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Post by livlovesmusique on Feb 22, 2009 21:34:02 GMT
I contacted the band about a week ago asking about a possible release for the new album and tour in the US and here's what they wrote back within a matter of hours:
Hey there, thanx for your email. Radio Wars will almost definitely be out in the US later this year, hopefully accompanied by a tour! Hope to see ya there xHB
;D
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Post by blade on Feb 22, 2009 23:40:53 GMT
Liv - I told you they'd reply if you contacted them!
No date yet for the US release though. What does 'almost definitely' mean?
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Post by livlovesmusique on Feb 23, 2009 1:05:53 GMT
You were right! I'm not sure...maybe the "almost definitely" means they're either in the process of getting a distribution deal or a record deal in the US? Or maybe it's referring to it being released later in the year? If nothing comes up over the next month or so, I'm going to try and contact their management and see what's going on with the release.
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Post by livlovesmusique on Apr 30, 2009 20:09:19 GMT
There's an official North Am. release date for the album!! It'll be out on July 28th in the US and Canada
From Bilboard: ustralian rock quartet Howling Bells has signed to Nettwerk Music Group, and the band is set to release its sophomore album and North American debut, "Radio Wars," on July 28th in the U.S. and Canada. The album's first single, "Cities Burning Down," will be out June 2nd on iTunes.
The UK-based group - comprised of siblings Juanita Stein on vocals and guitarist Joel Stein, bassist Brendan Picchio and drummer Glenn Moule -- are set to open for Coldplay on a North American tour this May and June.
For "Radio Wars" the band partnered with producer Dan Grech-Marguerat, who engineered records alongside Nigel Godrich for Radiohead, Air and Paul McCartney, among others.
Howling Bells formed in Australia in 2004 and shortly after moved to London, where they recorded their 2006 self-titled debut with producer Ken Nelson (Coldplay). Driven by singles like "Setting Sun" and "Low Happening," the success of Howling Bells saw the foursome tour with the likes of The Killers and Placebo in Europe and Snow Patrol in Australia.
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Post by blade on Apr 30, 2009 20:16:59 GMT
Great news!
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Post by blade on May 18, 2009 20:25:45 GMT
Here are a few more details of the US release (some of it repeats what Liv posted above):
Howling Bells: Album, Coldplay Tour HOWLING BELLS SIGN TO NETTWERK MUSIC GROUP
BAND CONFIRMED TO OPEN FOR COLDPLAY ON MAY/JUNE SPRING TOUR
LEAD SINGLE ‘CITIES BURNING DOWN’ OUT JUNE 2 ON ITUNES
SOPHOMORE ALBUM RADIO WARS SET FOR JULY 28 RELEASE (New York, NY), (April 30, 2009) - Nettwerk Music Group is proud to announce the signing of Australian rock n rollers HOWLING BELLS. The breakout group is set to release their sophomore album and N. American debut RADIO WARS on July 28th in the US and Canada, with their smoldering first single “Cities Burning Down” out June 2nd on iTunes. They’ll celebrate early by joining COLDPLAY on their North American tour this May and June.
The UK-based band–lead vocalist Juanita Stein, guitarist brother Joel Stein, bassist Brendan Picchio and drummer Glenn Moule–formed in Australia in 2004 and shortly after moved to London, where they recorded their 2006 self-titled debut album with producer Ken Nelson (Coldplay). Since the first guitar strums of their stellar eponymous debut, the group has delivered a dark and razor sharp rock n roll sound that has left fans and media swooning in their wake. Driven by singles “Setting Sun” and “Low Happening,” the success of Howling Bells saw the foursome tour with the likes of The Killers and Placebo in Europe and Snow Patrol in Australia.
Already a top 30 album in the UK, their sophomore release Radio Wars sees the band expanding their darkly majestic sound and seems certain to elevate the group to a wider consciousness. The dark subject matter that marked the first remains, but it’s a set of songs that are far more adventurous and diverse sounding, yet equally as melodic. For Radio Wars, the band partnered with Dan Grech-Marguerat, who has engineered records alongside producer Nigel Godrich, including Radiohead, Air and Paul McCartney.
The UK press have continued to pour on critical praise, declaring Radio Wars “unashamedly epic in it’s scope, awash with windswept beauty and darkly romantic lyrics…” (UNCUT). The DAILY MAIL observes: “Singer Jaunita Stein’s breathless vocals evoke vintage Debbie Harry while nodding towards the swagger of Garbage’s Shirley Manson.”
Now fresh off a triumphant homecoming show at V Festival in Melbourne, the group has the distinct pleasure of joining Coldplay this May and June as they tour across the US and Canada. Concertgoers will do best to be punctual as the Bells have been known to put on an intoxicating live performance. Says NME,”Take one magnificent frontwoman, one guitar genius, and a set of incredible songs, and what do you get? Total brilliance, obviously.”
