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Elvis Costello & The Imposters – The Return Of The Spectacular Singing Songbook

Michael Bonner
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Elvis Costello & The Imposters – The Return Of The Spectacular Singing Songbook

Elvis Costello wasn’t himself 25 years ago, the musician credits on the two albums he released in 1986 listing him as Little Hands Of Concrete (King Of America) and Napoleon Dynamite (Blood & Chocolate). While the former was a self-mocking reference to his habit of breaking guitar strings, the latter was a more boastful persona who made his stage bow as the mad-eyed master of ceremonies at fairground-like live shows. Revived earlier this summer on a lengthy series of dates across America (and coming to the UK next May), the Spectacular Spinning Songbook is a novel way for Costello to take requests; a giant multi-coloured wheel, resembling a pie chart containing the names of about 40 songs, dominates the stage, random audience members are plucked from their seats and invited to give the wheel a spin. Wherever it stops determines which number EC and his Imposters will play next. This elaborate box set comprises a CD and DVD (plus a bonus 10-inch vinyl “encore” disc) of two shows from the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles, the location raising questions about how random the selection of audience spinners might be. Can it really be just by chance that (i)Mad Men(i) creator Matthew Wiener and (i)Sideways/Grey’s Anatomy(i) actress Sandra Oh made the journey from stalls to stage the night the cameras were there? Whoever spins the wheel, though, it still results in unpredictable sequences of songs, never guaranteeing that big hits or long-term live favourites get an airing, Elvis (or rather Napoleon Dynamite, an over-the-top circus barker making the alliterative declarations in keeping with Costello’s guest introductions on his Spectacle TV show) following the raucous garage of “Stella Hurt” from 2008’s Momofuku with the baroque lament “All Grown Up” from 1991’s Mighty Like A Rose. Of course, the song has to be on the wheel in the first place, and there are some intriguing inclusions. A soulful cover of the Stones’ “Out Of Time” gives The Imposters (and the manically dextrous Steve Nieve in particular) an opportunity to pretend they’re Booker T & The MGs, “Tear Off Your Own Head” enables special guests The Bangles to croon away on the comeback hit Costello wrote for them, but the real surprise is the fatalistic ballad “Earthbound”, one of 10 tracks Elvis allegedly knocked out in a single weekend for a Wendy James album in 1993. “Of all the songs I’ve ever written, I think this is the truest,” he tells us. As a performing unit, The Imposters take everything thrown at them in their stride, all pomp and majesty on “Man Out Of Time”, lean and hungry on a cover of Nick Lowe’s “Heart Of The City”, and Nieve’s delicate new arrangement of “God Give Me Strength” more than compensates for the lack of lush orchestration from the original Burt Bacharach collaboration. The wheel spins, and the mood swings; in the space of an hour-and-a-half Elvis gets to be the surly aggressor of his youth, the wordy troubadour of the Imperial Bedroom era, or the deep baritone crooner of more recent times. Before 2011, Costello had been averaging an album of new songs every 12 months since brokering a lucrative deal with Universal five years ago, allowing them to exploit his first decade of releases in any way they see fit, in return for leaving him alone to make records at his own pace and as often as he wanted. Cynics may suggest that while the Allen Toussaint collaboration The River In Reverse, the aforementioned noisy Momofuku, the bluegrass-tinged Secret, Profane & Sugarcane and last year’s National Ransom hardly had the label’s sales teams popping champagne corks, Elvis staying away from the studio this year and once again gamely pitching his back pages opens the door for further marketing of former glories. Certainly, another re-upholstered My Aim Is True or Punch The Clock may ultimately shift more units than this bespoke offering, a limited edition of 1,500 which, despite the top-notch music, lavish packaging and poster/book/diary/postcard extras, might struggle to justify its £200 price-tag. Terry Staunton

Elvis Costello wasn’t himself 25 years ago, the musician credits on the two albums he released in 1986 listing him as Little Hands Of Concrete (King Of America) and Napoleon Dynamite (Blood & Chocolate). While the former was a self-mocking reference to his habit of breaking guitar strings, the latter was a more boastful persona who made his stage bow as the mad-eyed master of ceremonies at fairground-like live shows.

Revived earlier this summer on a lengthy series of dates across America (and coming to the UK next May), the Spectacular Spinning Songbook is a novel way for Costello to take requests; a giant multi-coloured wheel, resembling a pie chart containing the names of about 40 songs, dominates the stage, random audience members are plucked from their seats and invited to give the wheel a spin. Wherever it stops determines which number EC and his Imposters will play next.

This elaborate box set comprises a CD and DVD (plus a bonus 10-inch vinyl “encore” disc) of two shows from the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles, the location raising questions about how random the selection of audience spinners might be. Can it really be just by chance that (i)Mad Men(i) creator Matthew Wiener and (i)Sideways/Grey’s Anatomy(i) actress Sandra Oh made the journey from stalls to stage the night the cameras were there?

Whoever spins the wheel, though, it still results in unpredictable sequences of songs, never guaranteeing that big hits or long-term live favourites get an airing, Elvis (or rather Napoleon Dynamite, an over-the-top circus barker making the alliterative declarations in keeping with Costello’s guest introductions on his Spectacle TV show) following the raucous garage of “Stella Hurt” from 2008’s Momofuku with the baroque lament “All Grown Up” from 1991’s Mighty Like A Rose. Of course, the song has to be on the wheel in the first place, and there are some intriguing inclusions.

A soulful cover of the Stones’ “Out Of Time” gives The Imposters (and the manically dextrous Steve Nieve in particular) an opportunity to pretend they’re Booker T & The MGs, “Tear Off Your Own Head” enables special guests The Bangles to croon away on the comeback hit Costello wrote for them, but the real surprise is the fatalistic ballad “Earthbound”, one of 10 tracks Elvis allegedly knocked out in a single weekend for a Wendy James album in 1993. “Of all the songs I’ve ever written, I think this is the truest,” he tells us.

As a performing unit, The Imposters take everything thrown at them in their stride, all pomp and majesty on “Man Out Of Time”, lean and hungry on a cover of Nick Lowe’s “Heart Of The City”, and Nieve’s delicate new arrangement of “God Give Me Strength” more than compensates for the lack of lush orchestration from the original Burt Bacharach collaboration. The wheel spins, and the mood swings; in the space of an hour-and-a-half Elvis gets to be the surly aggressor of his youth, the wordy troubadour of the Imperial Bedroom era, or the deep baritone crooner of more recent times.

Before 2011, Costello had been averaging an album of new songs every 12 months since brokering a lucrative deal with Universal five years ago, allowing them to exploit his first decade of releases in any way they see fit, in return for leaving him alone to make records at his own pace and as often as he wanted.

Cynics may suggest that while the Allen Toussaint collaboration The River In Reverse, the aforementioned noisy Momofuku, the bluegrass-tinged Secret, Profane & Sugarcane and last year’s National Ransom hardly had the label’s sales teams popping champagne corks, Elvis staying away from the studio this year and once again gamely pitching his back pages opens the door for further marketing of former glories. Certainly, another re-upholstered My Aim Is True or Punch The Clock may ultimately shift more units than this bespoke offering, a limited edition of 1,500 which, despite the top-notch music, lavish packaging and poster/book/diary/postcard extras, might struggle to justify its £200 price-tag.

Terry Staunton

Shame

Michael Bonner
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0
Shame
Directed by Steve McQueen Starring Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan When the Manhattan branch of the Standard Hotel opened for business in summer 2009, it instantly became the hot topic of conversation among New Yorkers. Not as you might think for its stunning views across the Hudson river – b...

