we7 News

New on we7 - 27.07.09

we7 are pleased to announce we have started working with Domino Records, one of the most renowned and respected independent labels, which is home to artists such as Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand, Animal Collective and Tricky. 

To launch our partnership we have our first exclusive Domino listening party with Wild Beasts' new album Two Dancers which is their second album release.  The boys have also given us their celebrity playlist - thirty-three of their favourite and inspiring songs. 

Our other exclusive this week is The Twang's new album Jewellery Quarter, which we have to listen to a week before it's available.  The album features six bonus tracks, including an acoustic version of the album's first single Barney Rubble.  We also sat down with the band to discuss the new album and living through their initial hype, you can read the interview in full here.

British rapper Master Shortie delivers his debut album A.D.H.D.  He says the reason for the album name is that "my music is just so crazy and it's so all over the place and it craves attention".  The album features the popular live track Dance Like A White Boy.

Garage rockers The Dandy Warhols bring out The Dandy Warhols Are Sound, which is the release of the original Russell Elavado mix of 2003's Welcome To The Monkey House.  Russell is an award winning soul mixing engineer responsible for such hits like D'Angelo's Brown Sugar, Alicia Keys' Songs In A Minor and Common's Like Water For Chocolate. 

Singles out today include Radar from Britney Spears, the fourth single from her latest album Circus.  Electro-dance act Chicane release Poppiholla and we have three extra remix versions, staying on the electro tip MSTRKRFT bring out Heartbreaker, their fifth single release.

NYC indie popsters Chairlift release Bruises.  Plus our favourite female british rapper Speech Debelle delivers Better Days from her debut album Speech Therapy.  We also got to chat to Speech recently, about the journey of creating her debut album, and her influences, check out the interview in full. 

As always you'll find all the latest music and playlists on our homepage.

Happy listening

The we7 Team

New on we7 - 06.07.09

This week on we7 we have exclusives from Billy Talent and The Rumble Strips. 

Billy Talent III, is unlike what the title suggests, Billy Talent's fourth album release from the Canadian rockers and we7 have the full album to listen to a week before it's released.  Plus The Rumble Strips give us Welcome To The Walk Alone, their second studio album ahead of its official release. 

Receiving some great early reviews from critics, the album was produced by Mark Ronson, on working with him the band commented: "He definitely had an idea about how he wanted it to sound. Certainly for the drums, he kind of built the sound around this particular technique of drums. And obviously coming in fresh, he sort of sat down and listened to the songs, and trimmed off bits. But he’s no megalomaniac, he doesn’t come in and insist it has to be ‘this way’, but he’s got ideas."

Listen first on we7 now!

Also new this week is La Roux's self-titled debut album, featuring the catchy hit In For The Kill and new single Bulletproof.  US R&B star Maxwell delivers his fourth album BLACKsummers'night, which is his first release since 2001's Now and German dance act Cascada release their third album Evacuate The Dancefloor, which is the first of their albums to feature no cover tracks.

Singles out this week include UK rapper Chipmunk's Diamond Rings, Our House Is Dadless from UK ska group Kid British, Neopolitan Dreams from Australian singer-songwriter Lisa Mitchell, Dead End from Master Shortie and Hard Times from multi-instrumentalist Patrick Wolf.

It's Independents Day today, which is a global celebration of independent music.  The hundreds of thousands of artists and labels in the independent sector are responsible for some of the most dynamic, creative and diverse music currently being recorded, which is a huge influence on what gets signed, promoted and listened to by the major music labels.

Throughout the month of July, music fans will be hearing some great independent music on the radio, TV and online, giving a much needed spotlight to discover some fresh new talent.

We7 has created the ID09 playlist with help and support from AIM, and is made up of nominations from indies big and small - all have a passionate belief and a fascinating story to tell.

Free music - ID09 - Independents Day 2009

Check out our homepage for all the latest new music and lots of independent music to support ID09.

Also to show we7's continued commitment to supporting new music, for this week only you can get a free download of the track Valletta from unsigned indie band Sick City Club.

Happy listening!
The we7 team

New on we7 - 29.06.09

We lost a music legend this week and tributes have been pouring in for Michael Jackson.  Fans have been flocking out to buy his albums and download individual tracks, resulting in 43 of the top 200 singles featuring Michael and a total of 11 Michael Jackson or Jackson 5 albums featured in the top 200.  The legacy he leaves behind is his music, which will continue to live on.

