NAS 6.1

From the Album "Savior" due October 1st, 2013

LP Pre-Order: 
http://oldflamerecords.bigcartel.com/product/shark-savior-vinyl-lp-pre-order

Buy Limited Tape Single: http://oldflamerecords.bigcartel.com/product/shark-california-girls-tape-single

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oldflamerecords
Twitter: https://twitter.com/OldFlameRecords

As Heard in Grand Theft Auto V 

Old Flame Records 2013

Savior

California Grrls

Shark? - California Grrls

PAWS - Tiger Lily EP
US Spring Tour Tape

http://www.wehavepaws.com/
https://www.facebook.com/wehavepaws

PAWS US Tour + SXSW 2013

05 Mar – Glasslands, Brooklyn NY
06 Mar – Cake Shop, New York NY
07 Mar – DC 9, Washington DC
08 Mar – The Barbary, Philadelphia PA
09 Mar – Shea Stadium, Brooklyn NY
10 Mar - The Spotty Dog, Hudson NY
11 Mar – Great Scott, Allston MA
13-16 Mar – SXSW

PAWS website

PAWS - The Bubble Boy

http://www.facebook.com/shapirosally

"On "Sundown", one of the finest tracks from her new record Somewhere Else, Shapiro and her collaborators showcase newfound artistic breadth by taking familiar sounds and textures, subjecting them to a subtle reconfiguration. Johan Agebjörn and Roger Gunnarsson take a handful of Italo disco trademarks-- glossy synths, airtight electronic percussion, garish, sparkly effects-- and apply them to a slow-paced ballad where Shapiro delivers a dreamy, fragile vocal performance. The final touch is a sublime sax solo reminiscent of Destroyer's magnificently louche Kaputt, and the result is bluish, bruised-heart pop that lingers long after it's finished." Pitchfork

"Sundown, which was produced by Johan Agebjörn is an energetic ballad that Shapiro adorably coos all over...racked with the sweetness you come to expect from Shapiro" Stereogum

"Great work as always. I love the track."
Johnny Jewel (Chromatics, Glass Candy)

Written by Johan Agebjörn and Roger Gunnarsson. Produced by Johan Agebjörn. Saxophone by Jonas Thander.

Taken from the album "Somewhere Else" out now on Paper Bag Records (CD/white vinyl 2LP/download)

Sundown

"Carolina" is from TEEN's EP of the same name.

http://teentheband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/teentheband

TEEN - Carolina

From the album MCII, out May 7, 2013 on Merge Records.
http://www.mergerecords.com/store/store_detail.php?catalog_id=929

MCII

Buy from Merge

Mikal Cronin "Weight"

In 2009 Spectrals began life as a one man band. That one man was Heckmondwike, Yorkshire resident, Louis Jones, and he played everything on his early releases himself. A number of singles were released on labels such as Captured Tracks, Tough Love, Underwater People and Moshi Moshi; somewhere along the way Louis recruited his brother, Will, to play drums; touring band members came and went, but the core of the two brothers remains to this day. 

In 2011 Spectrals signed to Slumberland (in North America) and Wichita (for the rest of the world) and those labels released the debut album, "Bad Penny." Recorded by Richard Formby (Wild Beasts, Spectrum etc.), the album was critically acclaimed, with Pitchfork giving it a 7.5 and described it as having “a youthful spirit but rooted in a classic sound”, whilst the NME gave it a 7, welcoming “another intelligent, funny, soul-baring songwriter to the fold”. They also named Louis as “the Slacker Poet... a mantle not lightly bestowed” in a more recent article  about their favourite recent lyricists.

But what of the new album?

Well, after an understated guitar intro, a buzzsaw starts up and 'Let Me Cave In' comes sliding in. At once it is obvious that "Sob Story" oozes a new confidence not heard on Bad Penny or his earlier releases. The songs sparkle: they are catchier, poppier, more direct into your ears than ever before.

The album displays Louis's wide-ranging influences – many loves developed on family car journeys growing up – from Big Star and The Rolling Stones, through Nick Lowe, Tom Petty and Slade to Galaxie 500 and even blink-182. Some of these sounds are more obvious than others but it is legendary Welsh rock 'n' roller Dave Edmunds that Louis names as the key influence on his songwriting and the sound he wanted on this record, saying that he was “trying to cop some of those Country and Rockabilly licks he does”. 

