January 31st, 2012

The new single from Sam Gray, out Feb 19th – taken from the debut album ‘Brighter Day’

REM‘s early Nineties single ‘Everybody Hurts‘ has been voted ‘the most depressing song of all time’ by a new survey.

Mark Lanegan is like a liquor-soaked deity, down in the silt, keeping celestial and scrambling for faith.

He sees you, me, himself and reunites us all in song; a great big melting pot of angels, souls intertwining as blithely as smoke moves through the air. His voice, the bruised communicator, relays contempt and corruption consistently, bearing a rare romance that can be compared to few other artists. Similarly to have dragged their heels through the primordial gravels of distinction, have been Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits. Lanegan, Cohen and Waits share a distilled sort of depth, sing about the Lord and bask on their despair with melancholy grace.

Spiritualized have unveiled a large North American tour as they prepare to release the album ‘Sweet Heart Sweet Light‘ state-side in April 2012.

London newcomers Tribes have announced a spring UK tour in support of their UK top 20 debut album ‘Baby‘.

A spokesman for HMV has said news of another drop in weekly albums sales shouldn’t be a surprise due to traditional slow buying trends during the month of January.

It should only seem fitting that upon venturing within ear-shot of Melbourne’s Festival Hall – a venue famous for housing the Fab Four a half century ago – the mighty guitar racket of none-other than NME indie-rock flag-bearers The Vaccines could be heard blaring through the doors at full volume; their ragged guitar anthems cosily nestling against the gritty working-class surroundings that form the landscape around the arena.

The Vaccines were here to precede the mighty Kasabian, whom they would soon no doubt be trying to dethrone as Britain’s premier rock band of the current era.

U2‘s manager Paul McGuinness has said online music streaming services ‘should be encouraged’, but also admitted artists are yet to be convinced by the medium as they do not foresee any financial benefits.