Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik

Alabaster Suns free gig in London tomorrow!!!

2009-06-30T12:36:00.004+01:00

Chrome Hoof confirmed to play Glastonbury...oh yeah!!!

2009-06-24T16:32:00.004+01:00

Raise your hands in the air, wave them from side to side, do a little shimmy and repeat after me...HOOF HOOF HOOF...HOOF HOOF HOOF...HOOF HOOF HOOF!!!

The colossal CHROME HOOF continue to dazzle and impress and this week support has come from some mighty high places. Firstly, on Monday Rob Da Bank spun "Tonyte" on the Steve Lamacq show. It took little persuasion and we are proud to announce that the Hoof have now been added to the Glastonbury line up and will be rocking the Dragstrip stage, Trash City 1am. Whoop and holler!!!

Following this, co-organiser of Glastonbury, Emily Eavis has rated them in her "top ten non-headliner musical tips" which you can read about on the Glastonbury website.

Here they are again proving that there is no stopping them!!!
Come on party people, don't bail on us now!!!

Thou are on tour!!!

2009-06-23T18:01:00.004+01:00

Thou recently released their long out of print record Tyrant on Southern Lord (which might I add is available now from our webshop on deluxe 180g vinyl) They have crafted a perfect amalgamation of sludge, doom and hardcore which certainly ticks all the boxes for me!

Check them out on tour in the UK starting tonight in London town:

Jun 23, 2009 Grosvenor London Moloch and Pombagira
Jun 24, 2009 Korova Liverpool Moloch, Lazarus Blackstar, Dragged
into Sunlight, and Hammer Attack
Jun 25, 2009 Henry's Cellar Bar Edinburgh Moloch and Haar
Jun 26, 2009 Arc Rehearsal Studios Glasgow Moloch and Jackie Onassis
Jun 27, 2009 Cremorne Hotel Sheffield Moloch and Jewdis
Jun 28, 2009 Eamonn Dorans Dublin Altar of Plagues, Female Orphan Asylum,
This Weary Hour
Jun 29, 2009 Laverys Bunker Belfast Altar of Plagues, Wretch, and War Iron
Jun 30, 2009 The Cellar Galway Altar of Plagues, Neifenbach, and On
Pain of Death
Jul 1, 2009 Cypress Avenue Cork Altar of Plagues and This Weary Hour

For more info, visit the Southern website.

TOURTUFI!!! Tartufi announce UK dates supporting Marnie Stern

2009-06-18T16:52:00.006+01:00

Since announcing the signing of Tartufi to Southern Records, I have made no secret of the fact that I love that band and I genuinely believe that with their Southern debut Nests Of Waves And Wire, we have a real gem on our hands.

One drum kit, one guitar and razor sharp vocals are looped and bound together with great precision to create dense songs drenched with abstract abrasion - littered with lush harmonies. Their music is progressive, complex and highly innovative...and they have a very unique sense of humour. Many have compared them to Animal Collective (and if they sell anywhere near as many records then we will be laughing all the way to the bank!) But seriously, we feel that they have great potential and want to share them with everyone.

Needless to say I am very delighted to announce that they are coming over this July to support Marnie Stern on tour and to play Supersonic festival in Birmingham. Here are the dates:

MONDAY 20 JULY - CARDIFF | BUFFALO BAR
TUESDAY 21 JULY - LEEDS | BRUDENELL SOCIAL CLUB
WEDNESDAY 22 JULY - BRISTOL | THE CROFT
THURSDAY 23 JULY - LONDON | LUMINAIRE
FRIDAY 24 JULY - MANCHESTER | ISLINGTON MILL
SATURDAY 25 JULY - BIRMINGHAM | SUPERSONIC FESTIVAL

As well as the tour dates, we are also promoting a music video for the song “Fleet Week” from the new album which you can view on youtube.

We at Southern are not the only ones singing their praises, here are some kind words from the popular press:

"An expansive lattice of twinkling loops, math-rock crunch and none-more-giddy harmonies. Animal Collective fans in search of further post-psych rapture should bend an ear to these compulsive, crisply produced workouts." 4/5 stars MOJO

"Tartufi build intricate loops of organic alt rock and lay freak folk riffs over clattering campfire rhythms. The effect is rapturous, strident." PLAN B

"This is huge. Imagine Animal Collective boxing their way out of rock's paper bag without putting down their guitars first and you have it, crudely. The San-Franciscans charge from played-with-shards-of-broken-glass guitar to crescendos that manage somehow, to sound both jubilant and doomed." NME

"A dizzying construct of lunatic prettiness. It all flows together, like a fantastical alien river." 8/10 ROCKSOUND

"NOWAW is beautiful, unassuming, indulgent, horrific, a lightning strike joyride...the new album from the San Francisco duo sees them experiment further than ever before, as they twist in every track between aggressive pounding rock and charming intricate melodies which have seen their live shows receive so much attention." 4/5 ROCKFEEDBACK

"As dramatic as the changing of seasons, NOWAW is a vital celebration of the power and immensity of sound and the human voice. Perfect springtime listening." WEARS THE TROUSERS

Action Beat UK dates are approaching

2009-06-15T16:58:00.003+01:00

When we said that these Bletchley boys like to tour, we were not exaggerating. Action Beat have been on the road pretty much none stop since last year playing out their highly commended album The Noise Band From Bletchley (Truth Cult).

Having just returned from a mammoth tour on the continent, they are showing no signs of slowing down and are booking UK dates left, right and centre (they of course popping back across to Belgium to play a gig in Gent too!)

Here is the hitlist so far:

Fri Jun 19 2009	STEREO	GLASGOW

Sat Jun 27 2009	WINDMILL	LONDON

Sat Jul 11 2009	SPEAKER SHOW	GENT

Fri Jul 17 2009	SILVER ROCKET, BUFFALO BAR	LONDON

Thu Jul 23 2009	BRUDENELL SOCIAL CLUB	LEEDS, WY

You can check out live footage of their killer shows on the Southern Youtube channel and you can keep track of their other activities on the Southern Records website

Neurosis European tour dates announced!!!

2009-06-11T15:12:00.002+01:00

Neurosis has fought hard to maintain its sovereignty, not just in the music business but as a boundlessly creative entity. The band brought keyboards to heavy punk and experimental noise to metal, they merged antique droning folk with Black Flag's desperation, and all the while forging onward toward new means to explore the infinite realms of catharsis and self-transformation, while myriad bands simply follow in their wake.

They ripped through a ferocious set of old favourites and songs from the most recent album Given To The Rising (as well as curating a day of fantastic music) back in April at Roadburn Festival (Holland) and now they are coming back for more...here are the tour dates in full:

26-Jun Helsinki, Finland Tuska Festival
27-Jun Riga, Latvia
29-Jun Malmo, Sweden Debaser
1-Jul Stockholm, Sweden Debaser Medis
3-Jul Turku, Finland Ruisrock
5-Jul Copenhagen, Denmark Roskilde Arena Stage
6-Jul Berlin, Germany Astra Kulturhaus
7-Jul Prague, Czech Republic Palac Akropolis
8-Jul Haarlem, Holland Patronaat

...with a band of this caliber there are seldom disappointed faces in the crowd.

I sure wish I could see them again!

If you want to learn more about them and keep up to speed with their current projects and solo ventures then please visit the Southern website.

Boduf Songs live in London

2009-06-04T09:53:00.009+01:00

After knocking me (and many others) sideways with his first two releases on Kranky (the self titled record Boduf Songs and The Lion Devours The Sun) Mathew Sweet aka Boduf Songs has continued to release records of such immense quality. His most recent full length How Shadows Chase The Balance is in my opinion utterly astounding. On this album he uses a similar formula to what he has employed previously; one microphone, one acoustic guitar, selected field recordings, and a deft, understated touch with the mixing process. He locked himself away in his home studio and no one heard a single note until he was finished. This album is a further step away from the "folk" label, which never seemed all that appropriate to Mathew's work in any case. Boduf Songs might more rightly be construed as "acoustic death metal" considering Sweet's favoured themes of death, alienation, fear, hatred and isolation, as well as his affinity for gothic imagery.

More recently Boduf Songs released CD and vinyl versions of the Latitudes Session which was recorded at Southern Studios entitled The Strait Gait (limited to 1000 copies and with exclusive artwork from Mat Sweet himself). The result of this recording is two outstanding tracks, the first one "Please Extract My Teeth With Your Rustiest Pliers (For Redemptive)" sounds like it could have been used as the soundtrack to a 1970s horror film, with timely splashing cymbals, scratchy guitar sounds and deep thunderous drones. The second track "That Angel Was Fucking Piss" is quintessential Boduf, with brooding vocals, the crisp plucking of the acoustic guitar and every detail of every chord transition captured. Both songs are rich in timbre, creating an intense atmosphere for the listener to be well and truly absorbed.

There is no doubt that Mathew Sweet is an utterly distinctive artist, having developed an alchemical power to transform a minimal palette of common musical elements.

If you are based in London then I would urge you to watch Boduf Songs at the Flea Pit (49 Columbia Road, London, E2 7RG) tomorrow night. Doors are at 7pm and it costs £5 in advance or more on the door.

For further information about the ever-expanding Boduf Songs catalogue please visit the Southern website.

Calling all Londoners...Alabaster Suns FREE gig this Friday!!!

2009-06-04T09:18:00.006+01:00

Formed from the ashes of UK post-hardcore stalwarts Capricorns (Rise Above records), Alabaster Suns comprises guitarist Kevin Williams (also ex-FABRIC, ex-DES MAN DIABLO), Nathan Perrier (also ex-LABRAT) with the addition of Anthony Dearlove on bass.

Their brutally heavy sets marked a decided shift from much of the more groove based latter day Capricorns material and drew on William's early influences such as Prong , Voivod and much of the early Dischord records output.

The band have continued to play live frequently all over the UK and this Friday they will be playing a FREE gig at the well respected Cro Bar on Manet Street (just off Charing cross Road). Get there early to be sure that you catch them before the usual rabble arrive, wait a minute, they are the usual rabble.

Don't forget that Alabaster Suns' cracking debut album will be coming out soon on the rising label Iron Pig. You can find out all about this awesome, fiercely progressive, heavy as hell record on the Southern website.

The Accused, Thorrs Hammer and Corrupted London show announced!

2009-06-01T17:22:00.003+01:00

After a long week of inventory at the Southern warehouse it is business as usual which means that I can get back to sharing some great news with you.

I was thrilled to hear that Supersonic had confirmed, Thorrs Hammer, The Accused and Corrupted on the bill for this years festival in July. It added to an already stellar line up which also comprised our very own Zu and Nancy Wallace.

This week, the lovely ladies at Capsule have confirmed that Corrupted, Thorrs Hammer and The Accused are to play a London show at the Scala on Sunday 26 July. Get that date in your diary and for more information visit http://www.ticketweb.co.uk or call Scala's box office between 10am and 6pm Mon-Fri 08444 771 000.

Keep your eyes and ears at the ready for more news regarding Supersonic and Capsule shows.

Chrome Hoof in another killer collaboration...this time the artist Marcus Coates

2009-05-18T18:36:00.004+01:00

Nomad and Qu Junktions present ‘A Ritual for Elephant & Castle’ featuring Marcus Coates performing live with Chrome Hoof, Wildbirds & Peacedrums and a 20-piece live drum circle, plus very special guests and DJs.

