A first taste of Joanna Gruesome's forthcoming album "Weird Sister" - out September 16th on Fortuna POP! (UK/EU) and Slumberland Records (US).

Joanna Gruesome - Secret Surprise

The first single from the debut album 'Dress Up' by Edinburgh quartet The Spook School is the brilliant “I’ll Be Honest”. ‘Dress Up’ is out in October on Fortuna POP! You can read funny things about them on their website here: http://thespookschool.com/

Inspired by the post-punk-pop of Buzzcocks, Lou Reed’s ‘Transformer’ and the films of Buster Keaton, with a dash of 60s pop for good measure, The Spook School are Nye Todd on guitar with Adam Todd also on guitar and Anna Cory on bass, not forgetting Niall McCamley who plays drums, tells jokes and takes his clothes off. They all sing and shout and write the music together. There is no leader and no ‘frontperson’. They’re a band.

“I’ll Be Honest” is written by Nye and is about spending time with a group of about ten or so friends and realising that some of them knew a lot more about him than others. Of course, the ones he felt he knew best were the ones that he tended to go out and get drunk with. There’s something nice about late-night/early morning confessions that might not even be remembered in the morning. The line “I’m making excuses for myself again, to make things easier for you” - holding things back because you don’t want to cause hurt or even inconvenience to other people, creating excuses ‘for their own good’ that really don’t help anyone.

The Spook School - I'll Be Honest

7" released on Cloudberry Records 10th October 2012.
www.cloudberryrecords.com/

The Spook School - Here We Go

“Heartbeats” is the first single to be taken from the forthcoming Fortuna POP! album by September Girls. A tale of unrequited love and betrayal, “Heatbeats” is awash with fuzzy guitars, ethereal female vocals and entrancing melodies – underpinned by a hurt that catches the back of your throat.

September Girls - Heartbeats

February 17th sees the release of "Green Eyed", the new single from
September Girls. The stand out track from their stunning debut album
Cursing the Sea (out January), the song epitomizes their
reverb-drenched sound.

Inspired by the call and response vocal style of “Look in My Diary” by
Sixties girl group Reparata and the Delrons, “Green Eyed” deals with
being trapped in a relationship with someone untrustworthy. Too scared
to question suspicions, the lyrics are the internal conversations in
your head that you are too afraid to have with the person themselves.

Named after a Big Star song via The Bangles, September Girls are
comprised of Paula (Bass/Vocals), Caoimhe (Guitar/Vocals), Lauren
(Keys/Vocals), Jessie (Guitar/Vocals) and Sarah (Drums). Their cool
blend of garage rock and post-punk has already seen them pick up
interest from the likes of NME Radar as well as Guardian New Band of
the Day. The new LP is also set to be Rough Trade's album of the week.

Drawing inspiration from the likes of Phil Spector, The Velvet
Underground, The Cure, My Bloody Valentine and The Jesus And Mary
Chain, the five-piece play reverb-soaked noise-pop of the finest
order, with distant layered harmonies, swirling organ and distorted
guitars once described as "sounds from a transistor radio abandoned in
a rural cinema."

“Nonchalantly cooing harmonies, driving basslines and swirling organs,
all with a hefty slice of Mary Chain-influenced reverb.” - NME Radar

“A compulsion to make 60s girl group pop sound echoey and strange:
beauty caught through a blur, a blizzard, as thought it’s about to
disappear at any moment through a fog of feedback and fuzz.” - The
Guardian, New Band of the Day

September Girls - Green eyed

"Tugboat" is the b-side of Joanna Gruesome's new single "Sugarcrush" and is a cover of the song by Galaxie 500.

The debut album "Weird Sister" is out now on Fortuna Pop! (UK) & Slumberland Records (US).

LP: http://www.fortunapop.com/release_details.php?cat_no=FPOP147LP
CD: http://www.fortunapop.com/release_details.php?cat_no=FPOP147CD

Thrilling Cardiff-based noisepop five-piece Joanna Gruesome terrific debut album was released via Fortuna POP! (Europe) and Slumberland (USA) in September 2013. Brimming with irresistible pop melodies and spiked with dissonant fuzzy jangle, their songs are shot through with loud discordant feedback and super-fast, hardcore punk drumbeats. This album sees their first foray away from recording in a living room to a proper studio under the guidance of producer MJ of the much lauded Hookworms.

Kicking it against sexism and homophobia, nothing is off-limits, drawing inspiration from DIY scenes such as Riot Grrrl/noisepop/C86 /K Records as well as post hardcore like Drive Like Jehu/Converge and the art rock of The Velvet Underground and My Bloody Valentine, Joanna Gruesome offer a staggeringly diverse album, unexpectedly quiet and surprisingly loud.

Joanna Gruesome comprise Alanna on vocals, Owen on guitar, Max on bass, George on guitar and Dave on drums. They all met in an anger management counseling group. During the course they were told that writing, making music, dancing or painting could relieve tension and help reduce feelings of anger. One initiative involved a project where they were assigned a group to compose and perform a song in front of other members. Initially they found each other infuriating but gradually acknowledged their musical chemistry and decided to continue with the band outside the therapy group.

Most of the album was written during a month long stay in a seedy west Brighton hotel (now closed down) called The Hell House. The residents were pretty strange, kept attempting occult rituals/using Ouija boards etc and many of the songs were written to distract from the weirdness. Heart-wrenching and exhilarating in equal measure, these are not cheerful songs.

Awash with nods to mental illness and the dark recesses of the mind, the record is littered with references to the devil or zombies and allusions to comic books. “Secret Surprise”, in which mental illness takes a physical form and is fought using razor blades. Or "Anti-Parent Cowboy Killers," which is about stealing a scooter and driving it into the ocean when you should be in school LEARNING. Or "Sugarcrush," about spending a summer burning knitwear.

They have built-up a phenomenal live reputation, blending obnoxiously loud guitars and the occasional band uniform, with a high energy performance dispersed with quieter reflection, boy/girl vocals and teenage angst.

