Aug 19th – 'I Think It Was Love' EP

"Listening to 'I Think It Was Love', you'd be forgiven for thinking you'd stumbled upon some lost classic soul recording, rather than a young musician from Manchester. Her voice is something incredible; warm, wise, confident and able to stop even the hardest of cynics in their tracks" - CMU Daily

"Josephine is unlike any singer I've ever worked with, her talent is in equal measure as high as the heavens and as deep as the Mariana trench. It astounds me." - Ed Harcourt

"She's remarkable. An old soul singer in a beautiful young girl" - Guy Garvey


JOSEPHINE is a new folktropic voice forged in the heart of the North of England. 'I Think It Was Love' EP is set for release July 26thon Ark Recordings.

An patchwork of influences from West African high life to her local heroes Morrissey & Marr... from the inspirational activist/guitarist/songwriter Odetta to modern US weird folk music.

Such a richness of influences came partly thanks to her Liberian Mother's vast collection of vinyl albums. Stacked in the front room when she was growing up there was Fela Kuti, King Sunny Ade, The Isley Brothers, Johnny Cash and The Supremes. Then there were her Mum's house parties; "she used to play a lot of high life and congo – her parties were madness really. High life to her is pop music."

Growing up in the late 80s - 'Manchester is a music city and it's easy to get involved. An amazing album like 'Hatful of Hollow' does spur you on. In the videos they ride past a sign saying Cheetham Hill - where I grew up - and you think 'it's possible to be from a place like this and come out with something that brilliant'.
JOSEPHINE has been forging her sound and distinctive voice with live performances since she was 15, inspired by great storytellers - " I put the guitar down and free write in my notebook, trying to get to the centre of the idea - I like to have strong melodies but lyrics that leave some suggestion for you to come back to on a second and third listen.'

'I Think It Was Love' EP is set for release on the 26th July on ARK Recordings.

Track-listing:
1. I Think It Was Love

2. One Princess of Cheetham Hill

3. One Song

Out on Itunes: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/i-think-it-was-love-ep/id380572637

Jun 8th – Friday June 18 – Hurricane Festival : Scheessel, Germany
Saturday June 19 – Southside Festival : Neuhausen, Germany
Sunday June 20 – Amsterdam, Holland : Melkweg
Monday June 21 – Groningen, Holland Show : Vera
Tuesday June 22 – Oostende, Belgium : Manuscript
Wednesday June 23 – La Maroquinerie : Paris, France
Thursday June 24 – OFF
Friday June 25 – Open Air St. Gallen : St Gallen, Switzerland

GET YOUR TICKETS ASAP!

Apr 15th – TURBO FRUITS
'GET UP GET ON DOWN'
NEW EP RELEASED DIGITALLY 14 JUNE ON ARK RECORDINGS

With summer just around the corner, it is almost quintessential that Nashville based Turbo Fruits should return to our shores, their brand of whiskey doused garage-rock is the perfect soundtrack to long hazy days and drawn-out evenings. 'Get Up Get On Down', the second single from the recently released 'Echo Kid', is insanely addictive, with urgent riffs and tumbling drums wrapped around lead singer Jonas Stein's lascivious tones. "Tonight is going to be alright with you in my sights," Jonas commands –when sung in his lusty drawl it is hard not to succumb to such a simple assertion.

Turbo Fruits' dude-swagger certainly caught the attention of Drew Barrymore: 'Get Up Get On Down' soundtracks her directorial debut, the rollergirl derby riot 'Whip It!' starring Ellen Page, Juliette Lewis and Barrymore herself, about an indie-rock loving outcast who seeks refuge in the high speed sports phenomenon. The band also plays a typically ballsy show in the movie, featuring two other songs and an appearance by Jonas in a speaking role. Being play-listed on Drew Barrymore's own personal and impeccable mix tape suggests Turbo Fruits have really stamped their mark with their raspy, vintage rock & roll.

Although originally envisioned as a Be Your Own Pet side project – the band released a praised debut in 2007- the dissolution of BYOP clearly provided a renewed vigour and focus. The sophomore album 'Echo Kid', which emerged to critical acclaim at the end of last year, showcased a band slashing blues with punk, shambolic yet razor sharp in equal measure.

