Record Store Day: Sat April 17th 2010

Record Store Day is the yearly event that brings together all Independent Record Shops around the world and for a day only sells exclusive and very very limited records, dvds, cds and tapes. Last year was a huge awesome beast of a success and this year the record labels have stepped up their game big time with the following items for sale (this is only a small small list, there is lots more too!) Check out the comprehensive list HERE

Thermals/Cribs – Split 7 inch single (Kill Rock Stars)

Beach House – Zebra – 12’ Coloured Vinyl (Bella Union 700 only)

Fucked Up – “Daytrotter Session” – MATADOR 7 inch single 500 only

Arthur Russell – ‘Calling Out Of Context” – ROUGH TRADE US IMPORT 500 ONLY.

Of Montreal – Back To School 7 inch single (Forte Distribution 100 only)

Dum Dum Girls / Male Bonding -‘Pay For Me / Before It’s Gone’ . Split 7’ inch single (Sub Pop)

Wooden Shjips – 7 Inch single. What it is / Buddy (300 only Forte music)

Happy Birthday – ‘Shampoo’ 7” inch single (Sup Pop)

+ lots and lots more!!

In addition to record stores selling amazing stuff, the people at The Iron Wagon and Nation of Shopkeepers have got together with Jumbo and Crash Records in Leeds to do a party to celebrate Record Store Day with special live guests Chapel Club, The Rent Boys and Minnaars, should be tasty.

Join the Facebook event for the Leeds day HERE!

Introducing: Zola Jesus

I stumbled across Zola Jesus a couple of weeks ago, completely by accident as usual, now I'm pretty obsessed, not actually obsessed but I've listened to Zola Jesus a lot this week compared to say Double Daggers who I love but they've gone on the back burner for now. She'll will be playing a good few shows in Texas next week so I'm going to try and catch one or two. Her new EP 'Stridulum' is out March 9th and can be bought from her website next week Buy from here.

Forthcoming Iron Wagon shows in Leeds

As usual January was pretty quiet, but we had some nice gigs in February such as Egyptian Hip Hop, Yuck, Is Tropical, Real Estate, Fair Ohs, Spectrals, David Bazan, Postdata (Wintersleep), She Keeps Bees, Band of Skulls, Chew Lips, Gyratory System and more. So onto the Spring bookings and its looking pretty sweet already. Below are all the minute details you'll need.

01/03 - Invasion / Bo Ningen @ Nation of Shopkeepers (FREE GIG)
04/03 - Phenomenal Handclap Band @ Nation of Shopkeepers
06/03 - The Crookes / Race Horses* @ Nation of Shopkeepers
12/03 - Four Tet @ TJ’s (Sold Out)
01/04 - Kong / Chickenhawk / Blacklisters @ Nation of Shopkeepers (FREE GIG)
02/04 - Islands / Tigers That Talked @ Nation of Shopkeepers
05/04 - Silent Front*** @ Nation of Shopkeepers (FREE GIG)
13/04 - The Bomb / Mob Rules** @ Nation of Shopkeepers (FREE GIG)
15/04 - The Strange Boys @ Brudenell Social Club
17/04 - Chapel Club* @ Nation of Shopkeepers
23/04 - Hudson Mohawke (Warp) @ Nation of Shopkeepers
07/05 - Band of Skulls @ The Cockpit
08/05 - Cold Cave* @ Nation of Shopkeepers
10/05 - Best Coast / French Kissing @ Nation of Shopkeepers (FREE GIG)
13/05 - Double Dagger / Friendship @ Nation of Shopkeepers (FREE GIG)
23/05 - Goldhearts Assembly @ Nation of Shopkeepers (FREE GIG)
24/05 - White Hinterland @ Nation of Shopkeepers (FREE GIG)
25/05 - Sian Alice Group @ Nation of Shopkeepers
28/05 - The Nextmen @ Nation of Shopkeepers
22/06 - Hot Water Music** @ Irish Centre

* as part of No Bones / ** with WYSAS / *** with British Wildlife

All tickets can be purchased from Jumbo, Crash and Seetickets.com

Buy from JUMBO

Buy from CRASH

Buy from SEETICKETS

Best Coast - When I'm With You by The Iron Wagon

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & the Cairo Gang

Hands u if you don't love Will Oldham, mmmm no one put their hand up, there's a surprise. Well I'm sure you'll all be pumped to know that Drag City have uploaded a new Bonnie Prince Billy song in celebration of his new album/collaboration with the Cairo Gang 'The Wonder Show of the World' due out in March. The track isn't on the album so its probably a taster of the material or whatever.

Click here to go to the site and hear the new track.

