“A beautiful track” – Dev, BBC Radio One

“I listen to Is It Me and all I can do is smile” – Hattie Collins, The Observer

“Is It Me is getting the biggest response in clubs by MILES. A message to other R&B groups: STEP UP!” – Firin Squad, Kiss FM

After nearly four million MySpace plays, being the Number One group on the MySpace charts with no official single, and winning the Best UK Unsigned Artist prize, Nicole Jane finally release their debut single “Is It Me” on 23rd November.

Buy Music:

Nicole Jane on amazon.co.uk

Nicole Jane are a vocal trio consisting of brothers, Jace B Carreira, Alfie-J Carreira, and Dieu Carreira. Raised in London and officially forming as a musical collective in 2006, Nicole Jane capped off their first year together by winning the best the Official UK Unsigned Contest.

Not a group to rest on what was a fantastic achievement; NJ spent 2007 touring across the UK supporting the likes of Lemar, Timbaland, Ne-Yo and Lily Allen on their tours. After causing mass hysteria at their shows and topping the MySpace charts, Nicole Jane’s show stealing reputation had reached fever pitch across Europe where they spent the majority of 2008 touring going from supporting headline acts to being the headline act.

While comparisons with JLS are inevitable, Nicole Jane are comfortable in their own lane where they write and produce their own material. Record and publishing companies have already started the bidding war for the Nicole Jane signature including Akon who wants NJ to join his stable of artists which includes Lady Gaga and T-Pain, so exciting times lie ahead.

Currently on a grueling schedule of working in the studio wrapping up their debut album ‘Searching for Nicole’ and a nationwide tour, NJ took the time out to work with Kent Police and Amelix Marketing on the ‘Is It Worth It?’ tour which saw them touring the schools across Kent in a bid to reduce anti-social behaviour, which has dramatically increased throughout Kent in the last five years.

On the impact Nicole Jane made on the tour, Toni Sealey, Youth Projects Manager at Amelix said “What a great sound! These guys are fantastic, a versatile and professional band, engaging performers and very talented artists. We couldn’t have chosen anyone better to spread our message across”.

With material reaching nearly four million plays on MySpace to performing on an international stage independently is nothing short of outstanding. Eagerly anticipated, Is It Me’s smooth blend of R&B and pop in all its glory is sure to ruffle up a few feathers and firmly stamp the NJ sound on the international R&B scene from 2009 onwards. Is It Me is set for release through Carreira Records on 23rd November along with a nationwide tour to support the release. You’ve been warned.

Label: Carreira Records
Release Date: 23 November 2009

Buy Music:

Nicole Jane on amazon.co.uk

Nicole Jane November/December 2009 tour dates:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

20 November – The Works, Canterbury
21 November – Switching on Christmas Lights at WestWood Cross, Broadstairs
21 November – Switching on Christmas Lights at Folkestone Town, Folkestone
26 November – Lounge 31, Manchester
2 December – DeJaVu, Bury St Edmonds
20 December – Amadeus, Rochester

Nicole Jane MySpace
YouTube Channel
Nicole Jane on Twitter

Brand New Festive Feast, Released November 30th

Neil Diamond makes a welcome festive return with his wonderful new collection of seasonal hits ‘A Cherry Cherry Christmas’ out in the UK November 30, 2009 on Sony Music.

The 14-track album features three brand new compositions written by Neil Diamond – title song “Cherry Cherry Christmas” is set to become a Christmas staple with its memorable sound and charming lyrical references to many of Diamond’s greatest and most popular hits.

Buy Music:

Neil Diamond on amazon.com

Neil Diamond on amazon.co.uk

Other new works include a “Christmas Dream” and “The Chanukah Song”, an upbeat number based on Adam Sandler’s comedic version and produced by Guns N’ Roses DJ Ashba. Coupled with the abundance of re-mastered Christmas hits, this is an essential seasonal addition.

Neil Diamond’s eclectic and universally beloved songs – as well as his charismatic and openhearted performances continue to make him a force both as a record maker and a live entertainer.

In an impressive musical career that has spanned nearly five decades, he has sold more than 125 million records worldwide. Neil Diamond scored his first ever UK and US No.1 album last year with his acclaimed LP ‘Home Before Dark’.

