"Out of the Blues". Popular music through the decades

Kelly Rowland ...sets pulses racing with new single "Lay it On Me"

2012-02-03T02:47:00.000-08:00

The X Factor may be over but Kelly Rowland is back, empowered and more assertive than ever with new single, ‘Lay It On Me’, released on February 6th through Island Records. The up-tempo, feel good track is the perfect fusion of old school feel with a modern twist and just the right amount of sexy. ‘Lay It On Me’, taken from Kelly’s third studio album, ‘Here I Am’, was produced by American Grammy Award nominated producer, Hit-Boy and features US rapper, Big Sean. The video sees Kelly unleash her inner naughty as she glistens in a sea of sparsely-clad male dancers and features a cameo from baby elephant Susie. Kelly oozes sex appeal - if there was ever a video that was ‘classy, dirty’, this is it. ‘Lay it On Me’ sees Kelly come into her own as a solo star. With lyrics that will leave you hot under the collar, it’s clear that Kelly is in a confident and sassy place and the sexiest we’ve ever seen her. 2011 was a defining year for Kelly - debuting as a new judge on ITV1's The X Factor, a brand new management, a new record label and a worldwide hit ‘When Love Takes Over’ (with acclaimed French dance producer David Guetta and the track that gave Kelly her second Grammy Award as a solo artist) under her belt – the world is her oyster. In addition to Kelly’s five Grammy Awards, she’s also taken home honors from Billboard, American Music Awards, World Music Awards, NAACP Image Awards, MTV, BET Music Awards, Soul Train Music Awards, a prestigious BRIT Award, and more. Kelly released ‘Motivation’ featuring Lil Wayne on guest vocals from her latest album ‘Here I Am’ in the US in April, a fitting reintroduction to Rowland, the solo star. The song went down a storm, peaking at number one on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and staying there for seven weeks in a row - also reaching number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Rowland's highest performing single as a solo artist and first US Top 20 hit as lead singer to date.

mypspace/kellyrowlandmusic

About Kelly Roland. Kelly achieved global pop stardom as a member of Destiny’s Child, one of the biggest-selling groups of all time. Kelly has sold an awe-inspiring 82 million records worldwide. Her latest album, ‘Here I Am’ is the long-awaited follow-up to her two successful solo albums: 2002’s RIAA gold-certified Simply Deep - which reached number 12 on the Billboard chart - and 2007’s Ms. Kelly which went on to sell 1.2 million copies worldwide.

Ben Howard Single: ‘The Wolves’ Release Date: 27th February 2012

2012-02-03T02:37:00.000-08:00

Ben Howard releases his new single, ‘The Wolves’ on the 27th February 2012 through Island Records. It is taken from Ben’s top 10 debut album, ‘Every Kingdom’. 2011 was a hugely successful introduction to the music of Ben Howard. The young Devonshire singer-songwriter wrote his own story based on twelve months of relentless European and British touring, a string of radio-friendly, folk-informed singles, and an acclaimed debut album. Where his peers have become very British successes, Ben has been building a solid, fanatical fanbase across Europe, appearing on France’s hugely respected Taratata television programme alongside Coldplay, and selling out every show announced (including venue upgrades). In 2012 Ben will launch his music in America with ‘Every Kingdom’ finding a release in the Spring through Communion Records, with appearances at SXSW in Texas and a US tour already confirmed. Regularly compared to the likes of John Martyn, Donovan, and Bon Iver, Every Kingdom (produced by the band’s bassist and drummer Chris Bond), captures the rawness and intimacy of Ben’s live performance. The deftness of touch, the spellbinding nature of those six strings carefully finger-plucked, and Ben’s otherworldly vocal cries are spun and woven sublimely. ‘The Wolves’ was one of the songs that introduced Ben to the British public in early 2011, and finds a full single release in February 2012. Prior to Ben’s US live dates, he will headline an already sold-out European & UK tour across in February, which includes two nights at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire. Another UK tour is expected later in the year.

Ben Howard UK Tour:
13th February – Truro, Hall For Cornwall (SOLD OUT)
14th February – Portsmouth, Pyramids (SOLD OUT)
15th February – Brighton, Concorde 2 (SOLD OUT)
17th February – Manchester, Ritz (SOLD OUT)
18th February – Edinburgh, Queens Hall (SOLD OUT)
19th February - Glasgow, ABC (SOLD OUT)
20th February – Newcastle, Northumbria University (SOLD OUT)
22nd February – Norwich, UEA (SOLD OUT)
23rd February – London, Shepherds Bush Empire (SOLD OUT)
24th February – London, Shepherds Bush Empire (SOLD OUT)
25th February – Oxford, Academy (SOLD OUT)
27th February – Leeds, MET (SOLD OUT)
28th February – Birmingham, HMV Institute (SOLD OUT)
29th February – Bristol, Academy (SOLD OUT)
www.benhowardmusic.co.uk
Ben Howard Single: ‘The Wolves’ Release Date: 27th February 2012 Label: Island RecordsWHAT THE PAPERS SAY
“A debut album of beauty and vigour.”—Sunday Times
“Full of hard-won wisdom that belie his age…He’ll make listening to acoustic folk-tinged music feel like the first time.” —The Guardian
“Extraordinary”—The Independent
"An unusually poetic songwriter revelling in his proximity to nature" - Uncut
"Howard is a YouTube phenomenon with a modern voice, an acoustic guitar and an original way of blending the two...Properly new music" - Word Magazine
"Every Kingdom has been one of the surprise hits of the year. A showcase for his earthy vocal grain and tingling guitar picking." - The Mirror
"Howard's effortless vocal sets him apart from everyone else taking a whack at the folk genre" - The Sun

Gotye Single, Album "Making Mirrors"& Live Dates

2012-02-03T02:26:00.000-08:00

Having already topped the charts in 5 countries and with nearly 40 million hits and counting on YouTube, Gotye will release the much anticipated single ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ in the UK on 6th February via Communion / Island Records. 2012 looks set to be a very exciting year for hotly tipped Belgium born Melbourne based multi-instrumentalist and producer, Gotye. Following two sold out London shows in October, his album launch show at Wiltons Music Hall has sold out and his newly announced show at Shepherd’s Bush Empire looks set to do the same, proving that the current swell of worldwide support has its sights set firmly on the UK. Upon its online release in June the video for the stunning track Somebody That I Used To Know triggered an overwhelming worldwide response. Just three weeks after Gotye posted it on YouTube the song had received nearly four million hits (this number has now nearly reached 40 million, currently averaging more than 1 million hits a day), topped the charts in 5 countries (Germany, Australia, Holland, Belgium and New Zealand) and made it to No.1 on the Hype Machine Twitter chart. Hear it once and you’ll be haunted by it for weeks. It will be released in the UK on 6th February, a week ahead of the album Making Mirrors. Ask Gotye about Making Mirrors and he’ll speak not of songs, but of sounds. He’ll describe the various valves through which strings and choirs cycle on his Lowrey Cotillion, a vintage organ bought for 100 bucks in a second-hand shop that features on the record. Or how he constructed a bassline by sampling the Winton Musical Fence, an unlikely instrument he discovered in the outback of Queensland, Australia, comprised of five large metal strings attached to wooden fence posts and a resonant chamber. He may mention the horn break from a traditional Taiwanese folk song he discovered on a 1970s Cathay Pacific promotional record, which he sampled, sped up and dubbed out, before introducing it to some Turkish drum sounds. Or the unique, virtual versions of acoustic instruments - among them a chromaharp and an mbira - he created by painstakingly multisampling every note. Listen to Making Mirrors and you’ll be drawn in by the details, transported to a world where every moment matters. This is pop at its most precise, but also electronic music at its most emotional. The record delves into dub, Detroit-era Motown soul, stadium-size politipop, synth-folk and world music on glorious, sprawling, huge-hearted songs. Gotye first found attention with his second album, 2006’s Like Drawing Blood. Influential Australian radio station Triple J named it their album of the year, as did iTunes on its release in the UK in 2008. In Britain, Like Drawing Blood became a cult hit while in the States, it made waves after Drew Barrymore fell in love with single Learnalilgivinanlovin’ and used it in several of her films. Making Mirrors, its extraordinary follow-up, was more than two and a half years in the making. To write and record its dozen sumptuous songs, Gotye moved from Melbourne to a barn on his parents’ remote five hectare block on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. There, he had the space to permanently set up his growing array of instruments and recording equipment, and found the isolation that allowed for sonic experimentation and recording at any time of the day. After Like Drawing Blood, which was constructed almost entirely from samples of old vinyl, Gotye set about making an album using more physical and acoustic instruments. “I ended up sampling a lot of them note-by-note and turning them into virtual instruments,” he explains. “It’s a slow and sometimes laborious process, but it can completely change the sound of the instrument and how you approach playing it. I found a beautiful old chromaharp at an antique shop, and ‘virtualised’ it in this way. It ended up sounding more like an unusual hammer dulcimer when played on a midi keyboard or programmed with software.” Meanwhile, Gotye continued to raid local second-hand shops for obscure vinyl to sample. “For Bronte, the closing track on the new record, I used a sample of ‘60s orchestrator Leo Addeo. He made an exotica record called Calypso which featured lots of wildly out-of-tune steel drums. I pitched some grabs of these around, really messing with the overtones of the samples, and it became a gentle, beautiful loop, while still being quite odd sonically.” On Eyes Wide Open, the first song recorded for Making Mirrors, he sampled some unusual field recordings. “The most obvious field recording is of the Winton Musical Fence,” Gotye says. “I played the fence strings one windy night in the outback and recorded it on a portable stereo. That became the bassline for Eyes Wide Open. I even included the ambience of the barn in the background of Don’t Worry, We’ll Be Watching You.” The dubby State Of The Art, with its spooky, pitch-shifted, sci-fi vocals, is an ode to the Lowrey Cotillion, with lyrics that mention its keys and functions. In contrast, the joyous, uptempo I Feel Better revisits the Motown sound of Like Drawing Blood’s breakthrough single Leanalilgivinanlovin. Gotye launched Making Mirrors in Australia – where he picked up 6 ARIA Awards at the end of last year - last August with two visually explosive gigs at Sydney Opera House and a full Australian tour - all of which were sold out. He will return to the UK for an intimate album launch show at Wiltons Music Hall on 13th February, followed by the Shepherd’s Bush Empire on 29th February.