“Abrasion, anger, attitude. One guitarist is in the audience, but this isn’t too much of a stretch. There are slower parts where the musicians take a second to breath. There are noisier bits where the musicians take a second to reflect. There are thumpy bits where the musicians take a second to dance and enjoy themselves. Everyone’s smiling. Everyone’s hugging themselves. What a glorious mess of a noise to be a part of. What a glorious sense of community.” Everett True, Collapse Board

"A brilliant band from Cardiff who love their fuzzy melodies and songs dripped in scuzzy reverb." Huw Stephens, Radio One.

Joanna Gruesome - Tugboat

Fortuna POP! will be releasing the self-titled third album by London’s LET’S WRESTLE in February. The record sees the band enter a new phase of maturity and sophistication giving frontman Wesley Patrick Gonzalez a forum to showcase his songwriting talents and love of classic pop. More heartfelt and musically diverse than previous albums, Let’s Wrestle sees the band transformed and ready to move up to a different level completely. 

Let's Wrestle - Codeine and Marshmallows

"Black Tambourine" is the first single from Withered Hand's album "New Gods," and features guest appearances from Pam Berry (vocals) and Eugene Kelly (guitar).

Fortuna POP! (UK/Europe) and Slumberland Records (US/Canada) are proud to announce the new album by the Edinburgh based folk-rock troubadour Dan Willson who records as WITHERED HAND. “New Gods” is his stunning second album, following his critically acclaimed debut “Good News”.

Active in the world of visual art and dabbling in music for many years, Withered Hand’s Dan Willson came late to singing and songwriting at age 30, in a period of reflection between the death of a close friend and the birth of his first child. The resultant material, much of which went on to become the album “Good News,” has been praised for its depth and startling honesty.

Withered Hand has been embraced by Fife-based musical powerhouse the Fence Collective (whose sovereign King Creosote guests on the new album), seen his songs picked up on MTV and cult series Skins, and gained a legion of fans including Jarvis Cocker and Rolling Stone Magazine USA (who decreed him “Artist to Watch”).

A prolific live performer, recent Withered Hand shows have included collaborations with Pam Berry of seminal 90's US noise-pop band Black Tambourine and a rotating cast of musical friends embellishing Dan's exuberant and original songwriting alongside fragile and uplifting solo performances.

The long-awaited second album (produced by Tony Doogan – Mountain Goats/Belle & Sebastian etc - and part-funded by arts council body Creative Scotland) features guest appearances from the likes of Pam Berry, Eugene Kelly of The Vaselines and members of Belle & Sebastian and Frightened Rabbit.

The five years since “Good News” was recorded has seen Willson honing his songcraft, building his audience and gaining critical momentum. “New Gods” is a beautifully executed collection of songs from one of Scotland’s most gifted songwriters.

“Beautifully constructed lyrical frameworks ... on this banjo-tinged brand of Caledonian gospel” – **** MOJO

“the UK’s best lyricist” – King Creosote, in The Independent

“Killer melodies ... wobbly folk grooves ... tunes full of warm, woozy sing-song charm” – 'Artist to Watch' - Rolling Stone – 2011

Black Tambourine

Taken from the new album 'Minimum Rock N Roll' by Chain and the Gang - due out on Fortuna POP! on 14 April.

Chain and the Gang are led by the hugely charasmatic Ian Svenonius, the prime mover of two of the most essential bands of our time Nation Of Ulysses and The Make-Up. They deal in deal in a new genre called CRIME ROCK that updates rock n roll, blues, and gospel music or vocal quartets from the late 50s /early 60s for the discerning few. Minimum Rock N Roll is minimal and ferocious, lean and mean. This record is a kind of aural austerity with barely any words, hardly any beats, fewer notes - its just EXACTLY ENOUGH.

Chain & the Gang bring their dynamic live show to Europe in May and June...

21.05_Prague, Pilot Klub
22.05_Trier, Exhaus
23.05_METZ, TRINITAIRES
24.05_TOURS, TEMPS MACHINE
27.05_Liverpool, The Kazimier
28.05_Glagow, Broadcast
29.05_Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
30.05_London, Tufnell Park Dome
31.05_Antwerp, New Scheld'apen 
03.06_Bordeaux, Festival Relâche
04.06_San Sebastian, Ayo Silver!
05.06_Madrid, Charada
06.06_Puerto de Santa María - Escena Rock
07.06_Granada, Planta Baja
10.06_Ravenna, Hana Bi
13.06_Brescia, Lio Bar
15.06_Munich, Kafe Kult
16.06_Wurzburg, Cairo
18.06_Berlin, Privatclub
19.06_Hambourg, Uebel & Gefährlich
20.06_Aalborg_1000fryd
25.06_Helsinki, Kuudes Linja


Chain and the Gang - Devitalize

Hailing from Pity Me near Durham, vegan straight-edge pop group MARTHA have just signed to Fortuna POP! and will be releasing their new album ‘Courting Strong’ at the end of May. Providing energetic, impassioned pop punk, Martha are informed by 90s indie rock and Scandinavian anarcho noir. The album, produced by MJ from Hookworms, is laden with harmonies and interchangeable vocals whilst still retaining the energy and excitement of the band’s live shows. 

Formed in 2011 by siblings Naomi (bass, vocals) and Nathan Griffin (drums, vocals) with J. Cairns (guitar, vocals) and Daniel Ellis (guitar, vocals), Martha have fast become a staple of the UK DIY pop scene. There are many competing stories as to the origin of their band name but it’s a fact that the very last passenger pigeon on earth was called Martha. When she died, the whole species became extinct.

Decamping from the North East to record the album at Suburban Home Studios, Leeds, the band enjoyed the freedom of being in the studio and experimenting with MJ’s equipment to produce unexpected sounds. The process saw them opening up to new ideas and, feeling more confident in their own abilities, allowing a wider range of dynamics.

Taken from a line in the song Gin and Listerine, the album title “Courting Strong” is an expression that was used to describe couples who were getting really serious. There’s the old cliché that when you’re young you think you’re invincible and that everything will last forever - the album is about looking back and reflecting on past moments in your life, past friendships and relationships, accepting the uncertainty and fragility of those things and moving forward positively.

