Latest News
Hello February!
After a very hard working January, scurrying behind the scenes and setting up lots of lovely new bands, we’re happy to say hello to February. We had a fantastic 2011 with ABoF being featured in several magazines (NME and Live UK), plus our bands did terrifically well, hitting all major magazines and websites last year.
So here’s a little rundown of what’s been going down here at ABoF towers since the start of the year and what’s coming up in the next month or two! If you make it to the end, there are lots of free tracks to download and stream in this newsletter, if you've any questions about anything you read here, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and remember to keep checking our official website for all the latest news!
HP and Last.fm presents David Guetta
A few weeks ago, the culmination of many months of hard work and planning with Last.fm finally happened - David Guetta and 2ManyDJs DJ-ed exclusively for HP and Last.fm at The Rose Club - an event for HP and Last.fm’s media partners.
The club was packed, there were lots of happy faces and the music was terrific. This was the largest event we’ve had to organise and manage since we started and we’ve promted our fair share of events in the past (sold out shows with Hell Is For Heroes and Jeffrey Lewis to name but a few).
Super photographer Lee Allen was on the scene to capture the good vibes on the night, as you can see, we all had a great time!
The Crowd
Team ABoF and Last.fm
New Year, New Bands, New Music!
As you can see from our website, Facebook and Twitter activity, we’ve been announcing new bands and releases left right and centre. As always, you can stream and download free tracks from the artist pages on our website or our official Soundcloud page.
Access Royale, an alternative indie band from Washington DC, are brand new to our roster and with a sound akin to The Dismemberment Plan. We are very excited to see what happens with these guys in the next few months as they prepare to release their debut album City of Paradigm on 17th May. The track "Hide" is available to download now from our Soundcloud page.
If you prefer your music a little more on the filmic, post-rock edge of alternative then Atom Eye will be right up your street. This is Elsie Martins’ side project whilst she steps aside from Phantom for the moment to create gorgeous, experimental, cinematic soundscapes. The single Trilogy Part I is available to download from Atom Eye's official website from 6th February 2012.
Our very own electro rockers, The Unkindness of Ravens, return with the single Last Call For The River (out 5th March). The single is taken from their eagerly awaited debut album Virus out 7th May on Sonic Fire Records. Last Call For The River is available to stream no via the band's Soundcloud page.
Turnpike Glow released their first free download before Christmas and now start the year with their heads held high with the planned release of the single 1986, a track that’s been remixed by Broken Social Scene’s producer, Dave Newfeld. The track is available to stream now but will be available to download free from 5th March.
Finally, Saturday Night Gym Club, a band that site M83 and Ólafur Arnalds as a few of their influences, prepare to release their EP How To Build A Life Raft on 5th March. You can download the title track of the EP now and also watch the video for “I Know featuring Ellie Walker” on their YouTube channel.
Scotland Rocks!
When it comes to new music, Scotland prove more than ever before that they're pushing boundaries and stretching imaginations. We’ve got lots of new Scottish bands on our roster and each are as different and exciting as the next.
In case you missed them, The Birthday Suit (Rod Jones from Idlewild) released their debut album Sing It Alone in November. Now they’re ready to hit the road, about to embark upon a UK tour from February 10th, full dates are on our website.
French Wives are set to release their debut album Dream of the Inbetween, out 7th May. Having only just announced our involvement with the band last week, the free track from their album - "Younger" - has already had around a thousand listens and is getting folk buzzing with excitement online. If you're a fan of indie greats like Belle & Sebastian and Teenage Fanclub, these guys are for you.
Tango in the Attic return. The Glenthrothes four-piece are set to release their much anticipated second album on April 12th (so fresh from the studio, it’s yet to be named!). The album is the follow-up to their fantastic 2010 debut Bank Place Locomotive Society. The live session video for the track “Swimming Pool” is available to watch on their YouTube channel.
Vigo Thieves also make a comeback after a short break, writing and recording new songs. They’re about to release their EP Heart and Soul Part 1 on 5th March, the first EP of a two-part release. Their new sound harks back to those epic 80s greats like Simple Minds and U2, real sing a long stuff. "Heartbeats" is available to download from our Soundcloud page now.
