Damon Albarn's cartoon group Gorillaz have announced details of their new record. Plastic Beach will be released on March 5th on EMI (so we won't be bringing you any YouTube embeds) and you can hear the first single 'Stylo' on their myspace now.

The idea behind the new record? Cartoons, duffer. No it's this: "Five years on from the release of Demon Days, Murdoc Niccals and co. return with Gorillaz. The band have taken up residence, recording on a secret floating island deep in the South Pacific, a Plastic Beach HQ, made up of the detritus, debris and washed up remnants of humanity. This Plastic Beach is the furthest point from any landmass on Earth; the most deserted spot on the planet."

The record will feature guest spots from the likes of Lou Reed, Snoop Dogg, De La Soul, Mos Def, Mark E. Smith and Bobby Womack. Here's the tracklist:

1. Orchestral Intro (featuring Sinfonia ViVA)
2. Welcome To The World Of The Plastic Beach (feat. Snoop Dogg and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble)
3. White Flag (feat. Kano, Bashy and The National Orchestra For Arabic Music)
4. Rhinestone Eyes
5. Stylo (feat. Bobby Womack and Mos Def)
6. Superfast Jellyfish (feat. Gruff Rhys and De La Soul)
7. Empire Ants (feat. Little Dragon)
8. Glitter Freeze (feat. Mark E Smith)
9. Some Kind Of Nature  (feat. Lou Reed)
10. On Melancholy Hill
11. Broken
12. Sweepstakes (feat. Mos Def & Hypnotic Brass Ensemble)
13. Plastic Beach (feat. Mick Jones & Paul Simonon)
14. To Binge (feat. Little Dragon)
15. Cloud Of Unknowing (feat. Bobby Womack and Sinfonia ViVA)
16. Pirate Jet

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Austin, Texas band Spoon's new album Transference is awesome. I've never really loved them before but this one's in full swing, especially the second half of the record (the duo of 'Out Go The Lights' and 'Nobody Gets Me But You' are enough to tip it to End Of Year status alone). Here's the band playing first single 'Written In Reverse' on the American TV show (you wouldn't suspect it from our masthead's coverage) Conan O'Brien:


Spoon - 'Written In Reverse' live on Conan O'Brien

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Melbourne band Tic Tok Tokyo have changed their name to the Google-proof, MGMT-esque, TTT. They've also shed the new-wave suits and replaced them with the natty '80s wardrobe of Talking Heads, evidently. (See main pic, above left).The band writes on their MySpace:

"Four years after starting out as Tic Toc Tokyo, we feel it's time for a change and would like to announce that from now on the band will be using the abbreviated name of TTT.  Leading up to the release of our debut album early next year, we feel this change is better suited to our current and future projects and endeavours. Thanks y'all for your understanding."

TTT have a new single 'Animal' out now. Hear it on their MySpace.

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Trip-hop pioneeers Massive Attack have announced a rather large Australian tour. The band will be bringing out their new album Heligoland (incidentally the name of a wonderful ex-Melbourne band now in Paris) as well as special guest Martina Topley-Bird. Heligoland is out February 5th and is a guest fest, featuring Damon Albarn, Hope Sandoval, Martina Topley-Bird, Tunde Adebimpe of TV On The Radio, Elbow’s Guy Garvey, Portishead’s Adrian Utley and "long time associate, ragga-reggae veteran" Horace Andy.

Here's the dates:

Perth, Kings Park - Friday March 12
Sydney, Opera House Forecourt - Monday March 15
Canberra, Royal Theatre - Friday March 19
Melbourne, Sidney Myer Music Bowl - Saturday March 20
Adelaide, Entertainment Centre - Sunday March 21
Brisbane, Riverstage - Tuesday March 23

Tickets on sale Friday February 5

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The Drones played the last ever set at the closing of the Tote Hotel on Monday. (We wrote about the last moments at length). The band have just announced a national tour, the last before they retreat to work on the follow up to 2008's Havilah. As a bonus for those in the bands hometown, their two shows at the East Brunswick Club are being filmed for a live DVD.

THE DRONES - AUSTRALIAN TOUR - FEB/MARCH 2010

Feb 20 - The East Brunswick Club, Melbourne, VIC
Feb 21 - The East Brunswick Club, Melbourne, VIC
March 4 - The Annandale Hotel, Sydney, NSW
March 5 - The Annandale Hotel, Sydney, NSW

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The Good Vibrations Festival kicks off on Feb 13th. We'll have an interview headliners The Killers (above, right) before too long, but until then, check out your potential toilet breaks with the announcement of set times.

See:

Feb 13 – Centennial Park, Sydney NSW
Feb 14 – Claremont Showground, Perth WA
Feb 20 – Parklands Showgrounds, Gold Coast QLD
Feb 21 – Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne VIC


goodvibrationsfestival.com.au