The Hair Thieves are a duo from Shropshire UK, creating an eclectic mix of indie pop rock with a smattering of soundtracks, punk, rost rock and any other genre we think of on any given day.
2020 is the 20th anniversary and we still don't take this very serious at all.
Well, we have finally reached a milestone and are about to release our tenth EP. That will be 41 songs (for some reason, one of the EPs had five tracks not four), released, since E joined the band in late 2005.
EP10 will be released on October 12th 2018, on all good digital download sites and streaming services. We are still debating and researching, whether we are going to produce physical CDs or not. Tweet or Facebook us, if you are desperate for a physical copy.
The track listing is
Silent Victory
Red
Tempus Fugit
Echo Two Nine
You can listen and pre-order the EP using the player below.
More details about each track in the coming weeks before release.
Time for my annual list of the top ten albums of the year.
Rule is, I must have physically purchased the album and not just streamed it, so although I have enjoyed (and at some point will buy the cd and or vinyl or cassette) the likes of Bjork, King Creature, Alison Moyet, Slowdive, Daniel Cavanagh etc etc, they are all ineligable.
The other problem, is most of my music purchases have been back catalog stuff, For example, I have bought a few older The Pineapple thief albums and most of the Lunatic soul ones.
So anyway here is the top ten.
10 - Dave Krezner - Static
9 - Pete Murphy - Go Dark Humm not sure there is a video for this, but you can listen on the bandcamp site via the link.
We are pleased to show you all, our new video for "The Distance".
This has been a bit of a labour of love, using Muvizu.
The big, third party, sets did not play well with the animation software, so it was a case of rendering bits of the video out and hoping they worked, since I was unable to re-open any saved files.
As a first attempt with new animation software, we are pleased with the results.
Expect some more Muvizu videos for other new and possibly older tracks over the coming months.
EP8 is now available on all decent streaming sites, Amazon, iTunes and Bandcamp
Finally, pleased to announce that EP8 will be released on February 3rd 2017.
Available on all good streaming sites, Amazon and Bandcamp.
Click below for a sneaky peek!
There are four new songs on the EP.
1) The Distance
2) My Hometown
3) Hometown Heart
4) Ludworth
There is an unexpected theme running thorugh this EP of Home. Both of
us took part in a songwriting course last year, where we had to write a
song about our Hometowns. So this is our offerings.
This theme permeated into Ludworth, which though an instrumental, is very close to home in many ways.
Ludworth
is also a bit of a departure, in that there are no real instruments
played on it. Which was an interesting exercise, in the use of studio
technology within the software we use.
A very limited physical release is available at our Bandcamp shop.
Check back on release day for the video release of "The Distance".
2016 has been a mixed year for me. Musically we have lost many great artists, but there is still great music to be had out there.
In the age of streaming, I have listened to probably more new albums this year than the last few, but to make it into my top ten, I must have physically bought the CD or Vinyl or Download.
I have been listening to a lot of ambient stuff this year. But playing catch up and listening to some oldies.
So here is a much more sparse than normal (three post) look at my top ten albums this year.
Nearlys / disqualified.
Some great EPs this year from the likes of Paul Draper and Bryde. Looking forward to albums from them in 2017.
Paul Draper- Friends make the worst enemies.
Bryde - Help Yourself
Nearly made the top ten:-
David Bowie - Blackstar
I will buy this at some point
Paul Simon - Stranger to Stranger.
Another album I have listen to quite a bit this year, which I will buy sometime.
Garbage - Strange Little Birds - Glad to see the return of Garbage, need to listen to this more really, nothing currently standing out as classic.
Nils Frahm - Tag Eins Tag Zwei
As with a lot of the ambient music I listen to, I probably won't end up purchasing it, since I am unlikely to listen to it at home, so streaming it, to help me concentrate at work is great.
Steven Wilson - 4 1/2 - disqualifed for being half an album.
Steven Wilson - Transience - disqualified for being released on vinyl in 2015 then CD in 2016.
Beth Prior - Little Acts of Kindness - Acoustically I love Beth's music and her voice. As a band, this is more reggae that I normallt like. There are some great moments on it (like Fallen Trees and Certain things), but I keep going back to her acoustic outings. Sorry.
My Vitrol - The secret sessions - After too many years waiting for this album, I'm not sure it could ever live up to the expectation. I am liking this album, but need to listen to it more.
