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WICHITA

Cover of Nowhere - 2022 Reissue by Ride.

Ride

Nowhere - 2022 Reissue

Wichita

    Ahead of their ‘Nowhere’ 30th anniversary UK tour starting 20th April, shoegaze legends Ride have announced the details of the reissues of their early classic albums via Wichita Recordings.

    Back in the early 90s, before indie bands made the tabloids, Ride were one of our great white hopes. Fusing the sonic headrush of My Bloody Valentine with the Byrds' jingle-jangle immediacy, they seemed destined to shine. Debut album "Nowhere" captured them at their adolescent peak and "Vapour Trail" is effectively their signature tune; FX pedal-enhanced guitar assaults and nascent teenage vocals tempered by a love of all things pop.

    STAFF COMMENTS

    Liam says: Alongside 'Souvlaki' and 'Loveless', 'Nowhere' is one of the holy trinity albums of shoegaze and it's about time we have this absolute classic available again! From the blistering opener of 'Seagull', to the shimmering and spell-bounding closer of 'Vapour Trail', albums don't get much better than 'Nowhere'. Plus, thank goodness nobody needs to pay a million pounds for a copy off of Discogs anymore!

    TRACK LISTING

    Seagull
    Kaleidoscope
    In A Different Place
    Polar Bear
    Dreams Burn Down
    Decay
    Paralysed
    Vapour Trail

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    Cover of Going Blank Again - 2022 Reissue by Ride.

    Ride

    Going Blank Again - 2022 Reissue

    Wichita

      Ahead of their ‘Nowhere’ 30th anniversary UK tour starting 20th April, shoegaze legends Ride have announced the details of the reissues of their early classic albums via Wichita Recordings.

      The follow-up to "Nowhere", "Going Blank Again" saw the Oxford quartet embrace their prog side. Lead single "Leave Them All Behind" was an eight minute FX-pedal onslaught that somehow managed to crack the top twenty and get them on TOTP. On the other hand, "Twisterella" and "Mouse Trap" proved they could strip away the noise in favour of concise three minute pop melodies. A career best.

      STAFF COMMENTS

      Liam says: Releasing only a year and a half after 'Nowhere', 'Going Blank Again' was more exemplary shoegaze from Ride and really showed that they were a band at the height of their powers. Again, much like the other two reissues, this release is essential if you've not already got a copy. Also, best album opener of all time? You'll be hard pressed to beat the 8 minute goliath of 'Leave Them All Behind'.

      TRACK LISTING

      1. Leave Them All Behind
      2. Twisterella
      3. Not Fazed
      4. Chrome Waves
      5. Mouse Trap
      6. Time Of Her Time
      7. Cool Your Boots
      8. Making Judy Smile
      9. Time Machine
      10. OX4
      11. Going Blank Again
      12. Howard Hughes
      13. Stampede
      14. Grasshopper

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      Cover of 4 EPs by Ride.

      Ride

      4 EPs

      Wichita

        Ahead of their ‘Nowhere’ 30th anniversary UK tour starting 20th April, shoegaze legends Ride have announced the details of the reissues of their early classic albums via Wichita Recordings.

        STAFF COMMENTS

        Liam says: A collection of Ride's first EPs 'Ride', 'Play', 'Fall' and 'Today Forever', '4 EPs' is a slice of essential music history and a must for any shoegaze fan! To be honest, it's worth it alone just for 'Drive Blind'.

        TRACK LISTING

        Chelsea Girl
        Drive Blind
        All I Can See
        Close My Eyes
        Like A Daydream
        Silver
        Furthest Sense
        Perfect Time
        Dreams Burn Down
        Taste
        Here And Now
        Nowhere
        Unfamiliar
        Sennen
        Beneath
        Today

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        Cover of Bauhaus, L'Appartamento by Julia Bardo.

        Julia Bardo

        Bauhaus, L'Appartamento

        Wichita

          Debut album from Manchester-via-Italy singer, songwriter and guitarist Julia Bardo.

          Produced and mixed by Younghusband’s Euan Hinshelwood, the record firmly establishes Bardo’s musical adventurousness and prowess, and marks a cathartic and self-affirming moment for an artist who found her voice by realizing it's been there all along.

          The album is best summed up by the woman who wrote it all: “Bauhaus, L’Appartamento is about loneliness, solitude, separation...but also unconditional love,” Bardo reveals of the record’s overarching themes. “Family, emotional dependency, mental health issues, feelings of emptiness and numbness, feelings of not being enough, inability to be in control of my own emotions, self-doubt, self-reflection, past traumas and dealing with them.”

          Named after the apartment complex she lived in when demoing the album’s recordings, but with an Italian twist.

