Posts Tagged ‘Yak’

YAK – ” Semi Automatic “

Posted: October 28, 2016 in MUSIC
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Produced by Pulp’s Steve Mackey, ‘Semi-Automatic’ is the slow-burning new single from London’s noise-rockers Yak, which with ‘Heavens Above’ comprises the AA-side release out today (October 28th) on Octopus Electrical Records.
It’s a loaded track, in all senses of the word, exploding on their incendiary riffs, infectious bassline and Oli Burslem’s inimitable vocal.
Watch the video, directed by Ben Crook, which features the band performing at Ridley Road Market Bar in London’s Dalston.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm19KZBaBeA

THIS WEEKS ESSENTIAL NEW RELEASES 13th May 2016

Posted: May 12, 2016 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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NOTHING – TIRED OF TOMORROW

Philadelphia’s Nothing return with ‘Tired Of Tomorrow’, their beautifully profound follow-up to 2014’s widely-acclaimed ‘Guilty Of Everything’. Recorded over the course of a month at Studio 4 with Will Yip (Circa Survive, Title Fight), ‘Tired Of Tomorrow’ is a modern, nihilistic take on the triumphant fuzzed-out guitar rock of the 90’s, replete with huge hooks and brooding melodies. Much like the events it’s based on, the album displays an unparalleled balance of opposites and contradictions, rife with sweet-and-sour themes, downcast grooves, infectious choruses, and blissfully expansive washes of sound. With ‘Tired Of Tomorrow’, Nothing have worked the deepest influences of their youth and maturation into a confident, memorable album that is sure to soothe old wounds while simultaneously opening up new ones. Recommended if you like: Smashing Pumpkins, Ceremony, Merchandise, My Bloody Valentine, Diiv and Radiohead.
LP – Rough Trade Exclusive – 300 Copies on Grey Vinyl with Download.
LP+ – Standard Black Vinyl with Download.

YAK  –  ALAS SALVATION

Just over a year since their first single ‘Hungry Heart’ was released – a period that saw their unpredictable gigs and electrifying clutch of studio recordings earn them a reputation as the most exciting and talked about new act in the UK – Yak have channelled their ferocious live experience into their debut album ‘Alas Salvation’. Recorded with Pulp’s Steve Mackey, it’s a wired and ambitious record that refuses to be pigeonholed. Yet beneath all the head-spinning chaos lies a beating heart of great melodicism and a hyperactively eclectic and inventive approach to making.

EAGULLS  –   ULLAGES

Rough Trade exclusive with a Zine – Procrastination Compilation George Mitchell – Limited to just 500 Copies. Releasing their much-acclaimed self-titled debut-album in 2014, the following 12 months saw the fiercely independent Leeds-based band go from strength to strength. Highlights of the year included taking both Later… With Jools Holland and The Late Show With David Letterman in the U.S. by storm, sharing the stage with the likes of Arcade Fire and Pharrell while scooping a major prize at the NME Awards and playing across the globe at some of the world’s most renowned festivals including Coachella, Latitude, Field Day and Reading / Leeds. Retreating to their rehearsal space to begin work on their second album, ‘Ullages’ (an anagram of the band’s name) gradually took shape over long days and nights in the converted Catholic Church in Leeds. Intent on breaking new ground, drawing out the textured melodies that lay discreetly amongst the speed, intensity and heady fuzz of their debut and creating an altogether different record, ‘Ullages’ is a near perfect distillation of their agenda; a record that recalls the shimmering opulence of the Cocteau Twins and the melancholic majesty of Disintegration / Pornography-era The Cure.
LP – Black Vinyl with Download.
LP+ – Limited Green vinyl with Download. 500 Copies only for the UK.

