Out now on Slumberland Records (N & S America) and Fortuna Pop! (ROW).

iTunes: http://smarturl.it/wcftspitunes
LP/CD: http://www.slumberlandrecords.com/catalog/show/278


Allo Darlin's new album "We Come From The Same Place" 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 - 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."

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."

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.

"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

It's A Drag

It's A Drag - H Hawkline

Glazin'

Cool Vapors

Jacuzzi Boys - Cool Vapors

Calder West and the Traveling Troubadours Greatest hits

Take My Hand

Northern Lights

Dolly - je ne veux pas rester sage ( cover )

Interpol - Rest My Chemistry (Live)

Deep Sea Arcade - Devil

PRESS QUOTES:

"brilliantly scuzzy and original"  **** The Fly
“a brooding menace rarely heard since Jane’s Addiction” Guardian
"bigger more epic songs ... draws the listener into a psychedelic realm..."  8/10 Rocksound
"Sweet follow up from buzz creating Georgians ..."  **** Guitarist
"Dark shoegazing sonics ... a drama that fans of MBV, Dinosaur Jr and especially Smashing Pumpkins will be sure to recognise"   Mojo 

BIOGRAPHY:

DEAD CONFEDERATE, a five-piece from Athens, Georgia, are all set to unleash their new album Sugar on the UK on August 23rd.  

Winter storms are punishingly cold and uncomfortable, but are an important source of water for spring growth. Likewise for Dead Confederate, the series of New Jersey blizzards that besieged the recording of sophomore album Sugar (a reference to the record snowfall) also heralded growth from the darker, somber realm of their critically acclaimed first album Wrecking Ball. With an evolving approach and focused, streamlined sound, Sugar explores new styles beyond the aching, bleak psychadelia of the debut. “We were expressing long, drawn-out anguish on Wrecking Ball, but it would have felt repetitive to do it again. They just weren’t the songs we were writing,” vocalist-songwriter Hardy Morris said. “It was a very natural progression to do something a little different.”

That progression was shaped by tours with legends Dinosaur Jr. and Meat Puppets, which increased Dead Confederate’s appreciation for the pioneering musicians of the 80s and 90s that laid the foundation for the band’s sound. The group also got ideas for their own work: New songs that developed were lighter and tighter (while Wrecking Ball had seven songs longer than five minutes, Sugar has none), without abandoning the driving guitarwork and unbridled emotion that has set them apart. “I’m definitely influenced by the bands I’ve toured with. They can really combine epic jam moments and classic-rock elements. It inspired me to try more upbeat songwriting,” said bassist-songwriter Brantley Senn. “You can still do that and play the songs hard.” 

And Dead Confederate certainly plays hard. With guidance by star producer John Agnello (who, aside from Dinosaur Jr., has also helmed records by Sonic Youth and The Hold Steady) Sugar pounds with a weighty, dark alt-grunge fervor that recalls Smashing Pumpkins’ heyday; at other times, the record buzzes with a frantic distortion and howling anger reminiscent of The Walkmen. Psychedelic and prog-rock elements add depth to a broad and diverse direction for the band — perhaps most evident on ‘Run From The Gun,’ which blends harmony and Mellotron into a drifting, airy commentary on war. “That developed from my thinking about our treatment, or mistreatment, of Native Americans. I’m kind of a history buff, and a lot of history makes you angry,” Morris said. “It occurred to me that the easy answer would be to go back to all times in history and tell people to run from the gun.”

For those who have been following the band since it rose to prominence four years ago in the fertile Athens, Ga., music scene, there’s still plenty of the simmering, sludgy grunge revivalism that was their early trademark. The title track finds the band once again careening between tense, hushed dramatics and thrashing, explosive release. About relationships and missing home, both ‘Sugar’ and the brooding ‘Father Figure’ will satisfy those who couldn’t get enough of snarling gloom of ‘Goner’ or ‘Start Me Laughing’ off Wrecking Ball.
Senn took on a new songwriting approach for Sugar, bringing fully written and complete home-recorded demos to pre-studio practice sessions, rather than developing them through live performance. Getting those under their belts and working through Morris’ ideas, the band spent two days putting together 20 songs, then spent a week laying half of them down. "It was challenging, but learning that much new material in that short amount of time definitely left everyone with a sense of accomplishment and camaraderie," said keyboardist John Watkins. Much of the credit goes to Agnello, who oversaw an efficient recording process (for example, bringing in a drum tech for setup and tuning, which drummer Jason Scarboro said gave him “freedom to focus on getting the sounds I wanted”) and kept the band on task throughout — which, with five musicians putting brand-new material together in such a short time, could have proven difficult. “He deals with different people’s personalities really well,” said guitarist Walker Howle.

