Fyfe Dangerfield, the 29-year-old frontman of quirk-pop band The Guillemots has a knack for creating sweeping, unbelievably romantic songs. He did it with the Guillemots’ ‘Made Up Love Song #43′ and has done it again with his new track.

‘She Needs Me’ is taken from Fyfe’s first solo album, ‘Fly Yellow Moon,’ and will be released 11th January on Geffen Records. Hailed by Zane Lowe as the Hottest Record in the World on 18th November, the track is said to be the most pop-sounding song on the album – it’s certainly more pop-sounding than ‘When She Walks in the Room,’ the free download you get for signing up to his mailing list (trust me, it’s well worth it). But while it may be conventional compared to his usual sound, the track is anything but boring. It perfectly combines strings, horns, pounding piano and powerful vocals (even falsetto at times) – a combination that could easily come out as a jumbled mess. It’s the little touches, like the tinkling piano about 2 minutes in, that really take the song to another level. This is the genius of Fyfe Dangerfield – he somehow manages to be the kind of pop star you can take home to your parents while still being pretty damn cool.

If the music itself doesn’t make you fall in love with the song, then the lyrics will. Sung with such honesty and emotion that it saves them from sounding clichéd or cheesy, the lyrics are simple and romantic: “you pull another blanket ’round me / this is where I want to be / she needs me, and it’s ok”. On his website, Dangerfield says “I’ll always, whether or not I actually want to, be drawn more than anything to emotions rather than the mathematics of music”. And that is why this single is just as genius as any of the Guillemots’ tracks. It’s the pure musical representation of a simple feeling: “I am yours, you can do what you like with me.”

‘She Needs Me’ will be released 11th January on Geffen Records. The album ‘Fly Yellow Moon’ will be released on 18th January, and is available for presale on fyfedangerfield.com in both standard and deluxe editions.

Fyfe will be playing four gigs in the UK around the release of the album:

Mon 18th January 2010 – Birmingham, Glee Club
Tues 19th January 2010 – Manchester, Deaf Institute
Wed 20th January 2010 – Glasgow, ABC
Thurs 21st January 2010 – London, Scala

There Goes The Fear is primarily a music blog as many of you can probably work out by our rantings and ravings. However, every so often there comes along a film or a TV show that we just have to talk about – last month we raved about MTV’s great Pete Doherty documentary. For February, we reckon you should check out FM, a new show on ITV2 next Wednesday evening.

The series follows a London based radio station and a group of fame-hungry friends who run a daily “indie” show. Chris O’Dowd (who you’ll know from The IT Crowd) and Kevin Bishop (from, errr, The Kevin Bishop Show and also Star Stories) play the DJs Lindsay Carol and Dom Cox, who, let’s face it, would be sacked if they were on most radio stations. Whilst Nina Sosanya (from the amazing Teachers) plays their producer, Jane Edwards, with the up-tight portrayal she does so well of someone responsible for the whole show.

It’s a sort of hybrid of “The Office” and “Peep Show” – both hilarious and eye-wateringly embarrassing at the same time. Whilst it’s pretty good in its own right, the special “Live lounge” style performances and real-life celebrities are what take the show from good to great. They’ve got the likes of Guillemots, Ladyhawke, Wombats, The Charlatans, The Subways, all performing or as a guest on the show oh, and Justin Hawkins (who has a new album out, funnily enough).

Some of the show is hilarious (the dating exploits of all members of the team are absurd and all the better for it), some of it is musically great (Guillemots all around a piano, playing the same piano) whilst other bits are quite cringing (Ladyhawke’s laptop going “missing”). Either way, it’s captivating viewing, and looks set to be (just about the only) good reason to tune in to ITV2.

FM is like “2 pints and a Packet of crisps” (the cult BBC3 show) – it’s a bit of a guilty pleasure show, simple enough to dip in and out of without missing too much. I must admit, not usually an ITV watcher (let alone ITV2), however this could be one to catch on ITV Player one hangover-filled Sunday afternoon.

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=52532141

FM is on ITV2 Wednesdays at 10:30pm. Catch the official website here, and myspace here.

Those quirky lot, The Guillemots, have announced a November UK tour of some more bizarre venues than many bands have played this year.