The highly anticipated collusion of artist / shapeshifter Marcus Coates and the thunder, rock and disco of the mighty Chrome Hoof is a fanciful and fantastic proposition add to this cauldron the raw sexual energy of Wildbirds & Peacedrums, backed up by a 20 piece drum circle and it is a explosive evening of infinite possibilities and happenings. FULL DETAILS BELOW.

Chrome Hoof, the huge ever-growing otherworldly mutant metal/disco/intergalactic sonic space band, seems to have been invented for such an event. They bring their own party and it is like no other, a combination of primal feeling, virtuosity, theatre, brooding menace and glamour.

Singer Lola Olafisoye is reminiscent of both Grace Jones at her stylish best and a New Orleans witch queen. Their mission is to make music to move the spirit. This time they come with a Marcus Coates on board.

“In any case, just as uncompromising and particular as the band are visually, they are even more so sonically.”

Wolves In The Throne Room | European tour dates announced

2009-05-14T11:23:00.004+01:00

Wolves in the Throne Room (Southern Lord) have ascended to the upper echelons of the underground scene by creating a transformative and apocalyptic musical manifestation that has come to completely transcend the black metal genre.

They have been touring relentlessly for the past year all over mainland Europe, the UK and the States. They are returning to Europe this June for some high profile festival appearances and other shows, although sadly they will not be taking in the UK this time round.

Each time that I see them I am left dumbstruck, mesmerized and always contemplating how that wall of beautiful noise can come to have such a hold on me. I am certain that on top of the excellent musicianship there are also some external and wholly natural forces at play which make every experience of Wolves In The Throne Room a transcendental one. Therefore I would urge everyone to find your nearest town where they are playing and experience it too and whats more, I would urge you to pick up any of their albums as the same experience can be felt when listening to them on record. Here are the dates in full:

13/06/09 NL Burgum, WALDROCK Festival
14/06/09 GER Bielefeld, AJZ (w/ Planks, Long Distance Calling, Blackwvs, Stench Of Styx)
15/06/09 GER Cologne, Underground
16/06/09 FRA Lyon, Le Sonic
17/06/09 ITA Padova, Unwound
18/06/09 AUT Salzburg/ Abtenau, Neudegg Alm Sonnenwend Celebration
19/06/09 GER Frankfurt, Elfer
20/06/09 FRA Paris, Le Nouveau Casino (w/ Enablers, From Monument To Masses, Snowman, Team Ghost)
21/06/09 FRA Clisson, HELLFEST
24/06/09 SLO Ljubljana, Gala Hala (NEW) w/ Pestlilence
25/06/09 GER WACHENROTH (D) Suffering Life Festival Warm Up Show (NEW) w/ Pestilence
26/06/09 AUT Ottensheim, Oheim Festival
27/06/09 BEL Dessel, Graspopo Festival
28/06/09 GER Karlsruhe, Jubez Dudefest (w/ Coalesce, Black Shape Of Nexus, Torche, Kylesa, Ghostlimb, Graf Orlock)
29/06/09 GER Hamburg, Hafenklang
30/06/09 GER Berlin, Knaack
02/07/09 DK Roskilde Festival
03/07/09 NOR Oslo, Garage

You can find out more about their albums on the Southern Records website.

There can beauty in black metal.

One Inch Badge Records at Great Escape Festival

2009-05-13T17:08:00.005+01:00

One Inch Badge Records were asked to take over Thursday night at the Great Escape Festival 2009 and here's what they came up with...

ZACH HILL (Ipecac)
The warped genius behind the ferocious drums of HELLA. It's gonna be face melting!
www.myspace.com/zachhillmusic
Onstage 10:15-10:45pm

GENTLE, FRIENDLY (Upset The Rhythm)
Tonal scuzz-pop that bridges the gap between Animal Collective and Wavves.
www.myspace.com/gentlefriendly
Onstage 9:25-9:55

LONELY GHOSTS (OIB Records)
Brash and eclectic casio-pop courtesy of Tom Denney (ex-Help She Can't Swim).
www.myspace.com/lonelyghosts
Onstage 8:35-9:05

SJ ESAU (Anticon / OIB Records)
Skewed lo-fi hip-hop meets folk-pop. The first ever UK signing to the seminal Anticon label (Why?/Themselves/Sole/Sage Francis). SJ Esau's next release will be the OIB Records released split single 'Part of a Diagram' with Suburban Kids With Biblical Names/Half-handed Cloud/Kopek.
www.myspace.com/sjesau
Onstage 7:45-8:15

NULLIFIER (OIB Records)
Outrageous pop super group featuring members of Pope Joan, My Device, Lonely Ghosts, and Help She Can't Swim.
www.myspace.com/nullifiermotherfucker
Onstage 7:00-7:25

Doors at 6:30pm
Thursday 14th May
@ The Freebutt, Brighton

www.oibrecords.com
www.myspace.com/oibrecords

Southern Records strongly recommend Mothlite at Great Escape who are playing on Saturday at the Freebutt at approx 9pm.
OIB recommend at Great Escape 09: Abe Vigoda, Wavves, Telepathe, Mika Miko, Handsome Family, Die! Die! Die!, Idlewild.
www.escapegreat.com

Upcoming Mothlite dates have changed!!!

2009-05-08T16:43:00.004+01:00

Masters of sonic metamorphosis, Mothlite are playing a couple of shows this month, one in London and Brighton. Their Paris show which was scheduled for tomorrow will be rescheduled for June. Here are the dates in full:

Tue May 12 2009	CORSICA STUDIOS	LONDON

Sat May 16 2009	THE GREAT ESCAPE	BRIGHTON

They will of course be delighting us with songs from their debut album The Flax Of Reverie but they also plan to reveal some exciting new material from the album they are currently working on. Not to be missed!

The Accused join the Southern Lord family

2009-05-07T15:03:00.003+01:00

Southern Lord are pleased to announce the signing of legendary Seattle splatter rock kings THE ACCUSED! Said label head Greg Anderson: “THE ACCUSED and guitarist Tommy Niemeyer were basically responsible for turning me onto hardcore/punk and underground metal. If it wasn’t for me witnessing THE ACCUSED slay the audience — and me — in 1985 I may not be writing this today!”

Added Niemeyer on joining the Southern Lord roster: “Because we are a pretty unclassifiable band, THE ACCUSED has had a rough time finding a label who really knows what this band is about; that our fans are all over the place demographically. Greg Anderson at Southern Lord is the guy who totally ‘gets it’ when it comes to THE ACCUSED. He knows exactly ‘how metal’ we are and ‘how punk’ we are and all the other weird shit in between that makes The Accused what it is: splatter rock. Hooking up with Anderson and the great staff of Southern Lord is the best thing that’s happened with this band in a long time. It feels like THE ACCUSED are strapped onto a huge bottle rocket and Greg’s about to light the fuse.”

The current line-up consists of Brad Mowen (also a member of Master Musicians of Bukakke and former member of Burning Witch and Asva), Dorando Hodous (also a member of Lesbian), Mike Peterson and Tommy Niemeyer.

The band will enter the studio with uber producer Billy Anderson (Melvins, Neurosis, Brutal Truth, Cattle Decapitation, High On Fire etc) to record 14 new tunes. Appropriately titled The Curse Of Martha Splatterhead, the release will mark their first full-length studio effort in four years. The band will be making several live appearances in support of their new opus, including a freshly announced slot at SuperSonic Festival in Birmingham England July 25, 2009 alongside Corrupted and Thorr’s Hammer. Prepare to hear a lot more from Martha and the boys via Southern Lord in the very near future! You have been warned…

http://www.splatterrock.com
http://www.myspace.com/kingsofsplatter
http://www.southernlord.com
http://www.myspace.com/southernlordrecordings

Southern Records on Resonance FM this Saturday

2009-05-06T13:06:00.005+01:00

After a cancellation last week (which ultimately let to my being able to go to ATP) Southern Record's very own Queen B aka me, Lauren B is most definitely going to be sitting in on Johnny Mugwump's show tomorrow (Saturday 16 May) Johnny Mugwump & The Exotic Pylon, a messthetic anything-goes zone with DJ's, artists, authors, musicians, non-musicians and anybody out on the margins, on 104.4 Resonance FM from 9:30pm this Saturday.

I plan to spin some of our fantastic new releases including Current 93, Sylvester Anfang, Wolves In The Throne Room, The Paper Chase, Japanther, and Tartufi and delve into the back-catalogue a little too! All shows archived at www.exoticpylon.com

Turn on, tune in, freak out!!!

Nancy Wallace's residency at the Britannia Pub (London) is now confirmed!!!

2009-04-30T11:40:00.005+01:00

This May, the Local and Nancy Wallace present: Old Stories Sessions

At The Britannia, 360 Victoria Park Road, E9 7BT

A residency to celebrate the album Old Stories, on Midwich.

Wed 13 - A-Line, Nancy Wallace, Robin Grey
Wed 20 - Olivia Chaney,Nancy Wallace, Ellen Mary McGee
Wed 27 - Chavo, Nancy Wallace, Robin Gillan
Wed 3 - Sam Lee Trio, Nancy Wallace, Jason Garth Steel

Free Entry to all shows.
Great food, great beer garden.

more info - www.the-local.org.uk

Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra and Tra-La-La Band to play Meltdown

2009-04-29T18:01:00.004+01:00

The initial line-up for Ornette Coleman's Meltdown has just been announced and on Thursday 18th June he has selected Patti Smith and Thee Silver Mt Zion Memorial Orchestra and Tra-La-La Band to play a special show at the Royal Festival Hall. This is going to be tremendous.

In the past, Meltdown has boasted live performances from a vast array of artists including our very own Chrome Hoof and Sunn 0))).

To ensure that you do not miss this extra special event then visit the Meltdown site to purchase tickets. They officially went on sale today!

The return of the great Southern podcast!!!

2009-04-20T16:04:00.009+01:00

A brand new Southern podcast is live on the Southern website and available for download now. It is long overdue but back with vengeance and with some fresh meat in the form of two new contributors Fiona and Freddy (not to mention the return of little miss nicknamed a lot, Queen B)

In this podcast we present a fine selection of our new releases from Southern Records and from our affiliated labels. You can expect music from the enchanting folk songstress Nancy Wallace, black metal titans Orcustus, Bletchley boys Action Beat, the Italian metal/math-rock/no-wave/free-jazz/noise/punk trio Zu and the punk legends Subhumans and that is just the tip of the iceberg!

Here are the featured tracks:

ACTION BEAT - LE CHAP (TRUTH CULT)
SUBHUMANS - SUBVERT CITY (BLUURG)
NANCY WALLACE - THE DROWNED LOVER (MIDWICH)
ZU - SOULYMPICS (IPECAC)
ORCUSTUS - DEATH AND DISSOLUTION (SOUTHERN LORD)
ENABLERS - TUNDRA (EXILE ON MAINSTREAM)
LOTUS PLAZA - RED OAK WAY (KRANKY)
HARVESTMAN - MUSIC OF THE DARK TORRENT (NEUROT)
LAND OF KUSH - AGAINST THE DAY (CONSTELLATION)
WORMSBLOOD - STREET JAMMER (AURORA BOREALIS)
WILLIAM ELLIOTT WHITMORE - COLD AND DEAD (SOUTHERN)
SCREAM - AMERICAN JUSTICE (DISCHORD)

If you would like to hear this podcast or listen to any of our others then please visit the Southern website.

Stay tuned for more coming soon!!!

Canada calling! Coming up on Constellation...

