In today’s Soundbites, our weekly take on news, reviews and tabloid gossip, Biffy Clyro make a stir in the Scottish FA Cup, Britney Spears has a love-in with her fans, and one of the UK’s best kept secrets releases a new album. There’s also news of more struggles for Myspace, while Guy Garvey reveals a bit more from Elbow’s new album.
After Noel Gallagher and Kasabian‘s Serge Pizzorno recently pulled out some plum draws for the third round of England’s FA Cup, Biffy Clyro members Simon Neil and James Johnston made their own headlines this week when making the draw for the fifth round of Scotland’s tournament. The musicians caused a stir by pitting arch Glasgow rivals Rangers and Celtic together for a tie which will played at Ibrox Stadium over the weekend of February 5th/6th.
Pop superstar Britney Spears is continuing her musical rehabilitation this week, after her latest single ‘Hold It Against Me’ topped the download charts in 17 countries just 24 hours after it leaked. Writing on Twitter, Britney said: “‘Hold It Against Me’ is now officially on iTunes!!! Feeling it? -Brit,” and later added: “Seriously, I have the best fans ever. I love you all so much!! Everything I do is for you! xoxo Brit.”
Putting the name aside, British Sea Power remain the archetypal UK indie act, thanks to their carefully constructed, but not too bombastic, guitar-led anthems. They also boast both a quality and eye for invention sadly missing from some of their more established counterparts, and have returned with the goods once again this week thanks to their fourth studio album ‘Valhalla Dancehall‘. Check out lead single ‘Living Is So Easy‘:
The fickle nature of online social networking was brought into sharp focus once again this week with the news that Myspace plans to slash its workforce by 50% due to reported financial losses. Once the torch-bearer for the social mediums, Myspace is now suffering in a market dominated by the juggernaut of Facebook. MySpace CEO Mike Jones spoke of a ‘significant organizational restructure’, and said the changes were made to make a ‘clear path for sustained growth and profitability’.
The recent unveiling of new track ‘Lippy Kids‘ has only served to further raise expectations for Elbow‘s forthcoming new album. Now, frontman Guy Garvey has told fans to expect a stripped back album, revealing to The Fly that the record, entitled ‘Make a Rocket Boys!‘ and due for release in March, will be ‘minimal sounding’ and ‘natural’.
