Following a warm response to their debut single ‘Closure’, Fehlt, continue to weave sonic landscapes with new single ‘Spoiled’. Opening with clean + delicate guitar strums, ‘Spoiled’ opens into a whirling but tender piece. Singer Ewan’s voice is vulnerable + extremely fragile. The pulsing bass seems to help the song along, without it the emotion of the song leaves you feeling it may all fall apart at any moment. It’s a subtle swing away from the discordant melodies and noisy passages of their debut ‘Closure’.

‘Spoiled’ is a version of Sebadoh’s original track which was originally released in 1991 before being re-released after appearing on the Kids soundtrack in 1995, playing over the film’s end credits.

Speaking of the track, Ewan explained “I’d originally heard the track during a lecture in which we watched the Kids (1995) trailer. I was struck by the haunting, delicate nature of the track, it was imperfect but perfect. I began experimenting with the idea of re-imagining the frayed acoustic ballad into a full band composition producing demo’s for the track”

“Most of my tracks begin as guitar loops, hence the clockwise-esque nature of the tracks, these are developed with further instrumentation including violin which i was eager to incorporate. I took the word ‘Closure’ literally and worked with ephemera, instructional style artwork using imagery from Polaroid Manuals. The cover image is a distorted crop from a black & white photo, the bleakness and composition of the shot were used to juxtapose the sanguine instrumentation of the tracks.”

As with the care and attention afforded the composition and artwork, the name of the band was also carefully considered by Ewan “I was experimenting with titles I had written down for potential track titles, one being Fehlt. It’s the German translation of ‘Is Missing’. It just stuck out at me as a name that would sit coherently with the sonics and artwork for the band.”

After moving to Leeds from the North East of England to Study at Leeds College of Art, Ewan began the process of recruiting band members to bring his vision to life. He is now joined by guitarist Will Shuttleworth, bassist Adam Rundle and drummer Ben Udin. In their short time as a band they have already played alongside the likes of Deliluh, Lightning Dust and Post Animal. The track was recorded in Salford with Sam Kennedy (Ronald Raygun) in a bitterly cold January this year. Drums were played by Sam Kennedy with violin from Mark Rochman (Pepe Sylvia, Colour of Spring).

Fehlt’s ‘Spoiled’ is released alongside debut single ‘Closure’ as a 30 minute cassette tape with artwork created by Ewan from the band. There are only 25 copies available. It is available to buy now via Clue Records

You can get it digitally from Clue Records.

LIVE DATES

February 18th – The Cluny, Newcastle (Alongside Post Animal)
February 22nd – Chunk, Leeds
March 01st – The Shacklewell Arms, London
June 20th – Heelapalooza Festival, Middlesbrough

The Calls release their new single, ‘Fall Inside’, on 28 February on Atomic Records. The song explores the difficulties of a person wanting to change their ways but being unable to; of trying to do things differently but, ultimately, falling back into the same habits. Far from being a judgmental criticism, however, it is a more thoughtful observation, crucially ending on a note of optimism that the narrator believes, as difficult as it might be, that people can and do still change.

The accompanying video, some of which was filmed on the band’s recent headline tour of Germany, compiles footage from rehearsals, recordings and gigs.

Emerging from the thriving hotbed of Leeds, The Calls are a vehemently DIY band who write, record and rehearse all their music in a converted barn and travel around in an old window cleaner’s van. The band are driven by the unconventional songwriting of frontman Tom Fuller, who puts an introspective slant on social observations through cryptic wordplay and subtle use of metaphor. Lead guitarist Will Johnson is a film maker and visual artist who creates all the band’s videos and backdrops and whose unrestrained, versatile and often highly unusual sound is due to the fact that, remarkably, he had never picked up a guitar before joining. Bassist Marcell Haslewood, a lifeguard finding his way through life via a spiritual combination of ambience and dub, completes the trio with a unique approach to playing that can subvert expectations and lock into catchy grooves in equal measure.