2009-04-17T12:11:00.007+01:00

Constellation are responsible for releasing broad, genre-defying music and although each release differs from the next, each is bound by the same level of fantastic quality. Last year they released a superb album Villainaire by The Dead Science whose songs range from epic orchestral pop to sinister jazz-rock and weary, soulbleached balladry (an interview with enigmatic front man can be found on the Southern website) and at the start of this year Constellation released the moving Jem Cohen film Empire Of Tin, a meditation on the decline of empires with musical accompaniment from Vic Chesnutt, members of Silver Mt. Zion and Guy Picciotto (Fugazi).

Some of Constellation's recent output is arguably some of the most adventurous yet. Take Land Of Kush, musician and composer, Sam Shalabi, has for the past 20 years created music unconstrained by genre, with a musical history spanning rock, jazz, free music, punk, and most things in-between in many different projects. With Land Of Kush he explores of sprawling compositions and large ensembles. Against The Day is a complex, intense, but accessible hour of hybrid, genre-defying music. The marriage of middle-eastern, north African and western modes and influences yields a recording that evades categorization which is quite simply, superb.

Coming up are two astounding new releases, the ever-so-refreshing Elfin Saddle and the wonderous self-titled debut by Clues. In terms of the latter, co-founders Alden Penner and Brendan Reed have been quietly nurturing this project in Montreal since the demise of their respective bands, Unicorns and Les Angles Morts. As a member of the short-lived Unicorns, Penner's song-writing prowess was unveiled in a bright burst of mysterious and kaleidoscopic energy, in the form of a single full-length album (released in 2003) and countless live shows, both of which rallied passionate responses from audiences and critics alike. Penner's voice, guitar and unique lyrical vision now guide Clues, with humble authority, originality and intent. Wedded to Reed's own superlative compositional and arranging acumen (and awesome drumming, among other instrumental skills) and abetted by multi-instrumentalists Ben Borden (Les Automates de Maxime de la Rochefoucauld ), Lisa Gamble (Gambletron, Evangelista, Hrsta) and Nick Scribner (Chaotic Insurrection Ensemble), the band delivered sporadic and fantastic local performances through 2008. They then entered the Hotel2Tango studio to lay down eleven songs in a feverish session during a Montreal winter deep freeze. The resulting album radiates a very special warmth and urgency, full of secrets, smiles, snarls and sing-a-longs.

Elfin Saddle's Ringing For The Begin Again is a highly organic song cycle; the music sounds as if it had been dug up from dark, rich earth. Out of the opening drone and rustling ambient percussion of "The Bringer", Jordan evokes golem-like images in a series of descending vocal melodies, gradually joined by Emi's vocal counterpoint and a slowly evolving brew of instrumental layers, like a clay sculpture taking shape and hardening in dappled sunlight. "Running Sheep" is one of several fables sung by Emi in Japanese and demonstrates the band's sharper, more staccato melodic sensibility. Third track "Hammer Song" is a brilliant little ode to deconstruction and dismantling, an anthemic tune about the tension between restraint and resolve. Emi's ukulele and vocal lines on "Sakura" are perhaps most overtly evocative of her home country of Japan; as the song is overtaken by a clockwork of chiming acoustic guitar figures and chugging chords, and segues into the instrumental "Muskeg Parade", we're in the throes of a sort of east-meets- west miniature musicbox marching band. Side Two begins with the two-part "The Living Light", the album centerpiece and a secular hymn to rejuvenation by daylight, sunlight, exposure to the elements - perhaps as only dwellers of the upper latitudes can fully appreciate. In a way, the entirety of Ringing For The Begin Again feels forged directly out of the seasonal extremes of Canadian nature, with the instrumentation like a shelter of wood, moss, grasses and packed earth within which simple and cyclical rituals of invocation and parable can be shaped and intoned. Song after song emerges as if from a sort of hibernation, inscribing its own little portal and then breaking open through it, letting in the elements and harnessing them into harmonious coalescence.

You can find out about these and more Constellation releases on the Southern website and discuss Constellation artists on the Constellation forum.

Earth are on the road!!!

2009-04-08T18:25:00.006+01:00

I caught up briefly with the wonderful Steve Moore of Earth too see how the first leg of their European tour was going and this is what he had to say...

"The tour is going great - awesome shows with good energy from the fans and good music (if I'm allowed to judge....!!!). We're a little exhausted from the extensive drives we've been doing - but currently on a bit of a rest waiting in Oslo to play the Inferno festival. It's an honor to be here and inspiring to see such an open minded scene.....

Hope all is well in London! The band is looking forward, as always, to the UK leg of our tour.....not too many stories to tell - just getting to the gigs is an adventure!"

A pleasure as always. Here is a list of the remaining dates:

Wed Apr 8 2009	VICTORIA	OSLO
	Inferno Festival
Thu Apr 9 2009	STRAND	STOCKHOLM

Sat Apr 11 2009	PRATER	BERLIN

Sun Apr 12 2009	UT CONNEWITZ	LEIPZIG

Mon Apr 13 2009	FEIERWERK	MUNICH

Tue Apr 14 2009	CLUB SCHOCKEN	STUTTGART

Wed Apr 15 2009	GEBAUDE	KOLN

Thu Apr 16 2009	ST ANDREWS CHURCH	BRIGHTON

Fri Apr 17 2009	HARE AND HOUND	BIRMINGHAM

Sat Apr 18 2009	ISLINGTON MILL	MANCHESTER

Sun Apr 19 2009	STEREO	GLASGOW

Tue Apr 21 2009	WHELANS	DUBLIN

Wed Apr 22 2009	BRUDENELL SOCIAL CLUB	LEEDS, WY

Thu Apr 23 2009	CROFT	BRISTOL

Fri Apr 24 2009	BORDERLINE	LONDON

Sat Apr 25 2009	ROADBURN FESTIVAL	TILBURG

They will be playing out songs their phenomenal album The Bees Made Honey In The Lion's Skull (follow up to the fantastic Hex) and hopefully the song "Junkyard Priest" which appears on the vinyl version of the album (and is one of my favourites!). This is in my opinion a wonderful record demonstrating their innovation and evolution as a band and boasting a fine line-up of Dylan Carlson, Adrienne Davies, Steve Moore and Don McGreevy. I for one cannot wait to see them!

Check out the tour poster...

"Our driver Rogier Smal made those posters in the company of Don and myself.....during a uneventful evening at the merch table in Lyon, France........... Can't remember how it came up, but it all happened with scissors and glue....lots of laughter. We actually forgot them there at the table, which somehow seems fitting."

Note: this is not the official tour poster! Worth a giggle though!!

Introducing a fair maiden from Nottingham | Ellen Mary McGee

2009-04-08T18:18:00.002+01:00

A beautiful folk songstress is preparing to release her album The Crescent Sun on Midwich Records this June, her name Ellen Mary McGee, hailing from Nottingham.

Of Irish and Romany gypsy descent, Ellen Mary McGee was born the year that John Lennon and Alfred Hitchcock died and grew up on a notorious council estate in the Midlands amongst used syringes and burnt out Ford Cortinas. She would regularly escape into the nearby stately homes and parks of Newstead Abbey and Sherwood Forest, caught between the spirits of Lord Byron and Maid Marion. She taught herself to play a beaten up nylon stringed acoustic guitar acquired at a local car boot sale at 15 years old. She starting out by practising traditional folk songs and a few years later she began writing her own music and forming various fledgling bands in and around Nottingham, initially inspired by the likes of Movietone and Quickspace. She formed the band Saint Joan in 2001 who went on to release numerous records on her own Dakota records but decided to call it a day in late 2007.

Since then Ellen has been working mainly alone, returning to the traditional folk songs she began playing in her youth and also writing new material inspired by her wayward, unconventional childhood out of which she would often escape into the fantasy worlds created within books and music. She sings of transient characters she has known, loved and lost. She sings of the darkness on the edge of town and the blood of others, caught between the bright lights of the city and the pastoral yearning for a simpler less landlocked life. Inspired by the kitchen sink realism of fellow Nottingham export Alan Sillitoe and family dramas of Arthur Miller as well as the magical escapism of Jonathan Carroll, Italo Calvino and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, her music is at once literary and yet primal.

Ellen plays off-kilter, transcendental folk on guitar, banjo and zither primarily. She has toured widely in the UK and US, playing at various psych/folk festivals in San Francisco, New York and Providence. Her music is steeped in folk traditions and manages to be idiosyncratic yet unaffected. Ellen has been likened to Linda Perhacs and Vashti Bunyan and sings about Greek mythology, sublimation, the ocean and metaphysics, usually involving a pretty high death toll.

She will be playing Leigh Folk festival on Sunday 28th June alongside The Owl Service, Nancy Wallace and Straw Bear Band. Keep your eyes peeled for more shows too!

Happy 10th birthday Ipecac!!!

2009-04-01T12:43:00.003+01:00

On this day ten years ago Ipecac Recordings was born, as their slogan states they have been "making people sick since 1999". The label boasts a vast array of sensational artists including the highly rated; Melvins, Fantomas, Dälek and Tomahawk to the underrated Kaada, Goon Moon, and Eyvind Kang.

Here is a statement published by the label:

As many of you know, on April 1st, Ipecac Recordings turns 10 years
old. We don't have any big party to invite you to, or a special
release to give you or sell you. We simply would like to thank you for
your support. It is amazing that we have survived 10 years. In the
beginning, we were not even sure we wanted to be a "real" label. Some
would say we aren't. We did not have lofty expectations, we just
wanted to put out some Cds that we liked that might not fit in
anywhere else. We have covered a lot of ground in 10 years and hope to
continue the journey for another 10.
This would not have been possible without three VERY important groups
of people.
1) We are eternally grateful to all the people that have worked with
us behind the scenes. The employees, the interns, the sales people and
distributors around the world that we have worked with, the
publicists, etc. This has truly been a team effort and we have been
lucky to have worked with some great team players.
2) YOU! We are also beyond grateful for our loyal and patient fanbase.
Despite not really having a sound, or look or ever being considered
"hip", we have developed a strong identity thanks to you, our
supporters. By buying Cds, shirts, tickets etc. you enable us to keep
going. We know that no one loves everything we do, but it is nice to
see so many willing to try things with us. We take nothing for granted
and appreciate everything you do for us. It is not easy to survive in
this economy and in this often times hideous industry.
3) Finally, it really is all about the artists. Damn, it is cool for
us to look at our discography (on our updated website!). So many cool
releases. They are all important and special to us. The artists we
have worked with are not only talented but damn fine people too. That
makes all the work we put into it worthwhile. Our artists are our
friends, I can honestly say. Not every record has sold a ton, but we
measure success by looking beyond the accounting sheets. You all
deserve platinum records!!!! THANKS for letting us work with you.
Ok, that's it for now. Happy Birthday to us all!!!
Greg, Mike & Shawn

Look out for Ipecac label features in the upcoming issue of Terrorizer and Rock A Rolla...and on a final note, happy birthday and here is to many more years!

Current 93 announce brand new album

2009-03-24T14:30:00.006Z

David Tibet was a central figure in the British post-industrial "esoteric" movement with the bands Nurse With Wound , Coil and Death In June. After a brief stint with Genesis P-Orridge's Psychic TV in the early 80's he formed Current 93, essentially his solo project, but more often than not the result of intensive collaboration with Nurse With Wound's Steven Stapleton. Another frequent collaborator is the wonderful Michael Cashmore whose sublime solo album Sleep England and collaboration with Antony (Antony And The Johnsons) The Snow Abides are also well worth spending time with.

To say that Current 93 have an extensive back-catalogue is the understatement of the Century and this year marks a notable addition to the already superb collection. Aleph At Hallucinatory Mountain is the long-awaited new album from Current 93 and their first album in three years, following Black Ships Ate The Sky. It will be released on David Tibet's new label Coptic Cat.

