Hi-Speed Soul News Archives
The Nervous Wreckords and the fight against Breast Cancer!
January 25, 2010
oh yeah....that means something super limited at www.hispeedsoul.com!
Hello Friends and Fans,
Recently someone very close to me and the band has been stricken with Breast Cancer. It has been an eye opener for myself, and has really had an effect on us as a band with it hitting so close to home.
Although, our thoughts and prayers have been focused on her, we wanted to do more on our part to bring awareness to the disease.
The Nervous Wreckords have now released a special "Pink" version of the Nailbighter EP at a discounted price, with proceeds going to the American Breast Cancer Foundation.
EVEN BETTER, Hi-Speed Soul our Independent Record Compay responsible for the release of Nailbighter EP, will be matching your proceeds from the sales!!! Also available will be Limited Edition "Pink" Girls Tees with all proceeds going to ABCF.
The price of the ‘Pink’ CD is $5.00 with $1.00 going to the American Breast Cancer Foundation. The pink shirts are selling for $10.00 with $2.00 going to the foundation. There is also a package deal where a pink shirt plus a ltd pink CD is $13 with $3 going to the foundation or a LP plus a pink shirt sell for $16.00 with $3.00 being donated to the ABCF.
So if you are interested in helping the cause and fighting the fight with us, go to www.hispeedsoul.com for more info, and thanks again to
Eric, Heather, and Hi-Speed Soul for helping make this amazing promotion happen!!!
Let us know your thoughts in our comments, and do your part to let others know about the foundation and help fight the fight.
Thanks everyone!
XO
Brian, Lindsay, Andy, Shaun, and Matt
The Nervous Wreckords EP out now!
September 13, 2009
Super limited people!
The Nervous Wreckords EP and shirts are available now at www.hispeedsoul.com!
The Nervous Wreckords now on Hi-Speed Soul!!!
August 14, 2009
Yes, you read that right
Our amazing and talented friend Brian Karsig (Louis XIV) has a new solo project The Nervous Wreckords and Hi-Speed Soul is proud to announce that we will be putting out his first release!! www.thenervouswreckords.com
Pitchfork Raves about Hi-Speed Soul\'s Swervedriver Reissues
April 2, 2009
Of course they did, right?!
http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12846-raise-mezcal-head/
It seems that in every musical movement, there are worthy artists who get lost in the shuffle. In the case of Britain's late-1980s/early-90s shoegazer scene, Swervedriver had the unfortunate distinction of being one of those bands. Forged in the same Oxford milieu that produced Ride and Radiohead, they were positioned under the shoegaze umbrella because of their sound, not their attitude. While many bands operating in similar territory earned the title by literally standing on stage staring at the floor (which was covered in guitar pedals) and letting their lyrics get swept away in the texture of the music, Swervedriver projected a tougher image, drawing their name and much of their lyrical imagery from American car culture and films. If their counterparts were about capturing the look of a vapor trail in their guitar tones, Swervedriver's Adam Franklin and Jimmy Hartridge were more about simulating the rocket ride that produced the trail in the first place. They sounded great on a car stereo.
Because of this, they were much better equipped to make it big in the U.S. than peers like Ride, Slowdive, Chapterhouse, and even My Bloody Valentine; for all the usual boring reasons (label trouble, lineup instability), it didn't pan out that way. They released four albums, only three of which came out stateside, and filled in the space around them with a shelf's worth of EPs and 7"s before hanging it up-- temporarily, as it turned out-- in 1999. Their first two albums, Raise and Mezcal Head, languished out of print for years before BMG resurrected them last year, and Hi-Speed Soul is giving them a second run in America with a slightly expanded tracklist.
1991's Raise was a quality debut, and it's dated surprisingly well. The muscular, scorching guitars are the heart of the album, and they still bring the noise like nobody's business. The big distortion and interlocking riffs give most of the album a dense, bright sound with a lot of punch. "Son of Mustang Ford" rumbles like the car it's named for, "Rave Down" launches into hyperspace after three minutes of tense, grungy crunching, and "Sunset" pulls back a bit, layering cleaner guitars than usual over a bubbling bassline and unison vocals. While the band had already perfected its sonic punch, the songwriting was a bit of a work in progress. Outside of "Sunset", Raise is somewhat wanting for sharp vocal melodies, with Franklin and Hartridge trading off deadpan intonations.