JOHN DOE  –  THE WESTERNER

John Doe is a founding member of the seminal L.A. punk rock band X and the country spin-off band The Knitters. The album features ten new tracks from Doe with guest appearances from Chan Marshall of Cat Power, Debbie Harry of Blondie, Cindy Wasserman of Dead Rock West and Tom Brosseau. ‘The Westerner‘ was produced by Howe Gelb (Neko Case, M. Ward), Dave Way (Fiona Apple) and Doe. The album’s artwork was designed by Shepard Fairey and Aaron Huey to support Native American rights via a campaign called Protect The Sacred, with additional photography by Jim Herrington.
LP – With Download.

RED HOUSE PAINTERS –  OLD RAMON

Released almost concurrently with head Red House Painter Mark Kozelek’s solo venture ‘What’s Next to the Moon’ (a selection of deconstructed AC/DC covers), ‘Old Ramon’ allows the rare opportunity to hear an artist both then and now. Recorded in 1997, ‘Old Ramon’ languished in the limbo of label fallout, finally to be rescued and released by Sub Pop in 2001. Meanwhile, though, it seemed Kozelek had moved on, releasing a flurry of projects with nary a look back, making ‘Old Ramon’ almost seem like an afterthought. But what a lovely afterthought it is. The trademark features of the Red House Painters are all here: the songs are long and meandering, the guitars seesaw languidly, the drums plod, dissonant harmonies moan and Kozelek’s olive-oil voice seeps around everything. The best tracks include the light and airy ‘Wop a Din-Din’, an homage to Kozelek’s cat; the dark and beastly ‘Byrd Joe’ and the understated ‘Cruiser’.
LP+ – Limited Double Vinyl with Download.

PUMAROSA –  CECILE

Limited beautiful White Vinyl 12″ with Download. London five-piece, Pumarosa are a band who assembled from unexpected and varied quarters. Isabel met drummer Nick at a rehearsal for a new band in a rundown Homerton pub and when no one else showed up the pair formed a guitar-and-drums Punk duo and began writing and rehearsing in the basement. After moving to a warehouse in Manor House, they met Henry, Tomoya and Neville and began a period of intensely hot rehearsal in a 10′ x 10′ chipboard room. In the summer of 2015, the band was offered a residency in the cavernous disused cinema of an Italian surrealist, situated within the cliffs of Calabria. Scraping together a van and driving non-stop to Italy, the band worked on new material in beguiling forty degree heat, developing further their expansive sound. It was also in Italy that they settled on the name Pumarosa: in part reflecting Isabel’s Chilean roots, but also the lurid-looking jungle fruit of the same name. In September 2015 Pumarosa released debut single “Priestess’, produced by Mercury-nominated Dan Carey (Kate Tempest, Bat For Lashes, Toy) via Chess Club / Mom + Pop (US). Zane Lowe on Beats 1 had the world’s first play and within three days ‘Priestess’ was the second most blogged about song worldwide.

THE BIG MOON – CUPID

Limited 7″ only. The Big Moon release a new single ‘Cupid’, their first through Fiction Records. It was produced and mixed by Catherine Marks (Foals / Wolf Alice), and follows their two acclaimed singles to date, ‘Sucker’ and ‘The Road’. It has been an exciting introductory year for Juliette, Fern, Soph and Celia of The Big Moon. Releasing their first recordings to widespread acclaim in 2015, the band have been busy selling out their shows across the UK, and performing to expansive audiences on high-profile support tours with the likes of The Vaccines, Ezra Furman and their new label mates The Maccabees. The band return with another bullet of a track that heightens their already sky-high appeal. ‘Cupid’ is everything that The Big Moon have already promised and more. A track full of punch, verve and a knowing swagger, capped by vocalist Juliette Jackson’s wry snarl of a delivery, and her bandmates pin-sharp harmonies. It’s a smart and confident next step forward.