Louis takes all these influences and puts them together to create something that is undeniably Spectrals. You might argue that he does this in a similar manner to his very favorite musician (“that's my guy”), the one and only, Elvis Costello (on a recent run of solo shows, the only song that Louis played that was not taken from his new album was a cover of an early, rough Costello demo, 'Cheap Reward'.)

Much like Jones on this new album, Costello has always been a musician who could traverse many styles across an album but who never lost his own style and voice whilst doing so. 

And speaking of voices, what really stands out as you listen to "Sob Story" is how the once shy Jones, who would hide his vocal in a cloak of echo, can be heard singing more clearly, strongly and proudly than ever before. Long gone are the reverb-soaked days when Louis would be heard at gigs asking the soundman to turn the reverb on his vocals up between every song, whilst also requesting they not even turn it off between songs when he speaks to the audience (something that is a commonplace practice for most musicians) because he didn't like to hear himself in the monitors without it.

So what has caused this undeniable leap in confidence? It could well be the result of two years on the road, touring with the likes of Real Estate (and as support act, as well as backing band, to the R.E. side-project, Ducktails), Cults (two months across North America), Best Coast, The Cribs and many others, including GIRLS. 

There was a strong mutual-appreciation between Spectrals and GIRLS from the start and having got to know Chet “JR” White from the band, and being a fan of his production work for is own band, it made perfect sense to ask him if he would like to work on the next Spectrals record. Following a meeting at the legendary, if somewhat rough-around-the-edges, Bull & Gate pub in London's Kentish Town, JR said he was into the idea too and plans were made for Louis and Will to fly out to San Francisco to start laying down the songs that now make-up Sob Story at the Decibelle studio.

Working in his hometown allowed JR to call in friends of his to contribute their own magic to moments of the album. Guitarist Jon Anderson added lead guitar to five of the twelve tracks, of whom, with typical modesty, Louis said “it was ace to have a real guitar player around”. The band were also joined on three songs by pedal-steel player, Tom Heyman. “It was a big deal to have a pedal steel player come and play on one of my records”, said the Spectrals mainman, “to me the sound of those things is like a shorthand for "sad" and a thing they have on proper studio albums. I was thinking how I could have the songs sound more sad and knew I had to get a pedal steel in”.

JR even played some of the basslines himself, as well as adding some deft manipulation from behind the soundboard, for example the atmospherics that he created for one of the stand-out tracks, 'Milky Way'. As JR said in a recent interview for Paste magazine, “we had to use a lot of creativity and in the end, it sounds really cohesive and big. It’s not a lo-fi record”.

The central theme of this record is love – that has always been the case with Spectrals, as Jones once said it's all “just about love really” – but this time the lyrics are more reflecting on and questioning of love and relationships. 

There are songs that are clearly loves songs in the classic sense ('Limousine', 'Milky Way', 'Sob Story'). The problems of long-distance relationships are covered in 'Blue Whatever' (“I've been blue as a bruise ever since you went down / 'cause to me it could just as well be another galaxy”); that same topic, as well as the problems caused by being away on tour so much, come up in 'Karaoke' (“If I stop playing guitar / Learn to drive a car / And try and get my head around living in another town”); he discusses how he can be the cause of their problems in 'A Heartbeat Behind' (“I made such hard work of loving you / Love became a hobby too / I'm in no way badly done to / After all, I have you”); and with his characteristic humor, 'Something To Cry About' tackles a question asked by a number of journalists when reviewing Bad Penny – what will he write songs about if he doesn't have trouble in love???

"Sob Story" sees Spectrals back and better than ever, brimming with confidence and the best songs of the Jones brothers' careers so far. It's an album that begs to be played again as soon as it finishes and one that will also create excitement at what is to come next from this band, whether Louis is lucky or unlucky in love between now and then.

Out June 18 on Slumberland Records (North America) and June 3 on Wichita Recordings (rest of the world).


Spectrals - Milky Way

Talking, the latest 7inch single release from September Girls. Featuring B-side Some for Me. Released 22/4/2013 on Cork's Art for Blind Records. Pre-orders available here: http://artforblind.bandcamp.com/album/talking-ep

Video by Leigh Arthur: http://youtu.be/3so0i1R2Wso

Talking

Alexandria are an enigmatic dream pop/indie rock band from Stockholm, Sweden.