A Cherry Cherry Christmas Tracklisting:

1. Cherry Cherry Christmas
2. Sleigh Ride
3. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
4. White Christmas
5. Christmas Dream
6. The Christmas Song
7. Deck The Halls/We Wish You A Merry Christmas
8. Jingle Bell Rock
9. You Make It Feel Like Christmas
10. Winter Wonderland
11. Joy To The World
12. Amazing Grace
13. Meditations On A Winter Night (Instrumental)
14. The Chanukah Song

Neil Diamond on Twitter
Neil Diamond Official Website

A Refreshing Take on 21st Century Christmas

The critically-acclaimed UK singer-songwriter Thea Gilmore has just released a holiday collection ‘Strange Communion’ via Rykodisc.

This carefully crafted album is a stirring, poignant journey into the heart of the winter season filled with twists and turns of celebration, introspection and often skepticism. With deep humanist joy at its core, ‘Strange Communion’ reflects on the rituals and contradictions that come with the trimmings of the holidays.

Buy Music:

Thea Gilmore on amazon.com

Thea Gilmore on amazon.co.uk

From the choral splendor of “Sol Invictus”, her acappella opening ode with the award-winning Sense Of Sound choir, to the ethereal beauty of “Midwinter Toast” and “December in New York”, to cover versions of obscure songs by Elvis Costello (The St. Stephens Day Murders”) and Yoko Ono (“Listen The Snow Is Falling”), Thea Gilmore’s crystalline voice and dazzling lyrics shine throughout this collection.

Rounding off the festivities on a cheerful note, the catchy single “That’ll Be Christmas” indubitably adds more spice into the mix as Gilmore lightheartedly sings “French beer and mistletoe…faith, hope and gluttony…me missing you again, that’ll be Christmas.”

Since making her debut album at 18 years old, Thea Gilmore has blazed a fiercely independent path while earning critical acclaim and admiration from renowned artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Joan Baez and Martha Wainwright.

She is also hailed by press as the “most prolific and intelligent wordsmith of her generation” according to The Independent, and “the most coherent, literate and charged British singer-songwriter of her generation” says Mojo Magazine.

Thea Gilmore MySpace
Thea Gilmore Official Website

Seating Tickets Sold Out!!!
Wainwright/McGarrigle Family Christmas Concert
Royal Albert Hall, December 9, 2009

Limited Number Of Exclusive VIP Packages Released

With all seating tickets sold out for the hotly anticipated first Wainwright/McGarrigle Family Christmas concert in London, ‘A Not So Silent Night’ – a limited number of exclusive charity VIP Packages have been released.

These rare packages include excellent seats for the concert, entry to a post-show cocktail with all the performers, and unique gift bags.

Boy George, Dawn French, Guy Garvey, Jennifer Saunders, and The Thompsons (Teddy, Kami, Linda) are just a few of the special guests and friends announced for this special seasonal show.

The show will also include performances by Ed Harcourt, International soprano and ‘Prima Donna’ star Janis Kelly, Jenni Muldaur plus human beatbox Shlomo.

These packages can be obtained by making a donation of £500 to benefit cancer research through the Kate McGarrigle Fund from:

Telephone: 00-1-514-931-5656
Website: A Not So Silent Night OR www.muhcfoundation.com/en/not_silent

This is organised by the McGarrigle/Wainwright family and friends, a supporter of Cancer Research UK.

The Kate McGarrigle Fund is a non-profit organisation dedicated to cancer care and research and affiliated with the McGill University teaching hospitals and Cedars Cancer Institute in Montreal, Canada.

The Kate McGarrigle Fund Official Website

Rufus Wainwright Official Website
Martha Wainwright Official Website

To top off a stellar year that has seen them invade the charts with summer anthem “Sweet Disposition” and embark on a sell-out UK tour, The Temper Trap join forces with XFM to celebrate Christmas in a very special way.

XFM’s Winter Wonderland at London’s Brixton Academy on Wednesday December 16, 2009 will be a fitting end to a great year and another guaranteed sell-out.

Joining The Temper Trap onstage at this year’s XFM Winter Wonderland:

Razorlight, The Big Pink, Bombay Bicycle Club, Local Natives, Goldhawlks & Cassidy

Tickets go on sale at 8am on November 6th, for more information visit:

XFM Winter Wonderland Official Website

Buy Music:

The Temper Trap on amazon.co.uk

The Temper Trap on amazon.com

For the latest music and information, go to:

The Temper Trap Official Website

HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London 7th & 8th December, 2009

Accompanied By Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra

Il Divo will play a series of intimate shows Celebrate Christmas With Il Divo, which kicks off with two dates at Hammersmith Apollo (December 7th and 8th) and then travels to North America for six more dates.

