Animal Collective overhauls Centipede HZ artwork

ANIMAL Collective unveiled the artwork for their ridiculously-eagerly-schmeagerly-hyped forthcoming album Centipede HZ towards the end of last month, drawing a tsunami's-worth of blank faces. Although not renowned for the most clinical of designs, few could be forgiven for 'wtf' expressions when seeing the vomit-inducing/Mad Capsule Markets-esque design for the follow up to one of the greatest albums of the last decade (Merriweather Post Pavilion). It looks as if it was only a taster of what the band had in mind for the final cut... Judge for yourselves. Before:

Now:

Zuuuuhhh...

New music: Glass Diamond -- Girls & Boys

THIS infectious reworking of Girls & Boys by London duo Glass Diamond pleasantly reverberates the eardrums while concocting a sprawling slice of hypnotic acid disco. Fronted by Hsin Chiccy, the exciting two-piece have reinvigorated a forgotten nursery rhyme into a wonderful piece of synth-pop. But it's this bouncing Medicine8 remix that propels it to one of this year's most addictive dance tunes. Girls & Boys is out now on Trashmouth Records.

New music: The Fresh & Onlys -- Yes or No

SAN Francisco four-piece The Fresh & Onlys provide a refreshing shot of adrenaline to American guitar rock with Yes or No. The anthemic conjures top-down care-free cruises along Route 66 thanks to its rising guitar melodies and alluring vocals. Bassist Shayde Sartain said: 'It was meant to be an anthem, but I guess you could say it was more desperate—the overwhelming desire to please someone and then feeling as though you have failed and being confused by that.' Well, you've pleased us Shayde. Yes or No is out on Monday, June 18, via Southern Transmissions. Their album, Long Slow Dance, is released in September.The Fresh & Onlys - Yes Or No

New music: Two Wounded Birds -- To Be Young

IT'S going to be a defining year for Two Wounded Birds, the hotly-tipped four-piece championed by Jacob Graham of The Drums. We fell in love with 2010's grandiose Night Patrol, and it seems as if the avian starlets have licked their wounds and returned with a delightfully refined sound with To Be Young - ahead of the release of their self-titled debut album on June 11. With heart-piercing guitar melodies and an infectious chorus that teleports you back to those special summers we once had, this album track is a confident indie-pop stormer which whets our appetite for their debut. Jacob said: "It's easy to see why these rising stars caught the ears of such legends as Brian Wilson and Debbie Harry. "Their songs capture the American spirit with clear allegiances to the Beach Boys, the Ramones and Elvis—all while still acknowledging the band’s British roots. "You won't hear any Elton John-style American accents here; instead, Johnny Danger’s sound recalls the velvety tones of Colin Blunstone in his Zombies heyday—a voice with true character. "In an age in which the shroud of "pop" can describe any poorly constructed jingle that comes along, it's nice to see the dust settle and discover the genuine article. Here you will find proof that sincere pop songs are truly timeless." Two Wounded Birds is out on June 11 via Holiday Recordings. Two Wounded Birds tour dates: June 9 - London Rough Trade West; June 22 - London Shacklewell Arms; June 29 - Coventry Godiva Festival; July 6 - Rome, Italy Atlantico Live Rome; July 20 - Preston Mad Ferret; July 28 - Portsmouth Club NME; Sept 1 - Portsmouth Southsea Festival;

New music: Gaggle -- Army of Birds

No, you're not in the terrifying grips of an LSD trip. This is Army of Birds by London's 21-strong female choir Gaggle. It's one of 2012's most intriguing/bonkers efforts so far; splicing multi-layered booming drums over freak-out choir vocals that throws in rock, hip-hop, and afro-beat sounds into a genre-transcending mix. It sounds like it was a whole lot of crazy, loud fun to make. But for all its anthemic positives, we can' t help but hear Joan Jett's I Love Rock and Roll when the chorus kicks in. Listen to Army of Birds below.

