The Black Keys Attack and Release

The Black Keys have been quite busy these days with their upcoming release "Attack & Release". Coming out March 31st on V2 (in the UK) and April 1 on Nonesuch (in the US), the band teamed up with DANGER MOUSE to produce the release.

They have also lined up a short tour to support the album for UK fans.

Here are the dates:

Thursday 20 March – LONDON – MOJO Club @ Wilton’s Music Hall **(SOLD-OUT!)**

Monday 19 May – LONDON – Astoria

Wednesday 21 May – MANCHESTER – Academy

Thursday 22 May – GLASGOW – ABC

Friday 23 May – LEEDS – University

Wednesday 28 May – BIRMINGHAM - Academy

R.E.M. Prepare For Accelerate

R.E.M. are in a league all their own when it comes to music. For 3 decades they have made some of the most incredible records out there. Now they prepare to release their 14th studio album, "Accelerate" on April 1st

To celebrate, the band have created a special website that is updated daily with clips of the band and downloadable for fans. You can find these clips at www.ninetynights.com.

In true Michael Stipe fashion, R.E.M. is also taking some amazing bands on tour with them in support of the album. Here are the tour dates where The National and Modest Mouse will be opening

May
23 Vancouver - Deer Lake Park
29 Los Angeles - Hollywood Bowl
31 Berkeley - The Greek Theatre
June
03 Denver - Red Rocks Amphitheatre
06 Chicago - United Center
08 Toronto - Molson Amphitheatre
10 Raleigh - Walnut Creek Amphitheatre
11 Washington, DC - Merriweather Post Pavilion
13 Boston - Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts
14 Long Island - Jones Beach Theater
18 Philadelphia - Mann Center for the Performing Arts
19 New York City - TBA
21 Atlanta - Lakewood Amphitheatre

Kid Sister Joins Downtown Records

Chicago native Kid Sister has finally made a decision as to where her new label home will be; Downtown Records. In the summer of 2008, she will release her debut album "Koke B Ware" which I am sure will be met with rave reviews.

"Their roster is impeccable and the attitude at the company is so
relaxed and cool. I don't wanna call them an indie and definitely
won't call them a major but still they've got some serious muscle.
They're just that rare, perfect fit you always dream about... like a
fancy pair of jeans!", says Kid Sister. Seems like she made the right choice...

The Verve Announce More U.S. Dates

Now this is the kind of news I like to wake up hearing.

This needs no introduction

Apr 25 - Coachella Festival Indio, California
Apr 26 - The Pearl Concert Theater at Palms, Las Vegas
Apr 28 - WaMu Theater at MSG, NYC (On Sale Saturday, March 1 at 11am)
Apr 29 - WaMu Theater at MSG, NYC (On Sale Saturday, March 1 at 11am)
May 31 - Pinkpop Festival, Landgraaf, NET, Megaland
Jun 29 - Glastonbury Festival Glastonbury
Jul 11 - T In The Park Balado, Kinross
Jul 12 or 13 - Oxegen Festival, Ireland

Likely Looks: The Futureheads - The Beginning Of The Twist

Finally, the band who did the best Kate Bush cover ever (sorry Placebo) is back with their new single "The Beginning of the Twist" that is released in the UK on March 10th.

I missed them...

Another Axe For Lily Allen

Lily Allen has the worst luck as of recently :(

Remember when Lily was named the new face of Agent Provacateur? It seemed to have fizzled out quickly after and we now know the reason why. Lily was ditched in a fight between the divorcing heads of the company. After a disagreement between Joe Corre and Serena Rees, the husband won the battle this time around.

According to a source, “Serena loves Lily and thinks she’s young and sassy...but Joe wasn’t keen and canned all the pictures.” There is a possibility that the photos may be used in a magazine editorial but there have been no decisions made as of now.

Hopefully things look up for her...

Blood Red Shoes Reveal Their "Box Of Secrets"

The news we've all been waiting for...Blood Red Shoes have just announced the release of their debut album "Box of Secrets"!

Named after the duo’s inter-band nuances, the album will see its place on the shelf on April 14th via V2 (in the UK of course...say hello to the import section for everyone else).

If its anything like what we've been hearing from Blood Red Shoes over the past year, then this is bound to be a Top 10 on too many end of the year lists to count

Here is the track listing for "Box of Secrets"

Doesn't Matter Much 3:25
You Bring Me Down 3:42
Try Harder 3:50
Say Something Say Anything 3:12
I Wish I Was Someone Better 3:48
Take The Weight 4:38
ADHD 3:17
This Is Not For You 4:32
It's Getting Boring By The Sea 2:56
Forgive Nothing 3:10
Hope You Are Holding Up 5:12

Likely Looks: Foals - Cassius

The first single from Foals from their soon to be released debut album "Antidotes" sees the band flooded by hanging hearts and destroyed flowers.

