Created with the idea of encouraging people back into independent record shops by issuing limited vinyl items by smaller cult bands, it wasn’t long before Record Store Day got utterly hijacked by major labels keen to milk a giant cash cow. Worse still, RSD stocks have actually been sold by dealers at inflated prices on ebay the day before the event. It’s hard not to see it as a giant sham.
Steve Rothery Band tour begins this week – remaining dates for March-May
It’s been a while since the Steve Rothery Band released their critically acclaimed ‘Ghosts of Pripyat’. Since then, Steve has been busy with Marillion, writing, recording and touring ‘FEAR’.
The beginning of March saw his solo band go back out on the road, where they will be playing sporadic dates between now and May.
Hear Sophia Marshall’s haunting version of ‘I Go To Sleep’
In February 2018, singer songwriter Sophia Marshall released ‘lin-dah’, a three track EP of Kasabian covers. She was able to take the original material – including the massive hit ‘Fire’ – and strip it back to its core, resulting in recordings that found a place somewhere between folk and dreampop. [A full review of the EP can be found here.]
SPEED BABES / ARSENE OBSCENE – split cassette
Chicago’s Speed Babes have released several DIY records since 2015 – two full lengths and a staggering five EPs, to be precise – very much taking the Robert Pollard inspired route of capturing the moment. Sometimes the energy of a performance can be more important than perfection.
“We Are All Going To Die”: Spielbergs unveil optimistic new music
Fusing elements of shoegaze and the more accessible bits of a post rock sound, Norwegian trio Spielbergs make a big impression on their new single.
‘We Are All Going To Die’ harks back to the 90s whilst keeping one foot firmly in the present. Their wall of sound approach can be emotionally draining, yet at the same time, their new music has an intensely rousing quality that fans of shoegaze and associated subgenres shouldn’t miss.
You can listen in full below.