This week's post ...

AFI
Beautiful Thieves new single 29 March 2010
Much requested AFI release a new single Beautiful Thieves on 12th April, at the end of their UK headline tour. It's lifted from their eighth studio album 'Crash Love' which was released last September on DGC/Interscope Records. Produced by Joe McGrath and Jacknife Lee, and two years in the making, Crash Love is possibly AFI's most focused, direct and ambitious effort to date, following two consecutive albums that have now sold more than 2.7 million combined. Hit??? An REM like sleeping maybe...

Alan Pownall
Chasing Time new single 22 March
Yes I like this, it's very pleasant accoustic based and a little unusual ... perhaps in the same market as Mumford & Sons. Good tune. Alan Pownall’s debut album is due for release by Mercury Records in Summer 2010. It includes this single ‘Chasing Time’ which is out on 22nd March. Having supported Florence & The Machine, Noah & The Whale, Adele, Laura Marling and Jack Penate, Alan headlined his own shows in February and has landed a support slot with Paloma Faith at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire on 30th March.

Alphabeat
The Beat Is new album
Fresh from their tour support for The GaGa, Alphabeat return with an album packed with potential singles. Eleven new tracks feature the great pop single 'Hole In My Heart' which should have been a much bigger hit than it's number 19 UK chart placing. Then there's a complete range of choice titles from 'DJ' to 'Chess', 'Heart Failure', and 'Q&A'. The Danish version of Motown ... another top collection, plenty of singles to choose from.

Blame, Fuda Guy, Tinchy Stryder & Alex Mills
On My Own new single 19 April 2010
Here's another catchy London UK Grime offering which surely could follow Tempah, Dizzee and Chipmunk to the top... here's the pr....
Blame is no stranger to the music industry. A well-respected artist in the drum and bass scene, Conrad Shafie first came into the spotlight with the huge rave tunes Music Takes You and Planet Neptune on Moving Shadow. Since then, Conrad has continued to release on some of the biggest labels on the DnB planet including Hospital Records, Metalheadz and Charge Recordings. Stay Forever was released in 2008, a beautiful blend of beats and soaring strings that caught Radio 1’s attention in a massive way. Blame & Selah's 2009 follow up Because Of You became Zane Lowe's Hottest Record In The World and Sara Cox's Single Of The Week. Also renowned for his remixing skills, Blame re-rubs include David Guetta & Kelly Rowland’s UK no.1 hit When Love Takes Over and Steve Angello & Laidback Luke feat. Robin S Show Me Love.
On My Own features new star in the making Fuda Guy, the chart topping Tinchy Stryder and backing vocals from hot new talent Alex Mills. This single is an electro edged, break-beat driven, crossover MASSIVE anthem in the making rammed full of new and exciting talent.
Part of the original Ruff Sqwad, Fuda Guy is one big star in the making. Currently performing as Tinchy Stryder’s right hand man on his current Catch 22 tour (who was also in Ruff Sqwad), Fuda Guy has supported Jack Penate, Kano, Bedouin Soundclash and N-Dubz and is building a solid reputation for being one of the best grime and rap artists in the UK. Tinchy Stryder is no stranger to the music world; having the huge No.1 smash with Number One and was Radio 1’s most played Male artist of 2009. Witnessing a great synergy between the duo, Blame felt that the pair ‘provide something really fresh’ to the track alongside Alex Mills, a vocalist who’s biography reads like an A-list. Whether its doing guest vocals for the likes of Tricky to Roll Deep, Alex has performed on Later With Jools Holland and tours the globe extensively with her solo material that is a blend of soul, jazz and contemporary blues.

Boys Like Girls
Love Drunk new single 19 April 2010
Boys Like Girls... true... four pals from Boston, Massachusetts are well on the way Stateside and this is such a fine song in a Metro Station 'Shake' type way... superb chorus "I used to be Love Drunk but now I'm hungover... na na na na na etc". UK Top Ten and they've plenty more where this came from.

