please see below for all our tips from the end of 2005 onwards ... of which the majority have since broken through!

2009 - Nieuwe bands...

Kijk hieronder voor al onze tips sinds eind 2005 ... de meeste zijn ook intussen doorgebroken!

October 2009

EMILY SMITH is a critically acclaimed singer-songwriter with a fantastic voice, who comes from Dumfriesshire in the South West of Scotland. So far she has made a huge impact in the Scottish Folk scene having released three albums; "A Day Like Today" (2002), "A Different Life" (2005) and "Too Long Away" (April 2008) on independent labels. She is out touring across the UK with her band during October and November, while early next year she is set to play almost 20 gigs in New Zealand with an Australian tour set to commence in March 2010. More info, including details on her new album "Adoon Winding Nith" which is due out next month, can be found on her MySpace site at: http://www.myspace.com/emilysmithband

Summer 2009

BAD LIEUTENANT are not so much a new band in that they are fronted by none other than New Order's founding member Bernard Sumner. In 2007 they formed as a band in Manchester, which also features Phil Cunningham (New Order / Marion) on guitar and newcomer Jake Evans on lead vocals. They have recorded and mixed their debut album and also enlisted the help of Blur’s Alex James and New Order drummer Stephen Morris. Their debut single ‘Sink or Swim’ is expected to be released next month (probably 21st September) - More info can be found on their MySpace site at: http://www.myspace.com/badlieutenantmusic

June 2009

SHE KEEPS BEES are a bass-less boy/girl duo from Brooklyn, who say they are influenced by the likes of Otis Redding, Grace Jones, Nina Simone, and Joan Armatrading, but sound more like they are the missing link between Mazzy Star, Nina Simone and PJ Harvey, with a bit of The Carpenters or Patti Smith thrown in for good measure! A few years ago (at the time of their debut album) they had been described as an indie soul-blues two piece, but have since been compared to The White Stripes (only in reverse roles) and Blood Red Shoes. Their debut album "Minisink Hotel" was released over in the States back in 2006, and their latest album "Nests" came out last year, which they have now followed up with the "Revival" EP in Europe which was released last month (May 2009) and is available through the Rough Trade Records shop (code: CDS names35cd) - She Keeps Bees (SKB) will be touring across Europe from June to September, and they are playing various dates in France and across the UK, along with one date so far in the Benelux region, in Middelburg, on 3rd July. SKB are Jessica Larrabee on vocals and guitar, and Andy LaPlant on drums, and are ones to keep an eye out for. You can watch them at a recent gig perform the song 'Wear Red' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE3Mcyq4X3U - More info can be found on their MySpace site at: http://www.myspace.com/shekeepsbees

Remember, the AAPA Monthly PLAY LIST usually gives you the best new music tips first!

May 2009

BYE BYE JOHNNY are an upcoming 5-piece band from Rochdale who have emerged from Manchester’s underground punk scene, and who are influenced by The Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks, Ramones, and the punk and Ska scenes from the late 70s, and have been compared with both The Clash and The Specials on recent single 'Take Cover With Me' (which you can listen to on their MySpace site) - Their latest single 'Carry Me' has just been released as a digital download. More info can be found on their MySpace site at: http://www.myspace.com/byebyejohnnylive

Remember, the AAPA Monthly PLAY LIST usually gives you the best new music tips first!

April 2009

THE CROOKES describe themselves as "four arts students from Sheffield, heavily influenced by 60's pop and all things quintessentially English, and that their live shows almost always include sing-alongs, unplugged songs, a range of instrument swapping and war-time romance..." which sounds a bit like they could be a cross between FIELD MUSIC and iLiKETRAiNS? (and we mean that in a very positive way!) - They have recently been receiving air-time on BBC Radio One, and their first release "A Collier's Wife/ By The Seine" will be out on limited edition 7" vinyl through the Too Pure label. We recommend that you give them a listen! More info can be found on their MySpace site at: http://www.myspace.com/thecrookesmusic





One of the bands to make an impression during SXSW last month in Texas were LOVE LIKE FIRE, a 4-piece from Las Vegas, who are signed to the UK indie label Heist Or Hit Records, and who are influenced and sound a bit like Siouxsie & The Banshees, with a late 80s / early 90s indie sound thrown into the mix (The Sundays, The Cranberries and Garbage have all been mentioned, so surely nobody should then forget Curve!) - They are set to release 'William' as a single on 6th April, while their debut album "Tear Ourselves Away" is expected to be out during the summer. More info can be found on their MySpace site at: http://www.myspace.com/lovelikefire