Album Track Listing:
Making Mirrors
Easy Way Out
Somebody That I Used To Know
Eyes Wide Open
Smoke And Mirrors
I Feel Better
In Your Light
State Of The Art
Don’t Worry, We’ll Be Watching You
Giving Me A Chance
Save Me
Bronte
Artist: Gotye Single: Somebody That I Used To Know – released 6th February
Album: Making Mirrors - released 13th February Label: Communion / Island RecordENCORELIVE:
Wiltons Music Hall on 13th February – SOLD OUT
Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London – 29th February
Ritz, Manchester – 2nd March / Oran Mor, Glasgow – 4th March
Website: www.gotye.com / http://soundcloud.com/gotye /
WHAT THE PAPERS SAY
'In his native Australia, Gotye is an award-winning, chart-topping star. By early next year he could be just as big in Britain.' – The Times
‘Great video, powerful lyrics and a stunning voice.’ - Q
'a beautiful duet with an impressive video' – NME
‘this breathtaking tale of heartache is now starting to turn heads internationally.’ – Music Week
'if you like your technical brilliance mixed with some heartfelt vocals, you need Gotye in your life.' – Loud & Quiet
‘Somebody That I Used To Know is an impassioned piece of songwriting… could well be the song that finally helps Gotye receive the international acclaim he deserves.’ – Record of the Day
‘Gotye's exemplary pop sense may be the big revelation of Making Mirrors, yet it's his arty restlessness that will continue to keep him interesting’ - Pitchfork

Encore Brand New Single: Fun Last Night Released: 26th February

2012-02-03T02:15:00.000-08:00

Fresh from supporting Jessie J, Tinchy Stryder and N-Dubz on tour, hot new urban-pop sensations Encore release their brand new single 'Fun Last Night' on February 26th via Island Records. 'Fun Last Night' is a melodic pop smash, featuring razor sharp rhymes, an electro bassline and smooth vocals, all topped off with an infectious anthemic chorus. Encore are made up of rapper Pierre (23) and vocalists Cairo (22) and Mark (22). Initially three solo artists who were already making waves in their own right on the urban music scene, the boys met at an open mic night in early 2009. Fast forward a few months and a preliminary collaboration session in the studio eventually led to the creation of Encore. Mark is an accomplished singer/ songwriter and has already written with acts such as Tinie Tempah and Chipmunk. Pierre comes from East London and went to school with Dizzee Rascal and Tinchy Stryder. Before he entered the band, Cairo was a name on the acoustic soul live scene and learnt his production skills from his musician father. An urban boy band with a unique flavour, the Encore sound stems from mixing varied musical styles including R&B, soul, rap and grime with dance and pop elements. The 'Encore blend,' certainly showcases the group's musical diversity. Pierre remarks "we mix up a lot of sounds and write songs from our experiences. There is something for everybody". The boys are currently working on their debut album, due out in 2012, with Wayne Hector (JLS, Pussycat Dolls), Red One (Lady GaGa, Jennifer Lopez), Chuck Harmony (Ne-Yo, Rihanna) and Ed Drewitt (Professor Green). Dappy is currently writing a future single with the band this month after being impressed by the trio on the NDubz tour. After putting in the groundwork throughout 2011, Encore are here to grab their place in the spotlight in early 2012. Get ready for a standing ovation.

‘Fun Last Night is released February 26th on Universal/Island’ http://www.myspace.com/wantmoreencore
WHAT THE PAPERS SAY
‘A Brit trio to take over N-Dubz reins’ -Mirror OTW 2012
‘One of the hottest new pop/ R&B acts around’-HEAT Hotlist 2012
‘The new boyband making pop music with grit’-Attitude ‘
‘A musical feast on the ears’-Top Of The Pops

MUSIC NOTES - FEBRUARY RELEASES AND LIVE DATES

2012-01-30T07:48:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick round up of the new releases for February:

The X Factor may be over but Kelly Rowland is back, empowered and more assertive than ever with new single, ‘Lay It On Me’, released on February 6th through Island Records.
Gotye – Making Mirrors - Released 13th February 2012 + UK Tour Dates Live Dates and Main Post
Fresh from supporting Jessie J, Tinchy Stryder and N-Dubz on tour, hot new urban-pop sensations Encore release their brand new single 'Fun Last Night' on February 26th via Island Records. Encore will release their brand new single 'Fun Last Night' on February 13th via Island Records.
Midnight Lion release their new EP, ‘Sleeping In The Woods’, on the 13th February 2012 through Locks & Keys/Island Records. Live Dates and Main Post
Ben Howard releases his new single, ‘The Wolves’ on the 27th February 2012 through Island Records. It is taken from Ben’s top 10 debut album, ‘Every Kingdom’.
LADYHAWKE release her new single ‘Black, White & Blue’ on February 19th 2012 on Modular through Island Records. The track is taken from her new album ‘Anxiety’ due out on March 19th 2012.

Midnight Lion new EP, ‘Sleeping In The Woods’ & Live Dates

2012-01-30T07:12:00.000-08:00

Following the release of their debut single, ‘All Greatness Stands Firm’, last Summer, Glasgow based two-piece Midnight Lion remain an enigmatic entity. Their music is at once full of the melodies and huge choruses found in the studio pop bands of the 80s, yet it maintains an art-house leaning that evokes the dark, subtle moments of artists akin to Talk Talk. It’s a sound that imbues the influence of living and creating music in the forward thinking city they call home. ‘Sleeping In The Woods’ was penned in the East End of Glasgow, in Lewis Gardner’s bedroom. Gardner, as one half of the band, is the man responsible for the band’s production sound, reflecting Glasgow’s progressive musical present as much as it does its past. Stewart Brock, the lyricist and vocalist, resides in the West End and heads over to Lewis’ home to lay down his powerful vocals and bounce ideas off each other within the makeshift studio. Sleeping In The Woods is a dark, brooding and evocative pop tune, and as assured and powerful as their debut. Synth-and-beats loaded, it quickly re-asserts the confidence in Gardner and Brock’s songwriting. The EP also features a remix of its lead track by the band themselves, and an intensely simmering re-working of Prince’s ‘When Doves Cry’. A second introductory step for Midnight Lion, and another fascinating statement of intent.
EP Tracklisting: Sleeping In The Woods/In Too Deep/When Doves Cry (Prince cover)/Sleeping In The Woods (Midnight Lion Remix)
Midnight Lion Live:

9th February – London, Cargo
14th February – Manchester, Castle Hotel
15th February – Glasgow, The Arches
16th February – Bristol, Thekla

Midnight Lion release their new EP, ‘Sleeping In The Woods’, on the 13th February 2012 through Locks & Keys/Island Records. - www.midnightlion.co.uk

