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The Yorker presents this week's succinct guide to goings-on of the musical variety, both locally and nationally. Here you'll find previews of a selection of single and album releases from the week ahead, as well as a guide to the hottest tickets in town for live music.
Tonight Yates's will be painted orange for The Yorker Presents, our very own showcase of two of the best local bands around; indie band Littlemores will play fresh from their Battle Of The Bands victory, while The Mountaineering Club bring their own unique visuals alongside their ambient post-rock sound. Tickets are just £3 on the door.
If you're in the mood for metal then head over to Stereo on Wednesday 17th for new local act Mitzi's Revenge. The same stage hosts Manchester four-piece 1913 on Thursday 18th and also offers a potential soundtrack to your weekend with two North-Eastern indie bands; Braveface make an appearance on Saturday 20th, followed by The Lookout on Sunday 21st.
Fibbers hosts two high-profile gigs this week, kicking off on Wednesday (17th) evening with LA-based indie-rock outfit The Blood Arm. The four-piece are currently touring in support of their third studio album, All My Love Songs, released today. Meanwhile, on Thursday there's a treat for anyone who managed to grab tickets for the now-sold out visit of indie quintet The Mystery Jets.
Week Six also plays witness to the culmination of the Music Department's annual Practical Project, undertaken by undergraduate students over the first month of the term. This year it's the turn of Leonard Bernstein's musical Wonderful Town, the tale of two girls from Ohio who move to New York to find fame, fortune and romance. The full-blown production is staged in the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall with full orchestral accompaniment and with performances on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights this week. If you're not already rushing to buy a ticket for a swinging performance to remember, let yourself be persuaded with this extract:
Barbadian popstress Rihanna bestows her fifth studio album on the UK this week, already on the back of two successful singles, 'Only Girl (In The World)' and 'What's My Name?'. Loud has been produced by a small army that counts among its ranks the names Taio Cruz, Timbaland, David Guetta and Ne-Yo; surely it won't flop?
If you're wanting to escape the mainstream this week then turn to UK band Stereolab who release their album Not Music today. Widely revered as one of the most independent and creative acts of the nineties, the group are now taking a haitus as they enter their third decade; however, not before they release this record of unreleased material taken from the studio sessions for their last full LP, 2008's Chemical Cord.
And finally, just in case you've managed to avoid every tabloid and gossip magazine for the past few months, Robbie Williams and his Take That Colleagues have kissed and made up and the culmination of their renewed creative collaboration hits record stores today. Progress comes fifteen years after Nobody Else, their last record as a quintet, and if the current influx of positive reviews is to be believed, the sonic landscape of the album amounts to far more than a simple conglomeration of the recent efforts of Williams and the Barlow helmed four-piece. Sample their 'new sound' here with lead single 'The Flood':
Black Eyed Peas - 'The Time (The Dirty Bit)'
The Black Eyed Peas return with new material, or rather recycled material. Similar to previous hits, ‘The Time (The Dirty Bit)’ is electro heavy; the twist is a somewhat unusual sample, namely, the chorus is a mix of the Dirty Dancing classic ‘I've Had The Time Of My Life’. In compensating for such a choice, The BEP have made ample use of all the synths at their disposal, and although at times it sounds as though there are too many different beats clashing, the track is unique for its complete reinvention of cool. This crossover ultimately provides a sound that you remember for a long time after it has finished and it will be a sure-fire floor-filler later this month.
Alex Jackson
McFly -'Shine A Light'
McFly are back with their second single from this month’s new album, and they’ve officially grown up. 'Shine A Light' is much more in line with the charts nowadays than their old material was, especially given the rather odd collaboration with Taio Cruz, whose vocals aren’t distinguishable at all. The lyrics are fairly generic but it’s the kind of thing any girl under 20 or so can justifiably gush over. Overall, this song is extremely catchy and it's impressive that the repetitive five word chorus still doesn't grate after listening on repeat for so long.
Charlotte Tobitt
Darwin Deez - 'Constellations'
'Twinkle twinkle little star' hums Darwin Deez, lead singer of a band also called the Darwin Deez, an act so egomaniacal he makes Tom Cruise looks like Mother Theresa. While the sound is cheeringly happy-clappy enough to make it certain Darwin Deez have a future as songwriters for advertising smoothies or Pampers or something equally cute, the backing guitar and drums are so anaemic I was ready to refer them to my local GP. With backing tracks not composed on a Fisher Price guitar, this lot could be quite something.
Michael Tansini
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