Torr

Out in the UK on Monday

Here's the decent stuff that's out in the UK on Mon March 3rd...

Albums:

The Charlatans - You Cross My Path [Free download from xfm.co.uk]

Duffy - Rockferry [Debut from Welsh soul singer. A few tracks were co-written & produced by Bernard Butler.]

The Cardigans - Best Of [The 2CD version includes a disc of b-sides.]

Singles:

Sunny Day Sets Fire - "End Of The Road" [No vid? 2nd single from London-based 5-piece.]

Hatcham Social - "So So Happy Making" [Vid. 3rd single from English trio.]

Envy & Other Sins - "Highness" [Vid. Birmingham band's debut album is out next month.]

Elbow get U.S. release date; sets tour

Elbow have signed a deal with Geffen Records to release their new album (The Seldom Seen Kid) in the U.S. on April 22nd.

The 1st single in the U.S. (instead of "Grounds For Divorce") will be "One Day Like This", which will be available digitally on March 18th.

The album also includes Guy Garvey's first ever duet as Richard Hawley sings with him on "The Fix".

The album (their 4th) is the first since 2005's Leaders of the Free World (album stream) which was released in the States by the now-defunct V2 Records.

Elbow U.S. tour dates:

• 4/26 New York, NY - Webster Hall
• 4/27 Washington, DC - Sixth & I Historic Synagogue
• 4/29 Chicago, IL - Park West
• 4/30 Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line
• 5/2 Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
• 5/5 Seattle, WA - Showbox At The Market
• 5/6 Vancouver, BC - St Andrew's Wesley Church
• 5/8 San Francisco, CA - Bimbo's 365
• 5/9 Los Angeles, CA - Avalon

In related news, Guy's contributes vocals to one track ("The Vanishing Of Maria Schneider") on the new album from dEUS.

Weekly U.S. Soundscan Report

Here's the good stuff that entered the U.S. SoundScan chart the week of Wed Feb 27th...

Billboard 200:

#108 The Raveonettes - Lust Lust Lust [7,013 copies.]

Heatseekers Chart (artists who've never had a release in the top 100 of the big chart):

#47 Grand Archives - self-titled [1,312 copies. Debut from ex-Band Of Horses guitarist. Lovely!]

#61 Bell X1 - Flock [1,095 copies. U.S. debut from Irish 4-piece.]

These releases did not chart:

• Headlights - Some Racing, Some Stopping [2nd album from Chicago trio.]
• Kula Shaker - Strange Folk [Reunion album from London 4-piece.]
• Tiger Lou - The Loyal [Album stream. U.S. debut from Stockholm guy.]
• Throw Me The Statue - Moonbeams [mp3. Debut from Seattle 5-piece.]
• The Republic Tigers - self-titled EP [mp3. Debut from Kansas City 5-piece.]

Let me know if there are any releases you'd like me to look-up.

Gigs, Gigs, Gigs

Two great concert announcements today...

• The Verve will be playing at the Pearl Concert Theater in Las Vegas on April 26th (the day after their Coachella performance.) By the way, I also found this SF show listing, but it seems to have been removed from the Live Nation site now?

• Elbow have announced a short U.S. jaunt including an LA date at the Avalon on May 9th. No word yet on a U.S. release for their 4th album The Seldom Seen Kid.

This week is a great time for shows here in LA. I saw The Helio Sequence @ Spaceland last night, tonight is British Sea Power / Castledoor @ The Echo, and tomorrow is Tulsa @ Silverlake Lounge.

The Helio Sequence were kinda disappointing; I hate how since they're a duo they have so many pre-recorded backing tracks. On some songs the laptop was playing bass, keyboards, and 2nd guitar! Ugh. After making such a great full-band sounding album in Keep Your Eyes Ahead [album stream] they should really just invest in a couple extra touring members. It would really help with keeping the energy level up. And unfortunately his vocals didn't sound very good last night either. And the crowd was kinda douchey too, what's up with that? The highlights of the set were opener "Can't Say No", "Lately", "Keep Your Eyes Ahead" and the acoustic song "Shed Your Love." Hopefully they'll be a bit better at SXSW.

Oh, and advance warning for anyone catching this tour, openers The Builders And The Butchers were one of the worst bands I've had the misfortune of seeing live in quite sometime. They're like a really, really bad version of Portland-ers The Decemberists.

And lastly, the LimeWire site has made a nice Google map of where every artist playing SXSW is from. You're not really able to get a sense of density since the one pin for each city lists all the artists from that city, but it's still interesting. Looks like the only states without an artist representing are Maine, New Hampshire, West Virginia, and the Dakotas. Be sure to scroll over to the other countries as well.

UK Chart Report

Here's the good stuff that entered the UK charts on Sun Feb 24th...

Albums:

• #71 Pete & The Pirates - Little Death [2nd album from Reading 5-piece.]

Indie-label album chart:

• #10 I Was A Cub Scout - I Want You to Know... [Album stream. Debut from East Midlands duo.]

Singles:

• #47 Foals - "Cassius" [Vid. On downloads-alone. Debut album out next month.]
  

Indie-label singles chart:

• #2 The Rascals - "Suspicious Wit" [Vid. 2nd single from Wirral trio.]

These singles did not chart:

• Cut Off Your Hands - "Oh Girl" [Vid. 7"-only debut from Auckland 4-piece.]
• Exit Calm - "Higher Learning" [Vid. 7"-only debut from South Yorkshire shoegazers.]
• Los Campesinos - "Death To..." [Vid. Their debut album is out next month.]