Promo :: Cha-Cha – Phonographic Love
Riding on the indie-electro waves of the last few years, Cha-Cha are set to make ripples in the mainstream pop pond of 2010. With it's distinctive, harmless disco-beats and bass licks, first single 'Phonographic Love' is described (by the band themselves) as a cross between dirty pop hymns and offbeat disco rock. Fair enough.
Those of you into your MGMT and Empire of the Sun should certainly check out the trio who're currently booking up support slots, setting out on a tour of their own and releasing debut album We Are... this month on newbie-label Pop Noodle Records.
Download the single here, check out the video, and await that anticipated debut album
Cha Cha are Blain McGuigan on lead vocals & bass guitar, Alex Cameron Ward on backing vocals & guitar and Samuel Garbutt on drums.
Promo :: Subsource – The Ides, released 29/03/10
"Something sinister is rising on the horizon..."
So chants Subsource from single The Ides, out March 29th. Story goes: "Four years ago, 20 miles south of central London, four people went into a studio to start a war. Fucked off with so-called live dance acts mincing behind laptops, and rock acts with no more substance than the product in their hair we decided things had to change."
The line up is something of a mix aswell: a Cambridge educated British-Chinese science prodigy, a Norwegian born multi instrumentalist, a nu-skool breaks double bass player, a DnB drummer and occasional killer guest MC Malawian hip hop star Kimba Mutanda.
Promo. :: Ice Black Birds Debut Single out 29/03/2010
Are you ready for something different this March? You best be, 'cus Ice Black Bird's self-released debut single Ears to the Ground will be the sound of festival-season 2010.
Fusing elements of classic rock and blues mixed with (early) KoL and The Strokes, Ice Black Birds are memorably different and distinct, are from Brighton, will get big (and stay big) and have already been tipped by Huw Stephens, Tom Robinson and Club NME.
Their debut single, Ears to the Ground, is released on 29th March and demonstrates a distinct difference to the norm. It's got our high recommendations here at Moon & Back, (especially B-side 'Heavy Independent Blues'), demand you check out the single below and lastly defy you to not have your foot tapping at least by the end.
Promo :: Rodeo Massacre – Fast Fading Youth, out 01/02/10
Rodeo Massacre release their new single “Fast Fading Youth” on Smoky Carrot Records on 1st February 2010.
Fast Fading Youth is Rodeo Massacre’s deeply personal tale of a girl visiting her Stockholm roots and the myriad of emotions a visit home can bring. This autobiographical track splits through any potential sentimentality with the spine tingling vocals, undulating organs and gritty guitar lines that are dropping jaws everywhere that Rodeo Massacre turn.
Rodeo Massacre consists of three members: Izzy, a confirmed Francophile, found herself lonely and broke in Paris trying to find a way of expressing her musical ambitions. She formed the band along with Co-founder Zorba, who as a fully qualified pharmacist is sometimes seen turning the tour bus into a portable apothecary, whilst playing his specially modified hands free drum kit. The band is completed by multiinstrumental hero Ulf “The Wolf ” Westergren providing an abundance of talent on the bass, guitar, organ and piano allowing the Rodeo Massacre sound to remain fresh and energetic.
Promo :: Editors – You Don’t Know Love (Caged Baby Remix)
Remember the stir between new and old fans of Editors with the release of In This Light and on This Evening last year? You dedicated, 'been-with-them-since-the-start' die-hards screamed 'incredulous'! Whilst those of you with a more unbiased ear shouted 'hey! yeah, I like this!...who is this?'. Well, the no-man's land in Editors' sound that created the chasm of divide between you all seems to have been filled, strangely enough, by the release of You Don't Know Love, track four off the aforementioned record on January 25th,
As a freebie, Editors are giving away the sexy jig-along remix by Caged Baby, for free. Can't say no to that can ya? Download and play to your hearts content below!
MP3 :: Editors - You Don't Know Love (Caged Baby Remix)
Promo :: Gossip – Heavy Cross, Siriusmo Remix
Well, we've been ignorantly slow on the uptake of this absolute banging tune; so, to make up for it, we're just gonna play it over, and over, and over again until we develop an acute obsessive-compulsive disorder with it.
And, if that's not enough of an endorsement, here's a little bit of an extra impulse for you:
Due to popular demand Gossip release the Siriusmo remix of Heavy Cross as a limited download. This stonking interpretation of hit single ‘Heavy Cross’ is picking up growing support across the clubs and specialist radio, making the fast track rise to one of the must have mixes of 2010. Renowned graffiti artist Moritz Friedrich, AKA Siriusmo is one of electronic music's more reclusive characters, a prolific producer providing a great interpretation of one of the tracks of the last year.
Single Review :: Alkaline Trio – This Addiction
It's been two years since we last saw Trio put out a record, now they're back with 'This Addiction'. The first single from their forthcoming 7th studio album.
