Playing the band’s last show of their current tour, Nick Cave dramatically announced the dissolution of the four-piece. Having completed the band’s headlining show at Australia’s Meredith Music Festival, Cave announced to 12,000 concert goers:

That’s it for Grinderman. It’s over. See you all in another ten years when we’ll be even older and uglier.

The split might not come as a surprise to fans of the band, with guitarist Warren Ellis having told Mojo in October; ‘There [will] be no Grinderman 3,” before adding “We’re shutting it down.’ It would appear to many that the band were always going to act as a side project to the highly acclaimed and influential Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds.

Cave’s next project is now strongly rumoured to be the Bad Seeds fifteenth studio album and follow up to 2007′s critically acclaimed ‘Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!’. In a January interview drummer Jim Sclavunos has said the band are excited about the prospect of a new album; ‘This’ll be the first time the Bad Seeds exist as a wholly different band than they were when they started. Nick’s the only remaining person from the original lineup.’ Co founding member Mick Harvey left the band in 2009, and most recently appeared on PJ Harvey’s ‘Let England Shake’.

Sad as it may be, the departure of Grinderman may be the first signal of a new Bad Seeds LP. Though we lose one, we’re definitely grateful for the other, and wouldn’t dare complain.

Queens of the Stone Age have sent a much welcome update on the progress of their new album, tentatively said to be released in early 2012, having previously stated the album would be done by the end of this year. Homme took to the bands Facebook page to detail the progress:

Locked away in the desert. & shit yeah. it. sounds. fuckin. killer.

The album will be the first Queens of the Stone Age release since 2007′s ‘Era Vulgaris, and the band were discussing how excited they were since May of last year. Having spent last year touring the re-issue of the band’s self titled first album, Homme stated ‘I’m not gonna lie: I’m sick of doing the first record’ adding ‘We’ve never played the same setlist before. But then we’re playing really deep cuts [after the album performance] because it just it feels like a special night. We’re playing really small places.’ Much excitement had come from the band finally getting back together and creating again.

The five year gap between the two albums is not to say the band have been inactive in any way, with each of the members spending time with various other projects. Homme spent much of 2010 alongside Dave Grohl and Led Zeppelin bass player John Paul Jones with super group Them Crooked Vultures, releasing their debut album and touring. Guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen started his band Sweethead, having also recorded their debut album and toured alongside Them Crooked Vultures as support. Dean Fertita spent time with the Dead Weather alongside Jack White and Alison Mosshart of the Kills, releasing two albums within a year of each other.

Talking to BBC Radio 1 earlier this year Homme stated, ‘We’re at a weird moment where we really don’t feel like we have anything to prove,’ adding ‘We just want to play to the people that are into us and we want to play right at them.’

Let’s hope the release comes sooner rather than later.

In an interview with Jam, the National’s Matt Berninger has revealed the band are well on the way to writing new material for the follow up to 2010′s critically acclaimed ‘High Violet’.

Describing the work as ‘more immediate and visceral’, the frontman has also revealed a change in the band’s writing habits, talking of writing songs and playing around with ideas whilst still on the road; ‘Before we would wait until after a tour. We’d get away from each other and go off into our corners for several months and recharge.’ The case this time round seems to have changed with the band already excited for the new release with Berninger believing the band are ‘kind of ready’.

As if not fully aware of the affect this would have on overly-eager, borderline psychotic fangirls of the band, (a word against them and i’ll do things to you newsreaders won’t even be able to describe on air), Berninger also described the new material as some of the best the National have ever written.

Following the birth of his new child, Berninger has said songwriter Aaron Dessner has been ‘in some sort of really weird creative space’, and the material produced so far has had Berninger up ‘all night listening over and over to some things he sent’.

Perhaps we shouldn’t be too quick to assume all this will culminate in the release of a new National album soon, with the frontman also mentioning that everything could change; ‘six months from now we might just throw everything away that we’ve been working on and start from scratch. You never know.

Let’s all hope, perhaps only for the sake of my musical sanity, that a new National album is already in the works, and be will be gracing us very soon.

