F-POP! Propaganda. Click For Infos.Comrades,
This Saturday at 93 Feet East it’s Christmas (Covers) time. There’s no need to be afraid. If you are planning on coming tickets are selling fast so you might want to buy one in advance to make sure you get in. Also, remember that there are seven (!) bands playing and the running order will be decided on the night, so get there early for the first band at 7:30 or you might miss your favourites. Tickets here…
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/22798
Tickets on also on sale for an extremely rare live UK appearance by Fortuna POP!’s latest signings, Swedish band Club 8, on January 10th at the Luminaire with support from the Would-Be-Goods and The School, plus DJs from Tack! Tack! Tack! Get ‘em here…
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/23781
And don’t forget that as a taster for the new album Club 8 album “The Boy Who Couldn’t Stop Dreaming” we’re giving away two free tracks, available from the band’s website here…
You can also vote for Technicolour by The Loves as your album of the year on German radio show Popscene’s website here…
http://www.popscenewithjalal.com/poll.htm
Finally, we had our first ever record review in The Sun this week for the new Ladybug Transistor album “Can’t Wait Another Day”. However if you’d rather not listen to the bunch of crypto-fascists who kept Thatcher in power for 4 terms for your musical recommendations the Guardian also wrote: “Newcomers will enjoy Gary Olson rounding his vowels like an indie pop Scott Walker, and hearing organs and warm guitars roll by like 1960s beauties. Long-term fans will envelop themselves happily in the album’s soft loveliness”
hasta luego,
El Presidente
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*** THE CHRISTMAS COVERS PARTY! ***
Why Can’t We Just All Get Along? and Fortuna POP! present
The Christmas Covers Party!
The Gold Architects
My Sad Captains
Note To Self
Keytarded
F.Lunaire
Oli ‘n’ Clive
The Jingle Belles
PLUS
Synchronized 60s dancing from the fabulous Actionettes
AND DJs
Fortuna POP!
Alex Brown (Hush The Many)
Declan Allen (Intensive Care, ATP)
JBT & Double D (More Fire, Vital Sound)
Lighting: Digital Offenders
Stage Design: Kalb ‘n’ Pepper
Saturday 15th December
93 Feet East, 150 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL
Nearest Tubes: Liverpool Street, Aldgate East, Bethnal Green
www.93feeteast.co.uk
Tel: 020 7247 3293
Doors at 7pm until late, first band 7.30
Running order to be decided on night.
Tickets £5 advance from
We Got Tickets
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/22798
Ticketweb
http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/user/?region=gb_london&query=detail&event=245354
All proceeds to Shelter, the homeless charity
What’s all this about then?
A few years ago Nottingham promoters Whycan’twejustallgetalong? decided to get all their friends’ bands to play a Christmas party. Because there were a lot of them, and to make it a bit more interesting, they asked the bands to only play cover versions and to limit their sets to 2 or 3 songs. They christened it “The Christmas Covers Party”. Well, you would, wouldn’t you? There are no headliners – the music has a gradual gradient from ‘less party earlier to more party later’ – and the bands don’t tell anyone what they are going to play. Over the years all sorts of red herrings have been planted to throw covers detectives off track. Every year someone suggests doing “Do they know it’s Christmas?”. No one has attempted it. Yet.
The night is now firmly established in Nottingham and London and this year, for the first time, in Hamburg!
Some great bands have played in the past: Hush the Many, The Wolves Of Greece, Sweetbriar, Seachange, Lords, Designer Babies, The Grips, Amusement Parks On Fire, Saint Joan, Punish The Atom, The Hellset Orchestra, the Chemistry Experiment, After the Fox and many more. This year will be no exception…
THE GOLD ARCHITECTS (SUPERGROUP)
A supergroup comprised of members of Gold Sounds and The Grave Architects. Both originally from Nottingham and now resident in London, and both with less than subtle refences to Pavement in their names, The Grave Architects play heartfelt, witty country rock with a nod to Jonathan Richman and occasional forays into old skool rap for seemingly no good reason, while Gold Sounds play perfectly crafted classic pop songs a la mid-period REM with the odd folk styling here and there. Now they meet at last to test the ancient conundrum of physics: ‘What happens when an irresistible force meets an immoveable object?’.
