From accounts I’ve heard so far, We Were Promised Jetpacks have been wowing audiences across North America on their latest tour, which just wrapped up on 15 March. And at these shows, singer Adam Thompson has been referring to “our new EP” which is called ‘The Last Place You’ll Look’ and will be released digitally in the UK on 12 April. I’ve seen the Scottish quartet twice now and really love the immediacy of their debut album, ‘These Four Walls’. So I’ve been itching to get my hands on their new material.

‘A Far Cry’, the first song on the new EP, sounds like the Jetpacks’s “going to war” song. Darren Lackie’s drumming on the song should bring everyone to attention. The spare guitars from Thompson, guitarist Michael Palmer and bassist Sean Smith in the lyric-less ‘The Walls are Wearing Thin’ are proof that these Scots are technically dextrous with their instruments. They put in good effort with ‘With the Benefit of Hindsight’; the only problem with the track is that in the joy of putting horns with their usual backing, Thompson’s vocals are muddled and lost in the mix. For me, his powerful vocals are a central source of power in the band’s songs, so it’s the one disappointment I have with this EP.

Two of the songs should be familiar to WWPJ fans: for this EP, ‘Short Bursts’ and ‘This is My House, This is My Home’ have been reworked and give way to amazing results. An uncle of mine once asked me what they sounded like, and at a loss of how to describe their hard-hitting live sound I said, vaguely, “uh…punk? Rock-ish?” But you’d never think of these songs as punk. The re-do of ‘Short Bursts’ is less raw, warmer. And the new version of ‘This is My House…’ is slowed down, with added strings and Thompson’s emotional Scottish brogue coming together to feel like your mother wrapping you in a warm blanket. Lovely. While this EP is a good stop-gap between albums, it’s made me look forward to their sophomore effort and hope that they’ll be able to take the maturity evidenced in this EP and combine it winningly with the ‘These Four Walls’ laddishness.

As alluded to in my Rock ‘n’ Roll Hotel gig review last month, I couldn’t buy this EP at the show because the merchandise table had disappeared from its post before I could get over there. And I’ve found out why I couldn’t find information on the physical release of the new EP: the physical format will only be available at their shows this year, so word to the wise: if you’re like me and prefer physical CDs, be sure to see them live and buy this great EP in person.

7/10

We Were Promised Jetpacks’s new EP, ‘The Last Place You’ll Look’, will be released digitally by Fat Cat Records on 12 April and can be pre-ordered now. The physical format of the EP will be available exclusively at the band’s live shows this year.

Soulful singer-songwriter Pete Lawrie feels that his music is very hard to classify. He says, “If I had to give my current sound a name, I would call it Southern blues country rock skiffle hop tronica, whilst cringing at my own pretension.” But that explanation over-complicates things. When I listen to his EP, ‘How Could I Complain?,’  what I’m struck by is the simplicity and authenticity of his music. There are no gimmicks and there’s nothing over-thought, it’s just a man expressing himself beautifully through his music.

While there’s nothing particularly groundbreaking about his music, there doesn’t have to be. His bruised, growling voice drips with the emotion behind the songs, and it’s this that really captivates the listener. In his biog, he explains that “the last few years have been without doubt the most amazing, eye-opening, terrifying, hilarious, devastating, glorious times in [his] life,” and it’s this emotion that resonates through the songs.

The four-track EP takes it’s name from the first track, ‘How Could I Complain?’. In it, Lawrie asks “So tell me how could I complain?” when he hasn’t experienced some horrible things like deaths in the family, and philosophizes, “you wouldn’t know joy if you didn’t have pain.” This mid-tempo track has a very rustic feel to it, which you really get a sense of in the video below. Second track, ‘Panic,’ has a raw, visceral feel to it. With Lawrie’s raspy voice over pounding piano, hand claps, cowbell and distorted guitars, you get the feeling your listening to an exposed nerve. The second half of the EP is a lot slower and more laid-back, but doesn’t lose any of it’s emotional intensity. ‘Paperthin’ uses strings and tinkling piano to great effect, and is very relaxing to listen to, and ‘Jimmy and the Birds on Fire’ is simple and beautiful, really showcasing Lawrie’s voice.

