The New Album, 17th March 2008

Elbow return in March with their fourth studio album, ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’. Recorded by the band at their own facility within Salford’s Blueprint Studios, The Elbow Room, and produced by keyboard player, Craig Potter, the album is the follow up to 2005’s universally acclaimed ‘Leaders Of The Free World’. The album also sees the band start a new relationship with Fiction Records.

The lyrical core of ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ sees Guy Garvey address the key questions of life. Thus, over the 11 tracks the big themes of love and loss become the central focus of an album that sees Elbow, a band universally recognised for their musical ability and innovation, stretch their sonic template further than ever before. With band members now fathers of young children this is an unashamedly grown up record from a band that can rightfully claim status as elder statesmen of the UK music scene. In a climate where the track could be regarded as king this is also very much an album, designed and envisaged to be listened to as a whole.

Elbow’s progress to this point has been less than smooth, the band being together since 1991 and, as has been documented, suffering a false start to their career before a succession of rapturously received independent EP’s in the form of ‘Noisebox’, ‘Newborn’ and ‘Any Day Now’ led to the release of debut album ‘Asleep In The Back’ (and subsequent Mercury and Brit nominations) in 2001. A band keen to consistently challenge their listeners both lyrically and musically, Elbow’s progress from that point has seen them switch genres and accommodate overtly political and emotionally bare lyricism across their formidable back catalogue.

‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ continues in that tradition. So we move from the sparse electronic of ‘Starlings’ through the flamenco influenced ‘The Bones Of You’ to the Zepellinesque rock of first single ‘Grounds For Divorce where Garvey’s gallows humour shines in the opening couplet of ‘I’ve been working on a cocktail / Called grounds for divorce’. Album centrepiece, ‘The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver’ melds Elbow’s musical ability to create epic heartfelt soundtracks with Guy’s knack of making the personal universal, telling the story of a boastful tower crane operator revealing the inner misery of his life in a discussion of the hollow centre of many outwardly successful lives. Elbow’s ability to deliver a knock out ballad is, as with previous albums, very much in evidence on the gorgeous ‘Mirrorball’ and the sunny cousin to ‘Asleep In The Back’s ‘Any Day Now’ that is ‘One Day Like This’. ‘The Fix’ denotes a substantial change of mood, being the first duet on an Elbow album, Richard Hawley joining Guy for a Bacharach like story of two hustlers planning their rosy future. ‘Friend Of Ours’ closes the album in a tribute to the ‘Seldom Seen Kid’ of the title, Bryan Glancy, Manchester songwriter and sadly missed friend of Elbow who died in 2007 with a delicacy and honesty that is a consistent hallmark of the band.

‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ is released by Fiction Records on 17th March 2008.

Forged in the furnaces of Birmingham in 2005, Envy & Other Sins have spent the past two years like many other young bands – writing, recording, touring and working hard for their big break. Then in late 2007 that break arrived in the form of Channel 4’s Mobile Act Unsigned.

Envy & Other Sins entered the TV show which was designed by Channel 4 as a competition for bands who write and perform their own music. It provided an amazing platform for new bands to reach a huge, regular audience every week. Having beaten over 1,600 contenders to make it through to the live shows, they were knocked out after a fortnight only to return as a wild card entry several weeks later, voted back in by the fans and judges. The band’s catchy riffs and upbeat pop style won over the show’s audience and resulted in a huge upset, when they unexpectedly beat the favourites to win the series.

The winner’s prize? An album deal with A&M Records, the label home to breaking new UK artists such as Duffy, The Courteeners and The Horrors among others.

Enter the world of Envy & Other Sins and you will be transported beyond the everyday and into a place where storming pop tunes are delivered with Victorian panache. Drawing inspiration from music, art and old world culture, these troubadours cite everything from Roxy Music to Bob Dylan, Toulouse Lautrec to Renoir as influences. Having already supported the likes of Superfurry Animals, Hard-Fi, Razorlight and Danish prog-rockers Mew as well as playing a slew of festivals, their live show delivers their unique brand of what they like to call ‘furniture rock’.