Directed by Steve McQueen

Starring Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan

When the Manhattan branch of the Standard Hotel opened for business in summer 2009, it instantly became the hot topic of conversation among New Yorkers. Not as you might think for its stunning views across the Hudson river – but because people were flocking to the park below to watch guests having sex in front of the hotel’s floor to ceiling windows.

Some of these scenes are repeated in Shame, British director Steve McQueen’s bracing and unsettling film about sex addiction in New York that features a powerful central performance from Michael Fassbender.

Fassbender, an actor who can move fluidly between the mainstream and arthouse, is perhaps best known for playing the ‘young’ Ian McKellen in last year’s X Men prequel, but he’s also done bold work in films like Andrea Arnold’s Fish Tank. Here, though, in his second collaboration with McQueen, he is required to go the extra mile. In the first five minutes, we see his character, Brandon Sullivan, naked, then masturbating in the shower. In a near-silent opening half hour, Brandon prowls New York, hitting on women in the subway on his way to work, scoring in bars, entertaining call-girls at home. We understand this is Brandon’s routine. Into this Sissy (Carey Mulligan), Brandon’s sister, arrives uninvited. She and Brandon are refugees from an unspecified childhood trauma, and accordingly Sissy suffers from her own particular set of problems. “We’re not bad people,” she tells her brother. “We just come from a bad place.”

The other main character in all this is New York, shown here as a city of white workspaces and antiseptic apartments, filthy sidewalks and subways. Arguably, New York acts as a facilitator for Brandon, providing him with outlets and opportunities to feed his addiction. There are echoes of Midnight Cowboy in the damaged, mutually dependent relationship between Brandon and Sissy, and Taxi Driver in its depiction of a nighttime New York. With its inclusion on the soundtrack of Chic’s “I Want Your Love” and Blondie’s “Rapture”, you could be forgiven for thinking this was set in the grimy New York in the late Seventies or early Eighties. I’m reminded, too, of American Psycho: when Brandon tells a girl in a bar exactly what he’d like to do to her, he sounds like Patrick Bateman describing his plans for his latest victim. One famous Bateman line – “I simply am not there” – could just as easily apply to the inscrutable, cipher-liker Brandon.

Shame is less formal than Hunger, McQueen and Fassbender’s previous collaboration about IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands, which owed a debt to McQueen’s background as a visual artist. Shame moves more fluidly, particularly in a long, ambitious tracking shot of Bandon jogging through New York at night. Strangely, for a film filled with memorable and often shocking images, this is one that lingers: Brandon, alone, running through a noctural neon landscape.

Michael Bonner

Radiohead confirmed to headline Japan’s Fuji Rock Festival

Tom Goodwyn
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0
Radiohead confirmed to headline Japan’s Fuji Rock Festival
Radiohead have announced another summer festival headline appearance, this time at Japan's Fuji Rock festival. The band will headline the event, which takes place in Niigata from July 27–29, along with The Stone Roses. Radiohead are also confirmed to headline Portugal's Optimus Alive festival...

Radiohead have announced another summer festival headline appearance, this time at Japan’s Fuji Rock festival.

The band will headline the event, which takes place in Niigata from July 27–29, along with The Stone Roses.

Radiohead are also confirmed to headline Portugal’s Optimus Alive festival, which is set to take place between July 12–15 in Lisbon, and Spain’s Bilbao BBK festival, which takes place between July 12–14.

The band also confirmed earlier this week that they would be headlining this summer’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California. They also extended their US tour by a further four dates and added a show at Nanang Exhibition Hall in Taipei, Taiwan on July 25.

Radiohead are expected to confirm UK and more European dates in the coming weeks, but are yet to say when this will be. Guitarist Ed O’Brien has previously hinted that the band will play arena shows in the UK rather than festival dates.

Lee Ranaldo: “Off The Wall”

John Mulvey
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0
Lee Ranaldo: “Off The Wall”

A fine morning thus far, thanks to Julia Holter, Leonard Cohen and, as I type, the new album by Lee Ranaldo, “Between The Times & The Tides”. “Between The Times…” is the first Ranaldo solo project to grapple with more orthodox songforms. While last year’s Thurston Moore album “Demolished Thoughts” notionally stripped back the Sonic Youth sound, a good few of the tracks here appear to supercharge it. Early days to judge this properly, but it does sound very good on first listen, not least because Ranaldo has wisely built a band, to showcase his rare songs, that could reasonably be a match for the apparently moribund Sonic Youth: Nels Cline and Alan Licht on guitars; Irwin Menken on bass; John Medeski on keys; plus Youth alumni Steve Shelley and Bob Bert (drums) and the elusive Jim O’Rourke (bass). “Fire Island (Phases)” is playing right now, and it flits between inventive expansions and Deadlike country rock in just the way longterm Ranaldo admirers – who’ve long lamented the scarcity of his songs on Youth albums - might have hoped. We’ll talk about all this later, then. But in the meantime, Matador have just released the first track for public consumption. It’s called “Off The Wall” and you can hear it here: oceanic strums Ranaldo’s usual quizzical resonance, a clear path from Sonic Youth, and a pretty poppy core. Let me know, as ever, what you think. Follow me on Twitter: @JohnRMulvey

A fine morning thus far, thanks to Julia Holter, Leonard Cohen and, as I type, the new album by Lee Ranaldo, “Between The Times & The Tides”.

“Between The Times…” is the first Ranaldo solo project to grapple with more orthodox songforms. While last year’s Thurston Moore album “Demolished Thoughts” notionally stripped back the Sonic Youth sound, a good few of the tracks here appear to supercharge it.

Early days to judge this properly, but it does sound very good on first listen, not least because Ranaldo has wisely built a band, to showcase his rare songs, that could reasonably be a match for the apparently moribund Sonic Youth: Nels Cline and Alan Licht on guitars; Irwin Menken on bass; John Medeski on keys; plus Youth alumni Steve Shelley and Bob Bert (drums) and the elusive Jim O’Rourke (bass). “Fire Island (Phases)” is playing right now, and it flits between inventive expansions and Deadlike country rock in just the way longterm Ranaldo admirers – who’ve long lamented the scarcity of his songs on Youth albums – might have hoped.

We’ll talk about all this later, then. But in the meantime, Matador have just released the first track for public consumption. It’s called “Off The Wall” and you can hear it here: oceanic strums Ranaldo’s usual quizzical resonance, a clear path from Sonic Youth, and a pretty poppy core. Let me know, as ever, what you think.

Follow me on Twitter: @JohnRMulvey

Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, PJ Harvey nominated for Brit Awards

Tom Goodwyn
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0
Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, PJ Harvey nominated for Brit Awards

Ryan Adams, Laura Marling and Kate Bush are also in the running for awards Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes and PJ Harvey have been nominated for this year's Brit Awards. Bon Iver is nominated in two categories, firstly for Best International Male where he is up alongside Aloe Blacc, Bruno Mars, David Guetta and Ryan Adams and secondly for Best International Newcomer, where he is up against Aloe Blacc, Foster The People, Lana Del Rey and Nicki Minaj. Fleet Foxes are in the running for Best International Group, where they face competition from Foo Fighters, Jay -Z and Kanye West, Lady Antebellum and Maroon 5. PJ Harvey is nominated for Best British Album alongside Coldplay, Adele, Florence And The Machine and Ed Sheeran, while Kate Bush is up for Best British Female as well as Adele, Florence And The Machine, Jessie J and Laura Marling. Arctic Monkeys and Elbow are both nominated for Best British Group, where they are up alongside Chase & Status, Coldplay and Kasabian, while Feist and Bjork are both nominated for Best International Female as well as Lady Gaga, Beyonce and Rihanna. Visit Brits.co.uk for the full list of nominees. The Brit Awards will take place at the O2 Arena on February 21 next year. Blur will receive the Outstanding Contribution To Music award at the 2012 event. Previous winners of that gong include the band's Britpop rivals Oasis, as well as Paul McCartney, The Who, U2 and Queen.

