Public Service Blogcast Episode 11

The Hampshire town of Basingstoke hasn't enjoyed the best of reputations in recent times, it's image tarnished by it's high placing in the Crap Towns survey and being the birthplace of Carl Barat. However one man could go some way to restore the town's fortunes - Alan MX whose excellent debut album Warpsichord is released by STA in early 2009. Alan kindly gave up his Saturday afternoon to tell us about his record along with some interesting song selections.

Public Service Blogcast Episode 11
41 minutes 28 seconds
Recorded 29/11/08
Tracklisting
02.10 Alan MX - Warpsichord (from forthcoming Warpsichord album - Smalltown America)
10.13 Blevin Blectum - Cygnet (from Gular Flutter album - Aagoo Records)
14.36 Frankmusik - 3 Little Words (from 3 Little Words single - Apparent Records)
24.10 The Gadsdens - Lent (previously unreleased)
27.36 Anat Ben-David - Dyke Rider (from Virtual Lesiure album - Chicks On Speed Records)
34.15 Alan MX - Dangerous Sadness (previously unreleased)
38.00 Edward J. Hicks - Skelletonhand (previously unreleased)

There's more blogcast takeovers coming soon from We Versus The Shark and a Clive James/Angus Deayton style look back at 2008 with Andrew Ferris. If you have any feedback or want to get a track played, get in touch - email blogcast@smalltownamerica.co.uk

Public Service Blogcast Episode 10

Ten portions of new noise plus word of the upcoming uber-exciting STA Christmas fundraiser for Shelter starring the Thermals! This year the STA advent calender's big window is marked Sunday 14th December and shows a picture of King's College London Student Union. And a bit of chocolate.

Public Service Blogcast Episode 10
36 minutes 57 seconds
Recorded 18/11/08
Tracklisting
00.35 Bodies Of Work - Flyers (from forthcoming debut album)
03.36 Wet Paint - Hug It Out (from Hug It Out single - Trial & Error Recordings)
07.09 The American Dollar - Bump (from A Memory Stream album - self released)
10.26 Malpais - Sleep Come Lately (from Luka Is Leaving New York album - IBR Records)
15.08 I Am Alaska - Ghost (from A Day In A Life EP - No Sleep Records)
18.03 These Are Powers - Cockles (from Taro Tarot EP - Dead Oceans Records)
22.31 History - Blue Khaki Dance Party (from Ghosts in the City album - 24 Hr. Service Station Records)
26.08 Bear Hands - Long Lean Queen (from Golden EP - Guerilla Music)
29.56 Maths - Statue of Her (from Maths + Throats split mini-album - Holy Roar Records)
33.20 Cacaw - So Many Bags (from Get A Brain - Permanent Records)

If you have any feedback or want to get a track played, get in touch - email blogcast@smalltownamerica.co.uk

Out On A Limb 5th Birthday Celebrations

One of Ireland's finest independent labels Out On A Limb - has announced their fifth birthday party celebration.

Quite how Giveamanakick are going to play acoustically beggars belief and worth the admission itself:

5 YEARS OF MISSED DEADLINES
FRIDAY 21ST NOVEMBER
DOLAN'S UPSTAIRS, LIMERICK
DOORS 8PM,
FIRST BAND ON STAGE AT 8.30PM SHARP (ON THE DOT, LIKE)

Live: Crayonsmith, Giveamanakick (acoustic), Hooray For Humans, Rest, Ten Past Seven, Windings. OOAL DJS

Free wine for early arrivals, and limited edition individually-numbered OOAL CD/DVD compendiums will be available on the night.

Tickets: €10 from Dolan's

State Magazine are running a competition on their site later this week whereby you can win every album ever released on Out On A Limb. That would be a very pleasing nine in total...

Public Service Blogcast Episode 9

9 fresh new gems plus the lowdown on yet another festival - A Little Solidarity takes place across Belfast between Thursday 13th and Saturday 15th November with an astounding line-up including STA's own Fighting With Wire and newbies-slash-Solidarity curators And So I Watch You From Afar. With weekend passes costing a mere £12 how can you refuse? Press Play for more info.