Elsewhere on we7 we have some more exclusive content for you, including Discovery's debut album LP.  Discovery is a side project for Vampire Weekend keyboardist and producer Rostam Batmanglij and Ra Ra Riot lead singer Wes Miles.  Plus we have Dressed To Digress - a single preview from alternative New York band Boy Crisis.

Let's Wrestle release their debut album In The Court Of The Wrestling Let's and Tinariwen bring out Imidiwan: Companions.  The band who formed in 1982 by people who had been conscripted Muammar al-Gaddafi's army, mostly sing in French and Tamashek languages about the subject of independence for their people from the government of Mali. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Chris Martin cited Tinariwen as having a great influence on Coldplay's 2008 album, Viva la Vida.

It's the 10th Anniversary of British DJ and artist Mr Scruff's Keep It Unreal and we have the Analogue Remaster Edition available to listen to in full.

This week's singles see pop girl group The Saturdays bringing out their fifth single Work which serves as the final single from the group's debut album Chasing Lights. It has been a fan favourite and paves the way for the group's first headline tour The Work Tour, which took its name from the song.

The Big Pink bring out Stop The World, Bombay Bicycle Club release Dust On The Ground and Jamie T delivers his Sticks N Stones EP.

Finally don't forget to check out our homepage for all the latest music and see our top selection of playlists.  This week includes Michael Jackson, Glastonbury 2009 and the Top 40 singles and albums.

Happy listening

The we7 Team

Win up to £4000 on we7 by sharing your fave music!

Today we have launched ME7 – a playlist competition in which we7 is giving away £7000 in cash prizes!

All you need to do is create a playlist of the 7 songs that define you – they could be the first record you ever bought, fave love song/break up song – anything you like! Then you just have to share it with everyone you know! 

Run over 4 weeks, the playlist that gets the most plays each week will win £1000, with the most popular playlist at the end of the 4 weeks receiving a further £3000!

So create your 7 song playlist and it enter it now!

You can also get advice on how to create a playlist and we’ve put together a handy Sharing Guide to give you tips on how to share your playlist with friends, to increase your chances of winning the cash.

If you still need more inspiration check out our YouTube Channel which has step-by-step vids in how to create playlists and share them!  

Good Luck!

New on we7 - 22.06.09

On we7 this week we have another couple of hot exclusives for you, this time Rob Thomas, lead singer of Matchbox Twenty, has given us his new solo album Cradlesong, to let you listen to in full before its release next week. 

Cradlesong is the second solo album from Rob, which he describes as "the usual mish-mosh of styles, but hopefully just holding true to a bunch of good songs".  You can also check out our interview with Rob and his playlist of his seven favourite tracks.

Plus we have Bombay Bicycle Club's brand new album two weeks in advance of release - listen to I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose now!

Other albums out this week include everyone's favourite parody heavy metal band Spinal Tap, who in honour of the 25th Anniversary of This Is Spinal Tap, release their third studio album Back From The Dead.  The album features re-recorded versions of songs featured in This Is Spinal Tap and its soundtrack album, plus five new songs and is the first release from the band in 17 years. 

Canadian post-hardcore rockers Alexisonfire release Old Crows Young Cardinals, their fourth studio album.  Singer-songwriter Regina Spektor brings out her fifth album Far, which features the lead single Laughing With plus Future Of The Left release their second album Travels With Myself And Another and Amazing Baby release their debut album Rewild.

Singles out today include Raindrops from Basement Jaxx, electropop duo La Roux bring out their third single Bulletproof from their forthcoming self-titled debut album.  Much hyped Florence And The Machine deliver their fourth single Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) , from their forthcoming debut album "Lungs" and Bat For Lashes release Pearl's Dream.

Also this Wednesday we7 is launching ME7 a music sharing competition that will give users the chance to win £4000 in cash!  The ME7 challenge invites everyone, from digital novices to seasoned streamers, to create a 7-song playlist of tracks that best defines their life in music - from a teenage anthem to a first dance track.

Run over 4 weeks, each week the playlist with the most plays will receive £1000, and at the end of the four weeks the most played overall will receive a further £3000!

All you need to do is head over to the competition page to find out more - create your seven song playlist and wait till Wednesday to enter it into the competition.  Then you have to share it with as many people as possible to get the plays.

Good luck and happy listening!

The we7 Team

New on we7 - 15.06.09

There is more exclusive preview content on we7 this week.  The Texan trio White Denim give us their second album Fits to listen to one week ahead of its official release.

Also we7 have teamed up with the Guardian to bring you Gossip's new album Music For Men a week before it's available anywhere else - so listen for free now!