The shows feature international violin virtuoso Vanessa-Mae and 21-year-old rising star Camilla Kerslake. They will join Il Divo onstage for two collaborations a-piece, as well as a few solo performances each.

This is a first-ever for Il Divo who have performed Christmas songs in front of The Queen and past U.S. Presidents, but never before a concert audience.

Tickets go on sale 9.30am Friday October 16, 2009
Box Office: 08448 44 47 48
www.gigsandtours.com
24hr credit card hotline: 0871 2200 260

Il Divo will perform songs in three languages (English, Spanish and Italian) from the group’s U.S. released album ‘The Christmas Collection’ and their recent No.1 album ‘The Promise’. As well as preparing several new Christmas songs they perform stunning renditions of “Silent Night”, “White Christmas”, “O Holy Night” and “Amazing Grace”.

Il Divo will complete their largest worldwide tour to date ‘An Evening with Il Divo’ in November; the massive trek has brought them to 81 cities and 32 countries. They kicked off at Manchester’s MEN Arena back in February, which was followed by 10 UK dates and featured two shows at London’s O2.

An Evening with Il Divo supported the group’s fifth album ‘The Promise’ which debuted at No.1 in nine countries, sold over 3million copies worldwide in just over 2 months, including 500,000 in the UK. A live album and DVD are being planned as a result of this tour.

Il Divo are: American tenor David Miller, popular French singer Sebastian Izambard, Swiss tenor Urs Buhler, and Spanish baritone Carlos Marin.

Buy Music:

Il Divo on amazon.co.uk

Il Divo on amazon.com

Celebrate Christmas with Il Divo

(Dates and information subject to change.)

December 2009 tour dates:

Mon 7th LONDON, HMV Hammersmith Apollo
Tue 8th LONDON, HMV Hammersmith Apollo

Fri 11th TORONTO, Roy Thomson Hall with Holly Cole and Anne Akiko Myers
Sat 12th NEW JERSEY, The Taj Majal with Holly Cole and Anne Akiko Myers
Sun 13th CONNECTICUT, Chevrolet Theatre with Holly Cole and Anne Akiko Myers
Tue 15th NEW YORK, The Beacon Theatre with Kristin Chenoweth and Vanessa-Mae
Wed 16th NEW YORK, The Beacon Theatre with Kristin Chenoweth and Vanessa-Mae
Thu 17th NEW YORK, The Beacon Theatre with Kristin Chenoweth and Vanessa-Mae

For Official Tour and Ticket Information, VIP Packages, Fan Club Memberships and more, go to:

Il Divo Official Website

Tori’s First and Highly Anticipated Seasonal Album to be Released November 10, 2009

After nearly two decades writing and recording some of her generation’s most emotionally powerful music, Tori Amos will release her first seasonal album, ‘Midwinter Graces’, on November 10, 2009 via Universal Republic.

A follow up to Tori Amos’ critically acclaimed studio album, ‘Abnormally Attracted to Sin’, ‘Midwinter Graces’ will find Tori reworking and expanding on classic carols as well as developing some of her very own seasonal tracks.

Midwinter Graces is an album that has been in the making for the past 40 years. Raised in the Baltimore area under the watchful eye of her Methodist minister father, Tori grew up playing holiday carols at Sunday services and Christmas Day celebrations in her father’s church. These were the songs that gave a young Tori her first taste of music, and now almost 40 years later Tori gets her own chance to reimagine classics like “What Child, Nowell” and “Star of Wonder.”

Tori will also add her own bittersweet bliss to the season with originally tracks like “Pink and Glitter” and “Our New Year.”

For Midwinter Graces, Amos has again teamed up with long time collaborators Matt Chamberlain on drums, Jon Evans on bass, and Mac Aladdin on guitars. She has enlisted the help of a Big Band and an Orchestra with stunning John Philip Shenale arrangements to create her new seasonal classics.