“This band will almost certainly change the way you think about the universe” (George Napthine)
www.myspace.com/thegravearchitects
www.myspace.com/soundsgolden
MY SAD CAPTAINS
My Sad Captains are a London-based quintet who sound like Pavement getting a pop overhaul, expanding on the standard guitar line-up by adding various other instruments, such as violin, melodica, keyboard, glockenspiel and samples. They produce an american alt-pop sound, touched with country lashes and occasional fiery noise outbursts. They have supported the likes of Tilly and the Wall, Broken Family Band and Rumblestrips, played the End Of The Road festival, been praised by NME, Uncut and The Fly, phad radio play from Steve Lamacq, Gideon Coe and Huw Stephens, and featured on Nic Harcourt’s KCRW show ‘Morning Becomes Eclectic’. Their debut single “Bad Decisions” was released on Fortuna POP! earlier this year and a second is due for release on White Heat in January.
“Their ultra-melodic debut single is the sound of a perfect summer, all hooks, harmonies and handclaps. Ed Wallis’ vocals mesh perfectly with Cathy Lucas’ voice in a pop confection that combines the bright jangle of the Go-Betweens and the dark majesty of the Silver Jews.” (SoundsXP)
http://www.mysadcaptains.co.uk/
http://www.myspace.com/mysadcaptains
NOTE TO SELF
NOTE TO SELF is Jonnie Fielding and any other friends who happen to want to play. He started being NOTE TO SELF about 6 months ago. With a bit of luck, at the Christmas covers thing he’ll be joined by some friends. When he isn’t being NOTE TO SELF, Jonnie plays the violin for various people. They have included Larrikin Love, Kid Harpoon, Nizlopi & Hush The Many to name but a few. He currently plays the violin with HELSINKI which is Drew McConnell (Babyshambles) ‘s own band. They recently had a song feature on the Love Music / Hate Racism CD which came free on the cover of NME, and The-Pan-I-Am, which is Ed Larrikin’s new band. Last Christmas Jonnie was supporting the Pogues for their own Christmas gigs at Brixton Academy. This year he is very much looking forward to playing at the Christmas Covers gig.
http://www.myspace.com/notetoselfsongs
KEYTARDED
Keytarded is formed of Bearsuit girls Jan Robertson, Cerian Hutchings and Lisa Horton all playing that most wonderful of musical instruments… the keytar! They play inappropriate keytar covers (check out their version of “Love Will Tear Us Apart” on their MySpace… it’s enough to send Ian Curtis into a fit in in his grave), wear cutsie outfits and go round on roller boots. There are also unconfirmed rumours of an all-male dance troupe featuring the Bearsuit boys. Worth the entrance money alone I’d say!
http://www.myspace.com/keytardedband
F. LUNAIRE
F. Lunaire is a deranged piano genius given to dramatic flights of fancy and impromptu Pixies covers. His debut release the Mondestrunken E.P. is coming out sometime soon on the legendary Stiff Records label, if he can ever escape from the Kid Harpoon tour.
http://www.rathersurreal.com
http://www.myspace.com/rathersurreal
OLI ‘N’ CLIVE
Stemming from the green pastures of the West Country, Oli ‘n’ Clive met on the road to London carrying drums, cello, ukuleles, bass, cornet, harmonica, musical saw, guitar, violins, autoharp and eggs. Oli is the singer, and Clive is the rest of the band. Sometimes sounding like the raw end of Dolly Parton and sometimes the blithe end of Tom Waits, it’s hard to pinpoint their main influences but they’d definitely include, as well as Dolly and Tom, Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci and Evan Dando. Perhaps more influential, perhaps, would be beer, strange east-European alcoholic spirits, dogs and Larry David…
http://www.olinclive.com
http://www.myspace.com/olinclive
THE JINGLE BELLES
The Jingle Belles are a kind of festive supergroup (another one!) comprising members of Not in This Town, The Chemistry Experiment and Saint Joan. These five ladies tore up the Nottingham Christmas Covers Party 2006 with their rousing renditions of Darlene Love’s Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), Leader of the Pack by the Shangri Las and an ingenious splicing of Maneater by Hall and Oates and Nelly Furtado’s hit of the same name.
