September 2010 Newsletter

[0] MPFree: Skibunny - Baby, Get Into It

This month's free track is super-catchy pop gem lifted from Skibunny's debut album 'Hugs' - 'Baby, Get Into It' - play loud to invoke an Indian Summer!

Click here to download the track and scroll down to read more about Hugs and the launch show.

[1] Skibunny Debut Album Out Sept 27th 2010



We are proud to announce the release of the long-awaited, melodic masterpiece of a debut album 'Hugs' from electro-guitar-pop favourites Skibunny.

Skibunny is Tanya (vocals, guitar, keys) and Mark (vocals, bass, guitar, keys). Admired far and wide by the media and fellow musicians alike. Heralded as "Belfast's No.1 remixers, promoters and commotion causers" by NME, "a mighty fine band with feisty tunes" by Huw Stephens and "top drawer crunchy electro-rock with big choruses which shout in your ear about a party going on in a house six streets away" by The Irish Times. Skibunny have earned a well-deserved reputation around the world for their DJing and remixery and now present their full-length as a band.

With one eye on tunes and the other on the dance floor, 'Hugs' is 40 minutes of bittersweet electronic guitar-pop beating with an uplifting heart, sitting somewhere between New Order, Goldfrapp and The Cure, ranging from the washed-out bliss of 'Aah Ooh' to the crunching stomp of recent EP lead track 'Walk, Don't Walk', and including a re-imagining of the Afghan Whigs track 'Milez iz Ded'. The album's central theme is about wanting more than your lot, about taking risks in life and love, and if it doesn't work out? You pick yourself up, dust yourself down and do it all over again, but this time a little bit better. 'Hugs' also features guest vocals by Maps and Kaori Tsuchida from The Go! Team.

To celebrate the release, the band will be hosting a free-entry launch gig on a barge somewhere between The Waterfront Hall and the Queen's Bridge in Belfast on Wednesday 15th September. This will be a night like no other with a confirmed DJ set from Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite and a solo set from Belfast's most crucial newcomer Rams Pocket Radio. As if this wasn't enough (!!) there will be a Coney Island Sound DJ Set and the 15 Second Film Festival will set the tone of the night beautifully with live visuals throughout.

To guarantee entry to what will be a memorable night please e-mail info@smalltownamerica.co.uk
Places are limited. It is, after all, a barge.

'Hugs' itself will be available to buy from all the usual outlets from Monday 27th September and as always comes with a limited edition CD (containing specially-recorded material) when pre-ordered from the STA Store. Bag yours today by clicking here

The band will be touring 'Hugs' throughout the Autumn including a slot at the legendary Bestival.

4 September 2010 - Brownstock Festival, Chelmsford
11 September 2010- Bestival, Isle of Wight
15 September 2010 - The Barge, Belfast (Free Entry Album Launch)
17 September 2010 - The Bullet Bar, Kentish Town, London
18 September 2010 - Southsea Festival, Portsmouth
23 September 2010 - Carpe Diem, Leeds
24 September 2010 - Sneaky Pete's, Edinburgh (Album Launch)


[2] Fighting With Wire - Irish Mini-Tour



Fighting With Wire will be breaking in tracks from
Next year's 2nd album and offering Irish gig goers a tour-exclusive EP of more new material (details to follow later in September). Tickets on sale now.

24 September 2010 - Spirit Store, Dundalk
25 September 2010 - The Square Peg, Warrenpoint
27 September 2010 - Roisin Dubh, Galway
28 September 2010 - Bakers Place, Limerick
29 September 2010 - The Pavillion, Cork
30 September 2010 - The Workmen's Club, Dublin


[3] And So I Check Your Visas From Afar



Summer festival champions And So I Watch You From Afar make their final open air appearance of the summer at Ireland's Electric Picnic before embarking on their mammoth US tour with Trash Talk

3 September 2010 - Electric Picnic, Co. Laois
25 September 2010 - The Ottobar, Baltimore MD
26 September 2010 - First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, PA
28 September 2010 - Harpers Ferry, Allston MA
29 September 2010 - Jerkys, Providence RI
30 September 2010 - Santos Party House, New York NY

Pukkelpop 2010 was a rip roaring success for team ASIWYFA - check out their 'Road to Pukkelpop' antics by clicking here


[4] Roster Round-Up



LaFaro
Took a break from writing/rehearsing the contenders for album number two to perform at Reading/Leeds festival over the weekend! A massive thanks to all who took the time to check them out, the response was huge - they premiered on the BBC Red Button and everything. To catch a snippet of what you missed click here