BRYDE  –  EP1

Exciting new London solo-artist Bryde releases her debut EP, simply entitled ‘EP1’ via Seahorse Music. The release contains previous singles ‘Wait’ and ‘Help Yourself’ alongside two brand new tracks (‘Nectar’ and ‘To Be Loved’) which have already been making an impact at her live shows around the country. Earning comparisons to the Sharon Van Etten, PJ Harvey, Jeff Buckley and London Grammar, her powerful vocals, sharp, evocative lyricism and searing guitar tones have won plaudits from the likes of NYLON, The 405 and The Line Of Best Fit, with the latter declaring Bryde’s heady concoction as “tearjerk folk-pop”. Limited to 500 copies on transparent light blue vinyl.

CAT’S EYES –  TREASURE HOUSE

If Cat’s Eyes self-titled debut was grown in the dark, then ‘Treasure House’, their second, is born in light. If the nocturnal interiors of Cat’s Eyes were a cult flick viewed in smudgy black and white on cathode ray, then ‘Treasure House’ takes everything into the great outdoors and shoots it in Technicolor on wide silver-screen; an old school blockbuster, of the kind they no longer make. This is the third album by Rachel Zeffira and Faris Badwan, previous albums include Cat’s Eyes self-titled 2011 debut and last year’s European Film Award awarding wining soundtrack to Peter Strickland’s film, ‘The Duke of Burgundy’.

ULTIMATE PAINTING – LIVE AT THIRD MAN RECORDS

Ultimate Painting is a young, yet already distinguished UK duo comprised of Jack Cooper and James Hoare. As the story goes, these two spent time touring together with Cooper’s band, Mazes, supporting Hoare’s band, Veronica Falls. A fateful friendship developed and, to make it quick, demos were recorded and swapped, which all eventually led to their debut seeing release on Trouble In Mind. The project has been so thoroughly adored for its uncomplicated, beautifully calm approach to VU-style riff-making and loose-but-biting vibes that the follow up, ‘Green Lanes’, was released a mere ten months later. Needless to say Third Man Records are so glad they carved their way through the great land of Nashville, TN. Recorded direct-to-tape, ‘Live at Third Man Records’ is an impeccable document of English rock ‘n’ roll. The band is in top form here and their set consists of the finest material from the band’s first and second albums, ‘Ultimate Painting’ and ‘Green Lanes’ respectively, with a handful of extended jams featured here. This live record is a must own for fans of the band, not to mention anyone smitten with mellow guitar magic that absolutely explodes into some true, stately mayhem.

DEATH AND VANILLA  –  DEATH AND VANILLA EP

12″ Blue Vinyl EP / CD digipack. The first release for the Swedish Psychedelic dream-pop band, their self-titled EP caught the attention of French label ‘Hands In The Dark’. They originally released EP in 2010 on CD an extremely limited edition run of 100 copies. The EP will be reissued on blue vinyl to match the cover alongside the ‘From Above’ 7″ and their self-titled debut long player.

CLINIC  –  INTERNATIONAL WRANGLER  Reissue

Clinic’s long-awaited debut album Internal Wrangler fleshes out the sound the group crafted on their self-released EPs, and it also adds a few new twists. Though eerie, punk-tinged songs like “The Return of Evil Bill” and the title track sound like they could have appeared on the band’s first singles, Internal Wrangler’s best songs concentrate on the experimental yet accessible sides of Clinic’s sound. “The Second Line”‘s darkly catchy throb, the aptly named “2nd Foot Stomp”‘s organ-driven pulse, and “Voodoo Wop”‘s blend of surf and Krautrock are a logical progression from Clinic’s roots, but ballads like the “Pale Blue Eyes”-esque “Distortions” and the late-night calm of “Goodnight Georgie” are a leap into new territory for the band. Though some of the thrashier songs like “C.Q.” and “T.K.” and a bottom-heavy song sequence detract from the album’s flow, Internal Wrangler is still a strong debut from one of England’s most promising and distinctive indie bands.

