Riffed

Lily Allen covered Two Door Cinema Club's 'Something Good Can Work' in her replacement headlining performance for the Irish band who earlier this week pulled out of the line-up due to illness. 

Prior to covering Two Door's 'Something Good Can Work', the singer/songwriter comically stated, "Do you know this one guys? Do you think we could figure this one out at such short notice?", before singing the lyrics from a piece of paper. Allen also sported a Two Door Cinema Club t-shirt throughout her headlining performance, offering as much compensation as possible to those of which purchased Latitude tickets due to Two Door's announcement. 

RIFFED x 

We're over halfway into 2014 and albums are being released left, right and centre with plenty more yet to follow. But which have been the highlights so far? We've picked our top 5... 

5 Temples - Sun Structures

Released early 2014, 'Sun Structures' is still sending shockwaves across the industry. A powerful mix of indie and pyschedelia, Temples really set the bar high with their debut album. Highlights being the single, 'Shelter Song', 'Mesmerise', 'Keep In The Dark', 'A Question Isn't Answered' and title track, 'Sun Structures', all possess a kind of hypnotising sound. A sound that to brings an Egyptian desert to mind, or is that just us? Either way, 'Sun Structures' is a real classic and one of which has earned Temples plenty of plaudits, as 'Keep In The Dark' has even been taken from the album to feature in Strongbows new ad for their 'Bittersweet' cider. 

4 Damon Albarn - Everyday Robots

Damon Albarn returned to the scene earlier this year with his solo debut, 'Everyday Robots'. The former lead singer of Blur's debut is one certainly strange, but yet brilliant album. You feel as though Albarn wrote each song in steps, as nearly all possess random contrasts mid-song. The majority of people who've listened to 'Everyday Robots' will most probably admit that they have no clue what Damon is going on about, but all will agree that it's an excellent debut. 

3 Paolo Nutini - Caustic Love

Paolo Nutini made his long-awaited return in April with the follow up to 'Sunny Side Up', 'Caustic Love'. It may have been 5 years that Paolo left us waiting for, but wasn't it worth the wait? An undeniably fantastic album from the Scottsman, of which includes the highly acclaimed single 'Scream (Funk My Life Up)'. Nutini's voice sounds as though it's come straight from the Scottish highlands, a raw and pure voice that's so powerful it could be heared from miles away. Although 'Caustic Love' may not possess the vibrancy of 'Scream' throughout, it's an album you can sit and relax too, embracing the brilliant voice of Paolo Nutini. 

2 Bombay Bicycle Club - So Long, See You Tomorrow 

'So Long, See You Tomorrow', the fourth studio album from Londoners Bombay Bicycle Club, and is it a surprise that it's brilliant? Well, not really, no. Including the singles 'Carry Me', 'Luna', 'Feel' and 'Come To', Bombay have once again topped their previous release, 'A Different Kind Of Fix', of which also topped their previous release, 'Flaws', of which also topped their previous release, 'I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose'. It's a kind of trend Bombay have started, so don't be surprised if the follow up to 'So Long, See You Tomorrow' tops it. Although, right now it seems pretty impossible to do so.

1 Kasabian - 48:13 

Shorty after Kasabian released '48:13' and we reviewed it, giving it a 9/10, we later questioned 'Is 48:13 Album Of The Year?' , and as of yet, it still is. An album of which has propelled Kasabian even further forwards, and after their headlining performance on the Pyramid at Glastonbury, there appears to be no stopping the Leicester lads. '48:13' is packed to the rafters with anthems, such as the single 'Eez-eh', as well as 'Bumblebeee', 'Stevie', 'Treat', and 'Bow' to name but a few and these anthems could be sung right the way up to Big Ben rings for 2015 and beyond. 

There are still plenty more albums yet to be released in 2014, but will anything knock '48:13' of its perch?

RIFFED x

Catfish and the Bottlemen have this evening announced that their biggest headline gig to date at London's Koko has officially sold out. 

Van McCann and the band announced the news via their Facebook and Twitter feeds this evening with the post: 

"LONDON KOKO HAS NOW SOLD OUT!!!!!

To be able to sell a venue of that size out 4 months in advance is a massive deal to us! Thank you all so much!

