Featured Artists

THE BLUE VAN

Growing up in the northern region of Denmark’s Jutland peninsula, there aren’t a lot of distractions. So, one quickly tends to entertain themselves. That was the rationale of the four members of The Blue Van, who in sixth grade began jamming in the basement of a fortunately hard-of-hearing grandmother. After adopting the name The Blue Van (Danish slang for the ambulance that transports patients to mental institutions), they relocated to Copenhagen and self-financed their first EP, A Session with The Blue Van, and backed it up with an acclaimed performance at the Roskilde Festival. They recorded their debut full-length, The Art of Rolling, in Hamburg, opting to record live in the studio, only adding in vocals later, in order to capitalize on the band’s live strengths. The album landed them an American deal with TVT Records and the group started splitting time between Denmark and the Bed/Stuy neighborhood of Brooklyn while recording their second album, Dear Independence. Now with indie Iceberg Records, The Blue Van returned to Hamburg to record their third album, Man Up, which spawned a hit last year with the song “Silly Boy.” To start 2010, they were all over the international airwaves with “There Goes My Love,” which was utilized in Apple’s TV campaign for the iPad. The Danish act has returned to radio with their new single, “Love Shot,” the same title as their new 2011 album. The track was already the “Single of the Week” on national Danish radio DR P3 in May and three months later is still in high rotation on the station.

MIYA-B

New UK pop/urban female artist Miya-B, born in Morocco and raised in the south of England, has just completed her debut solo album, Past and Present. This beautiful 22-year-old has spent the past year writing and recording an honest and intense biographical account of her life, which has been surrounded by drama, tragedy and regret--but also inspiration. Originally in pop duo Boo2 with her sister, Amelle Berrabah, who is now in the chart topping band The Sugababes, Miya-B is very much in the driving seat of her own career now. Her focus on pop melodies mixed with meaningful lyrics matches perfectly with today’s pop climate. Having teamed up with UK producer and Ivor Novello Award-winning writer Pete Kirtley in late 2009 after working together on the Boo2 project, Pete decided to drop all other priorities and concentrate purely on this album. “I’m a big fan of pop music but what interested me most about Miya-B was her depth. We both wanted her album to be pop but doing a non-generic club record really interested me and was a breath of fresh air. For a young artist she’s been through a lot and she’s not scared to write about it. We tried blending really intense stories from her life and framing it with a pop sound, which totally worked. On the surface it’s a very accessible contemporary pop record, but if you scratch beneath the surface and listen to the subject matter you’ll see a real ‘from the heart’ adaptation of events that have affected her life.  But it’s also a fun record too.” Miya-B is one of the most dynamic energetic new female artists to come out of the UK in recent years--the new Neneh Cherry for a new generation; raw, honest and real.

RUBY FROST

Hailing from Auckland, New Zealand, Ruby Frost sounds like pop music short-circuiting on an ’80s drum machine. From her sequins to her heart-quenching tunes, Frost is a talent who’s been influenced by the likes of Björk and Kate Bush and has been compared to the likes of Yeah Yeah Yeahs and La Roux. The petite singer, born Jane de Jong, had always written poetry, short stories and lyrics since her early teens. Now 23, armed with a guitar and a knack for programming her own beats, she uses songs as her way to express her take on the world. As she’s explained, “writing is where I untangle the mess in my mind.” A childhood in the gospel music scene gave Frost the opportunity to travel the world, sparking a nomadic itch that today only touring can cure. Renowned producer Chris Zane (Passion Pit, Mumford & Sons) agrees. He’s signed on to produce Frost’s debut album and the pair have already worked together on recordings of “Hazy,” “Smoke and Mirrors” and “Young.” Frost released an acoustic EP, How Long, in 2007 and has gigged around New Zealand with various artists, including Dear Time's Waste, Glass Owls, Black Jagger, Ghost Wave, Lisa Crawley and Lydia Cole. In the last year, she’s ditched her day job, worked with the likes of songwriter Phil Buckle (John Farnham), producer Paul Mac (Silverchair) and Evermore’s Dann Hume, and spent hours scouring op shops for inspiration and stitching costumes for her shows. When she’s not producing or touring, Frost can be seen as the Music Reporter on TV2’s The Erin Simpson Show in Australia, interviewing bands. Just last year, she won the MTV 42Unheard Competition, signing her to Universal Music in New Zealand, paving a very bright future for this young talent.

SCOUTING FOR GIRLS

Formed in 2005, London’s own Scouting For Girls consists of Roy Stride, Greg Churchouse and Peter Ellard. The band based their name off of the Scouting for Boys handbook written in 1908 stating the principles of scouting and giving instructions to younger men on good citizenship. In 2007 Scouting For Girls signed with Epic (UK) President Nick Raphael and released their first EP, It’s Not About You. The first single, “She’s So Lovely,” spent six weeks in the Top 10 UK charts as well as the UK Download Charts and is the highest charting limited edition EP in chart history. The debut album from Scouting For Girls has sold over 850,000 copies and reached No. 1 for two weeks in the UK. The band started writing their next album and before it was recorded, it was trashed and started over again from scratch. Roy Stride stated, “I just wanted to write the perfect pop song. We are perfectionists!” Well the hard work has paid off and Scouting For Girls just finished recording their second album, Everybody Wants to Be on TV. The lead single, “This Ain’t A Love Song” quickly became a No. 1 hit in the UK and has crossed over to the US with early support from Indie 103.com, KNRK Portland, WEQX Manchester VT & Albany NY, WCNR Charlottesville and Sirius Satellite Radio’s Hits-1 station, which has logged over 500 spins to date. The same track has also become a Top 20 hit in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and Europe.

RONIT

A passionate and captivating musician, Ronit has developed a devoted following around Australia that grows with each performance: audiences are drawn to her strong vocals and emotive, honest lyricism, while being floored by her fiery guitar playing. Her compelling blend of musical influences sets Ronit apart from her Australian female singer/songwriter contemporaries. Ronit is accompanied by a six-piece band, which features some of Melbourne’s finest musicians, who perfectly complement and embellish Ronit’s catchy songwriting. Her music has been used in a successful short film, The Wake, directed by Gemma Lee. It screened at Palm Springs Short Fest in June 2009 to critical acclaim and was recently chosen for the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival in New York. Ronit released her debut EP Heavy through MGM in June 2009 and played a series of solo shows in LA and New York. She also recently secured worldwide management after her performance at MUSEXPO Europe in London last month as well as strong publisher and label interest after showcasing at MUSXPO Europe. She’ll soon head back to New York to co-write songs with a number of US-based writers.

THE DUKE & THE KING

The Duke & The King is a soul-folk-glam ensemble from the Catskill Mountains of New York founded, produced, and created by Simone Felice (The Duke) and former George Clinton collaborator Robert Burke (The King), featuring the sensational Simi Stone and Reverend Loveday--and like any traveling theatre troupe there’s bound to be a growing cast of bewitching characters. Named for the traveling Shakespeare hustlers in ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,’ this curious band of rebels/rabble have found an unexpected home together, a floating raft adrift on a river of chance, an itinerant church of harmony and sin where its okay to French kiss your cousin and all strays are welcome to come out of the cold and sing along to these songs of love, loss, pathos, and hope. In just a short time since the release of their debut album The Duke & The King have garnered a barrage of international acclaim, earning comparisons to some of pop history’s most hallowed acts, from Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young to Smokey Robinson, Fleetwood Mac, Sly & the Family Stone, Simon & Garfunkel and newcomers Mumford & Sons. The quartet released their debut Nothing Gold Can Stay last August, receiving rave reviews and helping them build a fan base in both the US and the UK. After extensive touring and continued recording, they are ready to return to the spotlight with a new album, Long Live The Duke & The King on September 27. The first taste of the sophomore effort is “Shaky,” an organic blend of sleek keyboards, drums and beautiful vocals.

MADS LANGER

A&R Worldwide has been a big fan of Denmark’s Mads Langer for many years and assisted him and Copenhagen Records with development a few years back. He also garnered rave reviews from the global music industry after showcasing at MUSEXPO in West Hollywood. Two weeks ago Mads secured a worldwide deal with Sony Music Entertainment and he’s finally on the verge of global success thanks to his relentless efforts. Mads was signed to respected Scandinavian indie Copenhagen Records, for which he released his debut album, Attention Please, and 2009’s eponymous follow-up. Langer has already been receiving raves for his commanding stage presence, multi-instrumental ability and keen songwriting sense. BBC Radio 1 DJ Mike Davies referred to Langer as “a chilled-out version of Radiohead and Muse,” while Martin Ashplant of www.inthenews.co.uk states, “There is every chance this young man can go much farther than Scandinavia. Soulful and wistful with Muse-like vocals that can tug, Langer…has a chance to take the world by storm.” The first single from Attention Please, “Breaking News,” was immediately given “Hit of the Week” status at influential Danish radio station P3 while also receiving a bevy of American airplay on such tastemaker outlets as the late KDLD “Indie 103.1” Los Angeles, as well as WKQX “Q101” Chicago, KTCL Denver and KATT Oklahoma City, among others. A fan-favorite track that always receives praise at his live shows is the cover of the 1997 hit by Olive, “You’re Not Alone.” The way that Langer reconstructs the song is reminiscent of the original; but this version births new life and gives it a completely different twist, which would be perfect for any radio outlet today. With a voice that at once evokes Jeff Buckley, Thom Yorke and something unique, Langer is a bright new artist who creates songs that are alternately raw and intimately elegant.

