Why do we keep doing it? It surely ain´t for the money :D

"Common Ground" from Barra Head´s last album, "Go Get Beat Up" is appearing in the documentary "Drømme i København" by Max Kestner. The film is opening the film festival CPH:DOX at a galla show tonight in DRKoncerthuset

Short article about the upcoming album and release party.

Press for the Barra Head album is starting to pop-up everywhere. Today Barra Head is featured in:

- Visions Weekly(page 18 & 19)
- MySpace Germany(front page)

We´ll keep you posted.

Barra Head is being tested at the alternative hit-list on Danish National Radio P3: Det Elektriske Barometer. They are testing "Common Ground" from the upcoming album "Go Get Beat Up". You have to be logged in to the community to vote.

Go Vote

Cital recommends Barra Heads forthcoming album Go Get Beat Up. "One of next years best danish releases will arrive in January. Be prepared." You´ll find it on page 32 if you follow this link.

Both Lack and Beta Satan have been put on "Heavy Rotation" at all the major University Radio-stations in Denmark. Tune in and rock out.

The great people of IT´S A TRAP have some very flattering things to say about Lack and their influence on the Post-Hardcore scene. They have also posted an MP3 from their debut album.

Yesterday Crunchy Frog announced that they have signed with Beta Satan. They will release their debut album next fall. Congratulation to Beta Satan. How is that saying? - Always go for the second best ;o)

Norway´s finest songwriter Saint Thomas passed away yesterday. Saint Thomas has a very special place in the heart of us Play/Rec´ers, since he was the first artist to visit Club Play/Rec with his wonderful songs and his tremendously harddrinking backing "Magic Band". This was back almost 6 years ago on October the 13 th 2001. An unforgettable night for everyone lucky enough to have been there. Since then many things have happened to St. Thomas as well as Play/Rec. "Mysterious Walks" indeed. RIP Thomas.

A message from Barra Head:

Time for an update...
We got everything mixed by Tim, but we had some doubts about some of the mixes. So we got in touch with J. Robbins again, and fortunately he agreed to give it a shot. Some of you might know that we have already been in touch with J. Robbins before. He was supposed to record the album back in january, but due to his son´s severe illness, he couldn´t come to Europe to record with us. But now it looks like he will be part of the project anyway, which is just fantastic. He will mix it in his Magpie Cage studio later this month. We have admired J. Robbins´ work for many years, as a musician and songwriter in Goverment Issue, Jawbox, Burning Airlines and Channels and as a producer and mixer for bands like Against Me, Faraquet, Promise Ring and many others. We can´t wait to hear what J. can do with our recordings. The album will be mastered at West West Side Music by Alan Douches, who has mastered just about every cool band on the planet. We´ve checked the liner notes on some of our favourite records. His clients include bands like Converge, Sufjan Stevens and Mastodon, just to name a few. And well, those records sound amazing. We´re so excited, can´t wait to get the final result.
We´ll be back later!

This Tuesday Lack entered the studio to record their third album. The album will be recorded with the assistance of Per Knold. Per Knold has previously worked with Lack on the recordings of the Mock 7” and Lack’s contribution to last years Play/Rec compilation “Five Years”. Aside from working with Lack, Per Knold has been involved in recordings of pretty much all Play/Rec artists and is also banging the drums in the Play/Rec band Menfolk.

Lack has 14 fantastic tracks ready for recording and we are all extremely exited to hear the results. The album will be mixed be Kenneth Andersen. Kenneth is a big fan of Lack and a much respected soundman, doing the live sound for Danish indie darlings Figurines and I am Bones. Besides his duties as a soundman he is also the guitarist in the great band “Beta Satan”.