Buy Music:

Tori Amos on amazon.com

Tori Amos on amazon.co.uk

Midwinter Graces Tracklist:

1. What Child, Nowell
2. Star of Wonder
3. A Silent Night with You
4. Candle: Coventry Carol
5. Holy, Ivy, and Rose
6. Harps of Gold
7. Snow Angel
8. Jeanette, Isabella
9. Pink and Glitter
10. Emmanuel
11. Winter’s Carol
12. Our New Year

MySpace
Tori Amos on Twitter
Tori Amos Official Website

Rufus & Martha Wainwright and their mother Kate McGarrigle bring their acclaimed seasonal show to London’s Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday, December 9, 2009 with special guests.

Tickets for this must see event – ‘A Not So Silent Night’ – go on sale Friday, May 1, 2009 and are priced from £35 to £70.

Tickets are available from:
Web: www.artistticket.com
Hotline: 0871 230 0333
Or from the Royal Albert Hall Box Office.

In the US, Christmas has become synonymous with the semi-annual Wainwright/McGarrigle Carnegie Hall shows. “It’s an off-the-cuff evening of friends and family kind of popping on and off stage as if the stage was our living room,” says Rufus Wainwright.

Special guests consisting of Rufus, Martha and Kate’s friends and family will be announced later this summer.

A limited number of exclusive A Not So Silent Night VIP Packages include excellent seats for the concert, entry to an intimate post-show cocktail with the performers, and unique gift bags. These packages can be obtained by making a donation of $1,000 CAD, $750 USD, or £500 GPB to the Kate McGarrigle Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to cancer care and research and affiliated with the McGill University teaching hospitals and Cedars Cancer Institute in Montreal, Canada.

Proceeds from the sales of these VIP packages will benefit cancer care and research in Canada and the UK. For more information, call Cléa Desjardins at the McGill University Health Centre Foundation, toll-free at 1-877-601-4536 (1-514-931-5656 from outside North America), visit The Kate McGarrigle Fund website.

Rufus Wainwright Official Website
Martha Wainwright

From BaebleMusic.com:

“Amber Lee Ettinger – a.k.a. Obama Girl – gives our best of ‘08 concert countdown a sexy, seasonal twist. Happy Holidays!”

Obama Girl on amazon.com

Obama Girl on amazon.co.uk

Sexed up Santa with nowhere to go? That’s the sorry sort of predicament Amber Lee Ettinger – a.k.a. Obama Girl – finds herself in, in this miraculous, holiday tale.

A best of ‘08 kind of countdown of our favorite concerts, but with a sexy, seasonal twist. Baeble’s Heartland Christmas Special takes you over the river and through the woods…to Obama Girl’s home you go! Sadly, it’s a seriously bummed out O.G. we find…a victim of the sometimes frustrating holiday season.

Will Amber find herself a little Christmas Spirit? With the help of our best concert videos from ‘08, and a few friends along the way…she just might. Of course, you’ll have to watch the video to find out.

Watch Baeble’s Heartland Christmas Special:

Watch the full concert at baeblemusic.com

Obama Girl Official Website
MySpace

Obama Girl on Barely Political

Some albums are like a party in a box – put it on the stereo and you know you’re going to have a good time.

Plushgun bounces in to the room, passes out the glowsticks, hands you a beer and tells you to dance.

The pumping synth lines are a perfect foil to Brooklyn-based Daniel Ingala’s sensitive wordsmith tendencies that work to create addictive indie-pop with a bittersweet edge.

Watch “Just Impolite” video:

Plushgun on amazon.com

Plushgun on amazon.co.uk

But parties can’t always chase away the tears, as anyone who’s ever had their heart broken can attest. Which explains the bittersweet story that unfolds in Plushgun’s new “Just Impolite” video with director Tyler Shields, featuring Juno Temple (”The Other Boleyn Girl,” “Atonement,” and upcoming “Mr. Nobody” and “The Year One”), Brittany Snow (”Hairspray,” “Prom Night,” and upcoming “Clock Tower” and “The Vicious Kind”) and Shiloh Fernandez (upcoming “Cadillac Records” and “The United States of Tara”).

Plushgun was recently featured on NPR’s “Second Stage”.

Download “How We Roll” MP3 (Andrew WK Remix)

Plushgun released their self-titled debut EP this past August, and are now pleased to share their upcoming full-length, ‘Pins and Panzers’, along with a second disc of remixes by Andrew WK, Jesse Novak (M.I.A., Santogold) and Justin Strauss (Depeche Mode, Marc Almond, Carl Cox).

