Wednesday 20 March 2013

BEN MARWOOD - new album & live in the UK

BEN MARWOOD
Brand New Album + UK Tour dates

The latest labour of love from folk underdog Ben Marwood, 'Back Down' is released 13th May 2013 on Xtra Mile Recordings.

The third and final part of a loose trilogy that began back in 2008, the follow-up to 2011's acclaimed debut album 'Outside There's A Curse' finally sees the self-deprecating solo songwriter swap the bedroom-based 8-track for a studio approach.

Recorded over an eighteen-month period where finances allowed, 'Back Down' retains the coiling, intense lyrical style that earned its predecessor so much attention. Joined on record by a collection of friends and fellow musicians, mostly from the Reading scene he calls home, songs switch naturally from the stripped-back, bare bones of guitar and vocals to full-band affairs with a distinctly live feel, all click tracks and metronomes discarded (“including the parts that needed it” - Marwood). Thirty-five minutes of melody half-sung, half-spoken, but always pointed regardless of whether the targets are his own shortcomings or a BBC One light entertainment show, this is pop music for the bitter.

To coincide with the release Ben steps out on a short headline UK tour.
Dates are:
MAY
18 Reading Rising Sun Arts Centre
JUNE
1 Leicester Cookie Jar @ Crumblin' Cookie
3 York The Black Swan
4 Dundee Cerberus Bar
5 Edinburgh Pivo
7 Cheltenham Frog and Fiddle
8 Bristol The Louisiana


This may only be album two, but Marwood is already a mainstay of the UK live scene, having notched up countless shows over the past decade alongside the likes of Billy Bragg and labelmates Chris T-T, Franz Nicolay, Jim Lockey & the Solemn Sun, Beans on Toast and Retrospective Soundtrack Players. 2011 saw him embark on his first two national headline tours and a month-long stint as opening support to friend and label-mate Frank Turner and 2012 was spent polishing off the new record, as well as headlining the GreenHouse stage at 2000Trees and being part of Turner's extended backing band at the London Olympic Opening Ceremony.

Praise for Outside There's A Curse:

"Packed with witty lyrical observations.. bold, intelligent and wholesome." 8/10
- Rock Sound

"There's an over riding sense here.. that we could be peering into the colourful minutiae of a songwriter whose story will be well worth following.” – 4K’s Kerrang

Thursday 14 March 2013

Going that Xtra Mile since 2003


March 2013, marks the tenth anniversary of London-based independent record label Xtra Mile Recordings and all through this year we will be celebrating this frankly rather incredible achievement with a dazzling array of tremendously exciting projects.

We’re kicking off the celebrations with a showcase gig at SXSW in Austin, Texas on 15th March 2013. Frank Turner will headline before heading off on his huge worldwide tour and support comes from Jim Lockey & The Solemn Sun - who are currently supporting Dropkick Murphys in the US - and new signings the Tennessee five piece Glossary. In April, we are Amazon’s Label Of The Month offering great prices on loads of our back catalogue on CD and digital as well as a free 15-track MP3 sampler. Throughout the rest of the year we will be creating special anniversary releases and brand new merchandise; announcing exclusive competitions and XM10 gigs featuring acts from our ever-increasing roster. We’re also taking-over a stage for an evening at the 2000trees UK Festival in July hosting Xtra Mile acts playing intimate, one-off acoustic sets. More information to be announced.


Xtra Mile was set up initially in 2003 to release the critically acclaimed debut albums by Reuben and Million Dead. We built on this early success and steadily over the past ten years the label has grown exponentially covering genres rock, punk, folk, indie hardcore, from the UK and USA. With distribution deals on both sides of the Atlantic as well as across Europe, Xtra Mile is now very much a global outfit, with its records (yes, it still makes records) available in most corners of the globe and an inspiring roster ranging from acts that have achieved mainstream success to unearthing and developing the best of underground music.

To commemorate how it all began, we will be re-issuing those albums by Reuben and Million Dead so keep an eye out on our website, twitter and facebook for more information on those and all of our plans for this special year.

Xtra Mile Recordings is home to Frank Turner, Against Me!, Jim Lockey & The Solemn Sun, Future Of The Left, The Xcerts, Ben Marwood, Beans On Toast, Glossary, Sonic Boom Six, Mull Historical Society, Dave Hause, Vinnie Caruana and many more.

Tuesday 12 March 2013

Riverboat Gamblers - European tour and vinyl album

RIVERBOAT GAMBLERS

-Spring European tour this April and May - Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium -
-Vinyl release of ‘The Wolf You Feed’-

To celebrate the vinyl release of their album ‘The Wolf You Feed’ the anthemic Texan thrust of Riverboat Gamblers is storming its way to Europe this spring as they tour this April and May.  This will be available from 22nd April 2013 on 12” colour vinyl and features an extra exclusive track.