You can see the band on the following dates:

MARCH Sat 14 LEEDS Royal Park Cellars
APRIL Fri 10 MANCHESTER Off the Square

WEBSITE: www.thecalls.uk.com
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/thecallsuk
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/the_calls
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/the_calls/

PIZZAFEST returns to YORK FULFORD ARMS for the first time this year, and indeed this decade, on SATURDAY 21 MARCH. The all-day event, curated by the dangerous rock n roll duo SNAKERATTLERS, features a wealth of tip-top, dance-til-you-drop, underground garage rock bands from throughout the UK. Half way through the event, a truckload of pizza arrives and you can eat as much as you like. At only TEN POUNDS per ticket, the event is an absolute bargain. This is the third PIZZAFEST and will also host the single launch from York’s own motorpunk rockers SEGREGATES. For one night only, you can get their brand new Preach to Me 12” vinyl single for just SIX POUNDS.

TICKETS @ £10: https://thefulfordarms.bigcartel.com/product/pizzafest-3

A ticket gets you in all day and gets you free pizza. Band times to be announced. PLEASE BUY TICKETS IF YOU ARE COMING. It saves you £5 and it saves the venue and promotional team from worrying about the event breaking even.

Thee Girl Fridays

https://www.facebook.com/theegirlfridays/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_2oQCP6X-o

Four Scottish gals from the garage, with fire in their eyes and venomous stings in the devilish tails. Scorching hot, wild garage rock from the depths of your granny’s doily-covered basement. You’ll find yourself dancing alright. These ladies are making a name for themselves throughout the UK and Europe.

Snakerattlers

https://www.facebook.com/snakerattlers/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQP8hHf0j9s

Cacophonous two-piece trash rock n roll, performed by an enraged married couple from York, forever hell bent on ruining your evening and your ears. Blasting guitars, hammering drums and howled vocals. Dark, mongrel outsider rock that has no limits and desecrates many genres.

The Strays

https://www.facebook.com/TheStraysLive/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yVCWUtPaPc

Mesmerising sonic succulence from four vagabonds who come from Cheltenham, one of the poshest cities in England. What happened? They should have gone on to be politicians or scientists but instead they made a band. And a bloody good one at that. Western Star Records certainly think so. After dropping out of the first PIZZAFEST due to injury, it’s great to finally have them play.

The Sleazoids

https://www.facebook.com/sleazoids/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IJg4HdUs4k

Does what it says on the tin. Sleazy rock n roll played by some beautiful outsiders from Sheffield. Flavours of such greats as The Cramps and Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs are taken on board and bent to their will, in order to inflict their own dangerous garage musical cocktail onto the world.

Segregates

https://www.facebook.com/Segregates/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl2tJs3yI0U

Here they are. The big, hard lads from York are releasing a 12” vinyl single and PIZZAFEST will be the launch for it. Cheetah-fast, motorpunk rock n roll with a massive bass sound and a guitar that could fill a stadium on its own. Proper rock n roll that’s as real as it gets. Mate.

Surf Muscle

https://www.facebook.com/SurfMuscle/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAYrJKqSaC4

Wonky, wonderful, mysterious surf instrumentals played by three fandabbydozy people from Sheffield. Best mates with Sleazoids, this lot. True story. When watching, do the dance when you move sideways, make peace signs over your eyes and kick your legs out to make yourself think you’re in the 60s.

Hellfire Jack

https://www.facebook.com/hellfirejackband
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtOUZHIX9II

Harrogate’s finest. Heavy garage blues that snaps and snarls like an angry Doberman. Mess with this band at your own peril. Dirty big riffs and womping huge breakdowns topped off with a vocal that cuts like a serrated knife.

The Bikini Bottoms

https://www.facebook.com/bikinibottomsband/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdXaleS05fM

Another Scottish band gracing PIZZAFEST. Whizzing down from Glasgow without a care in the world. This is a real enigma of a band. A killer look combined with a stripped back psychobilly-esque sound. Jingle-jangle, wingle-wangle. Let’s ‘ave it.

