I NME-Europe Battle Of Bands: The Fat Lady Sang

Well, the polling station closed on Friday and the whole world (ahem) has waited with baited breath since then.

First things first, CONGRATULATIONS and THANK YOU to all the artists who have participated in the I NME-Europe Battle Of Bands contest. If anyone reading this hasn't heard their music yet, then do it now!

Secondly, respect goes to everyone who bothered to place a vote in the contest. Over 1,500 votes in 15 days is a fantastic response and certainly means NME-Europe is looking forward to future events already.

Anyway, let's cut to the chase and see who's Top Of The Pops. The voting was carried out in two parts; the public vote, where each vote was given 1 point, worth 70%; and the 'jury' vote (special thanks here must go to my friends Second and Pipers who have taken time from their hectic schedule to listen to all the acts), worth 30%. Both members of the jury ranked the artists from 1st to 6th, where 1st place gained 1,000 points, 2nd 800, 3rd 600, 4th 400, 5th 200 and 6th 100.

So, where does that leave us? Are you ready? We'll do it in reverse order, just like Miss World.

3rd place goes to Overspill Poets, with 464.8 points. The 'Poets' were relatively weak on the public vote, but did comparatively well with the jury, pulling in a 2nd and 3rd place.

2nd place is for A Number Of Fires, with 784.9 points. A Number of Fires were going like the clappers for a while in the public vote, before having to settle for 2nd place with 607 votes. The jury ranked them 2nd and 4th.

And finally....

1st place (cue the drum roll) is for.....

The Little Hydes





A whopping 993.3 points for the latest scousers to 'shake the world' sees The Little Hydes claim victory in the I NME-Europe Battle Of The Bands. Let's face it, they are worthy winners; a late spurt saw them end as leaders in the public vote with 817 (more than 50%) and the jury ranked them 1st and 4th to ensure they take the glory this time.

Congratulations to A Number Of Fires and Overspill Poets and thanks to the rest of the artists - Cybiont, Inner Voices and P.A. Meirelles for having the guts to take part - I sincerely hope this has been a positive experience for all concerned.


You'll be hearing more from the winners in due course.....

Review: Top Albums Of 2009 III - Reactions

The NME-Europe Top 20 Albums of 2009 list has certainly provoked a mixed reaction. Some readers agree, others think it's a load of rubbish, while most of the bands seem to be a little blasé about the whole affair. However, two in particular have been gracious enough to offer their reaction to being selected in the Top 10. George Kitching from Overspill Poets and Fran Guirao from Second have their say and offer their reflections on a most successful year.

Overspill Poets' George Kitching and Tim Taylor released their self-produced debut album, 'Thompson Falls' in autumn 2009. A real independent production, this quality piece of work ended up at Nº 4 on the NME-Europe Top 20 list for 2009. Here's George's reflections on events from the past 12 months.

 
NME-E: So, how was 2009 from a personal point of view?
OP: By turns exhausting, exhilarating, stressful, blissful, frustrating and rewarding.  We started the year by promoting a newly created MySpace page and went on to release our debut album on our own label and now we find it's made the NME-Europe top 10!



NME-E: Why is Thompson Falls such a hit?
OP: Well in commercial terms it's anything but.  I think we are firmly in the slow-burn cult-following obscure indie camp. Thank god for Rage Against the Machine as I don't think we were ever in danger of worrying Simon Cowell. However, we have had some fantastic feedback from people who have bought or reviewed the album so artistically it does feel like a success. I think it's an honest album and I hope it goes some way to achieving our aim of forging a sound with the rootsy grit of Americana and US alt rock with the wit and attitude and Britishness of the best indie guitar music from this side of the atlantic.

NME-E: What was your personal top album of the year?
OP: It would be between Super Furry Animals - 'Dark Days / Light Years' and Steve Earle's 'Townes'.

NME-E: Looking ahead, what are your tour plans for 2010? Any chance of a visit to Spain (and more importantly, Murcia)? 
OP: Well our plans at this time last year extended little beyond "let's see if we can get anyone to check our MySpace page" so really anything could happen.  However, following a recent unplugged radio session, we are thinking about working on a stripped down acoustic set with a view to doing some unplugged gigs.  Murcia would be very tempting if we can afford the air fare.