Renowned brit-poppers Blur bring out Midlife: A Beginners Guide To Blur, which features 25 of their biggest tracks, including Parklife, Girls And Boys, Beetlebum and Coffee And TV.

American boy band Jonas Brothers release Lines, Vines And Trying Times, their forth studio album.  When explaining the album title in an interview with Rolling Stone, Nick Jonas said "Lines are something that someone feeds you, whether it's good or bad. Vines are the things that get in the way of the path that you're on, and trying times — well, obviously we're younger guys, but we're aware of what's going on in the world and we're trying to bring some light to it."

DJ and producer Kissy Sell Out releases his debut album Youth.  As a producer Kissy has worked on official remixes for artists such as Mark Ronson, Sugababes, Gwen Stefani and Groove Armada, but now it's his turn in the spotlight.  Youth took over a year to make and is inspired by his childhood memories of growing up in Essex - definitely worth a spin!

Female fronted post-hardcore band Eyes Set To Kill release their second album The World Outside, which vocalist Alexia Rodriguez describes as "alot darker". 

Other albums include Wave Machines' Wave If You're Really There, Tiny Masters Of Today, with Skeletons and US punk-rockers Spinnerette release their self-titled debut.

This week's singles include You Belong With Me from American country-pop star Taylor Swift, and at only 20 years old, this single is Taylor's eighth top ten country hit!  Plus Papa Roach release Lifeline, the second single from their new album Metamorphosis.

For all those R&B lovers check out R&B Collection Summer 2009 - 40 hits from the hottest urban artists right now, including Ne-Yo, Rihanna, Jay-Z, Shontelle and Kanye West.

Finally as it's Father's Day this Sunday 21st June, why not send your Dad a playlist of his favourite songs?  Or here's one we made earlier! Just copy and paste the Share with your friends link into an email, or click more sharing options.

Happy listening!
The we7 Team

 

New on we7 - 27.04.09

On we7 this week as always, we are bringing you all the latest music to listen to for free.

Folk legend Bob Dylan releases his 33rd studio album today.  Together Through Life contains "struggling love songs" and has been described as having little similarity to Modern Times - the last album released by Dylan.  In celebration of this release we've put together a Bob Dylan Playlist which highlights some of hits from his vast back catalogue.

Ben Harper's Relentless 7 release their debut effort White Lies For Dark Times, which Top 40.com describe as "a timeless rock record, with a cohesive collection of music that is as raw, unrelenting and thunderous, as it is arrestingly haunting and emotional".

Canadian indie rockers Metric release their 4th album Fantasies, which features the single
Help, I'm Alive and Golden Silvers bring us True Romance an original and thought provoking debut album. 

On the singles front Pink releases Please Don't Leave Me, the third love/hate single from the album Funhouse.  Girls Aloud's Untouchable is available, which Sarah Harding describes as "so Nineties, a proper pop dance song. It’s got that trancy, chilled Ibiza feel.  I get lost in the music at the beginning and then it builds and builds and builds. You just want to go mental."

We also have The Maccabees' Love You Better, Something Is Squeezing My Skull from Morrissey and The Chapman Family's Kids.

Happy listening!

The we7 Team

New on we7 - 06.04.09

On we7 this week we have another special listening party with British DJ and musician Ironik.

You can listen to Ironik's new album 3 weeks before it's released!  No Point in Wasting Tears is his debut effort, which includes his first hit single Stay With Me and his third single Tiny Dancer (Hold Me Closer), which features Sir Elton John and samples from his legendary hit of the same title.

We also have Calvin Harris' new dance track I'm Not Alone, Just Jack's latest single Embers and Justin Timberlake is bringing sexy back again, this time collaborating on Ciara's new single Love, Sex, Magic.

Pioneering artist Bat For Lashes (pseudonym of Natasha Khan), releases her second album Two Suns, which according to her is "a record of modern-day fables exploring dualities on a number of levels – two lovers, two planets, two sides of a personality," bringing reflection about "the philosophy of the self and duality, examining the need for both chaos and balance, for both love and pain, in addition to touching on metaphysical ideas concerning the connections between all existence."  Well indeed, that is exactly what we were going to say!!

The album features her latest single Daniel, where the single artwork features Natasha with an image of the character Daniel LaRusso, from the film The Karate Kid, painted on her back...could this be a tribute to the wax on..wax off kid?!  You make your mind up and give it a listen!

If that's still not enough to sedate your free music desires we have a selection of Homepage features, including all the artists and music which was featured in the BBC documentary "Queens of British Pop", with Dusty Springfield, Kate Bush and Marianne Faithfull.  A top pick from Black Sabbath's back catalogue and a focus on Stones Throw Records, with Omar Rodriquez Lopez amongst others.

