Riffed

Former Tribes frontman Johnny Lloyd has followed up the release of 'Pilgrims' and 'Dead Beat'  with 'Nowhere To Go' and 'Tomorrow', in turn releasing the whole of his debut EP, 'Pilgrims', this week. 

Pilgrims and Dead Beat had already set the tone for Johnny's solo debut to be a hit, and Nowhere To Go and Tomorrow really conclude this. Both possess the nostalgia and beautiful rawness found within the previous releases, the blunt and overtoned guitaring and the also overtoned voice, the kind of which you'd expect to hear in an American bar on a Friday night make Johnny Lloyd's 'Pilgrims' EP that bit unique.

RIFFED's rating: 9/10

Johnny has recently been touring with The Kooks around Europe, hopefully a tour of the UK is next on the list?

Stream Johnny Lloyd's debut solo EP 'Pilgrims' here: https://soundcloud.com/johnnylloydmusic

RIFFED x

After much deliberation, Brighton rockers Royal Blood have announced their debut album 'Royal Blood' will be released on the 25th August this year. 

Mike and Ben announced the news via their Twitter and Facebook pages this morning:

"Our debut album ‘Royal Blood’ comes out 25/08. Pre-order now from iTunes (US coming soon): http://po.st/RoyalBloodAlbum https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3CawE0TNag..."

The news was welcomed with many jubilant replies and it's no surprise as to why. Royal Blood are a band that has grown hugely in a short space of time, RIFFED saw them on their first tour, it was a free entry and only around 20 people rolled up. 9 months down the line they're supporting Arctic Monkeys at Finsbury Park and are set to play Glastonbury this weekend. There has been plenty of hype surrounding Royal Blood's debut album, as they recently told NME that it was set to be released 'August time', it also featured in our top 5 albums to look forward to this year a few weeks ago (http://riffed.webs.com/apps/blog/show/42361834-albums-to-look-forward-to-this-year) before it had even been confirmed. But now Mike and Ben have broke the news to us, what can we expect? Well if we are to go by previous releases such as 'Out of the Black', 'Come on Over' and 'Little Monster', we are in for one heck of an album. Well, a loud one certainly. 

Pre-order Royal Blood's debut album 'Royal Blood' via iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/royal-blood/id891695026

RIFFED x

Arcade Fire bring their Worldwide Reflektor tour to the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury this Friday, but RIFFED discovered 10 facts you probably didn't know about ths years Glasto headliners.

1 Arcade Fire named themselves after a story that lead singer Win Butler heard from a childhood friend about an arcade catching on fire.

2 When the band appeared on the Conan O'Brien show, they were almost a member down. As Will Butler had to ask his teacher at Univeristy for permission to miss class, but luckily he made it.

3 Win Butler’s full name is Edwin Farnham Butler.

4 The band has started a trend of "ripping" things during their Saturday Night Live Performances. On their debut appearance Win ripped the strings off his guitar and repeatedly beat it on the ground until it was in pieces. Their most recent performance incorporated Win coming very close to the camera to rip off his shirt.

5 'The Suburbs' was released with eight different cover designs worldwide.

6 Barack Obama is an Arcade Fire fan. On January 1, 2009 Arcade Fire and Jay-Z were the musical guests at the Obama Campaign Staff Ball by request of the U.S president.

7 During the downtime between the recording of 'Funeral' and 'Neon Bible', Arcade Fire purchased a church. The band later converted it into a studio.

8 The first song Win and Regine ever wrote together was called "Headlights Look Like Diamonds."

9 Arcade Fire play a maximum total of 16 instruments. 

10 Arcade Fire teamed up with Google to create the first HTML5 - powered music video for their single "We Use to Wait." The video is created using images of their hometown via Google Maps and Street View.

RIFFED x

Klaxons recently announced tour dates to coincide with the release of their 3rd studio album 'Love Frequency', but this is not just any tour, everything you see on the tour, barring yourselves, the band and the venue, will be made via 3D printing.