Well, EasyJet usually have some good offers! While you wait for the tour, you can buy 'Thompson Falls' here.

Second released their fourth album, 'Fracciones De Un Segundo' in January. It has been their most critically acclaimed piece of work to date and has seen them develop from promising group to leading artist on the Spanish pop scene. It reached Nº 3 in the NME-Europe Top 20, and is the only non-English language album on the list. They seemed pretty happy about that, here's what drummer Fran Guirao had to say:

 NME-E: Not a bad year, then Fran?
Sec: Yeah! 2009 has been a hard working year. In January we released Fracciones de un Segundo, so we did a lot of promo with the media, gigs, festivals... (that meant travelling to many cities around Spain). Therefore, from our personal point of view, we think this has definitely been our best year, because, little by little, we are realizing how the number of fans increases and, at the same time the critics are very positive about our cd and our live shows.



NME-E: Why do you think this album has been so popular?
Sec: I don't know, all we can say is that we composed the songs to the best of our ability, but we never know if people are gonna like it or not.

This time they most certainly did!

NME-E: What was your personal top album of the year?
Sec: There are many great albums, but the last album by Phoenix is my favourite.

NME-E: What are your tour plans for 2010? 
Sec: In 2010 we're gonna "rodar" in many cities around Spain, and in February we are going to participate in ARCO, showing people how Second composes a song in 8 hours. At last (but no least) we want to record a new album next summer. 

You can purchase 'Fracciones De Un Segundo' here.

So there you have it, at least NME-E made someone happy this year. Many thanks to George and Fran for taking the time to answer my questions. If you haven't heard their music yet, give it a go - both albums would be excellent additions to your music collection.

I NME-Europe Battle Of Bands: They Think It's All Over....

Hi everybody. The I NME-Europe Battle Of Bands is entering its final stage. There are just 4 days of public voting left and at the moment there are two bands fighting it out for top spot. Here's the plan:

1. Check out the six artists who are competing (each has two tracks). Click here.

2. Decide who is your favourite.

3. Vote on the public poll in the sidebar. (You have until Friday).

The quality is unquestionable so give yourselves a little musical treat and help one of them on the way to glory.

The final result will be announced on Sunday, once the professional jury (Second and Pipers) has submitted its decision.

Have fun!

Review: Top Albums Of 2009 (II)

The moment all music lovers have been waiting for, part 2 of the NME-Europe top albums of 2009. There were some class acts among positions 11-20 (click here if you haven't read part 1 yet), but the real cream of the crop is here. As promised, a couple of surprises along the way. Enjoy!


10. Camera Obscura - 'My Maudlin Career'
Camera Obscura have certainly managed to make themselves heard this time without compromising the style which has seen them reach cult status in many countries. Read full review.






9. Muse - 'The Resistance'
From the very start of Muse's much-anticipated fifth studio album 'The Resistance' you are aware that this is quite simply the complete aural experience, which confirms their status as top dogs on Planet Rock. Read full review.






8. Manic Street Preachers - 'Journal For Plague Lovers'
Whilst there are undoubtedly similarities between this 'Journal' and the original 'Holy Bible' - starting with the cover art provided by Jenny Saville -,this is not just another attempt at an earlier winner. Read full review.





7. Placebo - 'Battle For The Sun'
Less glam, less goth, more rock and a blinding album is the result. Hats off to Molko and Co for yet another cracker.






6. Morrissey - 'Years Of Refusal'
If, as he declares, he really has only five years left, we must treasure every offering until D-day arrives and there's no better way to start your personal homage than by getting your hands on a copy of 'Years Of Refusal'. Read full review





5. The Cribs - 'Ignore The Ignorant'
It is clear that Mr. Marr has been instrumental - in all senses of the word - in the development of their sound. Read full review.






