IPO London 2012
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Artists From London
The 286 – A seven-piece band from London, which also features members of The Fore (who have played many an IPO Liverpool), The 286 dare to cross the genres of indie rock and classical music. By clashing rock n’ roll riffs with cellos and violins, The 286 create a unique sound that you expect to be reminiscent of a musical collaboration between The Beatles and Ludwig van Beethoven! Check out their A Victory for Battalion CD, and you’ll hear what we mean!
Glenn Aitken – Fans of melodic acoustic-based pop rock need look no further than Extraordinary Lives, the debut CD by this London-based singer/songwriter. Possessed of a beautiful voice, and songs that bring to mind such artists as Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, John Mayer, and Donald Fagen, Aitken has the goods to become a music industry darling!
Bordeauxxx – A charming five-piece from Surrey, with songs that lie in the magical kingdom somewhere between quirky Britpop, punk pop, and bubblegum pop with sweet boy-girl vocals. Think Madness meets Army of Freshmen meets Farrah hanging out with The Pipettes, and you get the idea….or better yet, check out their Mother’s Ruin EP or their single, “Every Holiday Is A Disaster”!
Dlugokecki – A five-piece pop/rock/indie band who aim to entertain and thrill, led by Ben Dlugokecki, a very talented young singer/songwriter from Southampton who has been compared to the likes of David Gray, Paul Simon, Elbow and Damian Rice. Merge Magazine sums his music up best: “Gentle sound, clever lyrics and meticulous orchestration.”…add to that achingly beautiful heartfelt vocals, and you get the idea. The debut LP, Putting the Tracks in Front of The Train, should be out by the time you read this!
The J-PEGS – Think of all of your favourite music from the ‘60s – be it the intricate harmonies of The Left Banke, Merseybeat, or the bubblegummy mod sounds of The Monkees, these Londoners have got it all! They even have a song named “Nancy Sinatra”, just to make sure you know where their influences lie! Check out their recent Hard Country EP!
Ben Jones and The Rifle Volunteers – Jones is a very talented singer/songwriter/producer from the London/Medway area who was the main force behind The Lovedays, and has released a couple of excellent albums under his own name. His newest project will appeal to both longtime fans of The Lovedays, as well as fans of artists from The Beatles to The Beach Boys, The Who, and Roy Wood!
The Last Carnival – As their name might imply, their sound is upbeat, raucous, and fun! Hook filled choruses, soaring harmonies, and all out glitter glam ROCK can be heard on their debut EP, The Golden Age of Nothing. These boys from Cardiff and Brighton have the goods to go all the way!
The Penguin Party – These Londoners are purveyors of quintessentially British pop par excellence! Even the title of their newest CD, Sex Furniture Warehouse and Other Stories, conveys their quirky pop sensibilities and their playful pushing of all the boundaries. The influences of Squeeze and Nick Lowe present in their prior work can still be heard, along with a healthy dose of Madness. The CD also comes with a nifty 84 page booklet with all the lyrics, tons of pictures, and behind the scenes info. Pretty cool!
The Roves – A London-based guitar pop band whose songs have a clear underpinning of R&B. Fans of artists such as Roy Orbison, Chuck Berry, and Brenda Lee will want to check them out!
The Soundcasters – Maidstone and Medway’s The Soundcasters were formed through a mutual love of a variety of music ranging from latin jazz to ‘70s punk. Influenced by such bands as The Beatles, The Band, The Animals, as well as more current ones like The Arctic Monkeys, their first EP had a ‘60s pop feel to it and received a huge response from a mixed audience. With the release of their second EP, The Soundcasters have returned with a more mature image, feel and sound, which will blow you away!
Spygenius – Inspired by bands like The Beach Boys, The Beatles and Robyn Hitchcock, Spygenius offer ultra-melodic music with a light ‘60s influence. The London-based four-piece play original guitar-based pop for people with an appreciation for harmonies and clever wordplay….and who among us can’t appreciate that!? Fans will also appreciate their latest CD, Red Lounge.
The Standards – These Londoners offer a cool cross between old school jangle harmony pop and quirky Brit pop. Their three-song Out Of The Fire EP is brimming with sonic soundscapes layered over catchy-as-heck melodies and whimsical lyrics. Fans of artists from The Beach Boys to Guided By Voices to Fleetwood Mac to Michael Jackson can all find something here to appreciate! A debut album is due out later this year!