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY
“There is something wonderfully bracing about coming across a new band prepared to paint in big, bold colours – and Midnight Lion certainly do that” – Sunday Times Culture
“building-shaking stuff that demands attention” - Abeano

Chimes of Freedom – 75 Newly Recorded Bob Dylan Songs by Over 80 Artists

2012-01-21T10:06:00.000-08:00

"Chimes of Freedom", 75 Newly Recorded Bob Dylan Songs by Over 80 Artists Scheduled for January 24 Release, salutes Amnesty International’s 50th Anniversary and Life-Saving Human Rights Work
(New York) – Two iconic forces that have impacted the past 50 years – the life-saving human rights activism of Nobel Peace Prize-winning Amnesty International and the incomparable artistry of Bob Dylan – are being saluted by 80 musicians who contributed new or previously unreleased recordings to Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International. Chimes of Freedom is Executive Produced by legendary music executive Jeff Ayeroff and Julie Yannatta, who spearheaded Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur – a 2007 collection of John Lennon solo compositions performed by major artists including U2, Green Day, and R.E.M. The collection is scheduled for physical (4 discs) and digital release in the UK through Fontana International, a Universal Music company, on February 6th 2012. Chimes of Freedom features a stellar and diverse group of artists across the generational and musical spectrum. The performers, including many of Amnesty International’s longtime supporters, range in age from teenage pop star Miley Cyrus, 19, to folk music legend Pete Seeger, who, at 92, records Dylan’s poignant “Forever Young,” with a children’s chorus. The diversity of the musicians and musical genres – from rock, rap, hip-hop to pop, folk, country, jazz and blues -- attests to Amnesty’s depth of support in the music community, the universal appeal of the core message of human rights, and the breadth of Dylan’s impact on culture. Almost every track on the album is being released for sale for the first time* – except for the title song, Dylan’s original 1964 recording of “Chimes of Freedom.” Seventy songs were recorded especially for this release – with the addition of a few previously unreleased recordings. "This album is a powerful fusion of the music community’s respect for Amnesty’s life-affirming work and for Bob Dylan’s enduring brilliance,” said Ayeroff and Yannatta. “We are proud to have worked with Amnesty to produce this remarkable project. In 1961, Amnesty International evolved from a one-year campaign to free political prisoners into a worldwide movement fighting for justice, freedom and human dignity; today the organization has more than three million supporters in 150 countries. In March of that same year Bob Dylan’s debut album was released, launching an unparalleled recording career. “Over the half century, Dylan’s art has explored and expressed the anguish and hope of the modern human condition,” observed Sean Wilentz, the noted historian, in the album liner notes. “Bob Dylan’s music endures because he so brilliantly captures our heartbreak, our joy, our frailty, our confusion, our courage and our struggles,” said Karen Scott Amnesty International’s Manager of Music Relations. “His words convey a depth of meaning that few artists can equal, inspiring us and always moving ahead of our expectations. We at Amnesty International are deeply grateful to this legendary musician and to all of the artists who have contributed to this project.” All of the artists, session musicians, arrangers, engineers, producers and recording studios worked pro-bono to support the human rights cause. Almost 30 tracks on the album were mixed gratis by famed engineer Bob Clearmountain. Bob Ludwig and Adam Ayan of Gateway Mastering donated their mastering services. The album cover illustration is by Grammy Award winning artist Mick Haggerty. Eight tracks were produced or executive produced by Martin Lewis, who as co-creator/producer in the 1970s of Amnesty's ongoing "Secret Policeman's Ball" benefit series, instigated Amnesty's outreach to rock musicians by recruiting and producing Pete Townshend, Sting, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Bob Geldof and others. Executive Producers for Amnesty International are Helen Garrett, director of special projects, and Karen Scott, manager of music relations. Through Chimes of Freedom, Amnesty International seeks to enlist support for its fight against censorship and attacks on free speech – whether involving artists, writers, musicians, political activists or bloggers. In this campaign, Amnesty is fighting for people such as the imprisoned Nobel Prize winner Liu Xiaobo in China, a scholar and human rights defender imprisoned since 2009 for writing about corruption and criticizing China’s political system. In addition to purchasing the album at www.amnestyusa.org/chimes, supporters will find actions they can take to help individuals whose freedom of expression is under threat.
The Collection Features Songs By
* Adele * The Airborne Toxic Event * Joan Baez * Natasha Bedingfield * Jackson Browne * Cage the Elephant * Elvis Costello * Darren Criss * Miley Cyrus * Dave Matthews Band * K’NAAN * Kesha * Mark Knopfler * Diana Krall * Lenny Kravitz * Kris Kristofferson * Ziggy Marley * Maroon 5 * Tom Morello * My Chemical Romance * Joe Perry * Queens Of The Stone Age * Raphael Saadiq * Seal & Jeff Beck * Silversun Pickups * Patti Smith * Sting * Sugarland * Pete Townshend * Lucinda Williams * Evan Rachel Wood

The tracklisting for Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International is as follows:
DISC 1
Johnny Cash featuring The Avett Brothers - One Too Many Mornings
Raphael Saadiq - Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
Patti Smith - Drifter's Escape
Rise Against - Ballad of Hollis Brown
Tom Morello The Nightwatchman - Blind Willie McTell
Pete Townshend - Corrina, Corrina
Bettye LaVette - Most of the Time
Charlie Winston - This Wheel's On Fire
Diana Krall - Simple Twist of Fate
Brett Dennen - You Ain't Goin' Nowhere
Mariachi El Bronx - Love Sick
Ziggy Marley - Blowin' in the Wind
The Gaslight Anthem - Changing of the Guards
Silversun Pickups - Not Dark Yet
My Morning Jacket - You're A Big Girl Now
The Airborne Toxic Event - Boots of Spanish Leather
Sting - Girl from the North Country
Mark Knopfler - Restless Farewell
DISC 2
Queens Of The Stone Age - Outlaw Blues
Lenny Kravitz - Rainy Day Woman # 12 & 35
Steve Earle & Lucia Micarelli - One More Cup of Coffee (Valley Below)
Blake Mills featuring Danielle Haim - Heart Of Mine
Miley Cyrus - You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go
Billy Bragg - Lay Down Your Weary Tune
Elvis Costello - License to Kill
Angelique Kidjo - Lay, Lady, Lay
Natasha Bedingfield - Ring Them Bells
Jackson Browne - Love Minus Zero/No Limit
Joan Baez - Seven Curses
The Belle Brigade - No Time To Think
Sugarland - Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You (Live)
Jack's Mannequin - Mr. Tambourine Man
Oren Lavie - 4th Time Around
Sussan Deyhim - All I Really Want To Do
Adele - Make You Feel My Love (Recorded Live at WXPN)
DISC 3
K'NAAN - With God On Our Side
Ximena Sariñana - I Want You
Neil Finn with Pajama Club - She Belongs to Me
Bryan Ferry - Bob Dylan's Dream
Zee Avi - Tomorrow Is A Long Time
Carly Simon - Just Like a Woman
Flogging Molly - The Times They Are A-Changin'
Fistful Of Mercy - Buckets Of Rain
Joe Perry - Man Of Peace
Bad Religion - It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
My Chemical Romance - Desolation Row (Live)
RedOne featuring Nabil Khayat - Knockin' on Heaven's Door
Paul Rodgers & Nils Lofgren - Abandoned Love
Darren Criss featuring Chuck Criss of Freelance Whales - New Morning
Cage the Elephant - The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carrol
Band of Skulls - It Ain't Me, Babe
Sinéad O'Connor - Property of Jesus
Ed Roland and The Sweet Tea Project - Shelter From The Storm
Kesha - Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
Kronos Quartet - Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
DISC 4
Maroon 5 - I Shall Be Released
Carolina Chocolate Drops - Political World
Seal & Jeff Beck - Like A Rolling Stone
Taj Mahal - Bob Dylan's 115th Dream
Dierks Bentley - Senor (Tales of Yankee Power) (Live)
Mick Hucknall - One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later)
Thea Gilmore - I'll Remember You
State Radio - John Brown
Dave Matthews Band - All Along the Watchtower (Live)
Michael Franti - Subterranean Homesick Blues
We Are Augustines - Mama, You Been On My Mind
Lucinda Williams - Tryin' To Get To Heaven
Kris Kristofferson - Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)
Eric Burdon - Gotta Serve Somebody
Evan Rachel Wood - I'd Have You Anytime
Marianne Faithfull - Baby Let Me Follow You Down (Live)
Pete Seeger with The Rivertown Kids - Forever Young
Bob Dylan - Chimes Of Freedom
DIGITAL ONLY
Outernational - When The Ship Comes In
Silverstein - Song To Woody
Daniel Bedingfield - Man In The Long Black Coat
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than three million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.Follow on Twitter: @NewsFromAmnesty. For more information, please visit: www.amnestyusa.org
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NB “Seven Curses,” by Joan Baez, appears on a bonus disc with the reissued Play Me Backwards, presently under license to Proper (UK) for UK, Europe and Australia/NZ.

