As part of our festive celebrations, there are two special Robot Needs Home events between now and the end of the year. Check the posters below for more information.
Over the last year we’ve been releasing occasional compilation of music produced in or around Leicester that we think is important and now it’s finally time to unleash the third installment of that series.
Exports03 is a little special. We’ve been involved with the organisation of Leicester’s White Noise Festival since it’s inception, and so this time the compilation is available for a nominal charge with EVERY LAST PENNY being donated to the festival’s chosen charity, the LOROS hospice. You can buy it DIGITALLY from our store, or PHYSICALLY exclusively from the merch stand at the festival.
We asked some of our favourite musicians from across the city and beyond to contribute a christmas song. Sometimes we helped them record them in an afternoon or over a weekend, and sometimes they knuckled down and put the songs together in their spare bedrooms and sent them in. Some are covers, some are original compositions, but either way, every song is special – even throwing up some unexpected collaborations. Here’s a quick run down of what you can expect…
- GRACE PETRIE & CAITLIN FIELD – Fairytale of New York
- THESE FURROWS – Last Christmas
- ELIZABETH CORNISH – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- FRANCIS WALSH & JOHN HELPS – Wonderful Christmas Time
- HERRA HIDRO – Rocking Around The Christmas Tree
- ROSIE DOYLE & BY THE RIVERS – Santa Baby
- BUENOS AIRES - All I Want For Christmas Is You
- WEIKIE – O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
- HER NAME IS CALLA – Mary In Doubt
- PETER WYETH – Silent Night
We are currently taking bookings for Nottingham based post-everything math mentalists You Slut! on their forthcoming UK and European tour. They’re out supporting the release of their second full length album ‘ Medium Bastard’. Look, Read, Listen, then email johnhelps@mac.com.
You Slut! – Cut & Shut by You Slut!
You Slut! – MyBloodyJesusExplorerOnFire
“You Slut! leave conventional musical formulas with its pants around its ankles, shivering and confused in a dark alley.” – Kerrang 4/5
“This ain’t no standard post-rock by numbers nonsense, primed for the ‘ethereal’ and ‘shimmering beauty’ cliches.” Rocksound 8/10
“A masterpiece of obscenely spikey riffery” Rockfood 5/5
“They’ve got the angularity of At The Drive-in and playfullness of Dartz! and a desire to get heavy when needs must.” Big Cheese 4/5
Initially a tongue-in-cheek reaction to their indie-schmindie roots, You Slut! have found favour with those who concern themselves with the more interesting side of rock music. Drawing comparisons to contemporaries And So I watch You From Afar & Adebisi Shank as well as more established artists in the order of Don Caballero, The Fucking Champs and Hella, You Slut! deal in instrumental music that rarely finds itself drifting into the cliche-ridden Post-Rock world of meandering soundscapes and long build ups , instead aiming arrows of riff-driven, tempo-twisting, rhythm-riding adrenaline into the heart of their sound.
New album Medium Bastard is set for release in the UK on Neil Cooper of Therapy? and Phil Rhodes’ label Stressedsumorecords; as well as Germany and Japan in April 2012, supported by UK, Irish and European tours.A 2005 6-track EP ‘Grit-Eyed & Greasy-Tailed’ was followed with the release of 8-track album Critical Meat in Japan (Xtal Records) in 2007 and the UK (StressedSumo Records) in 2008. A European and UK tour accompanied the release, along with BBC Radio 1 (Huw Stephens) and Kerrang Radio sessions.
www.cassettecounty.co.uk/youslut
www.facebook.com/youslutband
www.youslut.bandcamp.com
www.stressedsumorecords.co.uk
Maybeshewill have made the forth instalment of their remix compilation Eps available to download from their website, completely free of charge.
The release includes rewordings of the following tracks…
01. Gay For Johnny Depp – Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny and…
02. Vessels – Recur
03. Elizabeth Cornish – Folds
04. iLiKETRAiNS – Sirens
We’ve collected together YouTube footage shot by fans from as many of Maybeshewill’s European tour shows as possible. Enjoy, and skip through the tour in roughly chronological order…
On the 21st November, I Am In Love release ‘Call Me An Animal’, the follow up to their single ‘I Want You’, which was released earlier this year (through this very label) to daytime radio one play and critical acclaim.
“Ethereal and beautiful” – Edith Bowman, BBC Radio 1
“A very talented band, really good” – Huw Stephens, BBC Radio 1
‘Call Me An Animal’ is a three track EP comprised of ‘Buccaneer Mastery’, ‘Call Me An Animal’ and ‘Our Heroes Dilemma’. It will be available for digital download through all the usual online retailers (iTunes, Amazon etc.) as well as the Robot Needs Home Bandcamp and this very website.
Until then, CLICK HERE to head over to NME.com to find out how to download the title track for free
For more information about the band, head over to their website iaminlovemusic.com.
