The band also release ‘Attack Music’ as a single on April 19. The song is taken from the band’s recent second album, ‘Hidden’.
Liverpool, Academy 2 (April 15)
Edinburgh, Cabaret Voltaire (16)
Sheffield, Leadmill (17)
Nottingham, Rescue Rooms (19)
London, Relentless Garage (20)
DOWNLOAD -> These New Puritans – I Want To Be Tracey Emin
I had sort of heard of a Los Angeles band called THE CHAMPAGNE SOCIALISTS but only because they were going to open for 1990s on their ill-fated summer ‘09 US jaunt. Then yesterday, NRBW pal Paola linked me to a band called NEVEREVER and I immediately fell in love and realizes that this new name incarnation used to be the Champagne Socialists. The band, filled with unkown LA superstars, now features J. Meek, W. Meek, Mike LaFranchi, Jackson Baugh, and Jessica Espeleta but Devon Williams (yes, that’s right!) used to be in the band. Detractors might say that they’re just another lo-fi girl-group inspired sunny-California band, but I say FUCK ‘EM this band is awesome. They are lo-fi, they do take cues from girl-groups of the 60s, and they make fucking sunny beautiful warm California tunes that are perfect for driving down PCH. They’ve got a fantastic singer whose echoing, yearning vocals melt perfectly over the CBGBs-meets-California punky-beach guitar all whilst spinning catchy-as-fuck three minute youthful tales. They’ve released one single on SLUMBERLAND RECORDS as the Champagne Socialists called Blue Genes/Young Runaways. I defy you to listen to Blue Genes and not fall in love with J. Meek’s voice. She comes off beautifully retro in the same way as Zooey Deschanel’s but, well, less old. It’s a catchy as fuck tune that has been soundtracking my essay writing (and by soundtracking, I mean completely distracting me from) on this cold, rainy day and now I’m longing to be in sunny California blasting these tunes. Recommended if you like Best Coast, Pearl Harbor, sunshine and warmth.
Please catch this band around Los Angeles including TOMORROW AND NEXT MONTH
Jan 17 2010 9:00P The Echo opening for THE YUMMY FUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Los Angeles, California
Feb 26 2010 8:00P The Echo with CHAIN AND THE GANG & THE STRANGE BOYS Los Angeles, California
Feb 27 2010 8:00P The Smell w/ RESIDUAL ECHOES + more! Los Angeles, California:
Download ->Neverever (formerly The Champagne Socialists) – The Young Runaways
My favorite band of the moment are releasing their debut single at the end of the month on Chess Club Records and it’s going to be a monumetous occasion. ‘Closer’ is an epic song. Period end of story. It’s surely going to mark the beginning of a trajectory that will hit gargantuan heights, of course. The single version of the song is now up on Lyrebirds myspace and I’m sure glad it is – I’m most certainly going to be buying it. The bass is actually audible in this version and the guitar is a teeny bit more haunting. The synth sounds lovely as it ever did, but Adam Day’s voice sounds excellent on the new mix of the song. It’s really captivating and enticing in a really dark-scary-stranger kind of way. Go listen to it, or download the demo version below (beware, it’s bad quality like 96kbps or something) but FUCKING BUY THIS BANDS SINGLE. Oh and see them live below:
http://www.myspace.com/lyrebirdsmusic
November 30th – FREE SHOW at the FLOWERPOT, London
December 9th – FREE SHOW at the HOPE, Brighton
DOWNLOAD -> CLOSER (DEMO) by LYREBIRDS
If you’re in Brighton on December 9th, which I will be – how I don’t know since I’m supposed to be at Heathrow at 11am for a flight on the 10th, but I will be there – for the Lyrebirds are playing a FREE SHOW at the Hope in Brighton. I am now dubbing them the best band in Brighton currently, and sincerely need you to go see them. Their dark, expansive, better-than-White-Lies pop will probably tear the Hope to bits just due to the size of their music vs. the size of the venue, but it’s going to be the place to be in December. I’m not sure if this is their Brighton single launch, but if it is – GO. ‘Closer’ is most definitely in my top singles of the year even if it hasn’t been released yet – that’s how good it is. They are also playing in London for their single launch on the 30th of November for FREE at the Flowerpot. So that’s two shows for free…. GO. BE THERE. Or else! Download a Lyrebirds track below and get on the bandwagon.