Childish Gambino. New Single "All the Shine"and London Show 25/26th January

2012-01-21T06:14:00.000-08:00

With his first 2 London shows selling out in a matter of minutes and acclaim for his album “Camp” growing by the day, Childish Gambino, one of the most exciting emerging talents in music, releases his new Glassnote/Island single “All The Shine” on February 6th. The shows, which promise to be among the hottest tickets of the year so far, will take place at the appropriately named London club CAMP on January 25th and 26th. “All The Shine” is taken from “Camp”, Gambino’s first album proper and follows a couple of acclaimed mixtapes and a growing reputation as one of the freshest and most interesting mcs in hip hop. The album was produced by Swedish composer and long-time collaborator Ludwig Göransson, and the 13 tracks also include “Bonfire”, future single “Heartbeat”, “Backpackers”, “L.E.S.”, and standout closer “That Power”. Born Donald Glover, Childish Gambino got his hip hop name from the Wu-tang name generator, but is best known in the US as an actor starring in the NBC hit show “Community” alongside Chevy Chase. Glover has also recently been lauded by Rolling Stone as one of America’s best young comedians and on his recent sell-out I AM DONALD TOUR played to over 10,000. Gambino/Glover divided the show in two performing one half stand-up and the second half full on hip hop show with live band. As well as the acting, the stand up, and the rapping, Glover is one of America’s top comedy writers, with Saturday Night Live’s Tina Fey giving him his big writing break when she heard him perform and hired him to write on the hit show 30 Rock. Rolling Stone recently said “Glover approaches acting stand-up and hip hop with a singular mix of sweetness and filth”. Childish Gambino has released two mixtapes, "I Am Just A Rapper" and "I Am Just A Rapper 2", and in 2010 released his first full length original material album entitled "Culdesac" to widespread critical and public acclaim. In March of this year, he released an untitled EP that featured the hit "Freaks and Geeks" and most recently, Gambino wrapped the Bonnaroo Music Festival and was listed as one of the top five acts to see by “Spin Magazine".
Website: http://www.iamdonald.com/ - Blogspot: http://childishgambino.blogspot.com/
WHAT THE PAPERS SAY
“Witty, heartfelt, honest and occasionally uproarious...
The hip hop album of the year” 8/10 NME
“Gambino’s flows are funny, furious, obnoxious, literate and pensive by turn. A riveting album about race, class, opportunity, tribalism, love, the pitfalls of fame, comedy and “seriousness”.” - The Observer CD of the week
“This is one of the freshest hip-hop albums to come out of the US in years. He makes every line count. Camp is a breath of fresh air...” The Times CD of the week
“A great is amongst us” Questlove of The Roots
“It’s Glover’s wit and dexterity that most confirm he’s the real deal” Q

No Light No Light - Florence Welch back with a bang!

2012-01-21T06:05:00.000-08:00

There’s no doubt about it –Florence Welch is back with an almighty bang having shipped a massive 1 MILLION albums worldwide in just two weeks since the release of her global smash of a follow up record, ‘Ceremonials’. Her widely acclaimed album immediately hit the #1 spot in the UK charts on release and crashed into the US Billboard Top, ranking her right up there with other British heavyweights Adele and Coldplay. ‘No Light, No Light’ is the epic and heart wrenching follow up to lead single ‘Shake It Out’ and will be released on January 16. Remixes come from the wondrous Dave Sitek and Breakage – his only remix of 2011. Part romantic battle-cry, part rain-lashed pledge of devotion, thrashed out over harps, tribal drums and interweaving harmonies, this was one of the first songs to be written for Ceremonials and set the tone for a record that acts as a showcase for its creators’ unabashed maximalism. “There are things I struggle to talk about face-to-face. I’m not a confrontational person. But the great thing about music is that it allows you to do talk about those things to a huge group of people. I think that if No Light, No Light is about anything, it’s about that. Isa [Summers, keyboards] had this intense gritty electronic beat and we built it from there.”
See Florence perform ‘No Light ‘No Light’ on Later…With Jools Holland here

Heading out to America this week to perform on both Saturday Night Live and Good Morning America before her first promotional tour for ‘Ceremonials’, Florence and her almighty machine will return to the UK for a mammoth celebratory tour in 2012. More details to follow!
No Light, No Light Island Records January 16 ‘Her masterpiece already’ Q *****

CLOCK OPERA Single Release: “Once And For All”

2012-01-21T05:56:00.000-08:00

Continuing the build up to the release of their debut album, sonic experimentalists Clock Opera will release their single “Once And For All” on Moshi Moshi/Island on 30th January 2012. Epic and euphoric in equal measure, it epitomises the band’s signature sound of looping samples, layered textures and soaring vocals and demonstrates yet again their skill in audio autopsy - deconstructing and reassembling sounds and words to startling effect. Lyrically “Once and for All” recalls memories of being a teenager and the myriad complex and extreme emotions that we experience during those transitional years. Also included in the package is a remix by arguably one of the most devoted pioneers of experimental and electronic music, Mr Andrew Weatherall. After recent releases of “Belongings” and “Lesson No.7”, “Once And For All” further cements Clock Opera’s growing reputation as one of the most innovative, original and exciting bands in the UK right now. Live they continue to go from strength to strength. After acclaimed performances on the BBC Introducing Stage at Reading and Leeds, Wireless and Field Day festivals, Clock Opera recently supported Metromony, Crystal Fighters and Chapel Club on their UK tours. They have also sold out both of their recent headline London shows at Hoxton Bar & Kitchen and Electrowerkz .Clock Opera’s debut album is complete and scheduled for release in early 2012. Full of romance and recollections, re-enactments and speculations, memory and mystery, machine generated mood and human thought, it will inevitably be one of next year’s must have records.
CLOCK OPERA http://www.myspace.com/clockopera
Single Release: “Once And For All” Label: Moshi Moshi/Island Release Date: 30th January 2012
WHAT THE PAPERS SAY
“…beautiful pointillist electronica” Sunday Times Culture
“A shotgun marriage of the organic and the electronic” Mojo
"One of London's most creatively coherent new bands" Time Out
"Sweet, scratchy synths and sense of twilit romanticism with some of the grandeur of 80's synth balladeers" NME

James Morrison nominated for Best British Male /new single "Slave to the Music"

2012-01-16T07:38:00.000-08:00

James Morrison has been nominated for Best British Male at the 2012 BRIT awards, an accolade he has been nominated for twice before, and won in 2007. James said: “I’m really happy to be nominated for The Brits again this year, it’s going to be a great night. It’s always good to get that level of recognition for your work, and there are some great artists in there too. ‘The Awakening’ is such an intensely personal album to me, I’m just pleased people are sharing that and enjoying it so much, and the fans are giving me such incredible feedback and support.” His new single ‘Slave To The Music’ is released on February 20. The up tempo track is the third to be taken from his platinum selling album ‘The Awakening’. The song originally came to James in a dream, where he envisaged Michael Jackson singing the main hook. The Awakening was number one for two weeks when it was released last year. It also contains the singles ‘I Won’t Let You Go’ and the stunning duet with Jessie J ‘Up’ – which have sold over 300k copies.
Watch James Morrison ‘Slave To The Music’ video

James will tour the UK later this month. All dates are now SOLD OUT:
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
Saturday 28 Jan Belfast Ulster Hall
Sunday 29 Jan Dublin Olympia
Tuesday 31 Jan Manchester O2 Apollo
Wednesday 1 Feb Manchester O2 Apollo
Friday 3 Cambridge Corn Exchange
Saturday 4 Southampton Guildhall
Monday 6 Leicester De Montford Hall
Tuesday 7 Birmingham O2 Academy
Thursday 9 London Hammersmith Apollo
Friday 10 London Hammersmith Apollo
Sunday 12 Southend Cliff Pavilion
Monday 13 Bristol Colston Hall
Wednesday 15 Glasgow O2 Academy
Friday 17 Leeds O2 Academy
Saturday 18 Nottingham Royal Centre
Sunday 19 Newcastle O2 Academy
www.jamesmorrisonmusic.com
Acclaim for ‘The Awakening’
“A TERRIFIC THIRD ALBUM, BURSTING WITH EXPERTLY CRAFTED SONGS” – The Times
“HIS SULTRY VOICE MAKES GROWN WOMEN WEAK AT THE KNEES” – Heat
“A DELICIOUSLY SOULFUL COLLECTION OF SONGS” - Daily Express
“POSITIVELY JOYFUL” – Mojo

TRIBES ‘BABY’ THE DEBUT ALBUM & WE WERE CHILDREN VIDEO

2012-01-11T13:21:00.000-08:00

January 16th 2012 see’s the eagerly awaited release of Tribes debut album ‘Baby’ on Island Records, with the single ‘We Were Children’ on the 9th.Taped over six intense weeks in Liverpool with producer Mike Crossey, these songs have been honed to perfection during an odyssey of couch surfing and tearing the arse out of sweaty, shoebox-sized venues. Like with so many great debut albums, ‘Baby’ is the culmination of the band’s own lives up to this point.

