Posts tagged ‘Screaming Maldini’
Restless Hearts and Silent Pioneers – Hello Screaming Maldini!
The sextet from Sheffield are a handsome bunch, and we’ve missed them… It’s been a while since their debut EP ‘And the Kookaburra’ graced your fine ears way back in February… But true to deliciously melodic form, they’re releasing Restless Hearts and Silent Pioneers… A seasonally twisted EP masterpiece that features four new tracks, one of which is a cover of ‘As Dew in Aprille’ – a traditional favourite written back when Nick from Stagecoach was still a wee lad (1700s I think).
The latter has already been lauded by the NME who said of it: “The wise man’s tale goes that only a very brave group of musical minstrels take on a historical tune like this and sing it in their own, quirky, indie style. But somehow, it works.” – the opening track can be seen via a delicious video below. You can purchase from the shop from tomorrow for just 4 shimmering English coins which, I mused as I took a £10 cab ride from somewhere to somewhere else not very far away, is not a bad deal… The artwork (as designed by Ralph @ Gulp!) is something to behold as well, all die-cut snowflakes and wintry wonder!
<3 Screaming Maldini – Secret Sounds video
Oh and it really kills! You must watch this – prrrretty much immediately. Straight from the magnificent ‘Kookaburra Sings’ EP, released strongly on Alcopop a while back. Aren’t Maldini hot!
Hometown Heroes Tour – in June!
One of our goals of 2009, and 2010 indeed, was to make Alcopop a close-knit family – and with it, adopt a hearty collection of bands who love each other, creative types who help us out – and a group of exceptional folk (aka you) who knew that when they bought a record, came to a show or got involved with Alcopop in any way that not only did we appreciate it massively, but that we were all pushing in the same direction. Team PoP as it were…!
And with this, we hoped would come inter-band harmony, acts who dug playing with each other, grew handsomely together – and generally had an ace time. So it’s with great delight that I can announce the Hometown Heroes Tour, an idea incepted in my back garden with the good chaps of Stagecoach at the beginning of 2010… And now coming to fruition, where 4 vessels launched from the good ship PoP all tour together over what is likely to be a weekend of sold out shows, ripping apart rampant home towns.
The handsome bunch involve: Screaming Maldini, My First Tooth, Stagecoach and Elephants, with venues (as it sounds) in home towns – Folkestone, Dorking, Northampton and Sheffield… And believe me, this tour is going to be rad! The Poster below [designed by Owen ‘Phants lovely girlfriend) explains it all, so see you at a show yeah?
Deep breath – We all love Screaming Maldini…(part 1)
But it’s not just us you know, and in the past few weeks there has been all sorts of love from all sorts of places for the boys and girls from Sheffield. And in a blog post (or two), I’m going to attempt to sum up just some of the kind words uttered by glorious people from super places.
The ace Folly of Youth shall start suggesting that “the band manage to confound expectations and continually surprise and delight”, whilst Alter the Press mark the record 4/5 and reckon that “If you are looking for Indie Pop that guarantees a good time and harks back to the golden age of pop, this is definitely for you.” Rock Midgets give the same score asking “Is that Hugh Hefner? Screaming Maldini’s are the house band? Awesome, someone get me a martini!”
Elsewhere (on Tumblr) Music Fans Mic mark the record 9.1 out of 10 and say “Good things lie ahead for Screaming Maldini, make no mistake”, and Clicky Clicky reckon the EP is “mind-bogglingly good”. This is Fake DIY agree suggesting “This eccentric cacophony is entirely over the top but like the youthful exuberance that radiates from these three students, it’s contagious.”
I think my very favourite quote of all though comes from the lovely Matt of Heckler Spray who sums it up for me… Perfectly! “Honestly, if we could pick a band to soundtrack our dreams where we float through the clouds and eat pieces of rainbow, it would be them.” Got it in 27 words!
Monday night poppin’ at the Old Blue Last
8.00pm on a Saturday night and quite frankly, I’m lacking inspiration. Been packing up Screaming Maldini CDs to the accompaniment of Winter Olympics all afternoon, I’m a few beers down after a majestic Coventry City victory this afternoon against floundering Palace – so all things considered probably a fine time to tell you about Monday night. Sure, sure…
Really – it’s an Alcopop explosion right? Because with Screaming Maldini, Stagecoach and Ross from My First Tooth all treading the boards alongside former PoP pals Stars & Sons, everything will be coming up lovely. And what’s more, it’s all free, free, free to get in. Can’t beat a bit of that. So Old Blue Last tomorrow is surely the only place to be in London town… And if you need more convincing you can download a free Screaming Maldini and Stars & Sons track just here.
Oh, and The 405 & Alcopop DJs will be dropping bombs inbewteen acts…! Yes!
Say you’ll be there.
Screaming Maldini up for pre-order today… And the Kookaburra
Apologies any Italians who have got through to this page expecting to find career statistics on their raven-haired former captain Pierluigi – but I’m very glad you did. Because that’ll give me a chance to tell you about the debut EP release by the similarly monikered band from Sheffield, now available in our shop.
Featuring ex-members of local heroes (now sadly departed) The Situationists, Screaming Maldini are nevertheless a very different proposition – somewhere between the likes of Mew and a ‘Muppet Babies Bloc Party’ (God is in the TV zine)… Something like that anyway.
