Puddlegum

Whenever a band spends time in the studio, recording songs they have been perfecting, they watch the songs take on new forms. Pela was anxious as any band is to test their fresh group of songs on the road. Their new album, Rise ye Sunken Ships, was finished a few days before Christmas and Pela set out for an anticipated March tour. Unfortunately, the band had an accident on stage at Schuba’s involving their lead vocalist and guitarist, Billy McCarthy, and they had to cancel their tour.

“During last night’s show at Schuba’s in Chicago Billy [McCarthy] fell off the stage, landing on a broken pint glass. This happened during the triumphant finale of the set; the stage was crowded with people dancing and singing to ‘Cavalry‘, while a strobe light turned their vision into a cut screen movie. His left hand has a gash on the palm, and a deep slice in his pinky finger which also cut tendons.”

Billy was flown back to New York, and will undergo surgery. The doctor is estimating an eight week recovery period. Be sure to visit Pela’s Myspace and express your best wishes, or email billy@pelamusic.com.
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• Luke Temple has a new 7" EP called Brain. http://tinyurl.com/33wkgt Snowbeast hits France on March 3. #
• According to LA Times, 48% of teenagers did not buy any CDs in `08. Up 10% in `06. Music downloads up. http://snurl.com/20j70 #
• New Zealond noise-pop, Die! Die! Die!, have announced US tour. Promises, Promises was released Feb 12. http://snurl.com/20j8t #
• People in Planes have released an acoustic version of Pretty Buildings, available on iTunes with the single: http://snurl.com/20jf0 #
• Miracle Fortress announced US, Europe, and Canada tour dates for the month of March. http://snurl.com/20jfi #
• Pela have posted four humerous videos, as teasers for their upcoming There’s No Off Switch On This Thing tour. http://snurl.com/20jis #
• Bodies of Water are launching a spring tour with Sons and Daughters. They recently released Ears Will Pop. http://snurl.com/20jjb #

10. Rosie Thomas - These Friends of Mine
Just as the title portrays, you feel as though you’re sitting in the studio with Rosie.

9. Seabear - The Ghost that Carried Us Away
This album makes me miss Iceland, though I’ve never been.

8. Taxi Taxi! - Taxi Taxi!
I could sit and listen to these Swedish twins sing all day.

7. Radiohead - In Rainbows
Not only did this album stir the industry up, these songs will be favorites for a long time.

6. Shout Out Louds - Our Ill Wills
Our Ill Wills struck me as an album I had heard before, yet never had.

5. The Innocence Mission - We Walked In Song
The Innocence Mission has a way of grabbing my emotions like no other band.

4. Blonde Redhead - 23
Phenomenal album. It felt like a chemical addiction and I kept sneaking spins.

3. The Forms - The Forms
Twelve songs, each under four minutes, and I find myself listening to them several times on repeat.

2. Pela - Anytown Graffiti
My friends will attest that I asked them if they had heard Pela yet, and made sure they had.

1. Twilight Sad - Fourteen Autumns, Fifteen Winters
Maybe it’s the thick Scottish accent, the shoegaze distortion, and lyrics that plot out like a well written film, but this album continues to amaze me.

Pela began recording in Los Angelas on November 2 and they’re inviting fans to follow them through the process by reading their studio blog. “This time we’re trying to introduce video along with text and photos. We are aware that many people don’t know what goes down during recording, so we decided to post typical Pela shenanigans, and include you in our adventures”

The album will be called Rise Ye Sunken Ships, and it appears that they have the time and budget to follow up Anytown Graffiti.

The studio blog echoes the recording experiences that both thrill and frustrate the emotions: searching for the right synth sound, watching a song go through a transition, deconstructing and reinventing, spending hours on one drum fill, spending 12 hours a day listening to the same tracks repeat, searching for the right microphone placement, drinking too much coffee, and eating too many tacos.

“Part of our process right now is to focus on stages. Stage one is getting the foundation of for every song recorded, whether it’s drums, guitar, keyboards, or any other instrument. This allows us to weave in and out from song to song developing each one without getting bogged down in the details.

For the last six hours we have been deconstructing and reinventing the song Philadelphia. We’ve tried out a June 60, Korg MS-20, Casiotone 101, Omnichord, Wurlitzer, Rhodes, Casitone MC-45, various Samples, the Hammond Organ Ray Manzerik used, Acoustic Guitars, Electric Guitars, and about 50 different drum beats.”

Pela - Lost To The Lonesome

Pela is never short of news to post, finding things to update their website and tour blog nearly every day. Woodstock, New York set the scene of their music video, shot on July 29, for Lost to the Lonesome. The band invited fans to be in the video, set in the late nineteenth century, and have since posted photos.

The band is currently on a tour, the last with their drummer, Tomislav Zovich. He will be hanging up his sticks after their Bowery Ballroom show in New York City on August 25.

“This tour represents a lot of change and it marks the end of an era for Pela. For our good friend and drummer extraordinare, Tomislav Zovich, this will be his last tour with us. The last 4 years of playing with Tom has been a wonderful period. He’s been given an opportunity for his new business that he can not refuse. As we are all good friends it’s been difficult but understandable and we have the utmost respect for what his contribution has been to Pela.”

After Tomisliv exits the band, Pela will begin recording their next album in Los Angeles. This will be their sixth album since they formed four years ago. “We’ve recently finished writing and demoing for our next album and we’re scheduled to begin recording this coming fall in Los Angeles.”

Update on 8/21/7: Tom is not leaving Pela.

“Crazy right? Our brother in arms is not going anywhere and we couldn’t be happier. Part of the adventure in life is to live without regret. Well, Tom felt that if he passed this up he’d be regretting it down the road. We’ve all been working so hard for the past 4 years, and we are not going anywhere. So when you see Tom, not only say hello but give him a hug and a congratulations. He’s a great person and our brother. “

Pela - Lost to the Lonesome

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