The highly influential Canadian post-rock band, Godspeed You! Black Emperor have announced six shows in April 2012, including a five night jaunt at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall. Pitchfork have also speculated this short tour would situate the band in a perfect position to play the Coachella festival next year.

The short tour will be the first since, GS!BE’s reunion tour which included both curating and headlining All Tomorrow’s Parties, ‘Nightmare before Christmas’. Following the reunion, the band played an extensive tour of the US whilst also making the trip to the UK too.

Earlier this year in an interview with Voir, drummer Bruce Cawdon announced the band would be writing new material, the first since 2002′s ‘Yanqui U.X.O’.

Johnny Depp has caused an uproar of overly exaggerated and seemingly opportunistic proportions within the Christian right after featuring on Babybird’s latest effort ‘The Pleasures of Self Destruction’. The track in question, ‘The Jesus Stag Night Club’, which has been described by many reports as Depp’s attempt at a Christmas number one, which features the lyrics ‘I can’t remember where I was last night, I think I was hanging naked off a church spire … felt like I was Jesus on fire’, has seemed to have caused some discomfort to the Christian Coalition and Focus on Family.

Amongst protest at the collaboration, Lee Douglas of the Christian Coalition has stated that Depp will ‘burn in hell’, as well as commenting, ‘I’m sure he thinks he’s being very funny but he’s simply a disgrace. One day, Johnny Depp and his cronies will face the judgement of our Lord and they will burn in hell for this filth.’

Stephen Jones of Babybird, one of Depp’s ‘cronies’ has said of the outrage that ‘Some people have no sense of humor.’ whilst also taking to Twitter to comment ‘I am Mary Magdeline. I’m £1.49 a minute on 1-666-LORDLUVA. Ask anything, I will answer your prayers’. Whilst the UK’s Daily Star claims Depp is completely unperturbed by the outrage.

Items on the Christian Coalition’s agenda include backing a repeal of ‘Obamacare’, ‘aggressively’ opposing all attempts at introducing same-sex marriages, rolling back the funding of stem cell research and reinstating the law banning gays from serving in the military. But there’s no need to worry, they’re also fighting against discrimination against Christians in the military too, so that’s completely fine. It’s just good they seem to be able to find the time to berate film stars and small underground bands too.

It seems perhaps most strange that the Christian Right would stop at just one of Babybird’s  songs, with tracks like ‘Jesus Is My Girlfriend’ that would perhaps prove interesting further listening. Or perhaps the presence of Mr. Depp would seem to cause a greater deal of threat to the fabric of the entirety of America’s families.

In perhaps one of the strangest collaborations of late, acclaimed singer-songwriter Feist and heavy metal legends Mastodon are to cover each others songs for a split release. Speaking to MTV News Canada, Mastodon’s frontman Troy Sanders has said that the band will cover a Feist song for Record Store Day, and ‘throw some hair and dirt on it’, whilst Feist will cover a Mastodon song and ‘pretty it up a little bit’.

Both tracks are due to be recorded in December for release in April in support of Record Store Day, one Sanders has said Mastodon ‘always tries to be a part of’. Record Store Day is a day in support of Independent Music stores, and helping the industry gain more support in the wake of the seeming monopoly of iTunes.

 In accompaniment to the critically acclaimed ‘Let England Shake’, released earlier this year, PJ Harvey has announced the release a DVD compilation of 12 short films for each of the songs on the album, filmed and directed by Seamus Murphy. Each of the videos is said to accompany each of the songs on the album, and will also feature a previously unreleased alternate video for the song ‘England’; a live solo performance of the track by Harvey.

Due to be released on 12th December, the release also features personal notes by the award winning film maker Seamus Murphy. ‘Let England Shake’ focused itself on wars both recent and from the past, with Harvey said to have been inspired by the battles in Gallipoli in the First World War, as well modern conflicts in Afghanistan, to which Murphy is renowned for his photographic work, cataloging the effects of the Taliban regime from 1994 to 2006; focusing on the war and politics, as well as the domesticated side of life within the country. His work ‘A Visible Darkness’, is one in which Harvey’s ‘Let England Shake’ clearly draws inspiration from, and also one that has won him much acclaim.