          Follows the release of two EPs, Phase and The Raw EP, which saw her experiment further with her wistful and mysterious sound to become the alternative pop artist she is today.

          Her musical journey began in Brescia in Northern Italy, where she sang and wrote lyrics for a local band between shifts at her father’s bar. A free spirit craving new inspiration, she relocated to Manchester and it was here she developed her striking style as a solo musician before also meeting and joining post-punk band Working Men’s Club. Never losing her strong desire to have full creative control over her music, she returned to become a solo artist again.

          STAFF COMMENTS

          Emily says: Julia Bardo: Local talent alert!! Gorgeous, off kilter pop songs which have more bite to them than you might expect. Sonorous vocals and deft melodic interplay met with moments of jangling dissonance. FFO Cate Le Bon and Aldous Harding!

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          Cover of Clouds In The Mirror : This Is Not A Safe Place Reimagined By Pêtr Aleksänder by Ride.

          Ride

          Clouds In The Mirror : This Is Not A Safe Place Reimagined By Pêtr Aleksänder

          Wichita

            Ride handed the entirety of their highly acclaimed 6th studio album, ‘This Is Not A Safe Place’, to mysterious London act Pêtr Aleksänder, who stripped the songs back to just the vocals and added their customarily beautiful string arrangements, keys and synth textures beneath them.

            The results take Ride deep into the neo-classical / ambient territory that a couple of the remixes of their previous album hinted at.

            TRACK LISTING

            R.I.D.E.
            Future Love
            Repetition
            Kill Switch
            Clouds Of Saint Marie
            Eternal Recurrence
            Fifteen Minutes
            Jump Jet
            Dial Up
            End Game
            Shadows Behind The Sun
            In This Room

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            Cover of The Big Black And The Blue (Love Record Stores Edition) by First Aid Kit.

            First Aid Kit

            The Big Black And The Blue (Love Record Stores Edition)

            Wichita

              Love Record Stores Edition available from 9am on Saturday June 20th.
              Limited to one per person.

              Sea blue vinyl.

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              Cover of Paralanguage by Will Samson.

              Will Samson

              Paralanguage

              Wichita

                Will Samson still remembers his first - and only - experiments with psilocybin. For some time, following the death of his father in 2012, the British musician had suffered from mild PTSD, unable to process the grief provoked by the sudden nature of his passing. It took him several years, however, before he felt confident enough to explore the possibilities this popular compound was said to offer. Finally, he and his girlfriend retreated to the countryside for a day. Samson’s fifth album, ‘Paralanguage’ - his first for Wichita Recordings - was in many ways inspired by his subsequent experiences and seeks to emulate them too. Indeed, vocals for two tracks, ‘Ochre Alps’ and ‘Flowerbed’, which he’d been struggling to finish for a number of months, were written and recorded over two subsequent afternoons spent micro-dosing.

                Perhaps not surprisingly, ‘Paralanguage’ - the title chosen because the album’s central themes address the way “our bodies, not just our minds, hold memories and emotions” - is Samson’s most cohesive album to date. There’s a conspicuously tender thread running through its eight songs, from ‘Calescent’, its eloquently poignant opener, to ‘Lacuna’’s fuzzy nostalgia, from ‘Beyond The Dust’’s sweet serenity to ‘The Smallest Sliver’’s redemptive fragility. Samson’s voice, too, has never sounded more moving, committed or confident, his yearning falsetto as touching as his gentle tenor - comparisons to Sufjan Stevens and Patrick Watson are not inappropriate - while his arrangements are intricate yet never ostentatious, with precisely detailed programming inseparable from the warmth of his analogue instrumentation. “Perhaps,” Samson observes, “it's a reflection of feeling more centred and grounded.”

                Recorded largely in his home studio in Brussels - the first time he’s had a space exclusively devoted to his music - ‘Paralanguage’ finds Samson reunited with regular collaborator Beatrijs De Klerck, a violinist who also plays with A Winged Victory For The Sullen and Christina Vantzou. Ben Lester, who’s worked with S. Carey and Sufjan Stevens, added pedal steel to ‘Beyond The Dust’ and Jeremy Boettcher (who also performs with S. Carey) added double bass to ‘The Human Mosaic’, while Canadian songwriter Michael Feuerstack added backing vocals to ‘The Smallest Sliver’.

                Otherwise, the album is all Samson’s own work, a testament to his desire to seek peace not just on record but in his life. A tribute to his inquisitive nature, ‘Paralanguage’ is also, ultimately, a memorial to his father, whose life shaped Samson’s own and whose tragic passing has now inadvertently yielded a source of magical consolation for us all. As the 30-year-old sings on ‘The Smallest Sliver’, “Sometimes my love feels too big for my body / So I have to let it go.” In doing so, Will Samson has allowed us all to share it.

