Boom, back in the game. Everyone involved in Our Iron Lung has been working tirelessly over the past few months launching and establishing Faux, an online and print arts, music, film and culture magazine running in various ad-funded regional editions. If you haven't already, get the skinny here . It's been a while since I've written about anything quite as pop as Jett Valentine, but this is pretty brilliant stuff. Coming alongside a super remix from Mirrors, this under 3-minute long piece of piano-led pop is vaguely reminiscent of Luke Leighfield's greater moments. [...]
Prior to the release of their smashing new album we sent Hannah Matthews along to interview Ellen from Los Campesinos! Where did the inspiration come from for the name Los Campesinos! - why 'The Peasants'? Neil came up with the name due to the fact he did Spanish A Level, and we were all struggling to come up with a band name. It seemed to sound nice, and look pretty written down so we stuck with it, not a very exciting story I am afraid! When I was asked to [...]
For a few weeks now Adam Hockley, an occasional contributor to Our Iron Lung, has been putting on a selection of acoustic acts at Kind, Lincoln. To kick-start the new year he's booked the fantastic Luke Leighfield, an indie-pop darling with an addiction to touring. I caught up with Luke over the weekend to ask him about everything from graduation to the ups and downs of being an independent artist. Liam Haynes interviewed Luke Leighfield. He plays Kind, Lincoln on 5/1/10. First things first, graduation! Well done. What's it like [...]
For all intensive purposes, 2010 is going to be a pretty Transgressive focused year. They're releasing the new Foals album, overseeing Mystery Jets move to Rough Trade, and also publishing Johnny Flynn's sophomore album due out in the middle of the year. For now though, they're just releasing a little taster EP to prove that he's not deviating too much from what made us all fall head over heels in adoration for him in the first place. We've got the closing track from the Sweet William EP for you to download now, along with the whole EP itself [...]
As we hit mid-December the "future acts" hype machine is hitting breaking point, but I don't care. Lauded in the BBC Sound Of 2010 shortlist and with some stellar live shows already under their belt, Delphic are 100% ready to explode in the coming year. From what I've heard so far their debut album Acolyte is shaping up to be quite the killer disc, a perfect mixture of "high art aspiration and party spirit". How very, very Manchester. [MP3] Delphic - Counterpoint [YOUTUBE] Delphic - Doubt [MYSPACE] Find more from [...]
She'll likely be topping many Sound Of 2010 lists, but to us she's been well established since the beginning of this year, nevermind the next. Regardless, the follow-up to Mowgli's Road (her debut for 679/Atlantic) is finally here in the form of Hollywood. One of the first new Marina tracks to surface in a while, yet still not a million miles away from the groundwork layed on Obsessions, I Am Not A Robot or Mowgli's Road. Totally set for daytime radio, totally blitzing from start to finish, totally stuffed full of wit and charm. The video itself sees Marina writhing [...]
Our friends over at Faux are giving away a pair of tickets to General Fiasco's show with The Enemy at Engine Shed, Lincoln tonight. Seeing as we're such lovely people, we thought we'd let you in on all the info. Head over to Faux now to be in with a chance of winning, but be quick, they're picking a winner at 5pm. Meanwhile, while you wait nervously, why not check out General Fiasco's new app on the Apple App Store. It lets you stream bundles of their tracks and videos, follow their twitter and facebook feeds, [...]
Liam Haynes interviewed Local Natives. Their album, Gorilla Manor was released on 2/11/09. How do you feel your performance at SXSW this year helped you? What are the negatives? Because we played nine shows at the festival we were able to attain a lot of new exposure. Each show sort of built up on the last so that by the end there were a lot of new people interested in checking us out. I have to say there are really no negatives from the SXSW experience. We had a really amazing time and its [...]
The fantastic Wolf Gang have already caught our attention with their brilliant debut earlier this year and now return with the devastatingly catchy The King & All Of His Men. The video is fantastic, a weird Alice In Wonderland style affair that is sure to propel the single to greater heights than it's predecessor. We've also been promised some fantastic remixes for this, including a sure-to-be-awesome Egyptian Hip Hop mix. [MP3] Wolf Gang - The King & All Of His Men [INTERVIEW] Check out an interview I did with [...]
Words by Theodora Wakeley. Tinariwen played Koko, London on 25/10/09. "World music" is seemingly a dirty couple of words at my university campus judging by the sheer difficulty I had in persuading anyone to come with me to see Tinariwen at Kokoy. I ventured alone though on a wild London night (I like to think) and saw what could possibly be my favourite gig of the year so far in terms of atmosphere, uninhibited enjoyment, and pure organic music-making. Tinariwen cannot be fully explained without their comprehensive back-story. However it is a long and complicated one [...]