The overarching theme of the album is ‘growing up weird’. It’s a semi-autobiographical story about growing up in a small town, with a sense of not fitting in but on the way finding people who share that feeling and forming really strong bonds. It’s about clinging to a sense of belonging and about being proud of who you are and where you are from, as well as the community of which you are a part. It’s an album for the people who stayed in their hometown, and for the people who still go back and visit.

Martha’s melodic punk pop celebrates being an outsider whilst being part of a community. The album touches on uncertainty, fear and loneliness whilst exuding an effervescent sense of excitement and joy. There’s darkness beneath the pop surface - but there are also songs about teenage antics, drinking, courting and having your heart broken – everything a good indie record should have.

 “Martha have mastered that neat Buzzcocks trick of riding those gloriously glowing guitars with sweet, comfortingly-fey voices singing in irresistible harmony. In short, they’re pretty darn great” Clash Magazine 

“Top notch buzzsaw indiepop with enough melodic punk in their DNA to make them stand out. Definitely worth keeping an eye on” Narc Magazine

Martha - 1997, Passing In The Hallway

Fortuna POP! are delighted to announce the signing of London-based neo-psychedelic pop group The Proper Ornaments. Mining the rich territories of The Velvet Underground and The Beach Boys, their debut album proper "Wooden Head" features fourteen thrillingly taut and melodic pop songs with a deep, dark undercurrent. Comprised of Argentinian Max Claps and James Hoare (also of Veronica Falls) – who both sing and write the songs – and joined by Daniel Nellis (bass) and Robert Syme (drums), the band have already shared stages with the likes of Real Estate, Woods, Crystal Stilts, Toy and Metronomy.

Maximo Claps arrived in London in 2008 on a one-way ticket from Buenos Aires, aided by former Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham. Oldham had produced a record by Claps' Argentinian band of the time but the group had fallen apart in a mess of drugs and acrimony and Claps' family were attempting to intervene by sending him to a mental hospital. The only option seemed to be to flee the country. As Claps recalls, "The day before flying to the UK I got run over by a car and had to escape hospital in order to make it so I arrived with bandages and my head all stitched up."

A few weeks later Max walked into the vintage clothes shop where James Hoare sat behind the counter reading a book on The Velvet Underground, and attempted to cause a diversion while his kleptomaniac girlfriend stole a pair of boots. “She didn't steal them in the end,” says Max. “They weren't her size”. However, the shop assistant and the would-be accomplice bonded over a mutual love of the Velvets, Love, Felt and West Coast pop and began writing together, taking their name from a song by the pioneering soft psych band The Free Design. In 2010 they released their first single, "Recalling", following it up with a five-song EP for London label No Pain in Pop. In 2013 Lo Recordings released all their output to date on a collection titled "Waiting for the Summer", followed by the single “First Step Out” in February 2014.

Their new album was recorded at a studio in Hackney, as well as at home in their old flat in Whitechapel on a broken 8-track reel-to-reel bought off eBay from an angry guy who threatened to shoot them and chop off their balls when they attempted to return it - a terrifying experience for a pair of skinny indie boys. Taking inspiration from Berlin-era Lou Reed, Jesus and Mary Chain’s “Darklands”, The Television Personalities and West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, the songs are breezy and easy on the ear, with sublime harmonies and chiming Byrdsian guitar, but with a darker twist and a pervasive air of melancholy. Stand-out tracks include the beautiful but sad “Summer’s Gone” (about mental illness), “Magazine” (an upbeat number written from the perspective of a bullet in the barrel of a gun) and “You’ll See” (about how when you die you’ll see everyone you know, all there lined up in a row).

With "Wooden Head", The Proper Ornaments prove that it is still possible to create an album of pure pop perfection. Max's girlfriend may not have stolen the boots, but The Proper Ornaments are about to steal your heart.

“The joint project of James and Max, through romantic drama that borders on that of The Libertines. And when you hear The Proper Ornaments you’ll see why it’s all worth it. It’s like they’re meant for each other, like Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts” - Loud & Quiet

The Proper Ornaments - Summer's Gone

COMET GAIN return with their seventh album “Paperback Ghosts” on July 7th, their first since 2011’s critically acclaimed “Howl of The Lonely Crowd”. Recorded at Soup Studios with producer Simon Trought at the helm, and inspired by the psycho-geography of walks in North London woods and in the forgotten grey hinterland of the city’s back streets, “Paperback Ghosts” comes soaked in autumn melancholy. Tender-hearted but not miserable, defiant but not angry, it maintains the delicate balance that has always been Comet Gain’s strength.

"Long After Tonite's Candles Are Blown" captures a moment in time, old friends together on one of those magic nights that sweep into morning, everyone afraid to leave the dancing and the drinking... all nights merging into this one special romantic night that has to be held onto with sad determination because Heaven is a lie... joyous glorious ghosts seen in the half light, still holding on to each other long after they have died.

Comet Gain - Long After Tonite's Candles Are Blown

Allo Darlin’ are set to release their eagerly awaited new album We Come From the Same Place this October. The third full-length recording from the much loved Anglo-Australian four-piece is made up of smart, beautiful pop music, with lyrics that resonate with experience and melodies that chime, echo and soar.

The album combines the eagerness, urgency and immediacy of their 2010 self-titled debut with the contemplation, sophistication and ambition of their 2012 follow-up Europe, and yet it goes beyond either in both songs and sound. Lyrically the album fuses storytelling and conversational elements to ask questions of the listener, often flipping between time and location, external and internal. Sonically it's a progression too: the loud parts are louder, the quiet parts more stripped down, and there is more space in the music for everything to resonate, while rhythmically the band stray further from the indie dancehall and embrace other patterns. To quote guitarist Paul Rains, “I think of it as being high contrast. And it's sort of fleshy. And it makes me think of skin that smells really good.”

We Come From The Same Place was written at a time of considerable change for songwriter Elizabeth Morris, a time during which she fell in love, moved to Italy and got married - not that that seems to have hindered the songwriting process, as Elizabeth explains, “So many things have happened since I first wrote the songs that make up this album, it´s difficult to remember back to where it all began. The songs were written very quickly, during a period when I found writing songs very easy, whereas I often find songwriting very difficult. Some of the songs were written so fast I can´t even really remember writing them. The songs were a joy to write, and writing them made me feel better about lots of things.”