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Post by blade on Jul 31, 2009 23:32:05 GMT
There ought to be some American reviews by now. Aaah! Here's one. Juanita Stein = Michelle Pfeiffer? Never noticed that before. From: blogs.nypost.com/popwrap/archives/2009/07/howling_bells.html#moreText: A massive tour with Coldplay and Snow Patrol? Yup, The Howling Bells did that. Releasing a new CD called "Radio Wars" with 10 perfectly pressed keyboard-driven sounds? Yeah, they did that too. Appearing as a quartet of band members with talent equally as smoking as their sultry looks? Did, and will keep doing, that! With a sophomore album out this month, the Australian foursome better known as The Howling Bells bring a emo-dark cloud over the normally sunny town of pop-ville. With songs like the UFO-drenched "Treasure Hunt" and the brilliantly smooth "Into the Chaos," this album has a unique aura of comfort similar to that of a much needed rainy day. Their first single, "Cities Burning Down," has a name more dangerous than it deserves. About a foggy hope of slow, drawn-out passion, it's sewn together by guitar chords and lyrics that slice like a knife through a warm stick of butter. The video is just as tasty as the song. ( Why front-woman Juanita Stein reminds me of Michelle Pfeiffer in "Grease 2," I have no idea, but she does). Then comes the adorably easy song "Let's Be Kids," that is easier to listen to than ocean waves on a clear day. It transports the listener back to a time when nothing mattered but who liked who and whose mom would pick you up after the movie. Innocence transcending music, a feat that most musicians try to accomplish, but few actually achieve.
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Post by blade on Aug 4, 2009 21:04:10 GMT
And here's another good review, from the University of Wisconsin's premier independent student newspaper, no less: badgerherald.com/blogs/arts/2009/07/30/howling_bells_win_th.phpText: Howling Bells win the battle in ‘Radio Wars’ Sophomore album from Australian rock group haunts listeners with gloomy tracks By Christine Dubie on July 30, 2009 10:57 AM 0 Vote 0 Votes Howling Bells lives up to its enigmatic name, with a neo-noir rock attitude that frolics in the shadow between the darkness and light. The Australian quartet, composed of Juanita Stein, Brandan Picchio, Glenn Mouleand Joel Stein released their self-titled debut in 2006 to critical acclaim, and after three years they prove they are still a great band to look out for. The release of Radio Wars is well timed as a midsummer pickup for the high note the music industry has been hitting again and again this year. While they may not be as eclectic as Animal Collective or as dreamy as Grizzly Bear, Howling Bells find their niche with a catchy yet tragic sound nestled somewhere in the middle of the indie spectrum. More than just another dime-a-dozen alternative rock group, Howling Bells solidifies their sound in shadow with a surprising vibrancy. Equipped with a lead singer like Juanita who is both innocent and dangerous, and a sound that is at once jubilant and ominous, Radio Wars succeeds in fusing opposites in an intriguing way. The sophomore release starts off with “Treasure Hunt,” a title which foreshadows what the album ultimately becomes. Listeners are driven into the track by layers of percussion and Juanita’s forceful croon. From the very start, Howling Bells have launched into the schizophrenia that is their edgy yet romantic style. Alternating largely between slightly tragic yet optimistic tunes and relentlessly morose tracks, the album seems to embody its own name in battling for a dominant theme. Is it radio-worthy rock, or a unique listening experience to be scoffed at by the typical radio aficionado? Radio Wars is both and neither, as its beats are catchy and seem danceable, yet its melodies probe with jaded lyrics like, “To cry doesn’t make it any easier/ To laugh doesn’t always feel right.” For example, tke tracks like “It Ain’t You” and “Nightingale.” While they are similar in tempo and lack of guitar dominance, they differ greatly as the former feels complacent and the latter is far more haunting, yet somehow comforting. As a matter of fact, the band seems much more convincing as a spooky rock troupe than a more mainstream and radio-ready version of itself. As with the already mentioned “It Ain’t You” along with “Golden Web” and “Digital Hearts,” the band falters when they fail to push the envelope far enough. When Howling Bells does hit the mark, however, we’re left with truly remarkable tracks like “Into The Chaos,” a jarring and euphoric listen laced with Juanita’s lilting voice. “Ms. Bell’s Song/Radio Wars Theme” further proves their mastery in the eerie playfulness of the first half, solidified by the second half’s crashing, dirge-like chorus, “Radio wars are coming/ They’re here.” Howling Bells state the arrival of their album like a prophesy, and the music world should be both curious and thankful for its fulfillment. If your intrigue isn’t enough to push you to purchase, head over to Howling Bells’ Myspace page where the album is currently streaming. Immerse yourself in each slightly offbeat track, and if you aren’t convinced of their prowess after hearing Radio Wars, then you haven’t truly let yourself get into the chaos. 4 out of 5 stars.
