Athletes In Paris, The High Dials, Mathew Sawyer And The Ghosts

Athletes In Paris are an Indie Pop band from Newcastle, UK. The band belly their innovative and catchy pop-thrills upon you with chanted gang-vocals, frantically muted guitar picking, Latin-percussion grooves and pumping bass lines - you could do worse than to Imagine Earth, Wind and Fire, Friendly Fires, Jack Penate and Prefab Sprout in one big northern melting pot, but then you'd only be getting an idea. Their highly anticipated single 'Borrowed Time' will be released on The Animal Farm, April 4th.

Athletes In Paris - Borrowed Time
Athletes In Paris@MySpace

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The High Dials are a psychedelic pop band from Montreal. Swirling guitars, 3-part harmonies and timeless songcraft combine to make anthemic power pop sometimes shaded with shoegaze and folk elements. Their recordings have been hailed by NME, Spin and the New York Post who called them a “must-see band”. They have toured extensively, including stints with Brian Jonestown Massacre, Neko Case and a recent support slot for Echo & the Bunnymen. “Anthems for Doomed Youth” is their fourth full-length album and sees them return to Rainbow Quartz Records, where they debuted in 2003. Anthems for Doomed Youth, The High Dials’ 5th release and their 3rd full-length is the band’s most authentic and mature work to date. It comes closest to capturing the energy of the band’s live sound and offers a snapshot of the band’s creative evolution, with triumphant returns to their jangly 60s roots as well as the moodier territory of later releases.

The High Dials - Chinese Boxes
The High Dials@MySpace

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Mathew John Sawyer (born 1977 Hammersmith, England) is a British visual artist and musician, who lives and works in London and Athens. His band 'Mathew Sawyer and The Ghosts' are signed to Fire Records (UK). They have two albums available: 'Blue Birds Blood' (2007) originally released on Stolen Recordings and Catbird Records (US) and 'How Snakes Eat' (2010). In 2007 'Mathew Sawyer and The Ghosts' played the Queen Elizabeth Hall as part of the Meltdown (festival) curated by Jarvis Cocker. Sawyer's artwork has been shown internationally in solo, and group exhibitions, including The Distance Between Me and You (Lisson Gallery), Documentary Creations (Museum of Art Luzern), Protest and Survive (Whitechapel Art Gallery) and Frieze Art Fair. After the cult success of Blue Birds Blood in 2008, Mathew Sawyer and his Ghosts are back again with eleven new laments, How Snakes Eat, being released in the United States via Fire Records at March 15th, 2011.

Mathew Sawyer and The Ghosts - Revenge Of The Extra From Zulu
Mathew Sawyer and his Ghosts - Mynah Birds Call
Mathew Sawyer and The Ghosts@MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: J Mascis - Not Enough
(from Several Shades Of Why, out March 15th on Sub Pop)

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Vandaveer, Sandwitches, Easter Island

Mark Charles Heidinger is the alt-folk tunesmith behind the song-singing, record-making, globetrotting project that is Vandaveer. Born in Ohio, raised in Kentucky and now living in Washington, DC, Heidinger is joined by the extraordinary Rose Guerin in Vandaveer. They met during the heyday of DC’s folk collective known as The Federal Reserve. Informal collaborations during that time led to Guerin becoming a fixture in Vandaveer. Their two voices together create harmonies that convey truth and emotion with the greatest of ease. Their third full-length album, Dig Down Deep, will be released on April 26th via Supply & Demand Music.

Vandaveer - Concerning Past & Future Conquests
Vandaveer@MySpace

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San Francisco's Sandwitches have been plugging away at their craft for a couple magical years now, sprinkling their barbed, alluring electric folk briars across unsuspecting gardens in the Bay Area and beyond. Previous releases, such as the swampy ecstasy of How To Make Ambient Sadcake and last year's oceanic ouija board of an EP, Duck Duck Goose!, captured distinct sides of the trio. Their latest platter, Mrs. Jones' Cookies (out March 29th via Empty Cellar Records), is here now to unify their uniquely whimsical and creepy vision.

Sandwitches - Joe Says
Sandwitches - Lightfoot
Sandwitches@MySpace

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Easter Island‘s progressive sound is re-forging the middle-class angst pop that defined the mid 90s and early 00s. This impressive group of classically trained guys hail from Athens, GA and have been playing together in a carousel of revolving bands since 2005, when vocalist Ethan Payne met lead guitarist Nathan Thompson. Payne (formerly of The Cubs, Union & Corduroy Road) has worked in the film industry for the past three years as a freelance shooter/editor/boom operator. As Easter Island forges a following in the South, their EP Better Things will be released March 1st. Better Things was produced by Five-Eight drummer Patrick Ferguson, at the newly renovated and reopened 1093 Boulevard Studio in Athens. They have already begun work on their next release, full of even more delicious sounds, galvanizing lyrics, and their emotive vocals. The band will celebrate the release of the EP with a special show at The Caledonia Lounge (Athens, GA) on March 26th with friends Five Eight and Little Horn.

Easter Island - Better Things
Easter Island - Proud
Easter Island@MySpace

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SONG OF THE DAY: Mogwai - San Pedro
(from Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will, out February 15th on Sub Pop)

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