                TRACK LISTING

                Calescent
                Beyond The Dust
                Flowerbed
                Triplet
                Lacuna
                The Human Mosaic
                Ochre Alps
                The Smallest Sliver

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                Cover of HTTP404 by Oscar Scheller.

                Oscar Scheller

                HTTP404

                Wichita

                  We dare you not to smile ear-to-ear when listening to Oscar Scheller’s newest single, Interstellar Disco. Despite its cheerful disposition on the surface, the song’s cosmic alignment into existence actually occurred from a darker place. Oscar explains “The day I wrote it was probably one of the hardest days of my life and it means something very special to me. Luckily I was writing with Lucy (PAWWS) who is a musical soulmate and the perfect dance partner. We found a bittersweet escape. It’s there when you need it”.

                  “It’s a song about a two friends meeting at a fantasy location called the Interstellar Disco. It’s a place you go when the sky feels too low and the universe feels too big and you just wanna forget about everything and dance like Napoleon Dynamite”.

                  Oscar’s forthcoming HTTP404 project boasts a series of noteworthy collaborations with the likes of Lily Allen, Ashnikko, Havelock, and Kero Kero Bonito’s Sarah Midori Perri. The set of songs focuses on the importance of searching for something that no longer exists, not finding what you’re looking for. It’s philosophical & existential in places, but there’s an underlying message across the board to stop thinking about things so much & just start living!

                  Speaking about the project Oscar Scheller had to say “I’ve been gone for a minute, trying to find myself, and I think I did. I also found a lot of friends along the way. What you’re looking for may not exist how you think it does. It may not even be what you thought it was either. HTTP404 is where I’ve been. But now I’m back online with good enough WiFi and a heart full of love”.


                  TRACK LISTING

                  1 1Up
                  2 Picture Perfect
                  3 Interstellar Disco
                  4 1%
                  5 Confidence
                  6 Estate Of Mind
                  7 Runaway
                  8 Go
                  9 Happy Meals
                  10 Tidal Waves
                  11 Young

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                  Cover of This Is Not A Safe Place by Ride.

                  Ride

                  This Is Not A Safe Place

                  Wichita

                  Ride are back with their second album since reforming — it’s titled This is Not a Safe Place and is out via Wichita. They once again teamed with producer Erol Alkan and mixer Alan Moulder, both of whom worked on 2017’s Weather Diaries, which came together quickly at the end of 2018. The first single is the sparkling “Future Love” which feature Ride’s lush, signature harmonies. They’ve always had a Byrds side to them and that plays out nicely here in a “Twisterella” kind of way. “Future Love is a song about the beginning of a relationship, when everything feels possible,” says the band’s Andy Bell. 

                  STAFF COMMENTS

                  Barry says: Ride were obviously one of the most influential bands in the shoegaze scene in the early 90's but since their reformation for 2017's ' Weather Diaries' have veered a little more towards the more stargazing end of the indie spectrum. Big rock choruses and catchy riffs work their way beautifully beneath the ever-hypnotic vocals of Gardner & Bell. A huge leap from their already brilliant 2017 offering, and another sign of Ride's essential place in our musical landscape.

                  TRACK LISTING

                  R.I.D.E.
                  Future Love
                  Repetition
                  Kill Switch
                  Clouds Of Saint Marie
                  Eternal Recurrence
                  15 Minutes
                  Jump Jet
                  Dial Up
                  End Game
                  Shadows Behind The Sun
                  In This Room

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                  Cover of Be Content by Indoor Pets.

                  Indoor Pets

                  Be Content

                  Wichita

                  Indoor Pets (formerly known as Get Inuit) formed straight after leaving school in Sittingbourne, Kent, it wasn’t long before their effortless songs were attracting attention, with one of them making Record Of The Week on BBC Introducing and within two weeks Huw Stephens had picked up on the track.

                  For the next few years Indoor Pets wrote and gigged incessantly, building up a batch of killer tunes and a devoted fanbase across the country. They did, and still do, everything themselves. From making the artwork to organising their own tours on the road, producing music, building their own stage monitoring system and even running their own finances (Simpson: “if anyone wants to spend any money they have to ask me,”). It’s a fiercely DIY ethic born less from punk principle as it was from necessity. “It was either do it yourself or don’t have it done,” notes Glass, “and we decided to do it ourselves.”

                  Signing to Wichita Recordings, the band set about recording their debut album, a record seemingly full of a bottomless pool of great tunes. Familiar feelings of not fitting in or wanting to play the hand life’s dealt you are delivered with self-deprecating wit and Glass’ trademark use of double-bluffing word play. Think Rivers Cuomo and a pre-sandpit Brian Wilson bunking off school to play records and snigger at the cool kids. They’re smart, life-affirming and all contained within a thumping primary-coloured pop wallop.