If the songs came quickly the recording of the album was a more considered process, with the band first testing out the new material at a series of small shows – christened the Compass Shows – in North, South, East and West London. They then returned to their spiritual home of Soup Studios, where they recorded their first album, to work with their long-term collaborator, producer Simon Trought. The intention was to capture a more instinctive and fluid live studio sound and to play as well as possible while the red button was on, a different approach to the more piecemeal recording of their previous two albums. Or as Paul Rains put it, “We've used three years of touring to try and get some of that sweat and grime and togetherness and sweetness and anxiety onto a record.”

One of the themes of the new record is new beginnings and things drawing to a close. ”Nothing feels the way it did before and I am grateful for that”, sings Elizabeth on "Crickets in the Rain", a song written after her move to Italy and which she describes as “anti-nostalgia”. Built along the same lines is the gorgeous “History Lessons”, of which Elizabeth says, “I guess at some point I became a bit tired of everything seeming better in the past, from music to relationships to buildings to societies. We´re a bit obsessed with it and it can become overwhelming. We don´t live in the present. This song is trying to express that frustration.”

Among the highlights of the album is “Bright Eyes”, a duet with guitarist Paul Rains. Elizabeth again, “I wanted to write another duet, but the only problem with doing that is that when you play live it´s very rare that the person you recorded it with can be there. So I thought it would be great to write a song with Paul singing the other part. I love Paul´s singing and I wanted to hear him do it more, so it´s quite selfish really!” Another standout is the Twin Peaks-referencing “Half-Heart Necklace”, based on a true story from Elizabeth’s hometown. “There had been some murders, and this girl who was my age was missing and presumed killed. It turned out she had been hiding for years in her boyfriend´s cupboard, and she was charged for wasting police time”. 
 
Other notable tracks include the rollicking “Kings and Queens”, inspired by a show they played in the USA with their friends and kindred spirits The Wave Pictures, and “Romance and Adventure”, originally earmarked for a film soundtrack and written in response to a challenge from Paul to write a pop song in a minor key. Bass player Bill Botting sums up Elizabeth’s remarkable songwriting ability by saying, “The key to Elizabeth’s songwriting appeal is that she’s so adept at pinpointing certain ideas and moods; leaving one city and finding a new one and realising that beginnings and endings have a lot in common.”

Allo Darlin’ were formed after Australian Elizabeth Morris arrived in London and bought a ukulele from the Duke of Uke shop in Shoreditch. She began writing music and was soon joined by fellow Australian Bill Botting (bass), Paul Rains (guitar), and Michael Collins (drums).  Their debut album attracted many plaudits including being named No. 2 record of the year by online retailer eMusic, and a glowing 1,200 word essay by Robert Forster of The Go-Betweens in the Australian critical magazine, The Monthly. Their second album ‘Europe’ scored 8.1 on Pitchfork, was made USA Today’s Album Of The Week, and garnered praise from Uncut, Q, NME, The Quietus and The Guardian. It was also named Rough Trade Shop’s Album Of The Month, where it went on to become the biggest selling album of the year. The band have been playlisted at BBC 6Music and have recorded sessions for Lauren Laverne, Marc Riley and John Kennedy (XFM), as well being Steve Lamacq’s personal pick for BBC Introducing. Their releases to date, along with their joyous and effervescent live shows, have seen them build an intensely loyal and ever-increasing fanbase.

The truism is that third albums are difficult beasts, but by remaining true to themselves Allo Darlin’ have side-stepped the pitfalls to produce a wonderful record - thoughtful and exciting and exquisitely played – that will please their existing army of fans and newcomers alike. On first reading the album’s title may seem enigmatic, but from the very personal nature of Elizabeth Morris’ finely drawn vignettes to the more universal connections between the band and their audience, its meaning will be obvious to all who fall under the spell of this magical band.

"Breezy rom-pop brilliance." 8/10, NME

“Classic indie pop... doesn't rewrite the formula for wistful bedsit charm as much as show that it can still be carried out masterfully.” Pitchfork

“A masterclass of modern cult pop.” The Guardian

“Terrific, witty and heartfelt, like a less moody Belle & Sebastian.” The New York Times


Allo Darlin' - Bright Eyes

Taken from the forthcoming album from Allo Darlin’, who are set to release their eagerly awaited third full-length, We Come From the Same Place this October. The new album from the much loved Anglo-Australian four-piece is made up of smart, beautiful pop music, with lyrics that resonate with experience and melodies that chime, echo and soar. Have a listen to the taster track “Romance and Adventure”, originally earmarked for a film soundtrack and written in response to a challenge from Paul to write a pop song in a minor key. 

The album combines the eagerness, urgency and immediacy of their 2010 self-titled debut with the contemplation, sophistication and ambition of their 2012 follow-up Europe, and yet it goes beyond either in both songs and sound. Lyrically the album fuses storytelling and conversational elements to ask questions of the listener, often flipping between time and location, external and internal. Sonically it's a progression too: the loud parts are louder, the quiet parts more stripped down, and there is more space in the music for everything to resonate, while rhythmically the band stray further from the indie dancehall and embrace other patterns. To quote guitarist Paul Rains, “I think of it as being high contrast. And it's sort of fleshy. And it makes me think of skin that smells really good.”

Allo Darlin’ were formed after Australian Elizabeth Morris arrived in London and bought a ukulele from the Duke of Uke shop in Shoreditch. She began writing music and was soon joined by fellow Australian Bill Botting (bass), Paul Rains (guitar), and Michael Collins (drums).  Their debut album attracted many plaudits including being named No. 2 record of the year by online retailer eMusic, and a glowing 1,200 word essay by Robert Forster of The Go-Betweens in the Australian critical magazine, The Monthly. Their second album Europe scored 8.1 on Pitchfork, was made USA Today’s Album Of The Week, and garnered praise from Uncut, Q, NME, The Quietus and The Guardian. It was also named Rough Trade Shop’s Album Of The Month, where it went on to become the biggest selling album of the year. The band have been playlisted at BBC 6Music and have recorded sessions for Lauren Laverne, Marc Riley and John Kennedy (XFM), as well being Steve Lamacq’s personal pick for BBC Introducing. Their releases to date, along with their joyous and effervescent live shows, have seen them build an intensely loyal and ever-increasing fanbase.