Our adoration for the delicious Ellie Goulding is well documented, and it's clearly no coincidence she's finally back with her first proper single on the inimitable Neon Gold Records. Under The Sheets takes the soaring vocals and electronic backing showcased so well in previous demo Starry Eyed and combines them with a melody to die for. Ellie and her songwriting partner/producer Starsmith clearly have an ear for something special, the fantastic production and standout vocals combining into a hazy blast of sure-fire pop. They're currently out on tour supporting Little Boots, but took time out last night to [...]
Photo by Josh Wilson , words by Darryl Marsden. The XX played Bodega, Nottingham on 7/10/09. London indie darlings The XX have had quite a year. After garnering glowing reviews of their self-titled debut released earlier this year the 4-piece decided to embark on their first ever UK headlining tour, culminating at a packed out Bodega Social. Once the crowd had gathered around the small stage there is one thing strikingly noticeable, the age of audience members. For every hipster in a plaid-shirt there is a middle aged man and wife with premium lagers and screwdrivers. Certainly [...]
Image by James Arnold , words by Liam Haynes. Bloc Party played Engine Shed, Lincoln on 12/10/09. To me, Bloc Party are both deliciously timeless and achingly current. Remaining exciting and taut while their post-punk revival brethren, from The Rakes through to Franz Ferdinand, rapidly descended into repetition and old tricks. Now, they've finally come to my doorstep in Lincoln, three albums behind them and mid-way through a month of touring. But first, the support act. Grammatics have been stellar the last few times I've seen them, and this is no exception. While perhaps not [...]
In this, the thrid edition of Like Spinning Discs, we got Darryl Marsden to have a quick chat with Local Natives while they were taking a break from their current run on the NME Radar Tour to ask them about their most treasured LPs. If you could only take 5 LP's or EP's into a nuclear bunker to listen to as we all slowly blow each other up, which would you choose and why? Van Morrison - Astral Weeks This is my favorite album [...]
Image from Flickr . You know that girl from Breakfast Club? The one who makes sandwiches with sugar? She'd love To Write Love On Her Arms, a non-profit organisation to help people who aren't 100% happy with things. I don't really understand you see, it's a chronic lack of empathy I think. However Annabelle Moore one of our writers, really does which is why she's putting on a special acoustic night tonight to raise money for a pretty fantastic cause. There'll be a bundle of Lincoln College acts playing alongside the brilliant Elliot Morris, and it's only [...]
Photo by Christianne Young , words by Darryl Marsden. Horchata by Vampire Weekend is the first song to be heard from their upcoming second LP release Contra, due January 11th on XL. After a mysterious countdown on their website the resulting prize was this track, available for free download. Vampire Weekend have become synonymous with summer, but this track goes someway to showing they've changed. There is a wide array of instruments on show, so many you can't even tell what is what a lot of the time, but it keeps with the tribal sound VW went [...]
Photo montage by Eleanor Doughty , words by Darryl Marsden. After releasing their debut album, "I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose" in July of this year, Bombay Bicycle Club took on the festival circuit again this summer playing Reading and Leeds festivals for the third year running and are now embarking on a short UK run. Judging by the look of those in attendance tonight it's a good thing most of the dates are 14+ otherwise it could have been a Flight of the Conchords empty gig style affair. Entering the stage [...]
In our 2nd edition of Like Spinning Discs, Darryl Marsden asks Jack Garside from Eight Legs to choose his 5 albums of choice. Eight Legs release new single I Understand on 5th October before playing a small UK tour. If you could only take 5 LP's or EP's into a nuclear bunker to listen to as we all slowly blow each other up, which would you choose and why? Nirvana - Nevermind This goes without saying I guess, but this was my first taste [...]
Image taken from Christiana & Tim's diaries . Factory Kids are a pair of Glaswegians who formed in 2008. After a couple of low-key releases on small indie labels, they've just released their debut LP on the New Zealand based label Power Tool Records. The exclusive track they've sent over to us speaks volumes about the rest of the LP it is taken from; seamlessly blending The Vaselines guitar fuzz with Jesus & Mary Chain style drone to create a kind of depressive surf-pop. Glorious stuff that shows it's softer side on tracks such as She Said, [...]
Flashguns are rapidly bursting out of the seams of the music industry, filling our ears with their fresh sounds and stonking drum beats. Here at Our Iron Lung that's obviously the kind of thing that sets our hearts pumping, so when we told Annabelle she was off to interview them it pretty much made her spaff everywhere. Flashguns have been together since they met at school in West Sussex, but they insist they're not a 'school band'; "we've grown up a lot", lead singer and guitarist Sam Felix Johnston tells me. "We started together [...]
Our Iron Lung
First Aid Kit – Emmylou
Childish Gambino - "Heartbeat" (Official Music Video)
James Blake – Live Album
Mux Mool
