The week in music

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.

Gigs

We kick off the week in Duchess where The Wave Pictures will be on stage tonight. A little-known band of great promise, The Wave Pictures have been taking their brand of folk rock around the UK, France and New York for over a decade. Celebrated by music site favourites Blogotheque and They Shoot Music, Don’t They?, The Wave Pictures would be well worth your time tonight.

Head over to Stereo tomorrow night for Welsh electro-pop quartet Friends Electric. Citing Soulwax as a heavy influence and about to perform on the BBC Introducing stage at Radio 1’s Big Weekend, these guys will provide ear comfort with a polished set of solid songs. Read our interview with them here.

Thursday and you’ll be heading back to Duchess for rock’n’roll legend Terry Reid. The man turned down the frontman place in Led Zeppelin recommending his mate Robert Plant for the job instead. I mean, come on, this one’s not to be missed. Also harking back to the earlier days of rock’n’roll The Alarm will be on stage in Fibbers on Friday night as part of their 30th Anniversary Tour. Having previously shared stages with the likes of Dylan and Neil Young, this is one for the old school rocker in you.

For those looking for something a little alternative this week, the York Spring Festival for New Music starts on Wednesday. The entirely student run event sees many a fine musician travelling to York to take part, as well as a host of local talent. The broad ranging programme includes performances by the University of York Chamber Orchestra, the classical-minimalist-electro-alt-rock sounds of The Mountaineering Club Orchestra, drummer Dave Smyth’s jazz trio, the Ballet Bewegung and musical comedy duo Bush and McCluskey. For full listings and venue information, click here.

Albums

Hugh Laurie’s highly anticipated blues debut Let Them Talk is released this week. Already known to be an expert musician, actor, comedian, and doctor, Laurie is now turning his hand to the sounds of the Deep South – with astonishing results. Is there anything the man can’t do?

This week also sees the release of Wild Beasts’ third album, Smother. If single ‘Albatross’, released in honour of Record Store Day last month, is anything to go by, the band’s latest effort will be full of those lullaby-like guitars and soaring vocals that we love. On a completely different note, Tyler, The Creator releases his second album Goblin today. Well out of mainstream hip-hop, his minimal, edgy tunes look set to change the field of the hip-hop industry, with lead single ‘Yonkers’ already at 8 million hits on youtube.

Singles

Bruno Mars – The Lazy Song

Bruno Mars has done it again – another lyrically limited, irritatingly likeable song that will undoubtedly be sitting happy in the top 10 in no time. It’s simple, if you liked ‘Grenade’ or ‘Just The Way You Are', you’ll like this. It’s another nice rambling over a light-hearted subject that’ll give listeners just the uplift into summer they need during the in-between season. Maybe it’ll grow on me once the Glee cast have covered it… - Faye Dobson

Blue – I Can

Trust me, you can’t. - Rich Powell

For more regular updates on local and national musical happenings, follow us on Twitter! We are @YorkerArts. You'll also find us listed under #shamelessselfpromotion.

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