I promise that this is going to be a night to remember.....x" 

The Bottlemen had prior to this announced that they'll be hitting the road later this year on their biggest tour to date, which incorporates their biggest headline gig to date, being the Koko in London. With this selling out, expect many more dates on the Welsh bands tour to follow the trend. 

Purchase tickets for other dates on Catfish and the Bottlemen's forthcoming tour via the link: http://catfishandthebottlemen.com/shows/

RIFFED x

We chatted to The 1957 Tail-Fin Fiasco recently. After previously featuring on BBC 6 Music and BBC Introducing, Fiasco have released their latest EP, 'Cruise Control', and were willing to speak to us about it. 

1 Who are The 1957 Tail Fin-Fiasco?

If we could tell you, we would. Donny Osmond's lawyers are scary dudes. We broke the terms of the injunction once and now our manager only has 3 fingers on his left hand. Had, I mean. He passed.

2 You've recently released your 'Cruise Control' EP, tell us a little about this?

Lyrically it's an exploration of Scientology, a portrait of an urban cowboy and his trusty steed, a list of life stuff and a drinking song for use in cheap chain pubs. Musically it's early 70s New York, London and L.A. in a bucket. Unless you're one of Donny's lawyers in which case I don't know what you're talking about.

3 You've received airplay from stations such as BBC 6 Music, how does it feel to hear your tracks on the radio?

It feels ace. We've played on lots of other people's records and heard them on the radio but that made us feel dirty and ashamed. Now we just feel dirty, which is better.

4 Where do see yourselves in 5 years time?

The usual places - pound-shop windows, streaky pub toilet mirrors and reflected in the Thames at dawn.

5 What's next for The 1957 Tail Fin-Fiasco?

We've been good boys, so Her Majesty may be lifting the injunction soon - in which case we can go public for live gigs, a whole album and a sack race down The Strand.

Huge thanks to The 1957 Tail-Fin Fiasco for the interview. 

Visit The 1957 Tail-Fin Fiasco's webpage: http://the1957tail-finfiasco.com

And

Follow them on Twitter: @tailfinfiasco / https://twitter.com/tailfinfiasco

And

Like them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-1957-Tail-Fin-Fiasco/

Purchase the 'Cruise Control' EP via Bandcamp:

http://the1957tail-finfiasco.bandcamp.com

RIFFED x 

We caught up with EPISODES recently, the quartet from the south coast are set to released their debut single 'Tangent' on the 28th July and were up for chat about it. 

1 Who are EPISODES?

EPISODES are four piece indie band from Brighton.

2 Your debut single 'Tangent' is set to be released on the 28th July on iTunes, tell us a little about this?

Because we were all new to each other at first we found writing pretty hard, but after a few months of writing and re-writing lyrics, our musical chemistry became more fluid and it gave us the idea for what our first single would be about - going off on a Tangent whilst trying to write.

3 Who are your biggest inspirations?

We are all very much inspired by Foals and Last Dinosaurs, and we'd like to think we've produced our own sound.

4 Where do you see yourselves in 5 years time?

Still writing and playing music together, but obviously we'd like to think of ourselves playing glasto at some point soon..

5 What's next for EPISODES?

We've actually already recorded our next single, thanks to Ryan Gorringe at Manor House Studios, so that should be released in a few months time. We just hope to continue writing and playing bigger headline shows.

Big thanks to EPISODES for the interview. 

Listen to EPISODES debut single 'Tangent' via Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/episodesmusic.com/tangent ;

Follow EPISODES on Twitter: @EPISODESmusic / https://twitter.com/EPISODESmusic

And 

Like EPISODES on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpisodesBrighton

RIFFED x

Two Door Cinema Club have pulled out of the Latitude line-up due to illness. The band were set to headline the first night of the festival this Friday, but will now be replaced by Lily Allen. 

Lead singer, Alex Trimble has been hospitalised due to stomach pains, forcing the band to cancel their headlining performance at Latitude this coming Friday as well as their warm-up gig at the o2 Academy Bornemouth tomorrow night. Two Door Cinema Club released a statement this morning, of which announced the cancellation and the reasons behind it, reading:

"It is with a heavy heart that we are going to need to cancel our upcoming shows at Latitude and Bournemouth Academy. Alex collapsed at Seattle airport on the way to London and has been hospitalised with a chronic stomach complaint. We are devastated to have to cancel shows that we were so looking forward to. We can only apologise and hope for your understanding at this time."