‘Pins and Panzers’ features cover art by Patrick Smith (www.blendfilms.com), and is the third Plushgun release to feature original credited work by an innovative Brooklyn artist; the other two were done by Yoko Furusho (single for “Dancing in a Minefield,” and Beth Newell who did the self-titled EP art.

Their debut full-length, ‘Pins and Panzers’ (Tommy Boy Entertainment), will hit stores February 17, 2009.

“…you really can’t miss [the Just Impolite video]. Unless you’re too busy dancing to the song. That we’d excuse..” – NYLON

“Infectious pop melodies” – Paste

“…another example of the new musical generation of technological whiz kids…highly energized indie pop.” – Amplifier

“sweet, delicate and melodious electro-pop (think Imogen Heap).” – Arjan Writes

If you’re in NYC, come shake off those post-Holiday blues with Plushgun and Andrew WK (Plushgun fan & remixer) on December 28th, 2008 at the Crazy Donkey in Farmingdale!

Andrew W.K. Official Website

Plushgun MySpace

RCA has released the Elvis Christmas Duets album, the first ever album of Elvis Presley duets, and the his first Christmas compilation too!

Elvis Presley Christmas Duets on amazon.com

Christmas Duets: Limited Edition Digi Pack on amazon.co.uk

To produce this collection of 11 new recordings, RCA have revisited the original studio masters to painstakingly separate Elvis’ vocals from the instrumentation, allowing contemporary artists to duet with Elvis on these legendary recordings. The results are truly amazing and create a whole new Christmas album for a whole new generation to enjoy.

This release marks yet another milestone in Elvis Presley’s legacy, 31 years after his death, and the limited deluxe edition CD, beautifully presented in a die-cut soft pack is the perfect gift for all Elvis fans.

To give Elvis Christmas Duets a continuity of sound and quality, RCA has secured the vocal talents of the some of the best known and biggest selling contemporary Nashville stars.

From Martina McBride who’s duet of Blue Christmas is incredible through to LeAnne Rimes, Carrie Underwood and Olivia Newton John… this is truly the most impressive collection of female contemporary country artists you’ll find on one album. Not only that but they’re dueting with the King Of Rock ‘n’ Roll Elvis Presley!

“We are so pleased that these accomplished artists are collaborating with Elvis in this unique way to make exciting new versions of his Christmas songs. I am sure Elvis would be proud to have worked with them,” says Priscilla Presley.

RCA have also created a stunning video for lead album track “Blue Christmas” featuring Martina McBride. The country superstar was just shy of two when Elvis Presley filmed his 1968 “Comeback” TV special. This year, she steps back in time forty years to join the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll on stage.

Video producer George Flanigen comments, “There’s a spot between (guitarist) Scotty Moore and Elvis that’s open, like somebody should have been sitting there,” says Flanigen. “We’re like, ‘We could probably figure a way to put her with Elvis.’ We scoured the footage and picked shots of Elvis throughout the whole special to be able to put them together. There are shots where he and Martina share the frame, where he looks over at her, where she looks back at him and sings and smiles.”

McBride filmed her parts in front of a green screen. “It took four weeks” to piece together, Flanigen says.

Watch Elvis Presley & Martina McBride – “Blue Christmas” video:

In order to create these classic ‘duets’ Sony BMG used the most advanced and sophisticated audio technology available. For songs that were recorded on one track, mono, musical beds were created to perfectly match the instrumentation and arrangements contained on the originals. In the case of songs that have been recorded in multi-track where Elvis’ vocal is isolated on a single track, the vocal was simply dropped for a given verse or chorus, making room for the duet artist.

To be as faithful as possible to the original recordings, the fabled RCA Studio B in Nashville – the same studio that Elvis recorded the 1971 original Christmas session in, was used.

Elvis Presley Christmas Duets Track list:

Blue Christmas with Martina McBride
I’ll Be Home For Christmas with Carrie Underwood
Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) with LeAnn Rimes
Santa Claus Is Back In Town with Wynonna Judd
Silent Night with Sara Evans
White Christmas with Amy Grant
Merry Christmas Baby with Gretchen Wilson
O Little Town Of Bethlehem with Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman of Little Big Town
Silver Bells with Anne Murray
O Come All Ye Faithful with Olivia Newton-John

Bonus Tracks:

The First Noel (2008) Elvis Presley
If I Get Home On Christmas Day (2008) Elvis Presley
Winter Wonderland (2008) Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley Official Website

Jazz/Pop musician Jacqui Naylor will be playing a holiday show at World Café Live in Philadelphia on Sunday December 21st, 2008.

