Everyone’s favourite poster-boy for nu-folk is back and better than ever with the announcement of his new album ‘Been Listening’, released through Transgressive Records on June 7th (which on another note, is coincidentally the date I’m hosting The Miserable Rich at Norwich Puppet Theatre, do come to that if you’re Norfolk-based and about).
The new album consists of 11 tracks, and if you’ve seen Johnny live or had a listen to any of his homemade demos on MySpace over the past year, you’ll know a few of them already. Excitingly, ‘The …

“We are going on a tour of some beautiful venues which don’t smell of piss and serve piss for beer, so you should come and enjoy that”- Bombay Bicycle Club
Bombay Bicycle Club have just announced details of a very unique new album and tour happening this July…the boys will releasing a brand new acoustic album on July 11th before heading out on a UK summer tour, exclusively of arts centres and churches.
This, of course, follows the band being awarded the title ‘Best New Band’ at the NME awards recently, and …

London’s finest record labels, promoters and blogs/music websites will be gathering for a super special bank holiday celebration at The Old Queen’s Head in Islington next Monday, and I shall be there – representing both The Blue Walrus and my label Dustbowl Records.
There will be music from a range of lovely bands and artists, including Adelaide’s Cape, and the Dustbowl Records stall will have homemade cupcakes and cookies. Now come on, if you’re London-based, what on earth could be better than trotting down to this event, picking up one of …

The musically delicious Planet Earth launch their brand new single ‘What More’ / ‘Falling Into Love’ via Young & Lost Club next month, and I can’t wait.
I first encountered these talented chaps supporting Noah And The Whale at a sellout Norwich gig back in autumn 2008, then again at Owl Parliament in 2009.
Their chilled out alt-folk tunes are the perfect soundtrack for spring antics in the sun, and I’m very much hoping this new single will be followed by a collection of live dates in the leadup to the summer.
Pre-order …

We’ve seen some great nu-folk musicians pop up over the past few years – Laura Marling, Mumford & Sons, Noah And The Whale and Johnny Flynn just to name a few – but there are still some brilliant new artists appearing, and the pace at which this ever-expanding ‘folk’ genre is mutating and refreshing itself looks set to continue well into 2010.
I’d wager that the magnificent Adelaide’s Cape is going to be a 2010 poster child for this particular ‘scene’, ‘movement’ or whatever other label we’re pegging on it this …

Over the past year or so, the indie pop scene has quietened down a little – at least in terms of how good its offerings are. But, of course, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t great new acts bubbling under the surface of the calm exterior…
One such is Blonde Louis. This four-piece guitar-oriented band are between the tender ages of 16 and 18, and they’ve been making waves with a tour supporting Goldhawks at the end of 2009 and their own headline tour scheduled for next month.
If the MySpace demo …