First Glance: That Ghost

http://www.myspace.com/thatghost


That Ghost is the moniker for Ryan Schmale, who makes lo-fi pop music in a minimalist form. We know he hails from Santa Rosa, California, but his mysteriousness entails us to know only as much. What we can hear is hazy, but sensational and soothing nonetheless.



Open Windows (Mediafire)
Never Had Fun (Mediafire)

Laura Marling

Laura Marling created, arguably, the best album to come out of England this year. Alas I Cannot Swim was released this year to massive critical aclaim, and despite her dislike for big venues, Alas I Cannot Swim could possibly make her the sensation of this year.

'Alas I Cannot Swim' is produced by Noah And The Whale mainman Charlie Fink, and besides its warm, sweet arrangements for guitar, trumpet, brushed drums and even a male choir, the album is infused with a real intimacy.

The next single to be taken from Laura's debut album 'Alas I Cannot Swim' will be 'Cross Your Fingers' on 2nd June. The video can be seen here.


The Reading songstress has also announced a short tour, calling at these churches in The U.K.:

Glasgow///Upstairs At Oran Mor (June 9)
Manchester///St Phillips' (10)
London///St James' (11, 13)
Birmingham///St Pauls (12)


Failure (Z-Share).

Buy Alas I Cannot Swim - HMV.

The Wombats Do The La's

The Wombats took time out from attempting to concur Britain to do a acoustic cover of The La’s cult hit, There She Goes, and don’t butcher it (too much). They are readying themselves to re-release yet another single, this time Kill The Director, with the b-sides including a cover of Leona Lewis’ Bleeding Love, as-well-as The La’s cover.


There She Goes (The La’s Cover) (Z-Share)

The Rascals - Freakbeat Phantom

Freakbeat Phantom is the Phil Spectre-esque new single from the Wirrals The Rascals. To be released on 2nd June, followed by debut album Rascalize a week after, Freakbeat Phantom will be propped up by a new recording of Shades of Embarrasment, as well as A Hand In The Shadow and Secret Affair.

Fresh from a couple of dates supporting The Courteeners, The Rascals have also announced a new tour, calling at:

Glasgow King Tut's///(May 30)
Sheffield Leadmill///(31)
Stoke Sugarmill///(June 2)
Manchester Academy 3///(3)
Nottingham Rescue Rooms///(4)
Birmingham Academy 2///(6)
Northampton Roadmender///(7)
Liverpool Carling Academy 2///(9)
Bristol Thekla///(10)
Oxford Zodiac///(11)
London Dingwalls///(12)


Freakbeat Phantom (Z-Share)

Buy Rascalize - HMV

Dirty Pretty Things - Hippy's Son

Dirty Pretty Things release their long awaited new album ‘Romance At Short Notice’ on Monday 30th June. The album is the follow-up to the bands Gold selling debut Waterloo To Anywhere. The first single ‘Tired of England’ will be released on 23rd June.

Dirty Pretty Things are the latest band to release a song from their forthcoming album for free, apart from this time, they have given us a rather good track and is possibly one of the best they’ve produced yet.


Hippy‘s Son (Z-Share)

Five O'Clock Heroes and Agyness Deyn

I admit it. The song is rather good. Classic Five O’Clock Heroes, and Agyness Deyn adds a good vocal. She reminds me of Kirsty MacColl and Sinéad O'Connor. See the video here


Five O’Clock Heroes - Who (Feat. Agyness Deyn)

Buy Bend To The Breaks - HMV

It Was a Long and Dark December

This is how Coldplay’s Violet Hill should have sounded.


Violet Hill (Nikolai Levey’s Floating in Space Remix)

Just To Say...

Today, I give you a mixture of songs. Firstly, a good quality version of ‘Echoes Round The Sun’ from Paul Weller, and when you hear it in it’s full greatness, it sounds so much better. Classic Paul Weller, perhaps, but ‘22 Dreams’ could be shaping up to be one of Weller’s best efforts for a while.
Echoes Round The Sun

Have you seen the video for Justice’s new single ‘Stress’? Wow, just wow, and there is a obvious ensuing controversy accompanying this video. See it here.
Stress

And, finally, I heard Ghostface Killah - Charlie Brown (DJ Mehdi Remix) earlier. It hit me straight away. I’m not a fan of the original, but the remix is a good track.
Charlie Brown (Dj Mehdi Remix)

Bonus:
Just found this horrors remix of Digitalism’s Pogo, top tune.
Pogo (The Horrors Remix)



Pre-Order 22 Dreams - HMV

Buy Justice - † - HMV

Buy Digitalism - Idealism - HMV

First Glance: The xx

http://www.myspace.com/thexx

"The xx are a hot to trot teenage trio from SW London who play bafflingly ace moody hip-pop with bass so thick you could cut it with a carving knife." - The Guardian

The xx are a London new wave/disco band who create bass heavy pop music with clever guitar lines. Teardrops is a cover of the old Womack & Womack hit given a xx makeover. Stars is an intelligent ballad that owes as much to Rihanna and Missy Elliot as The Cure.

Teardrops

Stars

Lightspeed Champion

www.lightspeedchampion.com/
www.myspace.com/lightspeedchampion

I could give you the new track by Coldplay, but why on earth would I want to do that. I’d like to introduce you (or re-introduce you, if you know what I mean) to Lightspeed Champion. Since late 2006/early 2007 Dev Haynes has been going under the guise as Lightspeed Champion. The former Test Icicle has since released his debut album ‘Falling Off The Lavender Bridge’ this year. The acoustic genius is currently on tour with his full band, so catch him in a town near you.


Heavry
Back To Black (Amy Winehouse Cover)



Buy Falling Off The Lavender Bridge - HMV

First Glance: Auditory

http://www.myspace.com/auditory07

These two lads from the north west only have the one song on their MySpace at this moment in time, but it is one massive tune. Sam Bamber & Oli Townsend have created a dirty electro song that is akin to any song you would find on a Ed Banger compilation cd. They are currently in the process of re-mastering Nomadic, and hopefully we will hear more of these soon.

Nomadic (Higher Quality)

First Glance: Underground Heroes

www.myspace.com/undergroundheroes


"The Ordinary Boys Gargling Glass or The Jam if they'd have read the Razzle instead books on politics" - NME


Underground Heroes. This isn’t as such a first glance, but one of many stares. They aren’t nothing particularly new in music, but they give off such a raw energy at their gigs, that they are impossible to ignore. They are just about to embark on a may tour and have just come off the back off performing ‘Skinny Twins’ on the BBC3 show Lily Allen and Friends.


Influenced by their heroes The Specials, The Jam and The Clash, they are the sound of booze-sodden, crap fag smoking, cheap drug taking, concrete Britain. Lyrically they are inspired by the day to day life they know - the fights, night life, friends, birds - and the identikit town they live in.

Tracksuit Bottoms and Polo Tops

Chasing a Buzz

Buy Underground Heroes - Rough Trade