Happy Monday mousebotherers!
How you doin? Hope this finds you well, with all your weekends being wunnerful, wondrous and westful.
Well, it looks like 2012 has only gone and kicked off innit? Big style, properness, new release heaven, action jackson, full fat moo juice, more-pocket-money-please-mummy, bring back the EMA, full blown electric job, ain’t it?
There are *TONS* of new releases out today – here are but a few.
As ever, get yourself down to your local record shop / internet webshop / high street retailer / mail order co. / digital download store and SUPPORT INDEPENDENT MUSIC!
Without further ado….
ARCTIC MONKEYS – ‘Black Treacle’ (Domino)
The boys with the black stuff return with a brand new single – on future sailor formats no doubt, but also as a limited edition 7″ heavyweight vinyl (dang, it’d better be on none-more-black vinyl) - tis out today and the lads are special guests on Jonathan Ross’ Saturday night show on ITV this coming Saturday (28th January, fact fans).
Check out the video (333,000+ views on youtube already!), below:
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RODRIGO Y GABRIELA – ‘Area 52′ (Rubyworks)
The Mexican Mulder & Scully, maestros of post-metal acoustic guitar magnificence, Rodrigo y Gabriela return with a brand new album ‘Area 52′ on Rubyworks.
Here’s a DVD-esque ‘Making Of’ / trailer for the album:
When *not* appearing at the Leveson Inquiry for being a bunch of naughty phonetapping badgers, here are some of the lovely things that the Press have had to say about the album:
“The Mexican guitar heroes have moved on, in style. An impressive departure” – The Guardian *****
“An invigorating listen” – The Daily Telegraph *****
“Something new and exciting” - The Times ****
“A thrilling showcase of their continued genius” – Indie London *****
“An immediately rewarding collection. Formidable” – R2 Magazine ****
“One of the most fabulous music collaborations in recent years” – Shout 4 Music (9/10)
“Sets the benchmark of musicianship and craft just that extra bit higher” – Entertainment Focus ****
“Wild global hybrid music” – The Arts Desk ****
“It’s a qualified success” – The Observer
“Another breath-taking reinvention from two of the most naturally gifted axe-slingers around” – AU Magazine
“Like listening to the soundtrack of a James Bond movie set in Cuba” – The Independent On Sunday
“It’s the whole enchilada, exciting and the musicianship is undeniable” – Mojo
“A worldy psychedelic broth” - Outline Magazine
“It proves exactly how impressive this band have become” – The Fly
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To celebrate this momentous release, label boss (and gentleman and scholar) Roger from Rubyworks has compiled a superb Spotify playlist of Rod and Gab’s album inspirations!
This, from the Future Sailors:
“For this exclusive Spotify playlist, Rodrigo and Gabriela highlight some of their favourite Cuban artists and music, together with tracks from some of their favourite guest artists who were invited to collaborate with them on their stunning new album ‘Area 52′. Includes arranger Alex Wilson, sitar player Anoushka Shankar, jazz bassist Carles Benavent and Palestinian oud ensemble Le Trio Joubran”
Spotify playlist: HERE
Tracklisting, below:
Irakere – Bacalao con pan
Silvio Rodríguez – Ojalá
Javier Limón – Inside Me
Los Van Van – Que Le Den Candela
Le Trio Joubran – Nawwâr
Alex Wilson – Anglo-Cubano
Silvio Rodríguez – Cancion Urgente Para Nicaragua
Carles Benavent – Por Diosss
Anoushka Shankar – Prayer in Passing
Mali Latino – Ankan Tolon
Le Trio Joubran – Masâr
Carles Benavent – Madrid
White Zombie – More Human Than Human
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Also OUT TODAY!
(Seek em out yourself, google em, BE SHERLOCK, talk to a human down your nearest human record shop etc etc)
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CRAIG FINN – ‘Clear Heart Full Eyes’ (Full Time Hobby)
The Hold Steady man thrills us as a solo artist with his literate take on bar-room dog-track rock n roll.
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LEILA – ‘U&I’ (Warp)
The former Rephlex / Bjork / XL sonic sister Miss Leila Arab returns for her second album on Warp Records ‘U&I’.
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MULL HISTORICAL SOCIETY – ‘City Awakenings’ (Xtra Mile)
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GONJASUFI – ‘MU. ZZ. LE’ (Warp)
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DJ FOOD – ‘The Search Engine’ (Ninja Tune)
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ISLET – ‘Illuminated People’ (Shape / Turnstile)
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FIRST AID KIT – ‘The Lion’s Roar’ (Wichita)
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VA / SOUL JAZZ RECORDS PRESENT – ‘Voguing And The House Ballroom Scene Of New York City 1989-92′ (Soul Jazz)
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FRANCOIS AND THE ATLAS MOUNTAINS – ‘E Volo Love’ (Domino)
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PORCELAIN RAFT – ‘Strange Weekend’ (Secretly Canadian)
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A veritable smorgasbord of new titles from THRILL JOCKEY RECORDS, including IMBOGODOM (Alexander Tucker & Daniel Beban) with ‘And They Turned Not When They Went’, JASON URICK with ‘I Love You’, space-rockers RHYTON with ‘Rhyton’ and lastly, but by no means leastly, your humble web monkey’s personal IMHO pick ‘o the week ‘favourite’ of this week’s new releases - ZOMES’ ‘Improvisations’, a limited edition vinyl only longplayer featuring three raga-like lo-fi cosmic keyboard hymns from Asa Osborne (formerly of LUNGFISH). Listen to extracts and read up on the release, HERE.
Phew! That’s it for today’s meandering ramblings. Til next time…
Adieu for now!
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Tags: arctic monkeys, craig finn, dj food, first aid kit, francois and the atlas mountains, future sailors, gonjasufi, islet, leila, mull historical society, new releases, rodrigo y gabriela, Spotify, voguing, zomes