The band are currently in studio working on their debut album with renowned producer Danton Supple (Coldplay, The Doves, Starsailor, Kylie Minogue). Highness, the storming pop tune that won them Mobile Act Unsigned and secured E&OS their label deal, will be released on February 11th.

Envy & Other Sins will release Highness on A&M Records on
February 11th with their debut album to follow in March.

Elbow announce the first single from their fourth studio album, ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’, on March 10th. ‘Grounds For Divorce’ is a welcome return from the band, driven by a thunderous riff courtesy of guitarist Mark Potter that reminds listeners of Elbow’s love of the heavy as well as the delicate. To an extent, this is Mark’s track, the riff having been in his armoury for some years waiting for the right song to let it shine.

The last two years have seen Elbow go through a rollercoaster of emotions. Two new additions to the Elbow family have arrived in the form of children for Mark and his brother Craig whilst contractual issues saw the band studio bound since their last UK tour in 2006 awaiting a now completed change of label. The time was well spent in the recording, mixing and production of ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’, with keyboardist Craig Potter firmly claiming the producer’s chair. As the band members began recording the album, their good friend and respected singer songwriter Bryan Glancy died, leaving a shadow over many in Manchester including the Elbow boys.

‘Grounds For Divorce’ lyrically is affected and inspired by that loss. Whilst other tracks on ‘the Seldom Seen Kid’ are elegies to a lost friend, the single is about the initial aftermath, the desire to flee the situation, find another life and wipe the slate clean of all the emotional entanglements that come with the death of a close friend. It also rocks.

Elbow return to the UK touring circuit in April after that long hiatus, promising something ‘extra special’ for these long awaited dates which are as follows:

APRIL
Fri 04 Glasgow ABC 0844 844 0444
Sat 05 Newcastle Academy 0844 477 2000
Sun 06 Leeds Metropolitan University 0113 244 4600
Tue 08 Oxford Academy 0844 477 2000
Wed 09 Bristol Colston Hall 0117 922 3686
Thu 10 Birmingham Academy 0844 477 2000
Sat 12 Sheffield Octagon 0114 222 8777
Sun 13 Manchester Academy 0161 832 1111
Mon 14 Nottingham Rock City 0115 822 1314
Tue 15 London Brixton Academy 0844 477 2000
020 7734 8932

Tickets are £15 (£18 London) plus booking fee. 24hr CC hotline: 0871 2200 260.

Atop the tallest of earth's peaks dwell the gods of earth, and suffer no man to tell that he hath looked upon them." - H.P. Lovecraft, "The Other Gods"

‘I want to be a teenage boy with acne in an Iron Maiden T-Shirt with my hands bloody from constant axe-riffs and RSI from masturbation and that’s how this makes me feel and that’s good.’ – ( Plan B )

‘Do they kick ass? Not half.’ – ( Terrorizer )

‘The Sword may be your next big thing’ – ( Powerplay)

With its soon-to-be unleashed sophomore album, Gods of the Earth freshly laid to tape, THE SWORD prepares to build upon the foundation it laid with its critically acclaimed debut Age of Winters and continues to lead modern day metal’s forward charge.

Grammy award winning singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow will release her sixth studio album, Detours, on February 18th 2008. The album marks the return of producer Bill Bottrell, who previously worked with Crow on her breakthrough debut album Tuesday Night Music Club, which earned the singer three Grammy Awards, and sold more than ten million copies worldwide.

Gay For Johnny Depp are out the closet and over here.

More than just a novelty band with a memorable name, the New York quartet's debut album 'The Politics Of Cruelty' has been getting rave write-up's in NME, Q, Uncut, The Guardian, Rock Sound, DrownedInSound, Arena, Men Only, Big Cheese, 3:AM, Terrorizer, Artrocker, ShortList, Guitar World, New Noise, Contact Music, Subba-Cultcha and multiple plays on Radio 1.