MONTÉE

Montée is a progressive pop band from Oslo, Norway founded in 2006 by Anders Tjore, Erlend Mokkelbost and Maya Vik. The quartet made their musical mark for the very first time outside of Norway with their stunning debut performance at The Borderline club in London, England last week during MUSEXPO Europe. Having worked with the Waterfall camp (best known for their initial production development with acts such as Ting Tings and Ida Maria), it was easy to see why Montée would be such a crowd-pleaser. With musical backgrounds varying from orchestral pop to hardcore punk and alternative rock, Montée drew a flashback to a retro-new wave twist with a modern musical feel. After a series of popular concerts in Norway and Sweden, the group began recording their debut album, Isle of Now, in 2007. Recorded in their rehearsal space in Oslo, with only a few borrowed microphones, it proved that good ideas are more important than expensive equipment. On its release in early 2009, the album received great feedback from both press and the public and Montée was subsequently awarded the Norwegian Grammy for Best Pop Group for their efforts. With the addition of drummer Marius Simonsen and keyboardist Haakon-Marius Pettersen to the lineup, they are now a live entity with a dedicated following. Montée proved last week that their live shows are a mix of their focused songs and spur of the moment jamming--an unusual, entertaining and energetic experience!

THE SHOOS

The Shoos are a four piece from Dublin, Ireland and the most unlikely set of musicians to be thrown together in any room. They consist of a sportswear designer, a suit, an insomniac and a grown up, which sounds more like a reality TV show than a music outfit ready to take on the world. Last September they released their debut single, “Yeah,” which received a lot of national and regional airplay in Ireland, such as FM104’s “Strawberry Pick of the Week,” Spin 103.8, 98FM, 2FM and Newstalk 106FM. At the start of 2010 they were invited to New York to showcase the music from their forthcoming album. The lads were initially skeptical about venturing stateside, but these fears quickly evaporated when they first took to the stage in the East Village. By the end of the trip they had not only gained a fan base in a New York minute, but were asked to join OneRepublic on their tour of Ireland. The Shoos continued to move forward by releasing the single “Distance” last month, picking up a lot of support from previous radio champions, resulting in a rare invitation to perform on the Pat Kenny Radio Show for an audience of over 425,000 listeners. Even though the single was released independently, that didn’t stop it from reaching the top of the charts in Ireland. To help matters, the video features Joane King of “The Tudors” and “Casualty & Shameless” fame and is directed by Simon Eustace with cinematography by Sundance Film Festival winner Michael Lavelle. The Shoos have July 14 circled on their calendars as they are opening for Taylor Hawkins of the Foo Fighers at The Academy in Dublin.

RUBYLUX

In a parallel universe, on a dying alien planet, the four members of the band Rubylux decided to escape and preserve their cultural and musical traditions by travelling to the rest of the known universe...and beyond. Armed with only their instruments, the quartet was ceremoniously inserted into the launch unit…and unceremoniously thrown out in Brighton, England, whereupon a travelling psychedelic producer called James Sanger (Dido, Keane) offered them shelter for six months in his wonderful studio, where they could prepare for world domination. The music was spread worldwide on “Heroes,” “Neighbors,” Channel 5 and other advertisements across the globe. They now have a song in the running for a major synch with a new movie (Chalet Girl) currently in production and starring Bill Nighy. The album was mixed by Ash Howes and mastered by Dick Beetham at 360 Mastering...the rest, as they say, is history. Or at least it will be at some time in the future. The album, Fake Control, is scheduled to be released June 6 and features the smash “The Boy Could Fly” and is available for international licensing and signing.

PINT SHOT RIOT

Pint Shot Riot are rapidly building a name for themselves that is starting to extend beyond the bounds of their hometown of Coventry, England. Melding the jagged rhythms and cutting lyrics of The Clash, the blue-collar rock attitude of Oasis and the melodious, harmonic sound of the Kinks, Pint Shot Riot’s songs favor hope over despair and so appealed to audiences that, six months after the current lineup formed, they were playing on the Glastonbury Introduces stage at the famed festival of that name and were praised by BBC Radio One’s Huw Stephens as “one of the best new bands in the UK” that year. They’ve since shared stages with the likes of We Are Scientists, Dirty Pretty Things, The View, Athlete and fellow Coventry natives The Enemy. The band’s first single, the ominously titled “Punches Kicks Trenches Swords,” earned significant airplay throughout the UK. During a segment of BBC DJ Steve Lamacq’s “Music Roundtable” show, members of the Kaiser Chiefs described “Punches…” as “an awesome track, different to what’s going on--we would love to see them live and hear it louder!” In 2009, PSR’s full, yet unfinished, release leaked online, titled The Album with standout tracks “Come Back To Me” and “Not Thinking Straight,” which were released as singles jointly the same day in October. Their momentum continued as their songs were used in a variety of EA Games’ top sellers, including FIFA 10, Need For Speed: Nitro, Fight Night 4 and Sims 3. Their songs were also featured on Soccer AM, the British Saturday-morning football show, which is predominantly based around the Premier League and has a very large audience. “Nothing from You” is the next single, scheduled to be released at the end of May. The Album in its finished form will someday legally see the light of day, but as of now there isn’t a definitive release date.

THIRTEEN SENSES

Thirteen Senses is a four-piece from Penzance, Cornwall (UK) which formed in 2001 and is the only Cornish band to have a Top 20 single to date. In the early stages of their career they were originally called Soul Magician, releasing an EP titled Inside A Healing Mind. In 2003, they released an independent demo album which was a preview to their major label debut on Mercury Records, The Invitation. Their official debut reached No.14 in the UK Album Chart and spawned three singles, including “Into The Fire,” which broke the group into the UK Top 20 and was used in such TV shows as Rescue Me, Grey’s Anatomy, The 4400, Tru Calling, ER, WWE SummerSlam and more. In 2005 they toured throughout the UK and Europe and played such elite festivals as Glastonbury, T in the Park and the V Festival. After releasing their second album, Contact, in 2007, Thirteen Senses announced that they were already working on their third album. Between 2008 and 2009 they released samples and demos before releasing the name of the work as Crystal Sounds, which was finally released independently in March. “The Answer” is just a glimpse of the nine-song album, which shows how the group has grown with their songwriting. This song is a truly a treat for music supervisors and radio programmers worldwide.

MP3: "The Answer"
LINK: www.myspace.com/thirteensenses

LINKE

German born Christian Linke (known as Linke) was raised on a healthy dose of Buddy Holly, Chubby Checker and Simon and Garfunkel thanks to his parents. Growing up, his influences morphed into the modern rock scene and any other genre that featured a guitar. At the tender age of six he picked up his first guitar but didn’t really start taking it seriously until he was 15. “I never took a lesson; I just started practicing a few hours every day. I used to put on a CD and try to play along. Later on I started playing the bass guitar and soon realized that both instruments had their sex appeal. The most deciding part was that the ladies love the deep warm tones [laughs].” When Linke is on stage, he’s comfortable with his beloved Tobias Classic five-string bass and a Yorkville Bass Amp that gives out unbelievable energy and beautiful tones.

LINK: www.myspace.com/dertollelinke

SKYBOMBERS

Skybombers are a quartet from Australia, filled with youth, energy and good old rock n roll. Their first release, the Sirens EPin 2007, consisted of five tracks, including the single “It Goes Off.” The song was licensed by EA Games and added into rotation on the influential tastemaker radio station KDLD Indie 103.1 Los Angeles, where it was played over several hundred times. The guys then released their debut album, Take Me to Town, in May of 2008, which was recorded in LA with producer Rick Parker, best known for his work with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Von Bondies and Dandy Warhols. Skybombers took to the road to promote the album and even landed an opening spot for the Foo Fighters. The lads are currently putting the finishing touches on their sophomore album and have returned with “Love Me like You Used to Do.” This glimpse into their latest work showcases their Beatles influence, as they return with a powerful tune that should find its way to radio in no time.

MP3: "Love Me Like You Used To Do"
LINK: www.myspace.com/skybombers

GRAFFITI 6

Graffiti6 is the project name for the duo of TommyD and British singer-songwriter Jamie Scott. Scott also goes under the name J.S. Baylin and has released music with his band, Jamie Scott and the Town, even appearing in the movie Step Up, where he performed a song as a solo artist and it was included on the soundtrack. TommyD is an established writer, producer, DJ and arranger who’s worked with everyone from Jay-Z and Kanye West to Kylie Minogue and Janet Jackson. He also produced Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy,” the international smash that topped the charts in 20 countries. Graffiti6 has been described as “Psychedelic Northern Soul” and has already started to see success with the single “Stare into the Sun.” This feel-good song has become the duo’s trademark. Last summer it was used by The Sun newspaper advertising campaign, where James Murdoch himself insisted on using the audio--the first time the paper ever worked with an unsigned band. This exposure encouraged the pair to buckle down in the studio and focus on finishing new tracks. The result of the hard work can be found on their first EP, Stone in My Heart, which is a simple introduction to the sound and look of the band. “It’s four tracks that will give people an idea of what we’re about,” exclaims Scott.

