Welcome To Baker Island

We are delighted to announce we will be release the second album by Baker Island this Summer. Restless Legs will be available on 12" vinyl and digital formats from 25th August. The single Write Home will precede the album on 4th August.

Baker Island are a band from Newcastle who make indie-noise-pop like “the fuzzy love child of Pavement and Pixies” (NARC. Magazine).  Starting in 2013, initially as a recording project of Sean Dodds - with help from a collective of people including Jonny Helm from The Wave Pictures and Chris McManus from Pure Graft – they eventually became a live band comprising Sean (guitar and vocals), Kev Raijah (guitar), Cathy Russell (bass), Chris Perriman (keys) and Matt Hayward (drums).

Between 2014 and 2016 they self-released 3 singles and a debut album 'Bobby Hundreds', "an LP filled with gloriously wonky-pop tunes" (NARC).  EP 'Four Days In The Life Of The Auto-Icon' was released on California's Wiener Records, and their last single 'Demolishing The Fourth Wall' was released on EDILS Records in September 2016.  These were played on Radio 1 (Huw Stephens), BBC 6 Music (Steve Lamacq, Tom Ravenscroft and Gideon Coe), and BBC Introducing in the North East. 

During this time, they’ve played at Indietracks Festival, Evolution Emerging Festival, and alongside Jeffrey Lewis, Chorusgirl, Sky Larkin, Oh Well Goodbye, Dignan Porch, Allo Darlin', Witching Waves, The Wave Pictures and The Lovely Eggs, amongst others.

You can buy Baker Island's existing releases from their Bandcamp and follow them on Facebook and Twitter. 

Half price CD album sale

All our CD albums releases are half price in our online shop throughout May.
The Ainsley Band - Cyclone now only £1
The Ainsley Band - Devils In The Detail now only £1
The Aisnley Band - 5-4-3-2 She's not the One now only £1
Clandestines - Saturday As Usual now only £2.50
The Grand - Incapacitated, Ill Fated and In Love now only £2.50
imp - Moon Coastal Maine now only £2.50
Mi Mye - Sometimes Life's Cool now only £4
Charlie Padfield - Balloon Magic now only £2.50
Piskie Sits - Creature Feature now only £4
The Reacharounds - Heavy Roll now only £2.50
The Ship-Tones - Indie Reggae Revolution now only £2.50
The Spills - Collecting Dust now only £4
St. Gregory Orange - Things We Said In Bedrooms now only £1.50
St. Gregory Orange - Midnight At The Sycamore Lounge now only £2.50
Yard Wars - Death To Western Hifi now only £2.50

Phundraising Thanks

Thank you to everyone who cam to our Phundraising Weekender this weekend. It was an absolute blast. You raised £1,090.86 for us. This wipes over a third of our debt. I really can't thank you all enough for your generosity in helping make the weekend not only a successful fundraiser but an immensely enjoyable time. I'm overwhelmed and humbled to tears by you all, you beautiful beautiful people.

Individual thanks to Shane and Mike for doing the sound, Amy, Lucy and Charlotte for sterling work behind the bar, Stevie G and Stringer for djing, John for photographing the weekend, Jamie for finding a solution to the pillar problem and of course all the bands that played.

A few people have been in contact saying that they were unable to attend but wish to donate, so I've set up a donate button to our paypal account. Thank you in advance to anyone who donates through this.

Of course another way (and especially helpful in light of the fact that we have to vacate Crux at the end of the month) is to buy some merch - CDs & Vinyl here and T-shirts here.

Thanks

Phundraising Weekender Preview Part 4

Our preview of our weekender reaches the final part. Sunday will be a bit gentler than Saturday and we're aiming for a relatively early finish too. Unfortunately Jamiesaysmile has had to drop out this week. We've not decided upon a replacement as yet so stage times are a rough guide at this point.

Opening up at 16:30

The Tidy Wives - The Tidy Wives AKA Karen Logan Smith combines jangly messy electric guitar, rumbling basslines and electronic beats to create melodic art-pop-rock songs with a bittersweet edge.

Next up at 17:30

JJ Swimsuit - One half of St Gregory Orange, Tim is currently putting the finishing touches to his debut JJ Swimsuit album. More short songs compared with 2013's The Hunter's Kindness EP. Listen to The Hunter's Kindness.