Aleph At Hallucinatory Mountain is the most unique, most unpredictable and most powerful album yet from Current 93 and on it, David has brought together an amazing and bizarre array of talents from artists as varied as Nurse With Wound's Stapleton and Liles, rock god phenomenon Andrew W.K., haunting chanteuse and composer Baby Dee, Grammy award-winning genius Rickie Lee Jones, the beautiful Hush Arbor's Keith Wood, world famous porn-star (and winner of the Best Three Way Sex Scene and Best Group Scene at the Adult Video Network awards) Sasha Grey, Pantalemon's enchanted Andria Degens, guitar-hero James Blackshaw, Cyclobe and Coil's Ossian Brown, NYC legend Matt Sweeney (ZWAN, Neil Diamond, Superwolf), extraordinary percussionist supreme Alex Neilson (Red Krayola, Trembling Bells, Bonnie “Prince” Billy), counter-culture guru William breeze and heavenly cellist John Contreras (Marc Almond, Baby Dee).

The result is unlike any other album. Ever!

In related news, the captivating and lovely Andria Degens aka Pantaleimon has announced some news for us to share. Firstly, on Friday 17th April Pantaleimon will be playing in Brighton, details below:

The Fairtrade Gallery
26 Montague Place,
BRIGHTON, UK

Cost: £7
Playing alongside - Tom Brosseau and Nik Barrel
8pm–11pm; licensed bar
Call: 07990 511576 for info and tickets.
Or go to: www.fairtradegallery.co.uk/april

Andria Degens and James Blackshaw have recorded a video playing on a street corner in the middle of Barcelona…we strongly recommend you check it out!

Pantaleimon Videotapas: www.videotapas.net/html/pantaleimon.html. The video was shot before rehearsals and sound-check.

And another bit of exciting news, Al Cisneros of Om has curated a CD entitled “Transmissions from Sinai”, with all proceeds going to supporting Arthur Magazine’s mission. Al requested ‘At Dawn’ to appear on the CD, which comes from Pantaleimon's “Mercy Oceans” album. The edition is of 1,000 copies, and its release is imminent. Featured amongst the 15 tracks are also contributions by Hush Arbors, Six Organs of Admittance, Current 93, Grails, Sir Richard Bishop and Lichens. To read more about it go here: www.arthurmag.com/store/cds/.

To keep up with all things Durtro/Coptic Cat related visit the Southern website.

Aurora Borealis announce new releases and details of Equinox Festival

2009-03-20T17:40:00.004Z

Its undoubtedly their busiest year over at AB towers, and they're convinced that putting killer releases out roughly every ten minutes is the only way to defeat the downfall of modern capitalism and stave off the inevitable descent into chaos. Speaking to label owner Andrew, he admits that it has also got a lot to do with the fact that he keeps hearing so much awesome music.

To give you an idea, here is a list of records we can expect from Aurora Borealis in the coming months:

K 11 "Voices from Thelema" CD - an amazing package with 32pp booklet documenting Italian sound artist Pietro Riparbelli's sound work inside Aleister Crowley's Thelema Abbey, dealing in similar sonic textures to Tim Hecker.

ATAVIST "II: Ruined" 2LP - long overdue vinyl edition of this underrated UK extreme Doom masterpiece.

L'ACEPHALE "Malefeasance" 2LP and CD. Finally, the most patient of all the blackened experimental noise litterati will see his magnum opus released, and we have to say its stunning. Beautiful moments sit alongside scenes of evisceration.

HEAVY WINGED ltd LP, "Shaking, Waking". Hot on the heels of their release on RTB records, more monolithic drift and caveman Krautrock from these US lords. This will be followed later in the year by a full LP and CD.

BURIAL HEX returns with a limited split LP with fellow Wisconsin resident ZOLA JESUS. One new style track and one amazing old style track (I'm getting a twisted Martin Denny style exotica from this one...) from BHX, while ZOLA JESUS follow up their amazing singles on Bone Yard and WFMU session with 20 minutes of heavy synth, drones, some beats and a totally killer vocal style. All this and live BHX dates this year at Roadburn and Equinox Festival in London, plus some UK tour action...

SYLVESTER ANFANG II - brand new 2LP and CD. Described by the band as "Satanadelic", the new album sees a more psyched out approach, more akin to psyche rock though with massive doses of unhinged freak folk gri-gri. Don't show your mum the cover.

Also coming up soon:

FAUNA "The Hunt" CD, the second album. Remastered by Mell Detmer and with re recorded drums. The band are hoping to complete an all new record for the end of the year...

RYE WOLVES "Oceans of Delicate Rain" 2LP - hoping to get this ready for the band to take on a small West Coast US tour in the summer.

GRUMBLING FUR "Furrier" LP/CD (feat members CIRCLE, GUAPO, ALEX TUCKER...) - too much to say about this... mind blowing.

JOURNEY TO IXTLAN s/t 2LP - can it be true? Will it ever see the mystic light of day on vinyl? Will it really come with a patch?

DEAD RAVEN CHOIR new CD/LP, expected this winter. When you think he's gone too far he manages to go further... and further. Features a 14 year old Polish girl on vocals.

...just a few bits and pieces then...NOT!!!

In other news, Aurora Borealis are honoured and overjoyed to be supporting the Equinox Festival, a three day media arts festival dedicated to contemporary spiritual discovery and mystical traditions. In addition to three full days of talks, performances and film, there will be music performances from Aethenor, John Zorn, TAGC, z'ev, James Ferraro (Skaters) and many more including AB's own K 11 and Burial Hex. It looks set to be an incredible three days here in London, June 12-14th. Check out the festival website.

Edie Sedgwick festival appearance and tour dates announced!

2009-03-17T15:32:00.005Z

Edie Sedgwick is the transgendered reincarnation of a vacuous Andy Warhol Superstar who died of a barbiturate overdose in 1971. A visionary artist who lay dormant in her host organism until his first epileptic seizure in 2001, Edie appeared at the dawn of the New Millennium to save the world by singing, writing, and producing video about celebrities. Armed with a video projector and an occasional backing band, Edie travels through the dark American night presenting auditory and visual art that honors the likes of Sissy Spacek, Martin Sheen, and other celebrity co-conspirators.

If smarter, edgier, more ridiculous, more serious, more compelling art has been made, is being made, or will ever be made, Edie is not aware of it. Her new album, Things are Getting Sinister and Sinisterer is available now through the very awesome Dischord Records.

In other exciting news, Edie Sedgwick will be heading across the pond to the UK and mainland Europe this April after being invited to play the prestigious Hinterland Festival in Glasgow. The festival takes over fifteen venues, over two days (April 30th and May 1st 2009), around the city and fills them with over 100 bands, including our dear Edie Sedgwick. Edie will be playing on Thurs April 30th, details of the times and venues are not released to the public until the day of the event. Two day "early bird" tickets are currently on sale, for a limited time only, exclusively from the Hinterland Website .

For a full list of the tour dates, please visit the Southern website.
For purchasing the album please visit the Southern Records webshop.

Japanther and The Paper Chase at SXSW

2009-03-13T13:10:00.004Z

This year's SXSW festival is almost upon us. The infamous showcasing event kicks off on Wednesday 18th March through to Sunday 22nd March.

If you are attending then there is one very important date for your diary, FRIDAY 20TH MARCH and this is why....

THE PAPER CHASE
The Parish
10pm
214BE (6th St)

AND...

JAPANTHER
Headhunters
12:05am
720 Red River St (8th St entrance)

The Paper Chase will no doubt be spinning some new songs from the upcoming album on Southern Records, Someday This Could All Be Yours (Volume 1) and Japanther will be performing their short sharp blasts of punk rock including songs from their upcoming album on Truth Cult entitled Tut Tut Now Shake Ya Butt.

Enjoy!

Southern Roadburn Line Up With Neurosis And St. Vitus

2009-03-11T16:57:00.009Z

The gargantuan 10th annual Roadburn festival in Holland is so close it's almost possible to smell the amplifiers warming up and the beer brewing.

Since 1999 Roadburn has been reknowned for being a gathering place for like-minded bands and fans-the heavy rock underground's annual general meeting. The weekend of April 23rd-26th sees many of our beloved Southern bands take to the Roadburn stages in order to worship at the altar of the mighty riff.

Neurosis are not only playing Roadburn- they've been invited to bring their Beyond The Pale festival from the states, personally inviting bands to play and hosting their own stage at the 013 venue as an event within the event. This honour bestowed by the lords of Roadburn is in recognition of their iconic status stemming from years of toil and graft in the underground scene.

Those bands already included in the line-up for the Beyond The Pale stage are: Earth / Skullflower / Grails / Tribes Of Neurot

Also distorting, droning, dirging and dooming from Southern this year will be: apocalyptic musical manifestations from Wolves In The Throne Room who have been invited back for the second year running,
the sometimes fierce, sometimes haunting (the always hard to categorize) Rose Kemp, avant-Noisemakers Guapo, post-doom dirge with haunting epic overtones brought by Winchester Club, the improvisational, instrumental noise-rock trio Grey Daturas, Akimbo and their menacing, flaming, voluminous rock, the cathartic doom landscapes of Asva, the psychedelic space rock of US Christmas, Southern Lord's drone metal kings Om, Aurora Borealis' blackened electronic alchemist Burial Hex and last but by no means least, Neurosis' Scott Kelly and Steve Von Till.

The underground cult guitar hero Scott "Wino" Weinrich joins the fray not only performing his recent solo album Punctuated Equilibrium, but with a newly reformed and much missed St. Vitus, last seen in 1995 and soon to be seen headlining the Friday at Roadburn.

Further details, full line up and forums are at the Official Roadburn website and the Roadburn Official Myspace.

Last year's Roadburn was my first experience of the festival and a top notch one at that. 2008's festival boasted a fantastic line up though looking at this, I think 2009 will top it as their most successful yet!

Look out on the Southern website for an exclusive Roadburn themed podcast and I will be sure to report back about my experience of the festival soon after. After all, I am already uncontrollably excited at the prospect of going! Until then...

Initial Supersonic festival line up announced...including Nancy Wallace and Zu!

2009-03-04T17:16:00.007Z

SUPERSONIC 2009 24TH – 26TH July Birmingham UK

Crafting extraordinary events for adventurous audiences combining music, art, film and cake.

"Of this welter of well organised, wisely curated festivals (ATP, Faster Than Sound, Sonar, Greenman) perhaps the best organised and most wisely curated was Supersonic. Plotted by Birmingham promoters Capsule, 2007's Supersonic inhabited the nexus where metal, folk and noise met."

Plan B Magazine

"Supersonic, in our opinion the best festival in the world right now"

Rock-A-Rolla Magazine

”AS British music festivals go, Birmingham’s annual Supersonic event is the best kind of mixed musical bag, a dizzying assortment of avant rock textures and Heavy Metal thunder on a bill which swings from the sublime to the ridiculous without once seeming ostentatiously eclectic.

The Wire

Since 1999 Capsule has been instrumental in the transformation of Birmingham, Britain's Second City, from a cultural backwater to one of the most important ports-of-call on the international experimental music circuit. Champions of all things across the avant-garde spectrum, Capsule are curators, promoters and fans of the finest music, revealing the otherwise indescribable connections between contemporary music and art, crafting extraordinary events for adventurous audiences.

Organisers of the illustrious Festival are please to announce the first confirmations - including HEAD OF DAVID who bring their driving bombast to proceedings for the first time in 23 years - for this year’s festival, which will take place in Birmingham on 24TH - 26TH of July 2009.