What’s Wrong With Homer?

https://www.facebook.com/WhatsWrongWithHomer/
https://soundcloud.com/user-429168830/sugar

The band with the scariest profile picture on all of Facebook. Noisy, jumpy, twitchy garage noise in the style of Ty Segall is the order of the day here. Revved-up amps, hair flapping about all over the place, extreme sloprock and a razor cut vocal approach.

Percy

https://www.facebook.com/PercyWYSH/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NysgmQAlRro

York legends on the comeback trail. Percy have been treading the boards of stages for many a year with their legendary post-punk garage pop. Darlings of BBC 6 Music and a real gem of the York scene. Come early to get your fix.

Gillman

The man from the Black Lagoon. After having to pull out of the last PIZZAFEST due to touring with another band, we welcome York’s mysterious, one-man rockabilly band. Will he actually play this time? Only time will tell. Swampy 50s trash rock n roll in the style of Lightning Beat Man.

THE SLOW READERS CLUB have announced a series of intimate UK in-store shows to coincide with the release of their upcoming fourth album: The Joy Of The Return. [Full dates and details below]

The announcement arrives as the band also reveal a new track, ‘Jericho’, the latest to be taken from the new record which hits the shelves on March 20th (via the Modern Sky UK label).

Opening to an infectiously upbeat blend of bright guitar lines and propulsive drums, the track undulates between danceable angular beats and lush, anthemic passages which provide an arena-sized taste of what to expect from the album.

“’Jericho’s our ‘sunniest’ track to date, and hopefully a good indicator of the variety people can expect from the album,” says singer Aaron Starkie. “Plus it’s got a great hook in Kurt’s riff. Lyrically, I’d say it’s probably the track that most closely relates to the Joy Of The Return of the album’s title, as it’s written from the perspective of my teenage self.

“It’s a teenage romance song really, about that moment, on the threshold of a new relationship, where you begin to surrender yourself. As a band, it’s one of our favourites on the album, and came together quite easily from first jam through practice sessions. The chorus was the most challenging aspect as we really had to get the feel of that right.”

‘Jericho’ follows previous single ‘All I Hear’, released earlier in the year to acclaim from the likes of Steve Lamacq and Chris Hawkins at BBC 6Music, who premiered the track. Recorded at Parr Street Studios in Liverpool and produced by long-standing collaborator Phil Bulleyment, The Joy Of The Return marks a significant change in the band’s process, with their extensive touring allowing them time to write and develop tracks and arrangements through soundchecks and back-of-van jams.

Throughout the album, the band explore a vast swathe of sonic territory, with the dark power-pop that defined their previous releases still holding a strong influence. ‘No Surprise’ provides a powerful dose of evocative, brooding lyricism amid immersive soundscapes, while the unsettling ‘Paris’ is an undulating exploration of observational songwriting and eclectic musicality.

Elsewhere, the swelling, arena-sized ‘Zero Hour’ displays the enormity of The Slow Readers Club sound and sets the precedent for their incredibly exciting future, before ‘The Wait’ closes the album with a beautifully absorptive combination of atmospheric synths flipping the pace of the record on its head to intoxicating effect.

The new album comes on the back of a stellar 2019 for the band, which saw them play a mammoth 32-date European tour, and a number of sold out UK shows including London’s The Dome and two consecutive nights at Manchester’s The Ritz following the release of their critically acclaimed third album, Build A Tower.

The Slow Readers Club will embark on an extensive tour throughout the UK and EU in March, April and May, including shows in Edinburgh, Birmingham, Bristol and London’s Electric Ballroom, with many close to selling out. The band will also perform a number of in-store shows in Leeds, Nottingham, Sheffield, Newcastle and Edinburgh. Full dates can be found below.

