Albums Out This Week: W/C 30th November 2009

Enjoy 2009 while it lasts Britain, for it seems that its successor will be a murky year for music lovers. Not least because Lord Voldemort himself Peter Mandelson is in charge.

Somewhat akin to putting Bernard Matthews in charge of PETA, January will see tens of thousands of British citizens targeted in 'scattershot' attempts to extort money through threats of piracy-related legal action. Hopefully, they'll all turn out to be dead, elderly or animals like last time. Also a possibility is the onset of paid web content with many websites shifting to a subscriber model (not us).

It's commonly known as the heroin approach: give them a little somethin' somethin', get them hooked and then jack up the prices. Nevermind, at least we'll have The X-Factor for free... help.

Various Artists: Rough Trade Shops - Indiepop 2009

Rough Trade are once again releasing a mixer showcasing some of their most promising artists - and The Vivian Girls - from 2009. Previous versions of this sampler have exposed the world to many bands who've gone on to become household names and we expect no different from the twenty five artists included in this year's edition. You can familiarise yourself with the track-listing and purchase information via the Rough Trade website HERE

Strawberry Whiplash: Picture Perfect [EP]

Scottish pop duo Strawberry Whiplash will be releasing a second E.P this week, following the widely successful release of their début E.P Who's In Your Dreams from early '08. Like a lot of Scottish bands on Matinee records, Strawberry Whiplash make us want to use the inclusive term 'British music' as opposed to 'English music'.

Jesca Hoop: Hunting My Dress

Jesca Hoop's (pictured at top) second album Hunting My Dress will be released in Britain this week before seeing an American release in early 2010.  Jesca will also be departing from her home in California to do a short European tour in support of the release and after listening to a few Bjork-esque songs from the album, we're certainly on board for this release. 

Forever the Sickest Kids: The Weekend: Friday

A little late for the Summer season which is so desperately seeks to encapsulate, Forever the Sickest Kids are everything you've grown to hate, electro-pop, auto-tune, huge swabs of emo and yet somehow the final product is nowhere near as euthanasia-inducing as you might think. Mark one for the 'win' column.

Beans on Toast: Standing on a Chair [Explicit Lyrics]

The rather oddly named solo act Beans On Toast will be releasing his début this week and although we can barely withstand the man's accent, we would happily endure the pain for a chance to catch the astonishing Mumford & Sons support slot at the album's release party this week.  

Tony Allen: Here Comes The Nite Owl!

Nigerian Afrobeat legend Tony Allen has been producing material for over four decades now, Here Comes The Nite Owl! will be the next addition to a discography which already boasts over fifty releases. It's safe to say that Tony's music requires a fine taste in a completely diverse culture, yet his musical talent will be apparent to all. 

Dan Clews: Dan Clews

After a few long months on concentrated touring Dan Clews will be releasing his highly anticipated début self-titled album. The album was recorded with a collection of reputable producers at Abbey Road Studios earlier this year and will be released on an independent label run by George Martin.  

Tina Dico: The Road to Gavle

Winner of the best female vocalist award at the Danish Music Awards in 2006, Dico (or Dickow in her native land) achieved her first slice of international fame thanks to a prominent collaboration with Zero 7 on their second album, When It Falls with the songs "Home" and "The Space Between". She captured our heart when stating 'abroad [I am] known as Tina Dico in order to avoid mispronunciation by American English speakers.'.

Pants Yell!: Received Pronunciation [Import]

Pants Yell! are an innocent Pop project that formed at the Boston Arts College back in 2003, amazingly this will be their fourth album since then. The band's previous releases haven't seen much exposure but after extensive touring and preparation, we believe that Received Pronunciation will do well on British shores. 

Gifts from Enola: From Fathoms

After cancelling tour plans earlier in the year Gifts From Enola are finally on the road showcasing their new album with some awesome support acts riding along side, such as If These Trees Could Talk who are one of the most loved post-rock bands here at SG. This album is probably the single most important release for us this week, we strongly advise that you give it a listen.