SATURDAY NEWS WRAP #88

• The album reveals are coming thick and fast from Sony HQ at the moment, with Damien Leith the latest to reveal the title and cover image for a forthcoming new album. ‘Now And Then’ (cover pictured) follows on from his Roy Orbison tribute ‘Roy’ and will be released on Friday April 20.
• Aussie dance/pop starlet Elen Levon will take to the field at the ANZ Stadium in Sydney tomorrow to entertain the crowds gathered for the round four NRL clash between the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Newcastle Knights. She’ll be performing her singles ‘Naughty’ and ‘Like A Girl In Love’.
• Groovin’ The Moo organisers have confirmed that the Maitland event, set down for Saturday May 12, has now officially sold out. The Maitland sell-out comes on the heels of the sell-out of the Bendigo event in Victoria. Tickets to Canberra, Townsville and Bunbury are still available, but are selling fast.
• Record Store Day is back for 2012. It’s the day when people across the country converge on their local record stores to celebrate that “Australia’s specialist music stores are wonderful places to browse, reminisce and purchase your favourite music.”
Stores across the country will feature live music performances, in-store visits, competitions and giveaways as part of the celebrations. Record Store Day is locked in for Saturday April 21.
• Aussie songstress Lanie Lane has had to pull out of tonight’s support slot of the Brian Setzer’s Rockabilly Riot show in Fremantle because of illness. Perth band Day Of The Dead will replace her for the performance at the city’s Arts Centre.
• The boys from Buckley Ward have revealed the cover image for their forthcoming album ‘So Pretend’ (above). The band’s second LP features their recently released summer-infused single ‘Into The Darkening Blue’ and has been described as having “pop at its heart, and something less definable in its veins”. It’s released on Friday April 20.
• The team from Modular is allowing punters to download a free remix of Beni’s latest single ‘Last Night’. The Brodinski Remix is filled with pumping beats and industrial sounds – and you can nab it free of charge HERE.
• New South Wales four piece The Rubens have signed to Ivy League Records, the home of artists like Josh Pyke, Lanie Lane and Deep Sea Arcade. The band found fame through the Triple J Unearthed competition and are currently in the New York recording their debut album, which is to be released later this year.
• The gents from Fun. are still holding steady on the Billboard 100 singles chart this week with their track ‘We Are Young’, while Gotye and Kimbra remain entrenched in the No.5 position with ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’. Flo Rida and Sia have gone top ten with their ‘Wild Ones’, while the One Direction infection hits – their single ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ edging from No.33 to No.19.
• The US singles chart isn’t the only place where the One Direction frenzy is being felt – as mentioned earlier in the week on the site, their album ‘Up All Night’ has slammed the US No.1 position on the Billboard albums chart, creating history as the only British band to have their debut album premiere in the top spot. The album sold 176,000 copies in the week to nab the top spot, knocking off Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Wrecking Ball’. Adele remains in the No.2 spot, the Gunners’ greatest hits pounces to No.3 and Passion’s ‘White Flag’ debuts at No.5. Gotye’s ‘Making Mirrors’ also hits the US albums top ten, shuffling up to No.9 on the back of 24,000 sales.
• And for all the goings-on on the latest ARIA singles and albums top 100s, don’t miss our Chart Watch, live on the site at 9am AEDST tomorrow!

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