March Album Picks

Hot on the heels of last month's late entry, here are my Top 5 from March (albeit with one of them technically from late Feb).

Anais Mitchell - Young Man In America

February Album Picks

Better late than ever, here are 5 of my favourite albums released in February. Enjoy!

The Twilight Sad - No One Can Ever Know

Grimes - Visions

Tindersticks - The Something Rain

Burial - Kindred

Lambchop - Mr. M

Lianne La Havas @ Trinity Arts Centre - 4th May

Soul singing Lianne La Havas will be playing at Trinity as part of her up-and-coming tour. The 22yr old Londoner is expected to have a breakthrough year and demand is sure to be high to see her in such a cosy venue. She was nominated for the BBC Sound of 2012 poll and has recently returned from touring with Bon Iver on the band's North Amercian tour.

Offical video - "Lost & Found"

Doors - 7.30pm

Tickets - £11.00

Tricky & Martina Topley-Bird @ O2 Academy - 26th April

Bristol trip-hop pioneer Tricky returns to his home town alongside ex-girlfriend and long-term collaborator Martina Topley-Bird to perform his seminal album Maxinquaye. They will take to the stage together for the first time in 15 years and it promises to be a special occasion

Tickets - £28.50

Festival Line-ups Announced

Two one-day festivals in Bristol have announced the line-ups as they look to build on previous years of success. Simple Things Festival on Sunday May 6th will feature artists such as Squarepusher, Death In Vegas and 2011 Mercury Prize nominee Ghostpoet. Highlight of the line-up for me is the recent addition to the 4AD stable that is Grimes. Her album Visions has been one of the standout releases of the year so far.

On Saturday 2nd June Dot-To-Dot Festival returns to Bristol and provides the opportunity to see, amongst others, The Drums, Pulled Apart By Horses, Willy Mason and Dog Is Dead.

January Album Picks

A good start to the year in music, with some exciting albums released across a whole bunch of different genres. Here are 5 that I've especially enjoyed and recommend checking out if you like the sound of the accompanying vid.

 Django Django - Django Django

 Cloud Nothings - Attack On Memory

 Tribes - Baby

 First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar

 Chairlift - Something

First Aid Kit @ Thekla - 29th Feb

Swedish folk duo First Aid Kit started grabbing people's attention when they published a covered version of Fleet Foxes' "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song on YouTube. Word of their delightful harmonising soon spread and it wasn't long before they were performing alongside the Foxes, as well as other established artists such as Bright Eyes.

Just over a month after the release of their 2nd album 'The Lions Roar', the sisters will arrive in Bristol to play at Thekla in what promises to be an intimate gig.

Doors - 7.00pm

First Aid Kit - "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song"

The Twilight Sad - Another Bed (Single)

Another Bed is the 2nd single to be taken from the latest album by The Twilight Sad, No One Can Ever Know.

Creepy video? A little...

Fanfarlo (+ Race Horses) @ Thekla - 27th Feb

London-based Fanfarlo come to Bristol next week ahead of the launch of their 2nd album Room Filled With Light. Formed in 2006, their debut album Reservoir drew comparisons with Arcade Fire and Beirut amongst others. Anticipation is building for the new release on 28th Feb, three years since Resevoir, and the concert looks set to be a good one.

Support from Race Horses. Doors - 7.00pm

Tickets

Fanfarlo - "I'm a Pilot"

Field Music (+ Stealing Sheep) @ The Fleece - 23rd Feb

Sunderland foursome Field Music take to the Fleece this Thursday to promote their new album Plumb. The critics have thrown their weight behind the release and 2012 could prove to be a big year for the band.

Less than 50 tickets remain at the time of writing, so dive in quickly for the chance to see the Indie/Art Rockers in their penultimate UK gig of the tour.

Support from Stealing Sheep. Doors - 7:30pm.

Tickets

Field Music - "(I Keep Thinking About) A New Thing"