Music PR perfection that The Candle Thieves can take to the bank!

We don’t get much Alcopop coverage on drowned in sound… Not a lot indeed. But it is with proud faces and handsome grins that I’d like to point to their most recent single of the week column (occupied by the Candle Thieves), point an outstretched thumb at the offending article and say – y’know, we’re on wotcha.

The review is nice enough, with the reviewer feeling “confident it will appeal to those of you mourning the likes of Aberfeldy. Or those with a fondness for perky ditties what are darker than they first seem”. She goes on, “because this song is actually all about how we’re all going to die. So not quite as cute as it sounds.”

But kinda cooler than the article itself is the way it happened… Step forward Andre Wonder (PR guru helping le Candle Thieves) who responded to reviewer Wendy Roby’s power-hungry offer to make a track ‘single of the week’ if “it was sung down the phone to her” – by bloody doing it (video below)! His voice is not quite as heart-achingly beautiful as TCT Scott’s, but fair play on the effort old chap.

For his next trick Andre will be burping Stagecoach’s We Got Tazers to Jools Holland for a slot on next weeks show…. Maybe

Pop show @ RoTa 10th October

It wouldn’t be an Alcopop show if everything went to plan, and despite last Saturday (and a bit)’s show at RoTa being quite a remarkable rock n’ roll orgy of ace (busiest RoTa’s been in months according to the organiser – get in Team PoP ) it was not without it’s teething problems. Gigjunkie will explain from their point of view….

“After searching for forty minutes [for the venue], I received a text from Scott McEwan of The Candle Thieves; informing me they had broken down on the M25 and might not be able to make it at all – a rather bad start to the day!
However, despite the initial problems, all turned out well. The RAC rescued The Candle Thieves, and the venue [which we'd walked past dozens of times] opened it’s doors as if to say sarcastically “Yes, I’m here – you haven’t looked foolish trying to find me at all.”

But despite the difficulties – with a generous double fisting of free beer bottles, it was plain sailing… And as the all-Alcopop line up took the stage, and the punters poured in, we were rockin’. The Candle Thieves, fresh from the busom of the RAC, delighted the crowd with honey sweet melodies, delicious faces and hand claps galore, My First Tooth launched into a veritable marathon of folk-fused modern day classics – do you dance? Do you laugh at the lush melodies or cry at the bitter sentiments hinted at? All three at respectable levels (perhaps simultaneously) recommended.

Then it was time for Stagecoach, who showcased a new stage show which really rocked – with crowd pummeling Nick furiously thrashing within the crowd while Tom became perhaps the first Mandolin player to pull a flying leap from atop a bass drum ever… In short, breathtaking… On decks Nathan T Pyle kept the punters entertained with a smattering of The Candyskins and Arrows of Love, whilst Richard from Ten Speed Photography took marvelous photographs.

All in all, a splendid day – and a favourable setting for the launch of the Stagecoach We Got Tazers EP… Strong times ladies and gentlemen, strong times…. Oh, and cheers so much for coming y’all!

Alcopop show rocked the flake out of G&Ds

It’s always fun trying gigs somewhere that little bit different… So last Thursday Alcopop took to G&D’s Ice Cream Parlour on the Cowley Road in Oxford (so a bit of a homecoming show in essence). How lovely it was, and amidst copious amounts on magnificent flavoursome ice cream (with gummy bears the only choice) a vaguely confused crow gathered, wondering what to expect. I too wondered. Slightly worried.

On first, and supplying the PA were the charming Boog who impressed a strong local following, before The Family Machine swept up the gig in a folk-tinged fist of glory. Reminiscent of a bunch of old country yokels (without the straw hats) they sat on a bench and regailed delighted revellers with new songs, old songs and all sorts really. They were ace; consummately delicious some might say. In terms of ice cream, imagine a big nutty caramel swirl served on a wafer – with added smartie topping.

Then came the Candle Thieves, clearly delighted with the scene, to deliver what has to go down as one of the top ice cream shows ever seen in Oxfordshire….  Sparklers, glockenspiels, ceremonial reveries of some starry-eyed kids and more, they left the stage to a standing ovation. Hot chocolates and sugar topped waffles flying about in abject happiness. A super night!

Ah it was ace… Thanks to G&Ds for putting it on, and look out for the next one. It will be ace I promise thee.

Candle Thieves ‘Sunshine EP’ out today…

A guilty pleasure for deep thinkers, the Candle Thieves reside in a very wonderful, weird and whimsical place. Gentle, poppy pleasures and soft-hearted sentiments with sinister undertows reside – and undulate deliciously through the ears.

Here at Alcopop therefore we are just delighted to be proudly heralding release day for their debut EP – The Sunshine EP, a marvelous collection of 4 delicious tracks ready to fill your heart with joy, and stereo with the kind of lush sounds not heard in this green and pleasant land for some while.

You can purchase it on limited edition (to 1,000 copies) CD or in digital format from the Alcopop shop… (75p straight up p&p however many things you order) And make October the cheeriest month of the year.

Viva Las Candle Thieves…

The Candle Thieves gardens are a-springing – a children’s story

Far across the country they meandered, always gravitating inexorably to the most beautiful gardens… For where flora and fauna was in abundance, The Candle Thieves loved to venture… Oh, they were not empty of fist or lung either – and were welcomed at each evergreen paradise with joy, bringing, as they were, their own steady-handed delicacies with them. Fresh steamed indie pop served with scrumptious side orders of luscious ice-cream melody was on the menu, with whimsical pop hits about sharks, sunshine and love filling the late summer air.

