The Lovely Eggs – new single This Decision and album/tour announced

The Lovely Eggs – new single This Decision and album/tour announced

For the last two years, The Lovely Eggs have sat back and watched England and the rest of the planet slowly eat itself. Their new album ‘I am Moron’ is the result of their observations, a relentless analysis of a modern culture that is bringing the world to its knees.

‘This Decision’ is the first taste of that new album – an outright attack on greed and mindless consumerism and a fierce defence of a no-frills lifestyle they have chosen to pursue. ‘This Decision’ goes further than capturing the zeitgeist of Brexit Britain. It’s about choice and the lack of choice in society. This decision is all mine. Is it?

 

Today we get to see the video for ‘This Decision’, a song that has already been supported on the airwaves by broadcasters of fine taste such as Iggy Pop, Marc Riley, Steve Lamacq, Chris Hawkins, Tom Robinson and John Kennedy at Radio X and the swirling, cacophony of images and psychedelic psychosis resonating from the video perfectly represent the song’s seething two-minute-and-fifty-seconds of rage.

 

“For the video we wanted something with the pedal to the frigging floor,” explains frontwoman Holly Ross. “The track is pretty intense so we wanted something to match that and to take a pop at the moronic relentless capitalist culture that we’re surrounded by these days.”

 

‘I am Moron’ is the follow up to their critically acclaimed 2017 album ‘This is Eggland’. It is their second album co-produced and mixed by Dave Fridmann (The Flaming Lips, MGMT, Tame Impala) and continues their journey through Eggland into the unknown.

 

Throughout their 13-year career, The Lovely Eggs have embraced isolation. Both metaphorically and geographically the married couple have chosen to shun the social conventions of normal life and dedicated their band and their life to the pursuit of what feels right.

 

Operating out of their hometown of Lancaster, The Lovely Eggs are lonely pioneers and self-confessed kings of idiocy. Working in an industry whose currency is money, success and nepotism, The Lovely Eggs want none of it. They call out everything fake and plastic about the music industry and demand you to re-evaluate on their terms.

 

They’re undoubtedly the most real band in Britain, operating in a world when true authenticity is hard to find. They have also spent more time on hold to the Working Tax credit hotline than any other band on the planet.

 

‘I Am Moron’ was self recorded by the band in Lancaster (“The Twin Peaks of Northern England”) between Lancaster Musicians Co-op and their home. During the recording, Lancaster Musicians Co-op was threatened with closure, so the band put their album on hold to fight the eviction.

 

While the band were writing the album, they became fascinated by the Mars One program- a global project which aims to establish a permanent human settlement on Mars. Applicants are offered a one-way ticket- never to see earth again. This fascinated Holly and David who drew parallels between this mission and their own isolation as a band.

 

Continuing the heaviness of ‘This is Eggland’. ‘I am Moron’ brings more depth to their sound bringing with it a mix of heavy psych, pop and strangeness. Some songs flicker between an earthly realism and the otherworldly loneliness of a one-way space mission. While in contrast, ‘Insect Repellent’ launches a gonzo-style attack against the middle classes and Bearpit questions the essence of working-class freedom.

 

With no booking agent, manager, record label or publisher The Lovely Eggs are truly independent. And this isn’t due to economics. This is by design. From day one. And support for them is snowballing. They are selling out bigger and bigger venues and more eggheads are joining them in their crusade against bullshit.

 

Their songs have been produced by Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals), remixed by Tjinder Singh (Cornershop) and sampled by Zane Lowe for Scroobius Pip. With releases in the UK, Europe, USA and Japan, The Lovely Eggs have played hundreds of gigs around the UK, USA and Europe.

 

Released on limited edition 7” vinyl and accompanied by mind melting artwork designed by Casey Raymond, This Decision is a powerful harsh hit at reality. The Lovely Eggs say it how it is. They’ve never been afraid to swim against the current and now they’ve got an army of fans behind them.

 

Welcome to their world. This Is Eggland!

