REVIEW: Buenos Aires – Record Breaker

Buenos Aires – Record Breaker (Robot Needs Home)

Release date: 14 May 2012

Leicester's best kept secret are back with a new single Record Breaker. Regrettably it's not a cover, but fortunately it is damn good, so we'll let them off. The track features all of the idiosyncrasies we've come to love about Buenos Aires – the split personality songwriting, the jaunty guitars that start stop and all the little details that combine to give them their distinctive sound. 

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INTERVIEW: Uh Huh Her

Currently in the midst of their European tour, One Beat sat down with electro duo Uh Huh Her for a pre-show chat ahead of their Friday night show at Nottingham's Rescue Rooms. We talk touring, lady parts and almost getting arrested...

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LIVE: Union Sound Set + Richard Parker

When: 14 April 2012

Where: The Barfly, Camden

A last minute change to the line-up sees the previously unannounced Sugardrum take to the stage armed with an acoustic. The singer-songwriter doles out a few acoustic songs, but nothing special enough to stop the half empty venue from chattering in the background. By the time instrumentalists Richard Parker take to the stage, the room is near full, and their spine-tingling post-rock captures the crowd in front of them. Stirring twinkly moments build to thick instrumentation of epic proportions, and it's stunning. 

But the reason we're all here is Union Sound Set. They've been quiet for a long time, so for the Barfly to be packed to the rafters is a testament to them. And for their headline return? Well, they weren't going to do it by halves, were they?

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NEWS: Y-Not Festival adds more acts

So it's no secret that One Beat loves 2000 Trees Festival, but we've always felt its sister festival, Y-Not, is more like its poorer cousin. But looking at the festival's latest additions, it's shaping up to be a fantastic year for the Derbyshire festival which takes place 3-5 August.

The usual indie crowd will be pleased by the likes of British Sea Power, The Subways and We Are Scientists, but the smaller stages is where all the exciting bands will be appearing. Here's a few of One Beat's choice picks from the line-up:

Pulled Apart By Horses, Brontide , &U&I , Frightened Rabbit, Alright The Captain, The Cast Of Cheers, Future Of The Left, Freeze The Atlantic, Without Maps and more. We are excited!

To get in on the action, book your tickets here.

NEWS: The Cast Of Cheers video, album details

The Cast of Cheers : Animals (Music Video) from babysweet on Vimeo.

We bloody love this band. Love the new song. 

Great news is the album isn't far off. Family will be released on 18 June, and the tracklisting looks something like this:

1. Family
2. Posé Mit
3. Human Elevator
4. Animals
5. Palace and Run
6. Goose
7. Go Getter
8. Marso Sava
9. Trucks At Night
10. They Call It A Race

LIVE: The Futureheads

When: 12 April 2012

Where: Glee Club, Nottingham

Indie-rock – a genre associated with loud guitars, rhythmic bass and of course, incessant drums. Slap some anthemic vocals on top, and you have a band that is capable of filling venues with sweaty gig goers, jumping around to the energetic show. So what if you take away the amplifiers, make your audience sit before you in the most civilised manor, and cover The Black Eyed Peas...acapella style?

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NEWS: The return of Shoes And Socks Off

Shoes And Socks Off goes electronica for new album?

Tork Sport is taken from SASO's forthcoming album Miles Of Mad Water, due out on 14th May 2012 via Big Scary Monsters. Pre-order here.

FREE MUSIC: Bloody Mammals

Bloody Mammals have posted their 4-track demo up for free download over at their Bandcamp page.

Recommended if you like noisy, off-kilter stuff in the vein of Dischord bands gone by. It's angsty and angular and delivered with some punk-rock shaped gusto. Get it down yr ear lugs.

NEWS: Crash Of Rhinos to play Distal in full

Yep, one of last year's finest underground records is going to be played live and in full on April 16th at London's Old Blue Last – and it's free! Crash Of Rhinos will be joined by Delta/Alaska and Axes for the Pink Mist promoted show.

It's all in aid of Distal being re-released on cassette via Big Scary Monsters, which can be pre-ordered here (along with an exclusive tee). For those not stuck in the 80's with their cassette walkmans, the out-of-print 2xLP is being repressed by Triste. Keep them eyes peeled on their webstore for more info.

Get a load of that with your pasty!

NEWS: Record Store Day 2012

Record Store Day, which takes place on April 21st in the UK, has unveiled a rather lengthy list of limited edition releases.

Collectors and vinyl nerds alike are bound to find something to get excited over this year. We've had a nosey through the list, and here is our Top 5 picks:

McLusky – McLusky Do Dallas LP (orange vinyl) 

Tegan & Sara – Get Along LP (ltd to 300)

Refused – The Shape Of Punk To Come 2LP (clear vinyl, ltd to 300)

Patti Smith – Hey Joe / Piss Factory 7" (ltd to 800)

Future Of The Left – At Magnetic West 7" 

To find your local participating record store, click here.

