Music Snobbery

Emmy the Great and Ash's Tim Wheeler Team Up for Christmas Goodness

Here's more Christmas music to make your holiday party cool, for once. The lovely Emmy the Great and Ash frontman Tim Wheeler came together to make a Christmas. Everybody is doing it! Zooey and M., Tom and Andy.

This one is called This Is Christmas, and it has the most awesome song titles of any Christmas album ... like ever! Zombie Christmas is right up my alley.

1. This Is Christmas Intro
2. Marshmallow World
3. Snowflakes
4. Christmas Moon
5. Christmas Day (I Wish I Was Surfing)
6. (Don't Call Me) Mrs. Christmas
7. Home For The Holidays
8. Zombie Christmas
9. Sleigh Me
10. Jesus The Reindeer
11. See You Next Year

The album is available now in the U.S. on Infectious Records.

Here's a video for Home For The Holidays, and it features people kissing under the mistletoe.

Previously:

• Emmy the Great @ Pianos
• Ash @ Hop Farm Festival

Tribes Playing First U.S Shows Next Week

The guy with the thumbs up ... he'll be the first to get kicked out of the band.

One of the buzziest bands from the UK for 2012 will make their U.S. debut next week. Tribes take it back to early 90s alternative rock mixed with sweaty guitar licks and stadium-ready choruses. They'll be in the U.S. promoting a sampler EP of some of their tunes, We Are Children which is available right this minute on their website.

Meanwhile, the band's full length debut, Baby, will be out Jan 16 in the U.K. The album was produced by Mike Crossey (Arctic Monkeys, Foals). For that release, they'll head out with Two Door Cinema Club and Metronomy on the NME Awards Tour. That's one fine line-up. UK gets all the good tours, sigh.

For us, they'll throw down the fire next week, included two NYC stops.Local boys band We Barbarians will open up.

• December 7 : Great Scott -- Boston
• December 8 : Mercury Lounge -- New York
• December 9:  Glasslands -- Brooklyn
• December 10: The Drake -- Toronto
• December 11: Schubas -- Chicago 
• December 12: The Echo -- Los Angeles

Their latest of many video is for the EP's title track, which shot in Camden high street in London,

Elbow Providing Soundtrack to BBC's Coverage of the London 2012 Olympics

The spotlight will be on London this summer with the 2012 Summer Olympics. For those who don't know, the Olympics are held every year, and what happens is that people called athletes compete against each other in various sports. These sports include running fast around a track, swimming fast in a pool, lifting  heavy objects over their head and doing cartwheels in tight clothes.

In any event, Elbow is providing music for the BBC coverage. Danny Boyle is directing the opening ceremonies (July 27), so I fully expect some Underworld in there somewhere as well ... or zombies spiking their veins with heroin then cutting it off, then being asked, "Is that your final answer?"

GG says, "We are knocked out to be involved and it's been quite a challenge. We have feelings of real responsibility as we will be the soundtrack to so many images of personal sacrifice and endeavour while the nation roots for and celebrates with Team GB."

The new music from Elbow will debut over the summer leading up to the events.

Previously:

• Elbow @ POPPED! Festival

Justice Returning To New York and Philly

You're going to have to fork over $40-$50 to watch to French dudes spin records behind a lighted cross. Gaspard and Xavier are throwing down the beats in 2012 across the planet, including return gigs to New York and Philly. It's going to be cray-zee, shun.

This is in support of the band's long-in-the-work second album, Audio, Video, Disco. If it were up to me, I would take Video first, then audio and disco. That might actually depend on my mood.

Here are the dates, party people. Cross your fingers that a boring, uninsightful DVD documentary follows.

• January 1: Field Day Festival-- Sydney, Australia
• January 2: Field Day Festival--Queensland, Australia
• January 3: Summadayze Festival -- Perth, Australia 
• January 6: Festival Hall -- Melbourne, Australia  
• January 10: Namba-Hatch -- Osaka, Japan  
• January 11-12: Zepp -- Tokyo, Japan  
• January 27: La Coopé -- Cermont-Ferrand, France  
• January 28: Le Bikini -- Toulouse, France  
• January 31: L'Aéronef -- Lille, France 
• February 1: Stereolux -- Lille, France 
• February 2: Le Cargo -- Caen, France  
• February 4: L'Olympia -- Paris, France 
• February 9: O2 Academy -- Bristol, England  
• February 10: O2 Academy -- London, England 
• February 11: O2 Academy -- Birmingham, England 
• February 12: O2 Academy -- Glasgow, Scotland 
• February 13: O2 Academy -- Manchester, England
• March 16-17: Terminal 5 -- New York 
• March 19: House of Blues -- Boston 
• March 20: Electric Factory -- Philadelphia 
• March 21: 9:30 Club -- Washington, D.C.
• March 22: The Tabernacle -- Atlanta
• April 17: Fox Theater -- Oakland
• April 19: The Pool at the Cosmopolitan -- Las Vegas 
• April 24: Roseland Theater -- Portland
• April 25: Paramount Theatre -- Seattle 
• April 26: Forum -- Vancouver

Previously:

• Justice/Midnight Juggernauts @ The Trocadero

Little Racer Zooms Into Your Heart With Split For The Coast

A little change of pace for this space, a new band from New York ... just for now, then I'll get back to the U.K. bands.