It signals the death of hardcore as a macho-dominated genre and the re-birth of something far more special.

And now Gay For Johnny Depp are painting the night pink and brown in the following towns:

January / February 2008
Fri Jan 25 Northampton The Racehorse
Sat Jan 26 Leeds Royal Park Cellars
Sun Jan 27 Nottingham Rock City
Mon Jan 28 Luton University
Tue Jan 29 Bournemouth iBar
Wed Jan 30 Bristol The Louisiana
Thur Jan 31 Exeter The Cavern
Fri Feb 1 Brighton The Barfly
Sat Feb 2 London The Barfly

Support comes from Hearts Under Fire and The Computers.

Expected: nudity, sexual frisson, big melodies, crowd participation, crowd procreation.

Get sexy.

Buy The Politics Of Cruelty from Captains, Cargo, Amazon or HMV. You can also download it from most download platforms.

London – on March 17, Exile Productions/Polydor Records will proudly release Keep It Simple, the new album from Van Morrison.

Keep It Simple is Morrison’s first album of new material since 2005, and the first in several years in which he penned all 11 songs specifically for one album. In the interim the legendary artist had a year that may be unprecedented for any living artist, having released three separate collections of his hits, with the latest, Still On Top entering the UK charts at #2 and selling platinum, proving the ongoing appetite for his unrivalled work.

Van Morrison’s music has always incorporated the widely varied influences he heard and absorbed since his childhood days on the streets of Belfast - long before the bands of his youth and his initial breakthrough with Them. On Keep It Simple, Morrison honours all those varied influences - jazz, folk, blues, Celtic, country, soul and gospel - at times melding them all together at once in his own signature sound. “I felt I had something to say with these songs…” he explains. There is a definite theme that recurs throughout the album, especially in the title track.

TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY 18 JANUARY AT 9AM

Following the fantastic success of their No. 1 album Long Road Out of Eden, the Eagles will play four shows at London’s prestigious 02 Arena on March 20, 22, 23 and 26, 2008 to mark the kick-off of the "Long Road Out of Eden World Tour." Tickets for the O2 Arena concerts will go on sale on Friday 18 January. Prices £70, £85, plus a limited number of Golden Circle tickets at £110. Box office tel: 0844 856 0202 or www.ticketmaster.co.uk.

The O2 Arena concerts will debut an all-new stage production and the band - Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit - will be performing current hits from Long Road Out of Eden including “How Long" and “Busy Being Fabulous” as well as classic songs such as “Hotel California,” “Desperado,” “Take It To The Limit,” “Life In The Fast Lane,” and “Take It Easy.”

Eagles last toured the UK in 2006 with their sold out "Farewell I" tour, including shows in Birmingham, Dublin, Glasgow, and highlighted with final performances at London's Twickenham Stadium and Wembley Arena.

Long Road Out of Eden was released worldwide outside North America by Universal Music Group companies. In the UK more than 800,000 copies of the album have been shipped and it was the 6th best selling CD of the year, despite only been on sale for 9 weeks.

Internationally, the album has sold in excess of 2.2 million albums and has topped the music charts in the UK, Australia, Greece, India, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Norway. Nine territories have already gone platinum (the UK and Australia are double-platinum) and fifteen more are gold, and has topped the retail charts in Singapore and Thailand.

In the United States, Long Road Out of Eden has been certified seven times Platinum by the RIAA. Released October 30th, the album debuted at number one, with sales of 711,000 units, and in only 9 weeks became the biggest selling album by a group in 2007, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

“How Long,” the first single from Long Road Out of Eden, has been nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals. The Eagles have been nominated for 35 Grammy Awards.

The Eagles have sold more than 120 million albums worldwide, earning five #1 U.S. singles and four Grammy Awards. Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 is the best-selling album of all time, exceeding sales of 29 million units. The band's Hotel California and Their Greatest Hits Volume 2 have sold more than 16 and 11 million albums respectively. Eagles were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

The Eagles have teamed up with iloveallaccess.com to offer the ultimate fan experience for the upcoming 02 Arena concerts featuring a variety of VIP ticket packages. For more details go to www.iloveallaccess.com.