Not having previously toured on the songs kept them malleable and fresh, encouraging the band to explore and absorb new ideas. That tactic also furthered development of the two distinct songwriting styles in the band. Morris and Senn each penned half the album; each choosing from the others’ contributions, the collection perfectly complements itself, with Morris’ material remaining dark and baleful and Senn giving the group its two most upbeat songs yet: ‘In The Dark’ and the first single ‘Giving It All Away,’ a collaboration with J Mascis that soars with energy and a little bit of a slide guitar. “I had almost written that song for Dinosaur Jr. It’s about appreciation and understanding for fellow musicians, the struggles that are the ties that bind musicians together,” Senn said. 

For the band, Sugar feels like their first true album, with Wrecking Ball feeling more like a collection of their early songs. That cohesion on Sugar is prevalent even when songs continue the foreboding feel of Wrecking Ball, such as Morris’ wailing political lament of ‘By Design,’ and somber, ominous finale ‘Shocked To Realize.’ “We wanted the album to be fun and creative, instead of just recording the songs,” Morris said. “It’s not like we decided we couldn’t have anything grungy or heavy; that’s just not all that we’re interested in. You can listen to the record a bunch of different ways. What we were doing felt right.”

The new material will certainly add an extra dimension to the already renowned live show; those well-acquainted with the band and newcomers alike have raved of the band’s thunderously powerful and viscerally hypnotic stage performances. That’s not going to change with Sugar, though the band expects to draw from its wider catalogue to create differing moods and atmospheres as they go. “These songs will change up the pace of the live show,” said Senn. “I like the feel of it. This record starts upbeat and gets darker and sadder. There’s a control to the emotional flow.”

Wrecking Ball introduced Dead Confederate as artists who had long before learned how to play together. Sugar showcases Dead Confederate as artists who have now learned how to grow together — a lesson that many bands learn too late. But Dead Confederate never thought of Wrecking Ball as a recipe for success as much as a license to explore their creativity and talents, both individually and as a group. Rising from a darkly affecting debut, Sugar is the realization of the many sides of Dead Confederate that the band is now finding ways to express. “We have more room to breathe,” Morris said. “You just have to be honest and natural about the whole thing. This is special to us, and that’s where we get our gratification.”

For more information, please contact KARTEL on 0207 241 0237
Charles Kirby-Welch – charles@kartelcreative.co.uk


02 Run From The Gun

“You know, it’s really weird”, opines Veronica Falls’ honey-throated singer/ guitarist/ lynchpin Roxanne Clifford when asked about their media-conceived “goth pop” tag. “Because when you start a band, and you start writing songs together, you never think anybody else is going to hear them. You’re just kind of writing it for yourselves. Songs like “Found Love in a Graveyard” and “Beachy Head”, we thought they were playful and not serious at all...”

Veronica Falls are used to wrong-footing easy assumptions. Initially grouped with the explosion of lo-fi bands associated with the fertile Brooklyn indie, the quartet of Clifford, drummer Patrick Doyle, fellow guitarist James Hoare and bassist Marion Herbain quietly released a series of limited edition, quickly sold out singles which gradually accrued them underground buzz and a cache of hopelessly devoted fans. Then they released a blinder of a debut LP in 2011, one which trumped all expectations and led to mountains of excellent reviews and two sold-out US tours. Casual listeners  who just assumed that they just made pretty, pristine pop songs were forced to reevaluate their preconceptions when they examined the lyrics more closely – lurking beneath the glacial surfaces were lyrics about suicide and spectral love. Now, with their sophomore album, Veronica Falls look set to pull out the rug from under people’s feet yet again.

“Waiting For Something to Happen” sees the band emerge as one of the most potent and affecting, fully-formed indie guitar pop acts we have around. Beautifully mature and poignant, this marvelously assured second record sees the band throw off the casually morbid references to elegantly distill the essence of an aimless twenty-something existence – the collective anxieties, tension and confusion of moving from adolescence into fully fledged adulthood – into a set of immaculately conceived, perfectly wrought pop songs.

