Glitches - Only Time Will Tell

I was alerted to this band's latest single Only Time Will Tell by a guy at work and we were discussing who they sounded like, colleagues saying U2 but I was more of the opinion they sounded like Starsailor. I guess we're both going from the lead singer but they're not bad people to be compared with. Will they live up to those comparisons I guess Only Time Will... Oh no I didn't just do that did I?

The Bar Steward Sons of Val Doonican

Crowd-funding is very popular these days. I read recently of two smartphones and a phone-cum-watch thingy that have been developed and built based on pledges of purchases from your average geek on the street. This sort of thing goes on in musical circles too; WWWTM favourites Call the Doctor released their debut long player using a pledge website, and Indie heavyweights The Sunshine Underground are currently doing a similar thing in an attempt to release their third album, so it doesn't come as a surprise that bands are beginning to see a life beyond the traditional record label contract, and going it alone.

Enter The Bar Steward Sons of Val Doonican, a three piece from Barnsley playing hilarious covers of rock, pop, punk and metal favourites, using guitar, ukulele, accordion and banjo. BS/VD (as they will now be referred to for the rest of this post) are the UK's hardest working band, peddling their comedy wares at festivals and country pubs up and down the length of the country. A summer 'tour' to the South West for The Levellers' Beautiful Days festival was embellished by an appearance at the Watchet festival the following week, with nightly Facebook posts asking fans to seek out a pub that could provide a venue for the following day. They managed three weeks in the South West before it was time to get back to their native South Yorkshire.

BS/VD aren't new to crowd funding - their seventh studio album, due for release on Christmas Day 2013 and made possible by pledges from their army of devoted followers, follows hot on the heels of a 7" release of 'Tarn Life' for record store day. You can see the attraction. Not since the Barron Knights has the comedy/music crossover been popular with record companies, so being able to chronicle your material and get it out to your fans on your own terms must be very liberating.

But it's not on vinyl, or CD, or mp3 that BS/VD shine, it's in their live performances. Guaranteed to get the stiffest of crowds up and dancing, their brand of comedy is perfectly suited for that late night festival appearance in the beer tent, which is where we first came face to face with the band. A 'headline' set at one in the morning in the beer tent at Bearded Theory this year was enough for us to seek out their next gig, the following afternoon in another beer tent, and we were fixed. So much so that, instead of just pledging for our copy of the Greatest Hits album, we've pledged that bit extra to have Scott Doonican, frontman of the band, to come and do a ukulele set at a forthcoming party at Schonberg Central. I'll let you know how it goes!

Sunshine Underground

FINALLY! I have finally managed to buy tickets to go and see The Sunshine Underground. I have wanted to see them ever since I hammered their first album Raise The Alarm. To hear the amazing and excellent tracks Commercial Breakdown and Borders live is just going to be immense. They've got a new track out on Vinyl - I have now idea what that is but it sounds retro and no use to music fans who actually want to listen to music rather than put it on their wall. Luckily you can listen to it on Soundcloud above and if you follow the Soundcloud trail there is a remix version that you can download for nowt.

Frank Hamilton - Summer

Frank Hamilton, he of #OneSongAWeek fame has take one of those said songs, polished it up a bit and added a video ready for a proper single release on 7th October. It certainly polishes up well and with a name like Frank you can't help comparing him to Mr Turner.

It's a nice track, but releasing it in October he really will have to "wish it lasts forever", no matter how good a summer we've had in the UK it's not going to last that long, is it?

Rumours - Cash Machine

I rarely get chance to trawl through the endless emails that are in What's Wrong With The Mainstream's inbox but this morning I had a listen to a few artists as I wrote some posts for my cycling blog. This artist and track stood out so I thought I'd share it with you.

It's got the right mix of pop, strong female vocals with an upbeat tempo. Maybe a bit of Feist in there? Anyway 'Like' their Facebook page and get the track as a free download. Go on then, what are you waiting for.

White Lies - Getting Even

White Lies new album has just been announced and will be released 12th August this year and they're giving away Getting Even off the album. You can download it on soundcloud. The first proper single from the album will be There Goes Our Love Again which will be out early August.

I Keep Me Eyes Fixed On The Sun...

Sometimes I don't post as there's nothing new that I'm listening to that I want to post about, sometimes it's just I don't have time (as you probably suspected). At the moment I can't get this song out of my head - and I don't want to! A snowboarding friend of my told me to check out Dual Snowboards, anyone in to snowboards should check them out. They're everything that's good about snowboards and skis rolled in to one. The tricks look awesome and you can run on the snow in them!

Anyway back to the song, Shake Me Down by Cage The Elephant. Listen to this song and you'll be like me, Shazaming it so you can download it straight away. Check it out.

Local Natives Are Back

Remember these guys? How can you not? We've mentioned them a few times in the past. I can still remember coming across Airplanes in my inbox. What a track. Local Natives were one of those bands that made me really grateful I'd set up this blog. Not only did the band contact me but the band, and Taylor in particular were happy to chat by email. Well I don't know how it passed me by but they released their second album, Humingbird last month. So I dug out that old email address and pinged off a couple of questions to see if it still worked. Would they now be big time charlies and ignore my emails? Well Taylor fired back a response:

hey john, sure would be happy to answer those for you. 

How does this album differ from the last? 

It's expanded, both outward and inward. There are the most direct, bare songs we've made but also the most layered and orchestrated. 

How does it feel different from 3?! years ago with the debut album. Any other other exciting info I could pass on about what the band are up to?

We've just embarked upon a horizonless, year long tour. It's been fun to play all these new songs on the road and integrate them with the old. There's a lot more subtlety to our concert now. Played Liverpool last night.  

Check out their upcoming gigs here, they hit Bristol and Sheffield late October if anyone fancies it?

So there you have it, For those who are unaware of this band, they released their debut album first in the UK despite hailing from L.A.. Gorilla Manor was a good debut and it will be great to get my hands on their follow up (now ordered). Check out Airplanes below and scroll down further for a free track off their new album.

Want A Good Valentine Present?

Well if you preorder Cloud Cult's debut 'Love' you can get it way ahead of its released date. Instead of getting it on March 5th you can get it, yes you've guessed it, on Valentine's Day. Not only that but you get tracks to preview before even that date. Surely a must for any fan of the great band.

Strokes: Free Download

Yesterday we brought you The Pigeon Detectives new track and news of an album but who would have thought The Strokes would be back again so soon after their much welcomed return in 2011? One Way Trigger certainly suggests they're not just back to make up the numbers. This shows that they still see The Strokes as a vehicle for progressing their music. We wait with baited breathe for the full length. You can download the track here but be quick, it's only available for a limited time.