Ben Howard Announces The Release Date Of His Second Album, I Forget Where We Were

Ben Howard is pleased to announce the details of his eagerly anticipated second album.

I Forget Where We Were is set for release on October 20 2014 through Republic Records. It was produced by drummer Chris Bond at Deep Litter Studios in Devon. The album is available for pre-order now.

Fans can pre-order the physical album and the vinyl (which includes one extra song) via Ben’s website.

To coincide with its announcement, the first single from the album, I Forget Where We Were, is now streaming. You can listen to the official audio below.

The single follows the epic eight minute taster, End Of The Affair, posted online earlier this summer (official audio also below).

I Forget Where We Were follows the release of Ben’s hugely successful debut album, Every Kingdom. Every Kingdom, released in October 2011 sold in excess of one million copies globally, received a Mercury Music Prize nomination and was the catalyst for Ben picking up two Brit Awards in 2012 for British Breakthrough and British Solo Male Artist.

Nickelback Signs With Republic Records To Release New Single, Edge Of A Revolution

Multi-platinum Grammy Award-nominated rock band Nickelback have officially inked a new record deal with Republic Records. The band is currently recording their anxiously awaited eighth full-length studio album and first since 2011’s chart-topping Here and Now which sold over 1.2 million copies in the U.S. and Canada.

Announced last week exclusively via Billboard.com, the signing was a joint effort between Republic Records co-founder and CEO Monte Lipman and President and CEO of Universal Music Canada, Randy Lennox. “Nickelback has not only proven to be one of Rock & Roll’s greatest headlining acts but their ability to write songs defining a generation may be their greatest gift of all. We are thrilled and extremely proud to work with one of music’s all-time powerhouse franchises,” said Lipman. Lennox, who brought the band to Universal Music Canada on their last album and collaborated with Lipman to secure their new home adds, “Nickelback are one of the best-selling bands in ‎Canada’s history and we’re excited to be able to extend our long-term relationship with them as they enter into this next great chapter with our friends at Republic.”

The first single from the album, Edge Of A Revolution, made its world premiere on Clear Channel this week.  The song is now live on iTunes and other digital retailers and will soon impact rock radio formats.

Since first landing on the scene in 1996, Nickelback have cemented themselves as one of the most commercially viable and important acts of the past two decades. The group’s worldwide sales exceed 50 million units, solidifying their status as the “eleventh best-selling music act” and second best-selling foreign act in the U.S. of the 21^st century—behind only The Beatles. Their inescapable and irresistible smash How You Remind Me remains Billboard’s Top Rock Song of the Decade and Fourth Song of the Decade. Among all of these accolades, they’ve been crowned Billboard’s Top Rock Group of the Decade as well. Along the way, they’ve received a staggering nine Grammy Award nominations, three American Music Awards, a World Music Award, a People’s Choice Award and 12 Juno Awards.

Now, these titans stand in the midst of recording what promises to be their biggest and best offering yet kicking off this new chapter with Republic Records.

Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger adds: “We are very excited to be releasing new music for our fans and feel it’s some of our strongest material to date. During the recording process as we looked toward the next chapter, it became clear that Monte, Randy and the entire Republic/Universal team had a shared vision and passion for this project.  Their track record of Artist development speaks volumes to their success and we are honoured to be partners with them.”

The Strypes To Release Second EP, 4 Track Mind

Ireland rock ‘n’ roll sensations The Strypes return with the release of their second EP, 4 Track Mind, available digitally now on all major digital retailers. This makes for their first release under the new partnership between Photo Finish Records and Republic Records. The EP will feature four tracks previously not available in the US including Hard to Say No, So They Say, Still Gonna Drive You Home (which was produced by famed musician Paul Weller) and a US-exclusive cover of The Ramones’, Rockaway Beach.

You can purchase the EP now here.

Supporting the EP, the band launches a string of very special US shows which started this week. Tickets are available here.

Since bursting onto the scene last spring with their debut album, Snapshot, The Strypes have gone on to light up Austin during a string of explosive gigs at the SXSW Festival, perform on both The Late Show with David Letterman and Conan in the past year and catch the attention of Rolling Stone who has sung their praises writing, “They’re at the right starting line, making an impressive entrance.”

The Strypes are currently recording their sophomore LP due out in 2015.

You can see The Strypes live on the following dates:
22 Aug Cambridge, MA                          The Sinclair
23 Aug Brooklyn, NY                              Music Hall of Williamsburg

Angus & Julia Stone Release Latest Track, Grizzly Bear, From New Album

Grizzly Bear is Angus and Julia’s latest track to be unveiled from their forthcoming and highly anticipated Rick Rubin produced album, Angus & Julia Stone out August 1 (American Recordings/Republic Records).

The melodious and up-tempo, Fleetwood Mac-esque track was written and recorded in California and was brought to life thanks to Rubin’s ears and direction in the studio. As described by Rubin himself, it is the Sydney-born, Californian based siblings own “poetic depth” that carries and makes this album and track so very special.

Weezer Announce New Album, Everything Will Be Alright In The End

Los Angeles, CA’s Weezer will release their highly anticipated ninth album, Everything Will Be Alright In The End, on September 30 2014 on Republic Records. Produced by Ric Ocasek, who previously helmed production on the band’s first and third records (The Blue Album and The Green Album), Everything Will Be Alright In The End is the band’s first collection of new material in four years.

Weezer’s album artwork

Since forming in 1992, Weezer has released a myriad of celebrated, chart-topping albums, selling over 13 million records worldwide. Following an intensely prolific couple years at the end of the aughts, the band chose to deliberately dial down the tempo in 2010, a move singer/guitarist Rivers Cuomo says allowed him to write at a slower pace, giving the songs he wanted to use for an album the time to gradually grow into their final forms. He started almost every song on the piano, eventually transferring them to the guitar before taking them to the band. When it came time to record the material, Weezer reunited with the man who helped them make some of their most iconic album-length work, Cars frontman Ric Ocasek. The resulting album, Everything Will Be Alright In The End, is a stand-out gem in Weezer’s vast and varied catalogue, a reflection of a much-loved band at their very best. Organised thematically around three groups of songs, it is an album that utilises that sound from the band’s earliest days to tell new stories in 2014, creating some of the finest, most heartfelt songs Weezer has ever recorded.

Weezer have revealed the first track from the record, Back To The Shack, which can be heard here.

You can catch Weezer live on the following dates: 7/24/14 London, ON @ Rock The Park 2014
Aug 1  Las Vegas, CA @ The Cosmopolitan
Aug 2  Del Mar, CA @ Del Mar Thoroughbred Club Summer Concert Series
Aug 9 Bethlehem, PA @ Musikfest PNC Plaza
Aug 13 Southaven, MS @ Snowden Grove Amphitheater
Aug 14 Lake Charles, LA @ L’Auberge Casino Resort
Aug 31 Los Angeles, CA @ Made In America
Sept  6 Charlotte, NC @ 106.5 The End presents Weenie Roast ‘14
Sept 12 Paso Robles, CA @ Vino Robles Amphitheatre
Sept 13 Sacramento, CA @ Aftershock Festival
Sept 14 Chicago, IL @ Riot Fest
Sept 19 Denver, CO @ Riot Fest