Crocodiles – Sunday (Psychic Conversation #9)

Promo shot of Crocodiles

San Diego’s Crocodiles release their new album, Endless Flowers, on June 4 but don’t worry you don’t have to wait that long to hear a track from the record.

Crocodiles have released the first single from the album, Sunday (Psychic Conversation #9), online. It will also be available on limited 7″ on March 26.

Sunday (Psychic Conversation #9) is a hectic indie/pop rock track where Brandon Welchez’s vocals seem to take a back seat. The music is dominant compared to the vocals which fade nicely into the background, leaving you with a heavy drum beat, lots of distorted, continuous guitar and basically a blend of wonderful musical noise.

You can download the track here.

Crocodiles have also announced a string of album launch shows including a London show on a boat on June 7.

Other live dates are below:
31 May Berlin Bi Nuu
01 June Amsterdam Paradiso
05 June Paris Nouveau Casino
07 June London The Royal Princess Cruise Liner

 

North Atlantic Oscillation – Savage with Barometer

Edinburgh’s North Atlantic Oscillation have released a new track online which has been taken from their forthcoming album, Fog Electric.

Album artwork for NAO's Fog Electric

Their new record, Fog Electric, is set for release on April 30 through Kscope. To coincide with the album’s release, North Atlantic Oscillation will be playing a launch show at The Tabernacle in London’s Notting Hill on Wednesday 2 May.

Savage With Barometer is the first track to be released online from the upcoming record.

With its dark tones, electronic adaptations of instruments and spacey feel, Savage With Barometer is a great, full-on track.

Remember the days of Muse when they had that completely original rock sound? Well North Atlantic Oscillation have clearly taken some inspiration from them. The vocals are reminiscent of Matthew Bellamy while the music has that atmospheric quality to it which screams Muse.

Savage With Barometer is available to listen to online now.

Fog Electric introduces a stormy theme that’s apparent throughout the album. The first official single to be taken from the record, Soft Coda, will be available from April 16.

The Futureheads – A Cappella Album?

The Futureheads are back with a brand new album set for release in April but this isn’t the sort of album everyone expected…

Album artwork for upcoming Futureheads record

Set for release on April 2 on their own record label, Nul Records, The Futureheads’ next record will be completely a cappella. But why? Ross Millard explains:

“If we were going to carry on making music, we needed to change it up. Making another Futureheads record as per usual wasn’t something that appealed to us. We’ve always been a four-part harmony group; it’s been a massive part of the genetics of this band.”

Barry Hyde is a little more bullish in his approach to explain why they’ve chosen to do an a cappella album:

“A Futureheads fan who doesn’t get ‘Rant’ is not a Futureheads fan. This version of The Futureheads has always been there. We’re bringing to the fore what we’re really about: a unification, a gang mentality, which is in the balance between our voices and our personalities.

“On Rant we’re pushing that right into your face. We’ve stumbled across tricks as we’ve made Rant which are so powerful and which no one has ever done before. Just because this is an a cappella album doesn’t mean to say that the songs are slow or passive. They’re still in-your-face, slightly mad, aggressive. They’re still The Futureheads.”

Rant will feature a variety of re-arranged Futureheads songs alongside medieval and traditional folk songs. Listen to the a cappella version of Robots here.

The release of the record will be accompanied by a UK tour at the following dates:

APRIL
3rd: BRISTOL, Colston Hall
4th: LONDON, Union Chapel
5th: LEEDS, Wardrobe
6th: STOCKTON, Georgian Theatre
8th: GATESHEAD, Sage
9th: GLASGOW, Oran Mor
10th: BIRMINGHAM, Glee Club
12th: NOTTINGHAM, Glee Club
13th: MANCHESTER, Royal Northern College of Music

Tickets are on sale now. For more details visit www.thefutureheads.com.

 

Tu Fawning – A Monument

Tu Fawning's album artwork for A Monument

Portland’s Tu Fawning are to release their new album A Monument across Europe on May 7.

To celebrate this release, they are giving out a free MP3 download of the track, Bones. A track that’s over seven minutes of fluttering and pulsing beats. Bones is a song that twists and turns, spikes and falls and never becomes dull.

A Monument is an expression of the band’s love of music from around the world. It was recorded with friends at Tiny Telephone Studios in San Francisco and at Type Foundry in their home town last summer. This release marks the first written and recorded collaboratively as the four-piece
of Repp, Haege, Liza Reitz and Toussaint Perrault who came together after Repp and Haege returned from Tu Fawning’s first tour.

A Monument is out May 7 via City Slang. To download Bones click here.

Walk off the Earth – Somebody That I Used to Know (Gotye cover)

Now this is simply amazing…

I have never seen this done before and it is just mind-blowing. The concentration and perfection is astonishing. Five people playing one guitar? Who knew it was possible! They are immensely talented musicians as the rest of their videos on YouTube highlight.

If you liked that then check out one of the best covers of Adele’s Someone Like You you will ever see: