IN TRENCHES RELEASE DEBUT ALBUM & HIT THE ROAD FOR THE 'SIKE YOUR MIND' TOUR

Formed from the charred corpses of I Killed the Prom Queen and Day of Contempt, In Trenches stands as a discordant divergence from their predecessors.

Their music possesses an ability to transcend the darker elements of our nature spewing forth a raw emotional power lacking in a modern world of imitators. A disquieting undertone of evil pervades every aspect of this record, expressing an unrelenting desire to watch the world burn.

Fresh from tours with Bleeding Through and Between the Buried and Me, In Trenches have unleashed their debut record "Relive and Regret" on the apathetic masses. With vocals that posses a melancholic savagery and guitars that wrench you from complacency, In Trenches has harnessed all that they are to create a hauntingly stellar release.

CHECK OUT THE TRACK 'ADRIFT HERE

Catch IN TRENCHES on the 'SIKE YOUR MIND' tour moving across Australia October 2009

Thursday 1st October – Fowlers Live, Adelaide (Lic AA)
Friday 2nd October – 21 Arms, Ballarat (AA)
Saturday 3rd October – Corner Hotel, Melbourne (Day – Under 18s, Night – 18+)
Sunday 4th October – Albury Entertainment Centre (AA)
Tuesday 6th October – Southern Cross Woden Basketball Stadium, Canberra (AA)
Wednesday 7th October – Manning Bar, Sydney (Lic AA)
Thursday 8th October – Oasis Youth Centre, Wyong (AA)
Friday 9th October – Princess Theatre, Brisbane (AA)
Saturday 10th October – Byron Bay High School Hall (AA)
Sunday 11th October – Bayldon Community Centre, Coffs Harbour (AA)

BUY TICKETS HERE

Posted: Tuesday, 21 July 2009

BLITZEN TRAPPER COMING TO OZ THIS NOVEMBER & WILL RELEASE AN EP TO CELEBRATE!

Blitzen Trapper is a group of native Northwesterners, most of whom grew up in Salem, Oregon. They have lived and played together in Portland since 2000. Critics and fans have compared their music to just about everything; there have been calls to coin a new genre. Blitzen Trapper’s Pavement-meets- Southern rock sound, grabs influences from The Grateful Dead, Neil Young, Big Star and Frank Zappa while playing in a scene that spawned The Shins, Fleet Foxes and Elliott Smith.

After self-releasing Wild Mountain Nation in June of 2007, the group ventured beyond the West Coast for the first time to tour extensively in Europe and North America. 2008 saw the release of Furr, through Sub Pop/Stomp. Written in the gaps of the group’s frenetic touring schedule and recorded mostly in a hoary old telegraph building close by the Willamette River, the new record refines and expands on the far-ranging yet distinctive songcraft that lies at the heart of Blitzen Trapper’s unique appeal.

Blitzen Trapper will release Black River Killer EP before the Australian dates. As its title would lead one to believe, the EP contains the disturbing and great song “Black River Killer” from Blitzen Trapper’s excellent Sept. ‘08 full-length album Furr.

What is perhaps less evident from the title is that it also contains 6 more songs that have been, up to now, only available as a CDR that Blitzen Trapper has been selling at their live performances for the past year or so.

"One of the standout indie records of the year comes from Portland Oregan’s Blitzen Trapper." - Triple j

"Throughout the album, Blitzen keep their songs highly tuneful, making Furr a breakthrough worthy of toasting with a microbrew, or several." - Rolling Stone

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR BLACK RIVER KILLER HERE

TICKETS ONSALE NOW

WEDNESDAY 11TH November // THE HI FI, MELBOURNE
http://www.thehifi.com.au/, tel 1300843434, Polyester, Missing Link & Greville Records.

THURSDAY 12TH November // METRO, SYDNEY
http://www.metrotheatre.com.au/, ticketek

FRIDAY 13TH November // THE HI FI, BRISBANE
http://www.thehifi.com.au/, tel 13008434434, Rocking Horse Records, Butter Beats, Sunflower Pacific Fair, Disasterpiece, Mosh Pit Music, Kill The Music, Gooble Warming, Rockaway Records

Posted: Tuesday, 21 July 2009

JAPANDROIDS' 'POST NOTHING OUT ON 7TH OF AUG + PICS FROM THEIR SHOW AT SIREN FESTIVAL IN NY

Japandroids (aka JPNDRDS) is a two piece band from Canada started in 2006 as a creative outlet for the post-teenage angst of Brian King and David Prowse.