The truism is that third albums are difficult beasts, but by remaining true to themselves Allo Darlin’ have side-stepped the pitfalls to produce a wonderful record - thoughtful and exciting and exquisitely played – that will please their existing army of fans and newcomers alike. On first reading the album’s title may seem enigmatic, but from the very personal nature of Elizabeth Morris’ finely drawn vignettes to the more universal connections between the band and their audience, its meaning will be obvious to all who fall under the spell of this magical band.

"Breezy rom-pop brilliance." 8/10, NME
“Classic indie pop... doesn't rewrite the formula for wistful bedsit charm as much as show that it can still be carried out masterfully.” Pitchfork
“A masterclass of modern cult pop.” The Guardian
“Terrific, witty and heartfelt, like a less moody Belle & Sebastian.” The New York Times


Allo Darlin' - Romance And Adventure

The new single by the North East’s most exciting new band MARTHA, is “Present Tense”, a song about a flakey punk friend with delusions of grandeur. With their signature charge of electric energy, breathlessly perfect pop tunes and a sense of exuberant excitement, the song is one of the crowd favourites at their hugely entertaining live shows and one of the highlights of their recent album Courting Strong, out now on Fortuna POP!

 

Hailing from Pity Me near Durham, vegan straight-edgers MARTHA will be releasing their new album ‘Courting Strong’ on 26 May via Fortuna POP! Providing energetic, impassioned pop punk, Martha are informed by 90s indie rock and Scandinavian anarcho noir. The album, produced by MJ from Hookworms, is laden with harmonies and interchangeable vocals whilst still retaining the energy and excitement of the band’s live shows.

 

Formed in 2011 by siblings Naomi (bass, vocals) and Nathan Griffin (drums, vocals) with J. Cairns "JC" (guitar, vocals) and Daniel Ellis (guitar, vocals), Martha have fast become a staple of the UK DIY pop scene. There are many competing stories as to the origin of their band name but it’s a fact that the very last passenger pigeon on earth was called Martha. When she died, the whole species became extinct.

Martha - Present, Tense

The fabulous “Sleeping in the Backseat” is the first single to be taken from Tigercats’ second album Mysteries, which is due out in February on Fortuna POP! Keyboardist Laura Kovic takes lead vocals for this one but it was written by frontman Duncan Barrett who said; “I’ve always wanted to write a good driving song, but I don’t have a license so this is probably the closest I’ll get.” The track encapsulates the album’s sonically expansive sound, blending the very best of indiepop with complex song structures, lush production and beautiful arrangements.

Mysteries is the second album from Tigercats, described by The Sunday Times in a review of their 2012 debut Isle of Dogs (Fika Recordings) as “a very, very good band…. The kind of band that make you want to be a teenager again, so they can be your band.” Isle of Dogs fizzed with jangly punk, afro rhythms and spoken word sections, while Mysteries is a sophisticated pop record, effervescent and spirited, with care and love poured into every song.

Tigercats combine the talents of songwriter, singer and guitarist Duncan Barrett with his brother Giles on bass, Laura Kovic on keyboards and vocals, and Jonny Evans on drums, as well as recent recruit Paul Rains from Allo Darlin’ on guitar. And on Mysteries they’re joined by living legend Terry Edwards (Gallon Drunk / Tindersticks), who contributes saxophone and trumpet on several tracks.
  
Tigercats have toured across Europe, playing at Primavera and appearing on Spanish TV, while back in the UK they’ve appeared at both Indietracks and End of the Road festivals. They’ve also toured in the USA and Canada, their last trip culminating in a headline appearance at NYC Popfest.
 
Mysteries is the sound of a band of outstanding musicians fulfilling their potential and using their talents in the studio to realise their musical vision, retaining their infectious hooks, their heart and their sheer danceability, and coupling it with a bright new contemporary sound. Superbly crafted and full of personality, Tigercats’ second album suggests that they won’t remain a mystery much longer.


“Tigercats are a very, very good band. The kind of band that make you want to be a teenager again, so they can be your band. “ The Sunday Times

“An indiepop band you can dance to. That’s actually rarer than you’d think.” - Neon Filler 10/10
 
“A manifesto for what it means to be alive, to be in London and to be living life… if I was 16 right now I’d think this album was sent to save my life.” – Artrocker
 
“A record that is full of personality, vitality, and even youthful rebellion, the sort of record that very well might reinvigorate indiepop.” - Drowned in Sound
 
“It reminds me of Los Campesinos that, and that’s a very very very good thing.” - Huw Stephens, BBC Radio 1


Tigercats - Sleeping In The Backseat

“Half Heart Necklace” is the new single to be taken from Allo Darlin’s latest album We Come From the Same Place (out now on Fortuna POP!). The third full-length recording from the much loved Anglo-Australian four-piece is made up of smart, beautiful pop music, with lyrics that resonate with experience and melodies that chime, echo and soar.

Unusually for Allo Darlin', "Half Heart Necklace" is written from someone else’s perspective, a rare occurance among songwriter Elizabeth Morris' catalogue of intimate, heart-wrenching songs, and taps into a dark story from her youth in a small Australian town. As she explains; “This is a song written from the point of view of a girl from my home town who did quite a strange thing when I was growing up. There had been some murders, and this girl who was my age was missing and presumed killed. It turned out she had been hiding for years in her boyfriend´s cupboard, and she was charged for wasting police time and there was a big brouhaha. Half Heart Necklace is a Twin Peaks thing. Sometimes I think my hometown is like Twin Peaks in more ways than one.”