Join us at Geek Out
After a short break, we’re back DJ-ing at Geek Out!
The night is run by Mark Beaumont (NME, Guardian) and Dan Martin (NME, Guardian) and we’ve been DJ-ing there for the last year. It runs the first Thursday of every month, the next Geek Out will feature Turnpike Glow’s single launch for 1986.
It’s free entry on Thursday March 1st 2012 at The Wheelbarrow, Camden. Hope to see you there!
If you'd like more information about anything you've read here or our PR services, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Introducing… Access Royale
Access Royale are an alternative indie rock band hailing from Washington DC.
Formed from a mutual love of Muse, Radiohead, Vampire Weekend and MGMT, the band discovered each other via Craigslist in early 2011, and soon found themselves flying west to LA to shoot their first music video, for their single Hide.
The free track Hide is available to download on the ABoF Soundcloud page and is available to download now!
The band's debut album, City Of Paradigm, is slated for 17th May 2012 release in the UK, and is bursting with uplifting messages of self-discovery and freedom. The opening track transcends genre boundaries, exploding with an intense percussion and guitar attack, before setting the tone for the rest of the album with a masterful counterplay between Charles Maven (vocals and keyboards), Vee Styles (vocals and guitar) and Robzie Rhodes (drums) that's reminiscent of the best of Pavement and Foo Fighters.
You can watch the full video for hide on Access Royale's YouTube channel.
Charles's and Vee's vocals cut a razor sharp path through epic walls of sound, distorted low-end grooves, and sweeping melodies that allow the musicians to showcase their expertise at moulding gorgeously atmospheric soundscapes, while vocal harmonies soar high above the music.
Access Royale's debut marks the start of what is sure to be a very promising musical career, with an accessible sound that's as well suited to their native soil as it is to the UK.
City of Paradigm will be released on 17th May 2012, via ARU Records.
If you would like more information about Access Royale or our PR services please contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
The Unkindness of Ravens to release “Last Call For The River”
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"Genuine contenders for being one of the best underground electro bands out there at the moment..." - Artrocker Magazine
The Unkindness of Ravens are the hardest working underground electro-rock duo on the scene. After two prolific years of releases, videos and live shows Nina Wagner (vox) and Ben Raine (bass & vox) are ready to release their next single Last Call For The River, taken from their forthcoming debut album Virus.
The band have previously been compared to The Kills, which is not bad at all, but the pair have taken their sound further than the usual indie electro clash vibe of their peers, transcending all genres - electro, rock and indie.
Last Call For The River, features their signature sound of hypnotic, pumping beats supported by Ben’s cacophonous bass lines and Nina’s sexy, sultry vocals. As Nina seductively calls “I was made this way”, it feels as though they’ve trapped you in their melodic web, with no escape, and after this intense 3-minutes is over, you’ll be left wanting to hear more..
Last Call For The River is available to listen now on The Unkindness of Ravens Soundcloud page. It will be available to download free from March 5th 2012.
These last few years have seen Nina and Ben release a slew of singles - Dead Air and White Road culminated with the band’s first EP relase in 2010, I Used To Be So Pretty. Excellent reviews and coverage followed from magazines like Rock Sound to Artrocker and an array of features online on Clash, NYLON and The 405.
In 2011, the pair focussed on playing shows around Europe, particularly Berlin, where they now sometimes base themselves to write and record. Just before the end of last year, they released the double a-side single Virus | Viper, the video for which appeared on NME.com amongst an array of other online hubs. In fact, the band have become known for their unique style when it comes to their videos with the visuals for Virus being hailed by the band as “a cross between Blade Runner and Black Swan”.
The video for Virus is still available to watch on The Unkindness of Ravens Soundcloud page. Please be warned, this video contains strobe effects.
The Unkindness of Ravens are one of the UK’s most exciting underground prospects. Last Call For The River will be released on March 5th 2012 on Sonic Fire Records, with their debut album set to drop in May 2012. The the future looks exciting indeed for The Unkindness of Ravens.
Introducing… French Wives!