Ryan Adams, Laura Marling and Kate Bush are also in the running for awards

Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes and PJ Harvey have been nominated for this year’s Brit Awards.

Bon Iver is nominated in two categories, firstly for Best International Male where he is up alongside Aloe Blacc, Bruno Mars, David Guetta and Ryan Adams and secondly for Best International Newcomer, where he is up against Aloe Blacc, Foster The People, Lana Del Rey and Nicki Minaj.

Fleet Foxes are in the running for Best International Group, where they face competition from Foo Fighters, Jay -Z and Kanye West, Lady Antebellum and Maroon 5.

PJ Harvey is nominated for Best British Album alongside Coldplay, Adele, Florence And The Machine and Ed Sheeran, while Kate Bush is up for Best British Female as well as Adele, Florence And The Machine, Jessie J and Laura Marling.

Arctic Monkeys and Elbow are both nominated for Best British Group, where they are up alongside Chase & Status, Coldplay and Kasabian, while Feist and Bjork are both nominated for Best International Female as well as Lady Gaga, Beyonce and Rihanna.

Visit Brits.co.uk for the full list of nominees.

The Brit Awards will take place at the O2 Arena on February 21 next year. Blur will receive the Outstanding Contribution To Music award at the 2012 event.

Previous winners of that gong include the band’s Britpop rivals Oasis, as well as Paul McCartney, The Who, U2 and Queen.

Watch the trailer for the new LCD Soundsystem film

Tom Goodwyn
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0
Watch the trailer for the new LCD Soundsystem film

'Shut Up And Play The Hits' premieres at the Sundance Film Festival later this month 'Shut Up And Play The Hits', a film documenting LCD Soundsystem's last show at New York's Madison Square Garden in April 2011, is set to screen at the Sundance Film Festival later this month. Scroll down to watch the trailer for the film, which was directed by Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace. "If it's a funeral… let's have the best funeral ever," reads the film’s tagline. The film will premiere on January 22 at the US film festival. The band's former frontman, James Murphy, also appears as an 'ageing Brooklyn hipster' in new film 'The Comedy', which will also screen at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival (January 19-29, 2012) in Utah. The film was directed by Rick Alverson and stars Tim Heidecker as a man who "whiles away his days with a group of ageing Brooklyn hipsters, engaging in acts of recreational cruelty and pacified boredom," reports Pitchfork. Co-produced by the independent record label Jagjaguwar, the film is pitched as: "A scathing look at the white male on the verge of collapse, Rick Alverson’s carefully observed portrait provokes and disorients; a cautionary fable for the autumn of the American Era." For more information, visit Glasseyepix.com and Jagjaguwar. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FAUyrFWDvw

‘Shut Up And Play The Hits’ premieres at the Sundance Film Festival later this month

‘Shut Up And Play The Hits’, a film documenting LCD Soundsystem‘s last show at New York’s Madison Square Garden in April 2011, is set to screen at the Sundance Film Festival later this month.

Scroll down to watch the trailer for the film, which was directed by Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace. “If it’s a funeral… let’s have the best funeral ever,” reads the film’s tagline.

The film will premiere on January 22 at the US film festival. The band’s former frontman, James Murphy, also appears as an ‘ageing Brooklyn hipster’ in new film ‘The Comedy’, which will also screen at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival (January 19-29, 2012) in Utah.

The film was directed by Rick Alverson and stars Tim Heidecker as a man who “whiles away his days with a group of ageing Brooklyn hipsters, engaging in acts of recreational cruelty and pacified boredom,” reports Pitchfork.

Co-produced by the independent record label Jagjaguwar, the film is pitched as: “A scathing look at the white male on the verge of collapse, Rick Alverson’s carefully observed portrait provokes and disorients; a cautionary fable for the autumn of the American Era.”

For more information, visit Glasseyepix.com and Jagjaguwar.

Michael Eavis say he has ‘sorted’ the headliners for Glastonbury 2013

Tom Goodwyn
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0
Michael Eavis say he has ‘sorted’ the headliners for Glastonbury 2013

Organiser also talks up his 50th anniversary plans for the Worthy Farm event Michael Eavis has said that the headliners for Glastonbury 2013 are "already sorted". The festival will not take place this summer as it now takes a customary year off once in every five, but the organiser has said that this has not stopped him from booking the festival's bill toppers for when it returns in 2013. Speaking to BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat, Eavis responded to a question about what stage he was at in booking his headliners for 2013 by saying that they were "already sorted", but gave no clues about who they might be. Eavis also spoke about his plans for the festival's 50th anniversary celebrations in 2020 and said that he was determined to see the Worthy Farm event celebrate the milestone. He said: "I'm really determined somehow or other to make the 50 years - I don't see why I shouldn't make it. Strangely enough, I do feel incredibly fit. I don't see why I shouldn't make it. I've got the bands who want to play and the people who want to buy the tickets so why shouldn't we carry on?" Eavis' comments suggest he has reversed his opinion on the future of the festival after he said last year that Glastonbury may only take place for another "three or four years" and that music fans are generally growing bored of festivals. The Glastonbury organiser was speaking before he was honoured with a Lifetime achievement award at the European Festival Awards ceremony in Groningen, Holland last night (January 11). Coldplay won the award for Best Headliner and Festival Anthem Of The Year at the event, while James Blake was awarded Best Newcomer. Hungarian festival Sziget won the award for Best Major European Festival.

Organiser also talks up his 50th anniversary plans for the Worthy Farm event

Michael Eavis has said that the headliners for Glastonbury 2013 are “already sorted”.

The festival will not take place this summer as it now takes a customary year off once in every five, but the organiser has said that this has not stopped him from booking the festival’s bill toppers for when it returns in 2013.

Speaking to BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat, Eavis responded to a question about what stage he was at in booking his headliners for 2013 by saying that they were “already sorted”, but gave no clues about who they might be.

Eavis also spoke about his plans for the festival’s 50th anniversary celebrations in 2020 and said that he was determined to see the Worthy Farm event celebrate the milestone.

He said: “I’m really determined somehow or other to make the 50 years – I don’t see why I shouldn’t make it. Strangely enough, I do feel incredibly fit. I don’t see why I shouldn’t make it. I’ve got the bands who want to play and the people who want to buy the tickets so why shouldn’t we carry on?”

Eavis’ comments suggest he has reversed his opinion on the future of the festival after he said last year that Glastonbury may only take place for another “three or four years” and that music fans are generally growing bored of festivals.

The Glastonbury organiser was speaking before he was honoured with a Lifetime achievement award at the European Festival Awards ceremony in Groningen, Holland last night (January 11).

Coldplay won the award for Best Headliner and Festival Anthem Of The Year at the event, while James Blake was awarded Best Newcomer. Hungarian festival Sziget won the award for Best Major European Festival.