Introducing: Concubines

THE deliciously dark allure of Exeter four-piece Concubines has got us all in a fluster. When hearing Nick Cave-inspired new track Darkness for the first time, we just had to find out what makes the freshest sound in the South West tick.
Luminous Plectrum took time out to discuss their influences, their hopes for the future and why Exeter has crafted their sumptuous style.

Luminous Plectrum: Who are Concubines?

Andy Death: Concubines are individuals who are engaged in a quasi matrimonial relationship with a person who they cannot be officially wed to... this may be because the person is already married or of a higher social standing within a society where marriage between people of uneven social status is forbidden/ frowned upon...

For the purposes of the band, Concubines is Andy Death, Andy White, Phil Death, Simon Christopher Hickson. For live purposes we have AD; vocals & keys, AW; drums & vocals, PD; guitars & vocals, SCH; bass.

LP: Tell me more about your origins. Why the name? Who are your influences?

AD: I thought it presented a nice juxtaposition between a name which had in itself a poetic quality- it has assonant and alliterative elements, yet it's meaning is quite dark. It struck me as something which could be read as a metaphor for contemporary society. You can read into that as you will.

Influence wise we're into everything really... in music terms that means anything from 60s psych and garage to modern indie via post punk... For me a huge influence is watching and reading about how people like Phil Spector and Quncy Jones worked... y'know great pop producers. Beyond music I don't think you can escape the influence of art & film... I think these things definitely shape you and where you're coming from...

LP: You hail from Exeter - how has Devon shaped you as an act?

PD: Exeter is pretty sleepy as far as cities go, but there has always been an undercurrent of good music: punk and alternative/independent, mainly out of the Cavern. The thing is that Devon tends to make kids want to make noise, rebel and move to Brighton or Bristol or London...However there is a good group of creative people here who tend to get involved with each other's projects. Personally I'm inspired by the wild moors and dramatic coastline but I think as a band we are more shaped by a broad interest in music and making something different. It is a little harder to create a musical oddity in a small town. Strangely, if we did hail from London perhaps the music would sound more generic.

LP: I can definitely pin-point nods to Joy Division, Nick Cave et al on Darkness - what sets you apart?

AD: I think at this stage it would be too arrogant to say anything sets us far apart from the pack, all I would say is that I think given an opportunity to present a body of work I think we'll prove that we have our own thing going on... I love Nick Cave and Joy Division and the former has definitely been an influence in terms of his song-writing and structure from his work with the Bad Seeds. It's a good point of departure towards something else.

LP: Darkness is deliberately..well..dark, from the black and white video to the captivating-yet-bleak vocal style and jangling guitar melodies, is this a prevalent theme to your work?

AD: I don't think so... for Darkness it just worked. We're quite keen to present our work in a way that considers aspects such as the aesthetic and I think it will be important to keep an open mind in terms of imagery for us as a band going forward...

LP: Who is exciting you in music at the moment?

PD: The last White Denim album was a real eye-opener. They make complex music that anyone can follow, before they disappear into some obscure time signature they throw you a hook to hold onto and the tracks flow like that. It's truly masterful songwriting. Aside from that I'd say vaguely experimental pop like Django Django and expansive, dark indie from Australian band Jezabels, or Poliça.

AD: I've kinda been excited by exploring a mix of 60s stuff like Silver Apples, the Walker Brothers, USA, the Monks and the Velvet Underground lately... I like the blend of harmonies and arrangements with the desperate vocals...

LP: What are your aspirations for the future?

AD: It's always been my dream to tour Europe and play New York... just be able to go to great inspiring places. Think of the material and songs you could write on the back of these experiences. Aside from that just to write songs we can be proud of and can offer something a little different... In the short term we have a gig supporting Martin Rev from Suicide at the Purple Turtle in Camden on Friday May 25th to launch our debut single. Suicide is a band we're massively informed by- so we're stoked to playing that one.

Darkness is released on 100 limited edition vinyl via Howling Owl on May 14th.
The band will support the release with a few shows across the country including a launch show at the Electricity Showrooms in London on May 17th and a hometown show supporting Fixers at the Exeter Cavern.

See the video for Darkess below.