What can you do with hearts and flowers...? You'll just have to watch the video.

Likely Listens: Get Well Soon

Hailing from southwest Germany, Get Well Soon (aka Konstantin Gropper) has created a unique mix of music that embodies everything from folk to elctro, rock to pop and everything in between.

Already a success in Germany, Gropper is slowly making his mark in the UK with his debut album, 'Rest Now, Early Head! You Will Get Well Soon' coming out on the 26th of May preceded by 'You / Aurora / You / Seaside' / 'Christmas in Adventure Parks' (the lengthy-named double a-side single) on the 5th of May.

The MySpace material is absolutely brilliant...now have a listen!

Likely Looks: Gallows - Just Because You Sleep Next To Me Doesn't Mean You're Safe

Gallows made a killing last year at SXSW and it seems to have lingered on the city of Austin.

On their last tour stop there in January, 2008 they filmed their latest single, "Just Because You Sleep Next To Me Doesn't Mean You're Safe" to a horde of kids that literally seem to be beating the shit out of each other...

The single comes out March 3rd in the UK.

This Is Pete Doherty Reporting From Babyshambles...

If only I could understand exactly what Pete says in this video I could let you know what its about. Although listening to him talk in some odd accents throughout the footage is quite entertaining.

We do learn that he has tested clean in the last 3 weeks and he really enjoys smelling that cat...

Bless him.

Foals Play The Silent Barn

Last night, Foals basically reminded me why I was so blown away when I saw them last year at SXSW. The energy was incredible, the band sounded amazing and somehow a small house in Brooklyn turned into an all out pogo-a-thon.

They played quite a few tracks from their upcoming release "Antidotes" (which just leaked...eek) and for about an hour I was in complete and total heaven.

If you haven't listened to Foals yet you honestly don't know what you are missing...this is the band of 2008.


Photo credit: bigalla

Natalie Cole Thinks Amy Winehouse Doesn't Deserve Her Grammys?!

According to Natalie Cole, Amy Winehouse doesn't deserve her 5 Grammys. Why? According to a quote she gave to US Magazine, Cole says, "I don't think she should have won. I think it sends a bad message to our young people who are trying to get into this business - the ones who are trying to do it right and are really trying to keep themselves together."

Last time I checked a brilliant record is a brilliant record; additions or not. Maybe Natalie Cole should never even be allowed to attend the Grammys...she had a problem as well. In fact, anyone thats addicted to drugs, alcohol, or ANYTHING shouldn't win. Wow, that would be a fuckload of Grammy Awards that would be given back to the Academy...

Viva La Amy!

I've Officially Found The Reason Why I Love Lily Allen...

Absolutely brilliant...


Photo from TMZ

Likely Looks: Radiohead - Videotape

Don't adjust your computer screens!!!! Yes, the video is really supposed to look like that...

For Thom Yorke:

had a niggling feeling that this never really got seen much.
Its a kind of video thing to go with Videotape using lots of wierd techniques we were messing with.
Nigel and I really enjoyed making it at the end of last year.
It appeared at the end of a webcast which i think was lost due to transmission problems.
So here it is (roughly) for you to see again.
x

Thom

and just a little piece of information from my Radiohead source/best friend is that Videotape is Thom's favorite Radiohead song that they've ever done. Enjoy

The Kills Party with NYLON Magazine

In true New York fashion, The Kills take the stage 45 minutes later than they should have. The room is full of New York's finest scene kids (some with odd hats) that look like they've literally walked right off the pages of NYLON.

Allison and Jamie take the stage with a guitar, cigarettes and no backdrop...just a drum machine assisting them through their tracks. Most people are a bit tipsy by now if you were able to make it to the bar multiple times (it was tough though).

For a duo, they somehow manage to keep the audience entertained just through their music, a rarity in this day and age. Purity really is the joy of The Kills though...