The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn announces March UK and Ireland tour

Tom Goodwyn
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0
The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn announces March UK and Ireland tour

Singer will support the Felice Brothers on their UK trek The Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn has announced a run of UK and Ireland shows for March. The singer, who also plays a solo show at London's Rough Trade East on January 25, will support folk duo The Felice Brothers at seven shows throughout March. The gigs kick off at London's MacBeth venue on March 13 and run until March 20 when Finn and the Felice Brothers play the UK capital's Koko venue. Craig Finn releases his debut solo album, which is titled 'Clear Heart Full Eyes', on January 23. It contains 11 tracks in all and has produced by Spoon/And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead knob twiddler Mike McCarthy. Finn has previously described the album as "quieter" than his work with The Hold Steady and said he "wanted to gain some experience of making a record with new people". He said of 'Clear Heart Full Eyes': "I had written a bunch of songs that were outside of the norm for The Hold Steady, a little quieter and perhaps more narrative. I wanted to gain some experience and insight into the process of making a record by working with new people." The Felice Brothers/Craig Finn will play: London MacBeth (13) Birmingham HMV Institute (14) Dublin Academy
(15) Belfast Spring & Airbrake (16) Glasgow ABC (17) 
 Manchester Academy 2 (18) London Koko (20)

Singer will support the Felice Brothers on their UK trek

The Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn has announced a run of UK and Ireland shows for March.

The singer, who also plays a solo show at London’s Rough Trade East on January 25, will support folk duo The Felice Brothers at seven shows throughout March.

The gigs kick off at London’s MacBeth venue on March 13 and run until March 20 when Finn and the Felice Brothers play the UK capital’s Koko venue.

Craig Finn releases his debut solo album, which is titled ‘Clear Heart Full Eyes’, on January 23. It contains 11 tracks in all and has produced by Spoon/And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead knob twiddler Mike McCarthy.

Finn has previously described the album as “quieter” than his work with The Hold Steady and said he “wanted to gain some experience of making a record with new people”.

He said of ‘Clear Heart Full Eyes’: “I had written a bunch of songs that were outside of the norm for The Hold Steady, a little quieter and perhaps more narrative. I wanted to gain some experience and insight into the process of making a record by working with new people.”

The Felice Brothers/Craig Finn will play:

London MacBeth (13)

Birmingham HMV Institute (14)

Dublin Academy
(15)

Belfast Spring & Airbrake (16)

Glasgow ABC (17) 


Manchester Academy 2 (18)

London Koko (20)

The Handsome Family announce May UK tour

Tom Goodwyn
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0
The Handsome Family announce May UK tour

The husband and wife duo will play eight shows The Handsome Family have announced plans for an eight date tour of the UK this May. The alt.country duo, made up of husband and wife team Brett and Rennie Sparks will begin the tour at Leeds' Brudenell Social Club on May 16, before dates in Glasgow, Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester and Oxford, finishing up in London at the 100 Club on May 27. The pair will be playing new songs at the run of shows. The band last released an album in 2008 - their eighth studio album, 'Honey Moon'. The Handsome Family will play: Leeds Brudenell Social Club (May 16) Glasgow St Andrews In The Square (17) Belfast Spring & Airbrake (19) Bristol The Fleece (21) Liverpool Leaf (23) Manchester St. Clement's Church (24) Oxford Bullingdon Arms (25) London 100 Club (27)

The husband and wife duo will play eight shows

The Handsome Family have announced plans for an eight date tour of the UK this May.

The alt.country duo, made up of husband and wife team Brett and Rennie Sparks will begin the tour at Leeds’ Brudenell Social Club on May 16, before dates in Glasgow, Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester and Oxford, finishing up in London at the 100 Club on May 27.

The pair will be playing new songs at the run of shows. The band last released an album in 2008 – their eighth studio album, ‘Honey Moon’.

The Handsome Family will play:

Leeds Brudenell Social Club (May 16)

Glasgow St Andrews In The Square (17)

Belfast Spring & Airbrake (19)

Bristol The Fleece (21)

Liverpool Leaf (23)

Manchester St. Clement’s Church (24)

Oxford Bullingdon Arms (25)

London 100 Club (27)

The Second Uncut Playlist Of 2012

John Mulvey
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0
The Second Uncut Playlist Of 2012

In case you’ve stumbled across https://www.www.uncut.co.uk for the first time in the wake of our redesign, each week I post a list of the music we’ve played in the Uncut office. It’s not meant in any way to be a list of recommendations, simply a catalogue of things we’ve listened to – though in most cases we’re broadly positive about the artists featured. A few things I’m not personally crazy about among this batch, but plenty of goodness, too: notably the Forsyth/Holtkamp jam, Eyvind Kang, Leonard Cohen, Sun Araw Vs The Congos and Hiss Golden Messenger’s “Wah-Wah Cowboys” mixtape, plus I’m still kind of amazed at liking a Tindersticks album again. The website makeover has unfortunately meant that all of your old comments were erased in the switchover, but please let’s get some conversations going on the Facebook Comments threads below. Let me know what you feel about this lot, and indeed about what you’re listening to this week, and I’ll wade in when I get a moment. And thanks, as ever, for your indulgence. 1 Moebius & Renziehausen – Ersatz (Bureau B) 2 Django Django – Django Django (Because) 3 Tindersticks – The Something Rain (Lucky Dog) 4 Dolphins Into The Future – Canto Arquipélago (Underwater People) 5 Nuojuva – Valot Kaukaa (Preservation) 6 The Magnetic Fields – Love At The Bottom Of The Sea (Domino) 7 Chris Forsyth & Koen Holtkamp – Early Astral (Blackest Rainbow) http://blackestrainbowrecords.bandcamp.com/album/early-astral 8 The Caravelles – Hey Mama You’ve Been On My Mind (RPM) 9 Various Artists – Blues Control Playlist (http://igetrvng.com/playlists/64) 10 Masaki Batoh – Brain Pulse Music (Drag City) 11 Toy – Left Myself Behind (Heavenly) 12 Eyvind Kang – The Narrow Garden (Ipecac) 13 Paul Weller – Sonik Kicks (Island) 14 The Shins – Port Of Morrow (Columbia) 15 White Hills – Frying On This Rock (Thrill Jockey) 16 Various Artists – Wah-Wah Cowboys (http://hissgoldenmessenger.blogspot.com/) https://www.uncut.co.uk/blog/wild-mercury-sound/wah-wah-cowboys-volume-two 17 Goldfrapp – The Singles (Mute) 18 Leonard Cohen – The Darkness (Columbia) https://www.uncut.co.uk/leonard-cohen/leonard-cohen-posts-new-single-the-darkness-online-news 19 Matthew Bourne – Montauk Variations (Leaf) 20 Sun Araw & M Geddes Gengras Meet The Congos – Icon Give Thank (RVNG Intl) 21 Julia Holter – Marienbad (RVNG Intl) 22 Lambchop – Mr M (City Slang) Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/#!/JohnRMulvey

In case you’ve stumbled across https://www.www.uncut.co.uk for the first time in the wake of our redesign, each week I post a list of the music we’ve played in the Uncut office.

It’s not meant in any way to be a list of recommendations, simply a catalogue of things we’ve listened to – though in most cases we’re broadly positive about the artists featured. A few things I’m not personally crazy about among this batch, but plenty of goodness, too: notably the Forsyth/Holtkamp jam, Eyvind Kang, Leonard Cohen, Sun Araw Vs The Congos and Hiss Golden Messenger’s “Wah-Wah Cowboys” mixtape, plus I’m still kind of amazed at liking a Tindersticks album again.

The website makeover has unfortunately meant that all of your old comments were erased in the switchover, but please let’s get some conversations going on the Facebook Comments threads below. Let me know what you feel about this lot, and indeed about what you’re listening to this week, and I’ll wade in when I get a moment. And thanks, as ever, for your indulgence.

