Bestival 2010 line up expanded

Hot Chip confirmed for Bestival 2010

January is only just over and already we’re gearing up for the festival season – Glastonbury rumours were rife yesterday, but today’s announcement on Bestival’s line up reveals a host of impressive acts. Dizzee Rascal, The Flaming Lips, Hot Chip, LCD Soundsystem and, er, Rolf Harris are all on the bill.

The full line up can be found over at the Bestival website, but there’s a strong mix of the old (Marc Almond, Gil Scott Heron, Echo and the Bunnymen), the leftfield (Four Tet, Flying Lotus, Here We Go Magic) and the hotly-tipped (Joy Orbison, The Antlers). There’s also dan le sac v. Scroobius Pip, but you can’t have everything. … Continue Reading

Red Bull Music Academy’s Clash Culture/Culture Clash

Jazzie B

On February 17, Red Bull Music Academy are hosting a wondrous sounding event at the very splendid Roundhouse. Entitled Clash Culture/Culture Clash, the line up features Soul II Soul Soundsystem, Jazzie B, MC Chickaboo, Metalheadz, Goldie, Roots Manuva and many more special guests.

It’s being billed as an all-seeing night celebrating the role of sound-systems in London, and the emergence of reggae, dub and lovers’ rock.  Jazzie B’s Soul II Soul will bringing “positive vibes”, with Goldie’s Metalheadz offering something altogether different – the hardcore. Dubstep’s infamous Digital Mystickz will be bringing the sounds up to date, and Trojan Soundsystem offer their sounds too.

Culture clash and clashes make culture – it’s pretty darn innovative!

Tickets are available from here for just £10.

Male Bonding LP due in May

Male Bonding

Dalston’s very own Male Bonding will release their much-anticipated debut album on May 11th. Entitled Nothing Hurts, it will be released on the legendary Sub Pop Records.

New York band Vivian Girls appear on the album’s final track ‘Worst To Come’. The full tracklist is below. The band will embark on a U.S. tour in March and April in the lead up to the album’s release. They also have a compilation coming out on their own Paradise Vendors Inc label at the end of this month, featuring the likes of Teen Sheikhs, Fair Ohs, Spectrals and Cold Pumas – Alan McGee likes this.

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We’re looking for bands and short dramatic pieces

Muso's Guide

We are looking for short dramatic pieces, to be performed as part of a one-day event at The Camden Head we’re hosting on Sunday 4th April. In association with Broken Glass Theatre Company, the day will showcase innovative approaches to theatrical and musical performance.

If you’re  a band, please post links to your MySpace page as a comment to this piece – we’ll listen to all of them.The Muso’s Guide half of the event is looking for new bands and artists to be brought to our attention.

We are open to submissions of complete pieces from theatre companies and individual performers working with fresh approaches to live theatre, with a maximum running time of 25 minutes. Please email a short CV of previous work and proposals of no more than 300 words to alex@brokenglassplay.co.uk or vicky@brokenglassplay.co.uk by Monday 1st March.

New High Places record in April

High Places vs Mankind

Mary Pearson and Rob Barber, also known as High Places, are gearing up to release their second full length album this spring. It’ll be called High Places vs. Mankind and will be released on April 6th on Thrill Jockey.

High Places vs. Mankind certainly looks to be a progression from their early singles and their debut album, with more standard instrumentation and vocals higher in the mix. The old High Places mix of sounds and influences still remain, however. The press release sez:

“Mary and Rob are tackling the complex, gigantic subject of being human and what it’s like to interact with other human beings. The album’s subject matter covers a wide range; from romantic relationships to overcoming addiction, aging, and finally death in the closing track ‘When It Comes’.”

… Continue Reading

Bodebrixen, Our Lost Infantry and The Grave Architects for The Lexington, 31/1!

Muso's Guide Presents...

Time moves quick when there’s great stuff abound, and it’s little wonder why January 31st has skipped up on us so quickly. And we’re very excited about our next Muso’s Guide Presents… show, which is happening at The Lexington in London on Sunday January 31st 2010. Seminal date.

Tickets are available from this link for a bargainous £6: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/68997 … Continue Reading

Yeasayer offer O.N.E. as a free download

Yeasayer - O.N.E.

Brooklyn’s post-everything mavericks, Yeasayer, are gearing up to release their much-anticipated second album Odd Blood at the beginning of February. They’re offering new single O.N.E. as a free download from their website at the moment – all you have to do is give them your email address.

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Kate McGarrigle passes away, aged 63

Kate McGarrigle

 Kate McGarrigle of the Canadian folk duo The McGarrigle Sisters passed away on Monday evening after a two-year battle with clear-cell sarcoma, a rare form of cancer. She was reportedly in her Montreal home at the time, along with her children, singers Rufus and Martha Wainwright, as well as her sisters Jane and Anna and her brother-in-law.

After cancelling his latest tour due to the illness in the family, Rufus since took to his website to share his sentiments on his mother’s passing:

… Continue Reading

New Joanna Newsom! EEE

Joanna Newsom

Elfin goddess come sometime child neglecter, Joanna Newsom, is being cryptic again.

Following the announcement that she’s to tour Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada and North America for the early part of this year, another clue in the form of a doodle appeared via the Drag City website, with the date of the 23rd of February apparent in the corner. … Continue Reading

Win a pair of tickets to see Casiokids at the Camden Barfly

Norway’s electro pop quintet CASIOKIDS play Camden’s Barfly on February 25, and we’re giving away a pair of tickets.

After the release of a few stellar singles in 2009, 2010 is looking exciting for this lot. Their bouncy percussive basement music, eerie melody and distorted bass are the product of inspiration from such diverse sources as Paul Simon’s Graceland, Ivor Cutler, King Tubby, Bob Hund, Cornelius And Fela Kuti.

To win tickets, just answer the following question:

Which label are Casiokids signed to? Is it:

(a) Galoshi Galoshi; or,
(b) Moshi Moshi?

Send your answers along with your full name, contact number and address to musosguide <AT> gmail <DOT> com

Good luck! … Continue Reading