Madness - Can't touch us now.
I have listen to this a couple times on Spotify, but only bought it yesterday. Too early to tell, if it should be in the top ten or not.
P J Harvey - The hope six demolition project - I really want to like this, but not liking it as much as her earlier work. The last two albums have been heavy going and not a great listen, to be honest.They are both good, just not great.
Jean Michel Jarre - Electronic 2-
A continuation of JMJs collaborations project, this has been a nice
collection of tunes, with some artists I knew of (Cyndi Lauper, Gary
Numan, Julia Holter etc) and some I didn't know of (Siriusmo, Jeff
Mills, Rone).
Thinking I prefer volume 1 though.
So here goes, my 2016 top ten.
10 Bat For Lashes - The Bride
I don't think this is as good as the last couple of albums, not sure if it is the concept or not that has restricted my love for this. Some great tunes, like Sunday love, but some forgettable ones (whose names escape me).
Bat For Lashes - Sunday Love
9 Blue Rose Code - ...And Lo! The Bird Is On The Wing
Another great album from Blue Rose Code. Beautiful lyrics and melodies. Just wonderful.
The only one of the top ten, that I managed to catch on tour this year, which is a bit dissapointing.
Blue Rose Code - Grateful
8 Heidi Browne - Holiday For your heart
Local (to me) girl Heidi releases another, just lovely lovely album. From the title track, via the beautiful "Under the weather". Great stuff.
Heidi Browne - Holiday For your heart
7 Radiohead - Moon shaped Pool
Radiohead are a starange band for me, I think I like them, I buy their CDs then rarely listen to them, (a bit like the Manic Street Preachers and Stereophonics).
This album is an exception then, I have listen to it a lot since it has been released. It is a bit of a return to form in my eyes (ears). Plus how can you not love the Burn the witch video!
Radiohead - Burn the witch
6 The Anchoress - Confessions of a Romance Novelist.
Double dipped on the CD and have the vinyl version. Not obsessive at all?
After a couple of great singles in 2015, expectation was high and the album doesn't disappoint. From slow burning opening Long Year (which was a b-side) to the proggy title track an album of all potential singles. Not a massive fan of some of the swearing, but that might just be me getting old... ha ha
And why oh why wasn't "Once upon a lie" not on the deluxe version?
The Anchoress - You and Only You feat. Paul Draper
5 Iamthemorning - Lighthouse
Simply just another beautiful album from our favourite Russian Progmeisters. Though where are the intermissions?
Iamthemorning - "Lighthouse" feat.Mariusz Duda
Iamthemorning - Chalk and Coal
4 New Model Army - Winter
Been a casual NMA fan since the mid '90s. Seen them live a few times, though kind of lost touch with them over the last few years, so bought this on a whim, when I spotted it in HMV when I was browsing.
Blown away, with the album to be honest, up there with some of their best. Made me go back and buy some more of their back catalog.
New Model Army - Die Trying
New Model Army - Winter
3 Agnes Obel - Citizen of Glass
Sparse backing and simple melodies, just make a beautiful album. I'm a sucker for piano, strings and some electronica, so this albums ticks all the boxes and makes me very happy.
Agnes Obel - Familiar
Agnes Obel - Golden Green
2 - The Pineapple Thief - Your Wilderness
Initially, I didn't get this album, coming into their catlog late, with "All the Wars", the last two albums have both been departures from that more rocky style and have been slow growers.
I think this is more like Bruce Soord's solo album, than The Pineapple Thief's early back catlog (which was more Radiohead crossed with The Smashing Pumpkins).
I have grown to love this album though.
The Pineapple Thief - In Exile
The Making of In Exhile
The Pineapple Thief - Tear You Up (Acoustic)
1 She Makes War - Direction of Travel
I discovered She Makes War on a podcast by Andy Mort, talking about songwriting. So I checked out her music on Spotify and found I was listening to it everyday, so I have started buying her back catalog.
Allegedly, this is ‘gloom-pop'. Lyrically beautiful, sonically light, I really do love this album, and have pretty much listened to it (at least partially) almost everyday since I bought it. There isn't enough ukulele in modern pop.
Stargazing, is also my song of the year. I even worked out how to play it. (which is a rare thing for me to do).
She Makes War - Stargazing
She Makes War featuring Tanya Donelly - Paper Thin