MillionYoung arrive to satisfy the Washed Out in you

(above - Toro Y Moi, not MillionYoung)

Since Panda Bear's album Person Pitch became the huge underground hit it deserved to be, there's been a steady wash of young electronic producers coming out in the states and mesmerizing the internet generation with secret releases, impossible to get hold out 12"s and inspirational sounds that you've never heard before. The list is slowly building day by day with the likes of Toro Y Moi, Neon Indian, Small Black, Active Child, Washed Out, Memory Tapes etc having releases out last year and early this year. The more aware people out there will see an obvious link with the likes of electronic acts that were popular in the mid 90's such as Nightmares on Wax (and their 2nd album Smokers Delight), Boards of Canada, Four Tet, Plaid and even earlier artists like The Orb, The Future Sound of London and even Brian Eno. Easy connection to make if you're over 25 but bear in mind these new producers were all of 8 or 9 years old when labels like Skam started up in 1996 in the wake of the post house/back to basics explosion. So when you hear the new oft referred to style of chillwave (horrible) these youngs guys are being purely experimental and may not now about The Future Sound of London etc, therefore making this new sound even more exciting.


(Above - MillionYoung)

Posted below is a link to the debut EP by MillionYoung, the latest of acts ready to trip you out and make you feel like summer has already arrived. You can see them at SXSW next month with the likes of Best Coast, Eternal Summers and tons of other ace new acts, if the suns shining it'll be the best backdrop ever.

Download the MillionYoung EP 'Sunndreamm' here

MillionYoung - Youthless by The Iron Wagon

The Strange Boys April UK tour

The Strange Boys second album 'Be Brave' is released on Rough Trade on Monday 22nd February, I've heard it and its a little gem, more polished than the first, but much better songs and hooks, in my poinion, obviously everyone is different so I would suggest checking out the forthcoming single, also entitled 'Be Brave' and making your own minds up.

THE STRANGE BOYS, "Be Brave" from EJ on Vimeo.

They will be playing at Nation of Shopkeepers in Leeds on Thursday 15th April, there will be a limited amount of tickets available (150 to be exact) so get one now as I think after the UK reviews of the new album come out it'll get pretty big.

Tickets are on sale this week from normal outlets.

WILD YAKS.....the sound of maculinity!

I've had four Wild Yaks tracks on constant rotation now for about six weeks, they have a sound which reminds me of a countrified Clutch or a semi graceful Scissorfight, add that to a guy with a saxophone and some male chorus group and you have WILD YAKS. They look a bit dirty but have an air of intelligence and aloofness. Thanks to a kind Iron Wagon reader I have now been told that Wild Yaks do have a release and you can buy it HERE!!!. I love them so much it does my head in, I doubt they'll ever come to England and I missed them at SXSW last year, fucksake, so the world turns....



Here is a link to three Free MP3s which arrive courtesy of my third favourite magazine The Fader.



Kids! Learn more about Wild Yaks by watching this amusing and entertaining short film, its about 5 minutes long and features an ex-girlfriend. Watch it HERE

Wild Yaks Myspace

Wild Yaks: "River May Come" from cutandpaste on Vimeo.

HUDSON MOHAWKE unviels live shows

Scottish Hip Hop producer/DJ Ross Birchard aka Hudson Mohawke released his first full length LP 'Butter' last October on Warp much to the appreciation of music lovers and critics everywhere. After Hudson returns from his stint at SXSW in March, he will embark on a short run of live shows in the UK. As yet these dates haven't been announced but he will be playing Leeds in April and more news on that will be announced in the forthcoming week. Until then you should familiarize yourself with his soulful techno Hip Hop and check him out live.

Hudson Mohawke Myspace

Hudson Mohawke - "FUSE" from Kase on Vimeo.

Yeasayer - 'ONE' (Free Download)

In order to spice up more unnecessary interest for the forthcoming 'Best Album Of The Year' nomination, Yeasayer are giving away their latest track free from various sources. The latest comes courtesy of
Rcrdlbl.com, you need to register with an email address but its a legal port to get the track from, so use that instead of some dodgy site.

Yeasayer 'ONE' via RCRDLBL.COM

Pre order 'ODD BLOOD' via their website

Click here to watch the wonderful 'Ambling Alp' video

Freelance Whales

Freelance Whales are a five piece folk pop act from Queens, NYC, they sound very similar to Iron and Wine circa 2003 before Iron and Wine started to sound like Yeasayer, not in a bad way just an accidental way. If you get a chance and are lucky enough to be at SXSW this March they have at least 5 shows over there, no venues or times have been announced yet but keep checking their myspace. Their debut album WEATHERVANES is out on 16th March (in time to buy it at one of their SXSW gigs. Or you can order it from HERE.



Freelance Whales on Hype Machine

Freelance Whales on Last.fm