In a year when the fairer sex dominated the headlines, Stephen Fretwell has quietly been picking up stellar review after stellar review for his second album “Man on The Roof”. It may not be front page news that a wry-witted, irreverent northern lad has released an exceptional album, but Fretwell has chalked up an impressive wodge of praise for his second solo outing. “Man on The Roof” is a sophisticated, timeless gem; a diamond amidst the fluff.

Single “Now”, a melancholic beauty with a sky-scraping melody, is released on 14th January 2008.

Live dates
16 January – Manchester, Night and Day
21 January – London, The Luminaire
25 January – Belfast, The Limelight
26 January – Dublin, The Sugar Club
28 January – London, The Troubadour
30 January – Manchester, Night and Day

“A star in the making” – The Sun

“Remember Duffy – she will be the sound of 2008” – Evening Standard

“The new soul-pop genius on the block” – Time Out

Duffy is possibly the most exciting prospect for next year. Her ascent from the Llyn Peninsula to 2008’s pole position continues on February 25th when the 23-year old artist releases her rapturous new single ‘Mercy’. A statuesque soul gem propelled by rich, torch song vocals, it’s the second track to be taken from the eagerly anticipated debut LP ‘Rockferry’, March 3rd, and seals a dynamic arrival.

A masterclass in mature, resonant pop, ‘Mercy’s hook-laden bassline hails straight from the Motown canon. Written by Duffy with Steve Booker, who produced the track, it’s a highlight of her recent standout performances on BBC2’s Later with Jools Holland & Radio 2’s Music Club.

‘Mercy’ follows the critically acclaimed, Bernard Butler-produced debut single ‘Rockferry’, which was made Record Of The Week by both Jo Whiley & Edith Bowman at Radio 1.

Following live shows at London’s Royal Festival Hall (as special guest to The Magic Numbers) and Union Chapel, Duffy begins the New Year with a 4-week residency at London’s Pigalle Club - Jan 16th, 23rd, 30th & Feb 6th - before nationwide dates through February & March.

Previewing tracks from her forthcoming LP, Duffy’s live shows will also feature her impressive band - Toby Oyerinde (guitar), Tom Meadows (drums), Ben Epstein (Bass), Ayo Oyerinde (Keyboards), Jon Green (Guitar) and Josh McKenzie (Percissuion). Details are listed below (tickets available now):

16 January - Pigalle, London (residency)
23 January - Pigalle, London (residency)
30 January - Pigalle, London (residency)
06 February - Pigalle, London (residency)
21 February - Thekla, Bristol
22 February - Ruby Lounge, Manchester
23 February - King Tuts, Glasgow
24 February - Cluny, Newcastle
26 February - Brudenell Social, Leeds
28 February - Clwb ifor Bach, Cardiff
01 March - Arts Centre, Aberystwyth, Wales
05 March - Central Station, Wrexham
07 March - Bodega, Nottingham
09 March - Academy, Oxford
10 March - Komedia, Brighton
11 March - Glee Club, Birmingham

THE BLACK CROWES are to return to UK shores for an exclusive one-off live date at the Brixton Academy on Wednesday 9th April, following the release on March 3rd of their new studio album, Warpaint. Tickets go on sale on Friday 18th January (see below for full details). The band last performed in London in 2005 when tickets sold out instantly.

This single London show forms part of the The Black Crowes’ world tour, which begins on 2nd March in the USA and includes a headline show at Stubbs during SXSW in Austin on 15th March. The band then travel to Australia where they will headline the East Coast Blues & Roots Festival on 24th March and conclude on April 5th (their first trek down-under since 1991). They will arrive in London for their Brixton Academy show and then travel to Amsterdam for a one-off show on 11th April at the Music Hall.