NME Awards Tour Dates 2012:

08 Feb Glasgow O2 Academy
09 Feb Newcastle O2 Academy
10 Feb Manchester Academy
14 Feb Nottingham Rock City
15 Feb Leeds O2 Academy
17 Feb Norwich UEA
18 Feb Birmingham O2 Academy
19 Feb Cardiff University
20 Feb Bristol O2 Academy
22 Feb Bournemouth O2 Academy
23 Feb Brighton Dome

http://www.myspace.com/tribesband

Taio Cruz new new single “Troublemaker”

2011-12-20T01:56:00.000-08:00

Taio Cruz who has sold a staggering 17 million singles and albums worldwide, and has established himself as one of the world’s most sought after writer/producers as well as a genuine international superstar artist in his own right, releases his eagerly awaited new single “Troublemaker” on January 1st through Island Records. The future smash is taken from Taio’s brand new album “Ty. O” which the multi-talented Londoner has been working on since moving to Los Angeles at the beginning of the year. The star-studded album will also feature the massive international single “Hangover” which features Flo Rida. Taio’s world Takeover continues apace. Alongside the incredible 17 million single and album worldwide sales, Taio has racked up over 440 million YouTube views, 5 million Facebook likes, is a 3 time Billboard Music Award winner (2011), Brit Award nominee, Ascap Songwriter of The Year Award Winner (2011) and has written hits for, to name but a few, JLS, Cheryl Cole, Jennifer Lopez (So Into You), Usher (Me Without You ft w/ David Guetta) & many many more....And if that isn’t proof that Cruz sits comfortably at the very top table in pop music, it’s business as usual for the UK hitmaker with the midas touch as he’s back topping single’s charts around the Globe currently holding the #1 position in Austria, Switzerland & Germany’s iTunes chart with his international hit single “Hangover”! Taio has also just entered Top 30 in the UK’s Richest entertainers under 30! - http://www.capitalfm.com/artists/adele/news/heat-magazine-rich-list/ . On the new album Taio has gathered a veritable who’s who of producers currently working in pop music. The list includes Dr. Luke and Cirkut – Ke$ha (‘Tik Toc’); Jessie J (‘Price Tag’); Katy Perry (‘ET’); Miley Cyrus (‘Party in the USA’), Carl Falk - One Direction; Westlife, Rami Yacoub - N*SYNC; Backstreet Boys, Steve Angello – Tinie Tempah (‘Miami to Ibiza’); [remixed] Cheryl Cole ft Will.I.Am, RedOne – Lady Gaga (‘Just Dance’), Jimmy Joker – Usher (‘More’), Klas Åhlund - Britney Spears (‘Piece of Me’), Sebastian Ingrosso - Kid Sister (‘Right Hand Hi’); Kylie Minogue (‘Cupid Boy’), Jason Gilbert - Eminem; Akon; Kardinal Offishall, Alan Nglish – Taio Cruz (‘Falling in Love’) and last but not least the all conquering David Guetta – Akon (‘Sexy Bitch’); Rihanna (‘Who’s That Chick’) ; Kelly Rowland (‘When Love Takes Over’) to name but a few. In addition to his 2 US no. 1 singles, countless no.1s across Europe and South America, and a string of A list stars beating his door down to collaborate, Taio recently walked away with no less than 3 prestigious Billboard Awards. A few more stats - combined Youtube views exceed 440 million, Taio has 546,483 followers on Twitter and the album ‘Rokstarr’ is Gold in Australia, Canada, France, Indonesia, Mexico and the UK. Taio Cruz has been dominating charts across the globe in the last year culminating in the astonishing double whammy which saw him land consecutive US Billboard no. 1 singles, with “Break Your Heart” and “Dynamite”. Indeed Dynamite is the the best selling single EVER on Island Def Jam in the US. He became the first British artist to reach the incredible milestone of over 100 million combined You Tube views and has gone from strength to strength with success through Europe and South America. Both singles were taken from Taio’s last album ”The Rokstarr Collection”, a collection brimming with out and out pop nuggets, and a testament to the undisputed fact that pound for pound, Taio Cruz is in the very top drawer of guaranteed hit maker/ writer/artist/producers currently working in pop music.
http://www.taiocruzmusic.co.uk/
WHAT THE PAPERS SAY
“Cruz is a huge talent” - The Sun
“a hit-maker with the midas touch, his fingerprints are all over some of the biggest and best records” Daily Mail
“It’s fair to say the Cruz is on fire” HEAT

Slow Moving Millie Album "Renditions"

2011-12-19T08:06:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the world of Amelia Warner: A multi-talented singer songwriter and pianist, Amelia writes and performs under the name Slow Moving Millie. Her emergence onto the music scene has been anything but ordinary. Originally immersed in an acting career from an early age, she discovered her talent for song writing by creating scores for films and quickly emerged into the exquisite talent she is today. Slow Moving Millie’s unconventional beginnings are echoed in her musical style. With a wide range of musical influences, (from Tom Waits and Nick Cave to Sigur Ros and Cat Power), her bittersweet musings, lyrical innocence and astute observations combine everyday experiences into a cinematic, moving, and unforgettable soundtrack. Having developed an impressive reputation and fan base from scores for film and TV, Amelia signed to Island Records and is currently is in the studio recording her debut album, (due for release next summer), with award winning producer Charlie Hugall (Florence and The Machine, Ellie Goulding). To prelude her forthcoming debut album, Amelia has covered a selection of favourite songs from her youth, entitled ‘Renditions’, which Island Records will be releasing in December. One of the standout tracks of this covers collection is The Smiths’ ‘Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want’. An intriguing and infectious mix of spacey atmospherics and haunting vocals ‘Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want’ not only encapsulates the distinctive sound of Slow Moving Millie perfectly, but has also made such an impact on all who have heard itthat it has been picked up by John Lewis for their 2011 Christmas advert. Slow Moving Millie’s compelling and distinct voice is sure to carve her a unique spot and could be the start of a wonderful adventure.
http://www.myspace.com/slowmovingmillie

Island Records was released Slow Moving Millie’s ‘Renditions’ on 12^th December 2011, and

Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want - Single - Slow Moving Millie - is available on iTunes

DRAKE ANNOUNCES UK TOUR

2011-12-13T06:56:00.000-08:00

Grammy nominated superstar, and without question one of the most interesting rap artists to emerge in years, Drake, follows his first UK Top 10 single, “Take Care” feat. Rihanna, with the news that he is bringing his live show to the UK for dates in the spring 2012. The single is taken from the Canadian star’s critically acclaimed album “Take Care” which entered the UK chart at number 5 selling over 37,000 copies in the first week, by far the biggest US hip hop week one sales figure from any US hip hop artist in the UK this year. Within 3 weeks “Take Care” has already gone GOLD in the UK and proves that for UK fans, Drake is a bona fide superstar. The list of dates is as follows:
MARCH 2012

MONDAY 26 O2 ARENA
THURSDAY 29 SHEFFIELD ARENA
FRIDAY 30 CARDIFF ARENA

APRIL 2012

SUNDAY 1 MANCHESTER ARENA
THURSDAY 19 BIRMINGHAM LG
SUNDAY 22 LIVERPOOL ARENA
MONDAY 23 NEWCASTLE ARENA
WEDNESDAY 25 NOTTINGHAM ARENA

Tickets go on sale at 9am Friday 16th December priced at £39.50 & £37.50 LONDON / £35.00 REGIONALLY (subject to booking fee) and are available from www.livenation.co.uk
To learn more about DRAKE, please visit:

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY

“Take Care’ is an emo hop masterclass...it snarls as much as it weeps...an affecting masterpiece” NME 8/10 “The most creatively compelling and lyrically accomplished artist in mainstream hip hop” The Sun

“The hottest thing in R&B” The Independent 4*

JACK JOHNSON & FRIENDS. THIS WARM DECEMBER – A BRUSHFIRE HOLIDAY, VOLUME 2

2011-12-08T09:40:00.000-08:00

On December 5th, Brushfire Records rang in the holiday season with This Warm December – A Brushfire Holiday, Volume 2, to be released on CD and Vinyl. 25% of the profits from the album will go to Little Kids Rock, Silverlake Conservatory and a variety of other charities benefiting children’s music education. In 2008, This Warm December – A Brushfire Holiday, Volume 1 was released and went on to sell over 50,000 copies and over 175,000 track downloads. The new 12-song album contains festive originals by Jack Johnson, G. Love, Matt Costa, ALO, Money Mark, Zach Gill, Paula Fuga and Neil Halstead. Seasonal classics, such as “Frosty The Snowman” by Zee Avi, “Jingle Bell Rock” by Rogue Wave and a cover of The Band’s “Christmas Must Be Tonight” by Bahamas round out this holiday collection. The first single will be Jack Johnson’s new track, “In The Morning”.