The EP , released as a digital download only, contains both outtakes from the album and brand new tracks.

EP Tracklisting:
1. Get Up Get On Down 3:05
2. CoLT 45 3:33
3. Fun Dream Love Dream 4:05
4. I'm Not A Lady 3:02
5. On The Road 2:32

Apr 15th – Turbo Fruits have announced dates for UK and EU cities, so put the following in your diary and book your tickets asap!:

Tuesday, May 18, 2010 London UK
Wednesday, May 19, 2010 Newcastle UK
Thursday, May 20, 2010 Liverpool UK
Friday, May 21, 2010 Stockton-on-Tees UK
Saturday, May 22, 2010 Glasgow UK

Monday, May 24, 2010 Brussels Belgium
Tuesday, May 25, 2010 Amsterdam Netherlands
Wednesday, May 26, 2010 Bern Switszerland
Thursday, May 27, 2010 Milano Italy
Friday, May 28, 2010 Torino Italy
Saturday, May 29, 2010 Rome Italy

Tuesday, June 01, 2010 Munich Germany
Wednesday, June 02, 2010 Berlin Germany
Thursday, June 03, 2010 Cologne Germany
Friday, June 04, 2010 Paris France
Saturday, June 05, 2010 Hamburg Germany
Sunday, June 06, 2010 Munster Germany
Monday, June 07, 2010 Heidelberg Germany

Feb 3rd – "An intoxicating mix of apocalyptic riffs, sob-worthy singalongs and brooding blues." 8/10 NME
"The plaintive dizziness of Peter Ericson Stakee's vocals is offset by crashing guitars and wind-swept epic aesthetics that recall The Verve's early post-shoegazing incarnation. Stadium rock with soul." 4/5 MOJO
"Outsider music to lift both the heart and the roof." 4/5 Q
"Thrilling and impassioned rock, full of heart, soul and unease. Theirs is a ravaged but exhilarating world." Daily Mirror 4/5
"The wall of gut-wrenching sound will send shivers down your spine." The Sun

Following their critically acclaimed Autumn released debut album 'Broken Side Of Time', New York based soul-drenched rockers Alberta Cross kick-off 2010 with the single release of live favourite and stand-out album cut 'Old Man Chicago' on March 8th. With a video shot in LA's Viper Rooms and the Catskill Mountains outside of New York by director Jess Holzworth (who recently directed and produced Beck, Basement Jaxx and The Slits), the song now has the perfect visual representation for it's earthy swagger and guitarist/vocalist Petter Ericson Stakee's soaring and heartfelt vocal performance.

West London's own Mumford & Sons have already declared their love for the track, playing 'Old Man Chicago' during an interview on Zane Lowe's Radio One show and inviting the band to tour with them live on air!

Since the release of 'Broken Side Of Time' at the end of September 2009, the band have toured rigorously across the US, Europe and the UK, sharing stages with the likes of Neil Young and Them Crooked Vultures among many others, climaxing in a breathtaking, totally sold-out headline show in Shepherd's Bush prestigious Bush Hall venue.

Currently on their first ever headline tour throughout the US and following a sold-out debut show at LA's Troubador, Alberta Cross went onto play Santa Barbara's infamous Muddy Waters Coffee Club. As their set time drew closer, the crowd of fans wanting to get into the venue had grown to such a size that the local police were called and invaded the stage to control the gathering - leading to the band having to play a second late night set to those stuck outside just to keep the peace !

March 2010 sees the band return to stages in the UK, for a string of dates including a specially requested support to the aforementioned Mumford & Sons at the Shepherds Bush Empire, alongside dates with the Dave Mathews Band (including one at London's enormous O2 arena) as well as their own headline gig at Dingwalls.

Jan 30th – Alberta Cross have announced a European and UK tour for Feb/March 2010 with dates in Italy, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and Ireland. Most dates the band will be supporting Dave Matthews Band but there will be headlining gigs for the ones of you that prefer the more intimate sets.. You can find ticket links in our events section below