The tour marks the live debut of two new band members - second guitarist Luther Dickinson, of North Mississippi Allstars, and keyboardist Adam MacDougall - who join CHRIS and RICH ROBINSON, drummer Steve Gorman and bassist Sven Pipien.

Warpaint – The Black Crowes’ first studio album in seven years is being released in the UK on 3rd March through the band’s own newly-formed Silver Arrow Records label, distributed through Pinnacle. Warpaint builds compellingly on the band’s trademark adventurous brew of rock, blues, country, soul and gospel.

The Black Crowes will shortly announce further US dates to start in May and additional European dates scheduled for this summer.

Date City Venue Box Office Ticket Price On Sale

Wed 9th April London Brixton Academy 0844 477 2000 £32.50 18th Jan
Fri 11th April Amsterdam Music Hall +31 900 300 1250 €49.00 19th Jan

Tickets are subject to booking fee. Online www.livenation.co.uk or www.brixton-academy.co.uk. Credit card bookings 0870 400 0688 (24hrs).

THE BLACK CROWES have sold over 20 million albums and are known as one of rock’s best live acts. They have been called “The Most Rock n’ Roll Rock ‘n’ Roll Band In the World” and a “thoroughbred American rock ‘n’ freakin’ roll band”; their live shows feature alternating set lists and signature incendiary musical explorations. Catch up with the band at www.blackcrowes.com

NEXT SINGLE, PHARRELL PRODUCED “WE RULE THE WORLD (T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S.)”, OUT 25th FEBRUARY

NICK ZINNER (YEAH YEAH YEAHS) & MATTT HELDER (ARCTIC MONKEYS) REMIX THE HIVES / FANS REMIX THE COVER ART

The Hives will release the infectious, funky anthem that is “We Rule The World (T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S)” as a single on 25th February 2008 (Polydor). Recorded with hip-hop producer Pharrell Williams in Miami for “The Black and White Album” it is an electrifying collaboration, a meeting of great minds and big ideas, taking The Hives into new sonic terrain.

The single will be released digitally and as a Limited 10” Vinyl backed with exclusive remixes: Mattt Helder from Arctic Monkeys shakes up “We Rule The World (T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S)” while Nick Zinner from Yeah Yeah Yeahs gets his magic fingers on previous single “Tick Tick Boom with his Post Colonization Mix. The Nick Zinner mix is available to download completely free until 21st January: http://www.u-download.co.uk/thehives

The Hives have announced details of a UK tour in April 2008. Tickets go on sale at 9am, Friday 11 January. The dates are:

14 April – Norwich, UEA (01603 508 050)
15 April – Newcastle, Academy (0870 771 2000)
16 April – Nottingham, Rockcity (08713 100 000)
17 April – Bristol, Academy (0870 771 2000)
18 April – London, Brixton Academy (0870 771 2000)
Tickets £17.50 REGIONAL / £18.50 LONDON
Buy from 0844 576 5483 or www.livenation.co.uk (all tickets subject to booking fee)

The Hives are inviting submissions for the sleeve artwork for the new single from their fanbase. Anyone can enter the competition and the winning design will adorn the 10” single sleeve and accompany the digital release when it hits stores in February.

Quotes re Angels of Destruction: January 2008

“……recalls Bright Eyes on the bluegrass hootenanny “Santos De Madera”, and occasionally, when invested with a little old-time bon-homie courtesy of the bassoon, clarinet and horn accompaniment on tracks like ‘Songbirdz’, the sepia-tint vignettes of The Band. Dread, guilt and death haunt these songs, along with the lurking biblical imagery that culminates in the mountaintop epiphany of ‘Wilderness’ 4/5 THE INDEPENDENT

The Eels have announced more dates in the UK and Ireland on the back end of their European tour, which will come around to these shores again in mid-March.

This announcement comes two weeks before the January 21st release of the ‘Meet The Eels: Essential Eels Vol. 1, 1996-2006’ and ‘Eels Useless Trinkets: B-sides, Soundtracks, Rarities, and Unreleased 1996 – 2006’ albums. The albums feature music recorded by the Eels over the course of their 10 year recording career, from their debut ‘Beautiful Freak’ (released in 1996) to the more recent ‘Blinking Lights and Other Revelations’, as well as some rare gems that have never seen the light of day.