Originally intending to be a trio, the boys decided to forgo the logistical nightmare of having a ‘lead singer’ and do it themselves. As a consequence, Japandroids are one guitar, one set of drums, and two vocalizers. They call it garage rock. They don’t care what you call it, as long as it’s not minimal. Japandroids are maximal - a two piece band trying to sound like a five piece band.

Post-Nothing is the forthcoming release, and is sure to build on the buzz of 2008’s Lullaby Death Jams and 2007’s All Lies. These latest gems run the gauntlet of rock’n’roll sub-genres, with the boys ripping off too many different bands to sound like any other duo making music right now.
The band are halfway through a mammoth US tour which will include performances at Pitchfork Festival, CMJ Music Marathon, Sled Island Festival, Siren Festival, KEXP BBQ and Pop Montreal.

“What makes Post-Nothing such a thrill is the manner in which Japandroids hold absolutely nothing back. As contagious as any of the lyrics, melodies, riffs, or drum fills are, their energy and lack of self-consciousness is every bit as equally lovable.” - Pitchfork - (Album = 8.3 stars, first single Young Hearts Spark Fire = 9 stars)

And the band recently played at the Siren Festival in New York City! Check out the live shots here.

Posted: Tuesday, 21 July 2009

AIMEE MANN ANNOUNCES AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES.

Aimee Mann, the LA-based singer and songwriter described by the UK’s Sunday Times as no less than “one the best pop songwriters alive”, will tour Australia for the first time in September, 2009 taking in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

The artist known for her exquisite and understated pop songwriting skills is something of an industry maverick, and is visiting Australian shores on the back of her 2008 album Smilers. This follows 2005’s daring and acclaimed concept album The Forgotten Arm, and 2006’s album One More Drifter In The Snow, another thematic affair which delved into the whole range of seasonal emotions that people have around Christmas.

AIMEE MANN AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES

BRISBANE Powerhouse – Thursday September 03
www.brisbanepowerhouse.org | 07 3358 8600

SYDNEY Enmore Theatre – Friday September 04 + BEN LEE
www.ticketek.com.au | 132 849

MELBOURNE Palais Theatre – Saturday September 05 + BEN LEE
www.ticketmaster.com.au | 136 100

Posted: Friday, 17 July 2009

THE FREEMASONS 'SHAKEDOWN 2' IS AVAILABLE NOW. DO IT!

2008 was a huge year for the Freemasons. ‘Uninvited’ their 4th hit single featuring the beautiful voice of Bailey Tzuke had been a huge success in the UK, and international releases were piling up. Their remix of Beyonce and Shakira’s ‘Beautiful liar’ had held the song at the UK’s No 1 spot for weeks. Their Kelly Rowland remix was a massive radio record and their first co-production for Kylie Minogue was receiving rapturous reviews.
 
You'd be forgiven for thinking that it couldn't get any better for the Freemasons but 2009 is already proving that there is so much more to come - Freemasons triumphantly returned to headlining Mardi Gras in Sydney - this time with a tribute float in the parade with 150 dancers in toe doing a routine to Freemasons greatest hits! The full artist album will come later in the year as the  Freemasons have also been invited to work on songs for Alexandra Burke's(Winner of ITV's X-Factor) album and opportunities like that don't come round very often. All through this though Russell & James are determined to keep their feet on the ground - as they would say....

Who knows where the Freemasons found the time to return with ‘Shakedown 2’! A brand new double mix CD featuring exclusive Freemasons tracks and remixes for many of today’s biggest artists such as Beyonce, Kelly Rowland, Kylie, Eurythmics and Moby. The album also includes the brand new single ‘Heartbreak (Make me a Dancer)’ with Sophie Ellis Bextor

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR 'UNIVITED' HERE AT STOMP TV.

TRACKLISTING:
CD1
1.Solange  ‘Sandcastle Disco’ (Freemasons Remix)
2.Jamiroquai ‘Don't Give Hate A Chance’ (Freemasons Remix)
3.Funk Fanatics ft Peyton ‘Love is the Answer’  (Freemasons Remix)
4.Freemasons ft Bailey Tzuke ‘Uninvited’
5.Axwell & Bob Sinclar‘What A Wonderful World’ (Freemasons Remix)  ALBUM EXCLUSIVE
6.Moby ‘Disco Lies’ (Freemasons Remix)
7.Outsiders ft Amanda Wilson ‘Keep This Fire Burning’  (Freemasons Remix)
8.Mr DYF Feat Shena ‘Hold On’ (Freemasons Remix) ALBUM EXCLUSIVE
9.Freemasons ‘Pjanoo’  ALBUM EXCLUSIVE
10.Freemasons ft Amanda Wilson ‘Watchin’ (Acapella)
11.Calvin Harris ‘Colours’
12.Ultra Nate ‘Free’ (Acapella)
13.Freemasons ft Katherine Ellis ‘When You Touch Me’
14.Freemasons ft Amanda Wilson ‘Love On My Mind’  NEW MIX ALBUM EXCLUSIVE