Hard to believe yes, but all instruments, amps, mics, everything! Will be created via 3D printing. 3D Printing is a new technology of which images can be processed and printed just like a usual printer, but the outcome will be in 3D form and Klaxons are set to put technology to the test and themselves in the spotlight by using 3D printed instruments. If you'd like to catch Klaxons on their 3rd dimensional tour, the dates are a follows: 

Oct 25 Sat - Norwich - The Waterfront (NR1 1QH)

Oct 26 Sun - Leeds - The Cockpit (LS1 4AG)

Oct 27 Mon - Glasgow - O2 ABC Glasgow (ABC1 & ABC2) (G2 3JB)

Oct 28 Tue - Manchester - Manchester Academy (M13 9PQ)

Oct 30 Thu - Brighton - Concorde 2 (BN2 1EN)

Oct 31 Fri - Bristol - Thekla (BS1 4RB)

Nov 01 Sat - Birmingham - O2 Academy Birmingham (B1 1DB)

Nov 02 Sun - Nottingham - The Rescue Rooms (NG1 5GG)

Nov 04 Tue - London - O2 Shepherds Bush Empire (W12 8TT)

You can purchase tickets for Klaxons' 3rd dimensional tour via this link: http://www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/Klaxons

Purchase Klaxons 3rd studio album 'Love Frequency' via iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/love-frequency/id848421551

RIFFED x

He may have just reformed with The Libertines, but Pete Doherty is going solo again. Doherty announced four dates over June and July this year earlier this week and for those who missed out on Libertines tickets, there's a minor conselation for you all. Dates for Doherty's tour are as follows:

Jun 25 Wed - Stoke On Trent - The Underground (ST1 4EZ)

Jul 01 Tue - Nottingham - Bodega (NG1 2ED)

Jul 02 Wed - Oxford - O2 Academy Oxford (OX4 1UE)

Jul 03 Thu - Bristol - The Fleece (BS1 6JJ)

Tickets go on sale Monday 23rd June at 9:00 am and you can purchase tickets via the link: http://www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/peter-doherty.

RIFFED x

Welsh lads Catfish and the Bottlemen announced yesterday that their debut album 'The Balcony' will be released on 15th September this year, it's a good job we don't have a balcony, as if we did we'd of fell off with excitement. Van McCann and the band announced this news via Facebook and Twitter yesterday:

"YOU DON'T KNOW HOW LONG WE'VE WAITED TO SAY THIS……..

Nothing makes us more proud to announce that our debut album "The Balcony" is out September 15th.

This is by far the most excited we've ever been about this band and we can't thank you enough for everything……..honestly, I can't express how excited we are for you to hear this!

Click here to pre-order: http://po.st/e3KfWG"

The announcment came following the release of their latest single 'Fallout' which was our single of the week for last week (http://riffed.webs.com/apps/blog/show/42349835-single-of-the-week-2-catfish-and-the-bottlemen-fallout-). Not only have Catfish and the Bottlemen announced their debut album and released a new single, they've just announced their biggest headline gig to date at Koko in London on Friday 7th November. The good times keep on rolling for Catfish and the Bottlemen...

Pre-order The Balcony: http://po.st/e3KfWG

Purchase tickets for Catfish and the Bottlemen's biggest headline gig to date: http://po.st/JRsc5i

RIFFED x

Rumours have been put to bed this morning as August 18th has since been sent in concrete, this being the date The Courteeners will release their fourth studio album 'Concrete Love' and were greated with an emphatic response from fans. Rumours based on a new album have been dotted around for weeks and we even feautured Concrete Love in our top 5 albums to be released this year (http://riffed.webs.com/apps/blog/show/42361834-albums-to-look-forward-to-this-year) before it had even been announced. Liam Fray and the band announced this news via Twitter and Facebook, this being their Facebook post this morning:

"Courteeners brand new album 'Concrete Love' is set to be released on Monday August 18th 2014. The band's fourth record is unleashed the same week the band headline the BBC Radio One/NME Stage at Reading & Leeds Festival. It will be followed by a single release details of which to be announced shortly.