                  STAFF COMMENTS

                  Barry says: Brilliantly encompassing the lo-fi aesthetic that's become so popular nowadays, Indoor Pets have a penchant for snappy percussion and mid-heavy fuzzy guitars, all topped with the snarling vocals of Jamie Glass. It's an intoxicating combination, and one sure to have you bobbing your head with the best of 'em. Awesome.

                  TRACK LISTING

                  1. Hi
                  2. Teriyaki
                  3. Thick
                  4. Spill (My Guts)
                  5. Pro Procrastinator
                  6. Couch
                  7. Heavy Thoughts
                  8. The Mapping Of Dandruff
                  9. Being Strange
                  10. Mean Heart
                  11. Good Enough
                  12. Barbiturates
                  13. Cutie Pie, I’m Bloated
                  14. My Amnesiac

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                  Cover of Last Building Burning by Cloud Nothings.

                  Cloud Nothings

                  Last Building Burning

                  Wichita

                  Cleveland, OH’s Cloud Nothings return with their loudest record to date. Undeniably one of the finest and most captivating live acts on the face of the planet, this record goes further towards capturing that power and intensity than any of their previous releases.

                  The album was produced by legend of heavy music Randall Dunn (Sunn O))), Earth, Oren Ambarchi, Marissa Nadler, Black Mountain) at Sonic Ranch in El Paso, TX.

                  Weighing in at just over thirty minutes it’s a singular listen that reflects the band’s live tenacity - one that sees them surge through the tracks at a speed hitherto unseen on previous outings - the perfect antidote to 2017’s ‘Life Without Sound’.

                  STAFF COMMENTS

                  Barry says: Brilliantly dynamic thrashing punky riffs, angular math-rocky riffing and snarling vox, all brought together into Cloud Nothings' newest outing. Richly melodic but filled with unexpected twists and turns, forging an interesting and rewarding listen. Definitely one for blasting out at the skate park.

                  TRACK LISTING

                  On An Edge
                  Leave Him Now
                  In Shame
                  Offer An End
                  The Echo Of The World
                  Dissolution
                  So Right So Clean
                  Another Way Of Life

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                  Cover of Murmurations by Simian Mobile Disco.

                  Simian Mobile Disco

                  Murmurations

                  Wichita

                  Simian Mobile Disco's fifth full length album, "Murmurations", features vocals from celebrated Hackney-based collective The Deep Throat Choir and sees the established dance duo further bolster their already impressive sonic portfolio with another thrilling nine songs done in their inimitable, stadium-pleasing electronic style.

                  As perfectly pitched for headphones as it is for clubs, and named after giant cloud formations of starlings and themed around the stunning emergent behaviors that appear within them. To mirror these movements in the sonic landscape and visuals of "Murmurations", SMD’s James Ford and Jas Shaw also collaborated with creative directors Kazim Rashid of ENDLESSLOVESHOW (Aphex Twin, Flying Lotus, Hudson Mohawk) and Carri Munden. Together with The Deep Throad Choir, they have created a sprawling, dramatic and expansive piece of work. The delicate and evocative vocal parts ride SMD's textured electronic structures and rhythms in ethereal and enchanted ways, while the long duration of the tracks truly absorbs the listener in their magic. This is some of the strongest work we've seen from the pair and a brilliant introduction to TDTC should they require the exposure. A truly accomplished album which finds Simian Mobile Disco in fine form. 


                  STAFF COMMENTS

                  Matt says: Simian surprise me endlessly by actually making a record I really like! The ethereal mix of haunting choir and SMD's shimmering soundscapes is evocative and cinenmatic indeed. Ace.

                  TRACK LISTING

                  1. Boids
                  2. Caught In A Wave
                  3. We Go
                  4. Gliders
                  5. Hey Sister
                  6. A Perfect Swarm
                  7. Defender
                  8. V Formation
                  9. Murmuration

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                  Cover of The King Of Whys by Owen.

                  Owen

                  The King Of Whys

                  Wichita

                  Owen, the acclaimed solo musical guise of singer / songwriter / multi-instrumentalist Mike Kinsella, has made an astonishing leap forward with ‘The King Of Whys’, the first work in his two decade-plus career to be made entirely outside of the greater Chicagoland area.

                  Produced by S. Carey over 18 days last winter at April Base Studios in Eau Claire, WI, the album is Owen’s most inspired and evocative thus far, interpolating a group dynamic into what has long been an intensely intimate sound.

