When I first introduced The Alexandria Quartet back in March, I loved their unique blend of mainstream Starsailor, Supergrass, early Radiohead and, at times, Rufus Wainwright. Still getting the occasional play on the hour long journey to or from uni, it’s a great piece of pop-rock.

They’ve just released their second single from the album, The Dark Side of the Blues, which is out now on iTunes, and have TWO videos for it – the top one is the “official” one, with the bottom one being another one that’s floating around and I think I actually prefer.

Get the latest Flash Player to see this player.

Get the latest Flash Player to see this player.

Wow, it seems just about everyone has decided to announce a tour today, with our biggest posting day EVER here at TGTF. We’ve now got over 1,000 posts, which are read by around 15,000 unique visitors each month. So, thanks for stopping by.

We spent part of today speaking to Kyte and Defend Moscow for two interviews which will be going up later this week, once the new tour announcement flurry has died down. Our poor inbox is overflowing with some great new bands and information, so if you’ve written to us recently we WILL get back to you soon. If we don’t, it’s only ‘cos we don’t like you. (Joke!)

Moving swiftly on. We mentioned last Tuesday about The Rakes‘ (pictured right) new tour. Their very nice people have been in touch and pointed us in the direction of a free MP3 you guys can have. The Light from your Mac is one of the first tracks to emerge from their forthcoming third album, Klang (out 23rd March), and features the usual powerful guitar riffs, and great lyrics. Download, enjoy and then get their album.

MP3: The Rakes – The Light from your Mac

I laid my grubby mits on Airborne Toxic Event’s new album yesterday, having first heard their new single “Sometime Around Midnight” (below)  on Saturday morning on Nick Grimshaw’s Radio 1 show. Once I’d got around the fact that the lead singer sounds a bit like Johnny Borrell, I slowly fell in love with their tunes. Then I read a feature on them in last week’s NME… and quite liked them, so don’t be surprised if we write about them more here at TGTF.  Think U2, Editors and Interpol with a dash of Placebo and you’re halfway there.

If you’re a big fan of riff-heavy, fast, dirty, catchy indie guitar rock (any more adjectives to pop in that sentence d’you think?) then you might want to take a listen to Flashguns (pictured top). They’re a London and Brighton fourpiece (and lets face it, who isn’t these days?), but instead of just the same-old-same-old indie by numbers approach they seem to have a bit more talent. Two MP3s are below for your enjoyment. Like them? Love them? Hate them with a passion? As ever, let us know in the comments below.

MP3: Flashguns – Timehouse Blue
MP3: Flashguns – Ro Shambo

Was quite happy with the results of yesterday’s Orange unsignedAct with Sony Ericsson – Tommy Reilly was definately the best one considering one of my favourites, Bo Bruce, was no longer in the running. Hopefully bigger and better things are on the card now for the young Scotsman.

Finally, before we sign off for today, I came across this great advert on youtube (thanks to Howies). How amazing.

Night everyone. Back tomorrow!

Things are a bit crazy here at TGTF at the moment – for some reason this week our hits have gone through the roof (so hello if you’re new around these parts!), and we’ve been a tiny bit swamped with emails, so apologies if we’re slow to get back to you / write shiny new posts!

Now, onto the good stuff.

You’ve probably heard that the Isle of Wight festival’s announced its Friday lineup of big bands, with The Prodigy headlining, Basement Jaxx, Pendulum and the Ting Tings all playing the first day of the festival.

Crazy Germans Whitest Boy Alive (pictured top) have a new album, “Rules”, out on 30th March and have given us a preview of it (below). Think a slower Hot Chip, or a more German Royksopp, with some funky late night beats, quite chilled out but at the same time quite groovy… have a listen:

MP3: Whitest Boy Alive – Island

Now for a quick step back in time – Paul Carrack (yeah, the name range a bell for me too…), one time member of Roxy Music, Squeeze, Mike and The Mechanics (ooh, so that’s where we know him from) has a new album out, one of the 60 (yes, sixty!) that he’s featured on. Taken from ‘I Know That Name’, enjoy a free album track as a download below, or go out and buy current single, ‘I Don’t Want Your Love (I Need Your Love)’.