Crooked Mountain, Crooked Sea
Will perform as special guests to Sky Larkin when they visit Brighton as they tour their fantastic 2nd album

10 September 2010 - Audio, Brighton w/ Sky Larkin

4 or 5 Magicians
Ahead of their October tour with Ace Bushy Striptease, 4 or 5 Magicians have two shows at the end of the month

23 September 2010 - The Rest is Noise, Brixton w/Jumping Ships
27 September 2010 - Jam, Brighton w/Still Flyin'

Illness
Illness are busy at work creating artwork for their recently-recorded debut album and gearing up for October's new EP and tour - if you want to book them for a gig in your town get in touch via the band myspace.

That's all for this month. Thanks for reading.

August 2010 Newsletter

[0] August Store Bundle Deal


Another new month offers up another new store bundle deal. This month we have nominated our 'newbies' Illness to take to the stand - Illness may be recuperating from a hectic July of touring and recording their debut album in the STA Studios but that doesn't mean they're resting , oh no far from it. This month, exclusive to the STA store, you can pick up their 'Gifts From God' EP and their fresh new T-shirt print for just £7. Stocks are limited - you know what to do.

"'Gifts From God' is a wonderfully, wonderfully uplifting blast of thundering instrumental post rock."

[1] MPFree - Crooked Mountain, Crooked Free


This month's free track is taken from Crooked Mountain, Crooked Sea's forthcoming new EP - it's entitled 'Like Mice in the Cellar'. We hope the band don't have mice, it's not very fun.

Click here to download the track and scroll down to read more about the band's new EP and upcoming tour dates.

[2] LaFaro: Reading, Leeds, Helmet & Europe


We've got lots of exciting LaFaro news this month. First up, we're very excited to announce that the band have been confirmed for BBC Introducing stages at both the Reading and Leeds Festivals, which take place across the Bank Holiday weekend at the end of this month. They'll be joining a bill that includes everyone from Guns n Roses and Arcade Fire to Rolo Tomassi and Stagecoach.

Looking further ahead, the band will be starting work on their second album in October (already? cool!), and will then head to Europe in November / December as main tour support to grunge survivalists Helmet. Dates for that tour can be found on their myspace, and here's a list of all the band's upcoming shows this month and next.

21 August 2010 - WARRENPOINT, Square Peg
28 August 2010 - LEEDS, Leeds Festival
29 August 2010 - READING, Reading Festival

The band continue to rack up tour injuries at an impressive rate. While Alan's foot has now recovered from his ligament damage and has shed his crutches, guitarist Dave took a body slam to the ground at Glasgowbury 2010 to round up in a sling with a stretched tendon in his right shoulder - rockstar antics that resulted in two trips to casualty. Were taking bets on what their next catastrophe will be, suggestions to the regular e-mail address.

[3] Crooked Mountain, Crooked Sea - New EP & Tour


August 16th sees the release of the Crooked Mountain, Crooked Sea's new EP, 'I Watched It From The Roadside'. It's six tracks of Cursive / Fugazi / Red House Painters shaped indie rock, and comes out as a digital download available at all online retailers and as a handmade CD.

The band also have some tour dates coming up this month:
13 August 2010 - DERBY, Bar One %
14 August 2010 - LEEDS, The Well %
15 August 2010 - SCARBOROUGH, The New Tavern %
17 August 2010 - LONDON, Old Blue Last %
18 August 2010 - BRISTOL, The Mother's Ruin %
19 August 2010 - BRIGHTON, Hectors House %
20 August 2010 - LONDON, Utrophia $
% with Amateurs
$ with Tall Ships

The CD version of the EP is a limited edition of fifty, and can be pre-ordered now via the STA online store.

[4] ASIWYFA Summer Festivals


In between laying down tracks for their new album, the ASIWYFA machine continues to plow through Europe's summer festivals:

13 August 2010 - GALWAY, IRE - Roisin Dubh
14 August 2010 - KILKENNY, IRE - Kilkenny Arts Festival
19 August 2010 - HASSELT, BE - Pukklepop Festival
20 August 2010 - NYIRBATOR, HU - Azfest Festival
29 August 2010 - VENLO, NL - Zomerparkfeest
3 September 2010 - CO LAOIS, IRE - Electric Picnic

[5] 4 or 5 Magicians - 1992: The Year Reading Peaked


Dan 4 or 5 is known almost as well for his series of themed-covers shows at the The Windmill in south London as he is for his slack rocker songwriting skills - previous shows have both explored the UK's fertile rock underground whilst being themed topics around the return of indie rock legends Pavement and Michael Azerrard's era-defining tome 'Our Band Could Be Your Life', and all have featured vast amounts of fun and great bands.