“I’d say the word “wistful” really describes the mood of the album”, Clifford muses. “We chose the album title because to me it captures what people our age are all going through”. Indeed, the emotional through-line, from the title down, is one of slowly coming to terms with the process of growing up and eventually learning to face adult responsibility, of leaving behind the safe haven of “driving late at night, I’ll let you listen to the music you like...everything’s alright” (as they sing on the dreamy, dewy-eyed “Teenage”), and then searching for a “shooting star to point me in the right direction” (“Shooting Star”). Far from retreading the playful atmosphere of the debut, the band here mine a much more rich, emotionally resonant vein, be it weariness with dead end social scenes (“So Tired”), or the fear of your peers moving on with their lives before you’re ready (“Everybody’s Changing”).

Musically too, this album sees the band evolve into a more poised and confident pop entity, the melodies bolder and songs more muscular. Recorded with Rory Attwell (who has worked with everyone from The Vaccines to Male Bonding), these are tracks which spin gorgeous, sun-kissed melodies across their tales of growing pains and romantic dysfunction. So there are deliciously askew pop belters in the form of “Buried Alive” and “Everybody’s Changing”, but there are also achingly tender moments present too, from the touching love song “Broken Toy” (“I am broken too, a broken toy like you”), to the gentle reverie “Daniel”, which strips the track to its barest essentials – shimmering guitar lines and perfectly harmonized vocals sighing, “nobody needs to know what we know, nobody needs to go where we go” to perfectly heart rending effect. 
You may have had them tagged as goth-tinged pop fantasists, but with “Waiting For Something to Happen”, Veronica Falls easily shrug off any notions of a difficult second album to create something that is easily more polished, more affecting, and more enduring than their peers would dream of making, and stake their claim as one of the most gloriously unpredictable and invaluable bands on the scene right now. Clutch them close to your heart.

Out now on Slumberland Records (US and Canada) and Bella Union (Rest of the World)

Order: http://www.slumberlandrecords.com/catalog/show/245
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/waiting-for-something-to-happen/id589948598

And catch them on tour in March:

03/6 — Black Cat, Washington DC + (www.blackcatdc.com)
03/7 — Johnny Brendas, Philadelphia, PA + (www.r5productions.com)
03/8 — Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY + (http://www.boweryballroom.com/)
03/9 — Great Scott, Boston, MA + (www.boweryboston.com)
03/10 — Divan Orange, Montreal + (www.evenko.ca)
03/12 — The Garrison, Toronto, ON + (www.collectiveconcerts.com)
03/13 — Beachland Tavern, Cleveland, OH +
03/14 — Empty Bottle, Chicago, IL + (www.emptybottle.com)
03/15 — High Noon Saloon, Madison, WI + (www.trueendeavors.com)
03/16 — 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis, MN +
03/18 — Hi-Dive, Denver, CO (http://www.hi-dive.com/event/186545/) +
03/21 — Tractor, Seattle, WA ^
03/22 — Media Club, Vancouver, BC # (www.timbreconcerts.com)
03/23 — Doug Fir, Portland, OR ^ (http://www.dougfirlounge.com/)
03/26 — Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco, CA^ (http://www.rickshawstop.com/)
03/29 — The Troubadour, Los Angeles, CA ^ (http://www.theecho.com/)
03/30 — Casbah, San Diego, CA ^ (http://www.casbahmusic.com/)

+ w/Cold Showers
^ w/Brilliant Colors & Golden Grrrls
# w/Brilliant Colors

Veronica Falls - Buried Alive

The Growl's new single 'Liarbird' (available on digitally Feb 22). Taken from their debut LP 'What Would Christ Do??' (in store and online April 5th 2013, independently through MGM Distribution)

Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1rSu3dQz-Y
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/liarbird-single/id602670996
Merch: www.legrowl.bandcamp.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/legrowl
Twitter: www.twitter.com/thegrowlmusic

www.thegrowl.com.au

The Growl - Liarbird

We join the dots between artist, management, label, agent, publicist & plugger, publisher, distributor, retailer and the fans.

02 Run From The Gun

KARTEL MUSIC GROUP