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First Aid Kit – The Lion’s Roar | Music Review

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‘The Lion’s Roar’ is the 2nd album by First Aid Kit, two sisters from the south of Stockholm known to their parents as Johanna and Klara Söderberg, and what a record it is. The band first shot to fame in 2008 with a Youtube cover of Fleet Foxes’ Tiger Mountain Peasant Song and in those years they’ve come a long, long way. Haven’t we all?.

The band initially signed to Rabid Records in their native Sweden to release their debut record The Big Black & The Blue. Meanwhile Witchita Records may or may not have sent a memo to their army of A&R staff to find a female version of Bright Eyes. If they did then they got what they wanted, only better.

The second album by the Söderberg sisters is a joy to behold – from start to finish. A record full of lush melodies, of charm, of eyelid flutters (vocally speaking), a record of confidence beyond their years (the girls are 19 and 22) which should have a fleeting feel to its sound but has as assured a country-folk-indie sound as you’re ever likely to hear, even from Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst, who makes an appearance on ‘King Of The World’.  It’s a record that, with the held of Bright Eyes producer Mike Mogis, has made the lead from campfire guitars to a fuller band sound, compared with their debut.

Lyrically it’s on the darker side of life, or “bittersweet” as Klara (the younger of the two) likes it to be known as. ‘Emmylou’ namechecks name-checks the likes of Gram Parsons, Johnny Cash, June Carter and of course Miss Harris but it recognises the sadness in the lives and art of these heroes whilst noting that “the bitter winds are coming in and I’m already missing Summer, Stockholm’s cold but I’ve been told that I was born to endure this kind of weather”. The lyrics may sound like the tale of two downtrodden young girls surrendering to misery but there’s a lot more to it than. This record works despite those lyrics, despite the gloom and their country-inspired sound has given rise to a stoic feeling. A feeling that this won’t get them down. Watch this band soar to great heights with this album. You’ll struggle to hear a better record this year.

 

‘The Lion’s Roar’ is out now via Wichita Records. Catch the band on tour in November.

Links:

Official Website

Myspace page

Facebook page

Twitter page

 

The Tallest Man On Earth album details announced | Music News

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Swedish troubadour The Tallest Man On Earth has announced details of his forthcoming album and has released a track, ‘1904, available to listen to at Rolling Stone’s soundcloud page.

The album is titled ‘There’s No Leaving Now’ and will be released on 11th June via Dead Oceans Records. Recorded in his home studio in Dalarna, Sweden during the dark winter months at the end of 2011 and start of 2012, his 3rd album is at turns stark and haunting, joyous, wry or reverent, with Kristian Matsson’s wordplay and deft guitarwork front and center.

‘There’s No Leaving Now’ track list:
1. To Just Grow Away
2. Revelation Blues
3. Leading Me Now
4. 1904
5. Bright Lanterns
6. There’s No Leaving Now
7. Wind & Walls
8. Little Brother
9. Criminals
10. On Every Page

The first recordings from The Tallest Man on Earth surfaced in 2006 via a self-titled EP released on the Swedish independent label Gravitation, which was then followed by a full-length, ‘Shallow Grave’, in 2008 to much acclaim. In early 2010, Matsson signed with Dead Oceans and released his second album ‘The Wild Hunt’ and its follow-up EP ‘Sometimes the Blues is Just A Passing Bird’ which took him to an even greater audience, appearing at international festivals like Coachella, Green Man, and Roskilde as well as appearing on Later with Jools Holland, and a sold out show at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire as well as supporting Bon Iver on tour.

The Tallest Man on Earth will be touring throught the rest of 2012, heading to the UK to play various festival shows as well as a gig at the Hackney Empire on 3rd July.

Links:

Facebook page

Official Website

Myspace page

Matt Norris & The Moon – This Kingdom EP | Music Review

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Matt Norris & The Moon formed back in 2009 from the ashes of various other bands, having met at various open mic nights on the burgeoning Edinburgh folk scene. The band have spent the last couple of years honing their sound, played some pretty big support slots (including the mighty Primal Scream) and gained plenty of attention from both the press and radio stations.

This four song EP is sure to gain them even more followers. The release begins with ‘Roots Below’ which begins with strum-strum campfire guitars with solemn trumpeting over the top before building to a rousing folk-pop chorus with a trumpet hook catchier than an STI on a holiday to Magaluf.

‘Eyes of a Storm’ is a more laid-back number, begins with the campfire guitars and really stays there, adding accordian to create a warmer, oakier folk sound. ‘Shadow from the Sun’ has a more urgent pop sound with a nice bit of flute joining the party, sounding like a band driven by something. ‘The Shallows’ wraps things up nicely with more campfire strumming, value-added stings with a five party harmony of detuned opera singing (opera music’s just vowels, right?).

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cChp1xsu86s&w=560&h=315]

 

On the evidence of this EP MN&TM are a band to watch. Their sound is an enchanting mix of big hooks and bigger harmonies coupled with an impressive array of instruments. For fans of Fleet Foxes, First Aid Kit and Mumford & Sons this is a band for you. Watch them explode.