DOWNLOAD -> THIS IS THE WAY by LYREBIRDS
Gaoler’s Daughter (pronounced Jailer’s Daughter) are my second pick of bands to watch for 2010. Although one member lives in Brighton (and attends the same Uni. as me) the band are mostly from London and their gig schedule reflects that. That said, earlier this year in September they came down to Brighton and played at the teeny, tiny Hope and really rocked the shit out of it. What struck me most was their kind of calm before the storm style live. Like, the songs start out really placid, almost pastoral even, and have such a sense of melancholy in the melody which is what I think Alex (of Littl’ans) brings to the table, as his guitar work has the same effect in Littl’ans. Then they get crazy and the percussion comes in and John (singer) starts to dance like a crazy fool and really plays the frontman and you’re stucked in until the whirlwind’s over and it goes back to calm.
On record, although they only have one song that is available currently, they really expand on thier somberness – but that doesn’t mean that they can’t have joyful moments (Alex plays Mandolin on some songs!) and exude lots of confidence and energy. ‘Nine Pieces of Silk’ is an excellent tune that exemplified all the things that I like about them, outside of being the only song that’s around. They’re releasing an EP, “The Only Way To Travel” due to be released on 360 degree music on December 1st. They also have a launch party to celebrate on the day at Pure Groove in London.
Gaoler’s Daughter Tourdates 2009:
Fri 27th Nov 2009 – Cariad Presents at New Cross Inn @ 323 New Cross Road, London SE14 6AS
FREE
Tue 1st Dec 2009 – EP Launch @ Pure Groove – Smithfield, London
Thu 3rd Dec 2009 – Twickenham, London @ The Red Lion
Sat 12th Dec 2009 – FLU Xmas Party @ Tommy Flynns – 55 Camden High Street Camden, London, NW1 7JH
Sun 20th Dec 2009 – Twickenham, London @ All day Xmas Party at The Red Lion
DOWNLOAD -> NINE PIECES OF SILK by GAOLER’S DAUGHTER
Ugh, love them.
Meho Plaza’s new EP will see the light of day on the 20th of November on How To Fight Records. Yay! They’re having a record release show at Mr. T’s Bowl. The EP will be released on Vinyl & Digital.
So, you may remember last week that I featured the announcement of Brighton’s own Lyrebirds’ first single, Closer, which will be out at the end of the month on Chess Club Records. This week I have been taking a lot of time listening to what I can get my hands on by this extremely talented band. I’m working on getting my hands on some of their demos as we speak, so for now, you can listen to them on their myspace and via the youtube videos below.
As Rough Trade said, these guys make extremely expansive music. As much as the term stadium rock connotates such shit like U2, I think it’s fair to say that the Lyrebirds most definitely could fill stadiums with their larger than life tunes. Being fans of Echo & The Bunnymen themselves, they model themselves slightly after the band. There’s something really dark and sinister about their music, but in more of a morose than depressed kind of way, if there is such a difference. References to Joy Divison and even to more contemporary artists like White Lies surely won’t go amiss. But where White Lies turn their moroseness into joy with songs like ‘Death’, Lyrebirds go deeper and darker. Currently, ‘This is The Way’ hasn’t been able to leave my brain. Adam Day’s profoundly deep vocals only draw the listener in deeper than the sparse guitar and synth already do, he’s a uniquely dark horse. Jackson’s drums meld cohesively with Dan Logan’s bass, and it all serves to create a modern epic picture of moroseness that could even compete with the likes of Ian Curtis. This band are undoubtedly heading for big, wonderful things. They’ve got friends in high places (Stephen Street produces, his son is releasing their single, and they’ve toured with the Maccabees this year) and surely will continue climbing up the ladder.