Catch The Lovely Eggs live in April 2020 for the ‘I am Moron’ UK album tour:

 

April 2020

Thur 9                        The Cluny, Newcastle

Fri 10              The Brudenell Social Club, Leeds *SOLD OUT*

Sat 11                         The Castle and Falcon, Birmingham

Sun 12                        The Bullingdon, Oxford

Mon 13           The Fleece, Bristol

Tues 14          The Loft, Southampton

Wed 15           The Portland Arms, Cambridge *SOLD OUT*

Thur 16          Komedia, Brighton

Fri 17              The Garage, London

Sat 18             Gorilla, Manchester *SOLD OUT*

 

May 2020

Fri 1                The Mash House, Edinburgh

Sat 2                CCA, Glasgow

 

Tickets available HERE:

 

Order the This Decision single HERE:

Physical pre-order link HERE:

 

Find The Lovely Eggs online at:

 

WEBSITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

 

Tommy Ray – ‘First Hits Free’ (GadM)

Tommy Ray – ‘First Hits Free’ (GadM)

 

US guitar romantics The Cry! have been pretty quiet the last few years. In fact, it’s been 6 long years since their fantastic sophomore album ‘Dangerous Game’ hit our turntables. Rumour has it, the band has studio time booked in the spring to polish off the follow-up. In the meantime, their illustrious frontman and main songwriter Tommy Ray (Nelsen) is flying the flag releasing tasty rock ‘n’ roll records. Tommy follows up last year’s ‘The Decayed: PDX PUNX’ album with a new long-player entitled ‘First Hits Free’ and what a banger it is.

 

‘First Hits Free’ is a collection of Tommy Ray songs that The Cry! passed on for one reason or another. That’s not to say these songs are substandard, oh no, far from it. These songs follow the same retro, low-slung power pop route of his day job for sure. If you dig the raw and emotional pop punk delivered by the likes of The Speedways and Cyanide Pills on this side of the pond, then watch out boys, as this Portland, Oregon based songwriter has the minerals to mix up the sounds of The Heartbreakers (Thunders, not Petty), The Attractions and The Buzzcocks like the last 40 years never even happened!

Tommy Ray delivers raw and unadulterated rock ‘n’ roll straight from the heart. Opener ‘Ain’t No Use’ fills the speakers with raw guitars, pumping bass and urgent beats, topped off by a tinkling of the ivories, a nonchalant vocal delivery, and a melody to die for. Single ‘Life Goes On’ follows, with its cool Yaffa-like bass rumble, handclaps and irresistible gang vocal you’ll be hooked after the first listen.

Do you miss The Biters already, or are you still shedding a tear over The Exploding Hearts? Well, dry those khol stained eyes, as Tommy Ray has a handful of songs that are just what the doctor ordered. Yes, the production is raw, but it matters not one iota when the songwriting is top-notch and the delivery is sincere and from the heart. You could say songs of broken love and reflection have never sounded so upbeat, but Tommy has that knack, that certain something that makes his songs stand out from the crowd.

‘Hey Suzanne’ is a glorious combination of Costello and Strummer goodness, punk with pop sensibilities, something that not a lot of young songwriters get right. The glam slam 70’s stomp of ‘Voices’ hits in the feels for sure. Gloriously upbeat and as ramshackle as you like, it’s a riot from start to finish, as the singer snarls his way over cool guitar riffs and big beats like Hanoi Rocks in their prime. You will swear you have heard the likes of ‘’Good Love Gone South’ and ‘Trouble’ before, such is the instant feel of the catchy melodies.

 

As a whole the songs on this album make the majority of Tommy Ray’s contemporaries sound dull as dishwater. Who wants to hear a half-arsed, bedraggled Indie boy staring at his shoes recounting how unfair his life is, when Tommy Ray is living his best life like the bastard son of Johnny Thunders and Joe Strummer.