The albums will follow the release of a book written by Eels creator and front man Mark Oliver Everett (or ‘E’ as he’s more commonly referred to). The book, ‘Things The Grandchildren Should Know’, is out January 17th and is a compelling, tragic, inspiring, original and very funny true story about a man who loses everyone he loves but somehow survives and learns to find joy in life again. Pete Townsend describes it as: ‘One of the best books ever written by a contemporary artist’.

Also look out for the repeat of ‘Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives’, the fantastic documentary the BBC filmed about E on his journey of discovery across America to learn about the father he never knew, HUGH EVERETT III, the quantum mechanic. ‘Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives’ will be aired again on January 22nd on BBC 4 at 8pm.

UK Live Dates:

1st leg – all dates SOLD OUT
Feb 25 2008 – London, Royal Festival Hall
Feb 26 2008 – Birmingham, Town Hall
Feb 27 2008 - Manchester, Bridgewater Hall
Feb 28 2008 – Glasgow, Royal Concert Hall
Mar 1 2008 – Gateshead, Sage
Mar 2 2008 – Brighton, Dome

2nd leg – NEW DATES
Mar 17 2008 – Dublin, Vicar St
Mar 18 2008 – Dublin, Vicar St
Mar 19 2008 – Belfast, Mandela Hall
Mar 21 2008 – York, Opera House
Mar 22 2008 – Sheffield, City Hall
Mar 23 2008 – Oxford, New Theatre
Mar 24 2008 – Cambridge, Corn Exchange

SINGLE “THAT’S HOW PEOPLE GROW UP”
RELEASED 28TH JANUARY

SIX NIGHT RESIDENCY AT LONDON’S ROUNDHOUSE IN JANUARY
PLUS DONCASTER, SUNDERLAND AND EDINBURGH SHOWS ALL SOLD OUT

NEW STUDIO ALBUM SCHEDULED FOR AUTUMN 2008

Morrissey is set to release new single “That’s How People Grow Up” on 28th January, one week prior to a 15 track Greatest Hits which spans his unique 20-year solo career.
One of two new songs to be included on the Greatest Hits collection, “That’s How People Grow Up” was recorded in Houston, Texas with Jerry Finn, producer of 2004’s widely acclaimed No.2 album “You Are The Quarry”. Morrissey is currently working with Finn on his new studio album, the follow-up to 2006’s No.1 “Ringleader Of The Tormentors”. The new LP is scheduled for an Autumn ’08 release.
“That’s How People Grow Up” will be made available on CD and two 7” vinyls, backed with live versions of “The Last Of The Famous International Playboys” (Morrissey’s 3rd single), “The Boy With The Thorn In His Side” (by The Smiths) and “Why Don’t You Find Out For Yourself” all recorded on the recent N. American tour. A live version of “That’s How People Grow Up” will be available as a digital exclusive.
Live Dates:
21st Jan London Roundhouse
22nd Jan London Roundhouse
23rd Jan London Roundhouse
25th Jan London Roundhouse
26th Jan London Roundhouse
27th Jan London Roundhouse
30th Jan Doncaster Dome
1st Feb Sunderland Empire
2nd Feb Edinburgh Playhouse

CD Single backed with “The Last Of The Famous International Playboys” (Recorded Live At The Orpheum Theater, Omaha, Nebraska, 11th May, 2007)

7" single number 1 backed with “The Boy With The Thorn In His Side” (Recorded Live At Hammerstein Ballroom, New York City, 27th October, 2007)

Meet The EELS: Essential EELS Vol. 1, 1996-2006 spans the first decade of the EELS with 24 selections on CD and 12 promotional videos on DVD. The CD opens with four tracks from the band’s 1996 debut Beautiful Freak, two tracks from the Eels’ highly acclaimed second album 1998’s Electro-shock Blues follow plus a previously unreleased Jon Brion remix of “Climbing To The Moon.”