CD2
1.Beyonce ‘Ring The Alarm’ (Freemasons Remix)
2.Kelly Rowland ‘Work’ (Freemasons Remix) 
3.Justice ‘Phantom Pt 2’ (Freemasons Remix) ALBUM EXCLUSIVE
4.New Order ‘Blue Monday’ (Freemasons Remix) ALBUM EXCLUSIVE
5.Kylie ‘The One’ (Freemasons Remix)
6.Deadmau5 ‘Ghosts & Stuff’
7.Coldcut & Lisa Stansfield ‘People Hold On’ (Acapella)
8.Gusto ‘Disco's Revenge’   (Freemasons Remix) 
9.Eurythmics ‘Here Comes The Rain Again’ (Freemasons Remix) ALBUM EXCLUSIVE
10.Red Carpet ‘Alright’
11.Kings of Tommorow ‘Finally’ (Acapella)
12.Freemasons ft Sophie Ellis-Bextor ‘Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer)’
13.Freemasons ft Siedah Garret ‘Rain Down Love’
14.Marvin Gaye ‘Heard It Through The Grapevine’ (Freemasons Remix) ALBUM EXCLUSIVE

Posted: Friday, 17 July 2009

TRENTEMOLLER TEAMED UP WITH FASHION DESIGNER HENRIK VIBSKOV FOR SOME ELABORATE SETS AT ROSKILDE

Last weekend, Danish electronic dreamscapers Trentemøller headlined the Roskilde festival with both an audio and visual feast for festival-goers. Trentemøller invited fellow Dane, Henrik Vibskov to design an elaborate set that is a convenient continuation from Vibskov's S/S 10 collection "The Solar Donkey Experiment" presented at Paris a few weeks ago.

Check out some amazing images from the show at Dazeddigital.com or watch some live footage here at Stomp TV.

Posted: Friday, 17 July 2009

DEBUT ALBUM FROM DFA'S 'WOOLFY' DROPS NEXT WEEK

Simon James is the 35-year-old Scottish born musician and singer behind the alias Woolfy. He has released records under the moniker ‘Projections’ (with Dan Hastie) on the revered Permanent Vacation label which created major waves in the electronic music scene. ‘If Ya Know What’s Good for You!’ is Woolfy’s debut solo album and is also the debut artist album on DFA’s subsidiary label, Rong DFA.

Woolfy’s vast knowledge and influences produce a seamless blend of funk, pop music, dirty disco, rare grooves, and new wave full of epic guitar lines and infectious lyrics. Starting the album off with a bang, “The Warehouse” lays the groundwork with its mid-tempo, thumping kick drum, angular guitar work, and cryptic, distorted bass-lines. Woolfy’s lush vocals hover over an electronic vocoder chorus to haunting effect. “Oh Missy” and “That Lady” are both dark, rhythmic tracks with echoing vocals, early ’80s electro percussion, thick drum machine claps, menacing bass, and some wicked cowbell.

As an added bonus, the CD includes classic nu-disco remixes by Carlos Hernandez and Lee Douglas, perfect for beach parties and late night sessions. A well oiled and complete debut, Woolfy has delivered an album that at times sounds like LCD Soundsystem going out for a night in the city with Prins Tomas and Lindstrom, yet managing to stay fresh and original at the same time with melancholy vocals and sweaty beats.

Check out the short documentary of Woolfy vs. Projections shot in Berlin at Stomp TV Now

Posted: Thursday, 16 July 2009

HEAR JORIS VOORN TALKING ABOUT BALANCE 014 & CHECK OUT SOME LIVE FOOTAGE FROM PRESSURE IN GLASGOW

JORIS VOORN plays out at Pressure in Glasgow and talks about his Balance 014 mix album, and his new Dusty House series of EPs on his own label Rejected…

Posted: Thursday, 16 July 2009

FRUIT BATS RELEASE 'THE RUMINANT BAND' THIS AUGUST THROUGH SUB POP & US!