Now in it’s 7th year, the event will once again take place at the Custard Factory utilising the many rooms for music, art and film.

Additional confirmations will follow in the upcoming weeks, but the line-up is shaping up to be another extravaganza - and already includes two bands from the Southern family...the wild avant futuristic jazz of ZU (Ipecac) and one of the finest folk vocalists NANCY WALLACE (Midwich). As usual highlighting the highly eclectic booking policy of the festival.

Initial line up :

Head Of David/ 65 Days of Static / Atomized/ Berg Sans Nipple / Caribou / Cave/ Chris Herbert / Diagonal / Earthless /Flower & Corsano Duo / Genghis Tron / Growing / Iron Lung / Jarboe / Khyam Allami / Master Musicians Of Bukake/ Nancy Wallace / Pontiak / Pram / PRE / Scorn / Skullflower/ Theo / Venetian Snares /Zu / ZzZ’s

Many more to be announced over the coming months

Tickets go on sale early April from:

www.theticketsellers.co.uk

Further info on artists/hotel deals tec

www.supersonicfest.com

More information regarding Nancy Wallace and Zu can be found on the Southern Website.

Speak Your Brains - Part 2

2009-03-03T13:24:00.007Z

As promised, here is the second installment to our special feature "Speak Your Brains!" where we called upon our beloved bands on Southern Records to speak their brains and tell us about their experiences in 2008 and their forecast for 2009. Without further ado, here it is (in alphabetical order)...

Hawnay Troof - The one, the only...Vice Cooler

Complete this sentence: "2008 was the year that I ..........was not expecting much for, but hoping for the best."

What album from 2008 will you still be listening to at the end of 2009, and why?

Sean Kingston's single Beautiful Girls

Which artist do you most want to see get the recognition they deserve in 2009?

Kate Geck, George Chen, Brendan Fowler and Jonezin

Where will we find you in 2009?

Mostly at home working on catch up work--- but supposedly mid year with peaches on tour and then another world tour in the fall/ early winter!

Japanther - Ian Vanek (drums, cassettes and vocals)

Complete this sentence: "2008 was the year that...I toured the world and finally started enjoying the drums again."

What album from 2008 will you still be listening to at the end of 2009, and why? Skuffed Up My Huffy by Japanther is timeless to me right now and Bent Outta Shape Stray Dog Town

Which artist do you most want to see get the recognition they deserve in 2009? Ninjasonik, Cerebral Ballzy, DJ Dirty Finger, DJ Rusty Lazer.

Where will we find you in 2009? All of the world in art museums and in punk dives. At beaches and in after hours. Lets dance!

Mothlite - Daniel O Sullivan (vocals, compositions)

Complete this sentence: "2008 was the year that I .........Released some records including Mothlite: The Flax Of Reverie, Guapo: Elixirs and Æthenor: Betimes Black Cloudmasses. Made a few recordings that have yet to be released including Grumbling Fur: Furrier, Æthenor: Faking Gold & Murder, New Mothlite record, The Big Pink album (on 4AD), Miracle (with Steve Moore from Zombi), Sunn O))) vs Ulver (in Crystal Canyon, Oslo). Delivered a score for the BBC Storyville documentary "I'm Not Dead Yet". Played a load of gigs with Guapo, Æthenor, Mothlite, Sunn O))) and Alexander Tucker... etc."

What album from 2008 will you still be listening to at the end of 2009, and why?

I liked Alex's last one. That's about it. He can translate what he wants to express through music so much quicker than anyone else around at the moment.

Which artist do you most want to see get the recognition they deserve in 2009?

Jack Shirt.

Tartufi - Lynne Angel (Guitars/Vocals)

Complete this sentence: "2008 was the year that we ..........Followed a magical llama into a land far, far away where our pockets turned into blowholes and our minds into space shuttles. Five months later, our hairs much longer, we emerged to the call of a mystical sea creature waving flags a plenty and showering sparks. The flags turned into a path as we transported pure tonnage and traversed many a line. Then, content and within a basket woven from words, we stoked the fire and roared our refrain: "This year is upon us quite literally above us and thankful are we to be home, safe and free." i.e....Recorded Nests of Waves and Wire with Tim Green, speed-toured the United States as gas prices dipped to 1988-sville, started a Rock School for 4-7 year olds with the hilarious and totally famous Paco Romane, and signed with Southern Records [that's you!].

What album from 2008 will you still be listening to at the end of 2009, and why?

Paper Airplanes - Scandal Scandal Scandal Down In The Wheat Field. This album is one of the most interesting and complex records we have heard in a long time in terms of composition, arrangement, and style. The lyrics are pure poetry, the structure immense, and the musical choices mind-boggling. We heart this one wicked bad.

Which artist do you most want to see get the recognition they deserve in 2009?

Low Red Land - they are fantastic and one of the hardest working bands in the bizz. AND! They all shave their heads! So no more hair in the drains clogging everything all up! These fellas are conscientious objectors to hair, man!

Where will we find you in 2009?

All over this damn place! Touring the US, UK and EU promoting Nests of Waves and Wire....and potentially under your bed. Or out on the rooftop overhang staring back in the kitchen window at you staring out.

Once again, a huge thanks to all of our bands who took part in this installment and the first.

For more information about any of the aforementioned bands visit the Southern website.

Speak Your Brains - Part 1

2009-02-27T18:05:00.011Z

Last year we called upon our beloved bands on Southern Records to speak their brains and tell us about their experiences in 2008 and their forecast for 2009. Here is the first installment for your pleasure (in alphabetical order)...

Action Beat - Don Mclean (Lead guitar)

Complete this sentence: "2008 was the year that...we recorded an album for Southern and played 90 shows in ten European countries with little or no money".

What album from 2008 will you still be listening to at the end of 2009,and why? Bilge Pump Rupert The Sky. We always listen to Bilge Pump anyway, so I'm sure we will have it on sometime towards the end of next year. It's a great record.

Which artist do you most want to see get the recognition they deserve in 2009? Action Beat. Nah, jokes. mmm... I will have to say Don Vito from Leipzig Germany because we all really love this band. A trio of very hard working individuals, who clearly deserve to be given some kind of recognition for the amazing music they produce. We'll have a competition with them for the most shows in 2009. We're aiming for at least 180!!! They are apparently touring almost every month next year, and also heading to China!!

Where will we find you in 2009? You will find us in the UK towards the end of February, Ireland in March, throughout Europe during Spring and Summer, and you might see us in the states during September/October (if we're lucky). You could also see us at a gig if you book it! Oh, and in your studio, bar, house, kitchen, bedroom, basement, car?

Action Beat have just released their second album The Noise Band From Bletchley on Southern's imprint label Truth Cult

Asva - Stuart Dahlquist (Main man and bass guitar)

Complete this sentence: "2008 was the year that...I voted Democrat, for Obama and wasn't ripped off, then left the mountains and became a member of the Seattle Elks Lodge and the Swedish Club... very cheap drinks and right smart old f*cks to brawl with."

What album from 2008 will you still be listening to at the end of 2009 and why? Most likely some Barbie soundtrack because my darling daughter won't stop playing this crap.

Which artist do you most want to see get the recognition they deserve in 2009? Well that would be me. I just built a fence for somebody; it took a month and its f*cking cold and wet. Yes it would be Asva. I'm sick of this sh*t.

Where will we find you in 2009? Hopefully on tour a bunch and recording/releasing a new record. Some sleeping. A little eating. Making love if I'm allowed, masturbating if I'm not. Evenings rehearsing, late nights having a drink somewhere. Stumbling... Mumbling... Shuffling to the coffee pot in the AM and doing it again.

Stuart is currently working on a new Asva record. More news to follow.

Bellafea - Heather McEntire (lead vocals and guitar)

Complete this sentence: "2008 was the year that I .........." "...was redeemed."

What album from 2008 will you still be listening to at the end of 2009, and why? (Tie) The Curtains of Night Lost Houses - Lost Houses = the reaction after being sucker-punched by your yoga teacher

Beach House Devotion - 1) Gila is the best single of 2008; so perfect, and 2) it's like being on drugs legally and being in a cathedral at the same time, without the side effects and without the damnation.

Which artist do you most want to see get the recognition they deserve in 2009? (Tie) Liza Kate, The Screaming Females

Where will we find you in 2009? Bellafea will be finishing writing and recording our next album. I will be recording albums with the two other bands I'm in - Mount Moriah and Un Deux Trois - as well as working on putting out local releases on my label - Holidays For Quince Records.

Chrome Hoof - Emmett Elvin (Rhodes, organ and synth)

Complete this sentence: "2008 was the year that I .........." .........perfected time travel. I spent most of the year in 1971 hanging out with Bruce Forsyth - what an animal he was back then!

What album from 2008 will you still be listening to at the end of 2009, and why? Offend Maggie by Deerhoof - Forsyth smashed all my other records attempting a tango after two bottles of creme de menthe.

Where will we find you in 2009? 1892, probably. Paris is a bit of a cliche, but I want to get some new keyboard chops off Claude Debussy.

Chrome Hoof again...(there are so many of them) - Andrew Gustard (Guitar and percussion)

Complete this sentence: "2008 was the year that...I became a dad"

What album from 2008 will you still be listening to at the end of 2009, and why? Electric Wizard - Witchcult Today -- 'cos its so good!

Which artist do you most want to see get the recognition they deserve in 2009? - egg

Where will we find you in 2009? in a field

The new album is currently in a parallel universe where eggs rule the world, as soon as the egg leader has built his space/time transporter he will deliver it to planet Earth. Until then...watch this space.

Dianogah - Jason Harvey (Bass guitar)

Complete this sentence: "2008 was the year that I .........." ...put out my favorite Dianogah record. It's not going to solve world peace, or make it onto anyone's top ten list, or sell many copies, but I'm really proud of it.

What album from 2008 will you still be listening to at the end of 2009, and why? ObZen by Meshuggah. The song Bleed is in my top metal songs of all time.

Which artist do you most want to see get the recognition they deserve in 2009? We played a few shows with our old friends Pinebender this year. Those guys should be ruling the world. I don't know how fame somehow escaped them. I also would like to see the Chicago band Head Of Skulls get some recognition. Maybe an Oscar?

Where will we find you in 2009? Practicing in a coffee grinding warehouse. Right now it sounds a little too big and boomy, but hopefully when that place gets filled with bags of coffee it'll sound and smell better.

Glorytellers - Geoff Farina (Vocals, electric, steel-string, flamenco and bass guitars)

Complete this sentence: "2008 was the year that I .........." ....finally got serious about playing harmonica

What album from 2008 will you still be listening to at the end of 2009, and why? Ida My Fair, My Dark

Which artist do you most want to see get the recognition they deserve in 2009? Norman Blake

Where will we find you in 2009? On tour for the new Glorytellers record I hope!

As mentioned Geoff is working on a new Glorytellers record. Keep your ears to the ground and look out for more news on our website.

The Owl Service - Steve Collins (Vocals, guitar, acoustic electric, bass guitars and sitar and just about everything else)

2008 was the year that I... Released an album to critical acclaim on a respected independent label with a rich history... shared a stage with a psych-folk legend and accompanied her on one of my favourite songs of all time... sung The Landlord's Daughter in front of an audience twice, once in a 14th century castle - it's been a year for achieving dreams.