This Warm December - A Brushfire Holiday Volume 2 Track Listing

1. Zach Gill - “Party Hard” *
2. Rogue Wave - “Jingle Bell Rock”
3. G. Love - “Christmas Blues” *
4. Jack Johnson - “In The Morning” *
5. Bahamas - “Christmas Must Be Tonight”
6. Neil Halstead - “Home For The Season” *
7. Zee Avi - “Frosty The Snowman”
8. ALO “Let It Ride” *
9. Money Mark “Make Time” *
10. Paula Fuga - “Winter Swell Blues” *
11. G. Love - “Christmas Cookies” *
12. Matt Costa - “I Bet On Flying High” *
13. Jack Johnson - “Angel (Holiday)” *
*Original song

THIS WARM DECEMBER – A BRUSHFIRE HOLIDAY, VOLUME 2 http://thiswarmdecember.com/
RELEASED DECEMBER 5TH VIA BRUSHFIRE RECORDS JACK JOHNSON, G LOVE, MATT COSTA, ROGUE WAVE, ZEE AVI, ALO, BAHAMAS & MORE PERFORM ORIGINAL AND CLASSIC HOLIDAY SONGS

Rizzle Kicks - Mama Do the Hump and Live Dates

2011-12-08T09:36:00.000-08:00

With two top 10 singles, a top 10 album and a number 1 record courtesy of their hook up with Olly Murs, it's fair to say that Rizzle Kicks had a bit of a whirlwind summer. Although with the album now out and the summer warmth firmly behind us, Jordan and Harley are now fully focused on the next single - and this time they've brought back up.

7^th Dec - Pro Green / Rizzle Kicks - Rock City, Nottingham

9^th Dec - Pro Green / Rizzle Kicks - O2 Academy, Birmingham

10^th Dec - Pro Green / Rizzle Kicks - The Engine Shed, Lincoln

11^th Dec - Pro Green / Rizzle Kicks - UEA, Norwich

13^th Dec - Pro Green / Rizzle Kicks - O2 Academy, Bournemouth

14^th Dec - Pro Green / Rizzle Kicks - O2 Academy, Bristol

15^th Dec - Scala, London

16^th Feb - Junction, Cambridge SOLD OUT

18^th Feb - Plug, Sheffield SOLD OUT

19^th Feb - Waterfront, Norwich SOLD OUT

22^nd Feb - The Ironworks, Inverness

23^rd Feb - ABC, Glasgow (Venue upgrade)

24^th Feb - Picture House, Edinburgh (Venue upgrade)

25^th Feb - O2 Academy, Birmingham SOLD OUT

29^th Feb - Digital, Newcastle (Venue upgrade)

1^st Mar - University of Leeds

2^nd Mar - Academy 2, Manchester SOLD OUT

3^rd Mar - 53 Degrees, Preston (Venue upgrade)

8^th Mar - O2 Academy, Oxford SOLD OUT

9^th Mar - O2 Academy, Bristol SOLD OUT

10^th Mar - Pavilion, Falmouth SOLD OUT

11^th Mar - Wedgwood Rooms, Portsmouth SOLD OUT

13^th Mar - Concorde 2, Brighton SOLD OUT

14^th Mar - Concorde 2, Brighton SOLD OUT

15^th Mar - Shepherds Bush Empire, London SOLD OUT

16^th Mar - Shepherds Bush Empire, London (New date added)

Watch the video Mama Do the Hump http://www.myspace.com/rizzlekicks

BBC's Sound of 2012 Ren Harvieu and debut single

2011-12-07T04:07:00.000-08:00

21 year old Salford born singer Ren Harvieu, has her debut single “Through The Night” released on January 16th through Kid Gloves/Island Records. The single, a beautifully orchestrated slice of classic yearning taken from Ren’s forthcoming debut album, was originally set for release on July 4th this year until Ren suffered a terrible accident which left her with a broken back and not knowing whether she would ever walk again. Thankfully after a miraculous recovery, in less than three months, Ren is back on her feet and finally ready to release her first single. Ren Harvieu is brand new, just turned twenty one, realer than real ale. She sounds one way and looks and acts completely differently. No Brit School training, no showbiz connections, just a young girl with a truly remarkable voice and a set of songs that will stir your soul and break your heart. Ren sang in the odd local talent show, one called ‘Salford Superstar’ and attended what she calls the Primark version of a performing arts school where she was told she couldn’t sing. Through a chance meeting she recorded a couple of songs which the guy who was to become her manager heard while trawling through Myspace. Immediately realising he had come across a truly unique talent, he helped her record properly and soon after, on the strength of a handful of stunning songs, they had a deal with Island Records. Ren was set to release this song in July of this year when the accident happened. She’d just spent 2 glorious weeks in the US, where she had been invited to record a song with rapper Nas, who had heard and instantly fallen in love with Ren’s voice, made her first video and found out that she was to perform on the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury. Things couldn’t have looked any rosier. Then completely randomly, a guy, messing about at a party vaulted over a hedge, hurtled through the air, and landed on Ren’s spine. Two of her vertebrae broke straightaway and the next two months were spent in a hospital in North London, two hundred miles away from family and friends. One particularly bright moment during her stay in hospital came when she received a phone call from one of her childhood heroes, Johnny Marr. He had heard she wasn't well; he had also heard Through The Night, and had tweeted about this fabulous new singer from his hometown. He wanted to meet her, and make music with her, when she was ready to. They have just set a date to record together. Thankfully after two months of operations and intensive rehabilitation, Ren left hospital and is now finally set to let the world hear and see hear sing her wonderful songs.
“Through The Night” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjE4AuEwZzQ&feature=youtu.be
Salford raised Ren Harvieu has been officially announced in the BBC Sound of 2012 longlist, read all about it here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/soundof/2012/artists/renharvieu/
WHAT THE PAPERS SAY
“A voice to die for” Grazia
“She reveals her remarkable voice, a tender and muscular organ, that evokes some of the great divas of bygone years.” The Observer
“Blossoming from a raw gem to a flourishing new artist with a stunning vocal delivery which has been compared to that of Dusty Springfield” Music Week
http://www.renharvieu.co.uk/
iTunes

Through the Night - Single - Ren Harvieu
Through the Night - Through the Night - Single

Blink-182 New single “Wishing Well”

2011-12-07T03:58:00.000-08:00

Fresh from an extensive US tour with support from My Chemical Romance, blink-182 have announced the release of a new single “Wishing Well” on 21st November in the UK. The track is taken from their new album “Neighborhoods” and the first new music released by the band since 2003. Blink 182 were formed in San Diego in 1992 by Mark Hoppus and Tom De Longe and later joined by drummer Travis Barker. The bands breakthrough album, Enema Of The State, was released in 1999 and went on to sell in excess of 15 million copies worldwide. Their next two albums, Take Off Your Pants And Jacket (2001) and blink 182 (2003) cemented their position as a pop punk supergroup. Additionally the band have won a number of MTV Awards throughout their career. The band will head to the UK to tour next summer and the dates are as follows:

Tuesday 12 June, 2012 - Dublin, o2 0818 719300 www.ticketmaster.ie
Wednesday 13 June 2012 - Belfast Odyssey Arena - 028 9073 9074/084427774455 www.ticketmaster.ie
Wednesday 20 June 2012 - Glasgow SECC - 0844 4999 990 / gigsinscotland.com