Harvey is due to embark upon an Australian tour in January 2012, playing the following dates:

Concert Hall, Perth – 13th Jan
Regent Theatre, Melbourne – 15th Jan
Regent Theatre, Melbourne – 16th Jan
State Theatre, Sydney Festival – 18th Jan
State Theatre, Sydney Festival – 19th Jan
Princes Wharf One, Mona Foma Festival, Hobart – 21st Jan

Appearing on ‘Taratata’ on French TV, the American singer who’s been the focus of intense media interest of late accidentally announced the name of her upcoming release. Talking about her new single ‘Born to Die’, Del Rey let slip that her album would share the same name.

The album, ‘Born to Die’, is tentatively set for release on 23rd January 2012 on Interscope Records, although the date is of course subject to change. As yet, no tracklisting has been released, but the album is expected to feature new single ‘Born to Die’, as well as the stunning ‘Video Games’, the reason for which Del Rey has found herself one of the most talked about stars of the year. The release is one of the most highly anticipated debut’s of recent memory.

Del Rey’s upcoming “controversial” video for ‘Born to Die’ is set to be directed by French director Yoann Lemoine, who’s previous work includes videos for Taylor Swift and Katy Perry. Del Rey is set to appear alongside a Tiger, which according to the singer, ‘don’t come cheap’.

The return of School of Seven Bells’ dreamy nu-gaze pop was announced earlier in the week with the release of their new album ‘GHOSTORY’ due on 28th February 2012.

Returning as a duo this time around, with Claudia Deheza having left the band in 2010 due to personal reasons, Benjamin Curtis and Alejandra Deheza have described the record as their ‘most collaborative to date’, as well as their most ‘spontaneous and sensual’. Due to focus around a fictional character Lafaye, ‘GHOSTORY’ has been described by Deheza as addressing the ghosts of one’s past; ‘Everyone has ghosts. They’re every love you’ve ever had, every hurt, every betrayal, every heartbreak. They follow you, stay with you.’

Released via Vagrant/Ghostly International on the 28/02/12, the tracklisting is as follows:

1. The Night
2. Love Play
3. Lafaye
4. Low Times
5. Reappear
6. Show Me Love
7. Scavenger
8. White Wind
9. When You Sing

Mark Lanegan has announced the release of his new album ‘Blues Funeral’. Recorded under the moniker, the Mark Lanegan Band, this will be the first solo release since 2004′s ‘Bubblegum.

Released on 6th February via 4AD records, ‘Blues Funeral’ was recorded at Queens of the Stone Age and Them Crooked Vultures collaborator, Alain Johnannes’ Hollywood Studio. Lanegan, known for his guest collaborations with numerous artists, has seemingly called in some favors, with guest spots from Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, Twilight Singers’ leadman Greg Dulli, Alain Johannes and original Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer, Jack Irons.

Lanegan continues to wrestle for the title of busiest man in rock. His most recent album with Isobel Campbell, ‘Hawk’ received critical acclaim, whilst earlier this year also featuring on album track ‘Be Invited’ on the Twilight Singers most recent release ‘Dynamite Steps’ as well as UNKLE track ‘Another Night Out’. Lanegan and Homme have also been working on a remix of the Dead Weather’s ‘Hang You From the Heavens’, for Jack White’s Third Man Records.

The Mark Lanegan Band will tour the UK in March 2012. They are due to play the following shows:

MARCH
Bristol O2 Academy – 4th
Manchester Academy 2 – 5th
Dublin Academy – 7th
Belfast Mandela Hall – 8th
Glasgow ABC – 9th
Leeds Cockpit – 10th
Birmingham Library – 12th
London O2 Shepherds Bush Empire – 13th

PJ Harvey announced that she’s written music for the new critically acclaimed production of Hamlet. She made the announcement Friday via her facebook page. The piece will be performed live on stage by the character Ophelia, played by Vinette Robinson. Little else has been said about the piece, but follows the interesting and startlingly progressive nature of Harvey’s recent work, with Mercury Prize winning, ‘Let England Shake’ having been almost universally acclaimed.