Since their inception in 2008, Glasgow’s French Wives have been working intensively to build a strong fan base in Scotland. Now, after a steady rise, the band is ready to release their debut album Dream of the Inbetween on 7th May 2012.The album is a culmination of their hard work over these last four years and follows the release of the singles Halloween / Dogfight (a double a-side), Me vs. Me and an EP entitled Feel Safe Small. Their label – Electric Honey – has also previously released records by Belle & Sebastian, Snow Patrol and Biffy Clyro, and sets up a fascinating 2012.
Dream of the Inbetween encapsulates French Wives ear for a gorgeous melody. “Numbers” and “Month of Sundays” are as good as some of the best modern alternative anthems, with Stuart’s lilting vocals hanging over a glorious cacophony of strings and drums. “Sleep Tight” showcases French Wives diverse writing ability, with an angular take on their gorgeous indie sound.
The album track "Younger" is available to stream on the ABoF Soundcloud page. This will be available to download in full for free from 27th February.
The band are on tour this February and March. See below for their full list of dates:
February/March Tour 2012
- Tuesday 28th February - Sneaky Pete's,
Edinburgh - Thursday 1st March - Hootenannys, Inverness
- Sunday 4th March - Harrisons Bar, Sheffield
- Monday 5th March - Brixton Windmill, London
- Tuesday 6th March - Dry Bar, Manchester
- Thursday 8th March - Milo, Leeds
- Friday 9th March - Stereo, Glasgow
Stuart Dougan (vocals/guitars), Chris Barclay (bass/vocals), Siobhan Anderson (violin/vocals), Scott MacPherson (guitar/vocals) and Jonny Smith (drums/vocals) formed via mutual friends while at University. Although the band’s beginnings are humble, they have been on quite an adventure so far, supporting the likes of Bombay Bicycle Club, Two Door Cinema Club and Mystery Jets. They’ve also played festivals like T in the Park, Rockness, Wickerman and Stag and Dagger, while their captivating live set has also caught the attention of BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 1 Scotland and BBC 6Music as well as making The Guardian’s up-and-coming bands of 2012.
Dream of the Inbetween will be released on 7th May 2012, via Electric Honey.
If you would like more information about French Wives or our PR services please contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Turnpike Glow to release “1986”
Turnpike Glow begin 2012 with the release of their next free download single 1986 available from 5th March 2012. The track has been mixed by acclaimed producer Dave Newfeld (Broken Social Scene, Super Furry Animals, Los Campesinos), giving it that full-bodied edge that has become one of his trademarks. The single is the follow-up to their free download track The Turn, The Pike and The Glow, released at the tail end of 2011. It received a great reaction online including Track of the Day features from Spinner and Classic Rock Magazine.The song captures the end of a relationship under a heavy and unusual Roman snow. That amazing snowfall made for a Guardian headline entitled: “The Heaviest Snow to Fall in Rome Since 1986”. This true story became the inspiration for 1986. The track is unadulterated Turnpike Glow, with the band displaying all their melodic signature moves with Newfeld’s touch packing an extra punch; quirky keys overlay steady beats and a catchy verse and chorus. By the end of the song, you’re sure to be humming along and you’ll definitely want to hear more.
1986 is available to stream now via the ABoF Soundcloud page and will be released as a free download from 5th March 2012.
Turnpike Glow - 1986 by abadgeoffriendship
The band started life in Rome, in a scene marginalized by glossy Italian mainstream pop and insider trading. However, with their Pavement / Phoenix inspired sound, they soon found themselves supporting acts like The Futureheads and Cooper Temple Clause. In 2007 they started flying over to do live shows in London, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester. It wasn't long before Sandro Schiena (vocals/guitar/keys) and Giuseppe La Mela (vocals/bass/keys), the songwriting core of the band, moved to London armed with only their guitars and a bag full of European plug adaptors. One rainy Sunday, the pair bumped into Anthony J. Hutchinson (drums) busking on the tube in a giant sombrero. They talked, they laughed and eventually, they joined forces to become the Anglo-Italian indie pop powerhouse Turnpike Glow! Their line-up was recently complete with the addition of Jeremy Levy (guitar/keys) and Tom P. Griffiths (guitar/BV’s).
The band will be celebrating the release on 1st March 2012, playing live at Geek Out at the Wheelbarrow (55 Camden High Street, London). The release party will be free entry with A Badge of Friendship and Geek Out DJs.