The series returns over the August Bank Holiday weekend, timed to coincide with this year's of the Reading Festival, but themed around the 1992 event. That year headlining performances from Public Enemy, The Wonder Stuff (really?) and Nirvana's last UK show, and perhaps their most legendary live performance ever. Not much to live up to there, then!

You can read Dan's thoughts on the subject over at the STA blog, but here's the lineup so far:

4 or 5 Magicians as Manic Street Preachers
Amy Blue as The Smashing Pumpkins
Kannberg 1664 (supergroup feat. Dan 4 or 5, Alexi Johnny Foreigner, Craig Internet Forever, Aaron Eelectricity and Lust) as Pavement
+ more to be confirmed

Headlining the event will be Bananirvana, THE ULTIMATE NIRVANA TRIBUTE. Dan (third set of the day) is donning his best wig to play the drums, and has recruited two ex-4 or 5ers to fill the guitar and bass roll. The singer? Well... IT COULD BE YOU. See the blog for more details, but Dan is hoping to get a different vocalist for every song - some from bands, some from members of the crowd.

That's all for this month. Thanks for reading.

July 2010 Newsletter

[0] MPFree: Illness Make 'Old Song' New

Everyone enjoy last month's bleep-assisted LaFaro remix? This month, to celebrate the release of their new EP, we have an exclusive live take on Illness' 'Old Song'. Click here to download the track.

More details about the band's new EP and their upcoming tour dates can be found just below.

[1] Illness' 'Gifts From God' EP Out Now

We've mentioned them on here before many a time, but let's recap. Illness are a two-piece from Brighton. Spencer plays guitar, Emilio plays drums, there is no singing. In fact, Gifts From God is a six track, twelve minute unrelenting argument against the need for vocals. It clearly convinced us, as we snapped them up and put it out.

Gifts From God is available now from iTunes, 7digital and all quality online retailers. It's also available as handmade, limited edition CD (including an exclusive video for 'Old Song'!) direct from the STA online store.

The band head out on tour this week, alongside Shield Your Eyes. Here's a list of the dates, and please note that a few dates on the tour have changed from those we've listed in previous mailouts:

July 7 - GLASGOW, Mitchells

July 8 - EDINBURGH, Henry's Cellar Bar

July 9 - BOLTON, Dog & Partridge

July 12 - SHEFFIELD, The Red House

July 13 - MILTON KEYNES, Windmill Hill Golf Club

July 14 - OXFORD, Jericho Tavern

July 15 - BRIGHTON, The Hydrant

July 16 - LEEDS, The Brudenell

July 17 - BRADFORD, 1 in 12 Club

Check out the tour poster as well.

To celebrate the release and the tour, the band also recorded an episode of the new STA podcast. It includes tracks from friends, compadres and tour mates Shield Your Eyes. You can find more details of that by clicking here.

The band are also working on a second EP and their debut album, but more on those in the future.

[2] Crooked Mountain, Crooked Sea Sign To STA

We're very pleased to announce another new addition to the STA roster, in the form of Brighton's Crooked Mountain, Crooked Sea. Despite being named after a somewhat Silver Jews / Pavement combination, the band draw more sonic inspiration from the crunchier side of indie rock (Cursive, Fugazi etc). Since forming they have have embarked on tours with Hold Your Horse Is and Shoes and Socks Off and won praise from 6music's Tom Robinson.

Their first release for STA will be a six-track EP in late August, titled I Watched It From The Roadside, accompanied by a tour with Amateurs. Preorders for the limited CD version will begin at some point this month, so keep an eyeout on the STA website and the band's myspace. The band also have a couple of hometown shows coming up this month:

July 8 - BRIGHTON, Hector's House (with Los)

July 30 - BRIGHTON, Pav Tav (with Shoes and Socks Off)

[3] STA Store July Bundle Deals

We've added some new summer bundle deals to the STA store, made up of items from our catalogue and various distro items we've taken on over the years. They're perfect for the hayfever sufferer in your life who is currently too terrified to go outside! We might have one of those on-staff...