Four songs from 2000’s Daisies Of The Galaxy, which NME dubbed “a masterpiece in almost every way,” are represented on the Essentials album plus three tracks from 2001’s Souljacker, which Time Magazine crowned as one of the best albums of the year, was acclaimed overseas with NME calling it “downright brilliant” and the London’s Sunday Times named it Album Of The Year, writing that “the conventional wisdom that {the earlier album} Electro-shock Blues was E’s masterpiece will have to be reassessed: it was clearly just one of his masterpieces.”

2003’s live-in-the-studio Shootenanny! (awarded four stars by Rolling Stone) adds two fan favorites, while five songs from the highly acclaimed, and best charting album in the band’s history Blinking Lights and Other Revelations are included. Also on the Essentials album are the previously unreleased “Get Ur Freak On,” a live version of “Dirty Girl” from 2006’s With Strings: Live At Town Hall and “I Need Some Sleep” from the Shrek 2 soundtrack.

Highlights within the 50 CD tracks EELS Useless Trinkets: B-Sides, Soundtracks, Rarities and Unreleased 1996-2006 are longtime concert favorite “Living Life” from the Daniel Johnston tribute album, the previously unreleased 2006 cover of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put A Spell On You” and other covers including James Carr’s “Dark End of The Street” and Prince’s “If I Was Your Girlfriend.” Useless Trinkets also includes a large handful of BBC performances, unique live versions of “Novocaine For The Soul” and “My Beloved Monster,” tracks from films--The End Of Violence, Holes, Levity and How The Grinch Stole Christmas and many previously unreleased tracks including the original collections title track which frontman Everett performs backed by a 28 piece orchestra. The DVD features six performances from the EELS' Lollapalooza 2006 performance, including a gospel rave-up take on “My Beloved Monster” and a high octane rumble through “Souljacker part I.”

Meet The EELS: Essential EELS Vol. 1, 1996-2006 and EELS Useless Trinkets: B-Sides, Soundtracks, Rarities and Unreleased 1996-2006 prove why, following that 2006 Lollapalooza performance, Rolling Stone wrote: “EELS define coolness.”

Elbow are back. Following a two year hiatus since their last UK tour in February 2006, the band return to the live circuit with a comprehensive set of dates in April 2008. The band have been busy recording their 4th studio album, ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’, which is released in March 2008 through Fiction Records. As with predecessor ‘Leaders of the Free World’, they recorded the new album at Manchester’s Blueprint Studios but with keyboardist Craig Potter taking on production and mixing duties.

Elbow are indisputably one of the UK’s most important acts of the last 10 years with Mercury nominations for debut ‘Asleep in The Back’. In addition they have received a Brit Awards nomination for Best New British Act. The band can also number such luminaries as John Cale and Chris Martin as members of their hugely loyal fan base.

These shows will be a first opportunity for fans to hear tracks from the new album in a live context and the band are looking forward to getting back on the road. They are currently in live rehearsals and are promising their most spectacular shows yet.

Tickets are on sale from 9am Tuesday 18th December though www.gigsandtours.com and usual agents. Dates are as follows…

APRIL
Fri 04 Glasgow ABC 0844 844 0444
Sat 05 Newcastle Academy 0844 477 2000
Sun 06 Leeds Metropolitan University 0113 244 4600
Tue 08 Oxford Academy 0844 477 2000
Wed 09 Bristol Colston Hall 0117 922 3686
Thu 10 Birmingham Academy 0844 477 2000
Sat 12 Sheffield Octagon 0114 222 8777
Sun 13 Manchester Academy 0161 832 1111
Mon 14 Nottingham Rock City 0115 822 1314
Tue 15 London Brixton Academy 0844 477 2000
020 7734 8932

Tickets £15 (£18 London) plus booking fee. 24hr CC hotline: 0871 2200 260.