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LATEST NEWS
DECEMBER - 2007
Our overview with a "Best of 2007" compilation in one Play List can now be found - > HERE
ANOTHER YEAR DRAWS TO A CLOSE - END OF YEAR MESSAGE ...
As everyone, including ourselves, start preparing for their Christmas and New Year break, we would like to wish everyone a happy new year. As far as the music was concerned, 2007 began really well with a lot of great albums, but we felt that with the exception of a few new bands who emerged after the summer, it started to fade somewhat in the last quarter of the year as far as upcoming and exciting talent was concerned ... hopefully things will change again for the better during 2008. Our end of year poll with our Best Albums of 2007 should be announced just before or during the Christmas break (hopefully by 22nd Dec). As for January 2008, you should not expect that much activity as far as latest news items are concerned. In fact, due to a well earned holiday and our intention to travel to various locations all over the world, it is going to be at least the 28th January before any of us get to sit behind a computer again! Anyway, as the year draws to a close we will leave you with a few thoughts that will hopefully make life a little more interesting and not so bloody dull and predictable all the time. Over the past decade we have gradually allowed ourselves to slip or fall under the control of a "lets not offend anyone government". The politically correct have even ensured that we now become uncomfortable when hearing a bit of criticism, especially when it refers to their policies or plans. As for the music industry, this year we have even encountered various record companies (The V2 and EMI offices in The Netherlands being prime examples) who started suffering from what we call "The Ostrich Syndrome" because we dared to give negative reviews to some of their acts - see also the article below about EMI - For changes to happen, for artists to thrive, for genuine talent to rise above all those bland and uninspiring subsidized art projects (that we are all indirectly paying for!) then more people should occasionally shake a few trees, question what they are told, and to even lodge a few complaints from time to time, otherwise we run the risk of becoming even more part of a dumbed down nation full of sheep! - "Subsidy kills creativity": For more info, see our previous article (initially from November 2006) about the state of the music industry in The Netherlands - > HERE
This month we are suddenly hearing about various acts explaining why their record company EMI appears to have totally lost the plot! This is something we at AAPA have also encountered first hand, especially this year, when dealing with the staff at the EMI Benelux office who can probably best be described as "rude, having no or very little knowledge about the artists signed to their label, and very possibly they have employed people who are totally incompetent!" (and that is us being polite!) - This month, Paul McCartney, RADIOHEAD (photo), and even Robbie Williams (who are or were signed to EMI) have all been releasing statements, complaining about EMI. More info can be found at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/news/20071217_radiohead.shtml - See also our previous article about RADIOHEAD under NEWS 11 - 2007
The annual EuroSonic & Noorderslag Festival in Groningen (NL) will run between Thursday 10th & Saturday 12th January. Some of the bands we recommend that you watch out for include BLOOD RED SHOES, THE DEAD 60s (photo), THE DYKEENIES, THE TING TINGS, REVEREND & THE MAKERS, LIGHTSPEED CHAMPION and DOES IT OFFEND YOU, YEAH? - For more info you can go to our NEW BANDS section in which we had tipped some of these bands as far back as 2006, while some of their tracks have already been included in our Monthly Playlist throughout 2007. You can also have a listen to selected songs from the artists by going through AAPA`s MySpace
NEW ALBUMS: During the first quarter of 2008 you can expect new albums to be released by EELS, PANIC! AT THE DISCO (photo), HOT CHIP (see article below), JESUS AND MARY CHAIN, THE KILLS, WE ARE SCIENTISTS and GOLDFRAPP (see other article below), while MORRISSEY will be releasing a "Greatest Hits" album, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE will be releasing a "live" album, and there are rumours that PORTISHEAD will finally release their brand new album! - More info to follow once available ...
As their follow up to their Mercury Music Prize nominated album "The Warning" from 2006, HOT CHIP return early next year with a brand new album - "Made In The Dark" (EMI / DFA) which includes the single 'Shake A Fist' and will be preceded by the single 'Ready For The Floor'. The songs are described as propulsive, repetitive, rhythmical, methodical, wonky, intimate, beautiful and uniquely Hot Chip. "Made In The Dark" is out on 4th February and a 13 date UK tour will coincide with the release.
GOLDFRAPP have unveiled the artwork for their next single 'A&E' (out on 11th February 2008) and have also announced details of a one-off intimate London gig, which coincides with the release of their fourth album "Seventh Tree" (Mute). The duo will appear at London's Union Chapel on 4th March. The album, their follow-up to "Supernature" (Mute - 2005) will be out on 25th February in the UK. See also previous article under NEWS 11 - 2007
 - More NEW SINGLE RELEASES FOR 2008: On Monday 4th February, the hotly tipped JOE LEAN & JING JANG JONG will be releasing a brand new single entitled 'Lonely Bouy' (Mercury), while iLiKETRAiNS will release 'We Go Hunting' (Beggars Banquet) as their new single on the same day. You can have a listen to selected tracks from both bands by going through AAPA`s MySpace
Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. has confirmed details of a second album - "Searching For The Hows And Whys" (Atlantic) - that is expected to be released on 3rd March 2008. It is the follow up to "The Chronicles Of A Bohemian Teenager" (Atlantic - 2006). Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. is in fact just one person: Sam Duckworth, who back in 2005 played at the music industry conference 'In The City' in Manchester, and was then signed to Atlantic Records. You can also expect more touring from Sam early next year.
 