And lo, far away from the dank sticky floors of popular nightclubs they roamed children of Alcopop – and if the kids at the shows liked them just enough, they pulled out handfuls of golden coins and exchanged them for compact discs, resplendent in a shiny orange cover – presented with badge, bag and sticker with love from Alcopop. The music was reward enough, but in the bag lay something else… A small collection of seeds (just big enough to see) so that everyone who loved The Candle Thieves from the bottom of their hearts could create their own little Candle Thieves mini-garden, watch it grow and be reminded of Scott and Glock, and all the nice things that happened at their party.

Sure, no doubt some drunkards ate the seeds, or spat them at their pals with an air of hilarity (that cannot be denied), but others persevered – and now they’re bearing fruit (not literally). So check out these awesome pics via Kerry from the Mesh 29 (the boy’s old band) forum… And see how they grow… Any other pics, send em in!

The Candle Thieves EP up for pre-order now w/ Pre order freebies!

Ah August, look at you so gloomy out there… Refusing to make any of us smile with your cloudy face. Well f**k you you bleak old bi**h, because great news is afoot for those of you who may be missing sun on your face, but enjoy it in your heart.

Woop – one of Alcopop’s latest signings The Candle Thieves have released The Sunshine EP (limited to 1,000 copies) so delicious it will literally leave you grinning for weeks… It’s up for pre-order right now from our shop (out on the 10th September – we’ll make sure you get it early), for the sum of just £5 of your English pounds, or £2.50 for the MP3s. This site is liable to be the only place where it’s available digitally, although iTunes would be another quid more expensive, so you’re better off getting it from us anyway…

But wait! There’s more! As you may know, the boys have recently been traversing the gardens of England playing a lovely tour outside in folk’s houses, and we were keen for people to take a little bit of the Candle Thieves magic back to their own gardens… Therefore, the first 20 people to order the EP (on CD) will get a promo TCT seed bag to plant or keep, all branded up with TCT/Alcopop stickers and badge – and limited (strictly) to just 100. Plus the first 10 we ship out are fully signed by the lovely Scott and Glock.

Awesome…

Love you poppers

Candle Thieves video delivers summer sunshine for all

 I love it when a band delivers a new video… It’s always so nice to take something that you’ve listened so many times (and believe when I promise you I will have listened to said song hundreds of times) – and take a look at just how someone’s visualised it.. Whether it’s the same as the images you had in your head, or if the director has taken it off on a whole different direction opening up new ideas and concepts… I can happily say I’ve never been disappointed in an Alcopop band’s video yet, and my god – this new epic from Alcopopper’s The Candle Thieves is something seriously special!

Created by the amazing Richard Cullen at Pixelfing (whose conceit for the video was more of an awesome, passion-fuelled mini biopic than your regular document), and starring a lovely lady called Sarah Matthews – it was exclusively launched on MySpace today, to much love and adulation from Thievers galore… In fact, I can honestly say that if you don’t watch this without a modicum of unadulterated summer joy seeping into your heart you are, most likely, a troll of some variety, hanging out in a cave and gnawing on the bones of some long-forgotten victims of your cold, cold soul.

Try me….

The Candle Thieves in The Guardian

Where will they spring up next? Here’s a lovely little piece from today’s Guardian featuring Alcopop ‘indie drips’ (ahem)… The Candle Thieves

Thieving candles and eating pizza like it aint’ no thing

And now on to the Candle Thieves, who, as well as being covered by them good folks at Heckler Spray have been spilling the beans on exactly how much pizza they eat at Unitedmusic.co.uk… Me myself I haven’t seen this side to them yet – but if they do as well as I’m expecting them too, expect some very fat thieves within the next year or two… J

“Ha ha we always celebrate everything with a pizza. I nearly fell over the other day but I turned it around, so it was pizza time. We said we could get Dominos to cater our joint wedding. Not to each other, we’re not that close”.

Heckler said of them…

“The Sunshine Song is what everyone should hear in the morning. It’s utterly charmless (we presume they mean charming) and features nuggets of good feelings. Rainbows, flowers, sunshine, smiles and flattering remarks about people are all on this song”.

All true – and very much what I’d expect an Alcopop office, should we ever have one, to look like (in all fairness, probably without the flattering remarks)…

Whatsmore, much like goFASTER>> who continue to rock up the Hollyoaks vibe, TCT tracks have been singing all over the new MySpace drama ‘Freak’… Look as they soundtrack an androgynous (but strangely cute) girl stripping to her underwear in the opening shot – who I can’t deny looks a little like Sam Duckworth…. Hmmmm – Play the tape…

Episode 1, Part 1

Candle Thieves interviewed and another free MP3

 As if Wolf Am I giving away Lex Talionis wasn’t enough – it seems that The Candle Thieves have only gone and added to the aceness of this week, by offering a free song for you all. You see, they’re giving away a free download of our song http://www.musicglue.com/thecandlethieves. “It was recorded around the time of the forthcoming EP but it won’t be appearing on there, or the album so it’s the only place you’ll find it.”

Go for it – its ace!

Meanwhile, some chaps at a blog called beat surrender have been busy interviewing them too – asking them a whole heap of questions, including “You’ve signed to Alcopop Records, did you have other offers and what drew you to that label in particular?” To which Scott said…

“Well we kind of knew straight away they were perfect for us, it was all done very quickly! I was a massive Midget fan growing up, and the label’s inspired by them, and then to have Andy Hawkins (Midget bass player) produce our record, it all just seem to fit. And they add this really cool personal touch to their records, like their compilation in a bottle with a little treasure map, we love that! In a world of downloading and what not it’s awesome to have physical CD’s done in different ways.”

Aw… Thanks lads x

You can read the rest over here….