CLUB.THE.MAMMOTH.

Had a great year this year, after really becoming of age! We started at the Stag’s Head back in April and since have gone onto run stages The Stag and Dagger, 1234 and Dj-ed the likes of Field Day and Offset festivals… We’ve started a label and now are even running out of town nights! As well as continuing to run packed out nights at some of our favourite London venues like The Old Blue Last, Lock Tavern and Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen.

For our XMAS party finale we’ve got 3 of our favourite bands coming back to play for us again with very special headliners Hatcham Social coming down to play for us for the very first time (well Toby has Dj-ed for us in the past…)

Anyhow check out the FB EVENT PAGE for a load of lovely links, and stay tuned for some very exciting announcements of our plans for the newyear!

Ed.

Introducing our third and last release of the year…

Originally intended as the ‘B’ to a more ‘radio -friendly’ ‘A’-side,  since ditched…..‘Real Friends’ encapsulates where Arrows Of Love are at this moment in time - full of surprises, and itching to challenge the formulaic, ‘acceptable’ face of music.

Coming in at just 120 seconds ‘Real Friends’ is a wild projectile howl, yet ultimately utterly sane, frenzy of a song. The original acoustic recording of ‘Ships’, as the new B-side is perhaps an antidote.

The band is currently recording with up-and-coming London producer Rory Brattwell (S.C.U.M., Male Bonding, Kasms, Marina & The Diamonds), and has teamed up with mastering guru Bob Weston of Shellac, to further push the riotous intensity of their alternative sound.

Recent recipients of XFM’s ‘X-posure Hot One’ title,  Arrows of Love have been lauded as one of the most exciting live bands in London. Their debut EP, ‘Burn This Town’  and cover of ‘In The Year 2525’ were championed at radio by Zane Lowe, Huw Stephens, John Kennedy, Steve Lamacq and Rob da Bank. They released only 20 physical copies of the latter; each alongside a different piece by one of 20 artists interpreting the 1969 song’s imagery. The pieces were exhibited, both in their own gallery space and as a flash art mob at the Tate Modern, before being auctioned. This included works by legendary photographer Steve Gullick, as well as students from London, Paris and New York.

As a live band Arrows of Love are known for their unpredictability; the revolving line-up featuring past and present members of Hush The Many, Jamie T, Courtney Love and Turbogeist, to name a few, and have included dates alongside British Sea Power and 80’s Matchbox B-Line Disaster.

The band was recently included on the Strummerville Foundation’s 2010 Summer Sessions Compilation and was a Drowned In Sound highlight of Northern Star’s Psychedelia 4.

A second single is planned for early February, and a third alongside their debut album in March 2011.

“Tattered, erratic, and modest, it’s the stuff of classic rock legend” The Independent.

“Impressive…..Punk infused white noise collides with Barrettesque schizophrenia culminating in a riotous breakdown” Drowned In Sound.

“Their fine repertoire of songs and magnetic stage presence is irresistible” Artrocker.

“A band for the connoisseur” Daily Mirror.

“If one is to delve a little deeper with something of substance, something dignified, you can find the likes of London’s Arrows of Love” Rockfeedback.

“Dirgy and shambolic… instrumental intensity… like a cross between Marc Bolan and Jim Morrison” Clash.

BUY the limited edition 7” vinyl from our shop now! (not in time for XMAS! haha) http://clubthemammoth.bigcartel.com/product/arrows-of-love-real-friends

Ed.

Almost the end of the year and as everyone else doing a list has said it’s been a damn good year for albums! Rather than post a top hundred I thought I’d give you a top 5. The top 4 were easy, the final one less so.

5. School Of Seven Bells - Disconnect From Desire . There are so many good tracks to DJ and it’s just dreamy, perfectly executed synth pop.

4. Four Tet - There Is Love In You - Beautifully intricate and impossibly full of ideas it’s a record I can’t wear out.

3. Mount Kimbie - Crooks And Lovers - Made up of simply some of the best sounds I’ve come across it gels brilliantly and is undoubtedly original in it’s take on Dub and a variety of other genres.

2. The National - High Violet - ’It’s deft, assured, more culmination of years of hard work and although it took several listens to even begin to get my head around it the sound of this band just keeps getting better.

1. Gold Panda - Lucky Shiner - This is still totally blowing me away. I can’t get over how good the sample work is and how many views of life are taken in on the album that doesn’t even have lyrics. Musical craftsmanship taken to a new level. I need more as soon as possible!

Drew.

And we’re hosting the London date! Get your tickets right now HERE.

In celebration of their split AA side single entitled “I Know What You Did Last Summer” / “Take Me Home”, due for release on 7 February, A.Human and La Shark will be hitting the road for a two week tour of the UK:

A freezing Monday night in South London sees Interpol pack out the gently, sloping cavern that is Brixton Academy. Managing to catch the very end of Surfer Blood the keyboardist can be seen standing a top a floor tom bashing out notes and giving the impression that they might have been enjoying the opportunity of a three night support slot alongside the much hyped, and suitably excellent, Anna Calvi.

There’s been much made of Interpol in the last few months with a mixed bag of album reviews and the departure of bassist Carlos D. A bold move on his part and on listening to the album a brave move to continue to tweak the same trusted formula. A move that, whilst doesn’t consistently reach the highest level on record, works incredibly well live.

It was most certainly a night where the new well and truly outshone the old. ‘Success’ from the new LP kicked off the night in suitable fashion followed by the earlier material ‘Say Hello to the Angels’ and ‘Narc’. The five suited figures cut their usual striking figure and it all simmered amongst a backdrop of various lights and a never ending quantity of smoke.

By no means a test of endurance it didn’t feel like it connected until the first notes of ‘Pioneer to the Fall’ in the second half of the set. The echoing, delayed guitar played against the massive drums really hit home. ‘Lights’, a highlight of the new album followed shortly after and built into a magnificent crescendo far more deft than anything the band have previously delivered. The last of the new material came in the form of ‘Memory Serves’ sounding ten times bigger live.

The final songs and encore consisted of ‘PDA’, ‘Untitled’, ‘Evil’ and ‘Not Even Jail’ off of the the first two albums but it was the later two albums that really showed the band off tonight. They’ve taken a few knocks but they’re as impressive as ever, if not more so. For Interpol and Carlos ‘The Heinrich Manoeuvre’ sums it up as well as anything – ‘Well I’ve got a chance for a sweet sane life. Said I’ve got a dance it, moves into the night. Well I’ve got a plan with forward in my eyes.’

Drew.