March 2009

BURN THE NEGATIVE are a 4-piece from one of the most North Western parts of England (Carlisle) who describe themselves as the saviours of new-wave electronica pop, providing us with a unique concoction of energetic trashy disco blended with electro beats, new romantic rhythms and the spirit of ‘70s punk, ‘80s rock and ‘90s house, and who have been influenced by the likes of David Sylvian & Japan, Gary Numan, Sonic Youth, and David Bowie. Others have quoted Ultravox, and that man Giorgio Moroder is being mentioned again! (see previous features below on Passion Pit and Little Boots from earlier this year) - Burn The Negative will be releasing their debut album "In The Atmosphere" (Gung Ho! Records) next month (27th April) - More info can be found on their MySpace site at: http://www.myspace.com/burnthenegative





OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT are a 4-piece indie pop band from London who built up a really good reputation last year while playing dates all over the UK, while in one review their singer (Tom Burke) has already been compared to sounding somewhere between Robert Smith from The Cure and David Byrne from Talking Heads (?) - They have just released the single 'The Girl From The BBC' (which you can listen to on their MySpace site), while their debut album "Understanding Electricity" (One Little Indian) is out later this month on 30th March. They are also doing a UK tour in March & April, including 7 dates supporting The Rakes in April. More info can be found on their MySpace site at: http://www.myspace.com/officialsecretsact





DUTCH UNCLES are a 5-piece indie band from Manchester, who have just released their self titled debut album on the till now obscure German indie label Tapete Records, and who have been drawing comparisons to bands like Foals, and who the NME recently described as drawing a line between the first Futureheads album and Vampire Weekend. Next month (April), they are out supporting Dananananaykroyd across the UK, and will release 'Face In' as a single to coincide. More info can be found on their MySpace site at: http://www.myspace.com/dutchuncles

Remember, the AAPA Monthly PLAY LIST usually gives you the best new music tips first!

SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS are a female fronted 3-piece from Brooklyn, who consist of twin sisters (Claudia and Alejandra Deheza) and former Secret Machines guitarist Benjamin Curtis, who are influenced by the shoegaze and indie electronica scene from the early 90`s (a bit like Cocteau Twins meeting New Order) and have been called a dream-pop band. Over in the States, they released their debut album "Alpinisms" (Ghostly International) towards the end of last year, while in the UK it was released last month (23rd February) - SVIIB have just completed a brief UK tour, and are due to return in the coming months when they will be out supporting both Bat For Lashes and White Lies - More info can be found on their MySpace site at: http://www.myspace.com/schoolofsevenbells





Several years ago, SNOWFIGHT IN THE CITY CENTRE were an indie band from Manchester that were influenced by New Order, Bowie and Sigur Ros. They first came to our attention during ITC 2006, and then had their single 'Six Seconds' included in our Monthly Playlist back in April 2007 - Since then that band have split up but three of the band members have now become the 80`s indie scene influenced DELPHIC - who are still based in Manchester, who recently signed a deal with Polydor Records, and spent February out on tour across Europe supporting Bloc Party. They also have 'Counterpoint' as a single out this month (see also our playlist for March 2009). The Guardian newspaper recently reported that "Delphic could be the best new band in Manchester, as they evoke the spirit of its Hacienda days in a forward-thinking, indie-rave type way". Their debut album is expected to be released later this year. More info, including the video for 'Counterpoint', can be found on their MySpace site at: http://www.myspace.com/delphic

February 2009

MAGIC ARM is the alias of Marc Rigelsford, a talented multi-instrumentalist from Manchester who’s electro-tinged folk pop and lo-fi electronica, has been tipped as one to watch and a hot prospect in the near future. This month (on 23rd February) he will be releasing the "Bootsy Bootsy" EP on Switchflicker Records, the Manchester based indie label who were the ones that first released The Ting Tings single "Thats Not My Name" back in June 2007. In April of last year the BBC said: "It’s easy to get carried away when you talk about Magic Arm. Words like lush, beautiful and sumptuous come rushing to your lips and you get a little bit over excited, but the truth is that Marc’s music really deserves the gathering ballyhoo around it. If last year’s "Outdoor Games" EP is anything to go by, the upcoming album could be something very special." No live dates yet planned for the Benelux region but one to watch out fior in the future. More info can be found on his MySpace site at: http://www.myspace.com/magicarm





After the breakthrough last year of Laura Marling, we will see the arrival of another young singer songwriter as 2009 gets under way - POLLY SCATTERGOOD has already been described (by The Telegraph newspaper) as being " ... like a 21st Century lo-fi Kate Bush crossed with PJ Harvey mixing microbeats and electric guitars”. She is from London, signed to Mute Records last year, and descibed herself in a recent interview by saying "I don’t see myself as a singer-songwriter, or even a singer. I would describe myself as a songwriter who sings". Polly will be releasing the single “Other Too Endless” - which has also received a dance re-mix by Vince Clarke (Depeche Mode, Erasure) - later this month, and her self titled debut album is expected to be out in March or in May 2009 (depending on which press release you read) - More info (along with the chance to hear the Vince Clarke remix) can be found on her MySpace site at: http://www.myspace.com/pollyscattergood