4. Overspill Poets - 'Thompson Falls'
It has it all. You want musical poetry? Try 'The Neon Lights Are Beautiful'. Something a little more powerful? How about 'Independence Day' and 'Northern Star'? Meanwhile, 'Boxing Gloves' or 'Summer' keep all nostalgics satisfied. Read full review


And so, the podium awaits...

3. Second - 'Fracciones De Un Segundo'
Everything about Second is very 'Brit'; the look, the sound, the voice and in the previous three albums they even sang in English most of the time! This is the first totally Spanish album, but what doesn't change is the sublime combination of catchy pop songs and heart-searching ballads. The added expertise of producer Carlos Jean means this is Second's most complete album to date. Read full review.







2. The xx - 'XX'
From the moment 'Intro' springs to life, The xx's sound, quite frankly, captivates the listener. The more you hear, the deeper you are drawn into their lair and once you're in there, forget about escaping. Read full review.







1. The Temper Trap - 'Conditions'
Dougal Mandagi's falsetto vocals are angelic, the melodies are exquisite and there's not much else to add - 'Conditions' speaks for itself. Read full review.





So, congratulations to the chosen few. In particular, my hat goes off to two bands; first of all Overspill Poets. By their own definition they are "the poor cousin" 0f the Top 10. One thing I will say is that if your immediate reaction to position Nº 4 was "Overspill Who?", then you should go straight to ReverbNation.com and check out the tracks from 'Thompson Falls'. Secondly, if you'll pardon the pun, I think the fact that Murcian boys, Second, have made it into an international Top 10 is quite a feat for a Spanish band. However, making the top 3 is no less than they deserve after a career spanning 12 years and 4 albums (and at the moment it's difficult to find a rival for them on the Spanish indie scene). 'Fracciones De Un Segundo' is quite simply a fantastic album - had it been released by a British band I'm sure the other NME would have raved (and this time with good reason). Still, you the learned reader know that the most reliable music opinion is here on the alternative NME (the continental one), so why not take my word fot it and can see what Second are all about by clicking here.

Lists are subjective and this one will hopefully stimulate some debate or, at least, make you check out a couple of bands you previously had no idea about. NME-Europe is proud of it (in fact, it's getting into the list idea, so the Top Tracks and Top Albums of the 00s lists are in the pipeline!), it's up to you to approve or not.

I NME-Europe Battle Of Bands: Start Your Engines

Much to its delight, NME-E is able to announce there are six (with a seventh possibly getting in at the last minute) entries in the I NME-Europe Battle Of Bands contest.

Participants
The following bands/artists have decided to take the plunge:


A Number Of Fires (Liverpool, UK)





Cybiont (Auckland, New Zealand)







Inner Voices (Bolton, UK)






The Little Hydes (Liverpool, UK)








Overspill Poets (Cumbria, UK)






P.A. Meirelles (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)




What happens next then? Well, as you can see by the geographical diversity of the acts a live event is pretty much out of the question (unless EasyJet can sort out a few Airbuses to Rio!) so the contest will be online. A profile for each band/artist will appear over the next few days, complete with some essential information, links to their websites and a couple of tracks for readers to get an idea of what they're all about.

Voting
In January, a poll will allow an online public vote which, combined with the assessment of our guest jury - Second and Pipers (see more below) - will result in a winner being selected.

NME-E would like to express its gratitude to all concerned for supporting this inaugural event. Please remember that the artists who are competing are unsigned and are looking for a little exposure. I'm sure readers will give them all the backing they deserve.

More to come, meanwhile a couple of videos from our jury to get you in the mood:

Second are from Murcia, Spain. Since winning the European leg of the 2004 Global Battle Of The Bands contest they have gone from strength to strength. Currently one of Spain's top indie acts, they released their critically acclaimed fourth album 'Fracciones De Un Segundo' in January 2009 and are currently in the thick of a sell-out national tour.




Naples-based Pipers are arguably the best thing to come out of Italy since Ennio Morricone. They too know how to win contests and appeared at the 2008 Mathew Street Festival after coming good in the Streetwaves competition. They have just released their debut album 'No One But Us'.

Album Review: October's Top Of The Pops

October saw third 'unknown bands' make their way onto the review stage. Here's what NME-Europe made of them...