RESCHEDULED DATES – June/July 2012

UK Dates

Thursday 07 June 2012 - Birmingham NIA - 0844 338 8000 - Tickets still valid from Friday 01 July 2011
Friday 08 June 2012 - London The O2 - Tickets still valid from Monday 18 July 2011
Saturday 09 June 2012 - London The O2 - Tickets still valid from Tuesday 19 July 2011
Friday 15 June 2012 - Manchester MEN Arena - 0844 847 2000 - Tickets still valid from Friday 8 July 2011
Saturday 16 June 2012 - Birmingham LG Arena - 0844 338 8000 - Tickets still valid from Friday 15 July 2011
Sunday 17 June 2012 - Sheffield Motorpoint Arena - 0114 256 5656 - Tickets still valid from Thursday 7 July 2011
Tuesday 19 June 2012 - Newcastle Metro Radio Arena - 0844 493 6666 - Tickets still valid from Tuesday 12 July 2011
Tuesday 10 July 2012 - Cardiff Motorpoint Arena - 029 2022 4488 - Tickets still valid from Saturday 16 July 2011
Wednesday 11 July 2012 - Nottingham Capital FM Arena - 0844 412 4624 - Tickets still valid from Wednesday 13 July 2011
Thursday 12 July 2012 - Liverpool Echo Arena - 0844 8000 400 - Tickets still valid from Monday 04 July 2011

Original tickets will be valid for the rescheduled dates. For further information or queries regarding the rescheduled dates please contact the ticket agent where you purchased your tickets.
Blink-182 New single “Wishing Well” http://www.myspace.com/blink182

Jessie Ware ‘Strangest Feeling’

2011-12-07T03:48:00.000-08:00

South Londoner Jessie Ware has already cemented herself as one of the freshest talents to emerge from the UK underground. The last couple of years have seen Jessie collaborating with some of the most respected producers on the electronic spectrum. Jessie caused waves throughout the scene in 2010 when she lent her vocals to masked producer SBTRKT for his fantastically catchy and squelchy track Nervous. This year she has worked with Bristol dubstep producer Joker on the ominous and thunderous lead single The Vision And then of course melted hearts with Sampha on the hauntingly romantic track Valentine. With extended play on cult underground station Rinse FM, her eagerly anticipated debut solo single; Strangest Feeling was released on PMR Records on November 21st. Currently working on her debut album with Dave Okumu (The Invisible), Jessie will announce live dates in the New Year so check back.
Jessie Ware ‘Strangest Feeling’ PMR Records. http://www.myspace.com/jessiewaremusic

Get ready for Encore's Brand New Single: Fun Last Night

2011-12-07T03:39:00.000-08:00

Fresh from supporting Jessie J, Tinchy Stryder and N-Dubz on tour, hot new urban-pop sensations Encore will release their brand new single 'Fun Last Night' on February 13th via Island Records. 'Fun Last Night' is a melodic pop smash, featuring razor sharp rhymes, an electro bassline and smooth vocals, all topped off with an infectious anthemic chorus. Encore are made up of rapper Pierre (23) and vocalists Cairo (22) and Mark (22). Initially three solo artists who were already making waves in their own right on the urban music scene, the boys met at an open mic night in early 2009. Fast forward a few months and a preliminary collaboration session in the studio eventually led to the creation of Encore. Mark is an accomplished singer/ songwriter and has already written with acts such as Tinie Tempah and Chipmunk. Pierre comes from East London and went to school with Dizzee Rascal and Tinchy Stryder. Before he entered the band, Cairo was a name on the acoustic soul live scene and learnt his production skills from his musician father. An urban boy band with a unique flavour, the Encore sound stems from mixing varied musical styles including R&B, soul, dubstep, rap, grime and drum & bass. The 'Encore blend,' certainly showcases the group's musical diversity. Pierre remarks "we mix up a lot of sounds and write songs from our experiences. There is something for everybody". The band have been adding to their ever increasing pop resume throughout 2010 and have performed to over 60,000 this summer at Leeds Party in the Park, Wakestock Festival and Underage Festival. They have recently been traveling the country supporting Tinchy Stryder on his 2011 Rollercoaster tour. The band also released a new mixtape 'Bread & Butter' giving fans the opportunity to hear fresh material. The boys are currently working on their debut album, due out in 2012, with Wayne Hector (JLS, Pussycat Dolls), Red One (Lady GaGa, Jennifer Lopez), Chuck Harmony (Ne-Yo, Rihanna) and Ed Drewitt (Professor Green). After putting in the groundwork throughout 2011, Encore are here to grab their place in the spotlight in early 2012. Get ready for a standing ovation.
Brand New Single: Fun Last Night Released: 13th February 2012
http://www.myspace.com/wantmoreencore

Florence and the Machine - Back with a Bang!

2011-12-07T03:31:00.000-08:00

There’s no doubt about it –Florence Welch is back with an almighty bang having shipped a massive 1 MILLION albums worldwide in just two weeks since the release of her global smash of a follow up record, ‘Ceremonials’. Her widely acclaimed album immediately hit the #1 spot in the UK charts on release and crashed into the US Billboard Top, ranking her right up there with other British heavyweights Adele and Coldplay. ‘No Light, No Light’ is the epic and heart wrenching follow up to lead single ‘Shake It Out’ and will be released on January 16. Remixes come from the wondrous Dave Sitek and Breakage – his only remix of 2011. Part romantic battle-cry, part rain-lashed pledge of devotion, thrashed out over harps, tribal drums and interweaving harmonies, this was one of the first songs to be written for Ceremonials and set the tone for a record that acts as a showcase for its creators’ unabashed maximalism. “There are things I struggle to talk about face-to-face. I’m not a confrontational person. But the great thing about music is that it allows you to do talk about those things to a huge group of people. I think that if No Light, No Light is about anything, it’s about that. Isa [Summers, keyboards] had this intense gritty electronic beat and we built it from there.” See Florence perform ‘No Light ‘No Light’ on Later…With Jools Holland here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emogqey7DxQ
She headed out to America recently to perform on both Saturday Night Live and Good Morning America before her first promotional tour for ‘Ceremonials’, Florence and her almighty machine will return to the UK for a mammoth celebratory tour in 2012. More details to follow!
Florence and the Machine - No Light, No Light Island Records January 16
‘Her masterpiece already’ Q *****

Easy Way Out. First single for Gotye

2011-12-06T07:25:00.000-08:00

Hotly tipped Belgium born Melbourne based multi-instrumentalist and producer, Gotye, releases Easy Way Out, the first single to be taken from his forthcoming album Making Mirrors. 2012 looks set to be a very exciting year for Gotye (pronounced Gaulthier). As a worldwide swell of support heads towards the UK, Gotye will release, via Communion / Island Records, a 7” for lead single Easy Way Out – a short, sharp blast of acid-rock and the first single to be taken from the album Making Mirrors. Upon its online release in June, it was the video for the stunning track Somebody That I Used To Know that triggered an overwhelming response to this particular song worldwide. Just three weeks after Gotye posted the video on YouTube the song had received nearly four million hits (this number has now exceeded 11 million), topped the charts in 4 countries (Australia, Holland, Belgium and New Zealand) and made it to No.1 on the Hype Machine Twitter chart. Hear it once and you’ll be haunted by it for weeks. Gotye first found attention with his second album, 2006’s Like Drawing Blood. Influential Australian radio station Triple J named it their album of the year, as did iTunes on its release in the UK in 2008. In Britain, Like Drawing Blood became a cult hit while in the States, it made waves after Drew Barrymore fell in love with single Learnalilgivinanlovin’ and used it in several of her films. Ask Gotye about his new album Making Mirrors and he’ll speak not of songs, but of sounds. He’ll describe the various valves through which strings and choirs cycle on his Lowrey Cotillion, a vintage organ bought for 100 bucks in a second-hand shop that features on the record. Or how he constructed a bassline by sampling the Winton Musical Fence, an unlikely instrument he discovered in the outback of Queensland, Australia, comprised of five large metal strings attached to wooden fence posts and a resonant chamber.Listen to Making Mirrors and you’ll be drawn in by the details, transported to a world where every moment matters. This is pop at its most precise, but also electronic music at its most emotional. The record delves into dub, Detroit-era Motown soul, stadium-size politipop, synth-folk and world music on glorious, sprawling, huge-hearted songs. It will be released in the UK on 13th February 2012 through Communion / Island Records. Gotye launched Making Mirrors in Australia in August with a visually explosive gig at Sydney Opera House. Following a sold out Australian tour he has embarked on a worldwide tour and played two sold out shows in London – the first at Communion, St Stephen’s Church on 31st October and the second at Kings College on 1st November.
Website: www.gotye.com / http://soundcloud.com/gotye
Praise for ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’:
'a beautiful duet with an impressive stop-motion animation video' – NME
‘this breathtaking tale of heartache is now starting to turn heads internationally.’ – Music Week
‘Somebody That I Used To Know is an impassioned piece of songwriting… could well be the song that finally helps Gotye receive the international acclaim he deserves.’ – Record of the Day‘Gotye's exemplary pop sense may be the big revelation of Making Mirrors, yet it's his arty restlessness that will continue to keep him interesting’ - Pitchfork