What album from 2008 will you still be listening to at the end of 2009, and why? Chinese Democracy - initially I avoided it, then I had a quick listen just to gloat at the train-wreck like everybody else, but something kept bringing me back to play it again and again and now I can't stop listening to it. I take my hat off to Axl Rose for actually delivering a truly momentous rock album against all odds. Sonically it's an amazing achievement - I love the way every section of each song has its own sound, it'll take me until the end of 2009 to fully get my head around it. It sounds like the guy has poured his heart and soul into every note and for that I applaud him. The first four tracks are particularly incredible - Better is as good as anything they've ever done.

Which artist do you most want to see get the recognition they deserve in 2009? Can I say Nancy Wallace? I'm releasing her debut solo album Old Stories on my own Midwich Records label in January - it's a sublime collection of songs sung by one of the best folk voices in the country. Nancy has been performing regularly in London for the past five years as a solo artist and also with The Memory Band and The Owl Service, and that's earned her a strong reputation and an ever-growing fanbase but it still feels like she's the London folk scene's best kept secret. For me, you can keep your Rusbys and Carthys - Nancy is as good is it gets and if there's any justice, 2009 will be the year that the rest of the music-loving world discovers her talent.

Where will we find you in 2009? Beside the seaside - I'll be hibernating at home in Leigh-on-Sea for at least the first four months of 2009 working on the second Owl Service album, "The Pattern Beneath The Plough". We have a few tracks in the bag so far; a dark, heavy version of "The Red Barn" and an epic folk-rock take on "The Banks Of The Nile", but I really need to get my backside in gear if it's going to be the sprawling, mammoth twenty track folk-opus I want it to be. Once that's done you'll find me driving the length and breadth of the country taking the Merrie Owl Service Touring Circus out on the road once again.

Last but by no means least Trencher - Liam Sparkes (Badass drummer)

Complete this sentence: "2008 was the year that...I embraced long-johns"

What album from 2008 will you still be listening to at the end of 2009 and why? -- Kings Of Leon new album.

and which artist do you most want to see get the recognition they deserve in 2009? ---- An Albatross

Where will we find you in 2009? Slumped in a bar , flicking soggy toilet paper at bar staff and myself.

At some point in the future there will be a Trencher remix album and fingers (and toes) crossed, a new album too. Whenever you are ready with that estimated date of arrival Liam...

A huge thanks to all of our bands for taking part in this installment, look out for the second feature soon...

The pAper chAse to unleash their fifth full length album

2009-02-26T13:54:00.006Z

The pAper chAse are known for their angular guitar lines, discordant melodies, bombastic percussion, terror-stricken strings, bizarre samples and crashing pianos. They produce epic post-rock cum jagged pop at its finest and as you can see there is a lot going on and it is all tied together expertly by famous producer/engineer John Congleton who has worked with a variety of musicians including Modest Mouse, The Polyphonic Spree, Antony And The Johnsons, Celine Dion, Smog, R Kelly, The Roots, Marilyn Manson and many more...

The Paper Chase are fueled by genuine emotion and this is powerfully conveyed in their music, so much so that many have commented on their music as "uneasy listening". Yes, their music is challenging but this is no bad thing.

This May, the Paper Chase will be releasing their fifth full-length entitled Someday This Could Be Yours (Part 1) on Southern Records, the first of two concept albums about natural disasters. There is a moment on the album in which the final note of track two fades into a brief moment of silence. This is a peculiar development in the catalogue of a band that has historically filled every second of its albums with sound. On their new album, the group abandons some of the usual tricks. There are no segue pieces, no recurring musical motifs--just ten songs on an LP.

The power of this album lies in the songs and these songs are not short on grandeur. With each track representing a different natural disaster, The Paper Chase leader John Congleton crafts his most startling account of humanity, exploring the existential crisis inherent within a universe seemingly fated to exterminate its population. Wringing the most sinister and destructive elements out of the natural world, Congleton creates characters frantically trying to survive elements far beyond their control. While the narrative voices obsess over the batteries in their smoke alarms, the dams along the river and their desperate prayers for health and prosperity, these songs expose the utter frailty of the human condition. Faced with huge catastrophic or cosmic events, man has no choice but to recognise his own insignificance.

On Someday, The Paper Chase sounds even more unlike any other band in modern music. With drummer Jason Garner making his recorded debut with the group, the band expands upon its singular vision--a perpetual struggle between conflict and resolution, dissonance and beauty. Utilising a newfound dynamic command, these songs are able to breathe--subtly building feelings of anticipation, yet erupting into violence and chaos as crisis becomes inevitable. The Paper Chase has matured but hasn't lightened up. If anything, by leaving open spaces and allowing melodies to fully develop, the group presents its most powerful work to date.

Keep your eyes peeled on the Southern website for more information.

Chrome Hoof + Cluster = killer collaboration

2009-02-25T17:48:00.006Z

The rumours of this unique collaboration are indeed true and I can now post the official press release for this very special event in March:

Cluster (Live) / Chrome Hoof (Live) / James Holden / 20JFGs
Date: Sat. 21st March 2009
Time: 10pm-5am
Venue: 4th Floor Art Space, Rich Mix, Bethnal Green Road, E1
-----
THROWBACK! invites one-off live collaborations between musical pioneers and the exciting contemporary acts they have
influenced.
TB_001 saw Salvatore Principato of Liquid Liquid fame jamming live onstage with Chilean punk-funk outfit Panico. DJ
support on that night came from Tigersushi boss Joakim.
The event, which took place at Hub in Aldgate last May, sold out well in advance and was a great success. To see a video of
the performance click http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-juIqKIGvkc
THROWBACK!_002
Taking the Krautrock/Kosmiche sound as inspiration, TB_002 unites krautrock/ambient masters Cluster with experimental
orchestra Chrome Hoof in what promises to be one of the most exciting collaborative gigs of 2009. Plus stellar DJ support from
James Holden!
Together with bands such as Kraftwerk, Can and Neu!, Cluster were part of a crop of German-borne acts which consciously
sought to take rock music beyond the confines of the American blues-based format. Fusing elements of psychedelia and avant-
garde electronics with a minimalist ethic their music laid foundations for the loop-based techno and electro of today as well as
predating the emergence of ambient music. Cluster's work with Brian Eno is also cited as having laid the blueprint for Bowie's
'Berlin Trilogy' namely the Heroes, Low & Lodger albums, which Eno produced. Echoes of Cluster's sublime fusion of ambient
psychedelia and rhythmic electronics can now be heard in contemporary acts such as Radiohead, Four Tet, Fujiya & Miyagi,
Simian Mobile Disco and the more spacey output from record labels like Warp and Kompakt.
Set to join Cluster on stage are experimental orchestra Chrome Hoof who are fast gaining a reputation as one of the most
mind-blowing live acts in the UK today. Bedecked in futuristic space-monk regalia they have laid waste to crowds with a sound
that echoes Sun Ra, ESG, Goblin, Funkadelic and Black Sabbath. Combining elements as disparate as disco, jazz, punk and
metal requires expert musicianship, which Chrome Hoof possess in bounds, so expect bassoons, brass, violins and glam clad
guitar duets.
It's an ostensibly bizarre pairing, with Cluster's minimalist beatless textures contrasting starkly with Chrome Hoof's orgiastic
theatrics but as with all THROWBACK! events the highlight of the night will be the artists' ability to play off each other's talents.
TB_002 then turns up the party heat with a DJ set from Border Community boss and techno-king James Holden, recently
voted amongst the top 40 DJs in the world.
Further DJ support comes from original and best bloggers 20JazzFunkGreats whose reputation as the first point of call for
music heads goes from strength to strength. Record of the Week recently voted them “Best Blog 2008” and Viceland.com has
recently recruited them to keep the wayward youth in check.
For this event the THROWBACK! team have unearthed a suitably excellent venue too. Rich Mix's 4th floor auditorium features
excellent facilities combined with stunning panoramic views of East London making this the ideal canvas on which these superb
artists can daub their sonic talents.
For venue info visit

Keep posted with more info at
www.richmix.org.uk
www.myspace.com/thegetsetlondon

We are not the only people screaming from the rooftops about the Hoof, it seems they have accumulated quite a following. Check out the following recent live reviews, one from The Quietus and the other from Chew The Fat.

They are extraordinary and wonderful and if you have not done so already I strongly urge you to experience a Chrome Hoof live show!

Photos by 1 and 3 taken by Steve Bliss (from the Chrome Hoof myspace) and the rest are by Queen B

Japanther sign to Truth Cult

2009-02-17T13:08:00.009Z

Japanther are a dynamic punk rock duo hailing from New York City. The band was formed in 2001 by Matt Reilly and Ian Vanek, undergrads at NYC's highly regarded art school The Pratt Institute. With Reilly singing while playing a three-stringed bass as Vanek simultaneously attacked a drum kit and a bank of electronic equipment playing found and mutated cassettes, both of them singing into microphones fashioned out of old-fashioned telephone handsets, they're like a more playful and even more self-conscious updating of the late-'70s no wave scene, though a thorough rooting in the skate-punk scene as youngsters keeps things from getting too precious.

After a 2001 self-released demo, Japanther debuted with the 2002 EP South of Northport, followed by the full-lengths Leather Wings and Dump the Body in Rikki Lake. After a second EP, The Operating Manual for Life on Earth, and a pair of split EP projects with Sneeze and Viking Club, the albums Master of Pigeons (2005), Wolfenswan (2005), Don't Trust Anyone Over Thirty (2006), and Skuffed Up My Huffy (2007) followed. In addition to various multimedia projects with a variety of collaborators, Dump the Body in Rikki Lake and the concept album Don't Trust Anyone Over Thirty (a loose retelling of the 1960s cult classic Wild in the Streets) were used as the basis of puppet shows in collaboration with Philip Huber, who designed and controlled the marionettes in the film Being John Malkovich.

For the past seven years Brooklyn's ultra childish Japanther have baffled unsuspecting audiences and steadily grown its cult following. They've lived out of a van all over Europe, Australia, Canada and the US, circling the international underground like hungry wolves. All the while screaming through yellow pay phone mics, self releasing and self producing in keeping with the "Art Project" persona the group was founded on. Synchronized swimmer, illegal shows, marionettes and giant puppets have all been employed successfully again and again. All in an attempt to redefine what bands, groups and gangs can do.

Always a band of contrasts, Japanther exist halfway in the world of performance art, and halfway in DIY punk. We at Southern wholeheartedly embrace Japanther's ethos and after seeing them support Penny Rimbaud (Crass co-founder) at a London venue last year, we knew that we had to make them part of the family. It comes with great honour to announce that Japanther are our proud new signing on Truth Cult and we are very thrilled to be putting out the album Tut Tut, Now Shake Your Butt as the third release on the imprint label.

On this record and keeping the tradition of contrast alive the lads have teamed up with Penny Rimbaud for this record of punk songs and poetry. On the surface, that may sound like an odd combination, but this thing is a cohesive and truly a wild romp 'round Africa, the Bronx, San Pedro and Brooklyn, complete with faeries, bicycles and a few cans of spray paint. Japanther's infectious, free spirited trash hasn't let up a teeny bit, it's just gotten more focused. Rimbaud's churning, clever, degenerate cadence is an oddly fitting balance for Japanther's two-minute blasts.

These songs are consistent with the level of songwriting on their epic last record, Skuffed Up My Huffy LP. Tut Tut, Now Shake Ya Butt was recorded in late 2007 (at Zero Mass in Brooklyn), as the (band-curated/organized) Dinosaur Death Dance performance ran for three (sold out) nights at New York's PS122. On a special note, this record features a sleeper cover of Portland's New Bad Things' "The Dirge"!