P.A. Meirelles: 'UBM/MBU (2005-2008)' (rating 6/10)
Come on, admit it. If I say Rio de Janeiro, you think Samba, Mardi Gras and probably Pelé (oh yeah, and if you're from Spain you probably think, 'buggers stole the Olympic games from us for 2016'), but NME-Europe thinks it might have found an artist who will help destroy the Barry Manilow stigma of 'Copacabana' which much have haunted most real Brazilian music lovers for decades. Read more.

Overspill Poets: 'Thompson Falls' (rating 9/10)
Here's my suggestion for a musically sane week; check out the Overspill Poets' MySpace and when you realise how good they sound (and you WILL) click your way to the nearest online dealer and pride yourself on being the owner of one of the best albums of 2009. Read more.

Cybiont: 'A Trilogy Of Random Thoughts And Considerations' (rating 8/10)
Now the sort of music on show here is not the sort of thing I usually go for, but I must admit that I've been really impressed by what I've heard. So what about this triology then? Well, to begin with, it's a bold project for a debut - 19 tracks divided into three parts, is not a simple way to introduce yourself, but you soon get the feeling that Cybiont is not simple at all. Read more.


Read September's summary.

Album Review: Overspill Poets

Overspill Poets: 'Thompson Falls' (Revenge Western)

1. Thompson Falls
2. The Sound Of Sirens
3. Summer
4. Boxing Gloves
5. The Neon Lights Are Beautiful
6. Leave It Behind
7. Independence Day
8. Inner Space
9. Northern Star
10. Ricochets
11. Walking Tall
12. Tomorrow When You Leave


Although Overspill Poets may be a relatively new project in its own right, from the very start of debut release 'Thompson Falls' it's patent that Tim Taylor (vocals) and George Kitching (guitars) are not your typical new kids on the block, in fact they're about as far from that as you can possibly imagine. What IS very obvious is that these guys know how to write a tune. Indeed they've bunged 12 blinders on to one disc.


The album has a perfect balance between upbeat melodies and poignant ballads and has cunningly combined an americana sound with an indie feel. Every track has it's own little story to tell, be it the the tale of girl who despite her big ambitions fails to escape her small town on title track 'Thompson Falls' or the accounts of people heading for London to escape oblivion on 'Northern Star' or 'The Neon Lights Are Beautiful' (where the neon lights that inspired that song were actually those of Newcastle viewed from across the Tyne in Gateshead). It is, though, my personal favourite 'The Sound of Sirens' which epitomises eveything that is great about this album. The down-to-earth lyrics are magnificently reproduced by Taylor (who would make a wonderful stunt double for Michael Stipe) and Kitching's guitars which accompany him simply ask you to play the track again and again and once or twice more for good luck - it's one of those tracks you simply can't get enough of.

It has it all. You want musical poetry? Try 'The Neon Lights Are Beautiful'. Something a little more powerful? How about 'Independence Day' and 'Northern Star'? Meanwhile, 'Boxing Gloves' or 'Summer' keep all nostalgics satisfied.

Yes, I admit it, I have a soft spot for Overspill Poets. It's only natural - they make such damned good music that it's easy to become enamoured with their style. When I first heard their album promo some six months ago, I described it as 'a fine piece of musical art'. 'Thompson Falls' in its entirety is a finer piece of art and is certainly a worthy addition to any discerning music collection.

Here's my suggestion for a musically sane week; check out the Overspill Poets' MySpace and when you realise how good they sound (and you WILL) click your way to the nearest online dealer and pride yourself on being the owner of one of the best albums of 2009.

NME-E Rating: 9/10
Top Track: 'The Sound Of Sirens'

Last 5 NME-E reviews:
Cybiont: 'A Trilogy Of Random Thoughts And Considerations'
Muse: 'The Resistance'
The Cribs: Ignore The Ignorant'
Arctic Monkeys: 'Humbug'
Bombay Bicycle Club: 'I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose'


Read all NME-E reviews

Can't think of where to get a copy of 'Thompson Falls'? Let NME-E help you...

hmv.com
amazon.co.uk
play.com

The Boy Is Back In Town

NME-Europe is back online - with a vengeance. Rumours of a split have been wide of the mark (bit difficult when you're flying solo!), merely a combination of factors have made it difficult to get anywhere lately. Until now!