After some technical difficulties Barra Head finally managed to post some pictures from their experiences in the studio in Hamburg . It’s almost a week since the band left Copenhagen and they have come a long way in the progress of recording their 3rd album. They are very exited about the results this far. Go check out the blog at: barrahead.blogspot.com

Barra Head is doing a blog from the Ton Hotel studio in Hamburg . The first couple of stories have already been posted. So go check out how the progress is with the recordings of Barra Head’s third record produced by Tim O’Heir.
barrahead.blogspot.com

Both Barra Head and Lack are recording new albums this summer. Barra Head writes the following on their myspace site:

In the last two weeks of june we´re entering the great studio Ton Hotel in the great city of Hamburg, Germany to record our new album with american producer Tim O´Heir. We´ve admired Tim´s work for many many years, his work with Sebadoh, Dinosaur Jr, Radio 4, Morphine, World Inferno Friendship Society etc is among our favorite albums of all times, so needless to say we´re thrilled to be working with such an amazing producer. Engineering the album will be our great friend Udo Böckmann who has produced albums from german bands such as Finn and Flo Fernandez.
During the last couple of months we´ve continued to write songs and we´re really excited about the new stuff.. It´s taking us new and exciting ways.

Lack also announced new recordings this past week on their site:

We are very happy to announce that things are falling into place and that Lack are gearing up to record a new fulllength from July 10th til August 5th due to be released on Play/Rec early 2008. The songs are coming nicely together and the whole mess will be recorded and produced by the magnificent Per Knold and ourselves. As some of you might allready suspect, all we can say is that you should be prepared for yet a few a surprises...

Needless to say we are honoured that these bands have chosen Play/Rec as their home for their new albums.

Søren: http://www.myspace.com/hotgossip
Energetic and catchy tunes from this Italian trio. “Real Mess” is a killer track.

Mikkel: http://www.myspace.com/thewalkmen
Ok, maybe this guy sings a lot like Bob Dylan. But who wouldn´t like to be compared to him?! The Walkmen write brilliant songs that´s for sure. Old fashioned maybe, but still damn good songs.

Daniel: http://www.myspace.com/dinosaurjr
More of a rediscovery this. But DAMN! they´re still great. The whole new album is out there for your listening pleasure. I´m thinkin´ about the first time someone broke my heart and how Lou and J were there to help it bleed. Pure bliss. Thank you guys.

Arvid: http://www.myspace.com/akronfamily
Saw a show with these four guys and were completely taken by surprise. It was so unpretentious and sincere. I love it when people love to play music and it shows. It’s a kind of folk rock with a hint of gospel and barbershop. I don’t know what to call it. Except: Great!

Office Choice: http://www.myspace.com/imagineihadhands
Adam McCormack is a really talented young guy who has been writing recording songs in his bedroom. Now he has collected a band and these guys are gonna do a brilliant album some day.

Søren:

http://www.myspace.com/theblacktapes

We played with The Black Tapes in Warsaw (Pl). They have a great sound and some great songs.

Mikkel:

http://www.myspace.com/bottomlesspitchicago

Bottomless Pit is a new band from former Silkworm and Seam members. Can´t wait to get a hold of their album. Wonder who´s putting it out in Europe?!

Daniel:

http://www.myspace.com/austinlucas1

His profile says: "serious singer songwriter for artistic types only" What can you do? Missed his gig in Cph last week. He should be somewhere around France by now.

Arvid:

http://www.myspace.com/deerhoof

This is one of the most intriguing bands I’ve heard in a long time. Beautiful catchy melodies are utterly destroyed by seemingly random noise. Rocking parts evolves into gentle melodies. It’s weird and wonderful and very very refreshing. Get the album “Friend Opportunity” – you won’t regret it.

Office Choice: http://www.myspace.com/betasatan

They played their debut at our last Christmas concert. If you don´t know what to make of it. Let´s assure you: They Rock!   

Søren:

http://www.myspace.com/dragontears2000 Brand new drug infested record from one of Denmark’s best songwriters. 

MIkkel:

http://www.myspace.com/snowden Snowdens album is spinning on my recordplayer constantly these days. It makes me want to drive a car really fast. 

Daniel:

http://www.myspace.com/micahphinson So, Will Oldham is getting old and boring, and I´m pretty sure they locked up Daniel Johnston again. Dont worry too much though. There are other troubled kids with golden voices outthere. Here´s one for you.