Japanther are going to be bringing the ruckus to the UK and mainland Europe in May. Here is the routing so far and some confirmed dates (with more to be confirmed soon...)

May 1st Ireland
May 2nd Ireland
May 3rd Ireland
May 4th Belfast, Ireland
May 5th Scotland
May 7th Belgium
May 8th Leipzig, Germany - Altin Village Fest
May 9th Berlin, Germany - West Germany
May 12th Hamburg - The Rote Flora w/ The Pink Tank Collective.
May 13th Copenhagen, Denmark - Lades Kælder
May 14th Wuertzburg or Ahlborg, Denmark
May 15th Malmo, Sweden
May 16th Gothenburg or Sthlm
May 17th Oslo, Norway
May 18th Bergen, Norway
May 19th Norway
May 20th Turku, Finland
May 21st Helsinki, Finland
May 22nd St. Petersburg, Russia
May 23rd Moscow, Russia
May 24th Moscow, Russia
May 26th Vienna, Austria
May 27th Graz, Austria
May 28th Zagreb, Croatia or Vienna, Austria
May 29th Rome, Italy or Gio
May 30 Lyon, France - Grande
May 31st Tolouse, France
June 1st: Lisbon, Portugal - ZDB Gallery
June 2nd: Portugal
June 3rd Madrid, Spain or Barcelona, Spain
June 4th Bordeaux - Saint Ex w/ Lets Panic Later
June 5th Paris, France or Barcelona, Spain
June 6th London, England - The Dome (with Upset The Rhythm)

We will be updating these dates as soon as venues are confirmed so keep checking the Southern website for information.

Check out some of the praise from the press:

"Japanther remains one the New York City's most under rated acts...". -Pitchfork Media

"spazz gods… a mother f**ker of an album… Japanther is a lean slam boogie machine with no time for boredom" -Thurston Moore For Arthur Magazine

"Japanther is one of the hardest f**king bands in Brooklyn right now. They sound like Iron Maiden, Throbbing Gristle, and Lightning Bolt gave birth to a squealing little baby with flaming guitars for arms. Their shows are chaotic and danger-charged lovefests and they are frighteningly dedicated to keeping it underground" - VICE

Fiat lux - Et facta est lux

Nancy Wallace - A shining star

2009-02-13T17:27:00.007Z

As the voice of The Memory Band, Nancy Wallace will already be familiar to many. After two albums of effortless modern folk classics with The Memory Band Nancy has finally released her debut album through Southern imprint Midwich. Her debut solo release, the Young Hearts EP from 2005, saw Nancy's appeal reach a wider audience with its canny marrying of disco anthems to a folk sound. It won the hearts of everyone who heard it and tracks from the EP have been licensed to several compilation albums.

On Old Stories, traditional songs sit happily alongside Nancy's original compositions with a flow so effortless you forget which is which and the relaxed sound and simple yet rich arrangements compliment her voice perfectly. A charming modesty presides over the whole set but the one enduring thing you take away from listening to this album is that Nancy Wallace is a huge talent.

Nancy Wallace has already received some fantastic praise from the press and is going to be the cover star of the worldwide acclaimed magazine fROOTS this March (along with traditional folkie Ian King)

Here are some fine examples of the deserved praise:

"Long respected as one of the purest voices on the folk circuit, this recording, like her live work, fashions an amazing intimacy with her listener. A significant debut." 4/5 MOJO

"Old Stories, Nancy Wallace's debut album, is one of the first highlights of 2009. Time will tell if she becomes one of the great British voices, but with the level of emotion she conveys, she certainly has every right to be talked about in the same breath as some of the traditional music greats...Old Stories is a volume you'll return to time and again." BBC MUSIC REVIEWS

"The set should pave the way to wider recognition for Wallace, one of the finest folk vocals of her generation." MUSIC WEEK

"Her accomplished fare is likely to hit the spot with fans of the McGarrigles and Fairport Convention." TIME OUT

In other exciting news, Nancy Wallace has just confirmed residency at The Brittannia Pub (Victoria Park, London) every Wednesday in May where she will invite a different support act along each week.

Make sure you note these other dates in your diary for a chance to enjoy Nancy's engaging, alluring live performance as well as performances from some of the other rising stars on Midwich, not to mention Southern Records' favourite folk band The Owl Service.

Here are the dates:

THE OWL SERVICE
---------------
Apr 8th - Norwich Arts Centre, Norwich

NANCY WALLACE
-------------
Apr 23rd - St George's Day Extravaganza at Cecil Sharpe House, London - (sponsored by fRoots)

Jul 25th - Union Chapel, London - (Daylight Music Festival)

MIDWICH RECORDS
---------------
Mar 13th - St Mary's Old Church, Stoke Newington, London
(Nancy Wallace + Jason Steel + Ellen Mary McGee)

Jun 28th - Leigh Folk Festival, Leigh-On-Sea
(The Owl Service + Nancy Wallace + Jason Steel + Straw Bear Band)

For more news about the upcoming releases on Midwich including the new album from the charming Ellen Mary McGee then please visit the Southern website.

Pelican sign to Southern Lord!!!

2009-02-09T14:49:00.004Z

It is with immense reverence that Southern Lord Recordings announces the signing of Chicago heavy-rock instrumental icons Pelican. Their genre-defying sound and eagerness to explore new musical directions will fit right at home alongside similar bands on the label like Earth, Boris and sunn 0))). Pelican is currently at Red Room studios in Seattle, WA recording an EP that will be their first release on Southern Lord. The new material promises to be heavier, darker and very “riff-oriented” comments guitarist Trevor De Brauw. A very special guest guitarist who has been heavily influential to the band will be making a guest appearance more details to be revealed shortly!

In March Pelican will be touring alongside new label mates Wolves In The Throne Room (who are currently touring mainland Europe and are gearing up to release a brand new album Black Cascade, details of which can be found on the Southern website), including a triumphant return to the South By South West music fest in Austin, TX at the Southern Lord showcase. Upon returning home Pelican will focus their sights on their fourth full-length album.

Pelican March/April 2009 tour:
*w/Tombs, Dredg
**w/Tombs, Wolves In The Throne Room

3/15/2009 The Picador - Iowa City IA *
3/16/2009 Riot Room - Kansas City, KS *
3/17/2009 The Marquee - Tulsa, OK *
3/18/2009 Scout Bar - San Antonio, TX * plus Tricky
3/19/2009 Vino’s - Little Rock, AR **
3/20/2009 Elmo’s - Austin, TX @ SXSW Southern Lord Showcase w/Eagle Twin, Black Cobra, Wolves In The Throne Room, Wino, etc.
3/22/2009 Red 7 - Austin, TX **
3/25/2009 The Sets - Tempe, AZ **
3/26/2009 The Casbah - San Diego, CA **
3/27/2009 The Troubadour - West Hollywood, CA **
3/28/2009 Slim’s - San Francisco, CA **
3/29/2009 Hawthorne Theatre - Portland, OR **
3/30/2009 Nightlight - Bellingham, WA **
3/31/2009 Neumo’s - Seattle , WA **
4/02/2009 Club Vegas - Salt Lake City, UT **
4/03/2009 The Marquis Theatre - Denver , CO **
4/05/2009 Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL **

Keep checking the Southern website for more information.

Subhumans resissuing back-catalogue

2009-02-09T13:21:00.018Z

In the Trowbridge area of Wiltshire 1980, Dick, Bruce, Phil and Trotsky formed Subhumans, one of the most literate and musically athletic punk bands to come from the UK (alongside their contemporaries Crass, Conflict and Rudimentary Peni) Having previously played in other bands; The Mental and The Stupid Humans, Subhumans united and began to develop a trademark sound fusing political songcraft latent with meaning, wit and experimental warfare which would in turn bring them much success and recognition. They have also had an enormous influence on, and being a massive inspiration to the likes of Rancid, Operation Ivy to Queens Of The Stone Age. By 1985 Subhumans played 262 shows (including European and US tours) and Dick went on to form ska-punk-reggae band Culture Shock before re-uniting with Trotsky and Phil again in '89 to form Citizen Fish.

After releasing a total of five full length records on their own BLUURG label and six EPs (not to mention D.I.Y cassettes) the band are still going strong. Their most recent release Internal Riot received glowing reviews from the press and fanzines on a global scale, all acknowledging the strength of the Subhumans formula, which really has stood the test of time. Subhumans rage against the world and also (importantly) focus on trying to improve it!

Subhumans remain one of the most important UK punk bands and now, 17 years after their first LP was released, they are reissuing the back catalogue. The reissues are completely remastered and will be presented in deluxe packaging in CD in a digipack format complete with a poster and on 140g coloured vinyl. Both formats boast original artwork. This delve back into the treasure chest that is the Subhumans back catalogue will form a historical perspective of a legendary band who are still at the top of their game and will make great collectibles for any die-hard fan. Here are the planned reissues:

1982 - The Day The Country Died
Their first LP recorded in five days in June 1982 and first released in 1983 on Spiderleg Records before putting it out on their own label. With dystopian undertones it describes a world ravaged by war. An absolute classic.

1983 - From Cradle To Grave
Second full length album, this one a concept album about live and the transitions from life to death, loving and hating. Subhumans reveal a more mature side to their music without losing any intensity.

1983 - Time Flies/Rats
The band's third release, originally two EPs later combined to make one album. Delivering satirical blows left right and centre in a heavy manner, verging on hardcore punk stylings.

1985 - Worlds Apart
The fourth album by the Subhumans, combining elements of ska, reggae and punk. Hailed by many as their strongest album.

1986 - EP LP
A brutal compilation of early EPs. This is raw punk rock at its finest, lashing out at materialism, religion, animal testing, greed, corruption of the political system, and that is just the tip of the iceberg!

1987 - 29 29 Split Vision
Sixth full length and one of the bands more exploratory albums, all of the songs vary in some way to the next, which makes this album a special addition to any Subhumans fan's collection.

2004 - Unfinished Business
Seven songs, all rare tracks from crucial periods in the band's long career. Included are songs that were recorded live back in 1981, at Pickwick Studios in 1982, at Southern Studios in 1983, as well as some ancient songs re-recorded at bassist Phil's place in 1998.

All of these releases draw upon topical issues that are still in contention today therefore maintaining the relevancy of Dick's lyrical bashings and thus rendering these albums equally as intense as when they were originally released.

The entire back-catalogue is available through the Southern Records webshop and more information about these reissues can be found on the Southern website

The brand new SUNN O))) album cometh

2009-02-05T12:58:00.010Z

MAXIMUM VOLUME YIELDS MAXMUM RESULTS is a statement which perfectly encapsulates the essence of SUNN O))). The group have always revolved around the foundation of two heavily amplified and saturated electric guitars, and over the years the ensemble has grown and evolved in many ways.

This year, after ten years of existence, SUNN O))) are going to be releasing their seventh studio album Monoliths & Dimensions on Southern Lord (artwork by the eminent artist Richard Serra). This work spanned a year and a half and in the words of SUNN O))) "resulted in our most intense, mature and off-a-point-of-reference work to date."

On this new album they have worked with long time collaborators; Oren Ambarchi and vocalist Attila Csihar and have also enlisted a host of other incredible musicians. Eyvind Kang (who has worked with the likes of John Zorn, Marc Ribot and Bill Frisell) is one of these new collaborators and on this record SUNN O))) have worked with the notable composer on various acoustic ensembles in addition to the Helios fueled electric guitars and basses. The band are keen to stress "it is not "SUNN with strings" or "metal bands meets orchestra material" instead they "took an approach concentrating on more of allusion toward the timbre of feedback and the instruments involved, so the piece is really illusory, beautiful and not entirely linear."