Watch “Easy Ride From Here” video:

Jacqui Naylor on amazon.com

Jacqui Naylor on amazon.co.uk

Jacqui is best known for her signature “acoustic smashing” technique – singing jazz standards of rock classics or vice versa. In the holiday spirit, Jacqui’s performance will include some tunes from her album ‘Smashed For The Holidays’ (which made the top ten list for USA Today, Boston Globe, Washington Post, and Jazziz among others).

Picture “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” over Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama,” and “Santa Baby” sung to the groove of Led Zeppelin’s “D’yer Mak’er” … Jacqui sings a holiday standard while the band plays a well-known rock tune, seamlessly combining classic rock and holiday classics.

Jacqui will also be performing songs from her latest CD, ‘You Don’t Know Jacq’, which includes more unique smashing collaborations like Gershwin’s “Summertime” over the Allman Brothers’ “Whipping Post” and Rogers/Hart’s “My Funny Valentine” over AC/DC’s “Back in Black,” along with new original tracks.

For music, tour dates and more, go to:

Jacqui Naylor Official Website
Jacqui Naylor MySpace

Oi Oi it’s Christmas!

Welcome to the Punk Rock Advent Calendar. In the true spirit of Punk Christmas we present you with Twenty Five completely FREE Punk Rock Christmas songs for your listening / downloading delectation!

Punk on amazon.com

Punk on amazon.co.uk

Each song comes with its very own classic punk intro/riff/solo “borrowed” from a variety of all-time punk classics. Singalong with your turkey to the festive noise, whilst at the same time playing “Spot The Punk Cliché”. The Ruts, The Ramones, The Pistols, The Jam and many, many more – they’re all in there somewhere!

Jimmy Severe, whose punk guitar and shouty voice spread his fame throughout the pop music world of Coley Park and the rest of West Reading, was born and brought up in the small flats. The story goes that he traded a bushel of Beano comics for his first guitar. When Severe attended the School of Hard Nuts, the guitar went along with him and helped pay for his beer. When an injured leg ended his career as a centre-back it was only natural for him to turn to his guitar as a means of support.

He found out early on that playing the songs of others, especially good old singalong classics, was far more fun than writing his own self-indulgent dirges, and soon joined up with the Blue Christmas Boys, a bunch of local punks who specialised in bringing vitriolic cheer to the local estate at Christmas time with their very special interpretations of Yuletide classics.

In putting together The Punk Rock Advent Calendar, Jimmy & The Boys picked the ones that portray all sides of the season – from revelry to irreverence – from “White Christmas” to “Mary’s Boy Child” – with strictly for drinking songs like “Senor Santa Claus” and “The Merry Christmas Polka” for good large measures.

For music and more, go to:

Punk Christmas – Advent Calendar – Official Website

Plastic Punk Records MySpace

After a busy and successful year of (mostly) touring, Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring return with a gorgeous new single, ‘Winter’.

Their Hearts Were Full of Spring on amazon.co.uk

THWFOS on amazon.com

The slow-burning success of their debut single “A Questions of Trust” has gained them steadfast support on local and national radio (they can now count the BBC’s Huw Stephens, Tom Robinson, and Steve Lamacq amongst their fans) and a string of UK festival shows – from the arty (London Short Film Festival) to the boutique (Gocstock, Foxfest) and culminating in show-stealing performances at two of the UK’s biggest and best: Latitude and The Big Chill.

With the summer – and festival season over – they made a long-overdue return to the studio to start work on their new project, an idea which started to grow back in the Spring when they were invited to sing to the bees of the Royal Festival Hive. They learned the song after which they were named to serenade the bees, and then started to kick around ideas for other cover versions which would be fun to do. When they struck upon the idea of making them all seasonally-themed those idle notions quickly crystallised into a proper plan. And this is it:

There’ll be one double-a-side single released every season for the next year – four in all, starting with this ‘Winter’ release, and all free-to-download exclusively from our good friends at God Is In The TV Zine from 15th December 2008. The tracks will be seasonal cover versions, specially selected and recorded to soundtrack the season we’re entering.