So, how to sum up the water that has passed under the musical bridge during the last 3 months? Well, there's been a bit of everything; romance, tragedy and disaster; the Benicassim hurricance, Placebo's runner at MTV Murcia Night (don't get me started on that one), Jacko's departure or the imminent Oasis split have been counterbalanced by a host of new releases (Passion Pit or The Temper Trap spring to mind) and some interesting developments in the world of Myspace.

Two bands in partiular are worthy of mention: Overspill Poets have announced the release of their debut album, Thompson Falls in October and my sneak preview confirms it's WELL worth a listen. With a full-scale review to come, here's what guitarist George Kitching has to say about the band's music and their impending debut:


"We’ve always loved the sense of landscape you get from in a lot of American music, be it the alt country twang of Lucinda Williams, the southern jangle of early REM or the urban wastelands of Husker Du. Living in Cumbria that wide open sound seems to resonate, but the vocals always tie it back to the US. On the other hand we’ve grown up with music that’s firmly rooted on this side of the Atlantic from The Beatles to Richard Thompson to The Jam, The Smiths, The Happy Mondays to Elbow. I guess what we’ve been trying to do in our humble way is combine some of that big open guitar sound with vocals and lyrics that reflect our own surroundings and experience.

People have remarked that the songs make good “driving music” and we were conscious of trying to make the album flow like the soundtrack to a road movie albeit one set on the A1 heading north rather than a sun-baked interstate. 'Boxing Gloves' and '(The) Neon Lights (Are Beautiful)' - which, along with 'Northern Star', is one of my favourite tracks - tell stories of people heading for London to escape provincial dead ends, but the neon lights that inspired the latter song were actually those of Newcastle viewed from across the Tyne in Gateshead. The exception is the title track, 'Thompson Falls' that was inspired by a chance visit to the Idaho town of the same name and tells the tale of girl who despite her big ambitions fails to escape her small town trappings becoming weighed down with other people’s expectations.

The album is a total DIY affair, recorded in a home studio and released on our own label. What we lacked in technical sophistication was offset by the ability to go back and redo things over and over until we got them sounding how we wanted, so certainly it’s gratifying then to get the amount of positive feedback we’ve had so far about the production. It’s an exciting time for music. The internet has opened up a lot of possibilities for musicians that simply weren’t there before. Hopefully it’ll lead to more music driven purely by artistic vision rather than by an accountant's eye on the balance sheet."

This is a band I find I have a lot in common with and I sincerely hope their debut is as successful as they deserve.

Likewise - bit of an exclusive here - Scarborough's finest, Loveday Fools are about to make the break into the big time. Band member Ben gives us the gossip:



"We have signed a 2 year deal with King Prawn Records, an indie label from Halifax after they heard our demo cd. They plan on releasing our debut single/album worldwide in January 2010. The record will be entitled 'Ten O'Clock Horses' and will feature brand new versions of our popular myspace demo's, live favourites and maybe an odd new song. We're hoping to release a double A-Side single, we haven't sorted it out yet but that's the plan.

We're going on a mini-tour of Yorkshire this month, so we also hope to release a limited edition Live Album from one leg of the tour, maybe just a 100 run, something which may pass into myth and legend one day. If that happens we'll notify you of course."

Meanwhile check out the video of their track 'The Year I Started Smoking'.



Naturally, NME-E wishes them both the best of luck.

It'll be a busy couple of weeks concert-wise too in nme-land. This weekend sees Murcia host the 14th Lemon Pop festival as part of its local Fair. The main attractions are national bands Astrud (Fri) and Cooper (Sat), who will be promoting his latest release, Aeropuerto. International interest comes in the form of cult Scottish band BMX Bandits and Sweden' s Joel Alme (both Sat). Zodiacs might also be ones to watch.