So if you’re tired of voices that have all the emotion auto-tuned out of them, then give Pete Lawrie a shot – his voice will make you feel emotions you never even knew you had.

‘How Could I Complain’ will be released on 5th April 2010. Pete Lawrie is on tour now with Turin Brakes. See our ticket alert for more information.

English piano rock outfit Keane have been known for their uplifting, piano-driven tracks (think ‘Somewhere Only We Know’) from their debut album ‘Hopes and Fears’ (2004) through their most recent release, ‘Perfect Symmetry’ (2008). While their use of piano as their primary instrument rather than guitar is certainly different than most other bands out there, they’ve never strayed far from this distinctive Keane sound. If the track ‘Stop for a Minute’ is anything to go by, then that’s all going to change with their upcoming EP, ‘Night Train.’

Seeking to experiment with their sound, last summer Keane collaborated with a number of people, most notably Kanye West, but their most fruitful collaboration was with Somali/Canadian rapper K’Naan. They recorded two songs for the EP with the socially conscious musician, including ‘Looking Back’ and ‘Stop for A Minute.’ Lead vocalist Tom Chaplin has said “I think those tracks show us in a completely different light,” and I have to agree.

But for any fans worried about their new direction, it’s still distinctly Keane. In fact, ‘Stop for A Minute’ sounds exactly like what you’d expect if you put a rapper on a Keane song. The track has a stronger, more hip-hop inspired beat than most Keane songs, but the piano and Tom’s powerful vocals are still there in full force. While Tom Chaplin and K’Naan trade off on vocals throughout the verses, they’re both singing – the only actual rapping happens in the bridge, and it’s integrated seamlessly. So take a deep breath, Keane fans, and enjoy this irrepressible track. As it says on their website, “It’s still Keane, and it’s still ace. Trufax.”

‘Night Train’ will be released on CD and available for download on 10 May, and you can pre-order a special numbered edition of the EP through the Keane Store right now by clicking here. They will be touring the UK in June, read our ticket alert for more information, and click below to purchase tickets for the remaining three dates that aren’t sold out.

If you’re a regular reader of the There Goes The Fear, you’ll be down with how exciting Manchester is for us right now. It’s a hub of musical amazement, knocking out soon-to-be-huge bands like tasty hot cakes. So, I guess you’ll understand how thrilled we were this week when we got an e-mail telling us about an E.P which is set to showcase this mass of awesomeness upon an upcoming sparkly 10” vinyl next January.

Titled Love and Disaster 1, the E.P, which shall also be released digitally, is said to be a “collaborative effort by the people and artists that are going to make Manchester a focal point for new music in 2010”. Featuring Airship, Dutch Uncles, Jo Rose, Delphic and Everything Everything, this is one HELL of compilation – in fact this shiny treasure of a record is practically here to shed light on Britain’s undoubtedly Mancunian-led musical future.

From the tender, Grizzly Bear-esque ballads of Jo Rose, to the jerked-up indie of Dutch Uncles (‘OCDUC’, the band’s song which is featured on the E.P, showcases a piano riff which I swear is ripped from Tay Zonday’s Chocolate Rain), to the epic summer riffs of Airship and finally, the digitally suave hit that is Delphic remixed by Everything Everything (I know I know what a combination), this E.P is pretty set on blowing your ears off with it’s brilliance. MINT!

You can pre-order the ‘Love and Disaster 1′ 10” vinyl now. The E.P is released January 11th.

“The Boy Who Trapped The Sun” is the recording/stage name of Colin MacLeod, a singer-songwriter hailing from the Isle of Lewis (that’s in the Hebrides, off the North-West coast of Scotland for the less geographically informed amongst us.) A couple of years back he made the move to the mainland down to London to make a name for himself beyond his locale.