Together with enigmatic frontman Mike Wiebe, Riverboat Gamblers will roam every spare inch of venues throughout Germany, as well as pit stops in Netherlands - including the awesome Groezrock Festival - Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, and Italy and audiences will immediately be part of the show. Expect swirling masses of humanity where once there were people standing waiting. This is what a Riverboat Gamblers show does to people.

The triumphant punk-rock rallying call of ‘The Wolf You Feed’ comes out on vinyl after its initial release in August last year. Teaming up with Grammy-Award winning engineer Stuart Sikes (The White Stripes, Cat Power) for their sixth album, Riverboat Gamblers created a darker record than any of their back catalogue with hooks hefting hooks aplenty. Just a listen to the first fifteen seconds of the opener ‘Good Veins’ proves that this approach was entirely justified.

The Wolf You Feed perfectly captures the era when punk rock and old rock ‘n’ roll converged: “it's edgy and intense but still catchy so that people could dance to it if they wanted to, and they will want to....my only worry is they won't ever be able to stop” explains Wiebe.

And you will want to dance. Below are your chances to do just that.
April
25th Gleiss 22, Münster, Germany
26th Sonic Ballroom, Köln, Germany
27th Groezrock Festival, Meerhout, Belgium
28th Pirate Satellite Festival, Stuttgart, Germany    
29th Bei Chez Heinz, Hannover, Germany
30th Queensday Fest, Venlo, Netherlands
May
1st Vera, Groningen, Netherlands
3rd Kofmehl, Solothurn, Switzerland   
4th Exhaus The Ex-Fest, Trier, Germany
5th Silo 1, Töging, Germany
6th Kulturcafe, Mainz, Germany
8th Shelter, Wien, Austria
9th Feierwerk, München, Germany
10th Factory, Milano, Italy  (w/ Danko Jones)
11th Club Vaudeville, Lindau, Germany
12th Rockhouse Bar, Salzburg, Austria
14th DB's, Utrecht, Netherlands
15th Hafenklang, Hamburg, Germany
16th Schaubude, Kiel, Germany
17th Clash, Berlin, Germany
18th Dirt Master Festival, Winterberg, Germany


Tracklisting for European version of 12” vinyl:
1. Good Veins
2. Bite My Tongue
3. Comedians
4. Soliloquy
5. Gallows Bird
6. Blue Ghosts
7. Heart Conditions
8. Loser Neck
9. Dead Eyes
10. Just Short Of Nothing
11. Eviction Notice


Thursday 7 March 2013

Frank Turner - album, single & video

FRANK TURNER
RELEASES NEW ALBUM ‘TAPE DECK HEART’ 
OUT 22nd APRIL 2013
SINGLE ‘RECOVERY’ IMPACTS 15th APRIL.

Following a year that saw a headline sold-out Wembley Arena show and a performance at the London Olympics Opening Ceremony, Frank Turner will release ‘Tape Deck Heart’, his highly anticipated fifth studio album on 22nd April through Xtra Mile Recordings. Produced and mixed by Rich Costey (Muse, Weezer, Rage Against the Machine, Interpol) ‘Tape Deck Heart’ is the follow-up to the Winchester-born folk/punk hero’s 2011 album ‘England Keep My Bones’ which has sold over 100,000 copies worldwide.

The first single from ‘Tape Deck Heart’ will be the sublime ‘Recovery’. One of several break-up songs on the album, Recovery sets tales of cider-fuelled nights in strange flats to joyous, jubilant, singalong rock. “I like that contrast between upbeat music and dark lyrics,” says Turner. “It sounds like a happy song, but it’s clearly not. The album is about unexpected change and a big part of it is relationships ending.

Fans who pre-order the album ‘Tape Deck Heart’ on iTunes will receive ‘Recovery’ as an instant download. Watch the video.

Frank gave fans a taster of the new album on Christmas Day with a free download of ‘Four Simple Words’. A raucous party belter, the song has proved an instant live favourite - as seen here from Frank’s recent UK tour.

‘Tape Deck Heart’ will also be available as a deluxe edition with an additional six tracks and on 12” vinyl.

To celebrate the release of ‘Tape Deck Heart’, Frank and his band The Sleeping Souls recently announced a short run of headline shows in the UK, with shows selling out fast. The London Forum date sold out in just over an hour. Prior to hitting the road in the UK, Frank will play headline shows in the US and the Far East as well as supporting The Dropkick Murphys in Australia. The UK tour dates are:

April
17th    Manchester    Academy    SOLD OUT
18th    Glasgow     O2 Academy
19th    Leeds         Uni Refectory     SOLD OUT
21st    Bristol        Academy     SOLD OUT
24th    Birmingham    Academy   
25th    London    Forum        SOLD OUT


www.frankturner.com