CLINIC –   WALKING WITH THEE  Reissue

Right down to its gritty, mod-punk art direction, Walking With Thee seems like it should fit right in with Clinic’s previous work. Indeed, the group’s second full-length album could’ve been a carbon copy of their debut, Internal Wrangler, but to Clinic’s credit, the band makes a few changes, opting for a smoother production and a quieter, more implosive sound than their previous work offered. Frustratingly, though, most of these changes end up detracting from the group’s strengths and diluting the album’s impact. Walking With Thee’s production is far from slick, but a huge part of Clinic’s appeal was that the band seemed to record in an underwater garage, giving their songs a fuzzy, cavernous sound that made their messy, thrashy moments even more dangerously alluring and their ballads that much more affecting. Stripped nearly bare of reverb and static, much of Walking With Thee sounds incomplete, particularly on the almost-punk of “Pet Eunuch,” “Welcome,” and “The Equaliser,” which, with its rattling percussion and driving bassline, could’ve rivaled Internal Wrangler’s ugly-beautiful intensity if had a little more oomph. However, the album isn’t a total washout — for every lackluster moment, there’s one that connects. “The Vulture” and “Walking With Thee” nearly reach the frenzied, strangely sexy, bottom-dwelling heights (depths?) of Clinic’s best work. And beginning with the chilly, hypnotic opener, “Harmony,” many of the album’s quietest moments are the most compelling. Filmic tracks like “Come Into Our Room” and the dreamy finale “For the Wars” follow suit, though their brooding, stark sound will only strengthen the Radiohead comparisons. There’s a lot of promise on Walking With Thee, but nothing here touches the deadpan cool of Internal Wrangler’s “The Second Line,” the detached poignancy of “Distortion,” or the raw energy of “Second Foot Stomp.” The band sounds like they’re still figuring out how to make the urgency of their previous work jell with a more polished, experimental sound, which makes Walking With Thee not so much a progression or regression as a step sideways. Clinic is still one of the most intriguing acts around, and while this isn’t the masterpiece the band has the potential to deliver, an interesting disappointment from them is still better than a successful but boring album from a less-inspired group.

YAK – ” Harbour The Feeling “

Posted: April 15, 2016 in MUSIC
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Taken from the forthcoming album, ‘Alas Salvation’, by Yak,

Yak are bonkers – that much has been clear from the off. With a reputation for deranged live-shows, non-stop touring and a debut album as fast-and-furious as they come all tucked under their arms, they’re only going to get weirder still. Their new video for ‘Harbour The Feeling’ is the launch-pad for that lunacy.

Frontman Oli Burslem takes centre-stage, presenting a wacky new game show in which contestants have to ride a real-life yak. Sort of – it’s a mechanical one, but it’s every bit as feisty as the real thing.Sporting a fetching camel suit in the process, Oli leads ‘Harbour The Feeling’ through this maddening pitch for your new favourite Saturday night telly show.

Watch the ‘Harbour The Feeling’ video below – it’s taken from ‘Alas Salvation’, Yak’s forthcoming and hopefully if their live shows are anything to go by it could be a brilliant debut album . Catch up with the band here, and head in-the-studio where they put ‘Alas Salvation’ together

Yak play the following live dates:

 

 

HIDDEN CHARMS – ” Dreaming Of Another Girl “

Posted: December 31, 2015 in MUSIC
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Of the most crucial factors in attaining success is carrying yourself as though you’ve already conquered the world, something which Hidden Charms are no strangers to doing. With a brash, commanding sound which takes influence from several different periods in Britain’s rich rock ‘n’ roll heritage, the London based four piece have received endorsement from sources such as Zane Lowe, XFM and Liam Gallagher’s Pretty Green. Set to hit the road this month alongside YAK, the band have unveiled the video for the swaggering ‘Dreaming Of Another Girl’. Kicking off with a understated yet incredibly catchy riff that Ray Davies would be proud of, ‘Dreaming Of Another Girl’ is a torrid affair which plays to the band’s ability to hark back to a bygone era and drag it into uncharted waters. Opting for subtlety over bombast until the track’s midway point when a barrage of squalling guitars soon make their presence felt, the track sees the band exercise restraint in order to make its eventual surge of adrenaline all the more captivating. A grand effort which borrows heartily from 1970’s cinematography, it’s accompanying video is presented as an action packed trailer for a fictional film that features all manner of deceit, violence and general hedonism. Check out its visuals and get the full details of their upcoming tour with the hotly tipped YAK