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*** CLUB 8 – RARE UK LIVE APPEARANCE ***
Fortuna POP! presents
A rare UK appearance from the much-feted Swedish act Club 8 and their dreamy indie electropop
Club 8 + Would-Be-Goods + The School
Plus Tack! Tack! Tack! DJs
Thursday 10th January 7:30pm
The Luminaire, 311 High Road, Kilburn, London NW6 7JR
Nearest tube : Kilburn (Jubilee Line)
Tel : 020 7372 7123
Web: www.theluminaire.co.uk
E-mail : info@theluminaire.co.uk
Advance: £8
We Got Tickets
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/23781
Ticketweb
http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/user/?region=gb_london&query=detail&event=245644
Door: £10
CLUB 8
Initially inspired by a love of The Smiths and Sarah Records Karolina Komstedt (vocals) and Johan Angergård (all instruments) released their debut album as Club 8, “Nouvelle”, on Spanish label Siesta. However, it was with their more dance-orientated next album “The Friend I Once Had” and its beguiling mix of bossa nova, glittery guitars and shiny pop melodies that they took their first big step forward, the single “Missing You” becoming a club and radio hit in Spain and a college radio favourite in North America. Constantly changing, the self-titled follow-up was both darker and slower, labelled as both “trip-hop” and “chill-out”, before the band diversified again with the semi-electronic, slightly experimental but intensely emotional “Spring Came, Rain Fell” (2002) and the more guitar-based “Strangely Beautiful” (2004). During this time the band’s reputation spread, with live shows across Europe, USA and South East Asia. Signed to Johan’s own Labrador label in Sweden, the band release their new album “The Boy Who Couldn’t Stop Dreaming” through Fortuna POP! in the UK on January 7th.
“From Sarah Records-inspired guitar-pop to St. Etienne-tinged dance music and delicate dream-pop… indie pop bliss” (Pitchfork)
http://www.club-8.org
http://www.myspace.com/club8
THE WOULD-BE-GOODS
Eccentric and evocative guitar pop helmed by Jessica Griffin, enigmatic star of cult label él, with her crew of elegant rascals – Peter Momtchiloff, guitarist (Talulah Gosh, Razorcuts, Heavenly, Scarlet’s Well) and occasional songsmith; Debbie Green, drummer and darling of the London nineties garage scene (Thee Headcoatees); and ex-Adam and the Ant and Monochrome Set bassist Andy Warren. Since their reactivation in 2002 the Would-Be-Goods have released two albums on Fortuna POP! full of melancholy charm and wit coupled with a classic guitar pop sound ranging from new folk, tango to garage rock. Love songs to lions, frolics in the Garden of Eden, French Casanovas and personal demons await you. Let the Would-Be-Goods be your guides.
“Elegantly melancholy indie from a dapper London band” (Word)
http://www.would-be-goods.com
http://www.myspace.com/httpwwwmyspacecomwouldbegoods
THE SCHOOL
Formed by Liz Hunt of The Loves as a side-project, The School have turned into genuine contenders, inking a 2-album deal with Spain’s Elefant records, home of Camera Obscura. Indiepop with a strong 1960’s influence, The School have just finished recording their debut single with producer Ian Catt (Saint Etienne, The Field Mice, Trembling Blue Stars) for release early next year.
“A swoonsome waltz through the best bits of Belle & Sebastian, Camera Obscura, and 60s girl groups.” (How Does It Feel To Be Loved)
http://www.myspace.com/theschoolband
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*** NEW ALBUM FROM THE LADYBUG TRANSISTOR ***
Fortuna POP! are delighted to announce the release of the brand new
album from legendary Brooklyn-based pop collective The Ladybug Transistor.
Following on from their critically acclaimed self-titled release, Can’t Wait Another
Day is set to confirm the band’s standing as some of the finest purveyors of lush,
formalist pop music this side of the East River.