Van Susans – A Pop/Rock sextet residing in London’s leafy suburbs. Consisting of Olly Andrews, Olly Groome, brothers Rob Dullaway, Ed Dullaway, Tim Dullaway and Holly McLatchie, the group have a burning passion for melodic harmonies and tales of love and heartbreak, accompanied by both beautiful acoustic rhythms and assertive electric guitar riffs. Their debut EP, We Could Be Scenery, was released back in May 2011 and showcases the band’s effortless ability to write killer hooks, big choruses and instantly sing-along, well crafted melodies. Their new album, Paused In The Moment, will be available from late May 2012. Tremendous live band!
U.K. Artists From Outside Of London
4th Street Traffic – Muscular anthemic rock is the order of the day for these boys from the valleys of south Wales. Gaining much critical acclaim over the short time they’ve been together, they’ve played a prestigious array of shows including a support slot with Welsh rock legends, the Stereophonics, and are firmly securing their spot as the next “must see” band. Check out their recent single, ‘Long Way Round’ on iTunes or at HMV.
The TimeLarks – An engaging psychedelic folk trio from Somerset, consisting of father and son Martin and Tom Welham, who are joined by Cherry De Portela E Prado. Their sound is a bit reminiscent of the 1960s British folk festivals, which they come by quite naturally as Martin was a member of the ‘60s bands Forest and Full Circle, but also has a timeless quality stretching back to the Middle Ages!
International Artists
The Cherry Bluestorms – After discovering their mutual love of ‘60s guitar based melodic rock, guitarist/vocalist Glen Laughlin (formerly of The Dickies) and vocalist Deborah Gee immediately began working on what would become The Cherry Bluestorms. Their debut album by these Los Angelinos, Transit of Venus, is a garden of unearthly delights for those who cut their teeth on the vinyl pressed between 1964 and 1970! We can’t wait to hear their sophomore effort, a concept album called Bad Penny Opera, which is available for pre-order through their website, and should be released very soon!
Clockwise – Their first two releases, Accidentally On Purpose, and Too Little, Too Late identify their sound as influenced by Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson and Squeeze, tempered with more contemporary artists like Crowded House and The Beautiful South. They efficiently crank out three and a half minute pop songs with hooks that will stick with you long after that initial investment in time has been spent, as evidenced by their latest release, Faders on Stun. A new full length filled with their classic Toronto powerpop is set to be unleashed in the summer/fall of 2012, and we can hardly wait!
Jeremy – He’s one of the most genuine, nicest people on the pop scene, as well as one of the most prolific pop artists around. His gentle, John Lennon-influenced pop is as spiritual as it is melodic, and you can hear this for yourself on all of his CDs. This Michiganian can stake his rightful place in the IPO Hall Of Fame as he and his band have played more IPO festivals than almost anyone else!
Lovely – Lovely was formed in Linköping, Sweden, in the winter of 2006, and that summer their first four songs were recorded for the most part in main-man Jens’s living room (!). Their influences are planted firmly in the soil of ‘60s pop, with songs reminiscent of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Byrds, The Hollies, and Tages (!). In other words, they were born to play The Cavern, but will fit right in at IPO London…check them out and we think you’ll agree
Dave Rave – He began popping very powerfully indeed a near quarter century ago as part of the legendary Canadian bands Teenage Head and The Shakers, and has often been referred to as “The Canadian Nick Lowe.” His latest CD, Live With What You Know, was nominated for a Grammy, as was one of its songs “Anne Marie”!! He’s played every IPO the past two years, with many more to come. Thank you, Dave!!
Three Minute Tease – The latest project led by the irrepressible Anton Barbeau, who comes to IPO London from Berlin, Germany (by way of Sacramento, California!). He’s teamed up this time with a couple of UK gents to create a self-titled album filled with psychedelic pop goodness topped off with the quirky lyrical twists that have characterized all of his previous work. “If there were a modern day prodigal son created from the lineage that links Julian Cope, Andy Partridge, The Beatles, Early Pink Floyd and even Frank Zappa, then Barbeau is a hot contender for the title.” (Green Man Music)