“The Watermark E.P.” is a four track offering from the Scot, which no doubt demonstrates his ability to write emotional and melodic songs, with a melancholic edge to it all. It starts off with the relatively upbeat “Leaving”; it bounces along at a sprightly pace with some nice female backing vocals in the chorus which give the track just a bit more depth. From here on in however, the whole affair is a bit more downbeat, with the rest of the tracks seemingly difficult to distinguish from one another.

The talent is there no doubt, there are some real gems in terms of lyrics dotted throughout. From what I gather almost all the instrumental work is done by himself, and his voice suits the music he makes down to the ground, and as much as I hate to do it to him, I can’t help but hear echoes of Damien Rice in his voice. The songs individually are all decent songs which stand up well in their own right. My only qualm is the songs collected onto one disc. It doesn’t really work in that with it being four tracks; there isn’t enough variation in there to really grab your attention. Not to say that the lad isn’t worth keeping an eye on, this just falls a little short for me.

6/10

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MP3: The Boy Who Trapped the Sun – Fragile Eyes

We’re big fans, and alas, have wrote quite a bit about exlovers here at TGTF. We had a chat with the band back in January, and even brought you the quintet’s on-the-road escapades via their tour diary (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4). So, we were unsurprisingly excited this week when the band’s debut EP, You Forget So Easily, plopped through the letterbox. Produced by the demigod that is Stephen Street (Blur, The Smiths), You Forget So Easily certainly looks set to propel exlovers that little more into the musical limelight.

The EP kicks off with title-track, ‘You Forget So Easily’, the intro of which sounds a tincey wincey bit like The Cure’s ‘Inbetween Days’. A sugary sweet song on the whole – ‘You Forget So Easily’ gallops along nicely with it’s boy-girl harmonies and speedy, upbeat acoustic rhythms. The pace is brought down a little, however, with track two, ‘New Years Day’ – a delicate number laden with beautifully fragile vocals.

‘Just A Silhouette’, the third track on the EP, is fan-pop-tastic. Chirpy and fun, the song is stiched together nicely by it’s tumbling indie guitars. Meanwhile, track four, ‘Incomplete’, notches the pace up to a whole new level. The song’s speedy tempo is a breath of fresh air amid the tamely-kept EP. The racing riffs, penetrating bass and brash drums are complimented nicely by the cute vocals layered prettily over the top.

The EP is ultimately wound down to a slower pace, however, with ‘The Moon Has Spoken’. Gentle vocals are sung over a folky-vibe acoustic, while exlovers showcase their beautiful hum-ing work midway through the song. A nice little track, ‘The Moon Has Spoken’ ends the entirely enjoyable ‘You Forget So Easily’ on an aptly dreamy note.

You Forget So Easily is released on the 14th of September via 10” vinyl and download. Keep an eye out on the band’s MySpace page for ordering details.

Here at TGTF we love to draw attention to the best music for your listening pleasure. Often acts are criminally underrated,in which case we do all the more to try and get the word out.  Unfortunately Adam Ficek’s project Roses Kings Castles falls under this obscurity.

Adam put out a brilliant album last year (check out our interview) and is back again with a new EP (out next monday!!) PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell all your friends and pick up your own copies on vinyl or CD depending on which you fancy. Awful to see such talent be ignored by those higher up the media scale.

He’s busy again on road ’til September with dates darted across the UK, see below for more info.

Tuesday 4th August 2009 – EP Laucnh secret gig (email rosessecretcastle@googlemail.com with name and number for invite)

Wednesday 5th August 2009 – EP Launch London TBC

Sunday 9th August 2009 – Newquay Barracuda

Thursday 13th August 2009 – Northern Ireland Omagh

Wednesday 16th September 2009 – Portsmouth The Cellars

Thursday 17th September 2009 – Brighton Prince Albert

Sunday 20th September 2009 – Birmingham – The Victoria

Thursday 8th October 2009 – Dublin Whelans

Hailing from Leeds, Dinosaur Pile-Up are a quirky little trio, who, rather than take influence from fellow local talent (think iForward Russia! and, er, Kaiser Chiefs), prefer to revel in nostalgic indie-rock from over the pond, ala Foo Fighters, Jimmy Eat World and Weezer. On the 17th of August, the Dino’s shall be releasing their personal take on said American lo-fi via the nicely titled ‘The Most Powerful EP in the Universe’.

