Those brain-munching zombies Send More Paramedics have just released a new video online.
The video is for the song Blood Fever which is taken from their last album The Awakening, out on In At The Deep End Records. You know nothing from this lot can ever be ignored, so head on over to www.adam-powell.com and check it out.
The Maccabees will be heading out on their biggest tour yet, with the dates spanning almost a month.
If you want to get out and see them, the check one of these gigs below. Their new single, About Your Dress, is released on February 26th.
April:
18th – Old Market, Brighton
19th – Old Market, Brighton
20th – Point, Cardiff
21st – Charlotte, Leicester
23rd – Academy 2, Liverpool
24th – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
26th – Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
27th – Anson Rooms, Bristol
29th – Junction, Cambridge
30th – Brookes Uni, Oxford
May:
1st – Lemongrove, Exeter
2nd – Waterfront, Norwich
4th – Roadmender, Northampton
5th – Welly, Hull
6th – Acad 3/2, Manchester
8th – Moshulu, Aberdeen
9th – Garage, Glasgow
10th – Stage 2, Newcastle
12th – Cockpit, Leeds
13th – Leadmill, Sheffield
14th – Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton
16th – Old Firestation, Bournemouth
17th – Astoria, London
Tiger Army will be playing some UK dates as part of their April European tour to support the forthcoming release III: Ghost Tigers Rise out on June 5th.
April:
30th – Brighton Concorde 2
May:
1st – Leeds Cockpit
2nd – Glasgow Cathouse
3rd – Manchester Academy 3
4th – London Carling Academy
5th – Nottingham Rock City
Jimmy Eat World have posted an update regarding the work on their new album.
Frontman Jim Adkins said of the sixth studio album:
“During the Christmas break we wrote some new tunes and got ideas for a bunch more. We are working on those and giving them the chance to develop. We are still very excited about what we have competed thus far and we hope to wrap it up as soon as possible. But this is the way rock is. Sorry. Shit takes forever.
We don’t consider ourselves on island time by any stretch. We want to make sure every song feels like it is as complete as it needs to be. To put songs out there and call it an album is an important thing for us. We have yet to compromise a recording session for the sake of a final product. We aren’t about to start 12 years into the band. Thank you for your patience and we hope to get more up, more often.”
The Horrors will be releasing their debut album Strange House on March 5th.
The band, currently on the Shockwaves NME Awards Indie Rock Tour, will begin their own headline tour in March, playing 18 dates through to April:
March:
23rd – Liverpool Academy 2
24th – Manchester Club Academt
25th – Hull Welly Club
26th – Leeds Cockpit
27th – Birmingham Barfly
29th – Nottingham Rescue Room
30th – Cardiff Barfly
April:
1st – Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms
2nd – Bristol Thekla
3rd – Norwich Waterfront
5th – Newcastle Academy 2
6th – Glasgow ABC 2
7th – Aberdeen Kef
8th – Edinburgh Cabaret Voltaire
10th – Stoke Sugarmill
11th – Brighton Concorde 2
12th – Southend Chinnerys
13th – London Coronet
Hammersmith Apollo
13.02.07
‘We’re called Brand New and we’re from New York’. It seems Jesse Lacey hasn’t quite grasped the fact that he and his bandmates have sold out the Hammersmith Apollo, and the place is rammed with fans, hanging on his every word.
But that’s one of the endearing things about this band – whether we’re watching them in Madison Square Gardens or at the Barfly – they always so seem so humble, there are no oversized egos on stage, no swaggering arrogance – only the ironic, poison tipped lyrics reveal what’s going on in their heads.
It’s a miserable cold and raining night in London as Jesse Lacey takes to the stage a little after nine, quietly wandering to the front of the stage wearing what looks like an old cardigan, until the lights pin him down. Unassuming, almost wary and visibly taking a step back as the wall of sound from the crowd hits him, he drops smoothly into the first track. Jude Law And The Semester Abroad kicks off the fun tonight, tongue in cheek from the band, as it’s slating a girlfriend who’s gone to the UK and falls for the English charm.
Close on its heals is the usual set closer, Seventy Times 7 with it’s poison fuelled lyrics ‘Have another drink and drive yourself home. I hope there’s ice on all the roads. And you can think of me when you forget your seatbelt and again when your head goes through the windshield’. Lacey has in the past veered away from their early material, but the first thirty minutes tonight are dedicated to tracks from 2001’s Your Favourite Weapon, crowd pleasing favourites like The Shower Scene and No Seat Belt Song, and then we’re treated to a stunning rendition of the album closer Soco Amaretto Lime. As Lacey belts out ‘Going to stay eighteen forever’ the crowd are as one, lines ringing out word perfect.
The second part of the night arrives, a rinse through the wonderful Deja Entendu starting off with the familiar intro of Tautou and ‘burning like a bridge for your body..’ In this album the band found their direction. Months of endless touring had taken its toll, Lacey seems disillusioned with life on the road ( ” I write most post cards than hooks, I read more maps than books, I feel like every chance to leave is a chance I should have took..”), their sound was maturing and evolving into some deeper, darker, and more complex. Instead of taking the easy road of another pop album, they produced something that made you think, and the choice of tracks tonight tracks their journey onwards.