The production also features a return to the London stage for Michael Sheen, in what has been described as one of the most anticipated theater performances of the year. The character actor most recently played the part of Christ in a secular retelling of the Passion of the Christ. The production took place over a period of 72 hours, and was held in a variety of different locations in and around Sheen’s hometown, Port Talbot.

Hamlet is now showing at the Young Vic theater in London until the 21st January 2012.

Joining M83 at their Los Angeles show at the Music Box on Wednesday evening, Zola Jesus graced the stage to perform her part in opening number “Intro” from the band’s new release, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming. The collaborative effort, a highlight of the new album, doesn’t disappoint live, and even from the slightly grainy mobile-filmed footage, the song emits a levity any opening song should.

M83 will continue with their world tour playing dates throughout the US, Europe and Australia, where they will play the Laneway Festival.

Watch the video below:

Ranaldo will release his ninth solo album, ‘Between the times & the Tides’ on 20th March. Following in bandmate Thurston Moore’s footsteps, the album will be released on the record label Matador, and will feature an enviable list of musical contributors such as Jim O’Rourke, Alan Licht, Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley and Wilco’s Nels Cline.

Ranaldo is currently on tour with Sonic Youth in South America, in what is rumored be their last tour together following the separation of original indie rock’n'roll couple, Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore. In a press release by Matador last month, the band’s future after the November tour is said to be ‘uncertain’.

Though a couple of live videos of new material are floating around, little else of the album has been heard as of yet. Ranaldo will play Brooklyn’s Glasslands Gallery on 16th December, with 2012 tour dates expected to be announced soon.

The atmosphere amongst concert goers on Thursday night in London was clearly one of anticipation. Playing at the intimate London venue, The Bowery, Stephen Jones and his band were bound to attract the most hardcore Babybird fans; revealed as a one-off album release show, a signed hard copy of the band’s new release ‘The Pleasures of Self Destruction’ was included in the ticket price. It was fair to say that after 2010’s tour of ‘Ex-Maniac’, fans were left unsure of the band’s situation. Having received some positive critical reviews, the success of the band’s sixth studio album was hindered by what Jones highlighted as a ‘conservative’ industry, not to mention a hypocritical one. The brilliant first single from the last album ‘Unloveable’ was refused widespread radio play for being ‘too edgy’, at least in the words of XFM whilst the equally stunning Johnny Depp directed video was also banned by almost every music video channel for similar reasons, something it could be fair to say doesn’t seem to apply to the Lady GaGa’s and Rihanna’s of this world. Perhaps an issue for another day but either way, Babybird drew an unfortunate hand on a ‘comeback’ album deserving more. It left fans unsure of the band’s next move, news went quiet, and what fans had hoped would be the start of a new and inspired Babybird seemed in somewhat uncertain water.

Hence the excitement of Thursday’s show; what fans had been unsure of had become a reality, and ‘The Pleasures of Self Destruction’, released the Monday before the show, contains some of Jones’ finest work of late, if not his career. Perhaps the most disappointing part of the concert was there was so little of this new material. Despite the buzz and excitement, it was clear the gig would be a somewhat relaxed one for the band with Jones walking around the bar greeting fans, making no effort to hide backstage or behind changing room doors, in fact I would have loved to have said something to him but busying myself with purchasing overpriced cider and the thought of having to out fangirl some of the people already talking to him looked somewhat challenging. If anything, Thursday’s show was a taster, and a test for the band before their countrywide tour starting in January. Jones and the band were jovial throughout almost all of the show, despite some technical faults; guitarist Luke Scott stepping on his own lead during the middle of ‘Like Them’ for example, to some gigs could be a disaster, to Jones it was simply an opportunity to self-deprecatingly remark we shouldn’t expect too much, and stating ‘I hope we won’t be shit… I mean we will be’. It was the intimate nature of the show that allowed for things like this to go unnoticed. Playing as a four piece band for the first time, many of the songs usually featuring two guitars had been altered to feature just one, the band took an edgier sound with them, something more raw to the stripped back songs, giving them real power, and with Jones’ voice on top form, a three piece band behind him was all he needed.