                  Songs like ‘The Desperate Act’ and ‘Sleep Is A Myth’ remain spare but with a distinctly outward shift in scope, their open-armed sonic range a perfect foil to Kinsella’s evocative explorations of marriage, melancholia and modern middle age.

                  Fraught with hurt and wry humour, ‘The King Of Whys’ is a portrait of a restless artist grappling with doubt and ghosts of the past but searching for meaning through candour, creativity and an ardent need for emotional release.

                  TRACK LISTING

                  Empty Bottle
                  The Desperate Act
                  Settled Down
                  Lovers Come And Go
                  Tourniquet
                  A Burning Soul
                  Saltwater
                  An Island
                  Sleep Is A Myth
                  Lost

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                  Cover of Decency by Frankie & The Heartstrings.

                  Frankie & The Heartstrings

                  Decency

                  Wichita

                  The band continue to ignore the lure of lucre and bright lights and remain steadfastly in Sunderland, opening their own record store in the city’s redundant Tourist Office bringing much heralded impetus to the creative heart of Sunderland and it’s many like-minded souls. Amongst the artist who have supported their venture and played recently are The Vaccines, Franz Ferdinand and James Bay.

                  ‘Decency’ follows 2013’s ‘The Days Run Away’ and sees the band continue their uncanny knack for conjuring up moments of introspective beauty whilst encapsulating the band’s ideals, both socially and politically. The pop suss that flowed through previous releases still reigns but ‘Decency’ embellishes those hooks and melodies creating some of the band’s best work to date.

                  Recorded at the tail end of last summer at Leeds’ Suburban Homes studio with MJ (Hookworms) at the controls, ‘Decency ‘ also sees Futurehead Ross Millard on extra-curricular duty with guitar and vocal artistry making his recording debut as a fully-fledged Heartstring.

                  TRACK LISTING

                  Peterborough Dogs
                  Decency
                  Think Yourself Lucky
                  Save It For Tonight
                  Money
                  Hate Me Like You Used To
                  Berlin Calls
                  Balconette
                  Someday Anna
                  Just Not In Love
                  Not For Pleasure
                  Knife In My Back

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                  Cover of Before The World Was Big by Girlpool.

                  Girlpool

                  Before The World Was Big

                  Wichita

                    Born and raised in Los Angeles, Girlpool are a Philadelphia based two piece made up of Cleo Tucker (guitar) and Harmony Tividad (bass). The two met at Los Angeles DIY venue The Smell and quickly grew very close.

                    Their sound is raw, comprised only of a guitar, bass and vocal harmonies. Cleo and Harmony use this stripped-down instrumentation to accentuate their vulnerable and powerful lyrics.

                    For fans of Waxahatchee, First Aid Kit, Breeders, Pixies, Sleater Kinney.

                    “If rebellion had a sound, I imagine it would end up sounding a lot like Girlpool... It’s punk in the best sense of the word: fresh, raw, and uncompromising.” - Stereogum

                    “It’s brilliant.” - The Line Of Best Fit · “Fever-pitch vocals, lo-fidelity guitar, and endless cool” - Pitchfork

                    “A minimalist approach to writing urgent, non-conformist and catchy tunes” - The Independent

                    “An arresting combination” - The Guardian

                    “Armed with just two guitars, the duo reel you in with seriously catchy hooks and achieve more depth with these songs than any drum kit ever could.” - NME

                    TRACK LISTING

                    Ideal World
                    Dear Nora
                    Before The World Was Big
                    Chinatown
                    Cherry Picking
                    Magnifying Glass
                    Crowded Stranger
                    Pretty
                    Emily
                    I Like That You Can See It

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                    Cover of Heydays by Total Babes.

                    Total Babes

                    Heydays

                    Wichita

                    The bouncy, surf-esque qualities pitch Total Babes a million miles from their Cloud Nothings connections (the bands share the octopus-onamphetamine drumming of Jayson Gerycz), with ‘Heydays’ instantly presenting itself as a beachcombing ode to sweaty summers.

                    Lead by the undulating basslines of Nathan Ward (Smooth Brain / Cruelster) and fleshed out by warped synth work John Elliot (Emeralds / Outer Space), the choruses are a masterclass in indie rock’s ability to shift perceptions - “I only want to be beautiful,” frontman Christopher Brown cries but it’s in their rough edges that Total Babes really shine.

                    For fans of Cloud Nothings, FIDLAR, Wavves and Eagulls.

                    TRACK LISTING

                    Blurred Time
                    Heydays
                    Bone Dry Eyes
                    Circling
                    We’ll Come Around
                    Sunny Side
                    Repeat Gold
                    Can I Turn You On

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                    Cover of Cheatahs by Cheatahs.