Fans pre-ordering the standard or deluxe version on iTunes will instantly receive new track 'Summer' as an instant download and teaser to the whole album.

Fans can pre-order their signed copies now, available as a standard CD, Deluxe CD + DVD package featuring 'Live at Castlefield Bowl' DVD, and signed Limited edition White vinyl. The iTunes deluxe version features an exclusive iTunes mastered version of the audio from 'Live at Castlefield Bowl'.

By purchasing the signed album from See Tickets via http://bit.ly/ConcreteLove fans will receive a code to gain access before anybody else to an exclusive tour pre-sale guaranteeing them an opportunity to buy 2 tickets for the band's forthcoming UK tour in October/November 2014. Details on the tour and a special booking code will be sent to you at a later date. No album purchase necessary, fans will be able to follow onscreen instructions to gain a pre-sale code without pre-ordering.

Pre-order links:

Signed Deluxe CD/DVD featuring 'Live at Castlefield Bowl' DVD, signed standard CD, and signed Limited edition White vinyl LP via http://bit.ly/ConcreteLove

iTunes Deluxe edition including instant download of 'Summer' and iTunes mastered audio of 'Live at Castlefield Bowl' via http://bit.ly/iTunes-Deluxe

iTunes Standard edition including instant download of 'Summer' via http://bit.ly/iTunes-Standard

Album track listing is as follows:

CONCRETE LOVE

1. White Horses

2. How Good It Was

3. Small Bones

4. Has He Told You That He Loves You Yet

5. Black & Blue

6. International

7. Next Time You Call

8. Summer

9. Saboteur

10. Dreamers

11. Beautiful Head

DELUXE ALBUM PACKAGE CONTAINS 'LIVE AT CASTLEFIELD BOWL' DVD

'Live at Castlefield Bowl' tracklisting

1. Are You In Love With A Notion?

2. Lose Control

3. Cavorting

4. Acrylic

5. Van Der Graaff

6. Please Don't

7. Bide Your Time

8. Scratch Your Name Upon My Lips

9. That Kiss

10. When You Want Something You Can't Have

11. Take Over The World

12. You Overdid It Doll

13. The Opener

14. Welcome To The Rave

15. Sycophant

16. Marquee

17. Smiths Disco

18. The Rest Of the Word Has Gone Home

19. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

20. Fallowfield Hillbilly

21. Here Come The Young Men

22. Not Nineteen Forever

23. What Took You So Long?"

What can we expect from Concrete Love? Well, the band dropped 'Summer', the new single taken from their forthcoming album, on Xfm this morning. Summer has been met very positively, an upbeat track with the potential to be a summer anthem, therefore doing it's name some justice. A very catchy number, different to a usual Courteeners tune but not one of which has been frownd upon. Whilst listening to Summer you can picture a crowd of people waving their arms in sync underneath the sun with a can in hand and singing along in chorus with Liam Fray. Summer is a huge feel good tune and bodes extremely well for Concrete Love. We can't wait! All we need now is a tour.

Listen to Summer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc-IOuwqUN4

Pre-Order signed deluxe CD/DVD featuring 'Live at Castlefield Bowl' DVD, signed standard CD, and signed limited edition White vinyl LP: http://bit.ly/ConcreteLove

Pre-Order Concrete Love via iTunes:

Standard: http://bit.ly/iTunes-Standard

Deluxe: http://bit.ly/iTunes-Deluxe

RIFFED x

The Libertines have followed up their Hyde Park and Bennicassim dates with the announcment of a European tour. The dates are as follows:

Tuesday 30/9/14 - France Paris Zenith

Thursday 2/10/14 - Netherlands Amsterdam Heineken Music Hall

Friday 3/10/14 - Belgium Brussels FN Club

Saturday 4/10/14 - Germany Berlin Columbiahalle

Sunday 5/10/14 - Germany Dusseldorf Mitsubishi Electric Halle

The band announced these dates via their Facebook page this morning and were greated by many very happy European contigents. It appears The Libertines fever has swarmed across the EU.  Will you be seeing The Libertines in Europe? Tickets go on sale this Friday morning and the links to purchase these via will be posted on the bands official Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/thelibertines.