Response to the announcment has been understanding, with plenty wishing Alex Trimble well. Although many Latitude goers are undoubtedly dissappointed. 

RIFFED x

Our Single Of The Week for this week is an old-yet new single from Arcade Fire, as 'Normal Person' is this weeks Single Of The Week. 

'Normal Person' is the fifth track on Arcade Fire's latest album 'Reflektor', of which was released a year ago. But following 'We Exist', 'Normal Person' is the latest track to be taken from 'Reflektor' and released as a single. Beginning with immense feedback, followed by an apology from lead singer Win Butler before he questions, "Do you like rock and roll music? Because I don't know if I do" and begins to sing the verse, which soon explodes in to a riotous chorus, which later explodes even further, as Win screams "If that's what's normal now, I don't wanna know". 'Normal Person' sends you into a subconcious head-banging state,  an extremely powerful track but yet possesses a kind of carnival atmosphere. It probably explains why Regine and the bongo players wave multi-coloured garments around whilst repeatedly jumping up and down throughout the chorus when the band perform it. 

Arcade Fire are a band that contionously keeps on giving. During each track of theirs, there is a part that forever progresses until it explodes into a grandstand finish and 'Normal Person' is a prime example of this. Although Win states within it, "When they get excited, they try to hide it", there is simply no hiding it whilst listening to 'Normal Person'. 

RIFFED's Rating: 9/10 

Listen to 'Normal Person' via Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqeAsmNLja0

And

Purchase Arcade Fire's latest album 'Reflektor', including 'Normal Person', via the link: http://arcadefire.com/reflektorpreorder/us/

RIFFED x 

Catfish and the Bottlemen have this morning announced a headline tour of the UK. 

The Bottlemen's tour will begin following the release of their debut album 'The Balcony', which will be released on the 15th of September this year. Van McCann and the band will also integrate their biggest headline gig to date at the Koko in London, into the tour. Of which was announced prior to the tour. Catfish and the Bottlemen will also be playing dates in their native Wales, as well as crossing the border into Scotland and closing the tour in Liverpool. RIFFED caught the Bottlemen last week in Hull, as they played their warm-up gig for their forthcoming festival season at the Fruit and if it were anything to go by, the tour should be a cracker. The band announced the news via their Facebook and Twitter feeds this morning, this being their Facebook post: 

"We're so pleased to announce that we'll be back on the road for our biggest UK tour to date. The albums going to be out by then and it's going to be absolutely insane!

This band has dreamt of sound checking in some of these venues since we were kids never mind playing them, and to blow the roofs off of them with you lot is going to be special!"

It appears everything is going fantastically for the Bottlemen of late, after announcing their debut album, signing with Island Records and announcing their biggest headline tour to date, Van McCann must be one happy man. 

Tour Dates: 

Purchase tickets for Catfish and the Bottlemen's biggest headline tour to date via the link: http://catfishandthebottlemen.seetickets.com/tour/catfish-and-the-bottlemen?aff=id1umg&src=CFATBTicketsUKTourNov%2FDecFBPt ;

RIFFED x

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This Competition Is Now Closed - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Fancy seeing Mordred at 02 Academy Sheffield on the 29th of August? Well here's your chance.

Simply follow us on Twitter (@riffedonline / https://twitter.com/riffedonline) and retweet this tweet: https://twitter.com/riffedonline/status/488639661020307456

Or

Like us on Facebook (/riffedonline / https://www.facebook.com/riffedonline and like and share this post: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=546286408826835&set=a.536087453180064.1073741828.528095180645958&type=1&theater

Competition closes on 21/07/14 and the winner will be announced on the same day. 

Good luck!

RIFFED x

Footage of Kasabian's homecoming gig in Leicesters Victoria Park will be screened in selected Vue cinemas across the country this coming Wednesday evening. 

Kasabian's 'Summer Solstice' gig was deemed as a warm-up for the Leicester bands, at the time, forthcoming headlining performance on the Pyramid at Glastonbury and will be screened in Vue cinemas this Wednesday for all who missed it or those who'd like to relive it. Vue cinemas of which will be showing Kasabian's Victoria Park gig are:

Birmingham

Bristol

Cardiff

Edinburgh

Islington

Leeds

Leicester

London

Manchester

Plymouth

Sheffield 

Screenings will begin at 7:30 pm and will be followed with a Q&A with the band. 

RIFFED x