10040 Keane

Keane – Night Train (UK: 10th May – Island)

An EP or a mini album, depends on which way you defines the format, recorded during Keane’s Perfect Symmetry tour last year, in various studios. Now compiled as this eight-track Night Train, including collaboration with Hip Hop rapper K’Naan, which is the first time the band make this kind of style. And also a cover version of Yellow Magic Orchestra with Japanese MC Tigarah. Outstanding track: ‘Your Love’. Back catalogue: Perfect Symmetry (Island, 2008); Under The Iron Sea (Island, 2006); Hopes And Fears (Island, 2004).

10039 New Adventures

New Adventures – Repeat To Fade (UK: 9th Apr – Faded Grandeur)

This is the only album from New Adventures, previously known as Fans Of Kate, who only released handful singles during their existence. Repeat To Fade is also a farewell records as the band chose to part ways each other. New Adventures sound more like a band from the 90’s Brit-Pop band, the using of piano and the falsetto singing remind us Muse and Keane. Outstanding track: ‘In Our Hands’.

10038 Teenage Fanclub

Teenage Fanclub – Shadows (UK: 31st May – PeMa)

The first for five years, long-awaited comeback album from Scottish Beach Boys Powerpop outfit Teenage Fanclub. In Shadows, the band used their formula which was applied on Howdy! a decade ago, three main songwriters wrote four songs each other and repeat three times in a regular order. Musically, there are songs brighter and sunnier than previous one while silde guitars are heavily used on some mellow acoustic tracks. Outstanding track: ‘Baby Lee’. Back catalogue:
Man-made (PeMa, 2005)
4766 Seconds/A Short Cut To (Poolside, 2003)
Howdy! (Columbia, 2000)
Songs From Northern Britain (Creation, 1997)
Grand Prix (Creation, 1995)
Deep Fried Fanclub (Fire, 1995)
Thirteen (Creation, 1993)
Bandwagonesque (Creation, 1991)
The King (Creation, 1991)
A Catholic Education (Paperhouse, 1990)

10037 Rod Jones

Rod Jones – A Sentimental Education (UK: 26th Apr – Borough)

Rod Jones, the guitarist with Scottish band Idlewild, now comes with his debut solo album, shortly before the band announced a hiatus. Influenced by those west coast folk artists such as The Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash, the album consists song mostly acoustic around two minutes. Outstanding track: ‘Wonderful’.

COM005 Idlewild

Idlewild – The Collection (UK: 26th Apr – EMI Gold)

All good things come to an end, Idlewild will be on indifinite hiatus. Their previous label asked the band to select their own favoutire songs to make up this compilation, which includes their finest momnets from their Food/Parlophone years. Just two years before, another compilation called Scottish Fiction was released by EMI for commercial purpose. Back catalogue

10036 The Lodger

The Lodger – Flashbacks (UK: 26th Apr – This Is Fake DIY)

Leeds’ The Lodger may be the happiest band in UK, back with their third UK label for a third album. Like their previous works, Flashbacks is also simple and easy. Are there really so many reasons to be happy or maybe a sad album will be better? Outstanding track: ‘The Back Of My Mind’. Back catalogue: Life Is Sweet (Bad Sneakers, 2008), Grown-Ups (Angular, 2007).

10035 The Futureheads

The Futureheads – The Chaos (UK: 26th Apr – Nul)

Fourth album from Sunderland Punkers Futureheads, The Chaos, which sounds like an album that made by certain American Emo-Punk bands with some Northern English accent from those musicians without tatoo. Outstanding track: ‘Heartbeat Song’. Back catalogue: This Is Not The World (Nul, 2008); News And Tributes (679, 2006); The Futureheads (679, 2004).

10034 Foals

Foals – Total Life Forever (UK: 10th May – Warner Bros.)

It was said before Total Life Forever came out, Foals would be doing a Funk influenced second album, but the first taste is such stunning Post Rock like epic Spanish Sahara. Then the album, with some later era Talking Heads tracks mixing Electronic/Math Rock/SHoegazing. Produced by ex Clor frontman Luke Smith. Outstanding tracks: ‘Spanish Sahara’ & ‘Miami’. Back catalogue: Antidotes (Transgressive, 2008)

10033 MGMT

MGMT – Congratulations (UK: 12th Apr/US: 13th Apr – Columbia)

As a extended five-piece now, New York’s finest MGMT returns with anticipated second full length, Congratulations, which was dubbed their version of Kid A. It’s a total Psychedelica experience listening to this nine-track LSD influenced album, weird art work and imaginary song titles, anything you can find except hits like a Kids or Time To Pretend. Congratulations is more like a band album, in spite of its anti mainstream. Outstanding track: ‘Siberian Breaks’. Back catalogue: Oracular Spectacular (Columbia, 2007)

10032 James

James – The Night Before (UK: 19th Apr – Mercury)

First of the two mini albums that James will put out this year, The Night Beofre contains seven brand new tracks, while the other will be called The Morning After, due for later this year. Since their return and an album ‘Hey Ma’, James really did a lot to get it better like before, but things always changes and so does times, the world doesn’t care if there will be another U2. Outstanding track: ‘Crazy’.
Back Catalogue: not including Tim Booth solo releases
Hey Ma (Mercury, 2008)
Fresh As A Daisy – The Singles (Mercury, 2007)
The Collection (Spectrum, 2004)
Getting Away With It… Live (Sanctuary, 2002)
B-Sides Ultra (Mercury, 2001)
Pleased To Meet You (Mercury, 2001)
Millionaires (Mercury, 1999)
The Best Of (Mercury, 1998)
Whiplash (Mercury, 1997)
Wah Wah (Fontana, 1994)
Laid (Fontana, 1993)
Seven (Fontana, 1992)
Gold Mother (Fontana, 1990)
One Man Clapping (One Man, 1989)
Strip-mine (Blanco Y Negro, 1988)
Stutter (Blanco Y Negro, 1986)