Opening with ‘Black Flowers’ the show did get off to a somewhat slower start, with the setlist front loaded with one too many mid-tempo numbers. ‘Failed Suicide Club’ and ‘Out of Sight’ would both have fitted better into a middle section of the gig rather than the start, and only when the band launched into ‘Like Them’ did it finally feel like the show was kicking off. Whilst announcing new song ‘www.Song’, Jones mentioned it would be one of only two new tracks to be played on the night, which seemed slightly disappointing. Having billed the show as an album launch, you would have expected more of a taste for the new album, especially if it could have replaced some of the more mid-tempo songs from the start. Admittedly it would seem hard to judge a show such as this one; play too many new songs and you lose the crowd, play too few, and run the risk of it not really being an album release show. Despite this, ‘www.Song’ did not disappoint, and although featuring a wider variety of instrumentation on the album, the song still sounded strong as a four piece, built around a simple punchy riff, and catchy vocal melody before breaking into a strong chorus, ‘I would kill for you, I would kill for you, my friend’.

Following a rousing rendition of 1996 single ‘Cornershop’, the band switched gears, growing more focused and intense; the scuzzy psychedelia and raging chorus of ‘All Men Are Evil’ and the aforementioned ‘Unloveable’, with it’s slow build to a stirring crescendo of ‘sha-la-la’s’, are both exceptional, as well as enthralling in such an intimate venue. The second new track of the evening, and the first single to be released from the album, ‘Can’t Love You Anymore’, is another pleasant surprise. Whilst on record, the chorus features heavily an emphatic brass section, the band had no such thing with them, unless we were in for a big reveal. However at no point did the song sound weak without the brass, and it felt like a perfect fit into the most enthralling part of the show. The final song of the first set ‘Bad Old Man’ was a perfect climax to the first set. Guitar heavy, and practically sneering, the song sounded heavier and more deranged than the piano led version on 1998’s acclaimed ‘There’s Something Going On’.

Following the exhilarating final half of the first set, the atmosphere turned to one of nostalgia with the band playing, perhaps surprisingly, a stripped down version of ‘You’re Gorgeous’. Jones introduces the song as ‘the original version, before the record company came and fucked it up’. The quieter, and more subtle version played is admirable. Though Jones has spoken bitterly about the song before, being the double edged blade it is, no one can deny the 90’s, Brit Pop-ish melody of the chorus. Playing a further three songs in the encore, including the two beautiful ballads ‘The Way You Are’ and ‘Back Together’, and the uplifting, and perhaps suitable, ‘Goodnight’, the band finish the set.

Though it was a slow start to the gig, with the setlist front loaded with some of the less inspiring material of the night, Babybird marked their return emphatically during the final two thirds of the London show, showing that there’s definitely more to the band that just that one song. By the time the 2012 tour comes around, with extra backing to the band, and new material ready to be be played, Babybird will sound even stronger.

Setlist

Black Flowers
Failed Suicide Club
Out of Sight
Like Them
Drug Time
www. song
Cornershop
Send Me Back My Dreams
Unloveable
Can’t Love You Anymore
All Men Are Evil
Bad Old Man

Encore
You’re Gorgeous
Back Together
The Way You Are
Goodnight

Recorded at their headline set at Bestival earlier this year, the Cure reveal ‘Live at Bestival 2011′ will be released on 5th December. Well known for their mammoth live shows, the album clocks in at around two and a half hours, featuring thirty-two classic tracks, as well as some more obscure songs the band rarely play. The tracklist includes the main set, as well as both of the encore’s the band played over two discs.

Released on Bestival curator, Rob da Bank’s own record label, the Cure have announced that all profits from the sale of the album will be donated to the Isle of Wight Youth trust. On the band’s official website Robert Smith stated “We had such a great time in the Isle of Wight at Bestival that we wanted to release this show as a way of thanking fans and islanders alike. Bestival IS the best!”.

The band’s set at the Isle of Wight festival was much applauded by critics and fans alike, with the Guardian stating “The Cure had pulled off the epitome of the “festival set” akin to Bowie at Glastonbury 2000 or Macca at Glasto ’04, and every bit as legendary.” Whilst NME also stated the Cure played ‘the set of the weekend’.

