I'm sure many of you have heard of King Charles before, but he is pretty new on my radar. Having released an EP in 2009, he then had a near fatal accident nine months later after he was invited to support Mumford and Sons on their US tour. Signed by Universal Republic in the States after winning Nashville's International songwriting contest, he returned home to finish his debut album. The as-yet-untitled longplayer is slated for release in Feb 2012 via Island Records. The lead single 'Bam Bam', although unashamedly pop, has some catchy twists to it. It's one of those [...]
I finally have time to pick up the blogging mantle again! Apologies for my lack of posts. However, I can think of nothing better to kick off my return than this fantastic single from these Swedish siblings. 'The Lion's Roar' is both the lead single and name of their forthcoming LP. The girls seem to have moved on from the stark feel of last year's debut offering, The Big Black & The Blue . This may be due to the involvement of Mike Mogis on production duties. If this single - out on December 5th via Witchita Records - [...]
I finally have time to pick up the blogging mantle again! Apologies for my lack of posts. However, I can think of nothing better to kick off my return than this fantastic single from these Swedish siblings. 'The Lion's Roar' is both the lead single and name of their forthcoming LP. The girls seem to have moved on from the stark feel of last year's debut offering, The Big Black & The Blue . This may be due to the involvement of Mike Mogis on production duties. If this single - out on December 5th via Witchita Records - [...]
Some bands are phenomenal live; only one band are a live phenomenon. The Joy Formidable are a cut above anyone else out there. Ask any of the 800 people who rammed into Manchester Academy Saturday, the atmosphere was white hot in anticipation. They are fast becoming the worst kept secret in the industry. Gazing around, I was pleased to see all the familiar faces in the crowd. The whole of the crew that have dutifully followed the band since the early days - like myself - continue to spend a fortune travelling from gig to gig. The bigger the challenge [...]
I'm loathe to make comparisons, but kelly Paige does have more than a shade of Amy in her vocal for debut single 'Hurt Like Me'. With the impressive Ben Mason on production duties, it's more than likely going to propel this Nashville-born, London-based singer into your living room. This track has been rattling from my stereo into my car and back on a regular basis. I'm not sure what sets her apart in the sea of singer/songwriters, but there is a definite star quality about her that piques my interest. [See post to listen to audio] [...]
The Star of Kings pub in Kings Cross is hosting the Camden Crawl 2012 launch party this coming Wednesday with free drinks, nibbles, Rough Trade Shop's pub quiz, comedians Tiernan Douieb & Phil Nichol plus special guest live acts - Two Wounded Birds & Young Legionnaire. Early Bird tickets for Camden Crawl 2012 go on sale at 9am, Wednesday 26th October, so get youself down to the Star to whet your appetite for next years crawl which runs over Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th May 2012 (May Bank Holiday Weekend). Entry for the launch party on Wednesday [...]
This excellent debut single from Irish musician Don Scannell has caused BIYL to reach for the repeat button on a number of occasions after first hearing the track earlier this week. Mystery is a wonderfully accomplished piece of music, perfectly layered whilst also showcasing beautiful vocal harmonies which promise to gain Don Scannell plenty of fans in the near future. The track actually surfaced way back in November 2010 on Scannell's debut album Three Silver Pieces , yet it has taken until now for an equally impressive video to accompany the track and help the [...]
This excellent debut single from Irish musician Don Scannell has caused BIYL to reach for the repeat button on a number of occasions after first hearing the track earlier this week. Mystery is a wonderfully accomplished piece of music, perfectly layered whilst also showcasing beautiful vocal harmonies which promise to gain Don Scannell plenty of fans in the near future. The track actually surfaced way back in November 2010 on Scannell's debut album Three Silver Pieces , yet it has taken until now for an equally impressive video to accompany the track and help the [...]
Just a friendly reminder (and a bit of shameless self-promotion) that BIYL's monthly live revue will be taking place tonight in Norwich. For more details, click here . And do check out our shiny new website, BIYL Presents , for upcoming events!
M83 have revealed a new video for the summer hit Midnight City , directed by French duo Fleur & Manu, to coincide with the release of their 6th studio album, Hurry Up, We're Dreaming , out October 18th on Mute . Midnight City has undoubtedly been one of the songs of 2011, running up over a million hits on Youtube and Soundcloud as well as being A-listed on BBC6 Music, XFM and Q Radio. The band are embarking on a North American tour during October and November - see M832s website [...]
Who from Norwich could forget BBC's legendary puppet theatre gig or the two NME tours they stormed through before returning to our fine city last year to showcase their acoustic talents at the Art Centre. I wondered if Bombay Bicycle Club would be able to top that acoustic tour - for those who were privileged to be there, it was pretty special. Taking to the stage along with Lucy Rose, who is such a wonderful talent in her own right, the lads looked completely pumped for the forthcoming [...]