Over the course of three records, Eric D. Johnson’s Fruit Bats have looked for ways to file down the cynical edge of modern life and found many. Using bright melodies, defiantly major-key chord structures, natural imagery mixed with the occasional blazing insight and tender observation, the Fruit Bats have never shied away from darkness, but more uncommon in this day and age, they’ve refused to shy away from light. With The Ruminant Band, this tradition continues in characteristically rich and involving fashion.

From the barn-floor stomp of “The Hobo Girl” and the Fleetwood Mac-esque shimmy of the title track to the propulsive yet spacious ‘70s country-rock jam “Tegucigalpa” and the parlour piano soft-shoe of “Flamingo,” The Ruminant Band makes good on Johnson’s recent message board promise: “We are going to choogle for you.” Though he has spent the handful of years between Fruit Bats records playing with peers as heralded and forward-thinking as Vetiver and The Shins, the songwriting and production on The Ruminant Band mark a further crystallization of Johnson’s own melodic instincts and overall vision over the past near-decade, abetted by brothers-in-arms who know both bluster and restraint.

This is the third Fruit Bats album out through Sub Pop and Stomp, previous releases being 2003's Mouthfuls and 2005's Spelled In Bones.

Posted: Thursday, 16 July 2009

SIKE YOUR MIND 2009 - TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Sike Your Mind has been a highlight on the Australian hardcore calendars since its inception in 2004. In 2007 the festival hit the road nationally, with shows in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

And this year, Sike is bamming it up another notch! Five of the best hardcore acts from Australia and New Zealand will be playing 11 shows along the east coast this October during the school holidays.

This years line up will cater to all hardcore fans, with party hustlers Deez Nuts, crowd favourites from Perth, Miles Away, the choicest of bros from the land of the long white cloud, Antagonist A.D, the latest Stomp signing from Melbourne, In Trenches and relative newcomers Blkout, featuring members of Miles Away.

To buy tickets and view all dates, CLICK HERE - these will sell out quicker than Tamiflu!

Posted: Tuesday, 7 July 2009

NEW OBITUARY ALBUM - DARKEST DAY - OUT NOW

Upon switching their name from Xecutioner to Obituary, the career of one of the most successful and influential Death Metal bands began. Hailing from Florida and featuring John Tardy (vocals), brother Donald Tardy (drums), Trevor Peres (guitar), Allen West (guitar), and Daniel Tucker (bass), the band signed to Roadracer Records, a now defunct division of Roadrunner, for the recording of their debut album—the immense and immeasurably heavy "Slowly We Rot" (1989). The album was engineered by the legendary Scott Burns at Morrisound Studio, which would come to be the most sought after facility for production of albums during 1990's rise of the Death Metal genre. Unlike much death metal preceding it, the album had a sludgy feel and integrated devastatingly slow passages along with obliterating overtures that reached far beyond any point of mayhem that metal had yet to reach; the result was a carnal pleasure for doom, death and thrash fans alike coupling the adrenaline of a speedball with the slow, degrading measures of a sewer at dusk. Like them or not, Obituary was unlike anything anyone had heard before. 

When Obituary announced their plans to record a new album in early 2007 the metal world stood up and applauded. One of death metal’s crown jewels was returning and fans could not have been more enthused. The album, Xecutioner’s Return, delivered the goods as only Obituary could.

Now two years and one world tour later the band are back with their new epic. Signature in every way, Darkest Day shows that this band truly gets better with age. With a headline world tour already confirmed this year, these Tampa legends continue to prove that their work ethic and credo continues unwavered, unmatched and truly inspirational.

Darkest Day is out now.

Check out the track ‘Lost’ taken from the new album here

Posted: Monday, 6 July 2009

THE RURAL ALBERTA ADVANTAGE GET NOSTALGIC FOR THEIR HOMETOWN ON THEIR DEBUT RECORD.

The Rural Alberta Advantage was born out of singer/songwriter Nils Edenloff’s exodus from the province that inspired the band’s name and many of the songs from their debut album, Hometowns. To cope with the homesickness and isolation of his move from Edmonton to Toronto, the shy songwriter penned a series of odes to his former home.

He took these songs to a struggling weekly open mic night in early 2005. In a matter of weeks, he was handed the job (paid in beer and 2-for-1 pasta specials) of hosting the night alongside drummer Paul Banwatt. The two quickly formed a musical bond, with Edenloff’s plaintive folk songs backed by Banwatt’s raucous, razor-sharp percussion.

The twosome’s arrangement became permanent as a series of other local musicians joined and left the project (by now dubbed “The Rural Alberta Advantage”, courtesy of a provincial slogan co-opted by Edenloff’s brother). The pub that had been home to their open mic night closed down, but the RAA continued to perform around Toronto and thanks to their exciting live performances and gritty, honest songs, a loyal following for the band began to grow.