New music: Neon Indian -- Hex Girlfriend

WE'RE always impressed with Neon Indian's dreamy electro-indie - and new track Hex Girlfriend is no different.
Simmering with 80s-esque synths and basslines, Hex Girlfriend is a triumphant, sunshine-soaked gem which grows with repeat listens.
Put on your RayBans and pull down the soft top - your summer starts here.
Hex Girlfriend is out on May 28 via Transgressive.

New music: Devin -- Masochist

PREENED New York upstart Devin injects feverish excitement into rock 'n' roll with raucous new single Masochist.
The dapper showman is a fizzing ball of enthusiasm as he bursts through three minutes of punk-tinged energy, sort of like Wavves rocking-out with The Hives.
Last month, he supported The Drums at London's Roundhouse and crowds got up-close to the 50s-inspired rocker at an intimate gig at The Shacklewell Arms.
Yeah, he looks a bit like Edwin Collins, but Devin is more Jack and Coke than Orange Juice.
Masochist is out on April 23, followed by début album Romancing a week later, both via No Evil.

New music: This Many Boyfriends -- Starlings

UPBEAT jaunt Starlings is a typically sweet piece of northern indiepop from four-piece This Many Boyfriends.
It plays out the tail of true hipster love through Marr-esque riffs, galloping drum beats and a lucid bass line.
It's not groundbreaking by any means, but Starlings is a tight piece of charming pop that embodies all that's quintessientially British indie.
Expect this to be played at dingy indie joints up and down the country.
Oh, and they've just rounded off UK tour dates with Allo Darlin' and The Cribs. Not bad.
But the question remains - just how many boyfriends are there?
Starlings is out now via Angular Recording Co.

New music: North Atlantic Oscillation -- Savage with Barometer

THIS nautical wall of sound packs more force than a tidal wave of bricks.
Edinburgh's North Atlantic Oscillation hid away to record new album Fog Electric - the follow-up to 2010's acclaimed Grappling Hooks.
The thunderous Savage with Barometer conjures images of a perfect storm, with breath-sapping distorted guitar melodies and spine-crunching drum crashes providing its incredible narrative.
Hopefully, this gives us a powerful insight into what we can expect from Fog Electric, which is released in April via Kscope.

New music: Portasound -- Dreadnought

HOW'S this for a music video? Instead of spending millions (well, probably hundreds in in Portasound's case), why not put your pulsating instrumental over one of the 80s' most-loved sci-fi movies?
It's exactly what Portasound have done with single Dreadnought - and funnily enough it works!
Portasound's energised 80s synth-rock is a frenetic tour-de-force, that's sharper than Corey Feldman's mullet in The Lost Boys.
They've already performed with Metronomy, The XX and Friendly Fires, and are destined to breakthrough to mainstream air-play following the release of debut EP The Second Renaissance on May 14.
Their promo warns listeners to 'Brace yourselves for a high-speed 22 minute sonic journey atop a giant synth with the legs of a horse and head of a Minotaur!'- it's hard to argue with them!
The Second Renaissance is out on May 14, via Blood & Biscuits.

New music: House of Wolves -- Follow Me

LOS Angeles singer-songwriter Rey Villalobos has made quite a name for himself under the House of Wolves moniker.
Having toured Europe and the US with the likes of St Vincent, Villagers, Fanfarlo, Avi Buffalo and Sea Wolf, Villalobos has worked hard honing his warming sound, culminating in the release of his debut album Fold in the Wind.
His first single, Follow Me, showcases Villalobos' capitivating vocals in the form of a delicate whisper, spliced with atmospheric piano keys and floating guitar work, as it progresses towards its tender, uplifting chorus.
The haunting Follow Me is out now, aptly via Bleek Records.

