Listen: Jack White Produced Laura Marling Blue Series Session

Laura Marling‘s much talked about studio sessions with Jack White have finally surfaced. White has produced the indie-folk starlet and Mercury Prize-nominee’s contribution to the Blue Series collection, two covers of Neil Young and Jackson C Frank respectively. Both recordings apparently done in two perfect takes are remarkably intimate and equally stunning.

The single is out now as part of the Blue Series, a collection of limited edition 7-inch singles released through White’s Third Man Record label. Check them out below.

Don’t forget Marling has an Irish Tour in December; Cork (5th), Belfast (6th) and Dublin (7th).

Laura Marling – The Needle & The Damage Done via TimChesterNME

Laura Marling – Blues Run The Game via Tim ChesterNME

The Bees – Every Step’s A Yes

The Bees could quite easily be the greatest 60’s band there never was. They are one of the most under-rated and overlooked talents to emerge in recent years.

Every Step’s A Yes is album number four and it sees them take a more cohesive and unobtrusive approach. It’s quiet difficult to single out songs for special praise as they aren’t noticeably different from one another. They’re bound together by a belief in their own ability, eking out every ounce of inspiration from their wide-ranging influences of 60′s rock, folk, reggae, soul and jazz. In doing so they have created a remarkably refreshing record, no mean feat when you consider the reggae-ish grooves of ‘Winter Rose’, samba strut of ‘Gaia’ and the jangly sitar laden ‘I Really Need Love’ which all sit comfortably together.

It’s a much more mature record less prone to catchy hooks, more concerned with melodic, acoustic songs. While some of their much noted eccentricity seemingly evaporated, after multiple listens this withdrawn approach is hugely inviting and rewarding.

The Bees – I Really Need Love via Polydor

The Bees – Silver Line via rocksteddie

Video: Shit Robot – ‘Take Em Up’

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Dubliner Marcus Lambkin aka Shit Robot has just dropped the Eoghan Kidney produced video for ‘Take Em Up’. It’s taken from Shit Robot’s excellent debut album From The Cradle To The Rave.

Don’t forget Shit Robot supports DFA label mates LCD for their Dublin dates this November, not be missed.

Shameless Plug #1: LookLeft

It is shameless plug time but can you blame me? Some of you will already be aware that I’ve begun writing for LookLeft Magazine. It’s a 32 page mix of progressive news, views and solutions dealing with politics, culture and sports.

Anyway Issue 4 has just hit the shelves and it is the first copy I’ve contributed to. This years Hard Working Class Heroes Festival comes under my watchful gaze, taking a close look at bands like Kill Krinkle Club, Enemies, Jogging, Nouveanoise, Conor Mason, The Lost Brothers, RSAG, We Are Losers and Kid Karate .

There’s also a selection of handpicked legally free music from Max Tannone, We Are Losers and Captain Moonlight. Finally I’ve run a tentative eye over the ‘Policing Dialogues’ exhibition from the ‘What’s The Story Collective’ in The Lab, Dublin.

There’s lots of great content from numerous excellent scribes, all for just €2. For more info on what’s in issue 4 and where you can pick up your copy go to the LookLeft Website.

Blood Red Shoes, A Reprieve?

Many of you will be aware of Fire Like This, the second album from Brighton duo Blood Red Shoes. When released earlier in the year I initially confused with someone else, totally my own fault which led to a hesitance to delve headlong into the record. Once resolved it’s become one of the surprise packages of 2010.

Fire Like This is raw, unfussy rock record that cares little for gloss or studio slickness but instead for instinct and urgency. The chemistry and vocal interplay between the duo is one of the band’s strongest assets, complimenting their aggressive, elemental sound. It’s peppered with punky and grunge shoutalongs like ‘Light It Up’, breathless rock ‘n roll ‘Don’t Ask’ and strangely epic ‘Colours Fade’.

It’s consistent, cohesive and strong from start to finish and has a lot in common with the rock musings from the early days of The Subways and The Joy Formidable, good company to keep no matter who you are.

Don’t make the same mistake as I, give the tunes a spin/watch their show from The Great Escape Festival below and make up your own mind.

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Blood Red Shoes – Don’t Ask via les3elephants

Blood Red Shoes – Light It Up via latitude32

Nouveaunoise – ‘Panaka’ Free EP

Dublin based electro outfit Nouveaunoise have just released Panaka EP via bandcamp.

It’s exactly what you’d expect from one of the shining lights of Ireland’s under exposed electronic music scene; slick and infectious, paced but mellow, what Mike Skinner (The Streets) would call “dance music that you can drink tea to”.

To celebrate they’ve made debut album Paraphrase Accolade available for only €3 EUR until November 15th. There’s also a new 6-track EP called Sequence Consequence penned in for early 2011.

Listen and download it below.

Pulp Reform

It’s as simple as that. Jarvis Cocker & Co. have announced Pulp are to reunite the original line-up for the first time since 1996 for a string of festival dates in 2011. So far they have been confirmed for Primavera in Barcelona and London’s Wireless Festival with more to come apparently.

The band formed in Sheffield in 1978 but struggled to find success until rising to prominence during the 90’s ‘britpop’ scene with three great albums; His ‘n’ Hers, Different Class and This Is Hardcore. The reformation of bands seems to be an increasingly regular phenomena, as long as it’s done proper and for the right reasons, a la blur, you’ll find no complaints here.

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Tame Impala – Lucidity (Pilooski Remix)

Australian psychedelic rockers Tame Impala produced one of the albums of 2010 with Innerspeaker. Their latest single ‘Lucidity has received a facelift from French producer Pilooski. It’s rather respectful to the original while changing the dynamic somewhat. Pilooski has woven the guitar driven track with added drums, screams and other sounds effects to inject some sunshine into a grey rainy day.

Grab it below.

Tame Impala – Lucidity (Pilooski Remix) via Hypetrak

Introducing: AdultRock

Gavin Elsted has been receiving some well deserved plaudits for his We Are Losers side-project of late but he’s also been busy with some solo electronic/remix work under the moniker of AdultRock.

The mercurial Mr. Elsted has released a rather exceptional EP which flew completely under the radar of most. It’s undeniably chilled, laid-back electro, brimming with superfluous ambient beats and chilled-out grooves.

You should probably check out the Barry Gruff May Mix he did in ,yes, May. Anyway, there’s a free 4-track EP available from Bandcamp.

AdultRock – Hermione

AdultRock – Adventures Pt 2

Listen: The Bug – ‘Tune In’ Feat. Roots Manuva

The release of The Bug‘s Infected EP is almost upon us. The most eye-opening track is ‘Tune In’, a monstrous reworking of ‘Poison Dart’ featuring vocals from the masterful Roots Manuva. The previous incarnation featuring Warrior Queen was immense but this is no lame duck, give it a whirl below and make up your own mind.

The EP is meant to be a bridge between the  London Zoo album and The Bug’s forthcoming dub battle with legendary producer Adrian Sherwood.

Infected is out November 5th via Ninja Tune on double 12″ vinyl and MP3/WAV download. Tracklist after the jump.

The Bug – Tune In (Feat. Roots Manuva)

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