MP3: "Staring Into The Sun"
LINK: www.myspace.com/graffiti6

SCOUTING FOR GIRLS

Formed in 2005, London’s own Scouting For Girls consists of Roy Stride, Greg Churchouse and Peter Ellard. The band based their name off of the Scouting for Boys handbook written in 1908 stating the principles of scouting and giving instructions to younger men on good citizenship. In 2007 Scouting For Girls signed with Epic UK President Nick Raphael and released their first EP, It’s Not About You. The first single, “She’s So Lovely,” spent six weeks in the Top 10 of the UK charts as well as the UK Download charts and is the highest charting limited edition EP in chart history. The debut album from Scouting For Girls has sold over 850,000 copies and reached No.1 for two weeks in the UK. In addition, the band has garnered over 1,200 plays on US commercial Alternative radio with no US label support, based purely on artistic merit. The band started writing their next album but before it was recorded, it was trashed and started over again from scratch. Roy Stride stated, “I just wanted to write the perfect pop song. We are perfectionists!” Well, the hard work has paid off and Scouting For Girls just finished recording their second album, Everybody Wants to Be on TV, which was produced by Andy Green, who’s known for his work with Keane, KT Tunstall and Scouting For Girls’ Triple Platinum debut album. The first single, “This Ain’t A Love Song,” was recently released and is already being embraced by press and radio programmers.

MP3: "This Ain't A Love Song"
LINK: www.scoutingforgirls.com

LAZEE

Lazee was born in 1985 in Malmo, Sweden. At the age of 13, his mother decided that she wasn’t providing the best environment for her son, so she sent him to London to “become something.” After hearing The Notorious B.I.G., Lazee was motivated to create his own music and moved back to Sweden with the ambition of finishing his first hip-hop album. During his return, Lazee passionately spent most of his time in the studio recording. While distributing his mixtapes, Lazee was introduced to producer Ishi and both of them created a new sound, “house meets hip-hop and rock.” Lazee moved to Stockholm at the end of summer 2007 and started to collaborate with Ishi and House DJ Sebastian Ingrosso. At the first session they created the single, “Rock Away,” which was an instant success and even grabbed the attention of Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit), who requested to do a remix with Lazee. For the next collaboration, Lazee teamed up with Jacob Widen of the Swedish band Neverstore for “Hold On.” The song is reminiscent to the Jay-Z & Linkin Park collaborations, with radio appeal and great crossover potential. The video was shot in Hong Kong and was a smash hit all across Sweden, Germany and in Europe. The song is finally ready to be unleashed to the US with Ultra Records distributing the record. In the meantime, Lazee continues to stay busy in Sweden with the success of his latest track, “Calling Out.” This collaboration continues where “Hold On” left off and has already been No.1 on iTunes Sweden. He’s also collaborated with S. African duo Locknville on their hit single, “Sun in My Pocket.” The song features Swedish rock band Apollo Drive, which is also currently making a name for themselves in the US with their hit “Papercut” getting support from radio, including Sirius/XM.

MP3: "Hold On feat. Neverstore"
LINK: www.myspace.com/mrlazee

HARGO

Appearances can be deceiving, but sometimes appearances can reveal a story. Hargo is a man with an array of pasts, countless possible futures, but one destination. Hargo was born an only child in Eugene, Oregon in 1985. He grew up in a very musical family, with most of his early memories set to a soundtrack of his father playing Bowie, Tom Petty and Beatles songs on his guitar. His mother also sang and played the violin, harmonium and some guitar. Hargo first picked up a guitar at age seven and one year later wrote his first song. His second song, entitled “Giving,” was a simple message of humanity and cherishing both our differences and similarities. It struck a chord and the song became the theme song of the 1999 South African Peace Conference. At 13 he performed an original song for the first time. His teacher and mentor, Yogi Bhajan, heard it and was very pleased, asking him to perform it again later than night at his class: “In front of the whole crowd he told me to start making up a new song, out loud, on the spot. After being a bit shocked, I started playing my guitar and making up lyrics and melody in a stream-of-consciousness manner, which evolved into a very interesting song. After a few minutes my teacher told me that I should write songs in this way, that it’s better to be direct with people and not dilute the message of a song with too much symbolism and hyperbole.” A very young Hargo released a few albums of music recorded on a simple Yamaha AW4416, bought in India during his sophomore year of high school. While in India he underwent a discipline that involved wrestling lions. Hargo is preparing to release The Faint Glow EP in the spring, with the first single being the very powerful “Soul Survivor,” which is already being played on KNRK Portland, WEQX Albany and MotorFM Geramny.

MP3: "Soul Survivor"
LINK: www.myspace.com/hargogroup

LOCKNVILLE

Locnville consists of twin brothers Andrew and Brian Chaplin, who are related to the late Charlie Chaplin. Although they were born in America, the Chaplins father is South African and they have lived there for the majority of their lives. The duo started generating a buzz internationally back in January when their music reached the hands of numerous executives in Cannes, France (including ours). Since then, Sun In My Pocket has sold almost 13,000 copies in South Africa alone and is expected to go Gold (20,000 copies sold) by the end of April. The duo’s previous work with South African producer Gabi Le Roux and a band called III saw them releasing an album on MXIT, a social messaging platform, which went on to achieve Double Platinum download sales status and made them the first group in South African music history to release an album in this format. “Sun in My Pocket” has been named Song of The Year and Jam of The Summer by their fans. The twins’ South African label Just Music has already been offered a number of licensing deals worldwide.

MP3: "Sun In My Pocket"
LINK: www.myspace.com/locnville

SKETCH WILLIAMS

Canadian-born Sketch Williams combines classical, soulful sounds with hip-hop beats, delivering consistent hooks with a lyrical story-telling flow. His first album, Moonlit Tunnel, was released in 2006 and was a successful debut in Canada, receiving praise from the press. His sophomore effort, City In the Clouds, released last year contained the Canadian hit “Girl With A Pretty Name,” which received radio support and helped increase his fan base, crossing over to parts of the US. In his early twenties, Sketch has already accomplished many things to be proud of: he was accepted at Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA, his music was featured in the movie Hybrid for the Syfy Channel and he even had a brief acting career with his role in Falcon Beach, the Canadian television teen drama, similar in style to The O.C. He believes in the importance of putting out a performance and sound that are enjoyable to a wide range of audiences, which is demonstrated through his versatility. Sketch has recently returned to the studio full-time and is now putting the finishing touches on a brand-new EP. The first offering from the release is “Wendy’s Song.” This eerie song shows the vulnerability of Sketch and musically could be compared to OneRepublic’s “Apologize.

MP3: "Wendys Song"
LINK: www.myspace.com/sketchwilliams

ZEBRA & GIRAFFE

Zebra & Giraffe is an alternative rock band from South Africa. The cleverly named act began as the 12-lettered pseudonym of Johannesburg music genius Greg Carlin, but has now evolved into a five-piece live band that has toured across South Africa. Since its release in May 2008, the debut album, Collected Memories, has produced six hit singles – including “Oxymoron,” which reached No. 1 on College Radio, Top 5 on 5FM and No. 1 on MK in South Africa. The band played at the 2008 Coke Zero Festival, a music festival that took place in Johannesburg and Cape Town with headliners Snow Patrol, Oasis and Panic at the Disco. In 2009 they supported The Killers on the South African leg of their tour in Johannesburg and Cape Town. The band was also nominated for four SA Music Awards (SAMAs) in the categories “Best Newcomer,” “Best Rock,” “Best Album Packaging” and “MTN Record of the Year” for “The Knife.” Collected Memories took home the award for “Best Rock Album.

MP3: "Oxymoron"
LINK: www.myspace.com/zebraandgiraffe

MONARCHY

The ultra-talented French duo Monarchy first caught A&R Worldwide’s attention last October when the band’s manager “G” contacted us with their haunting, atmospheric and song-driven electronic anthems. Monarchy has since inspired tastemakers worldwide, with support from BBC Radio 1 DJs Annie Mac and Nick Grimshaw, the syndicated int’l music show Passport Approved, MotorFM Germany, Popjustice, NME, The Times and many others. Monarchy’s latest recordings take the French electronic revolution to new heights with the very song-driven aspects of their album worth of material, including the unforgettable “Black, The Colour of My Heart,” which is sure to be snapped up by music supervisors and ad agencies looking to combine evocative, suave electronic melodies and haunting lyrics with their next visual media campaign. The song is one of many brilliantly crafted numbers that are sure to make Monarchy’s debut album one of the most anticipated of 2010. Monarchy is currently available for signing, licensing and booking in multiple territories worldwide.

MP3: "Black The Colour Of My Heart"
LINK: www.myspace.com/monarchysound

ELLIE GOULDING

Ellie Goulding is the latest sensation hailing from England. Born in Hereford, approximately 16 miles from Wales, this 23-year-old singer-songwriter is signed to Polydor Records and already has a smash with her debut single, “Under the Sheets.” Goulding attended the University of Kent to study drama and while there was exposed to electronic music for the first time. After a few e-mails back and forth with Frankmusik via MySpace, the two began to work on her craft, resulting in her leaving school and moving to West London. When it was time to release her first song it was under the independent label Neon Gold Records instead of Polydor, so that she wouldn’t be under too much pressure to succeed. The song premiered on BBC Radio 1 on September 30--the same month she was signed, and the single reacted positively and received heavy airplay. In October Goulding supported Little Boots on tour and even performed a couple of songs on Later… with Jools Holland (UK). Her debut album, Lights, is scheduled for a March 1 release and includes the new single, “Starry Eyed.” It was primarily produced by Starsmith, who has also worked with Katy Perry, Passion Pit and Lady Gaga. Ellie is managed by Crown Music in London, England (Jessie J, Sugababes).