Fans of Elliot Smith-lite Benjamin Francis Leftwich can watch the video for the upcoming single 'Shine', taken from the acclaimed, Top 20 debut album Last Smoke Before The Snowstorm. 'Shine' is sure to be a commercial success for the Yorkshire born singer songwriter after a hectic year promoting his debut album. The single is out on Dirty Hit records and is available to buy on November 7th through the usual outlets. BFL is touring throughout the UK later this month starting at the Fleece in Bristol on October 20th. Check [...]
Whilst being predominantly a new music blog, BIYL couldn't help pitching in on the big music news today regarding a certain Manchester act who have been on the UK's alternative music radar for over a quarter of a century. The Stone Roses today confirmed the rumours that have been swilling around since last Friday - they are reforming after a 15 year hiatus to tour the UK and beyond. Fans of the seminal Manchester band have had to satisfy their hunger for live Roses material at Ian Brown solo gigs - discounting an ill informed [...]
Some gigs come with pretty high expectations behind them, and such was the case with Ben Francis Leftwich Monday night. Gig venues are often much maligned, as are the people who frequent the establishments. Norwich Art Centre is one of the exceptions to the rule; a wonderful setting and an equally wonderful crowd. People always manage to make a complete night of the events held in this converted church, and it can be equally daunting and inspirational for a third act on the bill to wander onstage to a such a packed auditorium. This was the case for Ned Younger, [...]
The Year of Hibernation is the debut offering by Youth Lagoon - a solo project by 22 year-old Idaho based musician Trevor Powers; an album which - released last week on Fatt Possum - has been the perfect soundtrack to the seasonal change-over from summer to autumn this past few days. You'll need patience to appreciate the beauty of this record - opening track 'Posters' delivers two minutes of ambient, droned keys and reverberent, unintelligable vocals before a simple 3-note bassline begins to give subtle shape to the song. Twenty seconds [...]
Billy Vincent - Once on the Grand Union 3.5/5 I totally loved the debut EP ( King Island Coyote ) from London folk-rockers Billy Vincent. This new offering Once On The Grand Union kind of carries on in a similar vein. Though you likely couldn't tell based on the sinister overtones on the opener, 'St Catherines Oratory'. This is probably the least pleasing track on the EP for me, reminding me of The Levellers meeting The Automatic. Luckily, I have [...]
Ben Howard - Every Kingdom 10/10 I have spent several weeks coming to grips with just how good this debut by West Country singer Ben Howard is. Sure, I have loved both his releases since his link up with Island Records earlier this year, but the mesmerizing power on this longplayer has shocked even me. Always a sucker for delicately constructed tracks, this album goes a step further than his peers have managed. Every single track is a plausible journey of sound [...]
Yesterday saw London enjoying it's hottest day of a particularly unspectacular summer - something Sophie Barker couldn't have imagined would coincide with her headlining show at Cargo in Shoreditch in late, late September. Fortunately her brand of lazy, melodic pop was the perfect soundtrack to an evening spent fanning the sunburn from a day in the park. Her set comprised the vast majority of her latest album 'Seagull' which was released on Ho Hum Records in May this year. Opener 'Paradise Lost' set the tone for the evening, with the tremelo-laden lead guitar circulating throughout the [...]
I can already see a thousand future Tumblrs where people talk about what it was like to be a Joy Formidable fan 'before they sold out'. It's true, our favorite Welsh trio is about to be assimilated into the vampire phenomenon known as Twilight. They're contributing an original song - titled 'Endtapes' - to the soundtrack for the latest Twilight installment, Breaking Hymen . Whoops, I mean Breaking Dawn ! Breaking Dawn . Just last week I heard 'A Heavy Abacus' played on The Vampire Diaries, so maybe this is indicative of a heretofore unmentioned vampire fetish? [...]
I stumbled upon this track while checking my emails today, and I was blown away. Kathleen Edwards is not an artist I have been acquainted with before, but here is the blurb from the press release to give you the basics! I would suggest you get in early if you are lucky enough to be at one of the Bon Iver shows. Wapusk , a new 7-inch from acclaimed musician Kathleen Edwards, will be released on Zoë/Rounder Records October 17th ahead of her 2012 brand new album 'Voyageur'. Advance copies of the record will [...]
Battery In Your Leg
Noteworthy (Stream): Kanye West – Black Skinhead (SNL Performance)
Watch Fred Armisen’s SNL farewell with Carrie Brownstein, Kim Gordon, J Mascis, Aimee Mann
Kanye West Performs “Black Skinhead” & “New Slaves” On ‘SNL’ Season Finale: Watch
Watch Kanye West on Saturday Night Live, performing “Black Skinhead” and “New Slaves”