DonkeyBoy
Ambitions new single 19 April 2010
Norwegian six-piece Donkey Boy have come up with a lazy lob here, and I mean that in the best possible taste... 'Ambitions' kind of meanders along "And if somebody's going to make it then the somebody ought to be you, and if somebody's going to fake it then that somebody, somebody is you and if somebody's goning to take it then I know that it wouldn't be straight, and I keep telling my reflection ambitions are already starting to fade...". Even with it's gentle yet naggingly catchy guitar riff 'Ambitions' is probably not strong enough to cut through the swathes of new trax but nevertheless in it's understated charm this is quite a sexy tune. Good record.

Eliza Doolittle
Skinny Genes new single 29 March 2010
Sexy .... "I really don't like your skinny jeans, So take them off for me, Show me what you've got underneath, So we can do this properly..." well ... yes!!! Eliza needs to be little to tease and the vid for this leaves just enough to the imagination ... This is basically a sweet shuffle with plenty double entende .... It's a great pop song and should easily give this debutant a top twenty hit!!! Check the vid for a cheeky thrill

Ellie Goulding
Lights new album 1 March 2010
A sell out-tour on the back of a superb debut album from our Ellie... 'Under The Sheets' has had a great response for months and now 'Starry Eyed' is top five. The Chiddy Bang remix of 'Sheets' is great and emphasises the compatibility of Ellies style with a grimey mash up. Other faves include 'The Writer' and 'Wish I Stayed'. Excellent!! Here's the press release.. The 22 year old Hereford-born singer songwriter was first brought to public attention when she appeared on Later with Jools Holland in November last year, prior to the release of her first single. With her unique blend of folk influences and electronica she was already a firm favourite amongst tastemakers and bloggers alike, but it was this stunning early appearance that brought her to the fore. In December she was named winner of the Brits Critics Choice Award which she’ll collect live on stage on February 16th. It was then announced she had topped the hugely influential BBC Sound of 2010 list.
‘Lights’ features ten tracks, including debut single ‘Under The Sheets’ and new single ‘Starry Eyed’, which is released on February 22nd. Her chief collaborator is Fin Dow-Smith, aka the electro-don Starsmith, who produced the majority of the songs on the album and co-wrote four of them. The two hooked up originally through MySpace whilst Ellie was studying drama at the University of Kent, and something between them clicked. “When Fin came along it was like we were brother and sister,” she says. “Though I write on guitar, I hear the entire sound of songs in my head. And Fin is someone who understands, who can really help me make that sound.” Most of the album was recorded in Fin’s bedroom in Bromley. Another key influence on her sound was Frankmusik, who produced the track ‘Wish I Stayed’.

Forever The Sickest Kids
The Weekend: Friday new album 29 March 2010
Forever The Sickest Kids rock in a US power/punk/pop kinda way... great harmony vocals, tight contemporary US pop melodies. 'The Weekend: Friday' includes seven trax produced by Tom Lord-Alge of the UK's heritage music producing famille kicking off with 'Do Or Die', then 'Tough Love', the single 'She Likes Bittersweet Love', 'Take It Slow', 'Hip Hop Chick', 'What Do You Want From Me' and the tightly titled 'HawkBot' featuring Clive Hawk.... You may have seen these boys support You Me At Six on UK tour this month, very niched... reminiscent of Sum 41 and Blink 182 but sweeter/slicker. Sell out gigs and crossover hit potential.