Here’s the tracklist:

CD1:
01. Plainsong
02. Open
03. Fascination Street
04. A Night Like This
05. The End Of The World
06. Lovesong
07. Just Like Heaven
08. The Only One
09. The Walk
10. Push
11. Friday I’m In Love
12. Inbetween Days
13. Play For Today
14. A Forest
15. Primary
16. Shake Dog Shake

CD2:
01. The Hungry Ghost
02. One Hundred Years
03. End
04. Disintegration

Encore 1:
05. Lullaby
06. The Lovecats
07. The Caterpillar
08. Close To Me
09. Hot Hot Hot!!!
10. Let’s Go To Bed
11. Why Can’t I Be You?

Encore 2:
12. Boys Don’t Cry
13. Jumping Someone Else’s Train
14. Grinding Halt
15. 10:15 Saturday Night
16. Killing Another

Babybird have announced they will tour the UK in support of their latest album, ‘The Pleasures of Self Destruction’, released this Monday. The band’s seventh studio release was recorded by Grammy nominated Bruce Witkin and Ryan Dorn, and also features a collaboration with Johnny Depp on the first track ‘Jesus Stag Night Club’.

The band also play a special album release show in London on Thursday 3rd November at the Bowery, in which fans will receive a signed copy of the new album. The tour looks to feature a similar band who toured for 2009′s ‘Ex-Maniac’, although Stephen Jones has mentioned he still requires a piano player for the show this week. Jones has also said the band hope to take a slightly different approach to some of the band’s older songs, promising to play some of the more obscure Babybird songs, taking to Twitter to ask for song requests.

Tour dates:

Manchester Band on the Wall – 27th Jan 2012
Stratford upon Avon Cox’s Yard – 28th Jan
Oxford O2 Academy 2 – 29th Jan
Glasgow King Tuts – 31st
Liverpool O2 Academy 2 – 2nd Feb
Sheffield O2 Academy 2 – 3rd Feb
Newcastle O2 Academy 2 – 4th Feb
Hull Fruit – 6th Feb
Leeds Brudenell Social Club – 7th Feb
York Stereo – 9th Feb
Bristol Fleece – 10th Feb
London Leicester Square Theatre – 11th Feb

On BBC Radio 1′s Live Lounge, Kasabian unveiled their cover of the ever rising singer, Lana Del Rey. The hotly tipped singer made her television debut earlier this month on ‘Later… with Jools Holland’, following a great deal of internet hype. The video itself has already garnered two million views on YouTube, and Del Rey is already playing sold out shows, and perhaps more impressively has landed herself ninth on the official UK singles chart.

Kasabian played the Live Lounge as part of Radio 1′s Student Tour 2011, playing live from the University of Leicester. The band, who commence their UK tour on 13th November, also played their new single ‘Re-Wired’. The Live Lounge does seem to produce some great covers, and while focusing on more mainstream acts, you do find yourself coming across some strange but inspired covers, such as Jonsi covering MGMT’s ‘Time to Pretend’ and Noah and the Whale’s cover of Robyn’s ‘Call Your Girlfriend’.

Check out the video below:

Originally having met after being stuck in an elevator together at a Top of the Pops recording in 2006, it would be fair to say that Imaad Wasif and Josh Garza are in no short supply of ‘indie cred’. Wasif being a solo artist and touring guitarist for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Garza being the drummer for Secret Machines.Though only three tracks long, ‘Electric Flower’ showcases a good deal of promise, and plenty to wet your appetite.

The first track, ‘Four 16′ opens with a wavering tremolo guitar line over rumbling drums, before a droning riff and vocals meet you head on. With a guitar sound very much akin to Sonic Youth, (which is in no way a bad thing), the chorus, with a monotone repetition of ‘Four sixteen’, sees more whirring riffs. Hypnotic whilst never sounding overly discordant, ‘Four 16′ works well as an opening.

In juxtaposition to the opening song, ‘Faces’, opens with a sweet melodic distorted guitar line, before Wasif’s soft dream pop-ish vocal drifts in – ‘faces are not what they seem, hiding places in our dreams’. Though ‘Faces’ is slightly weaker than the other two songs on the record, featuring some slightly clumsy lyrics, it’s in no way a bad song. Musically ‘Faces’ seems a more delicate approach.