NEW SINGLE RELEASES FOR 2008: On Monday 14th January THE COURTEENERS will be releasing a brand new single entitled 'What Took You So Long' (Polydor), The WOMBATS release 'Moving To New York' (14th Floor/Warner) which includes a Paul van Dyk remix, UNDERWORLD are going to bring out 'Beautiful Burnout’ (Underworldlive.com / PIAS) as a single, and LIGHTSPEED CHAMPION (photo below) will release 'Tell Me What Its Worth' as a single in the lead up to his debut album "Falling Off The Lavender Bridge" (Domino) coming out a week later.
The NME ... Unbiased or just a coincidence?
Over the past week there has been a lot of press generated about an alleged rift between the British music magazine NME and MORRISSEY (more info at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7118412.stm) - We decided not to cover it because we are only interested in the music (see previous article about the new Morrissey album below), and didn't want to be seen to be going down the path of self promotion or those "they said, he said" scenarios. It certainly isn't the first time that artists and publications clash over articles (I even seem to remember a similar incident involving the NME and Morrissey back in the early 90`s?) and it won't be the last. But one thing that does strike us as odd is the manner in which the NME appear to be rather selective in the manner of their reporting. As an example, earlier today (6th December) they have run a story about how KLAXONS are to work with David Bowie producer (see article at: http://www.nme.com/news/klaxons/32990) in which they inform music lovers that the band want to work with Tony Visconti on their next album. But it is what they suddenly don't write in this article that is actually rather worrying! You see, Tony Visconti is a legendary producer (he started back in the late 60`s with T.Rex and then David Bowie, before going on to produce the likes of Sparks, Thin Lizzy, The Stranglers, etc over the decades that followed, and more recently even Kristeen Young) but it is now about 5 years ago since he last produced Bowie, and by weird coincidence it was only last year that he produced Morrissey`s critically acclaimed "Ringleader of The Tormentors" album. I`m afraid it doesn't take a genius to work out that if this same story about the Klaxons new album had broke a month ago then NME would most certainly have included Morrissey in the same sentence as Tony Visconti. Actions speak louder than words, and it looks like NME have opted to throw their rattle out of their pram and in our opinion have just shown their arses! ...
 
NEW SINGLE RELEASES: On Monday 10th December FOALS will be releasing 'Balloons' (Transgressive) as their new single, and then at the start of 2008, The MACCABEES release 'Toothpaste Kisses' (Polydor) on Monday 7th January, the same day that CLOCKS are bringing out 'All I Can’ (Island). Then a week later on 14th January MADNESS are back with their new single entitled 'NW5' (Lucky Seven)
 BLOOD RED SHOES will release a re-recorded version of 'You Bring Me Down' (which was actually included in the AAPA Monthly Play list for JANUARY 2007!) as a single on 28th January 2008, and will also tour both the UK and Ireland during January and February. Then a month later, just prior to bringing out their as yet untitled debut album, they will release 'Say Something, Say Anything' as a single in March 2008.
Following on from our earlier report (see below), RADIOHEAD have now confirmed that their 2008 live date in Holland will be in Amsterdam on Tuesday 1st July. Go to our GIG LISTINGS section for more info.
AUTECHRE are back with a brand new album (their ninth) and a tour in March - "Quaristice", which is the follow-up to "Untilted" (2005) will be released on Monday 3rd March through Warp Records. They are also due to play a gig in Amsterdam on Thursday 6th March. Go to our GIG LISTINGS section for more info.
KT TUNSTALL has just released a live EP through EMI with recordings taken from her recent UK tour which includes 'If Only', 'Black Horse And The Cherry Tree' and a live version of recent single 'Saving My Face'. The Scottish singer has also released a limited edition Christmas EP which includes her versions of 'Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)', 'Sleigh Ride', 'Fairytale of New York' & 'Lonely this Christmas'. KT has also just announced that in April next year she will be doing a gig in Amsterdam! - Go to our GIG LISTINGS section for more info. The full review from her critically acclaimed album "Drastic Fantastic" (Relentless / Virgin / EMI) can be found in our ALBUM REVIEWS section (from 12th September).
And staying with the Christmas theme, HOT CLUB De PARIS are to release a limited edition 7" Christmas single - 'Will You Still Be In Love With Me Next Year' will be available from Christmas Eve (24th December) and comes backed with a cover of The Clash's 'Straight To Hell' and will be limited to just three hundred copies. The band are currently recording their second album. A full review from January 2007 of their debut album "Drop It Till It Pops" (Moshi Moshi Records - 2006) can be found - > HERE
  
NEW SINGLE RELEASES: On Monday 3rd December MAXIMO PARK will be releasing ’Karaoke Plays’ (Warp) as their new single, while 'Sister Rose' by IAN BROWN is the second single to be taken from his fifth solo album "The World Is Yours" (Polydor), and ARCTIC MONKEYS are set to release 'Teddy Picker’ as the third single from their album "Favourite Worst Nightmare" (Domino)
As previously reported (see feature in NEWS 10 - 2007), MORRISSEY is expected to release his brand new album in September 2008. We have just heard that he has now signed with Polydor/Decca. His last album - "Ringleader of the Tormentors" (2006) was released on Sanctuary Records but since then his deal with them had expired.
DECEMBER PLAYLIST NOW ONLINE
click here for PLAYLISTS
RADIOHEAD have just announced details of European tour dates for the summer of 2008, including one gig in Amsterdam during July (venue still TBC), and various festivals including Roskilde in Denmark and the Werchter Festival in July. The band recently (8th November) did a live webcast in which they surprised a lot of people by doing a cover of The Smiths classic song 'The Headmaster Ritual' (the opening track from their "Meat Is Murder" album, 1985) and Björk`s 'Unravel' (from her "Homogenic" album, 1997), which has been described by singer Thom Yorke as “one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard.” - see also our previous feature about their new album which is due out on CD on 31st December in the news section from NEWS 11 - 2007
ALBUM OF THE YEAR - 2007
click here for the NOMINATIONS and how to vote!!
direct links for MUSIC NEWS (per month) for 2006 below...
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