Ute better believe it… Old Grinding Young (free download)

Former stablemates, ever brothers, Ute were a classy bunch. Oxfordian gents by day, wretched drunkards by night – they co-existed in a magnificent haze, half melody, half tumultuous swathes of dark post rock terror… All fucking handsome! So it’s rather nice that 2/3 of the band (Ollie and Michael) have whipped us O-Towners into something of a frenzy by getting something new on. Old Grinding Young is the project name, and a track for free is their only output.

It’s definitely worth a listen… You can check it out over here – and the good news is that amongst deliciously crafted melodic ditties about incest, crumbling boats and tyranny – there’s a big, Innocent Tailor style murder ballad in the offing right now.

God I miss them, but this is hot new delicacy… Listen (and download free) right away!

Happy Christmas you beautiful souls…

Ah man. The Christmas break. And not soon enough. It’s been a quite frankly brutal last couple of months – but incredible all the same = and amongst amazing releases from Johnny Foreigner, Katie Malco, My First Tooth and The Social Club, a number of key shows, more mail orders that we’ve ever dreamed of and relentless fesive partying (it’s a hard life)… We’ve had a great time. And I think it’s fair to say that Alcopop! is in the best shape it’s ever been…

I won’t go into it in a big way. After all this is Christmas and you should probably be dipping into some serious litres of Bucks Fizz rather than reading this, but it’s all looking grand, 2012 is liable to be perhaps the best year yet(!) and it’s all down to you guys and the support you give us, so thanks SO much.

As a little thank you we’re not only running an ad in Januarys RockSound that features a good number of your handsome faces, but we’ll also be running a few little bits and bobs in early January to say thanks. Kinda wanted to do an advent calendar but everyone was working on those, so we thought we go for something to combat the Christmas blues. So look out for HAPPY NEW YEAH!!! coming in January…

In the meantime, as we say – thanks so much for sticking by Alcopop! Without you we’re nothing…  Have an amazing Christmas, and just in case you missed it – here’s our free download compilation we released via the Banquet Advent Calendar to have a listen to what’s coming up in 2012…

Much love – and moreover.. Have an AMAZING Christmas

Lv Jack PoP, Mean Kev and Alcokitten!

New Jumping Ships EP up for pre-order (and free download yo!)

Holllllaaaaa – as if draining the country dry of burritos and jager during their lengthy tour with LighGuides wasn’t enough, alt-rock 4 piece Jumping Ships are back and sounding bigger than ever! Unleashing brand new 6 track EP ‘Standard Bearer’ in mid-September with us boys in the PoP hood, you can pre-order it now all fresh and lovely in all of it’s splendid glory.

Sounding a bit like Hundred Reasons meets Reuben with a bit of epic big brash Lost Prophet style pop rock epic twinge about it (you can see why we liked them right), the Brighton 4-piece have had a remarkable summer, and this little beauty should just about top it off – and perfectly soundrack the ultimate autumnal romp, booting leaves about or playing conkers – or something like that ☺

But don’t take our word for it, oh no no… Or Rocksound (10/10), Big Cheese or Artrocker (not cos we’re liars or anything, but we’ve heard you poppers have the strongest of ears)… So take a listen to one of the brand new tracks from the EP below (and download it for free why not)…

And then purchase pre-order from the shop, or any of your favoured digital etailers, should you be so bold…
Jumping Ships will be rocking something of a launch celebration at Southsea Festival on the 17th September, and a proper full old homecoming celebration show in Brighton. South Coasters – take note x

My First Tooth are touring again!

Waaaaaay. Fresh from their stripped-back jaunt around the country with indie-establishment members Athlete, delighting enraptured audiences from Glasgow to London Union Chapel and everywhere in between, the hotly tipped folk-tinged orchestral troubadors from Northampton (AKA known as Pop’s longest serving peaches), My First Tooth, today announce a headline tour in September.

Dates are as follows: Do come to some of them! All of them? Facebook event here, not to mention pretty little free to download song ‘Twilight Theatre’ after the dates. Should you have not purchased Territories (their wonderful debut album), do yourself a real big favour and buy, buy, buy or stream, stream, stream!

September tour:
6 – London Old Queens Head
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/123180
8 – Leicester Soundhouse
13 – York Stereo
14 – Swindon The Vic
15 – Cardiff 10 Feet Tall
16 – Winchester The Railway
17 – Southsea Festival (Alcopop vs BSM stage: Edge of the Wedge)

Johnny Foreigner and Freeze the Atlantic FTW!

So frisbees have been flying out… Strong times in the PoP camp, and they seem to be going down well. As JoFo are busy ploughing a mean furrow up and down the country we’re popping about despatching Freeze the Atlantic ‘Colour by Numbers’ EPs (complete with crayons), and JoFo discs galore.

Meanwhile, delegation PoP went along to Guildford on Sunday for the aforementioned FTA launch and man it was awesome, as well as nicely packed and sweaty – did you get the free track by the way. Just tweet and it’s yours! (someone on the PoP facebook group said it was ‘hench‘ – pretty sure that’s good). Rocking hard with the support of Scholars there were plenty of friends in attendance (as well as Larry ex Hundred Reasons). Dusting ourselves down we then popped to the Barfly to see My First Tooth support The Xcerts. Amazing times.

Incidentally, have you heard the new JoFo record yet… Oh my! Check this out, and visit them on tour!

Alternative TGE Alcopop show – free pints for Dolphin Suits!