Kate Nash
Do Wah Doo new single 12 April 2010
Hard to believe it's three years since 'Foundations' made number two on the chart and now Kate's back and she seems to have gone a little more guitar bent. There's still the retro sixties feel but the guitar work on 'Do Wah Do' and the previously teased 'I Just Love You More' is a little more nasty. Difficult to say how her new album will fayre... at the top end Kate could have similar chart conquering success of Lily Allen's last year... then again the competitions getting hotter and unlike our Lil, Kate's been out of the public eye so... tough one to call ... hit probably!
Here's the press release Do Wah Doo will be the first single from the brand new album by Kate Nash.
This single will be released on Monday 12th April 2010. It recalls the height of classic Sixties pop, from its title to the insanely catchy 'bum-bada-bum' chorus but the saccharine is cut with the classic Kate Nash lyrical twist.
The album (title tba), which will be released on Monday 19th April 2010, is the follow-up to 2007’s million selling debut ‘Made Of Bricks’. Though the style of the new album and this, its first single, is still very Kate, ‘Do Wah Doo’ has an epic pop flair courtesy of Bernard Butler who together with Kate produced the album.
Kate Nash will be introducing the album to fans, at a series of small ‘warm-up’ gigs across the country this March.
Saturday 6th March The Classic Grand Glasgow
Sunday 7th March Brudenell Social Club Leeds
Monday 8th March Komedia Brighton
Thursday 11th March Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club London

Lisa Mitchell
Oh! Hark! new single 12 April 2010
More femme fatale ... 19 year old Lisa Mitchell joins the queue and 'Oh! Hark!' has I sure a rather hard edginess to it .. beguiling and bemusing ... there's a few words in here which are rather challenging .. did I hear properly ... good but not as good as Eliza, Daisy or Uffie. Chart chance

New Young Pony Club
The Optimist new album 8 March 2010
Gee is it really three years since 'Fantastic Playroom' adorned our decks with it's exuberant pop-ness and awesome singles which really deserved superior success... Well yes it is - 2007 - long time gone. How to follow it up eh? Singer Ty Bulmer says "Disco Punk came from New York and it felt like an outsiders scene, we were so passionate about it but soon it became glossy and banal...". Well surely after much reflective thought New Young Pony Club have returned with a new set of ten tunes... The opener 'Lost It Girl', followed by the brilliant chugging single 'Chaos' - it's sexy video imagery strongly in mind, then the five minute title track 'The Optimist' with it's Joy Division-esque bassline and new romanticcy synth, the surprisingly mellow 'Stone' with it's underlying tension, new single 'We Want To' catchy 'Oo we oo' type hook with a watery guitar line, the plucky three minute 'Dolls', the rambling distant five minute 'Before The Light', the plucky bass of another five minute tune 'Oh Cherry'. Then to finish off the strange 'Rapture' and the finale 'The Architect Of Love'. I really like this group, 'Fantastic Playroom' was a great collection of great pop songs - they seem to have suffered from being included in the New Rave scene which seemed hyped by the music media above it's national popularity - great songs are great songs - they don't need labels for these ears. This new NYPC collection again shows off a great band, hope they get better luck and bigger success this time.

Ten Bears
Braces new single 19 April 2010
I love the fuzzy guitar sound on Stone Roses 'One Love' and Ten Bears go someway towards that aura with 'Braces'. A catchy tune, 2 mins 50 seconds, kinda offbeat jerky rhythm track, radio friendly, easily accessible vocals ... yes with Glastonbury awareness Ten Bears fans could give this track a shove into the top forty ... sweet!

This week's Top 40 ...

