Video: Delphic - Counterpoint

Delphic are a bit good.

The Manchester-based band, who've been together for only a year, are playing SXSW before releasing this single, Counterpoint, as their first foray into the realm of music for public purchase.  There'll be a 12" and, of course, a download.

If you're in London this week you can catch them at the newly opened Queen Of Hoxton on Friday night too.

We reckon you're going to hear a lot more of them in 2009. Not only that, but this will be a good thing.

Just one reason why this is the case?  Ewan Pearson's producing the album.  His production credits include The Rapture's Pieces Of The People We Love and he played on M83's album Saturdays=Youth.

So here's a video for you.  A bit Friendly Fires, no? 

Meet musicOMH's new classical editor

Keith McDonnell (that's him on the left) has been a regular contributor to musicOMH for some two years and has been co-editing our classical and opera pages for a while now. 

With Simon Thomas's departure as classical editor, Keith took charge of the classical section of the site from the beginning of March. Simon will still contribute occasional articles, and we wish him well with his future plans. 

While our new site is being built, Keith is keen to hear your ideas for improving the section's offering. What are we doing well? What should we be doing more of? What do you like most and least about the classical section as it is? 

You can either leave him a comment here or write to him at keith.mcdonnell@musicOMH.com.

Michael Jackson: London Press Conference

You can watch the press conference live from The O2 this afternoon at 4pm.  At least, that's when it's scheduled to start.

Wild speculations about just how many dates he'll be doing at the former Dome range from 10 to 50.  

If you're of the mind, tune in at michaeljacksonlive.com

That is all.

musicOMH update

This mail went out to our mailing list subscribers.  You can sign up for future updates here.

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musicOMH update 

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It's again been an age since we last sent you a mailout. If it's any consolation, we're plonked on the naughty step with sadfaces as a consequence. 

But! Help is at hand. \o/ Along with an assortment of the delectable, the dubious and the downright demented, we've been haunting Twitter for a good while now. 

If you aren't already, you can follow the site @musicomh for ad hoc tweetery of selected music reviews, features and blog posts. Follow me too, if you like, for extra bits @michaelomh 

Some recent highlights in the meantime, for the less tweety... 

+++ Interviews +++

The Prodigy
After a lengthy identity crisis they've rediscovered their groove on new album Invaders Must Die. Liam Howlett and Keith Flint pick up the tale.

Amanda Palmer
This half of the Dresden Dolls declares she is "anti-stupid", but she'll have a party if her label drop her. And do we know who killed her yet?

Black Lips
As they ready their second album 200 Million Thousand, recent events on their tour of India have primed their audience for chaos.

School Of Seven Bells
Benjamin Curtis has left his family and musical past with Secret Machines behind him for something new.

The Unbending Trees
Bass-voiced lyricist and fallen friar Kristof and pianist Havasi on the Hungarian band's debut album Chemically Happy Is The New Sad, with Tracey Thorn.

Candi Staton
Three years on from a no-holds barred approach to domestic violence in His Hands, the first lady of Southern Soul is back with the upward-looking Who's Hurting Now?

A Camp
The Cardigans' Nina Persson explains her other project, her move to the US and new album Colonia. 

Robyn Hitchcock
Too well read for the Punks, too poppy for the New Wave, and way too strange for the Pop charts, he numbers amongst the most witty British songwriters. R.E.M. agree - half their members make up his band.

More interviews

+++ Comment +++

Morrissey, 25 Years On
Len Brown, who has interviewed Morrissey more times than anyone else, speculates about the meaning behind the title of the Moz's new album while casting an eye over his career to date.

Thom Yorke's First Biography
Trevor Baker explains why unauthorized biographies, like his first of Thom Yorke, need love too.

The Camden Curmudgeon vs The Tipsters
In the first of a possibly irregular series, The Camden Curmudgeon (not his real name) rails against the BBC Sound of the Year poll, the "tipsters" who make it and the consequences it has for the artists it features.

Owen Duff and the Future of Music
London singer-songwriter Owen Duff has either come up with a brilliant ruse to promote his work or is making a valid point about the thoroughly confused and confusing way in which we 'consume' music. 

More features

+++ Album Reviews +++

Out this week: 

U2, The BPA, Howling Bells, The Invisible, Neko Case, Red Light Company, The Boy Least Likely To, Vetiver, Raphael Saadiq, Loney Dear, Bitter Tears, Jon Boden... 

Coming soon: 

The Decemberists, Bat For Lashes, The Juan MacLean, Micachu, Fever Ray, Bonnie Prince Billy, The Whitest Boy Alive, Starsailor, Bill Callahan, Steven Wilson, Anni Rossi, Tim Exile, Whomadewho... 

Recent releases: 

Morrissey, The Prodigy, Lily Allen, Empire Of The Sun, War Child: Heroes, School Of Seven Bells, Sebastien Grainger, Erasure... 

...these and the rest of the 111 albums we've reviewed so far in 2009 are here.

+++ Live Reviews +++

Eliades Ochoa, Amadou & Mariam, M Ward, Passion Pit, Titus Andronicus, Black Box Recorder, Crystal Stilts, Little Boots, Buraka Som Sistema, Sebastien Grainger, The View, Howling Bells, La Roux... 

...and the rest of our gig reviews here.

*-*-*-*

We're up to our beaks in lots more interviews, as well as festivals planning, so there'll be more on all that very soon. On Twitter, at least.

Until next time,

Michael

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First full trailer for Terminator Salvation

We've got some broody visuals, Bale's deep and grainy delivery and a hint of a Battlestar Galactica-style plot about robots becoming people too. And lots of things exploding in lots of different ways. For fans of dark sci-fi futures it looks like it might be a real treat.

Check it out here.