MP3: "Under The Sheets"
LINK: www.elliegoulding.co.uk

LEROY LEE

An acoustic-based singer/songwriter in the tradition of Paul Simon, Nick Drake, Tom Waits, Ron Sexsmith and Jack Johnson, Sydney, Australia’s Leroy Lee has steadily been building both a buzz and momentum Down Under. He’s been an “Unearthed” selection at Triple J Radio, Australia’s national Alternative station, where he won a contest to support a former “Unearthed” artist who’s since moved on to bigger and better things: singer/songwriter Missy Higgins, who made Australia’s best-selling albums of 2005 and 2007 and personally chose Lee to open the NSW dates on her tour, stating, “The laid-back vocals show tasteful restraint and the instrumentation--especially the rhythm section--is rich and interesting. [I] like the change of feel into the chorus, too, it feels Elliott Smith-inspired…I really like your stuff and look forward to hearing more!” Missy should soon get her wish realized: Leroy was recently in the studio with producer Melvin Tree, working on his first full-length album after releasing a well-received EP in spring 2007. In March 2008 his song, “Drawing Smoke,” was chosen as iTunes Australia’s “Single of the Week,” and that same month Leroy toured the country opening for fellow Australian artist Lior. Leroy recently released his debut album that he has been crafting for a couple of years now on his own label, Paper Sleeve Music, which is distributed by MGM. The first single, “Mountain Song” has already received support from Triple J and a variety of tastemaker radio stations in Australia, the UK and the US.

MP3: "Drawing Smoke"
LINK: www.myspace.com/leroyleemusic

ISAAC’S AIRCRAFT

Isaac’s Aircraft is a four-piece indie Rock band from the university town of Cambridge, UK. Originally started as a trio in 2006 consisting of Zak Thomas (vocals, rhythm guitar), Martin Seidel (keys) and James Lane (drums, percussion), the threesome wrote and recorded songs which were released on their first EP in 2007, Holding Up The Line. Shortly after the release, the band welcomed Calum Fall (lead guitar), adding a new dimension to their sound. During this period they started to acquire a large following in Cambridge through extensive live performances. The following year Isaac’s Aircaft was signed to Crash Records, which released their first single, “Friends and Foes.” The song reached the Top 30 of the UK Indie Singles chart and provided them with their biggest success to date. Written by Zak, the song ponders what could have happened if things had taken a turn for the worse and what it felt like to be back from traveling for an extended period of time. Now Isaac’s Aircraft is looking forward to releasing a new EP in early 2010, which they have already recorded with producer Paul Tipler (Placebo, Idlewild and the Charlatans). The latest track, “Head to the Feet,” along with “Friends and Foes” have both started to receive airplay support from US stations including KNRK Portland, KTCL Denver, KUPD Phoenix, WEND Charlotte, WRZX Indianapolis and more.

MP3: "Head To The Feet"
LINK: www.myspace.com/isaacsaircraft

GIN WIGMORE

The beautiful 23-year-old songstress Gin Wigmore from Auckland, New Zealand has been quite busy as of late. In 2008 her Extended Play EP had tastemaker radio buzzing about every track, claiming that she is the next artist of our time. She has been performing everywhere from Australia to America and in her spare time even made a fan out of celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, who was quoted saying, “This blonde from New Zealand reminds us of a few of our favorite artists - like Skybox, Joel Plaskett Emergency and Macy Gray.” First discovered when she was just 17 years old and won the International Songwriting Competition, Gin has a voice that you will never forget. Her delivery has been described by a critic as “whiskey and dry” and her self-penned songs provide a refreshing new look on life as a 20-something and yet relate across the generations. Her sound has drawn comparisons to Feist and Fiona Apple while vocally there are similarities to Macy Gray and Blondie. She recently released her debut album, Holy Smoke, produced by Mike Elizondo (Nelly Furtado, Regina Spektor, Eminem) and recorded with The Cardinals--the very same Cardinals from Ryan Adams & The Cardinals. Recorded in Hollywood’s famed Capitol studios, the album debuted at No.1 in New Zealand. Gin was signed to Universal New Zealand by President Adam Holt and Mike Taylor, General Manager/Head of A&R for Island Records Australia; she recently signed a US deal with Sylvia Rhone, President Motown Universal.

MP3: "Hey Ho"
LINK: www.ginwigmore.com

SHAPESHIFTER

Shapeshifter has been described as a musical phenomenon for their ground-breaking live shows and unique blend of heavy soul and drum & bass. They released their debut LP Realtime in 2001, with highlights including a collaboration with sublime vocalist Ladi6 on the track “Move With Me.” Realtime was deemed Best Electronic Release at the 2002 NZ music award, while the tune “Tapestry” became the No.1 most played track on the Alternative Radio Airplay charts for 2001. Shapeshifter’s second release Riddim Wise LP gained Gold sales status and features some of New Zealand’s top soul vocalists, Joe Dukie (Fat Freddy’s Drop) and Ladi6. The album spent many weeks at the top spot on the independent album sales charts and they won ”Best Electronic Video” for “Long White Cloud” at the 2005 Juice TV Music Awards. Their third studio album, Soulstice, was released in August 2006 and entered the NZ national charts at No.4 and spent over two months in the New Zealand Top 20 while also reaching No.1 on the independent charts. In 2006 they earned three nods at the New Zealand bnet music awards for Best Live Act, Song of the Year for “Bring Change” and Album of the Year for Soulstice. Soulstice obtained Gold sales status in New Zealand in three weeks and has since achieved Platinum sales. They headlined the Hothouse Stage at the 2007 Big Day Out Australian tour and were handpicked by Tool to support them in Melbourne to a sold out audience of 15,000. In 2007 they were a headline act at Australia’s prestigious nationwide Parklife Festival. Shapeshifter has spent the past year in the lab creating their long awaited studio album The System is a Vampire. This 11-track album is sure to please any lifelong Shapeshifter fan and bound to pick up new supporters of NZ’s premier electronic act along the way.

MP3: "Dutchies"
LINK: www.myspace.com/shapeshifterlive

SALMONELLA DUB

Salmonella Dub is a Dub/Drum n Bass/Reggae/Roots outfit from Kaikoura, New Zealand. They were formed in 1992 by Andrew Penman (guitar, keyboards), David Deakins (vocals, drums) and Mark Tyler (bass) with Peter Woods (trumpet, trombone). They’ve toured extensively in New Zealand, Australia, the UK and Ireland. Though their long-time frontman, Tiki Taane, split from the band and started his solo career in 2007, the band continued to move forward and released an EP, Freak Local, on Virgin Records in June. The EP is a selection of mixes previewing their seventh album, Freak Controller, scheduled for release this month. The EP features vocal contributions from the amazing Tuhoe diva Whirimako Black and MC Madness. Freak Local is an anthem to New Zealand’s individuals who refuse to conform; every village, town and city has them and, as Andrew Penman from the band will attest, they can often be found at the bar after the band has left the stage. Salmonella Dub are known for their live shows as most performances are often accompanied with live video, provided by Tim Budgen of WarpTV. The group hopes to tour through the end of 2009 and during most of 2010 to promote the upcoming album throughout New Zealand. Plans to bring in the New Year have already been established as they’ll join Ladi 6, Cornerstone Roots, DLT and many others for a New Year’s Eve show at the Matakana Mountain Music Festival (New Zealand).

MP3: "Freak Local"
LINK: www.salmonelladub.com

LE CORPES MINCE DE FRANÇOISE

Hailing from Helsinki, Finland are Le Corps Mince de Françoise, known as LCMDF for short. The meaning behind the name is French for “The Skinny Body of Francoise,” which they thought was funny enough to be the band’s name. The trio consists of sisters Emma and Mia Kemppainen and Malin Nyqvist. The outfit formed two years ago and immediately started to gig live around their hometown, where fans like to compare them as Robyn with a little bit of Lily Allen and CSS. Their energetic and highly stylized live performances quickly became a Finnish sensation and they are currently taking their musical styles to Europe and the rest of the world. Thanks to support from social networking websites Facebook, MySpace and YouTube, LCMDF quickly earned their share of internet fame. Their upbeat electro pop was picked up and posted on a number of blogs, which for a day earned them the top spot on Hype Machine, even higher than Kanye West--which is a remarkable feat in itself. The girls first had success with the single “Bitch of the Bitches” (featured here earlier this year) and are back with their latest, “Something Golden.” The latest electro track is a synth-blazing alternative pop gem that is addicting, spellbinding and will be released as part of the Maison Kitsune 8 compilation in Finland. LCMDF is currently putting the finishing touches on their debut album, Love & Nature, which is scheduled to be released in December 2009.

MP3: "Something Golden"
LINK: www.myspace.com/lecorpsmincedefrancoise

KOPEK

Kopek is a three-piece band hailing from Dublin, Ireland whose members utilize just first names: Dan (vocals/guitar), Shane (drums) and Brad (bass). Kopek have played all over the world to stadium crowds and won the Global Battle of the Bands competition in the London Astoria, where one of the judges was Steve Lilywhite, renowned U2 and Smiths producer. The trio signed to Religion Music and is currently recording their debut album in Dublin, set for release sometime before the end of the year. There are three songs to listen to on the group’s MySpace page, including “White Collar Lies,” “Love Is Dead” and the song that you can check out below, titled "Fever".