RIFFED x

Glastonbury is only 10 days away and we cannot wait here at RIFFED. After much deliberation, we've somehow managed to collate a list of the top 10 artists to see at this years festival. 

• Royal Blood - Brighton rockers Royal Blood have made a huge jump since our editor saw them on their first ever tour. Within 10 months they've gone from free gigs with 20 or so people rolling up, to supporting the Arctic Monkeys at Finsbury Park and playing at Glastonbury this year. We expect Royal Blood to storm their set at Worthy Farm and blow the minds of everyone there. Mike and Ben make the sound of 20 men, but we expect them to top that at Glasto this year.
• Paolo Nutini - Following the release of 'Caustic Love' earlier this year, Paolo will be making an appearence at this years festival. The Scott will not let down, Paolo is a fantastic live act and new single 'Scream (Funk My Life Up)' will be a treat to hear for every lucky soul witnessing his set. But expect some timeless classics thrown into his set also.
• Pixies - The Yanks are back and following the release of their latest album 'Indie Cindy', we anticipate Pixies to provide a storming set. Pixies released their first material for almost ten years, in 'Indie Cindy', so they'll be be eager to perform tracks from this as well as some golden oldies also. 
• Wolf Alice - The indie band are forever on the rise, expect them to propell themselves even further post Glastonbury. Ellie Rowsell and the lads have already built up a huge fanbase, but expect this to grow even bigger on Worthy Farm . A great live act who have a huge future awaiting them, a must see.
• London Grammar - Hannah, Dan and Dom are one fantastic live band. The voice of Hannah Reid is one that is completley unmatchable. A treat to witness, playing tracks from their debut album 'If You Wait', expect London Grammar to send shivers down your spine.
• Metronomy - Funk masters Metronomy have recently released their new album 'Love Letters' and have followed this up by earning a slot at Glasto this year. We expect Metronomy's set to be one full of groove and funk that will get everyone in the mood for a jive or two.
• MGMT - The American duo make their return to UK festivals this summer at Glastonbury and we expect them to peform a mesmerising set. Similar to Metronomy, MGMT are known for their groovy and funky style and we anticipate more of the same via classics from Oracular Spectacular, Congratulations and the self titled MGMT.
• Jack White - Former White Stripe Jack White is set to play this years festival on the back of his second solo album titled 'Lazaretto'. The dark and mysterious magic of Jack White is not to be missed. Anyone witnessing is certainly in for a special evening.
• Kasabian - The Leicester lads have recently released their fifth album '48:13', of which we rewarded a 9/10 in our review. Kasabian are going to explode onto the Pyramid, performing huge tracks from past and present. Whether you're watching from home or are lucky enough to be at Worthy Farm, Kasabian will get you jumping up and down without doubt.
• Arcade Fire - One of the greatest live bands ever to grace the Earth. 'The Reflektors' will bring the carnival of their worldwide Reflektor tour to Worthy Farm and we are extremely excited. Arcade Fire will most certainly steal the weekend performing tracks from their msot recent album 'Reflektor' and many previous classics from past albums. Arcade will be a spectacle and a half.

England this week begin their World Cup campaign against Italy on Saturday, but when former Smiths frontman Morrissey came to visit, they were faced with their first challenge, before a ball had even been kicked. 

This challenge being figuring out who he actually was. Shocking we know. Only Leighton Baines and Gary Neville revealed they knew who Morrissey was. Baines though is not a surprise, a good mate of Miles Kane and due to this, the left back is undoubtedly England's greatest player. But we certainly hope that England don't perform as poor as their music taste in Brazil this summer.

RIFFED x