Two years later, on Mezcal Head, the songs caught up to the guitars. "For Seeking Heat", "Girl on a Motorbike", "You Find It Everywhere", and "Blowin' Cool" weave laser-guided melodies through tangles of distortion-drenched guitar. The band lost its original rhythm section between albums, but new drummer Jez Hindmarsh absolutely crushes his kit, matching the intensity of the guitar maelstrom. "Last Train to Satansville" is the height of alt-rock badassery, opening with the brilliant couplet "'You look like you've been losing sleep,' said the stranger on a train/ I fixed him with an ice-cold stare and said, 'I've been having those dreams again.'" The sentiment is backed up with a monster guitar riff and chunky rhythm, and if I had to pick just one Swervedriver song to introduce the band, that'd be it. Just as every movement has overlooked artists, every movement has lost classics, and Mezcal Head really is the lost classic of the shoegaze movement, visceral but tuneful, and perhaps the nearest simulation of a rocket launch recorded in the 90s.
The reissues each add four period bonus tracks, which seem more or less to be a random selection from over a dozen available EP and 7" offerings. Mezcal Head drops the 12-minute "Never Lose That Feeling/Never Learn" meltdown that closed the original U.S. version of the album, replacing it with the shorter EP version of "Never Lose That Feeling". Overall, it's high-quality stuff-- especially Raise bonus "Andalucia"-- but it won't give a collector any closure, especially given that one of the passed-over tracks is the wicked, steel guitar-soaked headrush "Scrawl & Scream", from 1991's Reel to Real EP. Castle Music's Juggernaut Rides compilation remains the best source for Swervedriver's rarities. For an introduction to the band, though, Mezcal Head can't be beat, and it's great to have it and Raise available again. If you missed them the first time or simply weren't around to hear them, Swervedriver is worth the trip back in time.
- Joe Tangari, April 2, 2009
7.3/8.0
Lady Dottie at SXSW, Sirhan Sirhan on Tour Now, Adam Franklin vinyl still avail for Pre-Order
March 1, 2009
Check out www.hispeedsoul.com for all the details
Adam Franklin's New Album "Spent Bullets" Out on vinyl March 31st
February 19, 2009
Pre-Order the Ltd Edition LP Now at www.hispeedsoul.com
Swervedriver's Long Out of Print Classics Given the Royal Reissue Treatment!
January 20, 2009
Remastered w/bonus tracks, 16 page booklet and liner notes from the band
"Radiohead weren't the first great band to come out of Oxford, England, and these timely reissues are the evidence. Swervedriver's first two albums are still as imposing and wondrous as ever." -PopMatters
Jim Noir's Self-Titled Album Out Now on Ultra Limited Vinyl!
December 9, 2008
Strictly limited to 500 copies and on orange vinyl.
Buy it here or at www.hispeedsoul.com!
Hi-Speed Soul Signs The Still Out from New York
October 31, 2008
Find out more at www.hispeedsoul.com
We're please as punch about this by the way. After playing their stuff in the store and getting an amazing response, we know you're going to dig their sounds.
Lady Dottie & the Diamonds & Sirhan Sirhan Win SD Music Awards!
September 18, 2008
Hi-Speed Soul made proud by San Diego bands on label
Lady Dottie took "Best Blues Artist" honors and Sirhan Sirhan captured "Best Hard Rock Album". Check out www.sandiegomusicawards.com for all the specific details. And visit www.hispeedsoul.com to purchase these fine albums (or pick them up at M-Theory Music).
Lady Dottie and the Diamonds Record Release Show
September 13, 2008
@ The Casbah, 9pm
Lady Dottie and the Diamonds are celebrating the release of their new self-titled CD and LP (w/digital download coupon) @ The Casbah w/Silent Comedy, Pant Hoots, and Wild Weekend in the Atari Lounge. Come on out and get the album a few days before the actual release date on Tuesday!