TOUR DATES

24th November- Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
25th November- Broadcast, Glasgow 
26th November- Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh
27th November- Head Of Steam, Newcastle
28th November- The Cookie, Leicester

YAK – ” No “

Posted: November 27, 2015 in MUSIC
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A shambolic mix of psychedelic blues and manic punk, ripping open the cushions of a vintage paisley couch and lighting the stuffing on fire . For Fans of: The Birthday Party, A Place to Bury Strangers, Kurt Vile

You Should Pay Attention to this London trio Yak’s introduction to Jack White’s Third Man Records was a 10-minute stoner rock take on folk standard “Cumberland Gap,” a distant cry from Lonnie Donegan’s frenetic skiffle version that was a hit in the Fifties. According to the group’s gregarious singer-guitarist an ex-thrift store operator who used to host jam sessions in the shop’s basement. White’s friend Ben Swank of Soledad Brothers saw their live performance and the rest is garage-rock history. Following up hard-charging Fat Possum singles “Hungry Heart” and “Plastic People,” the No EP just arrived on Third Man. Its three songs capture the group’s blistering live energy and sinister melodic leanings in just over seven minutes. Produced by Pulp bassist Steve Mackey, the EP was recorded while bassist Andy Jones was in denial about a broken finger, which didn’t slow him a bit. 

They Say: The No EP didn’t take much time,” Burslem says. “We got it mixed, then sent it to Third Man and they were really into it. It was kind of a painless experience. We tried not to fuck around with the initial live recordings we had that day. All of the bands we like, it’s not too edited, I suppose. Once you start editing conversations or editing anything, it can kind of lose the charm of it. I always have loads of ideas. I sit at my desk here with notes, loads of nonsense. I try and fill my brain with as much clutter as possible, and then we get together as a band and vomit it all out. Loaded with amp-rattling feedback and Burslem’s unfiltered musings at the top of his lungs, “No” is a sludgy garage stomper.

Yak

 

 

YAK – ” Alas Salvation “

Posted: November 14, 2015 in MUSIC
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Yak – No EP, On Jack White’s Third Man Records ,When’s it out? Friday November 13th. DIY Magazine describes them as “a berserk bunch who balance noise with a don’t-give-a-shit mentality.” NME says they’re “notably non-conformist.” The Quietus thinks they will “restore your faith in rock & roll.” Third Man Records have decided they are, without-a-doubt “favorite band material.”

They are Yak, and they are set to release their most thrilling material ever This friday in the form of a second EP titled ‘No.’ Last month we unveiled the official video for the release’s title track. Today, we’re pleased to share with you their second EP-related video for the track “Alas Salvation.” Directed again by ex-Jesus And Mary Chain member Douglas Hart (who, as we mentioned last time, has also made videos for Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine and The Horrors).

Yak is embarking this month on their biggest headline tour of the UK to date. If you’re in Great Britain, get your tickets now .Chaos reigns in the London trio’s live show and on this three-track EP set to be released on Jack White’s Third Man label. It’s inventive and unpredictable, from the barked spoken word feel of ‘Alas Salvation’ to the softer ‘Out On A Limb’.

YAK – ” No “

Posted: October 1, 2015 in MUSIC
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This November Third Man Records will be releasing the  latest EP from he band YAK (produced by Pulp’s Steve Mackey) the band were probably amongst my most favourite live bands this summer, featuring the sloppy, sludgy, searing single “No” with Massive guitars, cantankerous drums, and a defiant, vox maelstrom. It’s gonna gnarl through your speakers and bludgeon you with pure nihilism fuzz. Following “No” on the A-side is “Alas Salvation” a song so chewed up and spit out it could pass for The Upholsterers covering DNA. The B-side ditches the bulk of the grit and instead keeps things icy, mellow, and lonely with “Out on a Limb.” It’s a stately and necessary respite till you flip the wax and strap back in for the A-side. PLUS noted artist and photographer Nick Waplington has copiously tackled the cover art. It’s beautiful and violent use of color are a welcome and complimentary addition to this package.

