Enjoy today’s rendition of What’s The Story?‘s ‘Wonderwall’ below.

Listen to their take on ‘Champagne Supernova’ AFTER THE JUMP…

(Read the article)

You can help as well! Details on the protest below the accompanying story.

Dozens of top British bands and musicians today joined forces to oppose the multi-billion pound replacement of the Trident nuclear weapons system. A statement was issued on their behalf, warning that ordering a new generation of nuclear weapons would make the world a more dangerous place. Signatories included Thom Yorke, Damon Albarn, Razorlight, Snow Patrol, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, Super Furry Animals and Supergrass. The statement said: “If Britain says it needs nuclear weapons for its security, other countries are likely to follow suit. To replace Trident, when we face no nuclear threat, could start a nuclear arms race.

“The cost to replace and maintain Trident would be better spent on healthcare, education, alleviating global poverty or tackling the problems of climate change. Let’s choose peace and justice, not nuclear weapons and war.” An anti-Trident demonstration will be held in London on Saturday organised by CND, the Stop The War Coalition and the British Muslim Initiative.The groups said the protest was expected to be the biggest anti-nuclear demonstration in Britain in decades. MPs are expected to vote next month on whether to order a Trident replacement. (via At Ease Web)

The demonstration is this Saturday, the 24th, more info can be found here.

MP3s: Franz Ferdinand – Fade Together (Avalanches remix) + Supergrass – Caught By The Fuzz

While Sigur Ros is busy de-constructing highways, Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody and Ash’s Tim Wheeler are dispersing their energy into the opening of the ‘Oh Yeah Building’. NME reports: The building, an old whiskey bonding building in the heart of Belfast’s resurgent Cathedral Quarter, will be home to rehearsal rooms, a recording studio, performance space, a café and office units to incubate new music businesses. The brainchild of former NME assistant editor Stuart Bailie, is it has been called ‘Ground Zero’ for Northern Irish music.

“What is needed is a nexus to focus musical energy into and to unite the Belfast music scene in a way that has been elusive until now,” said Lightbody. “What the Patrol would have given for the advice of professionals; the space to rehearse or cut demos; a place to hang out and listen to music and meet people that might one day change your life.”

Meanwhile, Tim Wheeler says the following about the project:

“I think this is a fantastic, long-overdue idea for Belfast…The music scene in Belfast needs a hub like this. As a musician from Northern Ireland I remember how difficult it was starting out. Finding places to play and meet like-minded musicians was incredibly hard. We had no idea how to get the attention of record labels, our options seemed very limited in Northern Ireland at the time. Luckily for us we got a breakthrough, a contact in London and got a record deal over there.”

Sounds pretty good, eh?

*Read our review of Ash’s brilliant show @ The Annex back in October, here!*

MP3: Ash – Meltdown

I didn’t see this triple bill coming! Not particularly my cup of tea but if it’s yours, check out the dates below. I’ve heard a buzz that the Theater @ MSG show is sold out but don’t quote me on that, check Ticketbastard.

02.26.07 – Portland, OR (Memorial Coliseum)
02.27.07 – Seattle, WA (Key Arena / Seattle Center)
03.01.07 – San Francisco, CA (Bill Graham Civic Auditorium)
03.02.07 – Universal City, CA (Gibson Amphitheatre)
03.03.07 – San Diego, CA (SDSU Open Air Theatre)
03.05.07 – Magna, UT (Saltair)
03.06.07 – Denver, CO (Fillmore Auditorium)
03.08.06 – Tulsa, OK (Cain’s Ballroom)
03.09.07 – Grand Prairie, TX (Nokia Theatre Grand Prairie)
03.10.07 – Austin, TX (Stubbs Bar-B-Q)
03.11.07 – Houston, TX (Verizon Wireless Theater)
03.19.07 – Coral Gables, FL (Bank United Center)
03.20.07 – Orlando, FL (Hard Rock Live)
03.21.07 – Duluth, GA (The Arena at Gwinnett Center)
03.23.07 – Washington, DC (TBC)
03.24.07 – Camden, NJ (Tweeter Center On The Waterfront)
03.26.07 – New York, NY (The Theater at Madison Square)
03.28.07 – Boston, MA (Agganis Arena)
03.30.07 – Montreal, QC (Metropolis)
03.31.07 – Toronto, ON (Ricoh)
04.01.07 – Detroit, MI (State Theatre)
04.02.07 – Chicago, IL (Aragon Ballroom)
04.04.07 – St. Louis, MO (The Pageant)
04.05.07 – Milwaukee, WI (Eagles Ballroom)
04.06.07 – Minneapolis, MN (Northrop Auditorium)
04.07.07 – Winnipeg, MB (Burton Cummings Theatre)
04.09.07 – Calgary, ALB (MacEwan Hall Ballroom)
04.10.07 – Edmonton, AB (Shaw Conference Center)