@alexandriasounds
www.facebook.com/alexandriasounds

Alexandria - Secret Beach

Alexander Shields – vocals, drum programming, electric guitars, bass, synthesizer

Alanna McArdle – vocals

Produced, recorded and mixed by Misha Hering with Alexander Shields at Holy Mountain Studio.

Taken from the album 'Whirlpool' released 15/07/2013 on Stare/Lefse Records.

Aurora

"Tiger Tank" is the first single off Speedy Ortiz's debut LP "Major Arcana".

https://www.facebook.com/speedyortiz
https://twitter.com/killquilty

Speedy Ortiz - Tiger Tank

From the upcoming record 'Tides End' out August 6th on Captured Tracks, worldwide.

Pre-order the album here: http://goo.gl/BYHth
Buy the "Everything's Fine" single here: http://goo.gl/9Zqbv
Buy the "Painted Indian" single here: http://goo.gl/teQZO

MINKS //  Everything's Fine

Side A of the Jacuzzi Boys Double Vision 7" single, available exclusively from Hardly Art records on July 9th, 2013

Jacuzzi Boys

Double Vision

Jacuzzi Boys - "Double Vision (single edit)"

From the album Idle No More, out September 3, 2013 on Merge Records.
http://www.mergerecords.com/store/store_detail.php?catalog_id=944

Idle No More

Born to Die

King Khan & the Shrines  "Born to Die"

Debut LP out on 9/17/13 via Old Flame Records

Pre-Order: http://oldflamerecords.bigcartel.com/product/potty-mouth-hell-bent-lp-pre-order
UK Pre-Order: http://marshalltellerrecords.bigcartel.com/product/mt024-potty-mouth-hell-bent-12-lp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oldflamerecords
Twitter: https://twitter.com/OldFlameRecords

The Spins - Single

The Spins

Vinyl Pre-Order

Potty Mouth - The Spins

"No Shelter" is the first singe the upcoming record 'Imperium' out September 17th on Captured Tracks, worldwide.

Buy "No Shelter" Single Here : http://goo.gl/Ib65X

Pre-Order 'Imperium' Here : http://goo.gl/RiWlB

Blouse // No Shelter (OFFICIAL SINGLE)

From the album Ruby Red, out July 23, 2013 on Merge Records.
http://www.mergerecords.com/store/store_detail.php?catalog_id=941


Ruby Red

The Love Language "Pilot Light"

Temple Songs - Passed Caring

"Taste the Diff", from Obits' third full-length, 'Bed & Bugs,' out September 10th, 2013 on Sub Pop Records.

Pre-order here: www.subpop.com/artists/obits

Obits online:
https://www.facebook.com/obitsband
https://twitter.com/obitsband

Sub Pop online:
https://www.facebook.com/subpoprecords
https://twitter.com/subpop


Bed & Bugs

Taste the Diff

Obits - Taste the Diff

Released on September 3rd, 2013. 

Order here: https://www.omnianmusicgroup.com/products/forever

Holograms // Meditations

Shelflife presents the long-awaited Majestic compilation The Majestic 12 Years. In the works for the past decade, the CD compiles their entire output between 1994-1998, including all three 7" singles (Nothing On TV, Lost & Found and Long), as well as six tracks that were never released until now. 

Majestic 12 (also know as MJ 12) formed in Brea, California in 1994 and was one of the first groups ever signed to Shelflife. They are best known for their dreamy boy / girl vocals on the now classic "Nothing On TV", with video featuring tin foil guitars and flying saucers (see below). Their style reflects influences from The Beatles to The Byrds and had a sound stemming from the Sarah Records catalog, Galaxie 500 and Mazzy Star. 

The band featured Scott Schultz on vocals and guitar, Jana Wittren Heller on vocals, Ammon Watene on vocals and guitar, Steve Berrett on bass, and Aaron Watene on drums. Jana left the band in 1997 to join The Arrogants and the remaining members regrouped as Majestic, releasing two fantastic pop records on Shelflife. The band went on hiatus when Scott co-created the incredibly successful children's TV show, Yo Gabba Gabba. 

For fans of: Majestic 12, The Arrogants, Galaxie 500, Mazzy Star 

http://shelflife.com/catalogue/LIFE055.html

NAS 6.1

LeahPetrakis