Lead singer, Fyfe Dangerfield commented on their press release “We want to get to places that are off the usual touring circuit that’s reeled out, and really mix around the type of venues we’re at each night. It makes it more fun for us and audiences too. And the set will be different as well. We’ll definitely be trying out something we’ve never played live before.”

Accompanying Guillemots on the tour will be film events company Future Shorts – with whom the band collaborated for their re-scoring of the David Lynch classic Eraserhead at this year’s Latitude Festival. Each show on the November tour will be preceded by a selection of short films re-scored live by the band.

Not sure if you want to catch them live, or need a bit of persuading to splash out on a ticket? Then why not catch their live show they did at Amsterdam’s Paradiso in June this year? It’s available now over on Fabchannel

Tickets are on sale now, from the usual sources, and also from Sandbag.

Catch the Guillemots at:

Friday 7th November – Birmingham Custard Factory
Saturday 8th November – Bath Pavilion
Sunday 9th November – York Duchess
Tuesday 11th November – Inverness Eden Court
Wednesday 12th November – Middlesbrough Empire
Thursday 13th November – Edinburgh Picture House
Saturday 15th November – Lancaster Library
Sunday 16th November – Sheffield Plug
Monday 17th November – Bradford St Georges Hall
Wednesday 19th November – Liskeard Carnglaze Caverns
Thursday 20th November – Falmouth Princess Pavilion
Friday 21st November – Portsmouth Pyramid Centre
Saturday 22nd November – Brighton St Georges
Monday 24th November – Derby Assembly Rooms
Tuesday 25th November – Cambrige Junction
Wednesday 26th November – London Barbican

I promised myself I wouldn’t mention the festivals this summer, with the vast majority of them having shockingly awful lineups (yes, Reading / Leeds / Wireless / Glastonbury, I’m looking at you). However one festival has consistently attracted my attention: Connect.

I’ve already mentioned it before, but the new bands they’ve added to the lineup this week means I have to mention it again: it’s like my dream festival lineup.

Not only do they already have Kasabian, Manic Street Preachers, Franz Ferdinand, Sigur Ros, Bloc Party, Gossip and friends, they now have the amazing Ladytron, Guillemots and NME favourites Glasvegas. Quite honestly, I’d give anything to see this lineup, as it looks pretty darned good compared to the rest of the festivals. All they need to do is add Delays and The National, and I’ll be up there in a flash.

If I were you, come payday I’d get a weekend ticket, which are priced £120 and weekend tickets with camping are £140. To buy, log onto their website or call Ticketmaster on 08444 999 990

Back in the swing of things again with their new album, Red, Guillemots have announced an extensive tour for May and early June.

Tickets are on sale now, priced between £13.50 and £16.50 each.

Sunday 18th May – Norwich UEA
Monday 19th May – Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall
Tuesday 20th May – Lincoln Engine Shed
Thursday 22nd May – Liverpool Academy
Friday 23rd May – Glasgow Barrowlands
Saturday 24th May – Dundee, Fat Sam’s Live
Monday 26th May – Leeds Met Uni
Tuesday 27th May – Newcastle University
Thursday 29th May – Bristol Academy
Friday 30th May – Southampton Guildhall
Saturday 31st May – Brighton Dome
Monday 2nd June – Coventry Kasbah
Tuesday 3rd June – Nottingham Rock City
Wednesday 4th June – London Forum

Keane are set to host a mammoth night at Brixton Academy in November in aid of the War Child Charity. The band, who have supported the charity for a couple of years now are releasing the War Child single “The Night Sky” on October 29th.

The night will also see performances from The Magic Numbers, Guillemots and the Pet Shop Boys

Tickets go on sale on Friday (September 21st) at 9am.

Photo is taken from hseikaly’s flickr stream under the Creative Commons License.

As I mentioned yesterday, the rest of the Somerset house gigs have been announced, with an impressive lineup. I’d quite like to see most of these bands… but obviously I probably won’t get a chance.

Thursday 12 July Mogwai in surround sound
Friday 13 July Kasabian
Saturday 14 July Bert Jansch featuring Beth Orton and Bernard Butler
Sunday 15 July Guillemots
Monday 16 July Lily Allen
Tuesday 17 July Mika
Wednesday 18 July Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Thursday 19 July The Roots
Friday 20 July Amy Winehouse
Saturday 21 July Hot Chip

Presale is now available here