Adam Franklin Finishing up Sophomore Solo Record
August 31, 2008
Look for it early-ish '09!
It's sounding REALLY good. Stay tuned for more details.
Hi-Speed Soul has Licensed Jim Noir's Record on Vinyl
August 31, 2008
Release date to be announced shortly
A favorite album of ours to play in the store, Jim Noir is an amazing songwriter from Manchester who's CD is out on Barsuk Records right now. We've gained the rights to release a strictly limited vinyl version of the record of only 500 copies. Release date to be announced shortly but in the meantime, visit www.jimnoir.com for videos and music.
Lots Added to the Hi-Speed Soul Website
June 24, 2008
Tour Dates, Swervedriver 7", and more
Head on over to www.hispeedsoul.com and check it out!
Lots of HSS News-Swervedriver, Nada Surf, Sirhan Sirhan On Tour!!
April 14, 2008
Go to www.hispeedsoul.com for ALL the info and dates!!
Swervedriver Added to Sunday's Coachella Festival!
April 14, 2008
One Day Tix are sold out- but still available on Ebay
First show reunited...don't miss it!
New Signing: Lady Dottie and the Diamonds!!
January 16, 2008
This is Soul...This is Blues...This is Rock...The Real Deal
This is Soul...This is Blues...This is Rock...The Real Deal.
We are tickled pink to be announcing the latest signing to Hi-Speed Soul....Lady Dottie and the Diamonds! Known for a live show circa 1962 that brings the PARTY to the PARTY(!), Lady Dottie and the Diamonds are San Diego's prized possesion. Having won several years at the San Diego Music Awards, having sold out residencies at the world famous Viper Room in L.A., and been listed in Spin as one of 100 top nights out in the U.S., the band is no stranger to the accolades. And we at Hi-Speed Soul promise to bring them to further prominence. We'll be updating the site with all their info soon but in the meantime, check out www.myspace.com/ladydottieandthediamonds for sounds and photos. Their EP w/bonus tracks will be available in late spring as well, with a full length in the fall. Yeah!
Happy New Year!
January 1, 2008
It's gonna be a great one...
News may seem to be a little slow on the label side of things but that's because we're working on a few very exciting things that we can't announce yet. It's taking a little more time to get all the details together but be ready for some exciting stuff just around the corner.
All the best from Hi-Speed Soul!!
Swervedriver Reunion Announced in '08!!!!!!
October 21, 2007
As if Adam's new solo record wasn't enough, now we get a Swervedriver reunion?! Hallelujah!!
Now that the press release has been officially issued, we at HSS HQ finally have the "ok" to let our friends know that a Swervedriver Reunion has been announced for '08. Details on dates are still coming together but some great news all the same!! Be sure to check out Adam and band who are currently on tour right now in support of his new record "Bolts of Melody". Tour dates are listed at www.hispeedsoul.com. Here's the official press release with the info on the Swervedriver reunion:
"After almost a 10-year long absence, the revered UK band SWERVEDRIVER plans to reform for an early 2008 worldwide tour. Swervedriver is Adam Franklin on guitar and vocals, Jimmy Hartridge on guitar, Steve George on bass, and Jez on drums. Swervedriver formed in Oxford, England in 1989 and released a series of EP's followed by their debut full-length, Raise, in 1991 on Creation Records in the UK and A&M Records in the U.S. Mezcal Head followed in 1993, then in 1995 Ejector Seat Reservation came out on Creation in the UK, but was only available as an import in the US. Their last release, 99th Dream, was released by Zero Hour in 1998. Tour dates for Swervedriver will be announced shortly. Adam Franklin is in the midst of a U.S. solo tour in support of Bolts of Melody, which was released this past June on Hi-Speed Soul."
Let the excitement begin! xoxo, Hi-Speed Soul
The Big Takeover Digs Adam Franklin's "Bolts of Melody"
October 9, 2007
"one of the most cosmic psych-folk LPs of this decade"
adam franklin
Pitchfork Weighs in with Praise For Adam Franklin
October 4, 2007
"Bolts of Melody deftly illustrates that his way with a tune hasn't diminished in the slightest"
and
"stellar wah-wah pedal work that would make Jimi Hendrix smile"
-David Raposa, Pitchforkmedia.com
Adam Franklin Kicks Off East of the Mississippi Tour
October 1, 2007
(Well, and a little bit West Too!)