Live review: NME Awards Tour 2012

NME'S latest darlings suitably impressed the Topshop trendies at Bournemouth's O2 Academy last night (Wednesday, February 22).
The venue was played host to this year's ever-popular NME Awards Tour featuring fledgling rap queen Azealia Banks, Tribes, sultry four-piece Metronomy and Northern Ireland's Two Door Cinema Club.
The shows provide a steady platform for up-and-coming acts to propel themselves to the higher echelons of musical prestige, a la Florence and the Machine, The Drums and Kaiser Chiefs.Azealia Banks will be huge based on her confident, yet fairly short, set. Flanked only by a DJ, the opening act let her ferocious tongue do the talking over fluid beats. Crowd favourite 212 was a clear highlight and the seemless mixing of Prodigy's classic Firestarter sent the sold-out audience into an early frenzy.Next up, though, were Tribes. A typically mediocre UK act backed by NME thanks to their generic riffs and expensive haircuts. A hideous mix of Feeder, Suede and OK Go, washed down with a chaser of Pixies.
The meticulous electro-funk of Metronomy was typically efficient as they stormed through The Bay, The Look and Everything Goes My Way, while Two Door Cinema Club's charming and infectious indie pop was energetic and captivating.So here's to next year. We can't wait to see which new acts NME will be championing next time round, and we're sure the bow-legged chino fashionistas can't either.

Luminous Plectrum's top 10 songs of 2011

10. Bon Iver -- Holocene


9. Alex Turner -- Piledriver Waltz


8. Major Lazer -- Original Don


7. I Break Horses -- Winter Beats


6. Fleet Foxes -- Helplessness Blues


5. The Drums -- Days


4. M83 -- Midnight City


3. The Weeknd -- Glass Table Girls


2. Girls -- Vomit


1. The Rapture -- How Deep Is Your Love?

Live and in photos: : The Drums, Portsmouth Pyramids Tuesday, December 6, 2011

The formidable Jonny Pierce.THEY may have totalled hundreds of live performances in 2011, but New York City's finest The Drums showed no signs of tiring as they tore apart Portsmouth's Pyramid Centre with a typically majestic performance we've come to expect from Jonny Pierce and co.
Ably supported by the Sonic Youth-meets-The-Pains-Of-Being-Pure-At-Heart act The History of Apple Pie and promising Aussie synthsters Cloud Control, pop's indie darlings launched into their polished set with the bouncing What You Were - arguably one of the finest efforts from sublime sophomore effort Portamento.The wild, "Non-committal clappers" that were the Portsmouth crowd, which bizarrely conjured a mosh pit suitable for a Sonisphere headliner, were treated to energised renditions of Best Friend,
Stand outs were the songs with the most meaning for Pierce; the delectable How It Ended and sweet melancholy of I Need a Doctor. The latter may not entail the dizzying hooks that have made The Drums so alluring to many, but its bleak analogy of relationship strife awoke Pierce's playful side.Pierce's unmistakable talents as a showman are brought to the fore with emotional ballad Down By The Water, which has arguably emerged as the act's staple jaw-dropper, complete with thundering drum crashes and spine-tingling vocals.
Concluding with an intimate version of Baby That's Not The Point, complete with Ben E King-esque bass riff, it led to a fitting pathway to It'll All End In Tears - the stand out hit from their 2010 debut - before Pierce, under a haunting spotlight and over Jacob Graham's warbling electronic spectrum, graciously sounded off the evening with the gloriously enchanting Searching For Heaven.Luminous Plectrum has witnessed The Drums on numerous occasions over the past two years and this has to be the best we've seen them. They're polished, slick and enjoying their success. Portamento may have been met with mixed reviews, but its simplicity and synthy tones have provided a welcome boost for the band, who can only embrace a bright future ahead. The History Of Apple Pie - Tug by The History Of Apple Pie
Cloud Control by Infectious Music
The Drums - Forever And Ever Amen by wwwta

Live: Das Racist at The Joiners, Southampton (2/12/11)

COMIC hip-hop starlets Das Racist tore up a sadly depleted venue with their refreshing brand of humorous-cum-ferocious rap.
The Brooklyn, New York, trio, consisting of Heems, Kool A.D, and Dap, swaggered through their internet-crazed joints Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, You Oughta Know, and new hit Michael Jackson.
Here's a video we took on the night (apologies for the sound quality).