So for ‘Winter’ we’re presented with Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring’s unique new interpretations of Fleet Foxes’ “White Winter Hymnal” and Neil Young’s classic “Winterlong”. You get the idea …

And as well as the free downloads, the handsome devils at Strange Torpedo Records will also be issuing a very-limited-edition CD release of each single, to be sold exclusively at live shows.

The first of these comes with a special presentation box designed to house all four CDs, so you can add each new one to the box as it’s released. These are sure to become collector’s items in no time!

‘Winter’ was recorded by Their Hearts Were Full of Spring in September/October 2008 at Bedrock Studios. Produced by Markus.

A – White Winter Hymnal
(Robin Noel Pecknold)
Taken from Fleet Foxes’ eponymous 2008 debut album.
Suggested by Geoffrey Lofthouse.
Vox – Markus, Maeve, Vicky, Ian, Emmet, Matth
Guitars – Emmet and Markus
Bass – Matth
Banjo – Emmet
Organ – Markus
Percussion, Church shoes – Markus
Size 11 Doctor Marten’s – Mr. Andrew Gary Smith
Distorted ramblings – Ian

AA – Winterlong
(Neil Young)
Taken from Neil Young’s 1977 album ‘Decades’ and later covered by The Pixies as the B-side to ‘Dig for Fire’ in 1990.
Suggested by Rich Grierson.
Vox – Markus and Maeve
Plucked guitars – Emmet and Markus
Bowed guitar – Ian
Musical saw – Vicky

For music and more information, go to:

Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring Official Website
MySpace

Glasvegas, one of the biggest breakthrough bands of 2008, have topped off an amazing year by making the race for Christmas number 1.

William Hill place their single “Please Come Back Home” at 33/1, the same odds as major pop artists such as Girls Aloud and The Pogues, and obove Beyonce, Britney Spears and The Killers.

Glasvegas on amazon.co.uk

Glasvegas on amazon.com

The track is available from December 1, 2008 via iTunes, and will also come on the limited edition Christmas EP ‘A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like A Kiss)’ which is available exclusively from the band’s website.

‘A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like A Kiss)’ was recorded in Transylvania and includes The Concentus Choir singing “Silent Night” (in English and Romanian) at St Nicholas Church in Brasov. Two songs, “Please Come Back Home” and “Cruel Moon” have been taken to radio.

The tracklist for the EP is:

Please Come Back Home
Cruel Moon
Careful What You Wish For
F*** You, It’s Over
A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like A Kiss)
Silent Night / Noapte de vis

Watch “Please Come Back Home” video

Having just returned from their first American dates, Glasvegas tour the UK and Ireland, with White Lies in support November and December.

The tour will see the band play their biggest headline shows to date and has already included closing the BBC Electric Proms with Oasis, headlining the opening night of this years Mencap Little Noise Sessions at the Union Chapel, as well as a show with Echo & The Bunnymen in Liverpool at the Echo Arena (27th November) and a free performance at Edinburgh’s Hogmany Street Party (December 31st).

The full dates, with White Lies in support, are:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

November 2008

Thu 27th Liverpool Echo Arena (with Echo & The Bunnymen)
Fri 28th Bristol Ansom Rooms SOLD OUT
Sat 29th Swansea Sin City 01792 654 226
Sun 30th Cambridge Junction SOLD OUT

December 2008

Mon 1st London Shepherds Bush Empire SOLD OUT
Wed 3rd Nottingham Trent University SOLD OUT
Thu 4th Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall SOLD OUT
Sat 6th Sheffield Plug (0114 241 3040 www.the-plug.com)
Sun 7th Leeds Met University SOLD OUT
Mon 8th Manchester Academy SOLD OUT
Wed 10th Preston 53 Degrees (01772 893000 www.53degrees.net)
Thu 11th Hull University (01482 466264 www.seetickets.com)
Fri 12th Newcastle Digital SOLD OUT
Sun 14th Dublin Whelans SOLD OUT
Mon 15th Belfast Spring &Airbrake SOLD OUT
Tue 16th Glasgow Barrowlands SOLD OUT
Wed 31st Edinburgh Hogmany Street Party (Waverley Stage)

Glasvegas Official Website
Glasvegas MySpace