Here is the set list:

No Wow
Pull A U
U.R.A. Fever
Sour Cherry
Kissy Kissy
Tape Song
Last Day of Magic
Black Rooster
Wait
Cheap & Cheerful
Fried My Little Brains



Photo credit: Imaginary Socialite

Radiohead Announces First Batch of Live Dates

Finally...the venues for the tour and dates have been announced for certain cities. Here's what we got so far

May 5 - Cruzan Amphitheatre - West Palm Beach, Florida
May 6 - Ford Amphitheatre - Tampa, Florida
May 8 - Lakewood Amphitheatre - Atlanta, Georgia
May 9 - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre - Charlotte, North Carolina
May 11 - Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge - Bristow, Virginia
May 14 - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater - St Louis, Missouri
May 17 - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion - Houston, Texas
May 18 - Superpages.com Center - Dallas, Texas

Now let's see what comes next...and kudos to them for not playing massive arenas wooooooooo

Lily Allen Sets The Record Straight

Lily Allen isn't very happy about the British tabloids talking about her new show Lily Allen and Friends. Blogging yesterday, she sets the record straight about what actually happened and other things.

Ok so I wrote the longest blog yesterday and then I lost it because I'm a twat, but I'm writing you one now on my brand new MacBook air. I just got in from an exhibition opening, 100 years of Vanity Fair at the National Portrait Gallery, well actually it wasn't 100 years of Vanity Fair, but if they'd waited 5 more years then it would have been. I can't believe it's been going since 1913, amazing really. The Mac Book's pretty cool, it is so light it's quite unbelievable, I wonder where they'll go next, I don't see how they can get any smaller.
I went to a fashion show this morning and saw some old friends, which was nice, I have been venturing out the last week or so, trying to get back to normality after what has been a rocky start to the year. I went to a pre-bafta party on Saturday with my friend George that was so lovely, he is a wonderful friend and I will always be grateful for his being there. I plan to go to a few things this week, it's fashion week here in London, so there's a lot going on, and hopefully it will be a fun week.
My TV show recording went really well on Friday, I was shitting it but I'm really happy with the results, our guests Cuba Gooding Junior and David Mitchell were fabulous and the audience were great too, standing in a hot studio for two hours watching fluff my lines is not my idea of fun , but they seemed to enjoy it . Thank you to the ever supportive Mail on Sunday for their glittering and rave review of the recording , they insinuated a third of the audience left because they were bored of the content of the show , when infact , due to it being the FIRST show we've done we ran over a little and naturally a small number of the audience had to catch the last trains back to wherever they came from . I can't imagine the " undercover journalist " who broke into the studio ever had the intention of being positive about it though , obviously .
Anyway , that was fun , I was knackered over the weekend though cause I've been working in the studio doing the album , trying to finish it by the end of the month , and then getting back and ploughing through all these books that I have to read . I decided to take up the offer of being one of the judges for "The Orange Book Prize for Fiction" , I have three more books to finish by the end of the week , having read roughly twenty already . Alfie (my little brother) is busy on tour with Equus (a play) and I wasn't expecting to see him for a while , so it was a lovely surprise when he woke me up on Sunday afternoon , I slept till two o'clock! , my mum had made a roast chicken and it was entirely pleasant spending the afternoon together , we watched the football and then he was gone , off to Glasgow for the next leg of the tour . I am so proud of him , his reviews have been brilliant and he really is fantastic on the stage . I went to see him in Chichester and I was so proud I cried , I miss you Alf . He has been such a good brother to me and I love him.
One last bit of exciting news, I have been miserable lately so I bought myself a new car. It may arrive by the end of the week so something to look forward to. Life is funny isn't it? To think that a Mac Book or a car is going to be the thing to make you feel better . Something will, soon I hope
I'll leave you with this, an advert for EDF energy, the song makes me momentarily happy, I have done some research and it turns out it was originally written for Kermit the Frog my Joe Raposo the composer for sesame street. I love it.

Albeta Cross Add More New York Dates

The boys of Alberta Cross just can't seem to get away from New York. After their long string of gigs last week in the Big Apple they are sticking around for a few more just in case you missed them.

FEB 12TH @ PIANO'S 10:30 PM

FEB 16TH @ LIVING ROOM 11PM

FEB 17TH @ PIANOS 10PM ( TBA)

Amy Winehouse's Grammy Performance - The Recap

Yes yes yes we ALL know Amy Winehouse sang at the Grammys via satellite and she was well...pretty damn good for someone who is currently in rehab.

I think she misses Blake though...could you tell?

Exhibit A: Instead of "I cried for you on the kitchen floor" we get "I cry for you 7614. My Blake!"

Chances are its his inmate number, the number of his prison or maybe part of his phone number? Who knows

Exhibit B: "I'd rather be at home with my Blake"

Does this need an explanation?

Exhibit C: "I'll never, never lose my baby"

Obviously, she misses her husband. Can't they just let Blake out of prison?

After singing though, she looks terrified to speak. I give her credit though I must say...

If you missed it, here is the performance: