The Black Keys begin recording new album

The Black Keys have had a busy year following the release of El Camino and their current tour, however according to drummer Patrick Carney that won't stop the band from starting to record the new album this month. The drummer said in an interview with Rolling Stone, "We don’t know when we’ll be done but we’re starting it in July. We might not finish it until March since we have to tour so much, but we’ll see. We don’t know what’s going on. After July, we’ll be able to know how long it’ll take.”
There is still no word however as to whether producer Danger Mouse will be joining the band in the studio.

Daughter supporting Beirut in upcoming UK tour dates

You remember Daughter right? Well I'm proud to see that since last year the band has been signed to 4AD and are joining Beirut on their upcoming UK tour dates, opening for them on

 September11 – Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow
12 – 02 Academy, Leeds
14 – Hammersmith HMV Apollo, London

I will be going to the Leeds show so hopefully will get somepicks and a review for those who can't make it.

I am so terribly sorry I didn't mention this but I went on hiatus which is why I wasn't posting- I had a lot of exams so I wanted to focus on my studies. If you were wondering why I hadn't updated in months that is why but I am back now :)

Chan Marshall, better known by her alias Cat Power, has announcced that she will bee releasing her ninth album, Sun, in September this year. Marshall released the statement on her twitter account.

Sorry I've been away. There was some trouble with my gmail account and I couldn't access the blog but I'm back now.

Latitude Line-up revealed

With some of indie's favourites and the likes of Bon Iver, Paul Weller and Elbow headlining. This year looks set to be another cracking festival. New comers such as Daughter and Sharon Van Etten in the line-up it will also give artists a chance to expand their fanbase. It is also thrilling to see John Cooper Clarke included at the poetry arena, the punk poet is a cult hero.

Robin Pecknold- Song of the week

Photo by Andy Sheppard

So after some cryptic tweets, Robin Pecknold, lead-singer of folk group Fleet Foxes, announced that he was "legitimately single for the first time in like literally ten years"  after he broke up with his long term girlfriend. Now don't worry I'm not going to turn into NME on you and only report flat journalism like the personal lives of musicians, however it was after these messages (that have since been deleted along with Pecknold's account and the link he put up on soundcloud) that he posted a song he had written lamenting the relationship. 'Olivia, In a Separate Bed' is a heartbreaking song, a simple demo with nothing other than a guitar and Pecknold's haunting Paul Simon-esqe voice which sounds more wounded and pained than ever before. Throughout the song Pecknold indicates at problems in the relationship,
"I chose the love of strangers, I chose the fickle crowd,
And the woman I wagered, won't look at me right now,
I know I've been like a house cat,
Give me this, give me that..."
While also still professing his loe for Olivia,
"Olivia I still love you, and I know I will 'til I die"
Lets all collectively weep and hope the best for Robin and his love.

Sharon Van Etten - Tramp

Tramp seems like a bold yet appropriate name for Sharon Van Etten’s album; made at a time when she was basically leading the life of a homeless person, crashing on friend’s couches and touring whenever she wasn’t recording at the home studio of producer, Aaron Dessner, of The National.

At such a tumultuous period in her life, you would only expect for this to show in Van Etten’s work. What you find instead is a young musician very grounded, her record is essentially a break up album like her debut record, Because I Was In Love, and 2010’s Epic, which were simple folk albums based around her stunning voice and her guitar, with the help of Dessner and other indie stars however, such as Matt Barrick from The Walkmen, Zach Condon of Beirut and Jenn Wasner from Wye Oak, she has expanded her sound.

From understated works of art to rich intensity, Tramp is certainly the most confident piece that she has released and there is still the same darkness and strain to be found in her lyrics. In ‘Give Out’, Van Etten sings:

“I'm biting my lip
as confidence is speaking to me.
I loosen my grip from my palm
and put it on your knee.
In my way, I say
you're the reason why I'll move to the city,
you're why I'll need to leave”

As frank and tense as the songs might be however, Van Etten manages to show hope, Serpents for example, the album’s only ‘rock’ track, is an epic anthem orchestrated by Dessner and his twin brother Bryce with winding melodies and a gutsy slide guitar, lyrically however Van Etten doesn’t venture too far from the angst,

“You enjoy sucking on dreams
so I will fall asleep with someone other than you
I had a thought you would take me seriously”

It isn’t easy listening then rather cathartic listening to hear these vignettes of a broken relationship being told through such an innocent and fragile yet commanding voice, Sharon Van Etten tells the break up story from the female point of view without being the damsel in distress which artists such as Lana Del Rey have made so fashionable.

The intimacy conducted throughout this album is like a private, confessional conversation that Van Etten has chosen to share only with you, and believe me; you should feel privileged to hear such stories!

War on Drugs- New video

The War On Drugs have released the video to brothers this week. The band have been enjoying critical acclaim with the release of their second album earlier last summer, which ended up on many a Top 10 of 2011 lists (including my own.)
The Americana band debuted the video on Vulture. The band are also set to go back on tour in a month.
The dates can be found here.

The War On Drugs - Brothers from benjamin brewer on Vimeo.

The National curate and headline ATP Festival

After a report was leaked last week, rumours started circling that The National were set to curate the All Tomorrows Parties festival at Butlins, Minehead. Today ATP confirmed with a statement on their website. The National are set to headline the three day event with The Antlers, Owen Pallett, Sharon Van Etten, My Brightest Diamond and Megafaun just some of the artists set to join them. In total 40 live acts will play the three indoor stages. Only 5500 tickets are available with prices at £170.00pp for room only apartments and £180.00pp for self catered apartments, that go on sale this Friday 20 January at 2pm via www.Gigantic.com and this website.  The event will also feature DJs until late, Cinema chosen by The National and Book Club curated by The National.
For more information visit the website here.

LCD Soundsystem documentary

Yes it's less than a year after their break-up (sniffle) but that hasn't stopped a documentary being made about LCD Soundsystem and more specifically what surrounded their last ever show at Madison Square Garden and their split. The documentary, directed by Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace will be shown next month at the Sundance Film Festival. The tagline simply says, "If it's a funeral...let's have the best funeral ever"

Coachella Lineup revealed

The Line up to one of the biggest music festivals, Coachella, hosted in Indio in the Californian desert has been released. And it looks beautiful! The Black Keys, Radiohead, Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg are headlining and Pulp return once again as a surprise addition. For the first time the festival will also take place over 2 weekends, April 13-15 and 20-22.

Arcade Fire release new video

Arcade Fire have (finally) released the video to the song Sprawl II (Mountains beyond Mountains) and contains some great moves from everyone's favourite female dancer, Regine Chassagne. Yet another reason to fall in love with Arcade Fire

Song of the day- Sharon Van Etten

The first I heard of Sharon Van Etten was when she collaborated with The National on their song, Think You Can Wait for the film Win, Win. That song has gone on to make the Oscars shortlist for Best Original Song. It was then released a while back that The National guitarist Aaron Dessner was set to produce Van Etten's album which got the blogosphere buzzing and we now know that the album is set to be released this Autumn. The lead single, Serpents, features just about everyone in the Brooklyn indie scene; Aaron and his twin brother Bryce, Zach Condon of Beirut, the Walkmen's Matt Barrick, Wye Oak's Jenn Wasner and Thomas Bartlett of Doveman.