Calling the Kettle Blacksmith
We’re delighted to announce that we’ll be putting out the debut album by Kettle Blacksmith before too long. 97/100 people will think it’s plain stupid, 2/100 will think it’s hilarious when they’re zoned out at 3 in the morning and 1/100 will think it’s the most incredible work of genius they’ve heard this year. A lot of the time we’re in that 97/100, sometimes we’re in the 2/100 and occasionally we’re in that 1/100. Suffice to say it’s a rather surreal/stupid trip. If you imagine Peter Cook was a tramp who recorded a record with Chris Corsano you’ll be along the right lines.
Not Records on Ribs, but almost as good
As well as the rather spiffing new single from We Show Up On RadaR, we highly recommend you part with your cash to purchase epic45’s beautiful new mini-album In All The Empty Houses. The title track will most certainly be accompanying me to Broadcasting House when Radio 4 rectify their overlooking of me for Desert Island Discs thus far, and RoR spotters will be pleased to note that EL Heath of this parish plays on the album. He’ll be buggering off round the UK and Europe as support for their tour in the autumn too (as well as playing in their live band).
If you’re after something a little more raucous then we recommend our good friends Lovvers’ debut album OCD GO GO GO GIRLS which comes out this Monday (the 10th) on Wichita. Catchy guitar punk like what they know how to make on the other side of the Atlantic, but with some definite UK influences too.
And finally, if you’re after something a little cheaper (freer, indeed!)- but just as good- we cannot recommend Scarr & Burd’s free-to-download release ‘Mantile 12’ enough. Johnny Scarr is a legend in the Nottingham underground music scene: a finely moustache’d purveyor of top quality gigs (under the ‘Mantile’ moniker). Quite frankly I’ve no idea who this Burd person is, but together with Johnny (s)he has produced one of my favourite releases of the year so far: two long tracks of ghostly industrial ambience far far better than anything Emeralds/Oneohtrix Point Never has put out (good though those bands are). It can be downloaded for free: a physical release will be available soon and we’ll be sure to keep you in the loop. An accompanying solo release from Mr.Scarr is also available for free, although I’m yet to get round to listening to it.
I think probably more that 3% would get Kettle Blacksmith!
I have now listened to that Scarr record. It is also highly recommended.