Entrance is free both nights. I seriously recommend a visit if you're in the vicintiy, even if you don't know much about the bands - the organisers have an uncanny knack of unearthing future stars with the likes of Rinôçérôse, Los Planetas or Camera Obscura having played here before going onto greater things.

Speaking of whom, French electro-poppers, Rinôcérôse will feature in the B-side festival (Molina, Sat 12th) alongside The Rakes (see photo), top Spanish indie boys Vetusta Morla (see video clip) and fellow Madrileños electro-punkers Cycle. Watch out for local boys The Leadings as well - their brand of indie-electro-danceis sure to attract attention. Tickets are priced at just €15 (€20 if you pay on the door).



Plenty to be getting on with then!

It's good to be back!

Myspace Magic: Overspill Poets

The latest Myspace Magic band to be featured are particulary special. First of all we take a break from the Liverpool monopoly and secondly we are talking about group which, despite this being a new project, have a musical background to be envious of. There is not much more that I need to add, I can merely recommend you all read and learn. I leave you with the words of Overspill Poets:

NME-E: Who are you and how did you come about?
OP: I (George Kitching, Guitars) cut my musical teeth with Newcastle band Hug who were signed to Kitchenware in the early nineties; toured with New FADS, Fatima Mansions, Echo and the Bunnymen and Pavement; and who were hotly tipped by the NME, BBC's Radio 1 Evening Session and Mark Radcliffe. Meanwhile across town, Overspill Poets vocalist Tim Taylor (who I just happened to share a flat with) was wooing late night drinkers at a bistro somewhere between St James Park and a Hare Krishna Temple with spirited reworkings of REM and Elvis Costello classics and full blooded assaults on The Beatles' back catalogue. When Hug's efforts to evade more gainful employment were finally crushed by the Gateshead DHSS and the Bistro went up market and dispensed with Mr Taylor's services, the two of us spent the next few years watching Auf Wiedersehen Pet videos before forming Overspill Poets to give full expression to our new vision of Brit Alt Country Road Music for Itinerant Beat Poets and Arm Chair drifters.

NME-E: What are your releases to date?
OP: Overspill Poets none, but we are close to finishing our debut album, 'Thompson Falls'. Hug released 3 EP's - Kaleid, Mesmerised and Firebrands and an album, Hummana on Kitchenware in the nineties.

I am fortunate to be in the possession of a demo version of this album and can honestly say it is a fine piece of musical art. Five of the tracks are on the their myspace page, the rest are equally as impressive.

NME-E: If you could choose a band/artist to support you, who would it be?
OP: Johnny Cash, but we'd have to master time travel first.

NME-E: What's your Current Favourite Album?
OP: 'When The Haar Rolls In' by James Yorkston and 'Acid Tongue' by Jenny Lewis.

NME-E: What Are Your Objectives/Prospects for next 12 months?
OP: Finish our debut album, 'Thompson Falls' in a way we're happy with and which holds some kind of truth for us. Release it and connect with people who respond to it. Feel a brief sense of achievement, get bored and throw ourselves into writing new material.

With the release scheduled for the Autumn, I seriously recommend you listen to what's available on the myspace page for now. NME-E is looking forward to offering a review of an album which is destined to be one of the highlights of the year.

Many thanks to George and the Overspill Poets for taking the time to offer show an interesting interview.

Last 5 NME-E Interviews:
Fare Evaders (Liverpool, UK)
Its A Buffalo (Manchester, UK)
The Trestles (Liverpool, UK)
Metropolitans (Liverpool, UK)
The Rackets (Liverpool, UK)

Read all NME-E interviews

Weekly Round Up (16 Mar 2009)

Hi and welcome to another weekly round up of all things musical.

Top Stories
Little known U2 are working hard on getting some press coverage to coincide with their album release. This week Bono has been spouting off about how much he earns and told us exactly how we should feel about illegal downloading of music.

His outburst against p2p file sharers is, according to him, in defence of less well-off musicians (i.e. everyone else) and, of course, nothing to do with him maintaining the status of mega-rich rock star.