If these are the songs that didn’t make the highly anticipated 3rd album from The Cry! then they should have one hell of a record under their studded leather belts. We await that album with baited breath, but until then bask in the glory that is ‘First Hits Free’, the first great new album you will hear in 2020.

 

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Author: Ben Hughes

 

 

 

HARKER + BURNT TAPES announce Wiretap UK Tour

HARKER + BURNT TAPES announce Wiretap UK Tour

Brighton, UK punks Harker are teaming up with London regret punk favorites Burnt Tapes for a series of dates in February under the moniker ‘Wiretap UK Tour.’ Get the dates and cities below.

Harker released their last full-length album “No Discordance” in 2018 via Wiretap Records as well as a handful of singles last year including the song “Dead Ends” you can watch below.

Burnt Tapes’ album “Never Better” was released this past year that included the songs “Yuzi”, “Don’t Make Me Play Bocelli” and “Robert Cop” Watch the video below.

Wiretap UK Tour with Harker and Burnt Tapes

FEB19 – BRIGHTON, THE RICHMOND

FEB 20 – FOLKESTONE, HARP RESTRUNG

FEB 21 – GLOUCESTER, OUT OF KEY

FEB 22 – LEEDS, TEMPLE OF BOOM

Harker online:

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 Web

Burnt Tapes online:

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Ryan Hamilton’s Holiday Hoedown – Nottingham, Miles From Nowhere – 14th December 2019

Ryan Hamilton’s Holiday Hoedown – Nottingham, Miles From Nowhere – 14th December 2019

 

The last 12 months or so Ryan Hamilton has released a critically acclaimed album with his band The Harlequin Ghosts, toured with The Alarm and Blondie’s Clem Burke, and yet he ends the year divorced, battling online bullies and doing a bit of soul searching. What better way to drown his sorrows with a one-off UK Christmas show billed as The Holiday Hoedown.

Miles from Nowhere (or MFN as it is more commonly known) is a biker bar/club literally miles from anywhere in the Nottingham countryside. As we follow the sat nav down a dark and damp country road in the scenic (maybe in daylight) countryside, I do wonder if the postcode is wrong, but lo and behold here we are at a very cool looking venue, several hours before show time to catch up with the man himself for an exclusive interview which you will be able to listen to very soon.

Turns out MFN is owned by former Showaddywaddy drummer Malcolm Allured. Gold and silver discs adorn the walls alongside 50’s and 60’s rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia. It’s pretty cool, but also pretty small. A small kit and a couple of Fender amps are set up near the bar. A tad underwhelmed that the band appears to be playing a pub gig, we grab a drink and a seat. Slowly the bar empties and I wonder if maybe this is not where the band are playing after all.

Turns out we are in the wrong bar! A door at back of the pub leads into a much bigger, proper club sized venue. Shit, this place is an actual tardis of a venue! No wonder the band have returned here for a one off, this is a very cool venue and I’m surprised more bands don’t have this place on their radar. While it may not quite have the size of Nottingham’s iconic Rock City, it certainly has the ‘cool’ factor and bands who maybe aren’t quite big enough for the city centre gig could well find it in their interests to search this place out.

Following bluesy prog 3 piece led by local singer Danny Beardsley and a rather fine set from punky rock ‘n’ rollers Steam Kittens (check ‘em out if you dig the likes of Cyanide Pills and Buzzcocks, I definitely recommend these geezers), Ryan Hamilton & The Harlequin Ghosts take to the stage to great cheers. Gone are the suits, big hats and pigtails of recent shows. Shorn of the locks, sporting John Lennon shades and a tan suit jacket, our favourite Texan troubadour has gone for the casual look. Whether this is a long term image change or just a sidestep for the Hoedown, we will have to wait and see.

Strumming a Martin acoustic picked up during his recent road trip, (from the man who provided guitars for Tom Petty, no less) Ryan and his band get the party started with a one-two from his debut solo album. Opener ‘Be Kind, Rewind’ is a gloriously upbeat power pop delight that incites the first of many crowd sing-a-longs, but it’s the following ‘Smarter’ that takes the party up a notch for sure.