MP3: "Fever"
LINK: www.myspace.com/kopek

THOMAS DYBDAHL

We featured Thomas Dybdahl in the A&R Worldwide newsletter back in 2003 and a lot has happened since. Born in Norway, Thomas Dybdahl is a singer-songwriter who has been compared to the likes of Nick Cave, Elliott Smith and Jeff Buckley. He released his debut album, ...That Great October Sound, in 2002, receiving international praise for his unique work. The release of his next two albums, Stray Dogs and One Day You’ll Dance for Me, New York City helped increase his profile as a respected solo artist. In just under a decade Dybdahl has released four albums and is considered at the top of the list of singer-songwriters in the Norwegian music scene. He was recently signed to Last Suppa based in the UK and is already hard at work on his fifth album, which is due sometime in 2010. He’s also currently in the studio with Melanie Laurent, star of the Quentin Tarantino movie Inglourious Basterds, and Damien Rice on an album of duets. Dybdahl has released a self-titled compilation, a greatest hits if you will, composed of the singles from his previous four albums. It’s a perfect introduction to his musical musings and features the song “From Grace,” which you can preview below.

MP3: "From Grace"
LINK: www.myspace.com/tdybdahl

PINT SHOT RIOT

Pint Shot Riot are rapidly building a name for themselves that is starting to extend beyond the bounds of their hometown of Coventry, England. Melding the jagged rhythms and cutting lyrics of the Clash, the blue-collar rock attitude of Oasis and the melodious, harmonic sound of the Kinks, Pint Shot Riot’s songs favor hope over despair and so appealed to audiences that, six months after the current lineup formed, they were playing on the Glastonbury Introduces stage at the famed festival of that name and were praised by BBC Radio One’s Huw Stephens as “one of the best new bands in the UK” that year. They’ve since shared stages with the likes of We Are Scientists, Dirty Pretty Things, The View, Athlete and fellow Coventry natives The Enemy. The band’s first single, the ominously titled, “Punches Kicks Trenches Swords,” earned significant airplay throughout the UK. During a segment of BBC DJ Steve Lamacq’s “Music Roundtable” show, members of the Kaiser Chiefs described “Punches…” as “an awesome track, different to what’s going on--we would love to see them live and hear it louder!” Last year, EA Games asked for a track for the new SIMS 3 game and the band provided the same song, “Punches…” as this hadn’t really had any international exposure. The company liked the song so much that they also found room in their game Fight Night 4 for the track. The very next month they signed a publishing deal with EA Games joint venture company Artwerk Music administered worldwide by Nettwerk One Music. The band recently had another song, “Not Thinking Straight,” on EA Sports’ FIFA 10 which is scheduled to be released on October 20. Their latest single, “Come Back to Me,” is taken off a new two-song EP and is already getting support from BBC Radio 1 influencer DJ Zane Lowe.

MP3: "Come Back To Me"
LINK: www.myspace.com/pintshotriot

FYFE DANGERFIELD

Before recording a solo album Birmingham, UK native Fyfe Dangerfield had his hands in other bands. These included Senseless Prayer, who recorded a session for John Peel’s Radio 1 show in 1999, and Fyfe Dangerfield and the Accident. While he was with “The Accident” he was featured alongside Misty’s Big Adventure, Mike in Mono, Dreams of Tall Buildings and X Is Greater Than Y on a promotional disc that was offered free with The Birmingham Post in 2004, called Broader Than Broad Street. Dangerfield later moved to Bromsgrove and more recently London, where he became a maverick music teacher for Cranbrook College. During this move he also found the lineup for his next band, Guillemots. The name “Guillemots” caused some confusion for those unaware of its meaning, which referenced a group of seabirds and was pronounced “gilly-mot.” Guillemots had a very successful 2005 opening for Rufus Wainwright’s sold-out UK tour and began the following year by being awarded fifth place in the BBC Sound of 2006 Survey. Later the band signed to Fantastic Plastic and released their debut album in 2006, resulting in a nomination for the 2006 Mercury Music Prize. They are currently working on their third album, but in the meantime Dangerfield wanted to record a solo effort, Fly Yellow Moon. It was produced by Adam Noble who previously worked with Dangerfield on the Guillemots albums.

MP3: "She Needs Me"
LINK: www.myspace.com/guillemotsmusic

THE RUBICON

Born and raised amongst strangers, The Rubicon first gathered momentum in a garage with pictures of icons on walls and handed-down guitars armed with their own stories and sound. Jake Bezzina (vocals), Barrie Hardman (lead guitar/vocals), Jack Greenfield (drums/vocals), Jimmy Prew (rhythm guitar) and Billy Rimmer (bass) are from Portsmouth, UK and have a raw rock sound that reflects their upbringing. Their music has been compared to the likes of Arctic Monkeys, INXS, Oasis and Stereophonics and they’ve played numerous venues in their local area to sell-out crowds. They continue to spread their stories of happiness and heartbreak across the world and put it to music. The Rubicon encapsulates the original meaning of the word, “a line once exceeded brings irrevocable commitment.” Their debut single, “On The Left Side,” has already started to garner early U.S. radio support from such tastemaker stations as WKQX Chicago, WEND Charlotte, KPNT St. Louis and KNRK Portland.

MP3: "On The Left Side"
LINK: www.myspace.com/therubiconuk

FABIENNE HOLLOWAY

One of the brightest new unsigned and unpublished contenders in the international music scene, Fabienne Holloway has delivered the sound which many have been awaiting. Now, at the tender age of 18 she strikes a refreshing new chord, especially to impressionable young ears rediscovering the joys of Sixties-style soul and R&B. Fabienne’s voice and new sound is updating those classic sounds for her own generation. Fabienne’s influences reflect a deep collection of classic soul and R&B icons, ranging from Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Ray Charles and Sarah Vaughn to more modern purveyors like Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Toni Braxton and the Roots. When she was just 14, Fabienne was signed to Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam and played some gigs in New York City, but she’s now a free agent again--one with valuable experience and stints in Miami and Los Angeles, working with some of the top names in the business and finally turning her dreams into reality. She has recorded a song for the latest The Sims video game (EA Games) and despite being an unsigned artist had the rare opportunity this year to meet and discuss working with Dianne Warren, one of the best songwriters of our time. Fabienne has been in the studio writing and recording songs with Southern California platinum hit makers Fingazz and Flossy from Streetlight Music www.streetlightmusic.net (Snoop Dogg, The Game, Twista, Xzibit, Too Short, Ray J, Ciara, Kurupt, Fat Joe, Baby Bash and Donnie Wahlberg).

MP3: "Electric Lady"
LINK: www.myspace.com/fabienneuk

Mr. Hudson

Mr. Hudson is an act based in London, England which is signed to Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music label. The band is led by front man Ben Hudson (guitar and vocals), who is a singer, songwriter and record producer. Their influences range from David Bowie and The Police to Andre 3000 (OutKast) and Dizzee Rascal. The group released their first album,A Tale of Two Cities, under the moniker Mr. Hudson & The Library in 2007 to strong reviews and airplay from Jo Whalley and Zane Lowe’s BBC Radio 1 shows. They also supported Amy Winehouse, Paulo Nutini, Mika and Groove Armada in addition to appearing at several UK festivals such as Glastonbury, T in the Park, The Big Chill, Godiva Festival and Bestival. Mr. Hudson also supported Kanye West on the European leg of his Glow in the Dark Tour. Mr. Hudson was featured on the single “Paranoid” from Kanye West’s fourth album,808s & Heartbreak, upon which Kanye stated, “I believe Mr. Hudson has the potential to be bigger than me, to be one of the most important artists of his generation.” Recently Mr. Hudson released “Supernova,” featuring Kanye West from the upcoming album,Straight No Chaser, due in early October. “White Lies” is a song that Kanye West released recently on his blog as a teaser for the future release and is reminiscent of a sound clash between Robbie Williams and Coldplay’s Chris Martin (vocally speaking). If you can’t wait until October for new music from Mr. Hudson, you can also catch the collaboration with Jay-Z onThe Blueprint 3 album called “Young Forever,” scheduled to be released on Friday, September 11.

MP3: "White Lies"
LINK: www.mrhudson.com

REMI NICOLE

Singer-songwriter Remi Nicole is set to release her amazing new album next week. Cupid Shoot Me takes in everything from doo-wop to rockabilly, girl-group to soulful rock and is full of hugely catchy melodies, sparkling arrangements and irresistible vocals. Initially created in a front room in north London, it was finessed in a Surrey studio by Grammy-winning producer Mark Taylor (Diana Ross, Kylie, Tina Turner) and evokes comparisons with the music that came out of Phil Spector’s Gold Star Studios and Motown’s Studio A. Remi Nicole is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist, musician, singer and songwriter who plays guitar, keyboards and drum parts on the album. “I call it ‘Grease 3,’” explains Remi, “because every song could be played at a [rom. It’s like a fairy tale. There’s something quite enchanted about it.” Remi is no stranger to the international market. She earned a lot of fans from her previous body of work, which included the song “Rock & Roll,” which somehow didn’t achieve the worldwide success it deserved. However, Remi’s latest effort is sure to strike a chord with global music fans and is destined to give her the success to which she’s aspired. Remi’s debut single, “Standing Tears Apart,” comes out this week and the album Cupid Shoot Me is released September 7.