The inspiring DIY success story of the Rural Alberta Advantage has continued to gain momentum and attract fans and followers, with a breakthrough performance at the 2009 SXSW festival in Austin, Texas getting the ultimate seal of approval from Pitchfork (“This band could be huge”) and a nod as a “buzz band” from the Associated Press. More glowing press reviews and sold-out club dates in major cities throughout the United States have followed, and Hometowns is out through Saddle Creek/Stomp on the 17th of July.

Posted: Monday, 6 July 2009

MERCHANTS OF QUALITY DOWNBEAT, BENT RELEASE A 'BEST OF' ALBUM

This studio-based experimental electronica UK duo Bent, comprises of Simon Mills and Nail Tolliday. They formed in Nottingham in 1997 after becoming disillusioned with the state of dance music at the time. Tolliday had previously been part of famous Midlands-based sound system, DIY. Their ethereal, ambient, sample-heavy sound was immediately likened to Air, Moby and even Badly Drawn Boy and the duo was reported to have made their early recordings with nothing more than a sampler and 2000 second-hand records that they bought for £50.
 
An illustration of their irreverent and genre-defying approach surfaced in the use of vocal snippets sampled from Nana Mouskouri on two of the tracks from Programmed To Love, "I Love My Man" and "Always In My Heart". Like many dance music producers (notably Fatboy Slim), they take pride in recontextualising somewhat overlooked material. Their influences include Rolf Harris, Geoff Love, John Lennon, the Beach Boys, Kid Loco and Aphex Twin.

Bent’s emotional electronica is irresistible. In 1999 they released their debut album ‘Program For Love’ and since then Bent have gone on to produce a further three albums, 'Everlasting Blink', 'Ariels' and 'Intercept' selling over 350,000 copies. Their music has appeared on adverts for Vodafone, Carlsberg, Volkswagen, Nissan, Absolute and ahem, the Inland Revenue and they also count Elton John, Michael Caine and Nicole Kidman as fans of their work.

Bent celebrates 10 years in the game and this is their 'Best Of', a collection of their greatest tracks that includes a 2nd CD with brand new Bent tracks. This is a reminder to every one of what Bent has achieved and how they helped shape the electronic ‘00’s.

Tracklisting:
CD1 – BEST OF
1: Swollen
2: Magic Love
3: Beautiful
4: To Be Loved
5: As You Fall
6: Private Rd
7: Hand Brake
8: I Love My Man
9: Comin’ Back
10: Bewitched
11: Invisible
12: I Can’t Believe
13: Leavin’ Me
14: Always

CD2  - UNRELEASED NEW MATERIAL
1: Kisses
2: Non Perrie
3: Terry
4: Exerciuse
5: Far Behind
6: Star Of Lonliness
7: Harlequin Bitch
8: Bone Idle

Watch the video to Swollen here

The album drops on the 24th of July.

Posted: Monday, 6 July 2009

'DOS' BY WOODEN SHJIPS IS OUT NOW & READY FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE.

Here we have a Wooden Shjips record - not titled II, Sophomore, or Second - but Dos. Their debut album dropped in September 2007 and earned the Shjips rave reviews, shortly thereafter they released a 7" single "Loose Lips" through Sub Pop. On Dos, the Californian group maintains its strident pace, with more bounce per ounce as life goes jogging with bopping heads and digging heels. Natural loops with just enough vocals take you where the khakis and the cut-offs play together.

Dos sounds off as the inauguration speech of a group accepting the minimalist psych bop crown that once adorned the likes of Neu and Loop. If possible, their brand of whipping fuzz hooks have gotten groovier. “Motorbike” begins the program with an attack of bleeding organ and cicada chirps—a wiley, wheel-spinning cloud-kicker indeed. “For So Long” introduces the hip-swayed, shoulder-dropping dance steps of the album. At this point, the guitar delivers a concise Fogerty / Karoli vibe of stiff and loose kraut blues. Closing side one is the stop-motion go-go anthem “Down by the Sea.” Beyond the dawning of the age is “Aquarian Time,” a dense number that demands more weed and less booger-sugar. A steady plink of keys blipping like bright satellites in dark space accents this track’s blissed-out sludge. The hypnotic pop grace of “Fallin’,” the soundtrack for the last log on the fire as Winter eternally breaks into Spring, will stick in your mind until the record is played again on speakers of any size.

Dos is out now.

Posted: Monday, 6 July 2009