 

‘This Kingdom EP’ is released on 17th May via 17 Seconds Records

Links:

17 Seconds Records

Matt Norris & The Moon Twitter

Matt Norris & The Moon Facebook

Matt Norris & The Moon Website

Mmoths: new EP + UK & Ireland tour | Music News

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Electronic artist and producer MMOTHS, aka 18 year old Ireland-based Jack Colleran, has unveiled four stunning videos to give fans an immersive visual accompaniment to the music from his self-titled EP, released March on SQE Music. Capturing the essence of EP tracks “THNX,” “Summer” ft. Superhumanoids, “If Only” & “Breaking Through” these videos will be featured in sequence on his Facebook page and website.

In support of the release Colleran has announced a full UK & Ireland tour, including two shows in London. Full details here.

 

Join Cosmo’s Online Protest For Equal Pay.

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UNITE TOGETHER AND FIGHT FOR EQUAL PAY WITH COSMOPOLITAN’S ONLINE PROTEST

CALL FOR WOMEN TO TAKE PART IN COSMOPOLITAN’S CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE WIDENING PAY GAP

Cosmopolitan, the magazine for smart spirited women, has teamed up with a host of celebrities to lead an online protest via Facebook and Twitter to highlight the current 15% pay gap and urge women to fight for their right to an equal pay packet.

Cosmopolitan and its celebrity supporters will lead the protest with the hashtag #4Kequalpay spend it YOUR way, encouraging women to retweet and comment on how they would spend the extra money. ‘4K’ signifying the average amount of money that women are missing out on each year from their salaries.

The online protest follows the controversial moves announced recently in the Budget to cut salaries of public-sector workers, meaning the pay gap is set to widen with women bearing the brunt of the government’s austerity measures.

All tweets and Facebook posts will also include a link to the Cosmopolitan Equal Pay Petition, asking everyone to sign up to make it mandatory for companies who employ 250 people or more to carry out a public, annual equal-pay audit. Over 100,000 signatures need to be collated for the petition to be taken to David Cameron later in the year.

Louise Court, Cosmopolitan, Editor, said: “With the government recently announcing further cuts to the Budget and the likelihood of the pay gap widening further, it is time for all women across the country to stand up and take positive steps in finally getting equal pay for British women.”

Follow the Cosmopolitan Twitter for updates: @CosmopolitanUK

Glasvegas + Es Muss Sein – Relentless Garage, London | Music Review

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Es Muss Sein

Tonight’s show was opened by Es Muss Sein, a 16 year old singer-songwriter from Kent. EMS was personally invited to open the show by Rab from Glasvegas who found her via her facebook page. Her debut EP has been earning her rave reviews, including here at Frost, and so we took the opportunity to catch her at her biggest live performance to date.

At four songs short it was a quick set. “Wave Goodbye”, “Sail”, “Seeping” and “Those Eyes” give off little more than the EP did. Hauntingly soulful, achingly beautiful. Nerves showed at the start but she grew in confidence with every  strum of her guitar. She told me afterwards that she”doubted she was good enough” and that she was “very scared”. On this performance the only thing you doubt is that she’ll be bottom of the bill for much longer.

Glasvegas

It’s been a few years since I last saw Glasvegas, atop a mountain near Bern, and it’s fair to say a lot’s happened. In those two years the band have released a new album, Europric Heartbreak, lost their original drummer, Caroline McKay, gained a new drummer, Jonna Löfgren (more on her later), but the most striking change in them is they’re no longer fresh faced new kids on the block. They’ve less teeth and more tattoos yet still, after battling the drugs, perils and heartbreak of fame appear to wear the “happy to be here” look.

Frontman James Allen, as usual dressed all in black, looks exactly like Joe Strummer but despite his attire and the fact that he has the look of a man who may bite your neck at any moment, his autobiographical lyrics about his absent father, his social worker and the struggles of growing up in working class Britain gave him an air of vulnerability that had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand.

They began with songs from Mercury Award nominated debut album Glasvegas. Opening song “Flowers & Football Tops”, or in Scottish “Flowers & Fitba Tops”, was written about the reaction to the racially motivated murder in Glasgow of Kriss Donald, a Celtic fan – the same team the band support. It works equally as well as a eulogy for their arch rivals Rangers Football Club, a club staring into the abyss. “Geraldine” comes next, followed by “It’s my own cheating heart . . . ” and the band are on a roll. Hit after hit with the audience. Anthem after working class anthem. It’s a brilliant talent of Allen’s, much like that of Alex Turner and Jarvis Cocker, to turn the mundane aspects of life into anthemic greatness.

Sounds from “Euphoric Heartbreak” didn’t quite stir the same excitement as songs from their previous record but it was an interesting sound and certainly a bit of a departure. Less straightforward rock n roll and a bit more experimental.

It must be said though that new drummer, Jonna Löfgren, is the star of the show. She’s taken over from James Allen as the band’s sunglasses-wearer and oozes rock ‘n’ roll swagger. No sitting down for her though. She stands. All the way through. What you get is pure energy. Imagine Rage Against the Machine’s Brad Wilk dosed to the max on cocaine and pro plus and you’re only halfway there.

Glasvegas tonight in London felt like they were beginning something again. The audience saw a band testing themselves and their boundaries but also a band looking at the mountain off success that they scaled with their first album and thinking “I’ll climb that”. And so they just might!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In that two years the band have recorded a new album, lost their original drummer – Caroline McKay, gained a new one – Jonna Löfgren, bassistPaul Donoghue has lost some teeth, guitarist Rab Allen got some tattoos and singer James Allen nearly lost his mind.