Allo Darlin’ were formed after Australian Elizabeth Morris arrived in London and bought a ukulele from the Duke of Uke shop in Shoreditch. She began writing music and was soon joined by fellow Australian Bill Botting (bass), Paul Rains (guitar), and Michael Collins (drums). Their debut album attracted many plaudits including being named No. 2 record of the year by online retailer eMusic, and a glowing 1,200 word essay by Robert Forster of The Go-Betweens in the Australian critical magazine, The Monthly. Their second album "Europe" scored 8.1 on Pitchfork, was made USA Today’s Album Of The Week, and garnered praise from Uncut, Q, NME, The Quietus and The Guardian. It was also named Rough Trade Shop’s Album Of The Month, where it went on to become the biggest selling album of the year. The band have been playlisted at BBC 6Music and have recorded sessions for Lauren Laverne, Marc Riley and John Kennedy (XFM), as well being Steve Lamacq’s personal pick for BBC Introducing. Their releases to date, along with their joyous and effervescent live shows, have seen them build an intensely loyal and ever-increasing fanbase.

The new album combines the eagerness, urgency and immediacy of their 2010 self-titled debut with the contemplation, sophistication and ambition of their 2012 follow-up "Europe," and yet it goes beyond either both sonically and in the songs. It was written at a time of considerable change for songwriter Elizabeth Morris, a time during which she fell in love, moved to Italy and got married. The truism is that third albums are difficult beasts, but by remaining true to themselves Allo Darlin’ have side-stepped the pitfalls to produce a wonderful record - thoughtful and exciting and exquisitely played – that will please their existing army of fans and newcomers alike.


Allo Darlin' - Half Heart Necklace

"When I Was Your Age" is the first single to be taken from "Hide and Seek", the debut album from Mammoth Penguins, the new band fronted by Emma Kupa (formerly of Standard Fare). The song is gloriously messy and loud, about feeling inadequate about one’s achievements. As Emma explains, "It started off with a birthday card from my granddad saying that he was married with kids at 28 and then I started thinking about what my parents, grandparents and family members had achieved by the time they were my age".

"Hide and Seek" is the debut album from Mammoth Penguins, the new band fronted by Emma Kupa, formerly of BBC 6 Music favourites Standard Fare. Due out on 6 July via Fortuna POP!, the album is an exhilarating collection of indie anthems, with Emma's candid songwriting and heartfelt vocals at the fore. Chugging away like the greatest Weezer record you’ve never heard, the songs are bold, loud and outrageously catchy, with lyrics that hit just the right chord, exploring the burgeoning responsibilities of being in your late 20s/early 30s.

Mammoth Penguins - When I Was Your Age

"Propped Up" is the first single to be taken from the debut album Hide and Seek from Mammoth Penguins, the new band fronted by Emma Kupa, formerly of BBC 6 Music favourites Standard Fare.  With a stirring chorus that makes you want to pump your fist and a call-and-response section that begs you to join in (“regrets, mistakes,…”), the rip roaring “Propped Up” talks about how we're all dependent on others to distract us from negative thoughts.
 
The album Hide and Seek is due out on 10 July via Fortuna POP!, the album is an exhilarating collection of indie anthems, with Emma's candid songwriting and heartfelt vocals at the fore. Chugging away like a great lost Weezer record, the songs are bold, loud and outrageously catchy, with lyrics that hit just the right chord, exploring the burgeoning responsibilities of being in your late 20s/early 30s.
 
When the much-loved Standard Fare called it a day after nine years and two albums, Emma Kupa upped sticks and moved from Sheffield to Cambridge, where she recruited Mark Boxall (bass) and Tom Barden (drums). Previously the bassist and lead singer in Standard Fare, Emma relished the switch to guitar in Mammoth Penguins, allowing her the space to deliver her trademark soaring vocals and to indulge in the occasional mean guitar solo. With Tom’s driving energy and Mark’s bouncy pop bass they quickly developed their riff-tastic powerpop sound.

Recorded at Sickroom Studios in Norfolk by producer Owen Turner (Magoo, Factory Floor), Hide and Seek captures the band at the age they're at right now, reflecting on different aspects of being in their late twenties. With Hide and Seek, Mammoth Penguins have produced a wonderfully varied record, each song a story, nuggets of joy, despair and hope. Already onto her second great band, feeling inadequate isn't something that Emma Kupa needs to do.

Mammoth Penguins - Propped Up

The Spook School return in October with their brand new album, Try To Be Hopeful. Fun and empowering, Try To Be Hopeful is brim full of noisy, tuneful and triumphant queer pop songs about identity, sexuality and being awesome.
 
The first single “Burn Masculinity” is an empowering anthem for our time. Sometimes it can seem difficult if you don’t fit in to society’s norms but the message is a positive one – change is worth fighting for and is possible. With effort and dedication we can work together and change things for the better. 

The_Spook_School-Burn Masculinity

“Really Something” is taken from Pete Astor's new album 'Spilt Milk' due out on Fortuna POP! on 8 January. The track re-connects Astor’s bespoke guitar pop with his long-standing embrace of The Velvet Underground’s musical DNA. 

Spilt Milk is the brand new album from indie auteur Pete Astor, previously of The Loft, The Weather Prophets, and other esteemed acts. It was recorded and produced by James Hoare of Ultimate Painting, The Proper Ornaments and Veronica Falls, with James playing guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and singing backing vocals. “He was”, says Astor, “an amazing band.” The album continues the story of one of one of England’s most respected and significant songwriters. As Astor says, “time passes, shit happens; some losses, some gains. Don’t cry – but I did!” This is Spilt Milk.

Pete Astor - Really Something

The Butterbean Crypt EP is a special Halloween release from Cinema Red and Blue, an indiepop supergroup featuring members of both Comet Gain and Crystal Stilts. Lead track Walkin’ To The Cemetery is a Cinema Red & Blue original that comes on like a Nuggets garage classic, replete with 60s organ and scary screams.

Cinema Red And Blue - Walkin' To The Cemetery

Darren Hayman - I Taught You How To Dance

The wonderful Evans The Death with a song from the sessions from their forthcoming album that didn't quite make the cut. You can only imagine how good the album is!

Evans The Death - Hello Seems To Be The Hardest Word

For fifteen years, and over fourteen albums, Darren Hayman has taken a singular and erratic route through England’s tired and broken underbelly.  Influenced by punk through his art college years and then American lo-fi indie in the ’90s he fronted John Peel favourites Hefner. His solo career has earned widespread critical acclaim with his many and varied projects including his Essex trilogy, his Lido album, and recently a project to set the poems of William Morris to music entitled “Chants For Socialists”.