MP3: Paul Carrack – It Ain’t Easy (To Love Someone)

Favours for Sailors (pictured top right) sound like a crazy mix of the View and the Beachboys – chaotic yet melodic. Woo. There’s a great intro piece over on Drowned in Sound here, and a free MP3 below:

MP3: Favours for Sailors – I Dreamt That I Dreamt that I loved you

I’ve been reading a lot about Animal Collective of late – their new album seems to have the pro bloggers all in a tiz, so I thought I’d see what all the fuss about. Below is a video of “My Girls”, which sounds pretty darned amazing I think.

I meant to pop this up last night, but somehow didn’t quite manage it, so here are some things that are tickling our fancy here at TGTF at the moment.

We were sent two very special MP3s yesterday from Red Light Company (who we introduced here, and are off on tour shortly). Their debut album is out shortly, so expect more coverage as that comes out – they’re really rather great. Download and enjoy, as ever.

MP3: Red Light Company – Arts And Crafts (School of Seven Bells Remix)
MP3: Red Light Company – Be the One (Ting Tings cover)

You may remember that we’ve proclaimed our love for Fabchannel before, the video service which lets viewers catch gigs filmed live. They’ve announced that tomorrow night (Wednesday 21st January) they’ll have of Montreal (pictured top) live on their website – just go here from 6:30pm (GMT) and catch the action as it happens from Amsterdam. Expect colour, chaos and anything else that begins with C when the US experimental popsters take to the stage.

Like a bit of down and dirty indie-rock? The 51/50’s have announced that they have a new single out next Monday (26th January). The rising foursome count The Rolling Stones, Guns N’ Roses, Thin Lizzy and Oasis all amongst their influences, and have an incredibly sing-it-loud style that would keep most Kooks or Pigeon Detectives fans of today happy, along with the older school who love the Stones or Guns and Roses. “Lies” is that great sort of song that everyone will love, so make sure you pop on down to your local independent record store or iTunes come Monday to get hold of a copy to say you were one of the first to discover them.

Finally, you know I love Friendly Fires. I’ve caught them live twice, now they’ve gone and released what must be the last single from their debut album, Skeleton Boy. As with all great songs, there’s a great video… featuring Skeletons. See the great pun they did there? Oh, okay. Watch it below. Apologies about the quality – couldn’t find a better one around.

The amount of emails we’ve been getting this past week has been quite something – so many new opportunities, great bands getting in touch, and some quite bizarre questions too (including one genius who asked if TGTF was a “music website”…. erm, last time we checked it was!)

First up, Daniel Merriweather (pictured top) has a new single out on February 2nd. Recognise the name? Yes, it’s him from “Stop Me”, Mark Ronson’s massive hit. He’s got a great voice, and he’s embarking on a solo career at the moment, starting with “Change”, the first single to be taken from his forthcoming “Love & War” album. I have a feeling I’m gonna have this stuck in my head, much like “Stop Me”. Watch the video below, and fall in love with him…

Some of you may have spotted that iTunes have announced a new flexible pricing scheme for their music, and (perhaps the biggest news story) have ditched the irritating copy protection from their songs (Guardian news story here). It seems to have been hailed by just about everyone, with Popjustice commenting “Does this DRM-free thing mean that people have now totally given up on the idea of revenue through music sales?” (Twitter). We7’s CEO Steve Purdham (who we first mentioned last week) hailed the news by commenting that “the spectrum of choice for music lovers is now greater than ever before and the stage is set for 2009 to really open the boundaries of digital music consumption”. Couldn’t have put it better myself.

Coming up on There Goes The Fear, we’re going to catch a preview screening next week of a new MTV show about Pete Doherty, and we’ll be bringing you a live review of the Kerrang! Relentless tour after the 20th when we catch the tour in Oxford. We may also be catching Keane in February, and possibly the Gaslight Anthem too. Yes, it’s all go.

As ever, if anyone wants to write for TGTF please don’t hesitate to contact us – tell us a bit about yourself, and we’ll take it from there.

Worst movie? I can reveal that after going through what I can only describe as cinematic torture, ‘The Day The Earth Stood Still’ is by far the worst movie I’ve ever paid to see. Some decent acting but overall it was awful. Reccomend it to someone if you’re in the mood for an evil prank, though I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy..