MP3: "Broken Hearted People"
LINK: www.reminicole.com

IMOGEN HEAP

Born Imogen Jennifer Jane Heap in Essex, England, she released her debut album in 1998 on Almo Sounds. I Megaphone featured influences ranging from Kate Bush to Annie Lennox to Björk and gave her the opportunity to work with David Kahne, Dave Stewart (of Eurythmics) and Guy Sigsworth (Acacia). In 2001 Heap teamed up with Sigsworth again to form the collaborative project Frou Frou, who focused on electronics to create an atmospheric, dreamy and fresh sound. Frou Frou enjoyed success with the album Details, but opened up their audience when the song “Let Go” was used in the award-winning Garden State soundtrack. Although Frou Frou built a cult following, the group disbanded and Heap returned to her solo career. In 2005 she released Speak For Yourself, which featured the songs “Hide & Seek” and “Goodnight and Go.” “Hide & Seek” was featured in The O.C., So You Think You Can Dance, The L Word, The Real World, CSI: Miami, Heroes and the movie The Last Kiss, while “Goodnight and Go” was featured in the Mac OS X Leopard advertisements. Heap’s third album, Ellipse, is scheduled to be released on August 25--but a promotional copy of the album was up for bid on eBay in early July and, although Heap placed a bid of £10,000,000 to try to reclaim the album, she was outbid. If you’d like to follow Imogen Heap on MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Bebo, log on to www.imogenheap.com. Heap and her manager Mark Wood are constantly finding new ways to interact music with media and technology and seem to always be one step ahead of the curve.

MP3: "First Train Home"
LINK: www.imogenheap.com

FRANCIS

Francis is a four-piece from Sweden whose musical style has been described as everything from folk to blues to Americana…though some refer to their sound as folk mixed with blues mixed with some liquor in the backwoods. Either way, Francis has great music that is creative and entertaining to any listener. The Swedish outfit released their first album, Bad to the Bone, in 2008 and that helped build their fan base. In April of this year they released their first EP, the Francis EP which contains such tunes as the alcohol-fueled “Drunk Stranger” and the mellow but intriguing “Take It Easy.” The recent release has received positive reviews from bloggers and media outlets worldwide. Francis is currently available for signing, licensing, publishing and booking in multiple territories.

MP3: "Drunk Stranger"
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/francisishere

thecocknbullkid

The artist known as thecocknbullkid--no spaces, apostrophes or capital letters allowed, thank you very much--is the stage name adopted by Anita Blay, who was born in London to Ghanaian parents. After spending a few years absorbing a diverse collection of musical influences, ranging from Morrissey and Madonna to M.I.A. and Little Richard, she began forging her own distinctive sound, one that resides on the dark edge of pop and boasts elements of sex, death, ugliness, wit and depravity. “I’ve always thought pop should never just be saccharine,” Blay notes. “It should be black and tortured, too. There’s no point otherwise.” The critics seem to be in agreement: the NME called thecocknbullkid “Probably the most interesting thing to come out of London since Klaxons,” and praised her songcraft as “Freudian kitchen-sink stories set to Timbaland-lite beats.” theocknbullkid is managed by Empire Management’s Neale Easterby (Estelle, Natasha Bedingfield, The Feeling) and has a US release forthcoming on the ultra-cool I Am Sound indie. For further details on this artist, feel free to log on to http://www.myspace.com/cocknubullkid.

MP3: "Boys and Girls"
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/cocknbullkid

Conil

London's very own singer-songwriter Conil, started creating a buzz with his debut album, Strange Part of the Country. But before the awareness of the album, Conil originally posted material on his MySpace page and received messages from two-time GRAMMY winner Tchad Blake and Danny Thompson wanting to work with him. Blake is best known for his work, producing for such artists as Elvis Costello, Peter Gabriel, Pearl Jam and Sheryl Crow, while Thompson is best known for the work he has done as a double bass player with Roy Orbison, Donavan, Kate Bush and Nick Drake. The album was finished and released on his own label, Great Hare Records and through Proper Music Distribution. The debut received glowing reviews from XFM, Xtreme AM, CMU Snap of the Day and BBC Radio, where Conil was also invited to play various live sessions on BBC stations. Q Magazine was quoted saying 'Pray they live long enough to record a second album.' Conil and his band supported Joseph Arthur on his UK summer tour last year at venues including London's Union Chapel, Glasgow's King Tut's and Birmingham's Glee Club. This year, Conil is scheduled to play SXSW and NXNE and plans to re-release the debut album under a new license. For updates, tour dates and other music from Conil, venture over to www.myspace.com/conilmusic

MP3: "Years Between"
LINK: www.myspace.com/conilmusic

Yves Klein Blue

Australian act Yves Klein Blue takes their moniker from the famed artist Yves Klein, whose "Yves Klein Blue" is a blue shade that doesn't fade over time, forever appearing wet and freshly applied...and thus serving as a metaphor for the group's goal of creating music that is timeless and won't fade with age. The group began in high school, brought together by a common passion for Led Zeppelin. Vocalist/guitarist Michael Tomlinson and lead guitarist Charles Sale would frequently spend their lunch periods (and occasional physical education periods) ensconced in a dusty storeroom and jamming out the basics of what would become their initial songs. Joined by bassist Sean Cook and drummer Chris Banham, they released a five-song EP in April 2008, Yves Klein Blue Draw Attention to Themselves. A joyous melding of classic pop, old-school punk, gypsy-tinted jazz and indie rock, it swiftly received positive response. "Yves Klein Blue...are a bunch of 19-and-20-year-olds from Brisbane who are grabbing the chance of playing the Big Day Out by the neck," stated Robert Forster in The Monthly. "It is pop with fierce rhythms--and they have the songs." February will see Yves Klein Blue sharing stages with The Fratellis, The Music and Ben Lee on "The Big O" tour of Australia.

MP3: "Polka"
LINK: http://www.yveskleinblue.com

All Mankind

Australian act All Mankind has become a fan favorite both at home and abroad, having performed over 500 times in the last three years to more than 100,000 ecstatic fans. The quartet, comprised of vocalist/guitarist/pianist Rich Beeston, brother Dave Beeston on drums and backing vocals, bassist Gavin Perkins and lead guitarist Domy, has parleyed that live success into album sales into the thousands, as well as award nominations for songwriting and performance in both Australia and America. The group's debut album, Regenerate (2004), gained a Top 10 spot in the Australian charts along with a top 10 spot in the independent album sales for 2005. The band's follow up album, Infant Logic (2006), was equally as successful; its release saw nominations for Male Vocalist of the Year, Song of the Year, and Contemporary Artist of the Year. The single "I Give in to You" earned a No.1 spot on the independent chart and received nationwide airplay in Australia and regional airplay in the US. In February 2008 the group adopted the new name All Mankind and went into the studio with noted ARIA-winning producer David Nicholas (Elton John, Sting), who called the resulting effort, Puzzles, "a great album from a great young Australian band."

MP3: "Can You Hear Me?"
LINK: puzzles.allmankind.net

Bang Bang Eche

This quintet of young New Zealanders has been making quite a name for themselves, both domestically and abroad. Friends since high school, vocalist Zach Doney, guitarist Charlie Ryder, bassist T'Nealle Worsley, drummer James Sullivan and synth player Josh Burgess got their start by winning a contest on local radio station RDU, which allowed them to record and press their first EP for free. Soon thereafter the group were awarded third place at Rockquest 2007; encouraged, they released their debut, self-titled EP in May 2008 and subsequently earned a pair of No.1 singles on bnet, the New Zealand college radio network, with "4 to the Floor" and "Nikee," while third single "Time Mismanagement" also went Top 5 on bnet and No.2 on the mainstream Radioscope chart. In October 2008 they played the CMJ Music Marathon in New York City, followed by a month of shows in Europe. In November "4 to the Floor" topped the Mediaguide Alternative Specialty Song chart in the U.S. "If there's any life left in the UK dance-punk scene, it's probably in New Zealand," said CMJ. "Skinny-limbed Kiwi quintet Bang! Bang! Eche! approaches the Brit cliches from a new angle, as the band combines aggressive, distorted vocals with a dissonant musical edge to create something impressively vulgar."

MP3: "4 To The Floor"
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/bangbangeche

Salem

Salem is the stage name of Salem Al Fakir, a Stockholm, Sweden native born of a Syrian father and Swedish mother whose wistful soul/pop confections are proving increasingly popular in his native land and beyond. Salem began his musical training at age four on the violin; by age 14 he was accomplished enough to perform on a solo tour of Russia, but he opted to instead start studying jazz piano upon completion of the jaunt. He then went on to perform with such Swedish artists as electro-dance diva Robyn and Snook before releasing his debut full-length, This Is Who I Am, in January 2007 to great critical acclaim: the Obscure Sound music blog stated, "Salem Al Fakir has to be one of the most individually talented artists I have come across, playing literally every instrument on the album...whether it is classic 70s pop, soul, blues, or folk, Salem Al Fakir has the sort of musical grasp that is both easy to envy and adore." In October 2007 he was named "Best Newcomer" by Swedish music publishers, and in January 2008 he also won four Swedish Grammis (Grammys) out of seven nominations, emerging victorious for Best Male Artist, Best Newcomer, Best Composer and Best Producer--more awards than any other act garnered that year.

MP3: "It's Only You (Part II)"
LINK: www.myspace.com/salem

The Rags

It was with their debut release in 2005 that many sensed the beginning of something quite special in Dublin six-piece The Rags. Intended to serve merely as an introduction to the band, the 4 tracks contained on the Me and the Moon EP revealed a band with a natural songwriting ability far outreaching their years. Hotpress magazine awarded 'Me and the Moon' Single of the Fortnight, asserting that "Few new Irish bands arrive as seemingly perfect as The Rags...on this showing we might have a real little wonder on our hands".

The hook-laden 'Monsters and I' followed in 2006 and instantly became 'Song of the Week' on Ian Dempsey's influential Breakfast Show on Today FM. The song continues to garner widespread airplay via both the advertising campaign and Irish daytime radio, making it one of the most successful independent Irish releases of recent times.