Arvid:

http://www.myspace.com/ironandwine Iron & Wine is folk with a melancholy tone that gets under your skin. The gentle voice and catchy melodies makes it a quiet but moving experience. 

Office choice:

http://www.myspace.com/gadex Politicians have failed and Ungdomshuset has been torn down. Now all we have got is ground 69 and a lot of great music supporting Ungdomshuset. Hold det gade venner.

We have recieved this sad news from Monoton:

"Due to ongoing disagreements regarding the amount of time and work thats needs to be put down in a band like Monoton, we have decided to split up.
Thanks to everybody who have supported us during the years of dark monotony.

MONOTON"

We accept and understand Monoton´s decision, though we are truly sorry that we have lost a great band. We´re excited to follow John, Hasse, Anders and Søren in their future. Thanks for everything guys!

Many of you have been asking about a new Barra Head album. Here´s a message from Barra Head that might clarify things:

Hello friends

It´s been a while since you last heard from us. We´ve been busy writing new stuff. According to the plan we were supposed to have gone in the studio to record our new album in mid-January with one of our personal musical heroes - J. Robbins of Government Issue, Jawbox, Burning Airlines etc. We´ve been exchanging demoes with J. over the last 6 months or so and the coorporation was really promising and very pleasant. 

Unfortunately J. and his family has been hit by tragic events as his one year old son Callum has been diagnosed with a very serious and life threatening illness. This of course means that J. cannot help us out on the recordings as planned - this is totally understandable as we see it, after all recording a rock band seems quite a menial task compared to what J. and his wife and son are now facing.

DeSoto Records who are hosts to J.´s current band Channels have started up a fund to raise money for the treatment of Callum Robbins, you should definitely check it out and read more about J.´s situation here: http://www.desotorecords.com/cal/index.shtml

Our thoughts go to J. and his family in this difficult situation in the hope of brighter days ahead!

We have no specific details regarding a new recording schedule and producer as of now - but the search for someone to record with is on. - It will be hard to find someone who can replace J. Robbins!

The best indie rock Scandinavia has to offer... the Swedish three piece gives three shows in Denmark in the coming days.

Thursday Jan 11: Apparatet (Copenhagen) - free admission, show starts at 20.30

Friday Jan 12: 1000Fryd (Ålborg) - with The Kissaway Trail

Saturday Jan 13: Fabriken (Århus) - with Shout Ellington Air Force

Producer, engineer, musician and song writer J. Robbins from Washington needs all the help he can get. His one year old son Callum has been diagnosed with a genetic motor neuron disease called Type 1 SMA, or Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Most Type 1 babies will die before their second birthday. "Conventional" medicine and therapy so far has no cure to offer. But there may be some hope — even if only for a better quality of life — in alternative therapies. These, of course, are not covered by health insurance, and they are is extremely expensive.
On Desoto Records website you can read more about the disease and make donations to help J. Robbins and his family.
We deeply admire J.´s work as a producer and musician and throughout the last couple of months we have come to know J. as a fantastic human being as well. J. was about to start recording Barra Head´s forthcoming album when the terrible news occured. J. needs to stay with his family in these hard times and coming to europe to record for 14 days was of course not possible. Barra Head´s recording session has therefore been postponed.

Ungdomshuset is still threatened by eviction. Though we do not agree with the violent actions seen in December we strongly support Ungdomshusets right to exist. Here´s a statement from Ungdomshuset to mark the end of the year. (in danish only)

Monoton is playing in Aarhus tonight when they support Woven Hand at Voxhall. Wish we could be there...

The Unit are interviewed for the Music/Rock section of Danish National Radio DR´s website. This one is in danish only.

Soundvenue seems to agree that "Gunpoint" is an excellent album. In Danish only.

Hell On Wheels have been added to the line up on the fine Aarhus festival RECession. They´re headlining the show on friday the 3rd of November on Voxhall. Fine bands such as The National Trust (US) and Hypnotic (US) are playing as well.

Yes, Play/Rec is also taking part of the Robert Murdoch empire called MySpace.com. And now we have more than 1000 friends. Russian label Figurestatic was our friend number 1000.