The Ladybug Transistor story begins in Brooklyn, NY during the mid-1990s. Initially a
recording project based around founding member Gary Olson’s collaborations with
friends (as heard on their 1995 debut album Marlborough Farms, named after the
band’s fabled Victorian Flatbush headquarters and studio), they soon caught the
attention of Merge Records who released Beverley Atonale in 1997. It was around this
time that Ladybug Transistor evolved into a proper band, which went on to craft the
trilogy of The Albemarle Sound (1999), Argyle Heir (2001), and The Ladybug
Transistor (2003). During this period The Ladybug Transistor developed and honed
their trademark sound – a distillation of classic pop, characterized by a precise
melodicism that is anchored by the restrained baritone of Olson.
As Marlborough Farms has become a gathering place for the musicians that Ladybug
has befriended over the years, the band took advantage of this situation by recruiting
many of them to contribute to their latest full-length Can’t Wait Another Day. The
album features spirited contributions from members of Aislers Set, Architecture in
Helsinki, The Clientele, Jens Lekman, Kevin Barker (Currituck Co., Vetiver), Heather
McIntosh (Circulatory System, Instruments), Roy Nathanson (Lounge Lizards/Jazz
Passengers) and others. The first fruits of these sessions were heard on 2006’s Here
Comes The Rain EP, which also introduced two new members to the family, with Kyle
Forester and Ben Crum of Great Lakes enhancing the Ladybug sound by adding
inspired keyboards and guitar. Tragically though, drummer San Fadyl, a beloved
figure in the indie rock community, passed away in April of this year due to complications
from severe asthma.
Moving effortlessly between the sanguine (“Three Days From Now”, “I’m Not Mad
Enough”) and the melancholy (“So Blind”, “Here Comes The Rain”), Can’t Wait
Another Day continues the Ladybug Transistor’s gradual shift away from their
somewhat psychedelic beginnings towards a more open, timeless sound. It is, in
every sense, classic.
“The finest baritone warble in indie rock, unfailingly catchy pop tunes and perfectly
pitched melancholy ballads… the Ladybug Transistor’s best work equals the best pop
music made at any time in the past 50 years.” (All Music Guide)
“Six albums in, Can’t Wait Another Day develops the Ladybug’s
earlier indiepop and psychedelic sounds towards a sound which is more
classic baroque pop, with a glorious melancholic lilt and the sort of
impressive crooning you thought was lost decades ago… it strengthens
their reputation as purveyors of intricately arranged and stately pop songs.
(SoundsXP)
“Forty minutes of Pop in its most beguilingly classical, sparklingly emotional form.” (Miwsig)
“A surprisingly mature collection, all playful guitar lines and smooth saxophones. Gary Olson’s baritone is worth of the late Lee Hazlewood while other tracks find the middle ground between Burt Bacharach and Belle and Sebastian” (Uncut)
“Brooklyn’s The Ladybug Transistor have been playing their elegant, lovelorn pop since 1995. Their latest sees strings and brass adding lushness to songs of heartache. File next to Belle & Sebastian, The Magnetic Fields and The Go-Betweens”(Q)
“Newcomers will enjoy Gary Olson rounding his vowels like an indie pop Scott Walker, and hearing organs and warm guitars roll by like 1960s beauties. Long-term fans will envelop themselves happily in the album’s soft loveliness” (The Guardian)
If you’d like a copy paypal £10 to ministryoffinance@fortunapop.com, adding 50p if you’re in Europe but not in the UK, and £1 if you’re outside of Europe. Got that? Good.
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*** NEW SOUNDS ***
Some brand spanking new records for you to order…
BAD DECISIONS – MY SAD CAPTAINS (7″ SINGLE £3)
“The everything-but-the-kitchen-sink arrangements of Arcade Fire, the warped melancholy of Pavement and the fuzz-pop heart of Teenage Fanclub” (Subba-Cultcha)
“Like The Magic Numbers going toe to toe with Wilco in a meadow full of summer flowers.” (The Beat Surrender)
” Dangerously addictive… kiss any other soundtracks to your summer goodbye… all the best bits of Sparklehorse, Pavement and Yo La Tengo” (RockFeedBack)
“A lushly laden gem of classically appreciated soft-centred country pop currency, packed to the rafters with honey-crusted tip-toeing melodies… In a word – perfect.” (Losing Today)
“A warm, orange, summer evening, of song; it is warm, hazy and relaxed, with a hint of American alt folk. It is utterly charming in its effortless simplicity.” (Neon Buzz)
CAN’T WAIT ANOTHER DAY – THE LADYBUG TRANSISTOR (CD ALBUM £10)
“The finest baritone warble in indie rock, unfailingly catchy pop tunes and perfectly
pitched melancholy ballads… the Ladybug Transistor’s best work equals the best pop
music made at any time in the past 50 years.” (All Music Guide)
“Six albums in, Can’t Wait Another Day develops the Ladybug’s
earlier indiepop and psychedelic sounds towards a sound which is more
classic baroque pop, with a glorious melancholic lilt and the sort of
impressive crooning you thought was lost decades ago… it strengthens
their reputation as purveyors of intricately arranged and stately pop songs.