So the strong-faced Alcopop and lustily handsome DIY have teamed up with some super friends (BSM, Idle Hands Club, Ray Gun, Rock Sound’s Ben Patashinak and the like) and put together quite the best free show line up, perhaps ever…

The Xcerts
Stagecoach
Freeze the Atlantic (ex Reuben/Hundred Reasons)
The Victorian English Gentlemens Club
My Firs Tooth
We Are the Physics
Jumping Ships
LightGuides
Special Guests (TBC)
Ute
The Social Club
You Animals
Cat Matador
Dad Rocks
Nicholas Stevenson
Elliot Morris

Lining up on the Alternative Great Escape bill in Brighton town, we’re free entry all day and night to provide you THE best thing in B-town on Friday 13th, except for perhaps the Dolphin Derby on the pier. LOOK AT THIS LINE UP, and say you’re coming on Facebook!!!

Do come along, all day – and rock hard with us yes! we’re running from 12.30pm till about 1.30/2ish – featuring this quite jaw-dropping line up of awesome acts… Free for wrist band holders, and non-wrist band holders alike (we’re just like that you know )

Do say you’ll come… Free pint for anyone dressed in a dolphin suit!

3 NEW pre-orders up today… JoFo, FTA and MFT!

I’ll be focussing more on these indivdual releases over the next week or so, but it’s with abnormally HOT pleasure that I’d love to tell all you sweet, charming poppers. THERE’S 3 NEW PRE-ORDERS UP FOR YOUR PERUSAL TODAY! Thinking it might be nice to stick ‘em up together you know, to save postage and stuff – let me introduce them all briefly in no particular order….

Freeze The Atlantic – Waking Up EP

Oh man, this has been a LONG time coming, and by god it’s worth the wait. Personal revered heroes of mine from Reuben and Hundred Reasons have come together with other talented champs, smashed a whole load of finger-dented genius through their instruments and *BANG* – Freeze the Atlantic are born. This EP is glorious, 3 tracks of melodic balls out rock-pop genius – and all complete in its own Colour by Numbers sleeve, complete with wax crayons to literally colour it in by numbers! Stay in the lines though yeah…

My First Tooth – Sleet and Snow EP

A band who epitomise all things Alcopop! They’re our longest-serving, and it’s no surprise – because from the moment I heard Ross’s melodic vocals harmonising over a medley of folk-pop genius and met these tender champs from Northampton, I fell head-over-heels in love. My First Tooth are put simply, wonderful! This, their last single from debut LP Territories is a tour de force… And available to you for free. Seriously, no cost and all physical product. We just need this in your lives!

Johnny Foreigner – Are Cursed Frisbee EP

I’ve been wanting to do this for sometime now, a straw poll on Twitter showed me that Frisbees were way cooler than beach balls, so we’re getting all fun again with JoFo… Birmingham’s absolute finest (fuck yes!) These jet black Frisbees are white printed with ghostie print, 4 Trk CD is attached underneath – and imagine how cool you’ll look on the beach! Remember those bullies you still simmer resentment against cos they kicked over your sandcastle when you were a kid? Well you > them!

All available in the shop now, with a cheeky little deal on all 3 if you should be so inclined. See you in the shop yo? xxx

2,500 followers on Twitter = Gifts for all :-)

Oh my! Just realised last night we were a mere 7 shy of 2,500 followers on Twitter… And so, with the magic of the night time and a few new followers (including the awesome @jackhayter – ex violinist of Hefner and current solo star on Audioantihero Records)… we’ve only bloody gone and got there!

Seems reason enough for a celebration to me – so being a penniless indie who don’t have the resources to print 2,500 gaudy tees proclaiming you’re in the pop gang, we’ve instead procured an exclusive track from Stagecoach (Giles remix by Rob Lintott that sounds like a spicy lemon jelly!!!) and got a rather tasty 15% discount voucher for you for the PoP Shop from this link here - just in case you fancy a flutter on any of our fine goods over the next couple of weeks. Plus the first 5 orders we receive today will all snare themselves a 4 track Candle Thieves Sunshine Song promo.. Just for fun you know

But the main thing today – is just to thank you all for being involved. We really appreciate your support, love and continuous kindness towards the label.. Rockin

Pulled apart by Matt Emery!

You know PoP favourites Stagecoach right? Well if you don’t get yourself into this shop and make good that mistake right away … If you do, you’ll no doubt be aware of delicious little Matty Emery – a charming gent from Dorking who not only hits things, but sings like an angel and plays the guitar/piano like an angel as well. Well – see, he’s been all sorts of busy of late and has put out this rad Pulled Apart by Horses cover album – where he’s covered some of their biggest hits, and looks like Andrew WK on the front cover.

That works for me – and you can download it for free here… Nice eh?

He’ll make you dance with his balls of fire!

FREE 7 Track Alcopop compilation on 7 Digital!

Good old 7 Digital! Handsome folk galore there no doubt, and they’re really excelling themselves this week with their free download and competition… Cos they’ve got all Alcopop! – and decided to give away our latest compilation (made specially for them) called ‘We’re Always Looking for Something to Hold On to. We’re With Our Friends, They’re the Best Thing We Can Find!’ (10 indie cool points if you get that reference) – and it’s all free to you, and your pals – and your grandfather if he should so desire it.

The tracklisting goes a little something like this… Actually, I lie. It goes exactly like this. Crack on over here to pick it up.

Headbangers Ball by Stagecoach
Who Needs Comment Boxes When You’ve Got Knives by Johnny Foreigner
Silent Spring by My First Tooth
As Dew In Aprille by Screaming Maldini
Sounds of the Stereo by The Attika State
The Whole Truth by Jumping Ships
Bunker by Ute

Plus – for all you coolest kids who already have everything this compilation delivers, there’s a pretty rad competition too where you can win a whole load of PoP stuff. Get involved if you fancy a bumper load of post coming through courtesy of those 7 Digital lot.

Yes!