AMY WINEHOUSE “LIONESS : HIDDEN TREASURES”

2011-12-06T07:16:00.000-08:00

Following her tragic passing in July, some of the producers and musicians who worked closely with Amy Winehouse, among them Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi, spent time listening over the many recordings that Amy had made, before, during, and after the release of “Frank” and “Back To Black”. It was said by all who worked with Amy that she never sang or played a song the same way twice. It quickly became apparent to Salaam and Mark that they had a collection of songs that deserved to be heard, a collection of songs that were a fitting testament to Amy the artist and, as importantly, Amy their friend. “Lioness : Hidden Treasures“, the third album from Amy Winehouse, without question one of the most talented, original, and best loved artists to emerge in popular music for decades, will be released on December 5th through Island Records. The 12 song collection features previously unreleased tracks, alternative versions of existing classics as well as a couple of brand new Amy compositions. The album has been compiled by long-time musical partners Salaam Remi and Mark Ronson in close association with Amy’s family, management and record label Island Records. “Lioness : Hidden Treasures” proves a fitting tribute to the artist, the talent and the woman and serves as a reminder of Amy’s extraordinary powers as a songwriter, a singer and an interpreter of classics. Speaking about the album Amy’s father Mitch had this to say: “I spent so much time chasing after Amy, telling her off that I never realized what a true genius she was. It wasn’t until I sat down with the rest of the family and listened to this album that I fully appreciated the breadth of Amy’s talent, from jazz standards to hip hop songs, it really took my breath away. “Halftime”, I’d never heard before, is just incredibly beautiful. If the family had felt that this album wasn’t up to the standard of “Frank” and “Back To Black” we would never have agreed to release it and we believe it will stand as a fitting tribute to Amy ‘s musical legacy.”- Mitch Winehouse
A donation of £1 from the sale of each album in the UK will be donated to the Amy Winehouse Foundation, which was launched on what would have been Amy’s 28th birthday September 14th 2011.
The full track-listing is as follows:
“Our Day Will Come (Reggae Version)” - reggae re-working of classic 60’s Doo-Wop song produced by Salaam Remi. Recorded May 2002.
“Between The Cheats” - new Amy composition recorded in London in May 2008 for potential inclusion on album three produced by Salaam Remi.
“Tears Dry” - originally written by Amy as a ballad, this is the original version she recorded in November 2005 in Miami with Salaam. The later uptempo version appears on “Back To Black”.
“Wake Up Alone” - the first song recorded for the “Back To Black” sessions. This is the one-take demo recorded in March 2006 by Paul O’Duffy.
“Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” - Amy’s beautiful reading of the Carole King written Shirelles classic. Produced by Mark Ronson and featuring the Dap Kings with string arrangements by Chris Elliott who did all the strings for Mark’s tracks on “Back To Black”. Recorded in September 2004.
“Valerie” - one of Amy’s jukebox favourites. This is the original slower tempo version of the Mark Ronson produced post “Back To Black” single. Recorded in December 2006.
“Like Smoke” featuring NAS - Amy and Nas became really good friends after Amy name checked the New York rapper on “Back To Black’s” “Me & Mr Jones”. “Like Smoke” is finally Amy doing a song with one of her favourite artists. Produced by Salaam Remi. Recorded in May 2008.
“The Girl From Ipanema” - the first song the 18 year old Amy sang when she first went to Miami to record with Salaam. Salaam remarked that “the way she re-interpreted this bossa nova classic made me realise that I was dealing with a very special talent. Her approach to the song was so young and fresh, it really inspired the rest of our sessions.” Recorded in May 2002.
“Halftime” - Amy had talked to Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson of the Roots about working together. “Halftime” is a song that Amy and Salaam had worked on since the Frank sessions. The result is beautiful. Recorded in August 2002.
“Best Friends” - “Frank” era live set opener produced by Salaam Remi. Probably the first song that early Amy fans would have heard live. Recorded in February 2003.
“Body & Soul” with Tony Bennett - cover of 30’s jazz standard with hero Tony Bennett. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios London in March 2011 and produced by Phil Ramone. Amy’s final studio recording.
“A Song For You” - heartbreaking and emotional version of the Leon Russell classic made famous by Donny Hathaway. Hathaway was Amy’s all-time favourite artist and the song was recorded in one take, just Amy and her guitar, at her home in London during the spring of 2009 as she battled her demons. Produced by Salaam Remi.
www.amywinehousefoundation.co.uk
"It was a thrill to record with Amy Winehouse and when you listen to the recording of Body And Soul, it is a testament to her artistic genius and her brilliance as one of the most honest musicians I have ever known." Tony Bennett

Art for Art's Sake. 10cc back for 40th Anniversary Tour

2011-11-29T07:34:00.000-08:00

10cc will tour the UK in 2012 to mark 40 years since the band formed in Stockport in 1972. The 2012 40th Anniversary tour will feature all the 10cc hits and more and will culminate in an extra special show at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Says Graham Gouldman: “It’s hard to believe it’s 40 years since 10cc was born in Strawberry Studios in Stockport. I’m immensely proud of all we have achieved. As long as the fans want to hear the songs played live I’ll be happy to oblige.” The full list of shows is:

30-Apr GLASGOW Royal Concert Hall
01-May GATESHEAD The Sage
02-May MANCHESTER Bridgewater Hall
03-May YORK Barbican
05-May LIVERPOOL Philharmonic Hall
06-May CARDIFF St David's Hall
07-May BIRMINGHAM Symphony Hall
08-May LEICESTER De Montfort Hall
10-May LONDON Royal Albert Hall

10cc, (Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley and Lol Crème) were four accomplished musicians/writers/producers who cared more for the sound of their records than the trappings of celebrity. Alongside fellow travelers Queen, Rod Stewart, Elton John and David Bowie they ruled the airwaves in the 70s with monster hit after monster hit. From their breakthrough debut single “Donna” in ’72 to their final No 1 “Dreadlock Holiday” in ’78 via solid gold classics such as “I’m Not In Love” (a worldwide smash in ’75), “Rubber Bullets”, “The Wall Street Shuffle”, “I’m Mandy Fly Me”, “Life Is A Minestrone”, “The Things We Do For Love”, “The Dean And I”, “Art For Art’s Sake”, “Silly Love” and many more, 10cc combined progressive art-rock tendencies with an ear for melody to create songs of the ‘once heard, never forgotten’ variety. While their singles burned up the charts, the band simultaneously embraced the artful and the esoteric on their albums creating a truly ground-breaking and influential body of work. The original line-up of 10cc stayed together from ‘72 to ‘76 and released four albums “10cc” (’73), “Sheet Music” (’74), “The Original Soundtrack” (’75) and “How Dare You” (’76) after which Godley and Crème departed to pursue their own path as a duo. Gouldman and Stewart continued and 10cc released “Deceptive Bends” (’77) that featured another global hit “The Things We Do For Love” and “Bloody Tourists” (’78) which gave the world “Dreadlock Holiday”, a song that has sound-tracked hundreds of hours of cricket coverage! The early 80s saw three more albums from the Gouldman/Stewart 10cc “Look Hear” (’80), “Ten Out Of 10” (’81) and “Windows In The Jungle” (’83) then both pursued other projects before reconvening in the 90s for “Meanwhile” (’92) and “Mirror Mirror” (’95). At the turn of the millennium, encouraged by fans and friends, Graham Gouldman put together a band and went out and played all those 10cc hits that everyone wanted to hear. 10cc (Mk III) features Graham, Paul Burgess (a touring member of 10cc back in ’73 and a full-time member from ’76), Rick Fenn (who joined 10cc in ’76), Mick Wilson and Mike Stevens. The band have toured the world and, as well as delighting their fans of old, have found there is a whole new generation discovering the band for the first time.
http://www.myspace.com/tencc
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