Other collaborators include Julian Priester (who worked with Sun Ra in the 50s, was in John Coltrane’s African Brass band, and was in Herbie Hancock’s Sextant band) and Stuart Dempster (new music horn player who plays with Pauline Oliveros in Deep Listening band and had several Cage commissions over the years). There’s also an upright bass trio, French and English horns, harp and flute duo, piano, brass, reed and strings ensembles. And a Viennese woman’s choir led by Persian vocal savant Jessika Kenney. These guests amongst many notable others, none the least being slow music godfather Dylan Carlson.

Here is the track listing for the album:

1. Aghartha (17:34)
2. Big Church [megszentségteleníthetetlenségeskedéseitekért] (09:43)
3. Hunting & Gathering (Cydonia) (10:02)
4. Alice (16:21)

If like us you find all this news extremely exciting then keep your ears to the ground as they will be unleashing this beast in May. SUNN O))) are playing a few select dates across mainland Europe and have one show confirmed in the UK in London. The details for the latter are as follows.

Sunday February 22nd
7 pm. £12 advance / £15 OTD

Baba Yaga's Hut presents - SUNN O))) and Grumbling Fur at Corsica Studios in London

With honor, SUNN O))) is announcing one exclusive live performance in the United Kingdom to recognize the 10th anniversary of SUNN O)))’s creation, and to coincide with the recording of the first album…The GrimmRobe Demos. SUNN O))) will be playing material from GrimmRobes exclusively. It will be a return to their primal origins, and approach respecting a concept of shoshin (初心), the beginner’s mind, the yet undyed pure wool, the clarity in initiation upon the untraveled. The attitude of embodying the basics precisely, point by point, line by line, with an immovable faith in the teaching, experience and of beyond the possibility. Of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when approaching, even with much experience, just as a beginner would upon the initial impetus and thirst to seek the path. And so, with this mindset, they will be approaching these live concerts. Pure, raw, uninhibited invocations featuring O)))s core members: Stephen O’Malley and Greg Anderson ONLY. No guests, no vocals, no keyboards. We hope you will join us….

Support comes from Grumbling Fur featuring Alexander Tucker and Daniel O'Sullivan (Guapo, Mothlite)

Keep checking the Southern website for more news about the new album, confirmed shows and details of the bands back-catalogue which is available through the webshop.

Action Beat vinyl

2009-02-03T11:51:00.004Z

Vinyl Packing Crew
Originally uploaded by Savage Pink

Last Friday the crew all gathered round some hot packing tables to hand-pack the vinyl for the Action Beat album on Truth Cult. 500 gorgeous slabs of deep blue vinyl were lovingly inserted into heavy poly bags, along with an insert and a sticker on the front. Don't they look great? We were happy. We reckon these will go quickly on the tour coming up. (They're also available in our mail order shop.)

...And the winner of the Norwegian grammy goes to...Farmers Market!!!

2009-01-30T13:52:00.005Z

Yes that's right! Farmers Market are now the proud winners of a Norwegian Grammy award, the most prestigious award in the field of music. The category in which they won was the "Open Class" award and their delightful album Surfin USSR (which came out last year on Ipecac) was narrowed down from seventy seven records and then nominated with just three others; a contemporary composer, a female folk fiddle player and the princess of Norway (who apparently made an album of religious hymns (no I am not kidding!)...the rest is history!

Many of the prize winners were not shown on TV but Farmers Market's speech was shown across the whole of Norway (and probably some of Sweden too!) so now they are big stars in their homeland.

Right, I am off to go ice-fishing with Stian from the band and celebrate their win in true Norwegian style.

Gratulerer!!

Hawnay Troof "Front My Hope" video premiere, Mai Shi remix, tours and more!

2009-01-29T20:05:00.004Z

2008 proved to be a landmark year for Hawnay Troof. “Connection”, stand-out track on the super-charged 2008 album Islands Of Ayle (Southern) beat out Bjork as the #2 Indie Video of the Year on MTV2 and became the #1 Video on MTVU. Hawnay Troof was also one of the biggest show stealers at this years Parklife Festival in Australia – so much so that his slot was moved to playing right before Parklife’s headliner, Peaches!

But 2008 wasn’t all that easy going. HT’s rental car was taken by police in Arizona and he came close to death while driving alone through an ice storm. There were also dog bites, broken down planes, and stitches. We’re pretty sure all this means is that 2009 will be crazy too.
Now we are proud to announce the video premiere for “Front My Hope”! Directed by Vice Cooler, during one of his six days off during his four month world tour, the video stars Cooler as a roman elite being backed up by three of the bay areas biggest personalities: party blogger Manjari Doxey (as a guitar playing squirrel), RVCA big wig Jen Snyder (as a panda shredder), and local lunatic Rory Rabut (as an angry, skating, sax playing snowman). It was filmed the same day that he directed the Deerhoof "Offend Maggie" video.

Be sure to also check out the Mae Shi's remix of “Front My Hope”, Hawnay Troof’s new club remix for Ssion, and HT’s laugh out loud 2008 tour summary. Cooler also has art currently showcasing and for sale in the “Melt Yo’ Face Off!” exhibit at the Kaleid Gallery in San Jose, California.

The lovable Vice Cooler aka Hawnay Troof is on tour in the US of A with High Places, Telepathe, + Matt And Kim, the dates can be found on HT's myspace.

Pump it up!

Tartufi sign to Southern Records!!!

2009-01-28T10:47:00.002Z

We at Southern Records HQ have had our beady eyes on the San Francisco duo Tartufi for some time now. In that time I have managed to collect all their previous recordings, conduct extensive research into their back-story and develop myself into a fully fledged super fan!

Finally, we can confirm that Tartufi had been signed to Southern Records and that we will be releasing their next album in spring this year. This is seriously exciting!!! I just cannot believe that they have not yet taken over the world with their progressive and innovative indie and noise music.

One drum kit, one guitar and razor sharp vocals pile on top of one another with great precision to create dense songs drenched with abstract abrasion - littered with lush harmonies. We are so proud to be unleashing Tartufi to the world and with such a fine album. Here is what the band had to say about the signing:

After months of searching for just the right home for their new album, Lynne and Brian a saw a light on in the far off cabin at Southern Records. A kind maiden at Southern welcomed them in, sat them beside the hearth, and fed them delicious English soup and beer. Well worn from their travels the two musicians listened intently as the label maiden told them tales of battles fought, won, and lost in the kingdom of Indierocklandia. Her eyes were true and her words sure. Their amulet- the one the wizard of the glenn gave them to reveal trickery- confirmed that she was pure of heart. She invited them to stay. They accepted and and together Lynne and Brian placed the only copy of Nests of Waves and Wire on the great oak table. This is where our story begins.....Tartufi is thrilled to announce that they have just signed to Southern Records.

Nests of Waves and Wire is scheduled to be released in Spring 2009. A European tour will coincide with the release and a U.S. tour will follow soon thereafter.

Photo credit: Lydia Daniller

A live review | Lucky Dragons

2009-01-27T17:49:00.009Z

Last night I experienced something incredible when I went to watch Lucky Dragons at the Luminaire. This was not their first time performing over in the UK but it was my first time watching them, although to say that I watched them is inaccurate for I became a participant in their magical musical circuit board. I was one of the improvisers who was lucky enough to get the chance to handle their remarkable instruments.

They positioned themselves off-stage, deep in the crowd and people formed a circle around them. I managed to seat myself right in front of the action half expecting to become part of it (based on what I heard from people who had seen them before) but not expecting to experience the music in the way that I did.

Positioned next to the duo was a laptop which was not only to provide the backing music but also became a key instrument itself as Luke Fischbeck (one half of the duo also comprising Sarah Rara) literally warped the sounds live with the click of a mouse, as their performance unfolded. On the floor lay a number of percussive instruments and wires wrapped in gaffer tape which were all connected to an eight-track mixer. The duo improvised two songs with the instruments and microphones and then let the audience join in. Starting with me and a couple of others, we were shaking rods making a wonderful rattling noise which boomed over the PA. Then the fun really began as the two people either side of me were given what looked like wires covered in tape then Luke put my hands on top of each of theirs and soon an incredible high pitched treble sound bellowed, a noise which I would liken to the cacophony of sound made by a cluster of theremins with some distortion thrown in for good measure. It was truly incredible. I was a conductor in the electrical and musical sense of the word as my contact with these two people created the music the rest of the crowd were enjoying. It didn't take long for people to realise this and soon everyone was making contact with each other as part of a mass intimate musical improvisation.

Lucky Dragons passed on more of these wonderful rods to other trios connecting us in a huge circle formation, the resonance of sound was fantastic and their was not a single person in the crowd who was not beaming. Kaleidoscopic visuals supplemented the music but were unnecessary for the participants like myself because being part of this magical creation was more colourful in spirit than I can put across in words. The whole show was, well, electrifying. It was incredible how they brought people together and how everyone responded.

Dream Island Laughing Language is in my opinion a terrific album delivered by the duo last year on Upset The Rhythm but honestly, the music on the album almost belies the intricate detail in which it was created and once you see the mechanics of this process and how the music is constructed, it is fascinating. As much as I urge you to pick up a copy of this record, the musical experience of Lucky Dragons is, in my humble opinion, one which is best experienced live.

The band are touring mainland Europe right now. Tour dates can be found on the Southern Records website

Chrome Hoof shenanigans!

2009-01-26T18:17:00.006Z

I am feeling pretty positive about this year, there is a lot to look forward to - great releases, great shows and events and the return of the titans Chrome Hoof, who have been confirmed to take part in a number of one-off special events in the coming months.

To begin with, on 6 Feb the Hoof and avant rockers Guapo are going to take part in a unique event at the ICA entitled Smoke. Full details can be found on the ICA website but here is a summary in the meantime:

Pump House Gallery and Implicasphere present a unique happening with live bands, DJs, smoky films, smoked delicacies and lots of smoke machines. Expect sonic and visual spectaculars from 10-piece glam death disco outfit Chrome Hoof and psychedelic compositions by Guapo. Among those spinning smoke-infused records will be DJ/producer Andrew Weatherall, Nick Stroud from JazznotJazz and Muscleheads.

Excitingly on 12 Feb Chrome Hoof will be playing at the Shockwaves NME awards show gig at Koko which will also feature headliners Simian Mobile Disco.

Also in the Chrome Hoof diary is a one off gig on March 21 at the Rich Mix in Bethnal Green The gig will feature performances from Chrome Hoof and the highly influential German experimental group Cluster and include a collaboration between the two. More news to follow on this soon.

And finally (for now...) we are a whisker away from confirming an event in connection with Marcus Coates about the demise of Elephant and Castle. This special (and rather unusual) event will be held at the end of May at the Coronet (which will be one of the only remaining landmarks in the area) and all we know at this stage is that the Hoof will be part of it!

Watch this space!

Shrinebuilder in the studio

2009-01-09T18:45:00.000Z

Shrinebuilder is a project that features, in equal measure, Wino (St. Vitus, Obsessed, Hidden Hand), Scott Kelly (Neurosis), Al Cisneros (Om, Sleep), and Dale Crover (Melvins, Porn). The band will be in the studio with Toshi from January 9th through January 11th. Shrinebuilder's debut full-length is set for a summer 2009 release on Neurot Recordings.

Scott Kelly has announced that he will report live from the studio via www.weburnthroughthenight.blogspot.com beginning no later than Saturday, January 10th. Look for guest blogs by other members of Shrinebuilder as well as possible in-studio photos from the band.