Moving on to music – we’ve seen some impressive breakthroughs this year however 2009 also looks to be a year of promise. This is a list compiled with the top bands that you need to keep your eyes and ears open for over the course of the next twelve months

1) Nick Harrisson

I’ve championed this young singer-songwriter since first hearing the insanely catchy ‘Oi Rudeboy,’ reccomending him to anyone who’d listen. Follow up single ‘Something Special’ does not dissapoint and lives up to the high expectations ans became familiar with after his debut. 2009 sees the release of his first album and I wouldn’t be surprised at a huge tour topped off with a few festival slots. This ska-reviving indie pioneer shows no signs of slowing and as he gains aclaim from critics and fans alike, I predict a couple breakthrough awards along with the 2010 Mercury Prize for the Londoner..

2) S.C.U.M.

S.C.U.M. – Visions Arise live at the Underage Festival ‘08

S.C.U.M. may appear to the over-inulgence of a group of fashionistas but the truth is far from it. The band have already recieved praise from similarly attired Farris Rotter of The Horrors and their debut single ‘Visions Arise’ released earlier this year bet displayed their potential to create new age post-punk at it’s very best. They’re edgy yet keep the music together, fashion-consceice yet maintain an attitude which suggests their apathy. They have truly struck a fine balance and 2009 and should bring them more success, possibly another single or two, or an E.P. and if all goes well an album?? topped off with a few more festival dates and a national tour..

3) Ipso Facto

London’s all girl garage indie quartet are already generating hype after the release of their debut single amongst other EPs and such.. The band will tour with Magazine all through Febuary and an album is said to be in the works. Backing S.C.U.M. and these progressively minimalist phscy-goth rockers may suggest that 2009 will introduce us to many more Horrors-esque acts, and indeed these bands have recieved backing from other media including the NME and Artrocker. The videos of their two (brilliant) singles to date can be found below..

Ipso Facto – Harmoise

Ipso Facto – Six and Three Quarters

No sooner than I put up the three videos on Monday than three more come along in quick succession.

Muse and The Streets: Who Knows Who
I love Muse, as you may have guessed. I used to hate The Streets but since I saw Mike Skinner at Wembley I’ve changed my views of them… so what better than the two of them together in a breakdancing video? Sounds crazy I know, but it just works. (Disclaimer: I receive a small payment for every one of you who watches this video)

The Coral: Being Somebody Else
Who doesn’t love these scousers? Exactly. Watch their new single below.

The Subways: I Won’t Let You Down
Old school style video for The Subways new one. Bitterness coming through from them? No, of course not!

Ladytron: Runaway
This may not be my favourite Ladytron track ever, but just about anything they do is fine by me!

Ben Folds: Hiroshima
From his new album, initially I wasn’t such a big fan of this first single… however it’s grown on me. Reportedly recorded on the back of a “Rock this Bitch” in Germany, it’s no “Brick”, but very tongue in cheek… just why we love Ben.

Gnarls Barkley: Reckoner (Radiohead cover) live
Personally I think Gnarls Barkley are a bit old hat – sure, Crazy was good, but the rest just sounds the same to me… however this glorious cover of Radiohead’s Reckoner is pretty darned good…

Below are some of the videos I’ve been enjoying this week…

Red Light Company: Meccano
We introduced you to Red Light company back in April, and this is their amazing video to Meccano… definately ones to watch in coming months!

Lykke Li: Breaking Up
I’ve fallen in love with this Swedish lovely recently, and this video just adds to my love of her. Looking a bit 80’s, it compliments the song perfectly.

Vampire Weekend: Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
Since a friend introduced me to the wonder of Vampire Weekend, I’ve been in awe of them, and this summery tune and the video just makes me wish the rain wasn’t here so much!

Coldplay: Viva La Vida
I know, most people are getting a bit sick to death of this song, but frankly I can’t get enough. The video’s pretty dreamy, and would be better if Chris Martin wasn’t doing his “aeroplane” arms the whole time.

Alphabeat: Boyfriend
Cheesy, classic pop from the Danish geniuses. Nothing too complicated, nothing too mould breaking.

We Are Scientists – Impatient
Who doesn’t love this New York duo? Another sterling video from them featuring lots of hair.

Hanson: MMMBop
Now, who doesn’t love this? Simply, pure pop magic.