Visit www.hispeedsoul.com for all the tour dates and special in-store performances!
Adam Franklin (Swervedriver) Announces October Tour Dates
September 11, 2007
Live Show Swerves It's Way Down the East Coast, South, Midwest, and Eastern Canada!
Catch Adam at one of these in-stores and venue shows:
Tu Oct 2 Norfolk VA The Boot
We Oct 3 Chapel Hill NC Local 506
Th Oct 4 Mt. Pleasant SC Village Tavern
Fr Oct 5 Atlanta GA The Earl
Fri Oct 5 In-Store at Criminal Records in Atlanta- 6pm All Ages FREE
Sa Oct 6 Birmingham AL The Bottletree
Su Oct 7 Baton Rouge LA
Mo Oct 8 Houston TX Proletariat
Tu Oct 9 Austin TX The Mohawk
We Oct 10 Dallas TX The Cavern
Th Oct 11 Memphis TN Hi-Tone
Fr Oct 12 Nashville TN The Basement
Sa Oct 13 St. Louis MO Bluebird
Sa Oct 13 In-Store at Vintage Vinyl in St. Louis- 5pm All Ages FREE
Mo Oct 15 Kansas City MO The Record Bar
Tu Oct 16 Omaha NE The Waiting Room
We Oct 17 Minneapolis MN 400 Bar
Th Oct 18 Chicago IL Empty Bottle
Fr Oct 19 Milwaukee WI Cactus Club
Sa Oct 20 Ypsilanti MI Elbow Room
Su Oct 21 Columbus OH Andyman's Treehouse
Mo Oct 22 Cleveland OH Beachland Ballroom
Tu Oct 23 Pittsburgh PA Club Café
We Oct 24 Buffalo NY Mohawk Place
Th Oct 25 Toronto ON Drake Hotel
Fr Oct 26 Ottawa ON Zaphods
Sa Oct 27 Montreal QC Le National
"Bolts of Melody" CD available now at finer retail stores anywhere, and online at all reputable download sites.
Adam Franklin of Swervedriver's New Album Out Now!
June 25, 2007
Rave Reviews Are Rolling In...
DEBUT SOLO ALBUM BY FRONTMAN FOR SHOEGAZE LEGENDS SWERVEDRIVER. 6 PANEL DIGIPAK CD.
RELEASED ON M-THEORY'S OWN LABEL, HI-SPEED SOUL!!!!!
CRITICS ARE CALLING "BOLTS OF MELODY"
..."a CHARMER"
-eyeweekly.com
..."ARGUABLY HIS BEST
WORK OF THE DECADE"
-noripcord.com
"4 out of 5 stars. The album is damn good...you'll be blown away by the guitar heroics...and inspired songcraft on display." -Allmusic.com
Nada Surf "Karmic" Out Today on CD on Ltd Edition Vinyl!
June 12, 2007
Long out of print debut EP finally available again on M-Theory label
Nada Surf Eyes Gibbard, Hatfield For New Album
June 4, 2007
New album coming out in January
May 30, 2007, 3:50 PM ET
Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Veteran
rock outfit Nada Surf is eyeing a January release for its next Barsuk album,
tentatively titled "Time for Plan A." The set was recorded in
February in Seattle
with producer John Goodmanson and will likely feature guest appearances from
Death Cab For Cutie's Ben Gibbard, Juliana Hatfield, Harvey Danger's Sean
Nelson and the Long Winters' John Roderick.
"We tracked maybe 20 songs. I'd say a third of those still need
lyrics," frontman Matthew Caws tells Billboard.com of the follow-up to
2005's "The Weight Is a Gift." "It's probably 70% there, but
of the ones we're going to put on, maybe three songs still need words and the
other ones need to be cooked a little."