VIDEO DELIGHTS: Tall Ships and Max Raptor

TALL FUCKING SHIPS! T=0 is released on April 16th via Big Scary Monsters. Available to pre-order on 7" vinyl here.

Max Raptor's latest single Carolina is taken from their album Portraits. Grab it here.

INTERVIEW: Caithlin De Marrais

Since her band Rainer Maria played their last show back in 2006, Caithlin De Marrais and her old band mates seemed to fall off the musical radar. In actual fact, they were setting up a great little collective, based in New York City. End Up Records then became a platform for both Caithlin and her ex-bandmate Kyle Fischer (and an array of other deserving artists) to release new music from.

Her debut full-length, My Magic City, was released in 2008 and it marked a departure from what fans had come to expect of Caithlin. Last year's Red Coats saw her break her own mould yet again, producing an incredibly charming, captivating collection of tracks that are so easy to fall in love with.

We recently caught up with Caithlin to discuss Red Coats, the trials of recording and life after Rainer Maria.

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LIVE REVIEW: Baby Godzilla + Alright The Captain + Cut Yourself In Half

When: 12 March 2012

Where: Rescue Rooms (Red Room), Nottingham

There's only one way to dispel the Monday blues, and that's to drink through them whilst blasting your senses with some live fucking music. Lucky then, that I'm Not From London put together a four band bill with the capabilities to brainwash gig-goers into thinking it's a Friday night. Nice one.

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IN RETROSPECT: Biffy Clyro – Blackened Sky

Biffy Clyro – Blackened Sky (Beggars Banquet)

Release date: 11 March 2002

Ten years ago, I walked into Reveal Records, a small but wonderful independent record store in Derby, and came out with a small haul of CD albums. This included (amongst others), Biffy Clyro's Blackened Sky and Damien Rice's O. Now that small record store no longer exists, and I haven't listened to O in years. But Blackened Sky is still in my periphery – an album that is dug out on again and again. And now, ten years after I first heard the opening notes of Joy.Discovery.Invention., the album still sparks an excitement inside me with every listen. It's a perfect album in every way.

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INTERVIEW: The JCQ

Southern wreckers The James Cleaver Quintet have been doing rather well for themselves lately – first they landed themselves on TV, their debut album was an absolute belter, are now they're about to hit the UK for a run of shows. We caught up with drummer Paul Ford for a pre-tour chat...

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NEWS: Dark Dark Horse video and free single

Leicester duo Dark Dark Horse have unveiled the brand new video for Ethics, which they are kindly giving away for nothing – and you can download it here.

Ethics is a cut from their rather-hard-to-find album Centuries, and what a fine slice of moody electronica it is. If you like it, and can decipher Japanese, the full-length is highly recommended, and it can be purchased here.

REVIEW: Freeze The Atlantic – Volcanoes

Freeze The Atlantic – Volcanoes (Alcopop!)

Release date: 5 March 2012

Brit-rock that isn't a bit pants is a hard find these days – if you peel back the bad haircuts, the silly clothes and throwaway songs, there's not much worth discovering. All the exciting bands have gone off into their sub-genres, whilst a considerable hole has been left for a genuinely good band that doesn't rely on fashion or gimmicks to get themselves noticed. 

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NEWS: 2000 Trees line-up update

Organisers have announced the latest additions to this years 2000 Trees festival, which takes place between 12-14 July 2012.

The new additions are: We Were Promised Jetpacks, Gallows, Dog is Dead, Sharks, Spycatcher, The Computers, Max Raptor, Gallops, Zico Chain, Bastions, Hymns, Rosa Valle, Harbour and Andy Oliveri.

Some nice additions, and plenty more still tom come. Best. British. Festival.

VIDEO DELIGHTS: Future Of The Left, A Plastic Rose and Maybeshewill

These wonderful delights have recently be released into the world. Watch. Love. Pre-order the singles.

Sheena Is A T-Shirt Salesman by Future Of The Left will be released on 12th March via Xtra Mile.

Maybeshewill's Red Paper Lanterns is released on 7" vinyl on 9th March. Pre-order here.

 Build From The Ground Up is A Plastic Rose's first single from their forthcoming full-length, due for release on 19th March. Rumour has it that the single will be available physically only, so keep your eye on the band's website for more details.

VIDEO DELIGHTS: Crushing Blows

Crushing Blows - Hiding Place from Mark Duggan on Vimeo.

Awesome duo Crushing Blows have unveiled their new video for upcoming single Hiding Place. It forms part of a double A-side, and is accompanied by the track You Will Always Be Lonely. The single will be released on 24th March on 7" vinyl and digital download.

If you're in the vicinity of Derby on the very same day, then you should pop to the single launch. It will all be happening at The Vic Inn (opposite Derby train station) from 8:30pm, and entry is a mere £1. They will be jointed by Low Duo, Joys Of Madness and A-tota-so. Groovy.