                    Cheatahs

                    Cheatahs

                    Wichita

                    Following two acclaimed EPs - ‘Coared’ and ‘SANS’ - as well as a double A-sided single, Wichita are very excited to present the highly anticipated self-titled debut album from Cheatahs.

                    An exploration of the possibilities of modern guitar music. A blend of ecstatic noise, ambient drone and visceral, earsplitting alt rock. Lyrics that touch on the complexities of relationships, nature, the city, memory, dislocation and self-identity. Altogether, their self-titled record displays a giant creative leap from the lo fi fuzz of their first two EPs.

                    Call it shoegaze, call it grunge, call it indie rock, but know that Cheatahs stand head and shoulders above all the other pretenders in terms of both tunes and intensity.

                    The band have been on the road with their friends Metz and more dates will be announced soon. They have previously played with Dinosaur Jr, Fidlar, Wavves, Best Coast, The Cribs, King Tuff and Cloud Nothings, amongst others.

                    For fans of Deerhunter, Swervedriver, My Bloody Valentine, Dinosaur Jr, Teenage Fanclub, Sugar, The Boo Radleys.

                    TRACK LISTING

                    I
                    Geographic
                    Northern Exposure
                    Mission Creep
                    Get Tight
                    The Swan
                    IV
                    Leave To Remain
                    Kenworth
                    Fall
                    Cut The Grass
                    Loon Calls

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                    Cover of Choir Of Echoes by Peggy Sue.

                    Peggy Sue

                    Choir Of Echoes

                    Wichita

                    Peggy Sue are far from your average post-folk band; they carefully craft together beautiful harmonies that glide over a sea of delicate guitars and piercing drums to create a coming together of sounds whose power is unlike any other. The songs possess an immense intricacy in their layers and details ensuring the listeners respond to their cinematic quality.

                    In their own words, “‘Choir Of Echoes’ is an album about singing. About losing your voice and finding it again. Voices keeping each other company and voices competing for space. The call and response of the kindest and the cruelest words. Choruses. Duets. Whispers and shouts.”

                    This, the band’s third album for Wichita Recordings, was recorded by Jimmy Robertson (the man who made the ‘Peggy Sue Play The Songs Of Scorpio Rising’ collection), and mixed by John Askew (who also worked with the band on their debut full length, ‘Fossils And Other Phantoms’).

                    TRACK LISTING

                    (Come Back Around)
                    Esme
                    Substitute
                    Figure Of Eight
                    Always Going
                    Just The Night
                    How Heavy The Quiet That Grew Between Your Mouth And Mine
                    Electric Light
                    Longest Day Of The Year Blues
                    Idle
                    And Always Is
                    Two Shots
                    The Errors Of Your Ways

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                    Cover of Motto by Sky Larkin.

                    Sky Larkin

                    Motto

                    Wichita

                    ‘Motto’ is the third album by Leeds trio Sky Larkin on Wichita Recordings.

                    Recorded with long-term collaborator, producer John Goodmanson (Girls, Sleater Kinney, Los Campesinos!) in Seattle, ‘Motto’ showcases Sky Larkin’s unshakable ability to conjure immediately satisfying, vibrant indie rock.

                    The album was written for the most part whilst Sky Larkin singer and guitarist Katie Harkin was on the road as a touring member of Wild Beasts, and it captures a typically varied set of themes as its inspiration.

                    TRACK LISTING

                    Motto
                    Newsworthy
                    The Loyal Beat
                    Treasury
                    Loom
                    Carve It Out
                    Tarn
                    Frozen Summer
                    Bravo Dodo
                    Overgrown
                    Italics
                    Que Linda (Wake To Applause)

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                    Cover of Sob Story by Spectrals.

                    Spectrals

                    Sob Story

                    Wichita

                    ‘Sob Story’ is the second album from Heckmondwike, Yorkshire residing brothers Louis and Will Jones aka Spectrals. The record finds the band back with more confidence than ever.

                    The album was produced at Decibelle in San Francisco by JR White, producer and bassplayer of the band Girls. JR had this to say of the recording sessions and resulting record: “With ‘Sob Story’ Spectrals have come of age. Our sessions found Louis and his writing at its most honest and direct. Our mantra while recording was always ‘make it exciting and cut the fat’. ‘Sob Story’ is the outcome of that and personally I could not be happier with the results.”

                    The album’s songs draw on influences from Louis’ favourite musicians such as Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, and Dave Edmunds, as well as Galaxie 500, Big Star and Slade.

                    Since the release of their debut album, ‘Bad Penny’, Spectrals have toured Europe with Best Coast, Girls, The Cribs, and Real Estate, amongst others.