Caws says he can't accurately describe the sound of the album because he's
still not sure what songs will make the cut, but admits, "there is some
hard rock, almost early '80s British metal for a couple of minutes. I don't
even know if the record is going in a positive direction or a vitriolic
direction. I think it's getting weirder. But then some songs sound like Tom
Petty, which is a great thing if it works and a bummer if it doesn't."
Seven songs feature cello accompaniment, about which Caws marvels, "It's
not cheesy and it doesn't suck the rock out, which has happened to us
before."
Nada Surf is plotting a special September acoustic tour, which it may book by
soliciting private houses to play at via MySpace. "If you have a house,
can put 100 people in it and make sure it doesn't get shut down because there
are too many cars on your lawn, let's do it," Caws says. A brief South
American tour is also in the works for October.
|
|
But
beforehand, Caws and drummer Daniel Lorca will play an acoustic set at a
June 3 benefit in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in an effort to save the area's historic
Domino Sugar Factory from demolition. The space is likely to be turned into
luxury housing on Williamsburg's
burgeoning waterfront. "This is a neighborhood already packed way
beyond capacity," Caws says. "Taking the subway here is insane,
and that's without the 80,000 new units or whatever."
In addition, the band's long out-of-print "Karmic" EP will be
reissued June 12 via Hi Speed Soul, the in-house imprint of San Diego record store M-Theory that is
named after a song from Nada Surf's "Let Go" album.
"Flattery will get you everywhere in that case, so we were like, 'Sure!
You want to put out our EP? Cool!,'" Caws says. "Karmic" will
also include the extra track "Pressure Free," previously only
available as the B-side to Nada Surf's second seven-inch vinyl single.
Adam Franklin on Spin.com
June 4, 2007
"Bolts of Melody" Announced/Sam From Interpol Collaboration
Ex-Swervedriver Frontman Preps Solo Album, Collaboration
May 16, 2007
Adam Franklin will drop Bolts of Melody in June, teams with Interpol drummer for Setting Suns.
Swervedriver
Adam Franklin, the former frontman of London-based shoegaze outfit Swervedriver, has shed his Toshack Highway moniker, which he released six albums under since Swervedriver's dissolution in 1999, to release Bolts of Melody, his first solo effort under his own name, out June 26. The new album, Franklin's seventh post-Swervedriver effort, delivers a combination of "back to basics" solo acoustic ditties alongside an oft-electronic "full band sound," according to a press release, and dispatches tunes with titles like "Seize the Day," "Ramonesland," and "Theme From LSD," as well as "Syd's Eyes," which was previously released as a seven-inch via Black Mountain, and "Birdsong (Moonshiner Version)," first dropped as a Shifty Disco download-only.
In addition to prepping the release of Bolts of Melody, Franklin has also teamed with Sam Fogarino, one-half of Interpol's jackhammer rhythm section, for a two-piece project titled Setting Suns. Details regarding conventional forthcoming Setting Suns output have yet-to-be announced, although a few songs are currently available via the band's MySpace.com profile.
Bolts of Melody tracklisting:
1. "Seize the Day"
2. "Sundown"
3. "Morning Rain"
4. "Song of Solomon"
5. "Theme from LSD"
6. "Shining Somewhere"
7. "Birdsong" (Moonshiner Version)
8. "Canvey Island Baby"
9. "Syd's Eyes"
10. "Walking in Heaven's Foothills"
11. "Birdsong"
12. "Morning Rain (Return)"
13. "Ramonesland"
On the Web:
Adam Franklin at toshackhighway.com
Adam Franklin (of Swervedriver) Release Date Set
April 16, 2007
"Bolts of Melody" to Strike Stores 6/26/07
A firm release date has been set for Adam Franklin's new album called "Bolts of Melody". It will be available June 26th in stores, but you can pre-order it right now on this site or at www.hispeedsoul.com for shipment to arrive on release date.