I don’t know if its Ryan’s recent circumstances, the setting, or a combination of both, but there is something extra special about tonight’s performance from the off.

The band are tight as ever, the sound is crystal clear and the crowd are rowdy and up for it. Between songs, the frontman swigs from a bottle of red wine, as he jokes and enjoys banter with the crowd, yet there is understandably a hint of sadness and edginess to the man tonight. Coming straight off a soul searching road trip, the singer is mourning the end of a relationship and going through a period of unexpected change in his life. Playing a bunch of party anthems to his UK fanbase is just the therapy he needs methinks.

The likes of ‘Bottoms Up’, ‘Karaoke With No Crowd’ and the sublime ‘Records & Needles’ should be enough to convince any naysayer in the room that Ryan Hamilton is a match for his peers as a songwriter and an entertainer.

Spangles guitar slinger Ben Marsden is a welcome addition to the band for the first time tonight.  He fits the band like a glove. During an extended and jammed out ‘Oh My God’, Ryan encourages the guitarist to go for it and show us all what he is capable of. Ben needs no further encouragement as he rips out a killer improvised solo, while Ryan grins away watching as he plays. Ryan then explains the story of the song, as the band continue the jam behind him. Another bizarre chapter in his life involving a drug addicted model girlfriend, infidelity and revenge. He may not get the breaks in life, but he has definitely not had a dull one!

The boys in the band take a break, leaving Ryan and Carol Hodge on keyboards to duet on latest single ‘Won’t Stop Now’.  The duo deliver perfect harmonies over the piano led ballad, as a clearly emotional Ryan is literally in tears as he lays his heart on his sleeve for all to see.

Club owner Malc joins the band for an impromptu blues jam, the whole band get presents to open on stage and we even get a new song called ‘Can I Get An Amen’ which is pencilled in for a January single release. It is a very strong song, as instant as anything he has written. Full on Americana with a big band sound and a memorable chorus, that comes on like Springsteen meets The Band. If this is taste of the new music to come, be excited… be very excited.

As Ryan passes the bottle of red into the crowd there is only one thing left to do. End the set on a high. ‘This Is The Sound’ has a new found urgency to it tonight, even more than the recorded version. Mickey’s beats lead the melody into a rousing chorus many of us will be singing late into the night. The band appear to be loving it, the ever smiling Ben, the hard hitting drummer and the animated Rob Lane who pulls more cool poses than a Bulletboys video and throws up and catches more picks than any sunset strip band in their heyday.

Ryan Hamilton & The Harlequin Ghosts ended their year on a high. Tonight was a memorable and triumphant show in a busy venue with a great atmosphere, which is more than many struggling artists could ever hope for. Same time next year then?

It’s no surprise to see ‘This is The Sound’ featuring in so many Albums Of The Year lists and I hope all the hard work sees Ryan get the rewards he rightly deserves. But I’ll leave you with one thought to contemplate. When an artist is down, when they have their backs against the wall, that is when they are at their best. Heartache, loss and pain, this is the stuff that fuels the fires of creation.  Don’t take the phrase ‘tortured artist’ lightly, when a songwriter truly has something to write about, THAT is when they are at their best. Right now Ryan Hamilton could be on the verge of recording the album of his career due to the rocky road he has recently had to travel, and he damn well knows it. 2020 could be a very interesting year indeed for Ryan Hamilton & The Harlequin Ghosts, I look forward to seeing where they take things next.

Author: Ben Hughes

Photo credit to Stephen Curry

Spotify Playlist RPM Style

Spotify Playlist RPM Style

To kick off the year why not follow our recommendations on streaming services.  All the bands are either heading out on tour early 2020, released albums late 2019 or got records ready to drop which we’ve been lucky enough to hear and by lending a helping hand we’re offering you the chance to hear what we’re hearing on our players at RPM Towers.  Go fill yer boots guys n gals and let em know who sent you.