View the Lyrebirds videos and songs below:
This Is The Way
Closer (Demo)
The Hum
Human Symphony
Release Date: Pre-Release (Expected on 30/11/2009)
lyrebirds release their debut 7″ vinyl double-a single on chess club. darkly romantic and dramatic, lyrebirds are the latest and greatest white hopes from brighton causing a ruckus with their strain of unashamedly expansive music; they make pop on a grand scale, shot through with streaks of fraying, decaying glamour. although only forming in august 2008, the five members of lyrebirds – frontman adam day, dane etteridge (guitar / keyboard), sam baldwin (guitar), dan logan (bass) and jackson (drums) – quickly gelled and made their live debut at club nme shortly after, progressing steadily from building a devoted fanbase in their hometown to playing at this year’s hard rock calling, with neil young headlining. that echo and the bunnymen were also on the bill was fitting; indeed, their vast, emotive soundscapes, filled with big, broad strokes of love, loss and longing belong to the lineage of tear-stained, cavernous majesty. for instance, ‘human symphony’ has an effortless, skyscraping grandeur, and this, their debut single ‘closer’, produced by stephen street has a slow build menace and tension which erupts into the full bodied chorus of “now you want it i’ve got it, but you’ve got to get closer”. with supports with the likes of the maccabees and the big pink under their belts, these are the first glimpses of a band ready to take thrilling flight.
Brighton’s own Lyrebirds are announcing their very first single, produced by Stephen Street, called ‘Closer’. Lyrebirds are a band near and dear to my heart, even though I’ve only seen them 1/2 a time opening for the Maccabees and once at Communion, I’m a big fan. I know that they work really hard and their music is described really perfectly above, that’s the only reason why I used the Rough Trade quote. They are quite expansive, echoing and dark. Adam Day, although not a big mover onstage, has quite a lot of stage presence and I am sure it’s going to transfer over to the single. His voice… it’s just amazing! I would highly recommend ordering this, checking this band out, and most especially, seeing them on their UK tour in November. See the dates below:
Nov 4 2009 7:00P Barfly Camden, London and South East
Nov 11 2009 8:00P Buffalo Bar Cardiff, Wales
Nov 12 2009 8:00P Bodega Nottingham, Midlands
Nov 13 2009 8:00P Ruby Lounge Manchester, Northwest
Nov 14 2009 8:00P Cockpit 3 Leeds, Northeast
The super LA wunderkind Avi Buffalo is headlining at the Echo. You may remember I posted about this a couple of weeks ago when it was confirmed that he had in fact, signed to SubPop and was releasing “What’s It In For” on 7″ AT THE ECHO. Oh yeah. But he’s got a couple of support acts announced, with LA’s Aaron Embry & another Californian band, The Wildbunch.
By the by, LA fans of Avi Buffalo will be able to pick up the band’s first ever 7 inch at the Echo, and since it won’t be available in stores until December 8th, LA once again gets the best deal!
ALSO, if you want to swing by Origami Vinyl (yes, that amazing Record Store with EXCELLENT hours right next to Two Boots & Ye Olde Echo) and pre-order the 7″, you can basically get two tickets for the price of one. Yeah! I love when Origami and the Echo collaborate like that.
Pitchfork previewed the new track and here’s what they had to say: Avi Buffalo is the stage name of Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg of Long Beach, Calif., an 18-year-old guitarist and songwriter whose band has just signed to Sub Pop. They’ll be putting out their debut 7″ on the Seattle label in December. Here’s the A-side, “What’s in It For?”, a loose, jangly, twangy number with a sharp chorus hook that gently recalls labelmates like the Shins and Band of Horses.