In addition to our annual contribution to Leicester’s White Noise Festival, occasionally we put on shows by artists from beyond our record labels roster. On the 25th November we’re delighted to announce a special acoustic show at Leicester’s brand new Red Tent venue on Pocklington’s walk (behind Firebug)
JONAH MATRANGA
Ex front man for the legendary Far and Gratitude, singer songwriter Jonah Matranga returns to Leicester for an intimate solo show at The Red Tent.
Since the demise of his former bands he’s collaborated with Thursday, Deftones, Lupe Fiasco and released records and toured alongside Frank Turner.
VERSE CHORUS VERSE
Having recently parted ways from his former And So I Watch You From Afar band mates, Tony Wright has been forging ahead under his Verse Chorus Verse moniker, playing solo folk the length and breath of the UK and Ireland already. Think Bob Dylan and Joe Strummer in one glorious whole.
HOWARD JAMES KENNY
Cape of Good Hope guitarist Howard James Kenny makes loop-laden acoustic folk influenced by Nick Drake and Stars of the Lid.
Tickets are £5 from WeGotTickets.Com
We’re not going to be around at Halloween to post this, as we’ll be galavanting around Europe with Maybeshewill, so as an early treat, here’s a video of our boys Buenos Aires performing at last years Firebug Halloween show…
We’re very pleased to be able to tell you that we will be releasing I Am In Love’s EP ‘Call Me An Animal’ on the 21st November. Comprising three tracks from their album sessions, It will be available digitally from our store, iTunes and all good online retailers
Watch the brand new video for the title track here:
If you’re in or around Leicester tonight, a tonne of Robot Needs Home bands and friends of the label are playing the Seahorse Creative Hullaballoo on Braunstone Gate in the city, including Herra Hido, Speaking In Italics, Gallery 47 Some May Run and Grace Petrie as well as a DJ set from Joe Bear Trap.
The second in our series of compilations focussing on music produced in our fair city is now available to download for Free. Recorded live over a week of shows at the Firebug venue (our literal and spiritual home) during the Leicester Fringe Festival, it includes tracks from most of our favourite Leicester based acts, as well as a couple of friends who call other towns home.
Junior Fencing Club have made a teaser video for their EP, featuring the track ‘Lets Have A Show Of Hands’. Shot by Darryl Reed from These Furrows.
Throughout Leicester Fringe week, tonnes of the bands associated with Robot Needs Home played at various shows at Firebug and across the city. We’re going to be releasing a free compilation of live tracks recorded at those shows in the not too distant future, but first of all here’s Herra Hidro’s new song ‘Fly Home Buddy’ recorded during that week.
Last night Zane Lowe announced that These Furrows will be playing the BBC introducing stage at both Reading and Leeds Festival this summer. The four-piece also play Leicestershire’s Strawberry Fields Festival on 27th August. Read More over at TheseFurrows.co.uk
Maybeshewill have announced a special one off show in their home town of Leicester, at which they’ll be playing their whole new record, which came out through Function Records earlier this year, along with songs from their previous two albums on Field Records and the EP we released way back in the mists of time.
The album’s been receiving rave reviews from across the music press, and they’ll be joined for this show by a string section comprised of members of Her Name Is Calla, and supported by Robot Needs Home alumni Cats and Cats and Cats.
The following is taken from their official website:
“On the 16th December, We’ll play a very special show at Leicester’s Sumo venue. It’s an idea we’ve been throwing around for a while, and it seemed like the right time to do it. We’re going to (attempt) to play the whole of ‘I was here for a moment, then I was gone’ from start to finish, as well as a selection of songs from our other two albums (and EP). Importantly, for this show we’ll be joined by Sophie and Dave from our friends Her Name Is Calla, who’ll be providing strings, as they did for the record itself.
Support comes from the brilliant Cats and Cats and Cats – our label mates and tour buds of old.
Limited tickets go on sale on Monday, FROM WEGOTTICKETS.COM.”
Robot Needs Home Alumni Maybeshewill head out on tour in October and November with Japanese instruMentalists (with a capital M) Lite. See the poster above for dates, or head over to http://www.maybeshewill.net for more info and tickets.
After we clear the last few T-Shirts on our BigCartel store, we’ll be retiring her and our bandcamp page, in favour of our brand spanking new store on THIS VERY WEBSITE!
It’s something we’ve been planning to do for a little while, but haven’t had the time to put in to place, so watch as we start adding tonnes of stuff to the store over the coming weeks.
We’re having a clearout of Merchandise (Mostly Maybeshewill T-Shirts) that has been cluttering up Robot Needs Home HQ. Head over to our Bigcartel Store to see what’s up for grabs
Due to the incredible popularity of the Exports01 compilation on Record Store Day, and the number of requests we’ve had from people outside the city, we’ve been given permission by the bands involved to let you download it from here for free for a short while. Fill out the form below and you’ll be sent a link from which you can download all 16 tracks FOR THIS WEEK ONLY!
