Never say that the good burghers at Label Fandango dont know their way around an independent release. Backed to the hilt by shadowy characters from Pointy Recordings and fierce panda records, ie us, over the past few years Label Fandango has released charming 7¬ù singles by the likes of The Ruling Class, Air Traffic, Broken Records, Fanfarlo and Daggers, two of whom are now Hurts, but perhaps were pushing it a wee bit with that one.
And were definitely pushing it with the news Label Fandangos first ever album release. Its by cheeky Southend gritpop scamps REDTRACK, its totally and completely ace, its out on September 13th and the full sales spiel follows later on in this news story. Were also definitely defiantly positively pushing it with the launch of a brrrrrand new panda imprint. Its called Giant Haystacks Records, and its very first release is this:
THE HEARTBREAKS I Didnt Think It Would Hurt To Think Of You (7¬ù / download) released August 2nd). Storming in with a catalogue number of NEEDLE 001 and a sound which has had musical experts frothing forthly about characters such as Pete Wylie, The Smiths and ‚ heavens to Betsy ‚ Trashcan Sinatras, I Didnt Think It Would Hurt To Think Of You is The Heartbreaks second single following Liar, My Dear and their second pseudo-appearance on fierce panda following their jaunt on the Zip It Up EP with the Jealous, Dont You Know track.
Anyhooooooo the summer of 2010 sees no lifting of the foot from the Label Fandango pedal, either. As well as REDTRACKs debut album there are six lovely vinyl releases charging through the Fandango system, and here they all are in the order of the catalogue numbers¦

Catalogue number: GALAGOS 028 7¬ù / download
REDTRACK Perfectly Fine Intellectual (released June 21st)
Perky indiepunkpop from the Essex seaside by four well dressed young men who know people from The Buzzcocks and Hollyoaks and who are about to release the first ever album on Label Fandango, as outlined on the press release below. Available on red vinyl, of course.

Catalogue number: GALAGOS 029 7¬ù / download
ROB THE RICH Better (released July 5th)
Intelligent, literate post-Foals fop poppery from Brighton from five young skinny-hipped gentlemen who live in the same house like The Monkees or something. Another patented Label Fandango debut.
www.myspace.com/robtherichtheband

Catalogue Number: GALAGOS 030 7¬ù / download
SEERAUBER JENNY Push It Away (released Oct 4th)
Acoustic songstress Fran Barker hooks up with electropopster Neil Claxton from Mint Royale. They dont falter, they make tetchy, twitchy pop songs like this debut 7¬ù.
www.myspace.com/seerauberjennyuk

Catalogue Number: GALAGOS 031 7¬ù / download
FILMS OF COLOUR Actions (released October 11th)
Splendidly fast-paced epic indiepop from Guildford which is zippy and zingy and more radio-friendly than a John Peel tea cosy. Another carefully patented Label Fandango debut release, to boot.
www.myspace.com/filmsofcolours

Catalogue Number: GALAGOS 032 7¬ù / download
REDTRACK The Trier / Pretty Boy / Save Me From Your Family (released September 6th)
More perky, punchy fun from our Essex stormtroopers. Pretty Boy features Hollie Jay Hollyoaks Bowes and The Liar is strident guitarpop par excellence. Another red vinyl 7 beauty, with more album information below¦

Catalogue Number: GALAGOS 033 7¬ù / download
LUPEN CROOK Worlds End (released July 12th)
Folk fighting roustabout Lupen Crook returns to the Medway Fray with a new (third) album due in the fall, preceded by this quite lovely, summery number. The rest is pretty much impassioned noise so relish this calm before the acoustic-guitar-battering storm.
www.lupencrook.com

And now, as promised, here is all the information you need about Label Fandangos first ever album release¦

A fizzing Label Fandango one sheet
The Band: REDTRACK
The Release: WHOLE TOWNS HEART
The Formats: CD ALBUM & DOWNLOAD
The Release Date: SEPTEMBER 13TH 2010
The Record Company: LABEL FANDANGO
The Catalogue Number: SCURRY 001
The Tracklisting:
1.WHOLE TOWNS HEART
2.CIGARETTE
3.BEEN THERE
4.THE TRIER
5.MEMORY CARD
6.I MISS YOU, NOT
7.POLE DANCER
8.CATCH ME OUT
9.PERFECTLY FINE INTELLECTUAL
10.PRETTY BOY

The Truth: REDTRACK consist of Billy Wright (guitar / vox), Phil Blake (bass / vox), Mitch Silvey (guitar / keys / vox) and Andrew Perry (drums). They come from Southend-On-Sea, their bass player has survived an attack with a meat cleaver and they reckon they sound like a cross between Girls Aloud and The Clash.

** Whole Towns Heart is the debut album by REDTRACK. It is chewy and tuneful and, with its smalltown panic attacks and punchy new wave melodic jabs, sees them nodding towards the classic Britpopesque heritage of Weller, Difford and Costello. Small wonder then that punkoid peer Pete Shelley from The Buzzcocks was so enamoured with the REDTRACK tracks that he co-produced (alongside Dave M Allen) an earlier single, Poledancer, which appears on this here album.

** That isnt the only celebrity light shining on Whole Towns Heart, as it features a feisty guest appearance from Hollyoaks starlet Hollie Jay Bowes on Pretty Boy, a spin-off from the bands recent performance on the show. On a slightly less chintzy showbiz level Whole Towns Heart is also the first ever album release on Label Fandango, the Pointy Recordings / fierce panda offshoot which has previously concentrated on ace singles by the likes of Broken Records, Fanfarlo, Air Traffic and more. And frankly it is a miracle that this record even exists seeing as how three years ago bassist Phil Blake was attacked with an airgun and a meat cleaver and so badly hurt that he needed microsurgery on severed tendons in his arm.

** That he is back playing is a testament to his spirit in the face of quite literally potentially crippling adversity. Certainly the printed press and television stations have recently been fascinated by his recovery. And seeing REDTRACK live you can see why his band mates downed instruments and waited for him to recover, for they are tightknit quartet of tautest order. As for that somewhat daring reference to Girls Aloud and The Clash? Listen to brand new single The Trier and try to keep those blue suede shoes from moving at these shows here¦

AUGUST 26TH SOUTHEND Granger Club
AUGUST 28TH LEEDS FESTIVAL BBC Introducing Stage (onstage 7.45pm)
AUGUST 29TH READING FESTIVAL BBC Introducing Stage (onstage 8.00pm)
SEPTEMBER 1ST LONDON Bull & Gate (with PETE & THE PIRATES)
SEPTEMBER 9TH DUNDEE Fat Sams (with THE BUZZCOCKS)
SEPTEMBER 10TH EDINBURGH Liquid Rooms (with THE BUZZCOCKS)
SEPTEMBER 11TH EXETER Ivy Live
SEPTEMBER 18TH LONDON Great Portland Street 229 (album launch party)
OCTOBER 9TH OXFORD University

www.myspace.com/redtracktheband
www.clubfandango.co.uk