In addition to his solo career, Darren has been moonlighting as the drummer in Papernut Cambridge, the sprawling pop collective led by former Death In Vegas guitarist Ian Button and pals, described by Mojo as “An escapist mix of 70’s glam, Nuggets-psych and 80’s indie, all balancing pop bliss and more sinister psychological depths”. And now Darren has stepped out from beyond the drumkit to record two cover versions, with Papernut Cambridge as his backing band – “I've Been A Bad Bad Boy” by Paul Jones, and “Big, Big Deal” by Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel.

I've Been A Bad Bad Boy

Taken from Evans the Death's new album Vanilla, due out on Fortuna POP! on 10 June 2016.

It's their most their most ambitious and experimental album to date, eschewing the more traditional pop structures and hooks of their first two albums, 2012’s self-titled debut and 2015’s critically acclaimed Expect Delays. While Expect Delays was a step towards something more collaborative, experimental and abrasive - a bleak, introspective album that still retained a pop sensibility - Vanilla sees the band veer in an ever more adventurous direction: more aggressive, extroverted and raw.

Vanilla

Evans the Death - Suitcase Jimmy

Allo Darlin’ are all set to release a final single to coincide with their sold out farewell shows in December. Comprised of two brand new recordings by the band, “Hymn On The 45” and "Wanderlust", it's due out as a limited edition gold vinyl 7” on the 12th December via Fortuna POP! and The Hangover Lounge, and will be available exclusively at the sold-out London gigs on the 10th December at MOTH Club and the 11th December at Scala. The tracks will also be available to purchase digitally via the band's Bandcamp.

The A-side “Hymn On The 45”, weaves Elizabeth Morris’ heartfelt lyrics about starting afresh in a new city with guitarist Paul Rain’s signature stylings, ending with a heartwarming sing-a-long. The B-side “Wanderlust”, about missing people and places whilst embarking on your own adventures, is classic Allo Darlin’ fare, blending poignant melancholia with bright and sunny pop melodies.

The band have also announced the supports for their three sold out London farewell shows: Night Flowers play the all-ages matinee show at MOTH Club on the 10th December, with The Hayman Kupa Band supporting at the same venue in the evening, while Allo Darlin' bassist Bill Botting and his band of indie allstars The Two Drink Minimums open at Scala on Sunday 11th December, with the main support being comedian Josie Long.

In addition, another much-loved institution, The Hangover Lounge, will be putting on an Allo Darlin' special on the Sunday afternoon, around the corner from the Scala at The Water Rats. The Hangover Lounge DJs will be playing their usual soothing mix of country rock, deep soul, psychedelia, soft pop and lovers rock all afternoon from 12 noon, ahead of the main event at the Scala in the evening.


About Allo Darlin':

Allo Darlin' are many things. They can turn a room in a famous punk venue into a joyous, jumping, sweaty, pop-mosh pit. Or bring a room of 500 to hushed silence with the few strums of a ukulele and a love song about cooking chilli. Their DIY attitude inspires true dedication from their fans, some of whom will travel hundreds of miles to see them.

Allo Darlin’ were formed after Australian Elizabeth Morris arrived in London and bought a ukulele from the Duke of Uke shop in Shoreditch. She began writing music and was soon joined by fellow Australian Bill Botting (bass), Paul Rains (guitar), and Michael Collins (drums). The band have toured across the USA and Europe, as well as wowing the crowds at End Of The Road and Indietracks festival. They’ve also been strongly supported by BBC 6music, recording several sessions including one at the BBC’s prestigious Maida Vale Studios at the invitation of Steve Lamacq.

Their self-titled debut was released to universal acclaim in 2010 with plaudits including being named No. 2 record of the year by eMusic, and a glowing 1,200 word essay by legendary Go-Between Mr. Robert Forster in the Australian critical magazine, The Monthly. This was followed by Europe (2012), earning them Rough Trade's Album Of The Month as well as rave reviews in NME and Pitchfork, and their most accomplished work to date, We Come From The Same Place (2014).


"Breezy rom-pop brilliance." 8/10, NME

“Classic indie pop... doesn't rewrite the formula for wistful bedsit charm as much as show that it can still be carried out masterfully.” Pitchfork

“A masterclass of modern cult pop.” The Guardian

“Terrific, witty and heartfelt, like a less moody Belle & Sebastian.” The New York Times

 

http://allodarlin.com

Hymn On The 45 (MP3 Digital Master)

Allo Darlin' - Hymn On The 45 (full version)

It's Different Now - The Butterflies Of Love

Rob A Bank - The Butterflies Of Love

Belt And Shoelaces - The Butterflies Of Love

Smite The White Eagle - The Butterflies Of Love

The darlings of the UK’s indiepop scene, Allo Darlin’, follow up their critically acclaimed and hugely adored self-titled debut with their new album Europe. The London-based four-piece – led by Australian songbird Elizabeth Morris, with guitarist Paul Rains, Bill Botting on the bass and Michael Collins on drums – have created another masterpiece full of perfect, sophisticated pop gems.

Achingly personal, incredibly poignant and familiar all at once, Elizabeth Morris’ songwriting has deepened and developed since their debut, although they’ve lost none of their ability to create sophisticated, intelligent pop music with an uplifting, joyous feel. There’s a sense though that the feel of the new record, Europe, reflects the changes in the world since their debut in 2009 – with riots and protests across the globe and a deepening feeling of gloom, a carefree album didn’t seem appropriate. Singer Elizabeth Morris explains: “I wanted to make beautiful songs and end up with a beautiful album, not necessarily an album full of three minute pop songs… the songs have an awareness of a darker place but end up coming out the other side.” 

Already named as Rough Trade's Album of the Month, Europe is chock full of memorable songs including the first single "Capricornia", which conjures up the bleached sunlight of summer in the area from which Elizabeth hails in Australia. Then there’s the title track and next single "Europe", a celebration of the togetherness that pulled the band through a disastrous tour of the continent last year, when noxious fumes in their tour van nearly put paid to them altogether. There’s the epic “Still Young”, the song that their friends The Wave Pictures refer to as their “Born To Run”, the wonderful "Northern Lights" about spending New Year's Eve in Sweden and “Wonderland“, the last song written for the album and one of the band’s favourites. Perhaps the two best songs on the album are the ballads. If Elizabeth describes the extraordinary "Tallulah" as "probably the best song I've written", then “Some People Say” runs it close for sheer, heartfelt emotion.

