Sweet Monday

Don't we all love Monday? Hell yes!

Let's get right to the short and sweet.

Kids In Glass Houses are the band on everyone's lips as they debuted their sophomore submission, Dirt.  From single Youngblood (Let It Out) to the anthemic Matters At All and Sunshine, no stone has been left unturned by the once Smart Casual Welshies. Really, if The Best Is Yet To Come then over the next few years we are in for one heck of a treat.

Reading and Leeds' line ups were announced today a mere 15minutes after the much coveted tickets went on sale. Think Arcade Fire, Biffy Clyro, Lostprophets, The Gaslight Anthem, Paramore, You Me At Six, Bombay Bicycle Club and, erm, Blink 182. Oh crumbs! It's really gonna be a great year...Full details at http://www.readingfestival.com/.

BBPD.

Rock Stars Help Haiti Earthquake Appeal

As the earthquake in Haiti has rocked the headlines around the world this week, with an estimated 50,000 dead and thousands injured, it seems that all of our favourite artists are doing their bit to help survivors. The reformed Blink 182 are selling special edition t shirts for the Red Cross' Haiti Relief work from their online store http://gomerch.com/interface/body.php?module=store&id=59. 100% of all proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross.

Arcade Fire's Win Butler and Regine Chassagne have posted a pleading note on their official website urging fans to donate money to non-profit organisation, Partners In Health. The messages reads: Friends, Haiti needs your help in her darkest hour. We just got off the phone with our friends at Partners In Health. Most of the medical infrastructure in Port-au-Prince is down. Since Partners In Health's clinics are situated in the surrounding areas and haven't been damaged, they are mobilising their resources towards the capital, setting-up field hospitals to treat the injured on the ground...Please be generous as time is of the essence." This recent natural tradegy has hit the band hard as Chassagne's family emigrated to Canada from Haiti before she was born but her ties to the island were highlighted on the band's debut album, Funeral.

Humanitarians Coldplay's Chris Martin and Glasto darling Emily Eavis are also actively urging us all to donate to an essential cause.

Places you can donate:
www.oxfam.org.uk/haiti
www.redcross.org/
www.un.org/news
www.worldvision.org.uk/HaitiAppeal
You know what to do.
BBPD

The guys over at Stereogum have compiled one hell of must-have albums list. They've not given a meek 5, 10 or even 25 but a flabbergasting 69 indie records that you simply must have by this time next year. Oh yeah, 2010 is gonna be good!
http://stereogum.com/archives/list/2010_albums_102801.html

Highlights for me include Vampire Weekend's Contra, The Avalanches' follow up to 2000's Since I Met You, MGMT with Congratulations and Los Campesinos! tell us Romance is boring. Other rightfully anticipated indie gems will be winging there way to our iTunes from Fleet Foxes, The National, Hot Chip, Arcade Fire, Of Montreal, Drive By Truckers (trust me on this one) and The Walkmen.

January 12th. You have a date at HMV with Vampire Weekend. Don't forget.

BBPD