Be sure to check out the bands own websites and facebook or myspace pages to find out more about what’s going on, pick up their full releases or go to a show if they’re playing near you.
As a special treat for our home city of Leicester, we’ve compiled a compilation of the very best we think this city has to offer on one limited edition compilation CD. We’ve pressed up just 100 copies, which we’re going to be giving to Rockaboom Records in St. Martins Square to give away when you buy something from them on Record Store Day 2011 (Saturday 16th April).
Featuring Robot Needs Home acts of past, present and future alongside acts we’ve had the pleasure of working with or just watching live, think of it as a snapshot of some of the awesome music being created in the city at this point in time. From dark, brooding electronica to spiky punk, rock and hardcore to acoustic and instrumental soundscapes and even glorious summer reggae influenced tunes. Each track is wonderful in it’s own right and proof (if proof were needed) that there are tonnes of musicians producing exceptional music within this cities boundaries.
The full track listing is as follows…
01. Maybeshewill – Critical Distance
02. These Furrows – Without Manner
03. Herra Hidro – Surprises
04. Buenos Aires – Wo Bu Dong
05. I Am In Love – Call Me An Animal
06. Dark Dark Hors – Sharks
07. Speaking In Italics – Weary Eyes
08. Codex Leicester – Strong Like Bull
09. Without Fire – Fakin’ It
10. Sisterland – Used To
11. Acid Pony – Take It As It Comes (Doors Cover)
12. Cassette Culture – We Once Had An Empire
13. Kyte – Each Life Critical
14. By The Rivers – Take Control
15. Her Name Is Calla – Pour More Oil
16. Peter Wyeth – Unfurling Morning / Unteathered Afternoon
Make sure you get down early – tonnes of labels are releasing awesome records especially for Record Store Day, which you can read more about HERE.
So with just a few short weeks left until the release of Herra Hidro’s first new material in years, here’s a first look at the artwork for High Command. Produced by the excellent ACDSleeve, it’s cut and folded from two pieces of card.
We’re also streaming a track from the EP, ‘Surprises’, which you can hear by clicking the player below, or on the bands myspace and facebook.
Enjoy…
We’re delight to be able to tell you that Leicester’s I Am In Love are joining Robot Needs Home to release their debut single ‘I Want You’ on Monday 25th April.
The single will be available from iTunes and all good digital retailers, and from the Robot Needs Home store as a digital download. The single includes two remixes of the title track.
Catch them live at the following shows…
01.05 – MAPS Festival, Manchester
09.05 – Kasbah, Coventry
20.05 – Good Ship, London
26.05 - Firebug, Leicester
27.05 – 05.06 – German Tour
To promote their EP Release in April, Herra are out on a short tour.
You can catch them at…
19.04 – Firebug, Leicester
22.04 – The Bless, Derby
23.04 – The Chameleon, Nottingham
We’re excited that Herra Hidro’s first new recorded material in about four years will finally be seeing the light of day on the Monday 18th April, with a release party on the 19th at Firebug in Leicester with support from the incredible Brontide, Gradients and We Come In Pieces.
The EP, entitled ‘High Command’ is to be released in very limited edition hand made cut-out packaging produced by the amazing ACDSleeve who we hope to be working with a lot in the future for more Robot Needs Home Releases.
The record includes five tracks recorded by John Helps from Maybeshewill at the Robot Needs Home Headquarters of the course of four months last year, including the title track, Yutaka Screams, Surprises, Little Gordy Gecko Player and Dead Peasant.
This is a release we’ve been getting excited about for a fair while now, and anyone who’s seen the band since they started gigging again post extended hiatus will attest to the fact that they’ve got some of the strongest songs to come out of the city in years.
You’ll be able to pick up the CD in physical form at the show and online from the Robot Needs Home Store and in digital form from our Bandcamp page.
Get Excited Now.
We’re very pleased to welcome two of our favourite Leicester acts to Robot Needs Home in the form of Speaking In Italics and Junior Fencing Club.
In the case of Speaking In Italics, it seems like their debut EP has been forever in the making, and we’re glad it will finally see the light of day on Robot Needs Home – there will be more information on that coming soon, but in the mean time they’re ensconsed at Park Farm Studios with Jamie Ward of Maybeshewill get the last tracks committed to hard disk.
Junior Fencing Club are relative newcomers to the city’s music scene, but we’re just as excited that we get to put our name to their debut EP ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’.
In sad but excellent news, both Maybeshewill and Cats and Cats and Cats are moving on to bigger and better things at Function records. We’ll still be handling occasional limited releases for Maybeshewill, but we’re delighted that both bands will see their albums come out through the label that released Meet Me In St. Louis and Shield Your Eyes on the world.
Maybeshewill’s third album is due out in May, with Cat’s second album coming later in the year.
We wish both bands the best of luck, and look forward to hearing what they’ve got planned.