Heave Media

The British Are Coming

News from My Bloody Valentine, These New Puritans and The Last Shadow Puppets.

Along with playing the UK festival circuit, dreamy fuzz makers My Bloody Valentine have hinted at possible US dates beginning in September.  They are scheduled to curate and play the impressive All Tomorrow's Parties festival in upstate New York September 20-21.   The recently reunited legends last played these shores July 5th of 1992.

Stylish common person Jarvis Cocker has dropped hints of a new album, and debuted a new song this past week at a Buenos Aires performance.  The new track "Girls Like It Too," is reportedly about how woman enjoy sex just as much as men.  Always the consummate story teller, Jarvis said the he hopes to start recording the follow-up to Jarvis by the end of the year.

Young spastic rockers These New Puritans have announced their first highly anticipated US tour coming this June.  The band will be supporting their debut album Beat Pyramid on Domino Records. Check them out June 14th at Chicago's Subterranean.

Amongst the many fine UK representatives at this year's Coachella festival, (Goldfrapp, Love and Rockets, Hot Chip, Portishead) The Verve made their triumphant US return.  Guitarist Nick McCabe commented on the upcoming album, "It's tailor made for stadiums and it has a lot in common with Urban Hymns. It's the best thing we've ever done." Originally intended to release in May, expect a new Verve album in August and US tour in September.

Paul Weller, one time front man for The Jam, Style Council and a now solo artist, is about to release his ninth studio album via Yep Roc Records June 24.  22 Dreams features song writing contributions from Blur man Graham Coxon, Noel Gallagher and Gem Archer, whom penned "Echoes Round The Sun." A bonus disc also features an instrumental track co-written by by Primal Scream's Bobbie Gillespie.

Strange Pscyh-Folk outfit Noah and The Whale recently spoke of their new album and how they're pigeon-holed as being too jolly.   Singer Charlie said, "I think there is this misconception that we're all about the good times.  There's definitely a general uplifting mood to the album but it's not immediately so.  It's more of a rocky road.  Noah And The Whale in its infancy was a bunch of death ballads rather than the loved-up madness it is now.  So it is a meeting of the two periods in a coherent way. The new single, "Shape Of My Heart,” will be released May 5 in the UK.

This week's featured band comes to us from the mind of fast established but highly talented Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys.  The Last Shadow Puppets is a collaboration with Liverpool based Rascals front man Miles Kane.  The pair became friends while touring in 2005 and have now decided to combine their song-writing prowess for new album The Age Of The Understatement.  Part spaghetti western, part epic Scott Walker vibe; the first single, “The Age Of Understatement,” is a dramatic lush sounding affair showcasing the very hidden passages of what's really going on in Turner's mind.  Expect a handful of US dates to follow in late summer.

The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age Of The Understatement

Posted by Joe Roth on Apr 30, 2008 @ 12:00 am