Following on at 18:30

Chloe Juliette Beswick - Singer/songwriter who deals in avante folk dark dream-pop. Listen to Seven Sewers Away.

The penultimate act of the weekend at 19:30

Charlie Padfield - Mesmerising punters wherever he goes with his dynamic guitar playing and electrifying presence, Padfield's been on a mission to deliver his music to any ears willing to listen since 2014. Listen to Constellationing.

Bringing the weekend to a close at 20:30

Ralph Dartford and The Bleeding Obvious - “A rabbit-hole of genres” describe perfectly the music of The Bleeding Obvious, the monicker of Yorkshire lass Jessica Rowbottom, whose debut album was released last November to acclaim worldwide and featured a host of local talent. Together with A Firm Of Poets’ Ralph Dartford, expect songs from their new collaboration “Swoon!”, which explores love, addiction, escape and reconciliation with spoken word and music you can dance, reflect, laugh and fall in love with. Listen to Linwood House.

Phundraising Weekender Preview Part 3

Here is the third part of our Phundraising Weekender preview, this time focusing on the second half of our Saturday line up. Full event details can be found on the facebook event. Doors on Saturday open on 1pm. Entry is Pay What You Feel. Unfortunately DJ Benjamin Trout is no longer able to appear but we will still be having some vinyl djing inbetween the bands, more details to follow on that. There will also be homemade savoury and sweet snacks available (thanks to my parents and Pat Freeman).

The 7th band of the day at 18:50 will be:

Climbing Alice - Unfortunately performing live for the last time, certainly in Wakefield, maybe anywhere. It's a sad loss as they have been a great live band. Thom is planning to carry on under the name (there's a number of singles planned) but it will be studio based. Make sure you don't miss their farewell. Listen to Liberty X Killed My Childhood Soul.

Following on at 19:40 is:

Take Turns - Their first gig since the release of the debut album Cryptomnesia Crept late last year. Still not that well known even amongst PHOP afficionados, we think you'll love them. Listen to Everyone's Grudges. 

Up next at 20:30 are:

Piskie Sits - Everyone's favourite, they should require no introduction to anyone with even a cursory knowledge of the Wakefield music scene. Listen to Who Do You Love.

 Into the final quarter at 21:20 with:

The Spills - Another of the Merrie City's favourites, this will be their only Wakefield gig this year as they focus on writing the follow up to 2015's critically acclaimed album Collecting Dust. Listen to Heaven Smoke.

The penultimate band of the day at 22:10 is:

The Reacharounds - They didn't split up on the release of their debut album in 2014 after all. Instead the originator's of Heavy Roll are back with a new album's worth of new songs for our entertainment. Listen to 2nd Date.

Rounding off the night at 23:00 are:

The Ainsley Band - And sadly it's another farewell. After 4 and a half years everyone's favourite fraggle rockers are calling it a day. They'll be leaving us with some happy memories but there's still time for a few more so don't miss them. Listen to Jerry Garcya Later.

Preview of Sunday will follow shortly...

Phundraising Weekender Preview Part 2

Here is the second part of our Phundraising Weekender preview, this time focusing on the first half of our Saturday line up. Full event details can be found on the facebook event. Doors on Saturday open on 1pm. Entry is Pay What You Feel. As well as the bands performing we will also have DJ Benjamin Trout playing from his vinyl collection between the bands. There will also be homemade savoury and sweet snacks available (thanks to my parents and Pat Freeman).

The first band of the day at 13:50 is:
Sux Blood - Garage Psych band formed August 2016 from Leeds/Wakefield. FFO: Thee Oh Sees, Sonic Youth, King Gizzard, QOTSA, Ty Segall.

Followed at 14:40 by:
Yard Wars - Our favourite Psyche-Punk-Candy-Pop Bastards had a busy 2016 with their split EP and tour with Cactus Knife last Summer before releasing I tried as a single in the Autumn. They are currently working on their second album. Listen to CIA LSD

Third up at 15:30 are:
The Do's - Grunge two piece returning after a quiet year in 2016. A new single is forthcoming. In the meantime listen to This N That

at 16:20:
One Day, After School - Downbeat / Indie / Artrock / Noise 3 piece with their last gig before the release of their debut album The Invisible Anchor in April. Listen to Footprints On The Ceiling

Into the early evening at 17:10:
Kneezard - Wakefields finest psychedelic experimentalists bringing forth a plethora of colourful grooves and visual inspirations. Listen to Dazee (demo)

Finally in the first half of the day at 18:00 we have:
Fur Blend -  Fur Blend spent their formative years rehearsing in the cellar as outcasts from the puritanical congregation. Tempted by punk rock, riot girl, post punk, slacker rock they escaped into the musical wilderness. They are currently working on their debut album and will be premiering tracks from it in their set. Listen to Serotonin

Preview of Part 2 of Saturday will follow...

