly the same blue print but it totally works.
Happy Anniversary / Nosebleeds is due for release September 23rd on Art Is Hard Records.
Pre-Order your copy from Art Is Hard here.
Dave Palmer
Head honcho of rap collective OFWGKTA, Tyler, The Creator has dropped a preview of what appears to be a full length movie. Wolf is the first full length project Tyler has undertaken aside an array of music videos for his rap collective, Odd Future.
Directed by ‘Wolf Haley’ – Tyler’s go to pseudonym when practicing the cinematic arts – the short clip below offers an insight to the film, ever the enigma, he hasn’t exactly revealed a release date yet. With little to go on from this clip all we can assume is that with the ‘R’ rating that closes this trailer, it’s going to be grisly. Or it could all just be a big hoax!