Public Service Blogcast Episode 9
38 minutes 42 seconds
Recorded 13/11/08
Tracklisting
00.29 Small Leaks Sink Ships - Gutter Of Disneyland (from Until The World Is Happy; Wake Up You Sleepyhead Sun album - No Sleep Records)
07.55 Fighting With Wire - Photographs (B-side from Sugar single - Smalltown America)
11.38 Adebisi Shank - Snakehips (from forthcoming self-titled album - The Richter Collective Records)
14.30 Ponytail - Beg Waves (from Ice Cream Spiritual album - We Are Free Records)
18.33 I Hate Kate - Bed of Black Roses (from Embrace The Curse album - Glassnote Records)
22.35 The Limousines - New Year's Resolution (previously unreleased)
27.46 Anopechi - We Flew From Boats (from Killing A Snake In A Dream EP - Allhollowmass Records)
31.30 Cut The Blue Wire - Get Out Of The Road (from Revert, Restart, Reset mini-album - Alcopop! Records)
33.53 Cossacks!! - We Gotta Power, OK!! (previously unreleased)

If you have any feedback or want to get a track played, get in touch - email blogcast@smalltownamerica.co.uk

And So We Welcome Them From Afar...

We are pleased as proverbial punch to announce the addition of Belfast post-rockers And So I Watch You From Afar to the roster.

The eponymous full-length debut album will be released on Monday 23rd March 2009. The album will be preceded by the double-A sided single 'Set Guitars to Kill / A Little Solidarity Goes A Long Way' on Monday 9th March 2009.

And So I Watch You From Afar sprung onto the scene in 2007 with debut mini-album ‘This Is Our Machine And Nothing Can Stop It’. This year has seen the band steadily build their fan base, most recently joining Maybeshewill on a co-headlining, Rocksound-sponsored UK tour.

We are delighted to welcome ASIWYFA to the Smalltown America family. Their music is some of the most exciting that Northern Ireland has produced in the last five years, their commitment to the local scene is something we wholeheartedly applaud. This new record will melt faces.

ASIWYFA guitarist, Tony Wright said, “We are delighted to be working with a label that shares our enthusiasm for innovative and exciting music. With this alliance solidly forged, a debut album waiting to be unleashed and our unbreakable will to make the most tantalizing, new music out there - the world may yet spin backwards due to our uncompromising sound.”

The full track-listing for 'And So I Watch You From Afar':

1. Set Guitars To Kill
2. A Little Bit Of Solidarity Goes a Long Way
3. Clench Fists, Grit Teeth...GO!
4. I Capture Castles
5. Start A Band
6. Tip Of The Hat, Punch In The Face
7. If It Ain't Broke, Break it
8. TheseRIOTSareJUSTtheBEGINNING
9. Don't Waste Time Doing Things You Hate
10. The Voiceless
11. Eat The City, Eat It Whole

For further information please contact Brian at HQ

And So I Watch You From Afar Myspace

Public Service Blogcast Episode 8

In the first of an occasional series of blogcast takeovers, this episode is co-hosted by friend of STA Dan Ormsby from Brighton power-pop outfit 4 Or 5 Magicians. Thanks to Dan for the excellent song suggestions. Fist-shakes at Dan for the idea of trudging through torrential rain to tape the show at the Fly in London...during that night's soundcheck (hence the not-great sound quality).

Public Service Blogcast Episode 8
52 minutes 53 seconds
Recorded 01/11/08
Tracklisting
00.29 Copycat Vigilante - Seconds Out (previously unreleased)
03.24 Shrag - Long Term Monster (previously unreleased)
07.04 4 Or 5 Magicians - Behind Each Others Backs (from forthcoming Behind Each Others Backs single - This Is Fake DIY)
15.36 Dutch Husband - Fractures (from Fantasy Blanket And The Fall Chorus album - self released)
18.34 Popular Workshop - Reptilians (from We're Alive And We're Not Alone album - This Is Fake DIY)
24.15 Devon Sproule - Plea For A Good Night's Rest (from Upstate Songs album - City Salvage)
29.09 Laura Hocking - Strongmen And Acrobats (from Ossophone - self released)
33.46 The Stapler - To The Trees (from Metaphysical Haircut limited album - Columbus Discount)
42.12 4 Or 5 Magicians - The Switch That Turned Off The Sun (previously unreleased)
48.45 Thieves In Suits - To The Bone (from self titled self released EP)

If you have any feedback or want to get a track played, get in touch - email blogcast@smalltownamerica.co.uk