Top 40 Sun 28 Feb 10 Jason DeRulo 'In My Head' goes straight to the top in the UK and as predicted here Helping Haiti the charity turn where an amazing guaranteed 25% of recommended retail price goes to charity drops fast from 1 to 8. Where does the other 75% go?? Black Eyed Peas finally drop out of the UK Top 40 after nearly a year while Stateside they climb to the top for a third song from 'The END' as 'Imma Be' is America's new No.1. 'Meet Me Halfway' topped the UK chart but failed to follow 'Boom Boom Pow' and 'I Gotta Feeling' to Number One in the US. Congratulations and a Happy St. Davids day indeed to Wales own Ellie Goulding, straight to 4 with 'Starry Eyed' and a sold out UK tour under way next week. 7 new entries - 8 up, 23 down, 2 non-movers This Week ... Last Wk ... Wks In ... Artist ... Title ... Origin 1 new JASON DeRULO In My Head US 2 2 2 FLORENCE & THE MACHINE & DIZZEE RASCAL You've Got The Dirtee Love (Live @ The Brits) UK 3 6 5 RIHANNA Rude Boy US 4 new ELLIE GOULDING Starry Eyed UK 5 5 8 ALICIA KEYS Empire State Of Mind (Part 2) US 6 4 5 TIMBALAND & KATY PERRY If We Ever Meet Again US 7 3 7 OWL CITY Fireflies US 8 new SUGABABES Wear My Kiss UK 9 1 3 HELPING HAITI Everybody Hurts UK 10 14 7 JLS One Shot UK   11 19 3 CHERYL COLE Parachute UK 12 new CHIDDY BANG Opposite Of Adult US 13 22 4 MARINA & THE DIAMONDS Hollywood UK 14 40 2 LEONA LEWIS I Got You UK 15 17 6 JAY SEAN, SEAN PAUL, LIL JOHN Remember UK / US 16 10 10 3OH!3 & KATY PERRY Starstrukk US 17 16 24 JAY-Z & ALICIA KEYS Empire State Of Mind US 18 7 7 GLEE CAST Don' Stop Believing US 19 8 2 LEMAR The Way Love Goes UK 20 15 18 LADY GAGA Bad Romance US   21 12 18 FLORENCE & THE MACHINE You've Got The Love UK 22 27 5 YOUNG MONEY & LLOYD Bedrock US 23 18 14 JOURNEY Don't Stop Believing US 24 13 8 IYAZ Replay US 25 9 3 GLEE CAST Halo / Walking On Sunshine US 26 30 4 KE$HA Blah Blah Blah US 27 21 6 EXAMPLE Won't Go Quietly UK 28 11 4 JEDWARD & VANILLA ICE Under Pressure UK / US 29 new ALPHABEAT Hole In My Heart Denmark 30 23 8 SIDNEY SAMSON Riverside Holland   31 29 17 KE$HA Tik Tok US 32 25 11 ALEXANDRA BURKE Broken Heels UK 33 24 13 JAY-Z & Mr HUDSON Young Forever US / UK 34 26 12 SATURDAYS Ego UK 35 new PIXIE LOTT Gravity UK 36 35 2 CHRIS BROWN Crawl US 37 34 4 LADY GAGA & BEYONCE Telephone US 38 new MUSE Resistance UK 39 20 3 GLEE CAST It's My Life / Confessions Part 3 US 40 36 17 CHERYL COLE Fight For This Love UK America's Hot 100 This Week ... Last Week ... Weeks In ... Artist ... Title 1 3 12 BLACK EYED PEAS Imma Be 2 1 20 KE$HA TiK ToK 3 4 13 YOUNG MONEY & LLOYD BedRock 4 5 17 LADY GAGA Bad Romance 5 6 28 LADY ANTEBELLEM Need You Now 6 2 3 ARTISTS FOR HAITI We Are The World 25 7 7 21 TRAIN Hey, Soul Sister 8 8 11 LUDACRIS How Long 9 9 11 JASON DeRULO In My Head 10 12 15 TREY SONGZ & FABOLOUS Say Aah

