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The All New Adventures of Us

Keep a look out for Red Stripe's favourites on the music scene...

Tracks: The All New Adventures Of Us ‘Firetruck (doki doki)’ (One Little Indian)

Between all the Belle and Sebastian magic of their album is this dizzying single, TANAOU’s pop centrepiece. The Northampton seven-strong have really found something special here with an effervescent, almost Japanese bubblegum-like, song riddled with nostalgic and earnest references to growing up. The band recall, “I left you sleeping with an address by your bed, because nobody writes real letters anymore”, a highlight of the lyrical aeronautics that work with masses of strings and brass that pile into the climax of the album edit with one final push of anthemic, very Arcade Fire howling and bellowing. It’s all delivered with a slight tongue-in-cheek humour that wrangles it all together, as the push of “into the fire“ finale just spellbinds you. Instantly magical.

Tracks: White Denim ‘Shake Shake Shake‘ (Full Time Hobby)

This limited edition vinyl is as close to anything important in rock music as 2008 will see. It’s a fearlessly fantastic thrash of guitars and frenzied vocal that showcases this American bands prowess to make humbling yet outrageous rock music with modern twists so refreshing they bound out of your stereo with callous hysteria. Simple but immense.

Tracks: Iglu and Hartly ‘In This City‘ (Mercury)

The mid-90’s pop scene has never sounded so fashionable, and if that is a complete lie born only to make Iglu and Heartly appear cooler, then so be it. This duo (we think) have really found a niche sound, somewhere between Eminem, MGMT and a 1970’s Christmas single, ‘In This Town’ is an oddly wonderful take on pop with an almost Enrique overtone. The track is complete novelty and will be forgotten about in eight weeks, but it’s accidentally stumbled onto the right sound at the right time and sounds just awesome for it. Not heard it yet? Do so before we all start hating it.

Event: Winchester Live, Hampshire, 13^th to 19^th October

Anybody from a small town outside of the usual touring circles of bands will no doubt understand Winchester’s frustration with the industry. The Red Stripe Music Awards targeted these towns, but it’s large scale events such as Winchester Live which really call out to the music scene and demand we pay attention to areas that could otherwise be left untouched by the hand of rock. Shudder the thought.

The eleven gigs, taking place in three venues over seven days, that comprise this event are more than underground indie nights; they’re a series of massively eclectic showcases from the likes of Blissfields Festival, Bloody Awful Poetry and the Red Stripe championed Rockfeedback. Bands such as Absentee, Youthmovies, Art Brut and Die! Die! Die! Will be playing with newcomers Mumford and Sons, Chris Isaac, Emmy The Great, Peggy Sue, Thomas Tantrum, Imperial Leisure and SixNationState. Wristbands for the whole week are available for a mere £25, though individual show tickets can be bought for each show at www.winchesterlive.com.

The event aims to showcase the best in local talents as well, with many Hampshire bands playing alongside NME and Artrocker champions Art Brut and Die! Die! Die!, so it really is a fantastic source of new and emerging music. Only an hour from London, and we’re sure lots of other places, what do we need to do to tempt you, eh?