The EP kicks off with ‘Summer Hit Single’. The title of the song could not be more apt, really. A gritty, pop-punk guitar grinds itself beneath the Weezer-stylee vocals of the verses. A deliciously shiney riff proceeds to make an appearance throughout the song, while the general super-fun vibe mean this track ultimately ends up sounding like a summery, American-indie-pop record perfectly fit for an appearance on The O.C.

Track two, ‘Opposites Attract’ sounds like a fantastical cross between Nirvana’s ‘In Bloom’ and ‘Beverly Hills’ by Weezer, while the blunt ‘Cat Attack’ explodes with energetic drums and Dave Grohl stylin’ distorted riffs.

Track four, ‘Melanin’ is a slower-paced number, which is lead by grunge guitars going like clockwork throughout the song. A pointed riff layers nicely over the top, while the added delicate harmonies mean this ballad-esque number is really quite beautiful. The EP comes to a close, however, with ‘Beach Bug’ – a dark, fuzzy number brimming with angry (but not overly scary) guitars and dry, Cobain-stylee vocals. Filled with scuzzy attitude, Dinosaur Pile-Up effortlessly close the show with this uber rocking number.

All in all I’d rate this EP well. Dinosaur Pile-Up’s super grungey, super lo-fi sound is really quite refreshing amid all the synthetic electro and indie that is overtaking the charts at the moment. I wouldn’t go as far as to call it the most powerful EP in the universe just yet, but Dinosaur Pile-Up, you’re certainly getting there with this one!

The Most Powerful EP in the Universe by Dinosaur Pile-Up is released on August 17th on Big Brain / Friends Vs Records

This installment of ‘Notes from the Underground’ features two of Pop Arts most promising bands and we review their new albums ahead of their release today. First we look at Awwblot’s debut ‘The Hi-Fi Low Life’ before giving our verdict on Bronotsaurus’s mini-album ‘You’ve Created A Monster.’

AwwBlot And What Will Be Left Of Them? – The Hi-Fi Low Life (Pop-Art London)

Listening to an album which is already outdated due to line-up changes is perhaps a sign of the fast paced life of a modern day indie outfit, and opener ‘DIY not DIE’ follows suit with a fast tempo and raw energy. This follows through for the rest of the record, speedy guitar riffs and catchy hooks help to cement the tracks in your mind.

Even when the rave-energy has calmed the substance remains, the beginning of ‘Jesus’ displays the band’s ability to capture an ambient tone (though it does eventually turn to garage rock). This however brings out one of the bands biggest weaknesses – their repetitiveness. It seems no track can be complete without a breakdown and whilst they’re fun for a while it soon starts to take a toll and it’s easy for the listener to lose interest..

Songwriting is another avenue where the band fall over.. the atrocity of ‘Dance, Damn You, Dance’ stick with the listener throughout the record, though there are improvements later on. The album progresses quite well, leaving disasters like ‘Orlick! Orlick!’ behind, the record closes with the infectious ‘Kids in America/Goodnight Lucy’ which makes sure that the bands promise remains ringing in the ears as the record closes.’Goodnight Lucy’ is somewhat shocking – a bare track without nu-rave keys. Pure acoustic’n'vocals is a surprise especially after a whole record of boom boxing rave-anthems. It shows the bands ability as musicians but leaves it a little late..

Overall the album isn’t fresh or anything new, if anything it’s average generic indie-dance which fails to leave behind a lasting impression, that being said there are signs of promise and whilst songs like ‘Dance, Damn You, Dance’ are written poorly they are parasitic and spread like a cancer to engrave themselves in your head. There might be a lot lacking but but I guarantee you’ll go back for more..