Phundraising Weekender Preview Part 1

In March we are holding a fundraising weekender at Crux. We are trying to clear our debts to allow us to keep investing in bands. We are plenty of PHOP favourites and special guests appearing across the weekend. The full line up can be found on the facebook event. We will be previewing each day in a little more depth, starting here with Friday's line up.

Opening up the weekender is:

Jim Konapinksy. Post War Glamour Girls singer and lyricist, goes solo with short stories, poems, prose, anecdotes based on conjecture. Surreal, wordy, deathly serious, utter nonsense. An outlet...

Followed by:

St. Gregory Orange climb out of the bunker of the Sycamore Lounge to perform stripped back versions of songs from their first two albums. They've not been seen in public for some time so don't miss this opportunity to see them. Listen to Salem AM.

Bringing the first night to a close is:

Mi Mye. Fresh from their most successful year in 2016, which saw the release of the acclaimed The Sympathy Sigh, Mi Mye are one of the most beautifully engaging bands around. Make sure you catch them if you're not before. Listen to Determan The Extent.

Sale Now On

Our Winter Clearance Sale is now on. There are plenty of titles available but some are in very limited numbers. All are available from our bandcamp here.

Full list of items
The Ainsley Band - Live at Unity Works 12" & DVD - £7.50
The Ainsley Band - 5-4-3-2 She's not the One - £1.50
The Ainsley Band - Devil's In The Detail - £2.50
The Ainsley Band - Cyclone - £2.50
Buen Chico - The Patron Saints of Lost Causes EP - £1.50
Clandestines - Saturday As Usual - £3
The Do's - This N That EP - £2
Fur Blend - Alley Pally - £1
Fur Blend - Vigugna Pacos EP - £1.50
The Grand - Incapacitated, Ill Fated And In Love - £4
Imp - Moon Coastal Maine - £3
Mi Mye - Sometimes Life's Cool - £5
One Day, After School - U-Boat EP - £2
One Day, After School - The Future Is Not Ours, Comrade EP - £1
Piskie Sits - Live at Unity Works 12" LP - £10
Piskie Sits - Creature Feature CD album - £5
The Reacharounds - Heavy Roll CD album - £3
Runaround Kids / We Are Losers - split 12" EP - £1
Runaround Kids - No Dreams 7" single - 50p
Shake Your Halo Down - Signals CD EP - £1.50
The Ship-Tones - Indie Reggae Revolution 12" LP - £10
The Ship-Tones - Indie Reggae Revolution CD album - £3
St Gregory Orange - Midnight at the Sycamore Lounge CD album - £3
St Gregory Orange - Things We Said In Bedrooms CD album - £1.50
Yard Wars - Death To Western Hifi CD album - £4

(subject to availability, prices valid until 31st January 2017).

Shake Your Halo Down - Complete Casanovas

Shake Your Halo Down have just released their 12th single of the year, the last in their Casanovas singles series. Throughout the year they have released a single on the last Friday of the month, as normal rules aren't applicable around Christmas here we are releasing Jesus H a week and a half early. Download on a pay what you feel basis over at our bandcamp here.

We've also handily collected the last 6 tracks together into an EP called Casanovas Pt2. You can download that here. Casanovas Pt1, featuring the first 6 tracks of the year is also still available here.

2 New Christmas songs

Today both Mi Mye an dPiskie Sits release new Christmas songs. Mi Mye offer up I'm Dreaming Of A. While Piskie Sits unleash Christmas Eve (Die Hard, Home Alone, Elf).

Both are available to download and stream from the usual outlets as well as from our bandcamp page.

Also check out the videos for both below.

Mi Mye - I'm Dreaming Of A

Piskie Sits - Christmas Eve (Die Hard, Home Alone, Elf)