                    TRACK LISTING

                    Let Me Cave In
                    A Heartbeat Behind
                    Karaoke
                    Sob Story
                    Milky Way
                    Friend Zone
                    Limousine
                    Something To Cry About
                    Blue Whatever
                    Keep Your Magic Out Of My House
                    Gentle
                    In A Bad Way

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                    Cover of Payola by The Cribs.

                    The Cribs

                    Payola

                    Wichita

                      "Payola" collects together 22 tracks spanning The Cribs career - including unreleased track "Leather Jacket Love Song", the final song the band recorded with Johnny Marr.

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                      Cover of The Lion's Roar by First Aid Kit.

                      First Aid Kit

                      The Lion's Roar

                      Wichita

                        Swedish sisters First Aid Kit have gone from faraway teenage fans covering Fleet Foxes for fun to recording a blue series 7” of Buffy Sainte-Marie’s ‘Universal Soldier’ with Jack White in his Nashville, TN Third Man studios.

                        This, their second album, was recorded in Spring 2011 in Omaha, Nebraska by Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, Jenny Lewis, Monsters Of Folk). From the dynamic title track onwards, the sophomore album is a rich and stirring affair that expands upon the keen and sophisticated country tinged pop of their critically acclaimed debut.

                        ‘The Lion’s Roar’ is a full band record, the Girls’ Father Benkt takes the bass, Mattias Bergqvist drums, while Mogis and Nate Walcott of Bright Eyes, and a cast of Omaha-based musicians round out the sound.

                        Album closer ‘King Of The World’ features the Felice Brothers, just passing through town during the session, and local hero Conor Oberst, who sings the last verse.

                        TRACK LISTING

                        1. The Lion’s Roar
                        2. Emmylou
                        3. In The Hearts Of Men
                        4. Blue
                        5. This Old Routine
                        6. To A Poet
                        7. I Found A Way
                        8. Dance To Another Tune
                        9. New Year’s Eve
                        10. King Of The World

                        CD Bonus Track:
                        11. Wolf

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                        Cover of Bad Penny by Spectrals.

                        Spectrals

                        Bad Penny

                        Wichita

                        ‘Bad Penny’ is the debut album from Spectrals aka 21 year old Louis Jones. Mixing ingredients of pop, soul, doo wop, and a garage rock ballad, it sounds vintage but current, while the Yorkshire lilt in his voice (a result of his hometown, Heckmondwike) places him firmly in the UK, rather than Detroit.

                        Inspired by the music he grew up listening to as a child, from the Rolling Stones (the only CD’s his mum ever has in her car) to The Style Council, Elvis Costello and The Ronettes, it’s all “just about love really”.

                        In eleven original songs, not heard on any of Spectrals previous tapes, 7″s or E.P’s, he documents his relationship with his girlfriend, who he has known since school, from the great to the not-so-good. “Love songs are the kind of songs I like” says the guy who once turned Beyonce’s Single Ladies upside down (‘Peppermint’) “‘not all of them are nice, but they’re all feelings I’ve had”. As if he wasn’t attached to these songs enough, Louis recorded nearly all of the instruments on Bad Penny, with his brother, Will Jones, the only other musician on the album, on drums.

                        Recorded with Richard Formby (Wild Beasts, Hood, Telescopes, Spectrum) in early 2011, on Bad Penny, Spectrals’ knack for writing a great tune is more obvious than ever. “I just love these songs” he says “all I’d hope is for people to come away saying, ‘they were 11 ace songs’ or if there’s a a guy or girl getting messed about, that it makes sense to them. I’m not wanting to make out I’m a genius, I hate it when groups do that. People don’t like being talked down to, y’know? This is just songs”.

                        TRACK LISTING

                        1. Get A Grip
                        2. Lockjaw
                        3. You Don't Have To Tell Me
                        4. Big Baby
                        5. Many Happy Returns
                        6. You Can't Live On Love Alone
                        7. Doing Time
                        8. Confetti
                        9. Luck Is There To Be Pushed
                        10. Brain Freeze
                        11. If I Think About The Magic Will It Go Away?

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                        [ - ]
                        Cover of The Big Black & The Blue by First Aid Kit.

                        First Aid Kit

                        The Big Black & The Blue

                        Wichita

                        Prodigious Swedish teenagers Klara (16) and Johanna Söderberg (19), AKA First Aid Kit, have been gathering fans apace throughout 2009 since the release of their “Drunken Trees” EP in February.
                        Spending their formative years drinking from the fountain of American classics – everything from Buffy Sainte-Marie, to the likes of Conor Oberst – it shaped their way with song writing, arrangements and even the use of a second language. Audiences have been falling at their feet, enraptured by their pure, shimmering voices in harmony. Until now they have been rightfully praised for their astonishing cover versions, such as their infamous YouTube phenomenon of Fleet Foxes’ “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song”, but First Aid Kit are now unveiling some remarkable songs of their own. The first flourishes can be heard on this masterly debut album, built around the sweeping majesty and almost telekinetic, intricate weaving of their voices. Sounding like the dreamy and spectral nieces of the Indigo Girls or Michelle Shocked coming in from the campfire to settle at the Stockholm kitchen table, the Söderberg’s distil all of their collective influences and make them their own.