As for the EP itself, the 5 track behemoth hovers somewhere between epic and tumultuous, switching from huge orchestral sonatas to punchier power pop and well, you’ll really have to have a listen to it yourself… As I’m not really sure how to do this one justice.
CD is lovingly artworked and hand crafted with lavish-looking folded cardboard sleeve (with kookaburra present) – and for a very limited period we have mega deal packs to ive away for just a shade over a tenner, which include a magnificent Kookaburra tee (well of course)… But we’ve literally got 20, tops (below), so do order quick.
Oh – and I probably should take this opportunity to tell you that postage rates are fixed in the pop shop however much stuff you buy. 75p to UK for 1 or 1000 discs (although you may struggle to find the latter in our shop J) – so have yourselves a butchers….
Screaming Maldini vs Stars and Sons Feb mini tour
With fresh sparkling eyes, and a myriad of melodic loveliness in all of their hearts, it’s rather nice that Screaming Maldini and Stars & Sons met – and have decided to bring their differing brands of balls-out, joy fuelled power pop to the UK this February, taking in a handful of shows and a whole heap of miles in a mission to start the summer early.
Catch them at the following venues
Feb 21st Sheffield – The Grapes
Feb 22nd – London – Old Blue Last (w/ Stagecoach & Ross MFT Telecaster sessions)
Feb 23rd – Brighton – The Albert
Feb 24th – Northampton – The Labour Club
Feb 25th – Oxford – The Cellar
To download tracks from both bands to try before you buy, visit http://drop.io/listenwithmother – and do feel free to distribute/ post… If you fancy popping alone than absolutely do. It should be a really, rather lovely tour!
Alter the Press Jan compilation featuring Screaming Maldini…
Alter The Press are generous souls alright. Pure of heart some may call them, others benevolent of spirit. So when they announce ‘oh you know, we’ve just released a carefully put together 16 track compilation featuring the likes of Tiger Please, Flood of Red and The Wonder Years’ one may not be surprised, but sure as hell grateful to download it forthwith. What’s even better is that PoP new boys (and girls) Screaming Maldini are bloody on it too. Which is awesome.
So to hear The Extraordinary by the magnificent Maldini, and 15 other super songs… Pop on over by clicking here – and revel in an evening of something for nothing. Kaboom!
Oh – and just in case anyone’s interested, I noticed on twitter today that Wichita Records are looking for a London-based intern… This would be an awesome thing to do. Drop em’ an email if you want in!
Screaming Maldini are red hot!
Here at Alcopop we’ve always been about putting together chart-friendly, image-conscious mainstream acts designed solely to break the top 40… (megalolz) So it was nice to confirm what a thoroughly good looking bunch we’ve signed in Screaming Maldini after Drowned in Sound recently got a-snapping at their recent show in Sheffield with BLK JKS. Go take a look for yourself (preferably between shots 6-9), read the review below (from a newly incepted Sheffield monthly) and start getting moist for the February EP.
I promise you’ll love it, or your money back.*
“Screaming Maldini break from the instant indie mould, but retain the fun and the energy. Obvious comparisons to the automatic prove unfounded after the first couple of songs; as they illustrate their depth and severe musical talent. Their sound is well rehearsed, like a jazzy/emo/indie/folk; Shades of Mew, The Earlies and Flaming Lips. Strangely I’m reminded of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. They play happily in the minor scales, as downbeat as their excitement will allow. To this band, time signatures appear to exist solely to be ignored.”
So to sum it up, what would you go for?? Well these guys have come up with perhaps my favourite musically related description of all time… “Imagine the Duracell bunny; on speed; with a guitar and a bow in his hair, and you’ve got Screaming Maldini.”
Awesome!
Oh – and I’ll be running a very brief interview with the lovely Nick of Screaming Maldini in the next few days… Is there anything you’d like to ask him (Alcopop or chips for instance) – just let us know? xxx
* Or something like that
New Alcopop signing announced: Screaming Maldini!
Happy New Year… And wasn’t 2009 bloody delicious? Dancing and singing in the streets to a riot of super new sounds – but trust me when I tells ya… 2010 is going to be even better. And what better way to kick off than with a brand new signing. So it is with delight, dear poppers, that I’d like to introduce to you the name that will no doubt be a-flirtingly spangling on your lips over the next few months and beyond… Screaming Maldini!
With fresh sparkling eyes, and a myriad of melodic loveliness in their hearts, Screaming Maldini introduce themselves to the world with a 5-track EP out in February via Alcopop Records, accompanied with a UK tour alongside former PoP favourites Stars & Sons! Featuring ex-members of The Situationists, Maldini are nevertheless a very different proposition – ‘somewhere between the likes of Mew and a Muppet Babies Bloc Party’ (God is in the TV zine).
“We like guitars, horns, keys, cowbells, tambourines, choirs, horses, bicycles and excitement” they say… Which goes some way to understanding their breathlessly exciting sound which mixes lush, layered melody with the kind of foot-tapping indie-pop that makes this a particularly compelling prospect. You WILL love…
Tom Robinson, who tends to know his stuff, said “WOW! Assertive, assured, different, free-ranging…it’s an amazingly sure-footed debut record…one of the most exciting things I’ve heard for months,” but why listen to him? A few of the kids may have already heard this, but for those who haven’t, check out the MySpace or click the megaphone below to download Maldini track The Extroadinary… And get excited!
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