Have a great week!
The we7 Team

New on We7 - 30.03.09

This week on We7 we have more from the Dutch soulstar Alain Clark, with an exclusive version of his debut album Live It Out available to listen to one week ahead of its release! 

For the making of Live It Out, Alain headed to Los Angeles where he recruited legendary drummer Steve Gadd (“He played on most of my heroes’ albums!”) as well as old friend Kevin Wyatt (Terence Trent D’arby, En Vogue) on bass. The recordings were subsequently completed back in Amsterdam at Alain’s home studio.

“I wanted to make no concessions with this record. I found with productions that I did for other artists that you’re tied to a certain budget; you’re tied to certain ideas that the artist or record company may have. This being my record, I decided to do this just the way I wanted to.” The result is, as he says, “My own retro soul sound based on the Tamla Motown basics at the heart of which are prolific musicians, real songs and no sign of digital trickery”.

The album has received widespread critical acclaim as Alain received a prestigious Rembrandt Prize as well as a major megaward.  We7 is the only place you can listen to this exclusive version of the album with two bonus tracks, so check it out and let us know what you think!

The mighty genre defining, heavy metal legend's that are Black Sabbath have gone digital for the first time, as their back catalogue is released today!  We have put together a Sabbath playlist taking you through a journey of the different line-ups and featuring the biggest hits and some of the more unknown, but equally rocking tracks!  Delve into the gothic darkness of the Sabbath world now!

Flo Rida's new album R.O.O.T.S (Route of Overcoming the Struggle) is out today, featuring his record-breaking No 1 single Right Round.  The follow up to Flo's debut album Mail On Sunday, is currently at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, having spent six consecutive weeks there.

We recently caught up with Flo Rida and asked what we could expect from the album, "My new album is called "R.O.O.T.S"; it's out in stores March 31st(US). It's abbreviated for "Route Of Overcoming The Struggle" - I've definitely been inspired by the fact that I just love Africa, you know, the motherland. I've seen a lot of struggles there. People didn't know I had my own struggles as well - with this record, you're going to get a lot of tracks that are heartfelt, which my last album really wasn't. I still have the party, club, joints all that kind of stuff. I got Wyclef Jean on this album as well as, Nelly Furtado, Ne-Yo and Pleasure Pete to name a few".

And finally if you like a bit of sleazy rock'n'roll have a listen to the Obits, they've just released their debut album I Blame You.  These New York rockers are led by former frontman of Hot Snakes, Rick Froberg, with other band members being veterans of other indie rock acts.

Have a great week!

The We7 Team

New on We7 - 23.03.09

On We7 this week you can join our exclusive listening party with Dutch soul-sensation Alain Clark.  We7 is the official online host for Alain's new single Father & Friend and you can listen to it here one week ahead of its release.

Already a renowned artist in his native Holland, 2008 saw Alain being a mainstay of the Dutch Top 10 chart - having three of the nation’s biggest hit singles.  He has progressed from being an unknown support act to Amy Winehouse to becoming an arena-filling star in his own right and collected two of the Netherlands’ most prestigious musical honours in the process.

Father & Friend is an emotional ballad in which Alain duets with his father Dane – himself a veteran of a covers band, playing classics from the likes of Otis Redding, Sam & Dave and James Brown. 

Next Monday We7 will also be hosting Alain's debut album "Live It Out" not available to listen to anywhere else for one week!  Sign up to the alerts to be the first to know about it.

US indie-pop band Metro Station's new single Shake It is out today and available to listen to now. We also have some signed goodies to give away in our Metro Station competition - head over and answer a simple question for your chance to win signed t-shirts, CDs and other goodies!  If that's still not enough for you, check out our interview with frontman Trace Cyrus (brother of popstar Miley Cyrus and son of achey-breaky Billy Ray!).

Pet Shop Boys release their tenth studio album Yes today, featuring the lead single Love etc.  The boys have already had a great start to the year, having received the award for Outstanding Contribution to music at February's BRIT Awards.

Indie rockers The Decemberists release their fifth album The Hazards of Love which is an epic tale of love and betrayal and features guest vocals from respected folk artist's Shara Worden and Becky Stark.

And finally we can barely contain our excitement as the Legacy Edition of Pearl Jam's classic, twelve times platinum album Ten is re-released, with all the original tracks remastered plus six bonus tracks for your listening pleasure. 

Have a great week!

The We7 Team