Thanks Beeb Posted Friday 5th March 2010 At last Newport County get a mention on BBC1 Wales... the lunch time news... Weymouth tomorrow. C'mon County! Spillers on Radio 2 Posted Friday 5th March 2010 This coming Monday 8th March the BBC Radio 2 crew will be in Spillers Record Shop on The Hayes in Cardiff City Centre. They'll be looking to talk to customers as part of a two-part documentary on Record Shops. The show will be presented by Pete Waterman of SAW- Stock Aitken & Waterman, Kylie, Jason, Sinitta etc fame. Spillers hope you can join them in the fun of it on Monday. Get Real Real Posted Friday 5th March 2010 It's so sad to see a big grown up company like Real Radio / Guardian Media Group behaving like utter jerks. The recently disappeared Tony Wright has again left a trail of heartbroken listeners with the radio station feeling unable to be honest with it's 'customers'. Now the Real Radio Facebook page reports his co-host Angela J sounding not herself, and no wonder. One of Wales On Sundays 50 Sexiest Welsh Women must have been asked to keep silent on the departure of a fellow she has worked with closely for three years. Surely this offends her human rights in some way - Miss J appearing utterly inhumane in not apparently noticing the departure of her long time co-host Mr Wright - and surely she can not be unconcerned at the numerous requests for news of him. The act in vain because many fear the exit door is approaching for her also. The new Real Radio Wales Breakfast Show Hosts have revealed themselves to be nine year Northampton radio stalwarts Simon Jagger and Chris Wood - who probably would have had to have given at least two to three months notice to begin at Real Radio Wales in April. If I were a betting man, I'd say they stand as good a chance as Jason Harrold's Red Dragon Breakfast Show replacement/s ... ie not much. It's commercial radios' tacky bland disdain for decent behaviour that is killing it - leading them mistakenly to target undermining the BBC rather than create their own good. Despite all the attacks on it BBC management frequently demonstrates industry leading standards of practice and decency - note the year long consultation over their intended axeing of BBC 6 Music. As Mrs Thatcher put it "You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong". BBC SchixMusic Posted Wednesday 3rd March 2010 Uncertainty we're told - the reason the pound's plunging and investors are reconsidering the UK - the prospect of a fourth spend spend Labour Government. It seems the BBC don't believe Labour are closing the gap on the Tories. The scrapping of BBC Asian Network (a snip at seventeen times the cost of even the bloated Radio One), BBC 6 Music, Blast, Switch (what on earth is Switch - some kind of moronic brain numbing machine?) and the halving of the number of BBC.co.uk web pages seems to be an attempt to be nice to an incoming Tory / Murdoch Government - falling in line early with their new policy of a smaller less competative BBC. Well we'd all do well to take the opinion polls with a large dollop of salt. YouGov tell us today Labour are only 5% behind the Tories - 38% to 33% with the 'Liberals' on 16%. See UK Opinion Polling Report here This would account for a remarkable 88% of the electorate in favour of these three parties alone. An unbelievable regenerated enthusiasm for our electoral process since last June when only 34% voted in the European Election. The Tories won that with 27% of the 34% that voted, Labour were third on 15% and the Libs fourth on 13% ... then beginning with second placed UKIP on 16% the ten next most popular parties polled six million votes between them .... six million of an electorate which in total numbers around forty million - that represents 15% for that lot alone - then add in the non-plussed non voters .... See Wiki analysis of UK EU Results 2009 here So where on earth does 38%, 33% and 16% come from??? Prejudice? Posted Sunday 28th February 2010 If you want to see discrimination in action try spotting coverage of Newport County on BBC Wales or ITV Wales. After going out of business in 1989, the Welsh FA forced the reborn County to play their home games in England as only the love of their fans remained to bring the club back to life. Now with the dream of returning to the Football League looking increasingly worthwhile there seems to be some kind of unofficial Welsh TV prejudice against covering County's supreme efforts. Newport are possibly three games away from completing an amazing promotion to the Blue Square Conference, one division below the Football League proper - 21 points ahead of their nearest challenger with a staggering goal difference of plus 52 and just 12 games to go. In front of another 2,000 plus crowd at Newport Stadium on Saturday they completed their 12th victory in 15 league games beating 4th placed Braintree Town 1-0. see it on BlipTV here. We pay tribute to the perseverence of all County's supporters and management who've done what many would have thought impossible. They deserve a mention on Wales mainstream TV and Radio media every week as their great achievement nears.