1 Moebius & Renziehausen – Ersatz (Bureau B)

2 Django Django – Django Django (Because)

3 Tindersticks – The Something Rain (Lucky Dog)

4 Dolphins Into The Future – Canto Arquipélago (Underwater People)

5 Nuojuva – Valot Kaukaa (Preservation)

6 The Magnetic Fields – Love At The Bottom Of The Sea (Domino)

7 Chris Forsyth & Koen Holtkamp – Early Astral (Blackest Rainbow) http://blackestrainbowrecords.bandcamp.com/album/early-astral

8 The Caravelles – Hey Mama You’ve Been On My Mind (RPM)

9 Various Artists – Blues Control Playlist (http://igetrvng.com/playlists/64)

10 Masaki Batoh – Brain Pulse Music (Drag City)

11 Toy – Left Myself Behind (Heavenly)

12 Eyvind Kang – The Narrow Garden (Ipecac)

13 Paul Weller – Sonik Kicks (Island)

14 The Shins – Port Of Morrow (Columbia)

15 White Hills – Frying On This Rock (Thrill Jockey)

16 Various Artists – Wah-Wah Cowboys (http://hissgoldenmessenger.blogspot.com/) https://www.uncut.co.uk/blog/wild-mercury-sound/wah-wah-cowboys-volume-two

17 Goldfrapp – The Singles (Mute)

18 Leonard Cohen – The Darkness (Columbia) https://www.uncut.co.uk/leonard-cohen/leonard-cohen-posts-new-single-the-darkness-online-news

19 Matthew Bourne – Montauk Variations (Leaf)

20 Sun Araw & M Geddes Gengras Meet The Congos – Icon Give Thank (RVNG Intl)

21 Julia Holter – Marienbad (RVNG Intl)

22 Lambchop – Mr M (City Slang)

Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/#!/JohnRMulvey

Jack White haggles for an elephant’s head on US TV show

Tom Goodwyn
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0
Jack White haggles for an elephant’s head on US TV show

The former White Stripes man appears on 'American Pickers' Jack White and the studio for his label Third Man Records have both appeared on a show called American Pickers on the US History Channel. The White Stripes' former frontman appeared on American Pickers, which was broadcast in the US earlier this week. In it he bartered for an elephant's head and attempted to sell a photobooth and jukebox to the show's hosts at his Third Man Records studio in Nashville. The photobooth was used in the video for 'Hang You From The Heavens' by The Dead Weather. "That is the weirdest looking giraffe I've ever seen," jokes White as the taxidermied elephant head is unpacked in front of him. "I love the majesty of taxidermy," he adds in an online clip from the show. American Pickers sees two men - Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz – travel across the United States and "scour the country's junkyards, basements and barns for hidden gems". For more information visit: www.history.com/shows/american-pickers Since leaving The White Stripes, White has collaborated with rappers the Insane Clown Posse and released a remix album featuring Queens Of The Stone Age's Josh Homme, Beck, and Mark Lanegan on Third Man Records. Jack White recently revealed that he has collaborated with Tom Jones for a one-off release on Third Man Records. The Welsh crooner recorded a version of his 2002 track 'Jezebel' and a cover of Howlin' Wolf's 'Evil' for the release, which is set to be the latest in the label's 'Blue Series'.

The former White Stripes man appears on ‘American Pickers’

Jack White and the studio for his label Third Man Records have both appeared on a show called American Pickers on the US History Channel.

The White Stripes‘ former frontman appeared on American Pickers, which was broadcast in the US earlier this week. In it he bartered for an elephant’s head and attempted to sell a photobooth and jukebox to the show’s hosts at his Third Man Records studio in Nashville. The photobooth was used in the video for ‘Hang You From The Heavens’ by The Dead Weather.

“That is the weirdest looking giraffe I’ve ever seen,” jokes White as the taxidermied elephant head is unpacked in front of him. “I love the majesty of taxidermy,” he adds in an online clip from the show.

American Pickers sees two men – Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz – travel across the United States and “scour the country’s junkyards, basements and barns for hidden gems”. For more information visit: www.history.com/shows/american-pickers

Since leaving The White Stripes, White has collaborated with rappers the Insane Clown Posse and released a remix album featuring Queens Of The Stone Age’s Josh Homme, Beck, and Mark Lanegan on Third Man Records.

Jack White recently revealed that he has collaborated with Tom Jones for a one-off release on Third Man Records. The Welsh crooner recorded a version of his 2002 track ‘Jezebel’ and a cover of Howlin’ Wolf’s ‘Evil’ for the release, which is set to be the latest in the label’s ‘Blue Series’.

The Velvet Underground file lawsuit over iconic banana symbol

Tom Goodwyn
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0
The Velvet Underground file lawsuit over iconic banana symbol

Defunct band block Andy Warhol image from their 1967 album being used on iPads and iPhones The Velvet Underground have filed a lawsuit seeking to block its iconic Andy Warhol-designed banana being used on covers for iPads and iPhones. The defunct 1960's band, formed by Lou Reed and John Cale, has announced it is taking action against the Andy Warhol Foundation after reading newspaper reports in the past year that the foundation had agreed to license the banana design to a series of cases, sleeves and bags. According to the lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court, the group have claimed the iconic banana design is synonymous with The Velvet Underground, which features on their 1967 album 'The Velvet Underground And Nico'. The design, which was never officially copyrighted, "became a symbol, truly an icon, of The Velvet Underground for some 25 years", court papers added, reports Reuters. The Velvet Underground is seeking an injunction blocking the use of the banana by third parties, a declaration that the Warhol Foundation has no copyright interest in the design, unspecified damages, and a share of the profits made by the Warhol Foundation from any licensing deals. The band's drummer Moe Tucker recently found herself linked to the Tea Party movement in the US after she appeared in TV footage suggesting she was supporter.

Defunct band block Andy Warhol image from their 1967 album being used on iPads and iPhones

The Velvet Underground have filed a lawsuit seeking to block its iconic Andy Warhol-designed banana being used on covers for iPads and iPhones.

The defunct 1960’s band, formed by Lou Reed and John Cale, has announced it is taking action against the Andy Warhol Foundation after reading newspaper reports in the past year that the foundation had agreed to license the banana design to a series of cases, sleeves and bags.

According to the lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court, the group have claimed the iconic banana design is synonymous with The Velvet Underground, which features on their 1967 album ‘The Velvet Underground And Nico’.

The design, which was never officially copyrighted, “became a symbol, truly an icon, of The Velvet Underground for some 25 years”, court papers added, reports Reuters.

The Velvet Underground is seeking an injunction blocking the use of the banana by third parties, a declaration that the Warhol Foundation has no copyright interest in the design, unspecified damages, and a share of the profits made by the Warhol Foundation from any licensing deals.

The band’s drummer Moe Tucker recently found herself linked to the Tea Party movement in the US after she appeared in TV footage suggesting she was supporter.

Roxy Music’s Bryan Ferry marries for the second time

Tom Goodwyn
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0
Roxy Music’s Bryan Ferry marries for the second time

Singer ties the knot with Amanda Sheppard in the Caribbean Roxy Music's Bryan Ferry has married his girlfriend Amanda Sheppard in a "simple, private ceremony". According to the Daily Telegraph, the veteran singer tied the knot with the fashion PR on January 4 at the exclusive Amanyara resort. The pair have been dating since being introduced by one of Ferry's sons in 2009. Confirming the marriage, 66-year-old Ferry commented on the 37-year age gap between the pair, saying: "You never meet people your own age who aren’t married. Unless they are divorcees knocking about, that sort of thing." He also refused to rule out having children with Sheppard, stating: "Oh, I never feel comfortable predicting the future." Ferry divorced his first wife, Lucy Helmore, in 2003 after 21 years of marriage. He has four sons from the relationship - Merlin, Tara, Isaac and Otis. The singer was hospitalised with heart problems last year, but has said he now feels much fitter. Ferry's last album was 2010's 'Olympia', which included collaborations with the likes of Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood and Scissor Sisters.