Gloriously catchy, brilliantly uplifting and charmingly intelligent, Europe is one of the most exciting albums of the year, and is sure to please their existing loyal fanbase as well as winning over hoards of new admirers.

Neil Armstrong

Indiepop institution Fortuna POP! quit the scene last year amid much gnashing of teeth from discerning music fans, going out in a blaze of glory with five days of sold out London shows by artists spanning their twenty year tenure, before label owner Sean Price fled Brexit Britain for a new life in Tokyo, Japan. 

That would have been it for Fortuna POP!, were it not for the label’s Jukebox 45s Singles Club. With one final single still owed to subscribers, Price saw the opportunity to do something special for what would be the very last release on the label. Taking one of the label’s best-loved releases, Comet Gain’s classic 2001 single “You Can Hide Your Love Forever”, as his starting point, contributions were solicited from Fortuna POP! bands past and present for a Band Aid-style cover version.

Over twenty bands contributed, with the music recorded by a crack band featuring Amos Memon of Fanfarlo (drums), Emma Kupa of Mammoth Penguins (bass), Laura Kovic of Tigercats (keys) and Paul Rains of Allo Darlin’, Ben Phillipson of Comet Gain and Sam Ayres of Flowers (all guitar) at Soup Studios in London. Mikey Collins of Allo Darlin’ then recorded percussion at Big Jelly studios in Ramsgate, and The Victorian Horns aka Gary Olson (trumpet) and Kyle Forrester (sax) of The Ladybug Transistor put down their brass parts at Gary’s Marlborough Farms Studio in New York.

Vocals were recorded in various studios and kitchens around the world, with Amelia Fletcher of Tender Trap, Daniel Ellis of Martha, Lan McArdle and Owen Williams of Joanna Gruesome, Adam Todd of The Spook School, Bill Botting and Elizabeth Morris of Allo Darlin’, Jeff Greene and Dan Greene of The Butterflies Of Love, Lisa Horton and Iain Ross of Bearsuit, Katherine Whitaker of Evans The Death, Silvi Wersing from Chorusgirl, Helen King of Shrag, Rachel Kenedy of Flowers, Pete Dale of Milky Wimpshake, Darren Hayman, Pete Astor and Simon Love all contributing. Giles Barrett at Soup Studios then made sense of it all and mixed the track.

The result is a fantastic, uplifting indiepop anthem that’s sure to be lifting the lids off indie clubs around the world this summer and for many years to come. Oh, and there’s a B-side too, in which DC Feck of Thee Comet Gain International Psychedelic Pop Conspiracy may have had more than a hand. Enjoy.

You Can Hide Your Love Forever

In anticipation for the first new Tullycraft album for five years, Fortuna POP! are releasing a single featuring the title track ‘Lost in Light Rotation’. One of the most influential bands to have emerged from America’s indiepop underground, Seattle’s Tullycraft revel in a DIY aesthetic having honed their particular brand of clever, self-reverential pop to perfection.

‘Lost in Light Rotation’ is an all-in-one banner anthem for the heartbroken, the disenfranchised, and the fleeting pop star. The song also makes a not-so-veiled reference to the 1996 single “This is Fake D.I.Y.” by the Scottish indiepop band Bis.

The b-side ‘Bad Connection’ is a cover written by the British synthpop duo Yazoo (also known as Yaz in the United States). The song originally appeared on the group’s 1982 debut album, Upstairs at Eric’s.

The album ‘Lost in Light Rotation’ was mixed by Phil Ek (The Shins, Band of Horses, Built to Spill, The Halo Benders, The Shout Out Louds, Fleet Foxes, The Walkmen). Sparkling with brainy fairy dust and glittering with proper pop songs, Ek irons out the quirks to create a wonderfully polished, yet still as punk as ever, sheen on the 11 delightfully upbeat, smart, indiepop anthems. With Sean Tollefson’s nasal vocal delivery counterbalanced by the sweetness of Jenny Mears’ responses, if you need a template for what the best indiepop sounds like, look no further.

Tullycraft - Lost in Light Rotation

"My album The Violence is a concept album about the Essex Witch Trials in 1645 during the English Civil Wars. It has 20 songs on it.

One reason it is so long is that I found it very hard to find a song to end the album. At one point it ended with King Charles 1 execution, another time it was all the people of England trampling ‘Desire Lines’ out to the coast.

It took me three attempts to find the resting place of Matthew Hopkins, the self proclaimed Witch Finder General. The ruins of St Mary’s church are clearly marked on the ordinance survey map but on three trips I couldn’t locate it. I wondered whether the smallest ruins even odd bricks were sometimes marked on maps and I would never find them amongst the grass on the heath.

Driving through North Essex one day my wife persuaded me to try one more time. She looked over the wall and there was the forlorn pile of stones that used to be St Mary’s church. Growing out of the stones was a twisted old tree that appeared to be smiling.

It’s worth visiting the geography of the places where you are sitting stories. You never know what detail they might throw up.

I had my last song; Matthew Hopkins lying, dead in the ground, waiting to fly to heaven, his remains feeding a tree that laughs down at him."

Darren Hayman

Darren Hayman And The Long Parliament - The Laughing Tree

Darren Hayman releases a special four-track EP for Record Store Day (Saturday April 20th) entitled Four Queens, available on limited edition coloured vinyl 10" and digital. The EP follows on from his critically acclaimed album, The Violence, released on Fortuna POP! last year, which has spawned an ongoing fascination with English history.

Comprised of one track from The Violence, the outstanding ‘Henrietta Maria', plus three new compositions, the EP features (as the name suggests) songs about a quartet of English Queens. Sung from the perspective of King Charles I as he serenades his French Queen, 'Henrietta Maria' is beautiful and touching, and somehow Hayman manages to indulge in a brief history lesson without ever compromising his lyrical meter or the song’s integrity.

Fortuna POP!

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