In an interview with USA Today, he said "People think people like me are overpaid and overnourished, and they're not wrong. What they're missing is, how does a songwriter get paid? It's not the place for rich rock stars to ask for more money, but somebody should fight for fellow artists, because this is madness. Music has become tap water, a utility, where for me it's a sacred thing, so I'm a little offended [by illegal downloading]."

"The music business has been thrown to the dogs legislatively," he said. "[That will change when] file-sharing of TV shows and movies becomes as easy as songs. Somebody is going to call the cops."

This statement adds fuel to the fire of file-sharing, which would surely be an interesting topic for debate on this blog. In recent months, I've heard opinions from both sides; Bono's proclamation collides head on, for example with what new-comers The Dirty Turns told me in a recent interview (which will appear in full in good time). Their spokesman, Zach, was adamant that "music shouldn't cost to hear" when explaining that the band's forthcoming release would be available on a free download.

I'm quite happy to act as a moderator if anyone wants to spark a debate.

Elsewhere, and still loosely on the download theme, two of the major players - Apple and YouTube - have enjoyed mixed fortunes this week. On the up side (for them at least) Apple has launched a new iPod shuffle, claiming it's the world's smallest music player.


The new model is around half the size of the previous shuffle, and includes a new feature that has song and band titles spoken to the listener. With a capacity of 4gb, leaving space for up to 1,000 songs, the American giants have shown they're not taking anything for granted in these troubled times.

At the other end of the scale is YouTube, who have removed all premium music videos from the UK site after a dispute with the Performing Rights Society (PRS), who are seeking a better pay deal for artists whose videos are available to watch on the video site.

With Google-owned YouTube refusing to meet the PRS's "over the top" demands, they have opted to remove the implicated files until a deal is made.

Patrick Walker, Director of YouTube's Video Partnerships explained his company's stance by stating that "We feel we are so far apart that we have to remove content while we continue to negotiate with the PRS."

The PRS, meanwhile, are a little bit cheesed off with the whole affair. Not surprising when you think that instead of increasing revenue, they have effectively bitten off the hands that feed them. As far as I see it, serves 'em right for being greedy!

Back in the real world in the midst of a myriad of album and festival line up announcements, the free bit of publicity of the week goes to The Maccabees who have revealed that second album, entitled 'Wall Of Arms', which has been produced by Markus Dravs (Bjork, Arcade Fire) will be out on May 4.

It might seem a bit strange to single out one band, but The Maccabees debut album 'Colour It In' was one of my favourites of the year. And anyway, it's my blog so I choose he, he.

Myspace Magic
I feel the urge to do some Myspace promoting this week, as some top, top bands try and move up a level. In case you didn't know, the V Festival is holding a contest called Road To V which aims to get up and coming bands a chance to play on the main stage during this year's festival. So far, scousers The Little Hydes and Metropolitans and new buddies The Scholars, from the Midlands (article to appear soon) have received the kiss of death of an nme-europe vote. It doesn't take ages to register, so why not check things out here and give people some support.

Another Brum band, Page 44 (I seriously recommend reading about how they got their name when I feature them!) are also in need of some votes, but this time on bandbacker.com

Obliging as I am, they have my vote. Now, all they need is YOU!

Releases wise, relative veterans, So Shush, let fans sample tracks from their forthcoming album, 'Wistful Wanders', over the weekend. I am lucky enough to have received some promo tracks from Ian and Carole and will offer a full article and review around the time of release, scheduled for April 20.

Last, but by no means least, Italian pop-ites, Pipers, have announced that their debut album is ready to go. All they need is a label to distribute their material. Calling all companies, have a listen to 'Sick Of You' and take it from there. With so much rubbish flying around (Lily Allen, anyone?) it would be a crime not to give these gents a chance.


And finally.....
No major reviews this week, although the new Starsailor album, 'All The Plans' has just hit my iPhone and will no doubt end up on here. I also intend to summarise all important releases on a monthly basis. Watch this space!


One thing I DO recommend you hang around for is a quality interview with Overspill Poets. Some time this week you can read and learn. I already did.

Cheers.

Read all nme-e news.