PASSION PIT are a Big Beat Pop band from Cambridge (USA) and describe themselves as making colourful and cerebral electronica, combining layers of sunny vocals, warped samples, glitchy beats and euphoric effects with a sturdy rhythmic backbone, and just like LITTLE BOOTS (see below under January 2009) also quote Giorgio Moroder (Donna Summer, "Midnight Express" soundtrack in the 70`s) as an influence. They are touring across the UK in February and are signed to the Columbia label in Europe. Their debut album is expected to hit the shops before the summer and will probably do as well as MGMT did last year! More info can be found on their MySpace site at: http://www.myspace.com/passionpitjams

January 2009

2009 is the year that will see the welcome return of THE SPECIALS and probably more gigs by MADNESS, and KID BRITISH are a ska, reggae, electro pop and indie influenced band from Manchester who according to a lot of people are going to be the next big thing to come out of the city. They have signed to the Mercury/Universal label, are out touring across the UK in March and April supporting THE ENEMY, and their music has been described as a mixture of Blur, Gorillaz, The Specials, Madness and The Streets! - One to watch out for in 2009. More info can be found on their MySpace site at: http://www.myspace.com/kidbritishmusic





LITTLE BOOTS is the alias of Victoria Hesketh, who left all girl indie pop band DEAD DISCO to pursue a solo pop path and has since teamed up with Joe Goddard (HOT CHIP) - She is said to be influenced by the likes of Joni Mitchell, David Bowie and Kate Bush and electronic pioneers like Giorgio Moroder and Gary Numan, and has been described as a harder, shinier SAINT ETIENNE (see also our monthly playlist for January 2009), playing catchy, credible futuristic pop and in November 2008 she appeared live on BBC2`s Later with Jools Holland show with the song 'Meddle'. Earlier this month she came top of the BBC Sound of 2009 list (that also included WHITE LIES) which predicts the brightest new music stars to watch out for. Her debut album is expected to be released later this year. You can watch her performing 'Meddle' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJmpQptN6vU - More info can be found on her MySpace site at: http://www.myspace.com/littlebootsmusic

Remember, the AAPA Monthly PLAY LIST usually gives you the best new music tips first!

FIGHT LIKE APES are a New Wave, Shoegaze, post-Punk band from Dublin who are influenced by the likes of Siouxsie and the Banshees, Devo, Sonic Youth, Roxy Music and Talking Heads, have been receiving great live reviews, are to play about fifteen gigs across the UK during February 2009. Back in September 2008 it has been reported that their debut album "Fight Like Apes and the Mystery of the Golden Medallion" reached the Top 10 of the Irish Album charts, and in early 2009 they are to release 'Tie Me Up With Jackets' as a single, with the album set to get a full European release. More info can be found on their MySpace site at: http://www.myspace.com/fightlikeapesmusic





KARIMA FRANCIS is a singer from Blackpool who moved to Manchester, with a voice that has already been compared to the likes of Adele, and who is expected to make a similar impact in 2009 to what Duffy did last year. She was discovered by the music industry at the annual IN THE CITY event in Manchester last year, was then snapped up by Kitchenware Records (home of Editors and Prefab Sprout) and her debut single 'Chasing The Morning Light' (from the end of 2008) has been described as a robust fusion of rock and soul in the style of Alanis Morissette or Tracy Chapman. Her debut album "The Author" (Kitchenware) is now expected to be released in March, with a UK tour to coincide. More info can be found on her MySpace site at: http://www.myspace.com/karimafrancis

For a review and history of IN THE CITY (from 2006 & 2007) go - > HERE





The debut album from Australian duo EMPIRE OF THE SUN made it into their national Album Top 10, and as 2009 unfolds we should see this duo (Luke Steele & Nick Littlemore) make an impact in Europe. They have been described as being influenced by the early eighties new romantic and synth-pop scenes. Their album "Walking On A Dream" (Virgin) is set to be released in the UK on Monday 16th February, which includes the single 'We Are The People'. More info can be found on their MySpace site at: http://www.myspace.com/empireofthesunsound





One of the hotly tipped bands for 2009 are WHITE LIES who are an indie rock band from London with epic vocals, who have already been compared to Editors and Echo & The Bunnymen, and appear influenced by Joy Division, Depeche Mode, and that early 80`s electro new wave sound. We can also hear Julian Cope (& Teardrop Explodes) and possibly a touch of Visage, and several of their singles have already been included on our Monthly Playlists. Their debut album "To Lose My LIfe" (Polydor) is out in January, they are out on tour across the UK in February, and expected to play some gigs during March in Europe. More info can be found on their MySpace site at: http://www.myspace.com/whitelies

The AAPA Monthly PLAY LIST usually gives you the best new music tips first!

© AAPA – 2009