July Vinyl Fever - £20/ 10 x Seven Inches!!!
July Special Bundle - £12/2 x 7's Plus Tshirt
Summer Festival Bundle - £20/2 x Albums Plus Tshirt

[4] FWW: Album Update & Video Diaries


Word on the street is that bar a few vocals the Fighting With Wire album is all but recorded. Catch up with the guys in Nashville via Fighting With Wire TV and check out new song 'The Dirty Shark'.

[5] New LaFaro Single & iPhone App Out Now

LaFaro's latest single, 'The Ballad of Burnt Dave', is out now via all major digital retailers, and includes the exclusive b-side 'Climate'. We have also launched a LaFaro iPhone app, which is an STA first! You can find it here for the very reasonable price of nothing.
The band have a number of live dates this month, kicking off with an appearance to Guilfest.
17 July - GUILDFORD, Guilfest (Rocksound Cave)
18 July - LONDON, Dogstar
21 July - LEEDS, Carpe Diem
22 July - EDINBURGH, Bannermans
23 July - GLASGOW, Capitol
24 July - DRAPERSTOWN, Glasgowbury Festival

[6] And So I Watch You From Afar Festival Highlights

Fresh - or the perma-touring ASIWYFA equivalent of the term - from supporting supergroup-du-jour Them Crooked Vultures at Brixton Academy on Monday night, Rory, Tony, Johnny and Chris will be laying waste to the following festivals - including 2 in 1 day!
16 Jul - GUILDFORD, Guilfest (Rocksound Cave)
16 Jul - CHELTENHAM, 2000 Trees Festival
17 Jul - LATVIA, Positivus Festival Salacgriva
19 Jul - NETHERLANDS, Festivale de-Affaire, Valkhofpark Nijmegen
30 Jul - MILTON KEYNES, Sonisphere Festival
31 Jul - GERMANY, Krach am Bach Festival Beelen

That's all for July - go outside, enjoy the sunshine. We'll see you next month.

Smalltown America - May 2010 - Newsletter

So, the volcano meant that I couldn't fly to Manchester today and now it's chucking it down in Derry. Typical Britain, huh? Nevermind, here's the latest, guaranteed 100% volcanic dust/water-proof, release and live news from STA Towers.

[0] MPFree: Skibunny

We're pleased to announce that Skibunny have joined the STA family! Already prolific remixers (including a number of mixes for STA artists), the Belfast/Edinburgh-sourced duo are gearing up for the release of their debut album later in the year. We're delighted to present you with a free MP3 of 'Baby Get Into It', which is taken from aforementioned album. 

The band are showcasing at the XFM/City Showcase night on May 8th @ The Borderline, London. We have two tickets to give away for the show - first two people to email Ash get em!

[1] LaFaro - 'LaFaro' - 10/05/2010

It's here! Fresh off their dates with And So I Watch You From Afar and their three night, sold out album launch in Belfast, LaFaro's self-titled debut album is released on CD/DD on May 10th. You can pre-order it now from our super-whizzy new store, all pre-orders are despatched with an exclusive bonus CDR. AlanLaFaro put on some lipstick kisses on the last batch - that's how much he loves his pre-orderers! If you've got the album already please tell us what you think of it on Twitter @STA_Records or @LaFaro.

We're also selling an exclusive t-shirt, to coincide with the release of 'Tuppenny Nudger', the first single from the album. The shirt is strictly limited to just 50 units, and features a design sketched byLaFaro's Jonny Black. You can order the shirt right now from from this mailout's exclusive, secret link

. 

We're also looking for some help in choosing the next LaFaro single. Maybe you can help and take our survey?

The band are on tour for the rest of this month:
6 May  - Strange Brew @ Roisin Dubh - Galway, Galway, IE     
7 May  - Electric Avenue - Waterford, Waterford, IE     
9 May  - Cyprus Avenue - Cork, Cork, IE     
11 May  - RTE 2FM *Radio Session* - Dublin, IE     
13 May  - Spirit Store - Dundalk, Louth, IE     
14 May  - Academy - Dublin , IE     
15 May  - INF - Warrenpoint, Northern I, GB     
17 May  - Moles - Bath, UK     
18 May  - Portland Arms - Cambridge, UK     
19 May  - Ink @ The Masque, Sound City Festival - Liverpool, GB 
20 May  - Captains Rest - Glasgow, Scotland, GB     
21 May  - Devitos - Arbroath, Scotland , GB     
22 May  - Hustlers - Dundee, Scotland, UK     
23 May - Bannerman’s - Edinburgh, Scotland, UK     
24 May - Duchess - York - South, GB     
25 May - The Well - Leeds, Midlands, GB     
26 May - The Flapper - Birmingham, Midlands, GB     
27 May - Unit - Southampton, Southwest, GB     
29 May - The Forum (All-Dayer) - Tunbridge Wells, GB     
30 May - Cowley Club - Brighton, South , GB     
31 May - Louisiana - Bristol, UK     