The Rags proved themselves capable of evoking a stunningly dynamic range of emotions; with lyrics and instrumentation both reaching rare levels of complexity, depth and meaning. Addressing the 'Old Women at the Weekend' with a vivid illustration of the troubles that lay under a town in decay, Razors and Ropes became one of the most strikingly potent singles released in 2007. "Easily digestible, yet utterly memorable, this compelling slice of Smiths-esque guitar-pop stands out as their finest recording to date." Single of the Fortnight - Hotpress.

In 2008 The Rags took a break form the live circuit to begin working on their long awaited debut album. It is due for release in late 2009.

MP3: "Owner Of A Loveless Life"
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/therags

Floor Thirteen

In recent years the music scene in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada has been producing some exciting new artists, but few with as much potential as Floor Thirteen. Consisting of singer Jeremy Koz, guitarist/vocalist Marc Jaworski, bassist/vocalist Aaron Vandall and drummer Billy Kiely, Floor Thirteen really started to take off after Koz joined the band in 2003. He has quite a set of pipes: he reached the Top 20 during the 2006 "Canadian Idol" competition and landed in the Top 30 (out of thousands of aspirants) on the "Rock Star: INXS" program later that year. Not that the rest of the guys in the band are slouches; their hard-rockin' sound has drawn comparisons to such luminaries as AC/DC and Led Zeppelin, along with newcomers like Wolfmother and Jet, helping them land a slot on Mazda's online "Campus Joyride" game with their song "Night Train." They also had their song "Bright Lights Rockin' City" included in the soundtrack of the Sci-Fi Channel movie "Grizzly Rage." Floor Thirteen has toured extensively throughout their native land, sharing the stages with the likes of Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman (the Guess Who and Bachman Turner Overdrive), along with such bands as Buckcherry, Default and Our Lady Peace.

MP3: "Blame It On Me"
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/floor13

Kidda

Skint Records met Kidda almost 10 years ago when he moved down from the north to make videos for their roster. His first for them was Midfield General's 'Midfielding' featuring Noel Fielding (the video of which The General is most proud- "he's one of the most gifted and creative people I've had the good fortune to meet..."), Lo Fidelity All Stars 'Sleeping Faster', and X Press 2 'Give it'. With video work for Kanye West also to his name, he is the visual power house of Skint Records. Indeed it was working on the video for X-Press 2 that the computer representation of Ste / Kidda was born. The result is a character made out of boxes with which Ste's imagination can run wild. On the video for 'Smile', which is based on Napolean Dynamite, Kidda can do lots of things that Ste could never do - "I've got it break-dancing. I can't breakdance!", with the Kidda website being based around the video for 'Billie Jean'.

Having previousy released records on Catskills and Puma Strut, recent Kidda remixes include one Pepe Deluxe (to be released on Catskills's forthcoming remix album), Parker, and a promo Kidda/ Fatboy mash-up that Norm liked so much he put it on his remix long player. Kidda has also released two albums of soul-slapped Beastie Boys remixes (On The Bus To N.Y.C., Fake Boogie Tapes) that have become the stuff of legend. Alongside his residency at Digital Brighton, Kidda's festival dates this summer take in Loop, Glastonbury and Beach Down.

MP3: "Waiting For Light"
LINK: www.myspace.com/kiddauk

Benjamin Diamond

Benjamin Diamond started life as a punk rocker in the band Chicken Pox, but taking inspiration from artists such as New Order, Michael Jackson, and Roxy Music, he veered towards electro-pop and joined The Party. However, he is best known for his collaboration in Stardust with Alan Braxe and Thomas Bangalter (of Daft Punk). He sang the lyrics in their 1998 single "Music Sounds better with you", which was an international success. In 2001, Benjamin released his first album Strange Attitude, which included his earlier singles "Little Scare" and "In Your Arms (We Gonna Make It)". Also in 2001, he released the EP Solitaire, which included a number of tracks he had produced especially for the Dior Autumn-Winter '01 fashion parade. Benjamin Diamond says that he found it "very difficult to go back to my own style of music after Stardust".

However, in mid 2005, he released his second album, Out of Myself, which was much more pop-oriented than his first album. Let's get high and There is a girl were released as singles. Benjamin has continually been performing throughout France European Union and the UK. On July 9th of this year Benjamin Diamond released his heavily anticipated album Cruise Control.

MP3: "Same All things."
LINK: Diamondtraxx.com

The Temper Trap

On the heels of a successful self-titled EP released in 2006, Melbourne, Australia quartet The Temper Trap garnered rotation airplay on Triple J (the national Alternative radio station) with the single "My Sun" and drew favorable comparisons to such iconic acts as Radiohead, Sonic Youth and TV on the Radio. Their intense, energetic live shows only added to the buzz, earning them support slots with such international artists as Modest Mouse, Kasabian, Cold War Kids, Omar Rodriguez and The Dears, complemented by placement on many festival stages, including the V Festival, the Great Escape and the Laneway Festival. In May of this year the foursome hooked up with producer Jim Abbiss (Massive Attack, DJ Shadow, Arctic Monkeys, U.N.K.L.E., Bjork, Placebo, ) at Melbourne's famed Sing Sing Studios to commence work on their debut album. The resulting effort, which will be released in early 2009 through indie Liberation Records, showcases an evolution in The Temper Trap's sound, including songs embellished with waves of keys, strings and choirs. "Think snappier drum rhythms, driving bass-lines and fluid guitar melodies peppered with delay," stated Fasterlouder.com of the new material. "The sound is delicate, but without hesitancy, crafted for an audience that is ready to move."

MP3: "Sweet Disposition"
LINK: www.myspace.com/thetempertrap

Meaghan Smith

Meaghan Smith's first full-length recording sizzles with an ingenuous and passionate blend of 1930's nostalgia and the freshness of 21st century innovation and perspective. From saucy to soulful, Take Me Dancing showcases Meaghan's seemingly effortless vocal style, whether she is ripping it like Benny Goodman or baring her soul a la Edith Piaf.

Meaghan's new songs dazzle with vocal stylings reminiscent of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday and the lush arrangements crafted by producer Les Cooper brilliantly support the simple elegance of her lyrics. The sound combines the instrumentation of old jazz - complete with horns, strings and a big-band-swing-groove - with injections of modern sonic treats by the guest appearance of fabulously funky DJ Kid Koala. As you listen to Meaghan's music, you sense that this is an artist just beginning to discover the talent that lies within her.

In the brief time that Meaghan has been pursuing her musical ambitions, she has already been recognized with nominations in her native Canada for two Nova Scotia Music Awards ("Best New Artist" and "Best Female Artist") and a win for "Galaxie Rising Star" in 2005. She was a featured artist at the Atlantic Film Festival in 2007 and also collaborated with Rose Cousins and Jill Barber on a holiday cd (A New Kind of Light) with a noble purpose - support for the Maritime Food Banks.

MP3: "I Know"
LINK: www.myspace.com/meaghansmithmusic

The King Blues

One of the UK punk underground's most beloved bands is The King Blues, a London-based sextet whose reggae-tinged songs of political protest have won a fervent following in their native land. Carrying on with the proud punk tradition of such similarly minded acts as the Clash and featuring two acoustic guitars, a ukulele and a Melodeon, The King Blues' sound is a marvelous mixture of ska elements, street poetry, working-class protest folk, dub bass lines and doowop melodies, all delivered with a snarling punk attitude that's attracted the attention of some influential tastemakers. BBC Radio One's Mike Davies stated that their initial full-length, Under the Fog, was his "favorite album of the year," while fellow BBC Radio One jock Zane Lowe enthused, "A bit of summer ska for you, big with our chatroom, sounds great!" They even earned a fan in novelist/historian/political activist Tariq Ali, who raved, "This is rough, radical music that should unsettle the rulers of this country. A new generation of musicians is challenging warmonger politicians and their courtiers (Bono, Geldof, et al). I hope these songs prosper." Now signed to Field Recordings/Island, The King Blues are looking to spread their message beyond the UK to the entire world.

MP3: "My Boulder"
LINK: www.kingblues.net

Dúné

The Danish group Dúné (pronounced "dew-nay") are true students of rock & roll history, incorporating into their sound the high-energy rock of the '60s, the punk explosion of the '70s, the synth-based pop of the '80s and the indie aesthetic of the '90s, all coming together to form a glorious mishmash that they've dubbed "Indielectrock." Though some of the members started playing together as early as 2001, it wasn't until 2006 that Dúné began to attract attention outside of Denmark. A gig at the local SPOT Festival garnered a rave review from Gaffa, Denmark's most influential music magazine, while a slot on the famed Roskilde Festival later in the year sparked international interest and subsequently lead to three showcases in London in the fall of that year. They started the year 2007 in the studio, taking time out only for acclaimed performances at the Eurosonic Festival in Holland, where they won over many of the international tastemakers in attendance. After those appearances they released their debut album, We Are In There, You Are Out Here, through indie Iceberg Records, which subsequently signed a licensing agreement with SonyBMG for a release in the Germany/Austria/Switzerland territories.

MP3: "No Speed"
LINK: www.myspace.com/dunesite

Emiliana Torrini

Following Emilian Torrini critically acclaimed albums Love In The Time Of Science and her Rough Trade debut Fisherman's Woman, Me And Armini sees her working once again with her longtime producer/collaborator Dan Carey, resulting in what we feel is destined to be one of the loveliest albums of 2008.