Saving the best for last, ‘Circles’ shows Electric Flower at their best; starting off a slow droning Sonic Youth-ish riff before building into a change in tempo and an infectious guitar line. Vocals swirl around more impressive guitar work from Wasif, before building into yet another tempo change, then into a muffled solo which then flourishes into a melodic climax. Both Garza and Wasif seem to sound their best here; shifting tempo’s and first rate band interplay; a song that sounds both composed to perfection and equally unplanned and exciting, almost as if it was all improvised during the recording. It’s the most enthralling track of the EP by far.

‘Electric Flower’ envisages a band with much promise. Crucially Wasif and Garza require a full album to balance out their influences and variety of their music, which is hard to put across in a three-song EP. ‘Electric Flower’, whilst not sounding confused, is packed with influences. We hope to hear a full album soon, because Electric Flower has miles of potential.

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

Earlier today the Twilight Singers announced the release of their first live album, recorded at their New York show at Webster Hall on May 13th. Described as one of the band’s highlights from their world tour, The Twilight Singers – Live in New York includes tracks from all four albums, ‘Twilight, as Played by the Twilight Singers’, ‘Blackberry Belle’, ‘Powder Burns’ and their most recent release ‘Dynamite Steps’. The album will be released digitally on the 15th November 2011.

Countless bootlegs of the bands previous shows exist amongst fan sites and even bassist Scott Ford’s own blog, with hardcore fans keen to capture the distinctive live shows the band are well known for. Though the band issued live material on their website for purchase earlier this year, the ‘Live in New York’ album will be the first to be released digitally.

A special deluxe, limited edition version of the CD, covering the entire New York show, will be released via the band’s website. The CD will only be available prior to November 15th.

If anybody wants to know what a truly great live show is, the Twilight Singers will truly show you.

The tracklist includes:

Last Night In Town
Blackbird And The Fox
I’m Ready
Forty Dollars
Beginning Of The End
Bonnie Brae
She Was Stolen
Don’t Call*
Too Tough To Die*
Decatur St.
Get Lucky
Teenage Wristband
Love
Annie Mae
Candy Cane Crawl
Never Seen No Devil
On The Corner
The Killer
Gunshots
King Only
Esta Noche

*Deluxe CD only tracks

Update: You can preview the album at Spin by clicking here.

After multiple rumors across the years, the previously unimaginable has occurred; the Stone Roses have announced their reformation, confirming that they will play two shows at Heaton Park in Manchester on the 29th and 30th June, with all four of the original members.

At a press conference held earlier today at London’s Soho Hotel, the four members took to the stage just before 3.10 pm, confirming that not only will the band play two homecoming shows, but also a world tour. When asked about festival dates, the band claimed they were unable to comment, possibly fueling the idea that in reality, it is incredibly likely. Perhaps the most exciting news for Stone Roses fans though; the band confirmed they will be playing new material at the homecoming shows. As if the fans haven’t been given enough, when asked about he possibility of a new album, the band claimed they hoped it would happen.

Ian Brown confirmed that the band received offers to reform ‘two or three times a year’, and when questioned why the reunion is occurring now, Brown stated that ‘In times like these, you can uplift people’. It can be fair to say that the announcement has shocked many a cynical music fan. Following years of reunion rumors where nothing has ever come to fruition, finally, out of almost nowhere, the Roses have instigated their own resurrection.

Following reports late last week of drummer Reni’s message to the NME, stating ‘Not before 9T will I wear the hat for the Roses again’. It appeared at first that the drummer was refuting the reports, it was widely thought that the message took a more ambiguous meaning, following the announcement of today’s press conference. At the conference itself, Reni responded to questions about the message by not only wearing a 9T birthday badge, but also presenting A 9T Birthday cake. It would be fair to say that the band had all media following the rumours comfortably in the palm on their hand, a group of which I can safely say I was a part of.

Tickets for the Heaton Park shows go on sale on Friday at 9am. It would only seem right to end by quoting frontman Ian Brown; “This is a live resurrection, and you’re invited, so you better be there.” Whether or not everyone who’s been invited will actually get a ticket, is a different story.