Singer ties the knot with Amanda Sheppard in the Caribbean

Roxy Music‘s Bryan Ferry has married his girlfriend Amanda Sheppard in a “simple, private ceremony”.

According to the Daily Telegraph, the veteran singer tied the knot with the fashion PR on January 4 at the exclusive Amanyara resort. The pair have been dating since being introduced by one of Ferry’s sons in 2009.

Confirming the marriage, 66-year-old Ferry commented on the 37-year age gap between the pair, saying: “You never meet people your own age who aren’t married. Unless they are divorcees knocking about, that sort of thing.”

He also refused to rule out having children with Sheppard, stating: “Oh, I never feel comfortable predicting the future.”

Ferry divorced his first wife, Lucy Helmore, in 2003 after 21 years of marriage. He has four sons from the relationship – Merlin, Tara, Isaac and Otis.

The singer was hospitalised with heart problems last year, but has said he now feels much fitter.

Ferry’s last album was 2010’s ‘Olympia’, which included collaborations with the likes of Radiohead‘s Jonny Greenwood and Scissor Sisters.

Leonard Cohen posts new single ‘The Darkness’ online

Tom Goodwyn
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0
Leonard Cohen posts new single ‘The Darkness’ online

Hear latest cut from singer's 'Old Ideas' album on Uncut.co.uk Leonard Cohen has posted his new single 'The Darkness' online – scroll down to the bottom of the page and click to listen. The track, which was made available online via Pitchfork, is the latest track to be taken from the singer's new album 'Old Ideas', which is set for release on January 30. The album's first single, 'Show Me The Place', was posted online in November last year. 'Old Ideas' is the legendary singer songwriter's first new offering since 2004's 'Dear Heather', and his 12th studio album since 1967. Made up of 10 tracks, recording for the album started in January 2011, though some of the songs have been in the works for much longer, with 'Lullaby' and 'The Darkness' performed live on Cohen's last world tour. The album was produced by Patrick Leonard, Anjani Thomas, Ed Sanders and Dino Soldo and features backing vocals from Dana Glover, Sharon Robinson, The Webb Sisters and longtime Cohen collaborator Jennifer Warnes. The tracklisting of 'Old Ideas' is: 'Going Home' 'Amen' 'Show Me The Place' 'The Darkness' 'Anyhow' 'Crazy To Love You' 'Come Healing' 'Banjo' 'Lullaby' 'Different Sides'

Hear latest cut from singer’s ‘Old Ideas’ album on Uncut.co.uk

Leonard Cohen has posted his new single ‘The Darkness’ online – scroll down to the bottom of the page and click to listen.

The track, which was made available online via Pitchfork, is the latest track to be taken from the singer’s new album ‘Old Ideas’, which is set for release on January 30. The album’s first single, ‘Show Me The Place’, was posted online in November last year.

‘Old Ideas’ is the legendary singer songwriter’s first new offering since 2004’s ‘Dear Heather’, and his 12th studio album since 1967.

Made up of 10 tracks, recording for the album started in January 2011, though some of the songs have been in the works for much longer, with ‘Lullaby’ and ‘The Darkness’ performed live on Cohen’s last world tour.

The album was produced by Patrick Leonard, Anjani Thomas, Ed Sanders and Dino Soldo and features backing vocals from Dana Glover, Sharon Robinson, The Webb Sisters and longtime Cohen collaborator Jennifer Warnes.

The tracklisting of ‘Old Ideas’ is:

‘Going Home’

‘Amen’

‘Show Me The Place’

‘The Darkness’

‘Anyhow’

‘Crazy To Love You’

‘Come Healing’

‘Banjo’

‘Lullaby’

‘Different Sides’

Depeche Mode’s Vince Clarke and Martin Gore announce new album details

Tom Goodwyn
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0
Depeche Mode’s Vince Clarke and Martin Gore announce new album details

VCMC release 'Ssss' on March 12. Vince Clarke and Martin Gore of the original Depeche Mode line-up have announced details of their collaborative album 'Ssss'. Set for release on March 12 through Mute, the 10-track album sees the duo working together for the first time in over 30 years. Gore is still a member of Depeche Mode - current line-up pictured above - but Vince Clarke left the band after the release of their 1981 album 'Speak & Spell', before going on to make music with Erasure and Yazoo. The album, which is being attributed to VCMG, was made with both men working separately from their own studios and developing tracks via email. 'Ssss' was written and produced by Clarke and Gore. Last summer, Gore told Billboard that the project "was something different, and we didn't have conversations about it. It was more just like emails and filesharing. It was something completely different no vocals, all instrumental stuff." The 'Ssss' tracklisting is: 'Lowly' 'Zaat' 'Spock' 'Windup Robot' 'Bendy Bass' 'Single Blip' 'Skip This Track' 'Aftermaths' 'Recycle' 'Flux'

VCMC release ‘Ssss’ on March 12.

Vince Clarke and Martin Gore of the original Depeche Mode line-up have announced details of their collaborative album ‘Ssss’.

Set for release on March 12 through Mute, the 10-track album sees the duo working together for the first time in over 30 years. Gore is still a member of Depeche Mode – current line-up pictured above – but Vince Clarke left the band after the release of their 1981 album ‘Speak & Spell’, before going on to make music with Erasure and Yazoo.

The album, which is being attributed to VCMG, was made with both men working separately from their own studios and developing tracks via email. ‘Ssss’ was written and produced by Clarke and Gore.

Last summer, Gore told Billboard that the project “was something different, and we didn’t have conversations about it. It was more just like emails and filesharing. It was something completely different no vocals, all instrumental stuff.”

The ‘Ssss’ tracklisting is:

‘Lowly’

‘Zaat’

‘Spock’

‘Windup Robot’

‘Bendy Bass’

‘Single Blip’

‘Skip This Track’

‘Aftermaths’

‘Recycle’

‘Flux’

Blur’s Graham Coxon announces UK solo tour for April

Tom Goodwyn
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0
Blur’s Graham Coxon announces UK solo tour for April

Guitarist wants fans to help choose his tour support. Graham Coxon has announced an extensive UK tour for April. The Blur guitarist, who releases his eighth solo album 'A+E' on April 2, will play 14 shows across the UK. These begin at Oxford's O2 Academy on April 13 and run until April 30 when Coxon will headline Falmouth's Princess Pavilions venue. Coxon is also offering local bands the chance to support him at each one of the shows and has revealed that he will be picking his opening act for each night of the tour from a fan voted poll on his website. Bands can submit their tracks to toursupport.grahamcoxon.co.uk and these will then be available to be heard by all visitors to his site. Speaking to NME about what he would like to see from the bands who submit their tracks, Coxon said: "I'll be very open to different sounding groups – it'll be interesting to see who applies. I do like music that has a bit of urgency, a punk rock spirit to it, though". To read a new interview with Graham Coxon in which he talks about his new album and the future of Blur, pick up this week's issue of NME, which is on UK newsstands and available digitally now. Graham Coxon will play: O2 Academy Oxford (April 13) Gateshead Sage (15) Edinburgh Liquid Rooms (16) Glasgow Garage (17) Manchester Sound Control (19) Sheffield Leadmill (20) Nottingham Rescue Rooms (21) Brighton Concorde (23) Cambridge Junction (24) London HMV Forum (25) Gloucester Guildhall (27) Bristol Trinity (28) Exeter Phoenix (29) Falmouth Princess Pavilions (30) Tickets go on sale on Friday (January 13) at 9am (GMT). To check the availability of Graham Coxon tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/TICKETS now, or call 0871 230 1094.

Guitarist wants fans to help choose his tour support.

Graham Coxon has announced an extensive UK tour for April.