 

Rainy Days & Mondays

Rainy Days & Mondays

Here we go, kids, its the first Rainy Days & Mondays feature of 2020 and we begin with a brand new video from Anti Flag just before they release their new album ’20/20 Vision’ later this week.

 

If you’ve followed the path of Rock n Rolla Tommy Ray closely over the last few years you would know that the man from The Cry has done good and made a solo record full of Rock and Roll. Check out the first video ‘Good Luv Gone South’

Finally to ease the new year in we have the power pop goodness from Mansion Harlots

Finally to wrap it up try this banger from the Speedways.

 

The Cavemen (NZ) World Tour Rages Onward! Help Them Get To CUBA!

The Cavemen (NZ) World Tour Rages Onward! Help Them Get To CUBA!

One of our favourite bands at RPM HQ needs some help.

The Cavemen left their jobs & their homes in London in order to do this tour, so they clearly do not have the money to fly themselves to Cuba without any financial assistance. So we’ve decided to start taking up a collection for them. There will be a JAR that people can drop small contributions into during their USA tour in Dec/Jan… and people around the world can also contribute here.

If we collect more than we need to get the guys to Cuba, we will ask our musician friends in Cuba to make us a list of gear they need, and then we’ll use the extra money to buy it and send it to Cuba with the Cavemen!

If you can’t make any of the shows but would like to make a donation, get in touch and we’ll tell you how!

JAN 14 – Oakridge – Club Fungus
JAN 15 – Charlotte – The Milestone Club

JAN 16 – Atlanta – 529
JAN 17 – Jacksonville – Jack Rabbits
JAN 20 – Ft Lauderdale / West Palm – TBC
JAN 21 – Miami – Churchill’s
JAN 22 – Miami Beach – Kill Your Idol’s
24-26 ENERO – MEXICO CDMX
27-30 ENERO – CUBA?!?
31 ENERO – 2 FEBRERO – CANCUN / MERIDA

Exclusive Ryan Hamilton Interview to air live today – only on Jorvik Radio!

Exclusive Ryan Hamilton Interview to air live today – only on Jorvik Radio!

 

Tune in to NOiSE! on Jorvik Radio this Sunday between 3-4pm to hear a special one hour show featuring music and chat with Texan singer/songwriter Ryan Hamilton.

Matt and Ben travelled to Nottingham just before Christmas to catch up with Ryan, prior to his Holiday Hoedown show, for an exclusive and intimate chat about the rocky road he has travelled this year. You wanna hear tales of relationship breakdowns, road trips, internet trolls, past band stories and details on new music? You wanna know what Ryan has in store for 2020, or maybe you just wanna know his morning routine? All these questions and more will be answered between a soundtrack from the likes of People On Vacation, Smile Smile and the best of his solo and new band material? Grab a coffee, hit the link at 3pm Sunday 5th January (repeated at the new slot of 6pm on Monday 6th January) and turn up the NOiSE!

 

Jorvik Radio is Yorkshire’s newest community radio station and our very own writer Ben Hughes turms up with his best buddy Matt Seddon to talk about all the cool bands travelling through the North that they think you should be checking out. Their show is called NOiSE! and has been on air for the past 10 weeks, already playing choice, eclectic cuts from the likes of Alabama 3 and Adam Ant, Iggy Pop, The Skints and The Wildhearts, along with interviews and live tracks from The Urban Voodoo Machine’s Paul-Ronney Angel and Boss Caine.

Get your groove on with the sounds of the underground and a weekly pick of the gigs that matter in the North of the country, every Monday 6-7pm with NOiSE! Only on Jorvik Radio 94.8 FM and online at www.jorvikradio.com

 

All previous shows will be archived online shortly, but for now, the only way you can hear us is to tune in LIVE: Here

 

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RPM will have the review of the Ryan Hamilton Show later this week as we welcome in a new decade.