Sic Transit Gloria, The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows, Me V Maradona V Elvis, and I Will Play Beneath my Spin Light are amongst the tracks on offer tonight , but it’s Guernica ( which Lacey dedicates to his grandfather) that’s tightens their hold on your senses. A personal highlight is the sublime The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot, Lacey’s vocals come into their own, with that break to his voice, an almost pleading, apologetic shrug “Spring keeps you ever close. You are second hand smoke. You are so fragile and thin. Standing trial for your sins. Holding onto yourself the best you can. You are the smell before rain. You are the blood in my veins…” Lacey’s become quite the lyricist.
They run through the tracks in their album order, with is a rare pleasure for the crowd, with every tune being welcomed with another cheer, each one louder that the last. And whilst Lacey holds our attention on vocals, praise must be showered on Vinnie Acardi winding up and up on bass to the right of stage, head lolling, eyes wide, throwing his bass around the stage as though possessed.
And so onto the last part of the night, and we’ve still not heard anything from the new album The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me. With the lightshow altering the mood on stage for each new ‘act’, the lights flash down to red, and it’s like hell’s door has opened,Welcome To Bangkok‘s instrumental opening is colossal, extra musicians roll into the stage, extra drums screaming out so loudly that Brian Lane’s beat dictates to your heart, extra bass throbbing insanely.
Luca, Jesus and Sowing Season follow, and all sound better than at Brixton. Lacey pauses before the last track of the night and thank Me Without You, and to say ‘thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you’ to the crowd. The general feeling of warmth towards the band could lift them clean off the stage, willing them on to the final fence. And what a goodbye it is, it’s a good thing it’s the last night of the tour, Lacey’s throat sounds like it’s being ripped out, as he falls to his knees, screaming ‘ YOU WON’T KNOW’, like an animal possessed, and as the Garrett Tierney, Vinnie and Brian leave the stage, he’s left, writhing, red light pouring over him. He throws his guitar to the floor and walks away.
Tonight Brand New made good all the promises they spun with their last album, the performance is raw, jagged and a pleasure to witness. Goes to show that every band has their off day, and whilst their last London show in Brixton lacked the verve that tonight gives, tonight’s made up for that, and some. The new year has breathed new life in Brand New and with tonight’s show they revealed they really are a force to be reckoned with. With a headline slot at Give It A Name in April, Brand New are showing their true colours, and what a glorious light show it is.
Guns n Roses line up reuniting could be on the cards.
Original drummer Stevie Adler has said he thinks a reunion could happen. He told reporters that he and Axl have resolved their differences with the other founding members – Slash, Duff McKagan and Izzy Stradlin – reportedly ready to reunite. Adler said:
“I saw Axl, talked with him from ten or 12 at night to eight in the morning. We resolved a lot of shit. I said, ‘You know the five of us have to get back together! That’s when it will really take off again! Nothing will be bigger.
It would be the biggest reunion ever in history’. He just grinned and giggled a little bit. Everybody in his band came up to me and said, ‘You’re the greatest drummer! We tell Axl, ‘You gotta get the band back together!’ That’s what they said to him! I’ve been talking with Slash. I’ve been talking with Izzy. He wants a reunion”.
Who the hell knows. We’ll see…
It seems ridiculous to even think how this will work but two members of The Jam will reunite for a tour this year.
Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler will come together for the first time since the band’s split in 1982, for a reunion that will coincide with with the 30th anniversary of their debut album In The City.
The tour will be made up of the band’s greatest hits, such as Going Underground, The Eton Rifles, Town Called Malice and Strange Town.
Buckler said of Paul Weller:
“Paul is always welcome to join us for the reunion, but until then, we’ve got a tour and a new album to do!”
The dates are:
May:
2nd – Oxford Zodiac
3rd – Cambridge Junction
5th – Middlesbrough Town Hall – The Crypt
6th – Aberdeen Lemon Tree
7th – Edinburgh Liquid Rooms
9th – Nottingham Rescue Rooms
10th – Stoke Sugarmill
11th – Liverpool Academy 2
12th – Sheffield Leadmill
13th – Preston 53 Degrees
16th – Bristol Academy 2
17th – Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall
18th – Cardiff Point
19th – Guildford Surrey University
20th – Isle of Wight: The Venue – Ryde Theatre
23rd – Norwich Waterfront
24th – Tunbridge Wells – The High Rocks
25th – Northampton Soundhaus
26th – Reading Fez Club
27th – Portsmouth Wedgwood Rooms
The Isle Of Wight festival has announced the headliners for this year’s event.
Snow Patrol, Kasabian, Keane and Muse will be the main acts for 2007 with Amy Winehouse, The Fratellis, Wolfmother, Ash and The Feeling also appearing. The event will take place at Seaclose Park on June 8th – 10th. Muse said of the event:
“The past year has been truly amazing for us and performing live is what we’re all about. Getting the opportunity to do that at the Isle of Wight Festival is an honour. Some of our biggest heroes played the festival back in the 70’s. It’s steeped in history and we cant wait to be a part of that.’
If you’re still not convinced of stoner-punk’s potency, then here’s hoping that the daddies of the genre can change your mind.
Right from the start, ‘We Must Obey’ sounds like a runaway steamroller bursting out of your speakers; as the likes of ‘Knew It All Along’ and ‘Shake It Loose’ surge forth in waves of Southern-fried riffage and bowel loosening bass.
It’s the same brilliantly dirty, unpretentious Fu Manchu sound of old, but this time around they’ve refined it almost to perfection. Enough waxing lyrical – turn this one up loud and just fucking FEEL it.