                        TRACK LISTING

                        01. In The Morning
                        02. Hard Believer
                        03. Sailor Song
                        04. Waltz For Richard
                        05. Heavy Storm
                        06. Ghost Town
                        07. Josefin
                        08. A Window Opens
                        09. Winter Is All Over You
                        10. I Met Up With The King
                        11. Wills Of The River

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                        [ - ]

                        Lissy Trullie

                        Self-Taught Learner

                        Wichita

                        A native of Washington, DC and now calling New York City home Lissy Trullie is both the name of the front woman and the band she sings in. In a year being characterised by female fronted electro-pop (with more than a passing eye on the 1980s), Lissy stands out from the crowd with timeless, fuzzy guitar pop that evokes the sound of new-wave, New York in the late 70s and early 80s and has seen her compared to such artists as Chrissie Hynde, Blondie and Television. What also makes Lissy stand out is her unique voice: a rich tenor with a distinct drawl, Lissy's voice is a remarkably arresting instrument and her vocal styling add another dimension to the songs. The band is knitted together by the water tight rhythm section of Josh Elrod's drumming, Ian Fenger's melodic bass lines and Lissy's stabs of rhythm guitar, with lead guitarist Eben D'Amico providing the flourishes. Tracks like "Boy Boy", "She Said" and "Money" are all nuggets of spiky, new wave brilliance, but it's the EP's title track that really marks Lissy out as a song writer par excellence. At the two minute mark "Self-Taught Learner" makes a quite extraordinary turn, breaking into a rousing two minute crescendo of piano and Motown bass with Lissy repeating the lyric 'Oh, I want to die with you'. When the band play the song live, it's a real raised hairs on the back of your neck moment. The EP closes with the band's much revered cover of Hot Chip's "Ready For The Floor", with Lissy's voice sounding at its most beautiful and adding new layers of warmth to the track.

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                        [ - ]

                        Various Artists

                        Shred Yr Face 2

                        Wichita

                        As you've probably guessed from the title, this is the second release in the excellent Shred Yr Face singles series, released to coincide with the tour of the same name. This time around, The Bronx give you their take on a classic by another hard-living LA-based group, The Gun Club. Anyone that has heard The Bronx's versions of Neil Young's "Needle And The Damage Done" or Warren Zevon's "Carmelita" knows that a cover from these dudes is always a hot prospect, and they do not disappoint with "She's Like Heroin To Me". Fucked Up present a raw blast through a little known US punk-rock classic from 1977, "Son Of Sam" by Chain Gang. And Rolo Tomassi deliver a typically intense blast or Melt Banana-esque noise in the form "Apocalypso '09".

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                        [ - ]

                        Greg Weeks

                        The Hive

                        Wichita

                        Greg's words on the album: 'Frustrated with new methods and mindset in recording technology I threw up my hands and built my own analog recording studio. My last album, Blood Is Trouble (as well as the first Espers record) was recorded on a 1⁄2" 8 track machine. Eventually I was able to upgrade to an MCI 2" machine and professional recording console which have allowed for better sound quality and greater experimentation. Having a home studio has allowed me to record and produce albums at a comfortable pace consistent with my own levels of inspiration. Key to the album's sound was the acquisition of a vintage Mellotron keyboard. The Mellotron is doubtless my spirit animal in instrument form and is certainly one of the main inspirations behind "The Hive". No other instrument conveys the characteristics of hive insects as well as this legendarily warbley tape based sampler. "The Hive" is primarily a response to the atmosphere of apocalypse that permeates the lives of those who are open and receptive to their environment (not to mention the general global condition). That's not to say the album's entirely about misery and despair. Quite the contrary; I have a good amount of fun trolling through the backwaters of my own dank grey matter (often darkly comical), and each of these songs have multiple meanings, so glean from them what you will. It also contains a cover of Madonna's "Borderline", my first recorded cover since tackling Cat Power's "King Rides By" on "Fire In The Arms Of The Sun". This was meant to be a future Espers release but I got antsy waiting for the next covers record to come about so here it is (after three years of simmering on my mental back burner).'

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                        [ - ]

                        Peter, Bjorn & John

                        Peter, Bjorn & John

                        Wichita

                          Everyone's current favourite Swedes, Peter, Bjorn & John, issue this album in the UK for the very first time, complete with sleeve notes written by the band and five bonus tracks.

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