The Blur guitarist, who releases his eighth solo album ‘A+E’ on April 2, will play 14 shows across the UK. These begin at Oxford’s O2 Academy on April 13 and run until April 30 when Coxon will headline Falmouth’s Princess Pavilions venue.

Coxon is also offering local bands the chance to support him at each one of the shows and has revealed that he will be picking his opening act for each night of the tour from a fan voted poll on his website.

Bands can submit their tracks to toursupport.grahamcoxon.co.uk and these will then be available to be heard by all visitors to his site.

Speaking to NME about what he would like to see from the bands who submit their tracks, Coxon said: “I’ll be very open to different sounding groups – it’ll be interesting to see who applies. I do like music that has a bit of urgency, a punk rock spirit to it, though”.

To read a new interview with Graham Coxon in which he talks about his new album and the future of Blur, pick up this week’s issue of NME, which is on UK newsstands and available digitally now.

Graham Coxon will play:

O2 Academy Oxford (April 13)

Gateshead Sage (15)

Edinburgh Liquid Rooms (16)

Glasgow Garage (17)

Manchester Sound Control (19)

Sheffield Leadmill (20)

Nottingham Rescue Rooms (21)

Brighton Concorde (23)

Cambridge Junction (24)

London HMV Forum (25)

Gloucester Guildhall (27)

Bristol Trinity (28)

Exeter Phoenix (29)

Falmouth Princess Pavilions (30)

Tickets go on sale on Friday (January 13) at 9am (GMT). To check the availability of Graham Coxon tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/TICKETS now, or call 0871 230 1094.

The Uncut Readers’ Top 50 Of 2011

John Mulvey
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0
The Uncut Readers’ Top 50 Of 2011

Just before Christmas, you may remember, I asked for your 2011 Top Tens, in response to my lengthy end-of-year effort. I’ve done the maths now, anyhow, and am pleased to present a Top 50 compiled from your votes. Readers of the magazine may notice certain uncanny similarities with the Uncut writers’ Top 50 that we published in our issue out at the start of December: I know it looks like a bit of a fix, but this is genuinely how the numbers panned out. Thanks again for helping us out with this. A good way to celebrate the launch of our new site, I think: please take a look around and let us know how it’s all working. 50 ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER Replica (SOFTWARE) 49 FUCKED UP David Comes To Life (MATADOR) 48 WOODEN SHJIPS West (THRILL JOCKEY) 47 JULIANNA BARWICK The Magic Place (ASTHMATIC KITTY) 46 TIM HECKER Ravedeath, 1972 (KRANKY) 45 FEIST Metals (POLYDOR) 44 YOUTH LAGOON Year Of Hibernation (FAT POSSUM) 43 A.A.BONDY Believers (TURNSTILE) 42 DESTROYER Kaputt (DEAD OCEANS) 41 DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS Go-Go Boots (PLAY IT AGAIN SAM) 40 IRON & WINE Kiss Each Other Clean (4AD) 39 REAL ESTATE Days (DOMINO) 38 GRUFF RHYS Hotel Shampoo (TURNSTILE) 37 THE PEOPLE’S TEMPLE Sons Of Stone (HOZAC) 36 OTHER LIVES Tamer Animals (PLAY IT AGAIN SAM) 35 THE HORRIBLE CROWES Elsie (SIDEONEDUMMY) 34 THE DECEMBERISTS The King Is Dead (ROUGH TRADE) 33 KING CREOSOTE & JON HOPKINS Diamond Mine (DOMINO) 32 JONNY Jonny (ALSATIAN) 31 GIRLS Father, Son, Holy Ghost (TURNSTILE) 30 ATLAS SOUND Parallax (4AD) 29 EMA Past Life Martyred Saints (SOUTERRAIN TRANSMISSIONS) 28 WILD BEASTS Smother (DOMINO) 27 LAURA MARLING A Creature I Don't Know (VIRGIN) 26 ST VINCENT Strange Mercy (4AD) 25 JAMES BLAKE James Blake (ATLAS) 24 TUNE-YARDS W H O K I L L(4AD) 23 MIKAL CRONIN Mikal Cronin (TROUBLE IN MIND) 22 THE STRANGE BOYS Live Music (ROUGH TRADE) 21 BONNIE ‘PRINCE’ BILLY Wolfroy Goes To Town (DOMINO) 20 THE BLACK KEYS El Camino (NONESUCH) 19 THEE OH SEES Carrion Crawler/Dream (IN THE RED) 18 RYAN ADAMS Ashes And Fire (COLUMBIA) 17 METRONOMY The English Riviera (BECAUSE) 16 THE HORRORS Skying (XL) 15 JONATHAN WILSON Gentle Spirit (BELLA UNION) 14 RADIOHEAD The King Of Limbs (XL) 13 KATE BUSH 50 Words For Snow (FISH PEOPLE/EMI) 12 JOSH T PEARSON Last Of The Country Gentlemen (MUTE) 11 LOW C’Mon (SUB POP) 10 THE WAR ON DRUGS Slave Ambient (SECRETLY CANADIAN) 9 TOM WAITS Bad As Me (ANTI-) 8 BON IVER Bon Iver (4AD) 7 WHITE DENIM D (DOWNTOWN) 6 GILLIAN WELCH The Harrow & The Harvest (ACONY) 5 WILCO The Whole Love (DBPM/ANTI-) 4 BILL CALLAHAN Apocalypse (DRAG CITY) 3 FLEET FOXES Helplessness Blues (BELLA UNION) 2 KURT VILE Smoke Ring For My Halo (MATADOR) 1 PJ HARVEY Let England Shake (ISLAND) Follow me on Twitter: @JohnRMulvey

Just before Christmas, you may remember, I asked for your 2011 Top Tens, in response to my lengthy end-of-year effort.

I’ve done the maths now, anyhow, and am pleased to present a Top 50 compiled from your votes. Readers of the magazine may notice certain uncanny similarities with the Uncut writers’ Top 50 that we published in our issue out at the start of December: I know it looks like a bit of a fix, but this is genuinely how the numbers panned out.

Thanks again for helping us out with this. A good way to celebrate the launch of our new site, I think: please take a look around and let us know how it’s all working.

50 ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER Replica (SOFTWARE)