Agony & Irony saw Alkaline Trio move in a more mainstream direction, with Matt Skiba stating that the band wanted to make an "anthemic hard rock record". The album was good, but there was something about it that just wasn't right.
It seemed they couldn't capture what made past albums like From Here To Infirmary great, with some (I'm talking to you Rolling Stone) going as far as calling the band emo and making comparisons between them and My Chemical Romance.
This year sees the return of the Chicago-based trio, and their new track suggests a return to form that might shake off their newly acquired emo label. This Addiction, the title track to their forthcoming album, is two and a half minutes of greatness. You can't help but move in a disorderly fashion whilst it's playing and, with a hook so darkly catchy, you won't be able to resist singing along. It certainly looks like the guys are back to their best. This track only intensifies my need for the new album. Ok I'll say it, I am officially addicted.
Promo, New Single :: Eight Legs – Best of Me
Eight Legs aren't what they seem. Loved by the fashion world yet staunchly a content-over-style affair with literary references blazing from every acutely socially aware lyric. Youthful and buoyant, projected in their adrenalized live shows where a live for now, rock 'n' roll spirit races through their collective veins, yet they soundtracked the precautionary anti-binge drinking ad on TV. They then spent the cash from said successes on setting up own label Boot Legs. Living for the moment is nice and all, but when music is your life you want some longevity and creative control.
And here's another confusion. The bands last single 'I Understand' was a warm, jovial sing-a-long bursting with shouty chorus and psychedelic twists and turns. Now it's time to meet the 'other' Eight Legs. New single 'Best of Me' is a tale of paranoia, isolation and the sense of something lurking around the corners of life that is out to get us all. A creeping sense of anxiety and urgency fuelled by thunderous drums, a killer foreboding guitar riff and a chorus that drives direct to the pit of your stomach and runs around your head for days. Eight Legs welcome in the dark side and it suits them.
Eight Legs release 'Best of Me' on Monday 15th February, with album 'The Electric Kool-Aid Cuckoo Nest' following a week after on Monday 22nd.
19th Feb @ Club Strut, Doncaster
23rd Feb @ Barfly, Cardiff
24th Feb @ 93 Feet East, London
25th Feb @ The Rainbow, Birmingham
26th Feb @ Elbow Rooms, Leeds
27th Feb @ Roadhouse, Manchester
Single Review :: Plan B :: Stay Too Long
Plan B is one of the most exciting artists in the UK, and through this most recent single he has shown he is one of the most talented.
I love artists who have the balls to change their style, Plan B has certainly done that with his most recent single Stay Too Long. Now Plan B (Ben Drew) has always sung in his songs, but boosted by his recent collaboration with Chase and Status, he has really pushed the boat out with this track. I suppose it's pop - never thought I'd say that about him - but really brilliant edgy pop with a good guitar riff. When I first gave it a listen to I was amazed, I was sure it wasn't Plan B, hopefully that gives you a perspective of how left field this is compared to his other material.
But, once again I love artists who change styles and slightly tweak their sound and slightly trade fans, not just sitting in their comfort zone. Don't worry though he has already assured his fans that he is not ditching rap or hip hop. Big sigh of relief. He is always going to be based in that genre and plans to stay there.
This guy is really talented and it shows with this single. I am excited to see what he comes up with next.
Single Review :: Wolfgang :: The King and all of his Men
Up until I heard this song, I wouldn’t have believed that a bit of old school MJ, Led Zep – esque vocals mixed with a beat that resembles the ever present indie pop would have worked. But then, I wouldn’t have told you Africa was a continent, either.
I digress. The point is, the mixture works. Its nano-speed drumming kept me focused, and although the melodies and lyrics had their moments: ‘You’re in control, so why should you be fighting me?’, they tended to fade into one noise. I can only assume from that that after listening to it a few times, it didn’t grab me.
This is unfortunate; because it’s a very good effort from some very talented musicians – it’s catchy, it’s upbeat, it’s everything a good song should be. But the change in tempo was welcome; it made me realize I hadn’t been paying enough attention, especially the lyrics, that, although they are original, were all too familiar, to say I loved it.
Shame.
Latest Posts ::
- Promo :: Frank Turner – New Single ‘Isabel’ Released April 12th
- Album Review :: Dave Arcari – Got Me Electric
- Promo :: The Twilight Sad – new single The Room out March 29th
- Album Review :: Airbourne – No Guts, No Glory
- Interview :: Fun Lovin’ Criminals Discuss Classic Fantastic
- Interview & Review :: Tiffany Page
- Promo :: Cha-Cha – Phonographic Love
- Promo :: Subsource – The Ides, released 29/03/10
- Album Review :: Airbourne – Ready To Rock
- Guest Playlist :: ArdentJohn
