Derry singer-songwriter Chris McConaghy AKA Our Krypton Son is streaming his latest single, ‘Gargantuan’. Taking from his superb self-titled debut album, released last year via Smalltown America, the video for the single was released two weeks ago. You can watch it here. ‘Bring The Flood’ and ‘How Long Must I Dream’ are the B-sides accompanying the single. Stream all three tracks via Spotify here.
Two weeks after founding bassist Kim Deal announced that she was leaving the band, the Pixies have released a brand new song, ‘Bagboy’ Nine years since their latest single release – 2004’s slightly iffy ‘Bam Thwok’ – the band have returned with a genuinely impressive, totally unexpected dose of classic Pixies. Stream the track below!
Scottish indie rock quartet Franz Ferdinand have unveiled two new singles, taken from their forthcoming fourth album, Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Actions. Streaming via YouTube the tracks – lead track ‘Right Action’ and ‘Love Illumination’ – are two of ten set to feature on the highly-anticipated album, set for release on August 27 via Domino. Stream both tracks below.
Dublin experimental two-piece Floor Staff are streaming their forthcoming debut release, The Good Luck EP. Already showing signs of great things to come, the duo – Anthony Donnelly and Stephen Murray – are currently assembling a cast of musicians to help them launch the release and the band itself. The Good Luck EP will be launched in Dublin’s Twisted Pepper on Friday, July 12 as part of the 10 Days In Dublin Festival. Stream the five-track EP below (we’re hearing the likes of Wild Beasts, Pinback, Of Montreal…) The Good Luck EP by Floor Staff
Comber-based experimental folk singer-songwriter Joshua Burnside is streaming his new EP, the exquisite If You’re Goin’ That Way. Launched at Belfast’s White’s Tavern last week, the five track EP comes off the back of the success of its lead single, ‘Black Dog Sin’ and features additional instrumentation from Rachael Boyd and Connor Burnside. Stream (or pay what you like for) the EP via Bandcamp below. If You're Goin' That Way by Joshua Burnside
Taking in place in Limavady’s Ballymully Cottage Farm this summer, Stendhal Music and Art Festival have announced that The Divine Comedy (AKA Neil Hannon, above) and Duke Special will headline this year’s line-up. With the likes of Paddy Casey, Little Bear and Pocket Billiards already announced to play, the headliners finalise the final line-up for this year’s festival. See the final line-up poster below. Tickets for this year’s festival – taking place from 16-17 August – are available from the official Stendhal website.
Having relocated to Nottingham a couple of months ago, Irish quartet A Plastic Rose have re-released the video to their forthcoming single, ‘Kids Don’t Behave Like This’. Originally released bacj in March 2010, the re-launched single is taken from the band’s album Camera.Shutter.Life. It will be officially released on July 15 via Di Di Mau Records/Third Bar. Watch the video (featuring a whole host of familiar faces) below.
Silhouette AKA Maghaherafelt singer-songwriter Shauna Tohill has unveiled the video to her new single, ‘Put The Silence On Hold’. Taking from the fast-rising songstress’ debut EP, Can’t Keep Up, the video was produced by Darren Lee of Maverick Renegade Productions. According to Silhouette’s YouTube page, the song “is a story about love and letting love develop into the beauty that it is, even through difficult times.” Silhouette will support Blondie on their two Irish dates next week before performing Glasgowbury and Kendal Calling next month. Watch the video for ‘Put The Silence On Hold’ below
Last month we posted a stream of Chicago indie rock band Smith Westerns’ exquisite single, ‘3am Spiritual’. Now, the band are streaming the album from which it is taken, Soft Will, via NPR. The third album by the U.S. quartet, it will be officially released next week and is the follow-up to the 2011’s Dye It Blonde. Stream the album here.
The final acts set to play this year’s Glasgowbury Music Festival have been confirmed. Joining the likes of headliners The Answer, And So I Watch You From Afar and Japanese Popstars at the annual Eagle’s Rock Valley event are Dublin’s blues-rock band The Mighty Stef, singer-songwriters Katharine Philippa, Alana Henderson, Rob Murphy and Paul Casey. Dance DJs Deep Fried Funk, electro-indie band Don’t Fear The Natives, Derry rock band Wyldling and Hurdles, Aces Wild, Windings and The Last Generation make up the final line-up. The announcement comes off the back of Belfast-based rockers LaFaro, ska-punk troupe Pocket Billiards and singer-songwriter Peter McAuley AKA Rams Pocket Radio being confirmed to play the festival, set to take place over two days…