MP3: Silversun Pickups – Kissing Families

Lame title, I am aware.

Laryngitis is a bitch.

Gary’s words from their official site:

“Hello all, I’ve some bad news.

We’re going to have to postpone the shows today, May 29, in Atlanta and Wednesday, May 31st in D.C.

We are trying to add these shows in at the end of this tour. Failing that we are back to do some radio shows in mid-August and we will schedule them there.

The reason for this is my voice is in pieces. You may have seen us on Good Morning America this morning and if you did you’ll be aware I barely scraped through it and that was only one song.

When we began the Eyes Open tour in Feb of this year I was told by my doctor a few days before hand that I had laryngitis and it would be best if I took a week off to recover. I told him I didn’t have a week as we had shows pretty much every day. All the gigs so far have been a struggle for me. Unfortunately now I can barely hit any notes. My entire upper range has disappeared into a whisper.

Some of you may come to the conclusion that this is because we’re a party band and we’re out every night getting messed up. Yes we like a drink. I however have taken it reasonably easy since Feb in that department and I haven’t been drinking on this US tour at all and I’ve every intention of not partying for the duration of it. In fact I’ve been in the gym every morning and eating right.

In short I’m taking it very seriously. The simple fact is that my voice is worn out.

I am doing everything possible to get it working again. I am seeing a specialist in New York tomorrow who hopefully will be able to help. I’ve even agreed (horror of all horrors!!) to see a voice coach.

If there was any way to sing two full shows and do a full days promo in Atlanta and D.C believe me I would. The reason why the two shows have been affected is to give me four days to recover.

We refuse to cancel gigs which is why we will do everything in our power to find available dates (when we too are available) in those venues for the not to distant future.

I am so sorry for this to all of you who have bought tickets especially those of you who have travelled long distances to these shows. Of course we will make sure that these tickets are still valid, as I say they aren’t cancelled they’re just postponed. We’ll give you the info for the new shows as soon as we know.

Lots of love, gary.xo”

So, on May 1st (UK) and 9th (US), Snow Patrol will be releasing their follow up to the MEGA-selling Final Straw, Eyes Open. Although the Guardian described it as “hollow” at the weekend, I’m kinda keen on it. I love Gary Lightbody’s plaintive vocals, and, although some might find them slightly anaemic, I have a lot of time for the Patrol’s brand of melancholy tunesmithery.

I don’t know if it’s a result of vocal limitation on the part of Lightbody’s part, but I love (what I think) is a pretty understated sung performance on most of the record; the emotion there only really gets overwrought in precious few places, and with the expansive sound that they’ve picked up since Final Straw, I think there’s a really nice contrast. “Hands open” is a real highlight, as is the glorious Martha Wainwright featuring “Set Fire to the Third Bar”. Okay, so it’s crowd-pleasing, anthemic stuff; but I reckon sometimes that’s okay. It may be a lot less raw than the first two records (When It’s All Over, We Still Have to Clear Up being my own personal favourite), and musically it may be more pedestrian than either of the Lightbody-spin-off-Hibernian-Caledonian supergroup The Reindeer Section records, but it’s still a gorgeous piece of work. My only quibble is with the pointless namechecking of Sufjan Stevens and Illinoise, which seems to me to exist only for the purpose of garnering some good ol’ fashioned indie credibility, which to be honest, Snow Patrol don’t really have anymore. And frankly, who cares whether they do or not?

Hail the Patrol!

Snow Patrol – Beginning to Get to Me (yousendit / megaupload)
Snow Patrol and Martha Wainwright – Set Fire to the Third Bar (yousendit / megaupload)