So sit tight and take hold. Yak is poised to make noise and it’s in your best interest to get on board early and maybe JUST MAYBE you could be the coolest kid at school.

“No” will be available in the Third Man Records store and online retailers worldwide on Friday, November 13, 2015,

YAK – ” Cumberland Gap ” Live at Calvacade

Posted: August 2, 2015 in MUSIC
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=145&v=X3lSL3cxCnM

YAK performing “Cumberland Gap” on Cavalcade at the blue studios. the already much loved London trio Yak.  a slow and dirty seductive piece of garage rock stomp that builds and builds a la the Cramps and The Birthday Party whilst  check out their 7″ single ‘Plastic People’ is a more uptempo and joyous pop number with Pete Murphy esque vocals on top of a pulsating rhythm section and explosive, ever-shifting and ever-escalating guitars. It’s effortless and uplifting.

 

 

YAK – ” Plastic People ” and ” Hungry Heart “

Posted: July 12, 2015 in FESTIVALS, MUSIC
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj5zJTIXKfA

Yak members Oliver Burslem, Andy Jones and Elliot Rawson have been touring and gaining a lot of buzz since last time  I saw them. Having seen them three times within a month at Live at Leeds and now at Field Day, I got used to the singer, Oli Burslem, coming on stage barefoot,and sometimes a little worse for wear his hair covering his eyes and his young Mike Jagger similarties, with one of the best rock drummers who keeps an amazing beat, with his rhythm Bass playing cohort he confidently counts the band in with his deep voice. When the riff of Plastic People started, my  excitment levels went up and everybody in the tent  went crazy causing chaos in the audience. Oli managed to jump off stage three times during the short set rubbing his white Fender Stratocaster on anything he could focus on. The concert was as usual : concise, demented, frenetic and mind-blowing. The drummers sticks moved so fast you could barely see them. YAK more than any other band just give all their vigor and verve until they look like they are washed-out, and that’s the best a rock band can do. Their sound,psychotic-psychedelic, violent but melodic and poetic just sweep away everything in its path. They have become my Favourte band of the festival season don’t miss out on them

YAK – ” The Gift , 21st Century Schizoid Man ” Covers

Posted: April 30, 2015 in MUSIC, NOTTINGHAM CITY VENUES
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Scallywags Yak are about to head out on tour with The Big Moon, on a seven-date trip taking them from Nottingham to London. Take a look at the dates below. To celebrate, they’re marking the jaunt with a joint tape release. Limited to just 100 copies, “Milked” will only be available on the groups’ tour and is released on Heart Throb Records. Yak’s side is a continuous 38-minute mix that features unreleased tracks and covers of the likes of King Crimson, Faust and Lonnie Donegan. The band performed the covers entirely from memory, meaning that they ended up creating some radically different versions of the originals. The Big Moon’s side of the tape, meanwhile, will contain three tracks, ‘Eureka Moment’, a “shit demo” version of ‘Nothing Without You’ and ‘This is the News’.

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Hailing from Wolverhampton, childhood friends Oli and Andy began to make music when they realised that they probably weren’t equipped to do anything else. Fronting the band, Oli has the looks of a young Mick Jagger and the confidence to match, while Andy rules the bass. Relocating to London, the duo got their act together and recruited New Zealander Elliot on drums. In a time of predominantly electronic music, it is refreshing to find a band so skilled in their respective instruments performing live with all the energy, passion and volume of a bygone time. With two brilliant tracks Hungry Heart and Smile already. their debut EP Plastic People, will be out 25th May. Complete with artwork by Alexander McQueen’s friend and collaborator, Nick Waplington, hit play and get to know your new favourite rock stars.

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