(SoundsXP)
“Forty minutes of Pop in its most beguilingly classical, sparklingly emotional form.” (Miwsig)
“A surprisingly mature collection, all playful guitar lines and smooth saxophones. Gary Olson’s baritone is worth of the late Lee Hazlewood while other tracks find the middle ground between Burt Bacharach and Belle and Sebastian” (Uncut)
“Brooklyn’s The Ladybug Transistor have been playing their elegant, lovelorn pop since 1995. Their latest sees strings and brass adding lushness to songs of heartache. File next to Belle & Sebastian, The Magnetic Fields and The Go-Betweens”(Q)
“Newcomers will enjoy Gary Olson rounding his vowels like an indie pop Scott Walker, and hearing organs and warm guitars roll by like 1960s beauties. Long-term fans will envelop themselves happily in the album’s soft loveliness” (The Guardian)
ONE-TWO-THREE – THE LOVES (7″ EP £3)
“A heady brew of T-Rex swagger, Super Fury’s oddness and the jubilant pop-mindedness of The Zutons at their sweetest… perfect for those missing a little ram-a-lama-ding-dong in their lives.” (Subba-cultcha)
“The Loves are part Monkees and part Os Mutantes but for ‘One-Two-Three’ they’re T-Rex. It’s a stupid/genius gram rock stomper with girl-group harmonies, an air-punching chorus and a sleezy groove” (SoundsXP)
“The results are fantastic… One-Two-Three rolls in pop heaven with irresistible call and response vocals and chugging guitars” (Music OMH)
“One has to wonder why the likes of The Loves are not huge popstars… a glam rock inspired floor stomper complete with the catchiest chorus this side of planet Mars. If T-Rex were on the C86 tape this is what they would have sounded like. Buy!” (Indie-mp3)
“Mixing T Rex and Johnny B Goode, the Loves have cooked up the feel good song of the year. A chorus so good that you’ll be singing before you’ve even heard the song” (Fat and Confused)
“There’s nothing in the entire spectrum of medical science that’ll get this one out of your head… a football-chant simple glam-rock stomper so catchy it makes Rhianna’s ‘Umbrella’ sound like free jazz performed on out-of-tune instruments by tone-deaf chimpanzees.” (Pennyblack)
“A delirious dandy of a ditty that manages to shoehorn nods aplenty to Suzi Q, the Rubettes and most curiously the Beach Boys in surf mode and ‘end of the century‘ era Ramones (I kid you not) while wiring into the mutant matrix some nifty touches of 50’s bubblegum pop tendered with the essence of Spector while hoodwinking a spot of acutely faux Bolan-esque boogie while playfully cross fusing Glitters ’I love you love me’ with the Bay City Rollers ’bye bye baby’. Buy on sight.” (Losing Today)
“A piece of fine bubblegum pop.” (Russell’s Reviews)
TO ORDER THESE MINOR GEMS IN A SEA OF MEDIOCRITY…
BY POST: Send a cheque, postal order or IMO made payable to ‘Fortuna
POP!’ to 4 Mayfield House, Rushcroft Road, Brixton, London. SW2 1LD.
UK.
BY PAYPAL: Use our PayPal address ministryoffinance@fortunapop.com
For orders in Europe but outside the UK, please add 50p per item
ordered. Outside of Europe, please add £1.00 per item ordered.
(Please don’t reply to this e-mail! It won’t get you anywhere.
If you’d like to contact us, use elpresidente@fortunapop.com)
www.fortunapop.com
www.myspace.com/fortunapoprecords