Little Racer are three guys who just released their debut songs, Split For The Coast. It's a fun-loving, cheery pop sound about a girl that drives you crazy. I love the frequent tone changes that ends sweetly. I shall keep on these cats. Finally, a NY band that won't annoy you. You can download this little bundle of pop joy over at their bandcamp page.

With their debut song, comes a debut video.

The Streets Played His or Their Last Show

How does a one-man band breaks up to himself? True to word, Mike Skinner has played his last show under the name, The Streets, at The Big Reunion in Skegness. Chav nation pours out their Kronenbourg in honor of the passing.

Ten years, five albums, one Mercury Prize nomination for Skinner, the leader of the major-hyped and sort-lived UK grime trend. Original Pirate Material holds up today -- still a brilliant album. After that, a few hits, but mostly misses. His final album, Computer and Blues, barely got noticed in the states. It was a labored effort, lacking structure and strength. He had planned to play Terminal 5, but that never came to be.

Before the cancellation, I did get to see his two times, at Irving Plaza in 2004 with Dizzee Rascal and 2006 at Webster Hall with Lady Sovereign. He did put on a hell of party. Skinner would pass out drinks from his makeshift bar on stage.

Let's have a quick top 5. Top 5 The Streets songs:

5. Heaven For The Weather

4. When You Wasn't Famous

3. Fit But You Know It

2. Don't Mug Yourself

1. Weak Become Heroes

Editors' Tom Smith and We Are Scientists' Andy Burrows Spread Christmas Cheer

Every time two rock musicians form a side project, an angel gets its wings.

The formation of these two guys as Smith & Burrows does answer my question, what the heck are Editors up to? The baritone voiced Tom Smith and the multi-band jumping Andy Burrows (former Razorlight drummer, current Scientists and his own solo work) want to start your Christmas off with a new tune. It's When The Thames Froze is off their duo's full-length Christmas album, Funny Looking Angels. Yup, it's a Tom Smith Christmas album. I didn't think I needed one, but after hearing the new tunes, I want a Tom Smith Christmas album. It comes out November 28.

The Revival Hour -- Good to the Last Minute

Purple haze, man.

Interesting new music from the duo of D.M. Stith (of Sufjan Stevens touring band) and John Mark Lapham (of The Earlies). They call themselves The Revivial Hour and they have couple of really choice of songs for download. "Hold Back" bridges the old and new, with 60s orchestral pop rubbing up against deep, gospel and soul. "Run Away" has a frantic, chanting march with some ghostly, weird undertones. Both need your attention now.

Post War Years Lines Up Second Album, All Eyes

It's been a while since we've heard from the four-piece U.K. outfit, Post War Years. They are ready to leave their basements and step away from their laptops to give us their follow-up to 2009's The Greats and the Happenings. All Eyes has a couple of big name music behind lending their expertise, James Rutledge producing (MGMT, The KIlls) and Rich Costey (Joy Formidable, Muse, Interpol). No firm release date, yet.

They've been road testing the new material during opening slots for The Naked & Famous and Everything Everything. Thus, they have their first hint of the new material in the title track of their new album. This is "All Eyes." Dig that beat!

  

Previously:

• Post War Years / We Have Band @ Pianos

Frankie & The Heartstrings's Hunger Out Today in U.S., Includes New Track

I can't forget my buddies Frankie Francis and his Heartstrings. Their debut album, Hunger. is finally available via Wichita Recordings in the U.S. where ever fine music is sold. Listen to it, it will be more fun than reading this blog. I know, it is possible.

Since most of these songs have been floating around for a while, the band recorded a new track that will be on this release. They called upon Bernard Butler to produce the new track called "Everybody Looks Better In The Right Light". That is correct, since Frankie was named one of the 50 Best Dressed Men in the U.K. according to GQ.

You wanna listen, here it is:

Or if you want to watch it, just it out below:

    

No return trip to the U.S. as of now. They will be touring the U.K. with The Vaccines for the rest of the year.

Previously:

• Chapel Club / The Good Natured / Frankie & The Heartstrings @ Littlefield
• Frankie and the Heartstrings / Summer Camp / The Neat @ The Lexington