Ahead of the tour, on Thursday 19th March, the band will play an intimate hometown show at Manchester’s Night & Day Café. A ticket link for the show will be made available closer to the date to everyone who has pre-ordered The Joy Of The Return from the band’s website. More details can be found here – https://www.theslowreadersclub.co.uk/posts/night-and-day

SPRING 2020 UK & EU TOUR DATES

19/03 – Night & Day Café, Manchester
20/03 – Jumbo, Leeds (in-store, 6pm)
21/03 – Rough Trade, Nottingham (in-store, 2pm)
21/03 – Beartree, Sheffield (in-store, 6pm)
23/03 – King George’s Hall, Blackburn
24/03 – Reflex, Newcastle (in-store, 3pm)
24/03 – The Sage 2, Gateshead
25/03 – Assai, Edinburgh (in-store, 1.30pm)
25/03 – The Liquid Room, Edinburgh
27/03 – O2 Academy, Liverpool
28/03 – O2 Institute 2, Birmingham
29/03 – The Globe, Cardiff
30/03 – Thekla, Bristol
01/04 – Pyramids Centre, Portsmouth
02/04 – Concorde 2, Brighton
03/04 – Electric Ballroom, London
04/04 – Rock City, Nottingham
06/04 – Junction, Cambridge
07/04 – Foundry, Sheffield
08/04 – Beckett University, Leeds
09/04 – Pyramid & Parr Hall, Warrington

Tickets are available here – theslowreadersclub.co.uk/live-dates

Although BEANS ON TOAST has just-this-minute wrapped up an extensive UK tour on the back of his newest album ‘The Inevitable Train Wreck’, today he is pleased to announce another….

The ‘Coming To A Town Near You’ Tour will see Beans playing a string of shows through March and April, many of them off the beaten track. In his words, he’s doing the tour because he “loves it”.

Speaking about the new tour, he says: “turns out there’s still lots of towns in the country that I haven’t ever played.”

The dates are a mix of new ground for Beans, plus some old favourites (hello Bristol), plus also find him playing some slots opening for festival favourites Ferocious Dog.

14/03 MILTON KEYNES MK11
19/03 BOURNEMOUTH The Anvil
20/03 BRISTOL The Attic
21/03 FROME 23 Bath Street
26/03 BARNSTAPLE The Factory
27/03 WESTON-S-MARE Loves
28/03 SHAUGH PRIOR The White Thorn Inn
29/03 WORTH MATRAVERS Square & Compass
02/04 LONDON Nells *
03/04 SHOREHAM-BY-SEA Ropetackle Arts Centre *
04/04 TUNBRIDGE WELLS The Forum *
09/04 MARGATE Oolbys Soul Cafe
10/04 CHELMSFORD Hot Box
11/04 BOOTLE Little World Cafe
12/04 STAINES The London Stone
16/04 LEICESTER O2 Academy 2 *
17/04 SETTLE Victoria Hall *
18/04 SETTLE Victoria Hall*
23/04 CARDIFF The Globe*
24/04 BUCKLEY The Tivoli*
25/04 SHEFFIELD The Leadmill *
30/04 STOWMARKET John Peel Centre

He’s a hippy, a punk, a poet, a drunk, a die-hard romantic and an eternal optimist. Singing simple songs that tackle big issues. Political protest songs for the modern day, honest and open Love songs. Songs that will make you laugh, but also make you think with no holds barred honesty and quick wit.

The Beans on Toast live show is an odd and unpredictable experience. A singer, songwriter and storyteller his self-deprecating quality is not something you often see, but it breaks down the barrier between musician and audience, creating a sense of equality.

ALL SHOWS ARE ON SALE NOW
http://www.beansontoastmusic.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION
w/ https://beansontoastmusic.com
t/ https://twitter.com/beanstoast
f/ https://www.facebook.com/beansontoastmusic/
i / https://www.instagram.com/beans.on.toast/