49 FUCKED UP David Comes To Life (MATADOR)

48 WOODEN SHJIPS West (THRILL JOCKEY)

47 JULIANNA BARWICK The Magic Place (ASTHMATIC KITTY)

46 TIM HECKER Ravedeath, 1972 (KRANKY)

45 FEIST Metals (POLYDOR)

44 YOUTH LAGOON Year Of Hibernation (FAT POSSUM)

43 A.A.BONDY Believers (TURNSTILE)

42 DESTROYER Kaputt (DEAD OCEANS)

41 DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS Go-Go Boots (PLAY IT AGAIN SAM)

40 IRON & WINE Kiss Each Other Clean (4AD)

39 REAL ESTATE Days (DOMINO)

38 GRUFF RHYS Hotel Shampoo (TURNSTILE)

37 THE PEOPLE’S TEMPLE Sons Of Stone (HOZAC)

36 OTHER LIVES Tamer Animals (PLAY IT AGAIN SAM)

35 THE HORRIBLE CROWES Elsie (SIDEONEDUMMY)

34 THE DECEMBERISTS The King Is Dead (ROUGH TRADE)

33 KING CREOSOTE & JON HOPKINS Diamond Mine (DOMINO)

32 JONNY Jonny (ALSATIAN)

31 GIRLS Father, Son, Holy Ghost (TURNSTILE)

30 ATLAS SOUND Parallax (4AD)

29 EMA Past Life Martyred Saints (SOUTERRAIN TRANSMISSIONS)

28 WILD BEASTS Smother (DOMINO)

27 LAURA MARLING A Creature I Don’t Know (VIRGIN)

26 ST VINCENT Strange Mercy (4AD)

25 JAMES BLAKE James Blake (ATLAS)

24 TUNE-YARDS W H O K I L L(4AD)

23 MIKAL CRONIN Mikal Cronin (TROUBLE IN MIND)

22 THE STRANGE BOYS Live Music (ROUGH TRADE)

21 BONNIE ‘PRINCE’ BILLY Wolfroy Goes To Town (DOMINO)

20 THE BLACK KEYS El Camino (NONESUCH)

19 THEE OH SEES Carrion Crawler/Dream (IN THE RED)

18 RYAN ADAMS Ashes And Fire (COLUMBIA)

17 METRONOMY The English Riviera (BECAUSE)

16 THE HORRORS Skying (XL)

15 JONATHAN WILSON Gentle Spirit (BELLA UNION)

14 RADIOHEAD The King Of Limbs (XL)

13 KATE BUSH 50 Words For Snow (FISH PEOPLE/EMI)

12 JOSH T PEARSON Last Of The Country Gentlemen (MUTE)

11 LOW C’Mon (SUB POP)

10 THE WAR ON DRUGS Slave Ambient (SECRETLY CANADIAN)

9 TOM WAITS Bad As Me (ANTI-)

8 BON IVER Bon Iver (4AD)

7 WHITE DENIM D (DOWNTOWN)

6 GILLIAN WELCH The Harrow & The Harvest (ACONY)

5 WILCO The Whole Love (DBPM/ANTI-)

4 BILL CALLAHAN Apocalypse (DRAG CITY)

3 FLEET FOXES Helplessness Blues (BELLA UNION)

2 KURT VILE Smoke Ring For My Halo (MATADOR)

1 PJ HARVEY Let England Shake (ISLAND)

Follow me on Twitter: @JohnRMulvey

Charlie Watts talks up the chances of the Rolling Stones touring in 2012

Tom Goodwyn
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0
Charlie Watts talks up the chances of the Rolling Stones touring in 2012

Drummer says 'it would be great' if the band could tour next year. Charlie Watts has talked up the chances of The Rolling Stones touring this year. Last year, it was reported that Richards and Mick Jagger were set to discuss plans for the 50th anniversary of the first Rolling Stones gig, which takes place on July 20, 2012 and the band's drummer has thrown his weight behind plans to play live with the band once again. He told BBC 6Music: "It would be lovely next year to do some shows because it will be 50 years. Ronnie [Wood] plays, I still play, Mick sings, he can do it anyway, I think Keith is doing some records." The sticksman also said that he really hoped the band could reunite as they were getting to an age where it is becoming harder and harder for them to think about touring extensively. He added: "It would be great if we did, we are just getting to an age where it's getting a bit difficult to get it together and it's such a bloody performance getting us together." The Rolling Stones played their first ever gig in London on July 12, 1962. They reissued their seminal 1978 album 'Some Girls' late last year.

Drummer says ‘it would be great’ if the band could tour next year.

Charlie Watts has talked up the chances of The Rolling Stones touring this year.

Last year, it was reported that Richards and Mick Jagger were set to discuss plans for the 50th anniversary of the first Rolling Stones gig, which takes place on July 20, 2012 and the band’s drummer has thrown his weight behind plans to play live with the band once again.

He told BBC 6Music: “It would be lovely next year to do some shows because it will be 50 years. Ronnie [Wood] plays, I still play, Mick sings, he can do it anyway, I think Keith is doing some records.”

The sticksman also said that he really hoped the band could reunite as they were getting to an age where it is becoming harder and harder for them to think about touring extensively.

He added: “It would be great if we did, we are just getting to an age where it’s getting a bit difficult to get it together and it’s such a bloody performance getting us together.”

The Rolling Stones played their first ever gig in London on July 12, 1962. They reissued their seminal 1978 album ‘Some Girls’ late last year.

Beach House complete work on new album?

Tom Goodwyn
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0
Beach House complete work on new album?

Electric Lady Studios have suggested that the duo have finished their fourth LP. Beach House have reportedly finished work on the follow up to 2010's 'Teen Dream'. The duo – made up of Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally – have apparently completed their fourth album at New York's iconic Electric Lady Studios. According to Pedestrian.tv, the studio posted a message on their Facebook page saying: "Just wrapped the new Beach House record in Studio A... such a rad record // band." However, the message was quickly taken down and the band's label Sub Pop have since told Gorilla Vs Bear blogger Chris Cantalini that the studio had "jumped the gun" when it came to breaking the news. Victoria Legrand of Beach House recently joined forces with Air on a song called 'Seven Stars'. Taken from Air's new LP 'Le Voyage Dans La Lune', the album is due for release on February 6. It is the French band's seventh album and their first since 2009's 'Love 2'.

Electric Lady Studios have suggested that the duo have finished their fourth LP.

Beach House have reportedly finished work on the follow up to 2010’s ‘Teen Dream’.

The duo – made up of Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally – have apparently completed their fourth album at New York’s iconic Electric Lady Studios. According to Pedestrian.tv, the studio posted a message on their Facebook page saying: “Just wrapped the new Beach House record in Studio A… such a rad record // band.”

However, the message was quickly taken down and the band’s label Sub Pop have since told Gorilla Vs Bear blogger Chris Cantalini that the studio had “jumped the gun” when it came to breaking the news.

Victoria Legrand of Beach House recently joined forces with Air on a song called ‘Seven Stars’. Taken from Air‘s new LP ‘Le Voyage Dans La Lune’, the album is due for release on February 6. It is the French band’s seventh album and their first since 2009’s ‘Love 2’.

Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon launches rarities record label

Tom Goodwyn
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Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon launches rarities record label

Chigliak Records will release local Wisconsin acts, 'lost records' and new music Bon Iver's frontman Justin Vernon has launched his own label, called Chigliak Records. An imprint of Jagjaguwar, the label he himself is signed to, Chigliak Records will release music that was "never commercially released" or "locally released [in Wisconsin] and never put out on vinyl", as well as new music, reports Rolling Stone. Speaking to Pitchfork back in 2010, Vernon said the first release from the label would be from a band called Amateur Love, which featured Brad and Phil Cook, now of Megafaun. "They put out a record and it probably sold like 500 copies - it was like this electro-pop thing with a Neil Young or Paul Westerberg-quality songwriter, I shit you not," said Vernon. He went on to say of the label: "It's like a 'lost records' thing and I'm encouraging other people to send in records of their local heroes - totally unsigned shit that never went anywhere but is incredible." The name Chigliak is taken from a character on 1990s US TV series, Northern Exposure.

Chigliak Records will release local Wisconsin acts, ‘lost records’ and new music

Bon Iver‘s frontman Justin Vernon has launched his own label, called Chigliak Records.

An imprint of Jagjaguwar, the label he himself is signed to, Chigliak Records will release music that was “never commercially released” or “locally released [in Wisconsin] and never put out on vinyl”, as well as new music, reports Rolling Stone.

Speaking to Pitchfork back in 2010, Vernon said the first release from the label would be from a band called Amateur Love, which featured Brad and Phil Cook, now of Megafaun.

“They put out a record and it probably sold like 500 copies – it was like this electro-pop thing with a Neil Young or Paul Westerberg-quality songwriter, I shit you not,” said Vernon. He went on to say of the label: “It’s like a ‘lost records’ thing and I’m encouraging other people to send in records of their local heroes – totally unsigned shit that never went anywhere but is incredible.”

The name Chigliak is taken from a character on 1990s US TV series, Northern Exposure.

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