6.5/10

Bronotosaurus Chorus – You’ve Created A Monster (Pop-Art London)

The folky opener of Brontosaurus Chorus’s mini-album is a dark and angsty explosion – the stringy ‘Love Is The Path To Self-Destruction.’ The chorus and dramatic vocals set a high standard for the band but unfortunately the peak is reached must to early in this LP. Juxtaposed with the awful ‘Now We’re Making Out’ the first track seems like the work of a genius. The lyrics are cringeworthy; “Now we’re making out/underneath the stars.” However the progression of sound through the track is interesting, the reggae-ish skaness after the two minute mark is listenable but then the embarrassing chorus returns to remind you why you’d turned the volume down.

‘Cat Song’ starts well, the raw drums provide a good energy and the songwriting isn’t a write off. The whole track follows suit and it is definitely a highlight of the record as a whole, the pre-clamatic jam is a zealous array of sounds and has a strangely psychedelic tone to it. ‘Bonfires’ which follows starts off as an ambient chill-track, but one thing that the band can’t escape is the multi-instrumentalism. The cello and violin lose their novelty and the start of ‘David Bowie’ backs up the boredom.

The next two tracks follow along the same lines and the album fails to reach the heights of either the opener or ‘Cat Song.’ There is some promise here but the band are in desperate need of better production, too many chefs (instruments) are ruining the dish (album). The album is salvaged by the two strong tracks and combined with the debut-tag we can give the band the benefit of the doubt until album number two.

5.9/10

And that sums up this edition of Notes From The Underground.. check back later this week when we review new singles from Ono Palindromes, Walk. Don’t Walk. Driving By Night, The Penny Black Remedy and Go:Audio.

Before putting on  ‘A Call To Arms’ you read about vocal comparisons to Ian Curtis and Morrissey. You hear of the distinct style combining a ‘British attitude to song making’ with ‘bollocking rocking brilliance.’ An image of a band that cannot exist is created – however once you hit play it feels as though half our body is transported to the 80s during the height on post-punk-mania, whilst the other alf sits waiting in the noughties amidst the ashes of what once was the innovative UK indie scene. So it’s true then, you instantly know, this band is everything it says on the packet.. 80s guitars mixed with Ian Curtis-esque vocals and aromatic lyrics. The instant-classic nature of leading single ‘The Fallen’ delivers on every level and cements the bands position as ‘movement creating’ Brit-rockers.

At a time when post-punk revival has effectively become monotonous pop, bands like The Social are re-innovating the indie scene, pushing boundaries that haven’t been touched since the emergence of The Libertines – whether they move and others follow is yet to be seen. ‘UK Gothic’ takes a political stance missing in today’s un filled mainstream, vocalist Laurence Hussey stressing; “Bastion of middle England/Bastard child of Thatcherism,” the slower tone contrasiting with the upbeat ‘To The Bone.’ The juxtaposition bringsout the bands musical versitality, though the lyrics remain politically-based; “The national treasure in red and white” - the Orwellian influence is evident.

‘Under Grey English Skies’ takes us to the 80s again, this time with Jam-esque guitars. The varying changes in tempo and lyrics; “I’ll bring the fight to you” provide a riot anthem feel similar to the infamous’Eton Riffles.’ The musical brilliance justifies the supporting slots the band won for Babyshambles, The Rakes and The Psddingtons. Upcoming live shows include a slot at the Enterprise in Chalk Farm on 26th November, followed by a show at cafe 1001 on 16th December.

Final track Hugo is suitably slow to give a sense of closure to the brilliant EP. Overall, the North London rockers are amongst the many bands looking to reassemble the ‘broken indie scene,’ and if ‘A Call To Arms’ is anything to go by, The Social are succeeding. This band are here to stay and their rise up the indie ladder is imminent after this breathtaking debut.

The EP is released on the bands own label; Divided London on 16th February 2009. You can pre-order a copy from their myspace page.