[2] Alan MX - 'Green Tea' 12 Track EP - 17/05/10

'Green Tea', the second single from Alan MX's interstellar debut album 'Warpsichord' will be released on May 17th. It is available in two packages - a six-track digital download EP, and a handmade 2 x CDR set containing the six track EP and a bonus remix EP. The physical release is limited to just fifty copies and can be pre-ordered right now for £5. There is a lot of love in this record, thank you to everyone that helped pull it together.

 

 

[3] ASIWYFA European Tour Continues...

"So I'm sitting in the venue in Warsaw home of tonights rock event it's been five weeks so far I believe and in a mere two we'll be back from our first ever European headline tour! Everyone is tired but in good spirits. 

We celebrated Johnny's Birthday in Oberhausen a couple of days back, which resulted in a day of inevitable hang-over on which we also had to injure a 15-hour drive to Poznan, glad that's over. So far it's been our best tour to date I think. 

The first ten days with LaFaro was predictably awesome, LaFarobeing awesome and all that. Then into Europe which has kind of hit us for six really, we had hoped it would be great but i dont think we thought it would as good as it has been. Almost every show has been rammed and the enthusiasm of the fans is incredible, to everyone making this happen we salute you. 

So anyways, we're home soon to get onto some writing before festival season, keep an eye online for the announcents, it's gonna be a good summer yes sir! Chris, Johnny and Tony send their love. See you on the other side guys." - Rory ASIWYFA

We've got the first round of summer festival confirmations that see the band heading out across the UK and mainland Europe:
2 May - Lodz Kaliska KRAKOW, PL
3 May - Pod Minoga POZNAN, GB
4 May - Exit Chmelnice Prague, cz
6 May - Mappa Club BUDAPEST, HU
9 May - Club Zukunft ZURICH, CH
10 May - Chelsea Vienna, AT
11 May - Magnolia MILAN, IT
12 May - Traffic ROME, IT
13 May - Locomotiv Bologna, IT
15 May - The Great Escape Festival, Brighton, UK

[4] 4 or 5 Magicians Present: Pavement Ist Rad! - 08/05/10

From the nostalgic individuals that brought you the 'There's Nothing Wrong With Covers' shows and the 'Our Band Could BBQ Your Life'weekender comes 'Pavement Ist Rad!', a tribute to the legends that are Stephen Malkmus, Mark Ibold, Scott Kannberg, Bob Nastanovich and Steve West. the beings otherwise known as Pavement - who are back in the country for a reunion and a final week of greatest hits shows in the UK.

"Their shows are £30, and feature just two bands on each night! The cheek! Ours is just £7 advance (tickets on sale soon!) and features 12 bands - what a bargain! There's a minimum tariff of three covers for each band, so you're guaranteed at least 36 Pavement songs you'll get in your afternoon / evening, as well as the very best of each band's own material!"

This is the current plan of action :

Popular Workshop
4 or 5 Magicians
Sir Yes Sir
Muscle Club
Kannberg 1664 (one-off supergroup, members of 4 or 5, Eelectricity And Lust, Johnny Foreigner and Internet Forever)
Monster Island
Men Called Him Mister
Ace Bushy Striptease
Amy Blue
Eelectricity And Lust
It's Fiction
No Plato

Doors @ 2:30pm
Bands 2:45pm to 11:30pm
Free BBQ @ 5:00pm
DJs until 2:00am
Advance Tickets Available Now

This is also your first chance to see 4 or 5's latest lineup and hear some of the new songs the band has been working on. Woowoo!

[5] Illness - Still Ill

We trust everyone liked the exclusive Illness track we gave away last month? The band's first EP is currently pencilled in for a July release - more details next month - but the band certainly aren't wasting time, as they've been out this week shooting a video for a track from their second EP. Woah. They're planning a bigger tour in July to coincide with the release, but for now they have a couple of shows coming up this month:

22 May - Preston Circus - Brighton, GB     
29 May - Camden Barfly - London, GB
30 May - Cowley Club - Brighton, GB

 

Thanks as always for reading,

Team STA

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