Nada Surf's "Karmic" Comes Around Again on Hi-Speed Soul
April 12, 2007
4/12/07
For Immediate Release
HI-SPEED SOUL RECORDS TO RE-RELEASE NADA SURF’s KARMIC EP ON JUNE 12TH 2007If you’re not familiar with Nada Surf, you haven’t been paying attention to your indie-rock lately. Having released 4 full-length albums over the course of a decade, a live collection, & numerous singles, Nada Surf has managed to survive the wonder of their one big hit, build an estimable army of loyal fans around the world, and thrive through the commitment to the craft of making pop music that’s indellible, warm, and uniquely their own. However, until now, there’s been one piece of their history missing for the better part of a decade- The Karmic EP.
Before their major label signing to Elektra for the Ric Ocasek produced High/Low CD, the band released a 5 song EP chock full of indie-pop gems with catchy guitar hooks and sharp lyrics. Hi-Speed Soul Records is proud to re-release the Karmic EP- the album that started it all. This Karmic re-release will hit stores 6/12/07 and includes a bonus track called “Pressure Free”, only previously available on an out of print 7”. In addition to the CD, this EP will be pressed on limited edition colored vinyl for the first time. With Nada Surf currently in the studio recording their fifth full-length, the Karmic EP will hold over fans until the new release in the fall of ’07!
Sirhan Sirhan Releases KILLER Vinyl on Hi-Speed Soul
March 19, 2007
New album called "Blood" out in Fall 07
Hi-Speed Soul is pleased to announce the upcoming release of San Diego apocalyptic heroes Sirhan Sirhan, on Limited Edition vinyl. Look for the new record called "Blood" in the fall of this year. The guys are in the studio right now working with Joby from the Bronx who is producing the record. Check them out at www.myspace.com/sirhansirhan.
Hi-Speed Soul Signs With Redeye Distribution
March 16, 2007
Hi-Speed Soul has signed an exclusive distribution deal with NARM Distributor of the Year, Redeye distribution. Based in Haw River, NC (near Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill), Redeye began in 1996 by focusing on the rich independent music of the southeast and providing the artists that made up the scene with a distribution option to give them access to all the major accounts located in their region. Since then, they have developed a strong distribution network both nationally and internationally and work to provide their services to a broad range of accounts and regions, both in digital and physical formats.
Redeye has an ongoing commitment to strengthening their relationships with their accounts and vendors. Their dedicated staff of music lovers (currently numbering more than 50) will always make themselves accessible to everyone from the accounts to the artists with whom they work. The face of the industry is changing quickly, and Redeye is proud to be at the forefront of this change.
For more information on Redeye Distribution, visit www.redeyeusa.com.
Adam Franklin of Swervedriver Signed to Hi-Speed Soul!
January 24, 2007
New album, "Bolts of Melody," to be released Spring 2007
Hi-Speed Soul is very proud to announce that Adam Franklin (singer/guitarist/songwriter) for UK shoegazer legends Swervedriver (Creation Records/A&M) is the first signing to our label. His new record to be released in spring of 2007 called "Bolts of Melody", is a brilliant record with influences rooted in 60's psychedelic rock, folk, and of course, Swervedriver. Hang out on our newly revamped myspace page for some streaming tunes, video, and general information.
More exciting release news on its way. Thanks for your support of independent music and Hi-Speed Soul.
Hugs, Kisses, & Earplugs,
HSS
Announcing Hi-Speed Soul Records!
January 17, 2007
A new record label brought to you by M-Theory Music
A new record label based in San Diego run by Eric Howarth & Heather Johnson, also of M-Theory Music (the record stores).
We are extremely proud to announce the first signing to the label! This talented artist is...drum roll please.....Adam Franklin, singer/guitarist/songwriter for UK shoegazer legends Swervedriver!! Adam's new record called "Bolts of Melody" will be released in the spring of '07. A brilliant mix of 60's influenced psychedelic rock, folk, and of course Swervedriver, some have been known to refer to Adam's music as "space-folk". Whatever the term you want to use is fine by us. We just call it amazing. Visit www.adamfranklin.com for more info.
Stay tuned for an announcement soon regarding a special Nada Surf release. It'll be worth the wait.
If you're a hard working (that means touring) band that would like to submit an album/demo for consideration on the label roster, send a press kit package to Hi-Speed Soul 915 W Washington Street San Diego, CA 92103.