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Post by blade on Aug 9, 2009 22:02:28 GMT
Another decent US review: www.popmatters.com/pm/review/108014-howling-bells-radio-wars/Text: Howling Bells Radio Wars (Independiente) If Howling Bells’ self-titled 2006 debut was a roll in the dust of some lonesome country road with Donnie Darko, Radio Wars has the Sydney foursome unlocking a secret garden where the gnomes and squirrels have picked up instruments and lead singer Juanita Stein is enchantress. Indeed, this long-awaited sophomoric effort, coming three years after Howling Bells, is a conscious romp down nostalgia lane where economic crises and 9-to-5 drudgery are suspended in cinematic fantasy. But like any good fantasy, Gothic forces, far from banished, lurk in the fringes. The result is a sight-for-sore-eyes beautiful, almost fragile, pop record that you can still chew. And if producing the great follow-up to an opus magnum of a debut has the coveted status of crown jewels, then Howling Bells has not only snared the prize but done it without the courtesy of their former label Bella Union, which has seen its stock soar thanks to the stratospheric success of Fleet Foxes . As on Howling Bells, Stein’s voice exudes the buttery twee of Camera Obscura’s Tracyanne Campbell and the heartfelt-sans-pomp musical expressiveness of PJ Harvey . On “Treasure Hunt” it is visited by a breathy otherworldly majesty while on “Golden Web” her barbs—“You bit me / Yeah you bit me/ And you ran away just like a spider”—are coated with a cuts-like-glass purity that at times rings possessed. The vocal suppleness last relished on “A Ballad for the Bleeding Hearts” shines through on single “In the Chaos” as the composition allows Stein to enter dryly treading a couple of neighbouring tones and then bursting forth in her signature dreamy swoon. Yet as much as Stein stands out, Howling Bells is foremost a band. And insofar as Howling Bells was grafted with lyrical layers, Radio Wars—concerned as it is with trite matters of the broken heart, yearnings for simpler times and fears about the unknown future—shows hitherto unexplored sonic depth. Brother Joel Stein still contributes his bravura guitar skills, but in hailing the synth-mobile the band has pushed its proclivity for theatrical atmospherics, hinted on their debut, into full production. On opener “Treasure Hunt”, arguably the best of the album’s ten tightly rendered tunes, drum rolls segue into a droning bass and melodramatic airbrushed synths. The scene exacts an eerie infantile charm thanks to a chorus of “ba-ba” on loop. Juanita’s forceful yet diaphanous register as she sings: “We are the watch towers / We are the light that emanates / We are the keys that fits / We are the walls that radiate” goes powerhouse with the boost of Joel’s ghostly vocal mimicry, hyperkinetic synths, and riding drums. All the while Joel’s guitar workmanship provides the listen-carefully-or-you’ll-miss-it beatific flourishes. At less than three minutes , “Treasure Hunt” is clipped before it gets overly precious. To contrast, the reverie-inducing “Nightingale” builds up from nothing but Juanita’s lulling croon into an otherworldly guitar splendour that is later joined by a chorus of hums, strings, and harp-like sparkling synths. The anthemic “Let’s Be Kids Again” is arguably the album’s weak link. Due to its pedestrian subject matter yet utterly viral musical aspect, it is really rather annoying. The tickling mandolin and foghorn sounds painting the backdrop as Stein sings (straightfaced) “Let’s be kids again / Life was so simple then” is almost comical in its affectedness. That said, after not quite four minutes, we move on to “Ms. Bells Song”, another of the album’s highlights. It’s introduced by a quiet guitar strum—the first pared-back moment on Radio Wars—and Juanita’s perennially pertinent question: “What makes you happy / All the time?” The song builds up layer upon layer, the cream of which is Joel’s guitar acrobatics. When Juanita gets herself into a tangled knot: “To cry doesn’t make it any easier / To laugh doesn’t always feel right / It’s time that makes it all harder”, the song simultaneously sweetens and spooks with an added glockenspiel. Unexpectedly the climax—a guitar strum and dash on the crash cymbal—is lightning-quick for a band that likes to revel at the pinnacle. Although the song concludes with Juanita and the acoustic guitar, it’s really not quite all. The whole idea of “Radio Wars” and the cinematic patina of the album are overtly realised in the Lennon-McCartney-esque coda of “Ms. Bells Song” like a B side. An arpeggiated organ sequence joined by marching drums and a repeat chorus of “Radio Wars are coming” crescendos into an orgy of drums, symbols, voice samples, and sonic flotsam. The result then dissolves aptly into a puddle of interference before it risks becoming tiresome. As a second album, Radio Wars is almost perfect to a fault. While it consolidates the band’s much-applauded sound, Howling Bells has capitalised on its newfound confidence by burrowing untrodden terrain that offers fans more reason to invest in them a second time. Based solely on its musical sensibilities and lyricism one couldn’t say Radio Wars was a more mature effort than its predecessor. But given that it indicates its creators’ comfort in their being, it certainly sounds grown up.
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