Listen: Cloud Nothings release nostalgic mixtape

YOU'D be forgiven for dismissing Black Sabbath and Thin Lizzy as obvious influences to Wichita's Cloud Nothings, but it seems this latest mixtape - issued ahead of their Steve Albini-produced new album Attack on Memory - will shock a few of you.
Cloud Nothings' Dylan Baldi has pieced together a short collection of songs that influenced the band during the recording of the upcoming release.
Baldi said: “While I was writing the songs that would become Attack on Memory, I listened almost exclusively to music that was made before I was born. This is a pretty common practice for me, actually, but I took it to a new level while making the record. I more or less memorized every guitar solo on the best Thin Lizzy albums, listened to only The Wipers for about 3 weeks, and fell asleep to Black Sabbath every night.
"This mix condenses my listening habits into an easily digestible 'best of', songs that strongly affected what I was thinking while writing my own music. Not to say that every song on Attack on Memory sounds like Killdozer, but I do think that the influence of these particular tracks is often obvious, and hopefully sheds some light on why the new Cloud Nothings album sounds so different from any of the past recordings.”
The inclusion of Zounds - This Land was an inspired choice.

Mixtape tracklist:

1. Black Sabbath -- Supernaut
2. Nina Hagen -- Born In Xixax
3. Killdozer -- The Pig Was Cool
4. Zounds -- This Land
5. Thin Lizzy -- For Those Who Love To Live
6. The Wipers -- No One Wants An Alien
7. Bitch Magnet -- Navajo Ace
8. Swell Maps -- The Helicopter Spies
Cloud Nothings "Attack On Memory" Mix 2011 by Wichita Recordings

Live and in photos: Wild Beasts at University of Southampton's students' union (21/11/11)

SOUTHAMPTON embraced Cumbria's finest in warm fashion last night (Monday) as Wild Beasts smothered the transfixed crowd with a typically efficient performance.Showcasing the finest cuts from this year's stellar Smother and 2009's simply wonderful Two Dancers, the quartet consisting of Hayden Thorpe, Ben Little, Tom Fleming and Chris Talbot used their musical expertise to reaffirm why Wild Beasts are arguably the British band that are on the cusp of greatness.Highlights included Ben Little introducing crowd favourite All The King's Men as 'a song about fucking', a fitting retort after Thorpe was described as sexy by an over-amorous male fan.
Oh, and of course Little's torpedo-esque shrieks of "Watch me! Watch me!" in the eponymous song.
There's no denying Wild Beasts are incredible performers; entwining the experimental with electrifying guitar melodies and resonating vocal ranges. But while the songs on Smother may be their most carefully crafted and complex material to date, the album can be a difficult listen and some tracks do not translate for an entirely fulfilling live experience.We've caught Wild Beasts live a couple of times now and another negative of their live shows has to be the disregard to play anything from their first album Limbo, Panto - arguably their most exciting piece of work.
Down points aside, Wild Beasts are an inspiring act and proof classically trained musicians can create alarmingly good music for the trendy knitted sweatshirt masses.
Apologies for the photo quality, the lighting was extremely dark.

Live and in photos: Katy B, Bournemouth BIC, Sunday, October 31, 2011

URBAN princess Katy B continued her mission in slick style with a body-rocking performance at Bournmouth's BIC on Sunday.
With the audience suitably warmed-up for an energetic evening thanks to P Money and DJs Roska and Jamie George, the south London songstress breezed through hits such as Lights On, Broken Record and Perfect Stranger with powerful precision.

R.E.M run Out of Time

"A wise man once said--'the skill in attending a party is knowing when it's time to leave.' We built something extraordinary together. We did this thing. And now we're going to walk away from it." – Michael Stipe (21/9/11)

WE may “heart new music” here at Luminous Plectrum, but we also heart the bands who’ve inspired today’s emerging artists.
Today, R.E.M decided to call it a day – concluding 31 years of exceptional, ground-breaking music.
In tribute to Athens, GA’s favourite sons, here’s one of my favourite ever songs:

- Rory