Me And Armini is a hugely ambitious and aspirational pop record with Emilíana's soaring voice center stage, bolstered by a rich gamut of musical styles. From the summery skank of the title track to the surging, breathless "Jungle Drum", the yearning "Big Jumps",and much more in between, Me And Armini is a truly fantastic album.

Emilíana cheerfully describes sitting with a friend in a cemetery in Nice, staring at the gravestones and huge epitaphs; "these beautiful angels and tombstones, how silly - that's all life comes to. People really want to believe there is something more, it makes them lazy about the moment." "Big Jumps" is about taking those chances - chiming guitar and delicate synth swooshes, combine with Emilíana's yearning voice to unforgettable effect.

The pedigree paring of Emilíana's song writing and Carey's sonic alchemy previously combined to world-beating effect when they co-wrote/produced "Slow" for Kylie Minogue, and individually when Emilíana sang "Gollum's Song" on the soundtrack for The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers, Dan has also handled production work on the new Franz Ferdinand and recent Hot Chip records.

Emilíana beams with joy talking about working with Carey; "Dan will play something and I will see a panoramic view of what I want to sing about. We're always laughing, coming up with mad ideas, I'll say 'lets do a Chinese acid version of "Hey Joe" and he instantly will play something that sounds exactly like that. 'Thank God we are working together' he said 'otherwise no one would understand you!' People search for their musical partner all their life and I've found mine".

Carey explains; "we wanted it to sound like what would happen if you left a couple of kids in a studio with all the guitars, microphones and instruments in the studio plugged in and ready to record. We tried not to demo the songs at all, just doing things in one take to try and preserve the immediacy, and just generally have fun!"

This easy rapport meant the record was written in just two and a half weeks, with long breaks in between, a change in the songwriting process for Emilíana - "It's taken me a while to realize that songs just want to be born, it has very little to do with you. It's like a room full of balloons and you're pulling one down by its string..."

Songwriting took place in Oxford and Emilíana's native Iceland (where she holds the record for the most weeks at the number one album spot); "Iceland is a big influence for me - the landscape, the people, my family...my Aunt and I decided to go for a little drive and six hours later we were on top of Snaefells glacier in the middle of the bright night, we were walking through these caves that people used to live in-called the singing caves - you could really feel the weird energy in some of the places. We spent most of the night spotting animal shapes in the ice and frightening ourselves in the silence above the clouds."

Me And Armini will be released This Tuesday September 9, 2008 by Rough Trade Records.

MP3: "Me and Armini"
LINK: www.myspace.com/emilianatorrini

Andrew Paul Woodworth

Solidly anchored in the 90's L.A. scene, Andrew Paul Woodworth founded the post-Grunge band Elephant Ride. Their first album was produced by John Paul Jones, the legendary bass player from Led Zeppelin, who hailed him the best lyricist he had ever worked with. Though the feedback was decidedly positive, the album didn't fulfill Sony's commercial expectations. The result: no second album with a major label. In addition, internal problems within the band led to a split-up. In 2002, Woodworth brought the band Virgil to life, equally clearly Rock-oriented, and certainly an above-average Indie success: Movie theatres across the US presented Virgil in their audio programmes and screened the videos on Top 50 markets. The band played at SXSW, and at the LA Music Awards 2005 the Virgil album "My Paradise" received the award for the "Independent Rock Album of the Year".

Nearly simultaneously, Andrew began recording his first songs of his own together with producer Christian James-Hand. While working, it was more of a mood that led to the creation of Fight For Your Right, but the feedback came right away - for example from the producers of "One Tree Hill", who immediately featured the track in their TV series.

At this point it became clear to Andrew that he was already in the midst of kicking off a solo career. He began writing songs like a man obsessed. Together with James-Hand he completed the EP I Hate Music, which promptly became a small Indie hit in a very limited edition. The next logical step: a full-scale album.

Produced by Evan Frankfort (The Wallflowers, The Jayhawks, Rancid), Eddy Ate Dynamite displays the diversity Andrew Paul Woodworth has to offer on 12 songs and 3 interludes; not to mention his love of both melody and painstakingly arranged instrumentation. So it's no surprise that real strings can be heard on the album, two violins and one cello. Besides that, there's a horn player, a banjo, a harmonica and all kinds of little sound gimmicks that turn the album into an ear-catching trip.

APW's voice is emotional and entranced by melody, but never soft or powerless. Eddy Ate Dynamite reveals Woodworth as a man addicted to harmony through and through. It presents a kaleidoscope of different styles of playing within Pop and Songwriting. From light-on-its-feet and radio-worthy to introverted and melancholy and on to playfully complex harmony lines enhanced by suggestive horn arrangements, Woodworth pulls out all the stops time and again in order to find new approaches for his songs. Remarkably, a certain lightness weaves its way through all the tracks that enables listeners to lean back and enjoy.

MP3: "Ropemaker's Daughter"
LINK: www.myspace.com/andrewpaulwoodworth

The Wolfmen

The Wolfmen are made up of UK rock legends Marco Pirroni and Chris Constantinou who began collaborating in 2004. Marco was a lynchpin of the original UK punk scene, whose first gig was as guitarist in Siouxsie and The Banshees as a 17 year old in 1976. As lead guitarist and co-songwriter in Adam And The Ants, he penned five number one singles and a further four top ten hits between 1979 and 1982, when the Ants disbanded. Marco remained Adam Ant's co-writer and musical director until 1995, starting straight off with a number one single ('Goody Two Shoes') and album ('Friend Or Foe'), followed by a further nine more top 40 hits. In the 90's Marco begin to work with other artists, not least Sinead O'Conner, with whom he scored a global number one album, 'I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got', and a string of worldwide hit singles. The 00's have seen Marco increasingly cited as an authority on the punk movement, both on record and in print. He consulted on two major compilations - 'Punk' and 'Dread Meets The Punk Rockers Uptown', and compiled and produced the acclaimed 'SEX: Too Fast To Live, Too Young To Die' and 'Biba: Champagne and Novocaine' compilations on his own label, Only Lover Left Alive. He has also acted as contributing editor to some key books about the punk scene, including 'Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs', 'Vacant', Vivienne Westwood: An Unfashionable Life', 'Punk' and Jon Savage's 'England's Dreaming', which The Times deemed "A monumental survey...the definitive work on the subject."

Chris first emerged in 1977 as co-writer and bassist in the critically acclaimed rock band Drill, who signed to RCA Records and released several singles produced by Chas Chandler (The Animals, Jimi Hendrix) and toured extensively with Slade before imploding. In 1982 he joined the Adam Ant band as bass guitarist and backing vocalist, and alongside Marco, Chris was part of every Adam Ant TV appearance, video and tour (including Live Aid in 1985) until 1986. Under the pseudonym Chris De Niro, he became an integral part of the mid-80s Ants line up, vinyl highlights including the top 20 single 'Apollo 9' and the 'Vive Le Rock' album, both of which were produced by Tony Visconti. He later joined forces with ex-Bow Wow Wow singer Annabella Lwin and their band scored several hits, not least 'Do What You Do' in 1994, and then began a songwriting partnership with Guy Chambers, now well known for his work with Robbie Williams. In the late nineties he took centre stage as lead singer, bassist and songwriter, in post-punk outfit Jackie Onassid, who released two albums - 2001's '4Play' and 2002's 'Zip Me Up' and toured Europe three times. In 2003, they recorded the soundtrack for Brit filmmaker Paul Hills' movie 'The Poet' and then toured extensively supported Iggy Pop.

Since the formation of the band in 2004 The Wolfmen have released 2 full albums and 3 singles.

MP3: "If You Talk Like That"
LINK: www.thewolfmen.net

Noah and The Whale (UK)

The band is from Twickenham, London, England and consists of Charlie (vocals, guitar), Doug (drums), Tom (fiddle), and Urby (bass), and after a handful of singles, have released their first album, Peaceful The World Lays Me Down in August 2008. Laura Marling and Emmy The Great were members of the band before going solo, although they both continue to perform with the band occasionally. They have been compared to The Magic Numbers, The Little Ones, The Postal Service, and Belle & Sebastian.

Their name is a marriage of the title of one of the band's favorite films, "The Squid and the Whale," and the name of the director (Noah Baumbach). They are avid fans of the film director Wes Anderson, who helped produce "The Squid and the Whale" alongside Noah Baumbach. Their e-mails, and many of their MySpace blog posts, are signed "Sic Transit Gloria".

The band performed on Jeremy Warmsley's internet television show, Welcome to our TV show, and have made several appearances at festivals including Leeds, Latitude, SXSW, Glastonbury, and Lollapalooza.

MP3: "5 Years Time"
LINK: www.Noahandthewhale.com

Pistol Youth (New Zealand)

The four-piece known as Pistol Youth is something of an international supergroup, comprised of New Zealanders Bradley Carter from Steriogram on vocals/guitar and drummer Gavin Kerr from Wash, along with Australian guitarist Michael Guy Chislett from The Academy Is and Swedish bassist Anders Borgh from The First Class Hitmen. Of course, as you can imagine, trying to schedule sessions around the recording and touring priorities of four separate acts proved well-nigh impossible...but undaunted (and helped in good part by 21st century technology), after talking about putting together an EP for over a year, the quartet pieced it all together without all four ever meeting in the same room.

Though they facetiously describe the resulting sound as "four trainwrecks all intertwined," the self-released Smiling Can Backfire EP proved to be such a success that the foursome got together for the first time in a studio this past January in Los Angeles, with the goal of completing a full-length album. Their single, "When I Go Out," is reminis