Also newsworthy: Sub Pop recently posted a newly mastered version of “What’s In It For?” You can download it below! This is the version that will be on the 7 inch and yes it means any other versions of the track that I have posted are not the real deal version so please do yourself a favor and mark the other as unmastered or demos.
DOWNLOAD -> WHAT’S IT IN FOR by AVI BUFFALO
1. The Man’s Machine
2. Jenny Can Rely On Me
3. Man Not A Machine
4. Believing In Things That Can’t Be Done
‘The Man’s Machine’ EP will be released on 23rd November. A pre-order of the CD and 12 inch vinyl is available from Record Store.
The superwunderkind Avi Buffalo has some fucking exciting news if I do say so myself. For the past 8 months he’s been playing all over the Spaceland Productions venues including a residency at the Echo and now he’s got some exciting news. I heard about this a while ago but wasn’t sure when it was going to be finalized but he’s going to be releasing a 7″ on SubPop Records! Woo. He’s also doing some more tour dates in California. Earlier in the year he played at Monolith Festival in Colorado. This kid is superbly talented and such an awesome fresh new face on the scene (he’s like, what, 18? Yep.) and I can’t wait to hear more from him. Here’s what he had to say below:
“Hello! This is Avi from Avi Buffalo, and I have some exciting news!
At our show at The Echo on November 5th, we will have our very first 7 INCH VINYL RECORD for sale, featuring 2 tracks from our upcoming record, “What’s in it For” and “Jessica.”
This 45 was made possible by our record label, which we are pleased to announce is Seattle’s own Sub Pop Records. I just got the test pressing for it yesterday and it sounds really good! You can pre-order the record from Sub Pop directly, or purchase it from us at our show at The Echo.
More tracks available for $1 at avibuffalo.bandcamp.com
ALL AVI BUFFALO UPCOMING DATES
Nov. 5th, 2009 Los Angeles, CA – The Echo
w/ Aaron Embry, The Wildbunch
Nov. 12th, 2009 Santa Cruz, CA – The Crepe Place
w/ Grand Archives, Man/Miracle
Nov. 14th, 2009 Visalia, CA – Howie & Son’s Pizza Parlor
w/ The Whiskey And The Devil Chaplin
Hi there!
Our new single, ‘Wrong Direction’, comes out on very limited 7″ on October 19th!
You can preorder it via Rough Trade
Do it! If that’s not enough info, here’s what Rough Trade have got to say about one of my favorite new bands, COPY HAHO:
too pure’s rebirth as a monthly singles label is now well into it’s second year and their next installment shows they’ve not lost any of their verve for seeking out new artists. with every record limited to just 500 copies and each one, without fail, selling out day of release, this one won’t be in the shops for long. copy haho are a band from a town in scotland called stonehaven. no complaints about small town life – it’s nice, you should visit. the town boasts an impressive castle, and is also the birthplace of the founder of the bbc, the inventor of the pneumatic tyre and fountain pen. the band – joe, rikki, stuart and richard – are friends from school who like to make guitar-based pop music. justified references have been made to seminal american indie rock, as well as comparisons closer to home with similarities drawn with the chemikal underground heyday, for instance. last year, they released two limited 7″ singles (‘bookshelf’ and ‘you are my coal mine’ – both championed by the likes of steve lamacq, huw stephens and vic galloway, among others) and earlier this year, they released the ‘bred for skills and magic’ ep on big scary monsters, which also coincided with them recording a marvelous maida vale session for radio 1. this single is being put out to coincide with a busy period of touring, with them playing shows across the uk with both los campesinos! this october and then good shoes in november.
Nu Rave Brain Wave strongly encourages all music lovers to support the musicians and labels they love in a responsible way. All the mp3s on this blog are made available to enlighten you and hopefully coerce you into buying good music and supporting awesome bands. If you see an mp3 on here that is your property and you want us to remove it, just shoot us an e-mail us here.
