Great new music from independent labels and artists all around the world

IntroHappy – Jimmie Bratcherwww.jimmiebratcher.comJust back from York, which has the most beautiful station (right).Sarah Mac Band play SecondLife gigWent to my first live gig in second life at the weekend. The Sarah Mac Band were playing live as part of a show which featured Lee Broderick. It was held on Muse Island in Second Life which is a pretty impressive venue. Having avatars on stage is a little strange but the sound was generally very good and it’s amazing how convincing it is. After their set, I spotted Sarah in the audience space and managed to grab a few words in a text chat exchange with went:PC: Sarah – that must be so weird. Do you see the venue?SM: Yes we can see the venue from the view from the stage.PC: But don"’t you find that the lag in reactions throws you?SM: Well, it’s a little bit awkward to be thanking people before they say that they liked it. I mean, if they all booed, it would be sort of embarrassing to  already have said "thank you". But people here are generally very easy going.PC: Looks like Lee is coming onstage now, thanks for the chat.www.sarahmacband.comIt’s certainly interesting and I’d recommend getting over to Muse Island to see what’s coming up.Volkespoitr – Betika  (Bournemouth, UK)Betika exist as a means to an end. Through them, one can expel the dark interloper feelings that sit so heavy in the heart and replace them with ones that feel so, so much better. Once the much maligned Cult of Betika has been joined, there is to be no return.It’s difficult to say exactly which pingeonhole it’s easiest to cram Betika into, their music isn’t rock, or folk, or country and it definitely isn’t "world" music, but it undeniably contains elements of all of those. A French reviewer called them "…for certain the new indie lo-fi Abba". They have a song which apparently sounds like Nick Drake, Can, The B-52s and Queens of the Stoneage all at the same time. And another one that sounds like the soundtrack from "Kes" being played by evil Brazillians. On bikes.13 Mar 2007   Centre Stage     Bournemouth7 Apr 2007     The Joiners       Southampton20 Apr 2007    Jericho Tavern  Oxfordwww.betika.co.ukwww.myspace.com/betikaHigh – Lettie (London, UK)        FIRST PLAYA memory collector of dreams, films, books, words, voices, tapes, old messages, images, yesterday, the other side, colours, newspapers clippings, history, stories, junk, music, seaside towns and postcards orginally from Suffolk, a Medieval History graduate from Glasgow and now residing in London. Lettie has performed in a number of different venues in a variety of different disguises over the years from student radio to the Borderline to the streets of Chelmsford to a video on MTV. Lettie is mostly influenced by film having spent much of her early years watching far too many of them and will change her tracks just like films; when she feels changes in mood.The track was recorded by Henry Hirsch produced by David Baron, Craig Ross and Henry Hirsch at Edison Studios New York and written by Craig Ross, David Baron and Lettie Maclean.Lettie promises to be gigging soon and will post up my gigs on her page."Just to say that I am orginally from Suffolk and have been transported to London via Glasgow!  Having gigged extensively in many different disguises and outfits, recorded in many heartbreaking and fruitless collaborations for some years, I met David Baron of Edison on myspace in October 2006 and have been recording with him in Woodstock, USA whenever I can.  I have also provided vocals for Gilbert Linley whose work can also be found at www.myspace.com/gilbertlinley"www.onescenario.com/www.myspace.com/lettiemusicNote from Gary Kovar from Smallfish:For more on Smallfish, sign up for occasional email updates atwww.smallfishadventures.com/The Young PunxFeatured them last week – only their second podcast play and already they are getting huge interest. I like to think that it was as a direct result of appearing on Suffolk ‘n’ Cool that the the very same evening they were featured on the flagship BBC current affairs TV programme Newsnight. Well, I would like to think that!www.theyoungpunx.comwww.myspace.com/theyoungpunxMarope – Tango Fusion Club  (Munich, Germany)The TangoFusionClub is a project that consists of music, dance and club events. Sonja Armisen, Tango and freestyle dancer from Munich started this project by producing her first TangoFusionClub CD in 2004, creating a new dancestyle, the TangoFusionClub-Dance and organizing elecro-tango club events. She is also a DJ specialising in electro-tango as well as a hobby Tango-singer. The TangoFusionClub CDs are compilations with stuff from herself with musician friends and all above other more or less well known musicians and DJs. The result is a disarming mix of traditional Argentinina Tango and modern Electronic Beats.On February the 3th Gotan Project played in Munich and TangoFusionClub played the after show party with various DJs and showacts.Every first Friday of the month at Cafe der Muffathalle / Zellstr. 4 /Munich with DJ-team from TangoFusionClub Tango-Visuals start 21:30 Entrance 6 Euro28.02.07 Torino /Italy1.3.07 Milano /Italy   Old Fashion Cafe2.3.07 Padova / Italy3.3.07 Piranella di Cervia /Italy   BarRumba16.3.07 Berlin /Roter Salon LagoFusionClub (latin & tango flavoured beats) DJ Sonja Armisen DJ Bongo  www.roter-salon.de24.3.07 Erlangen /E-Werk mit live-act: Bandoneon /Stefan Karoll   www.e-werk.detangofusionclub.com/www.myspace.com/tangofusionclubSummer – Domingo (France)    FIRST PLAYDomingo comes from the desert, the band grew up in Albuquerque and began to create in 2006.28 Feb 2007 Franc Pinot + Rivkah + JoeyJohn  Paris7 Mar 2007   Franc Pinot + Chapter 9   Paris14 Mar 2007 Franc Pinot + Hey Hey My My + KID  Paris15 Mar 2007 Rock’n zoo / le Tryptique     Paris21 Mar 2007 Franc Pinot + My girlfriend is better than yours  Pariswww.myspace.com/domingothebandNever gonna give you up – The Movement    (Ireland)The Movement formed in 2004 in Dublin. Ireland. They fuse a post punk sound with piano pop, and deliver disarmingly honest lyrics in a strong Irish accent, all built on a strong sense of melody at its heart.www.themovement.iewww.myspace.com/themovementieGigs coming up in NorwichWinelight Club: 7 March £5 gets you an excellent evening featuring: Jimmy  Golding   www.myspace.com/jimmygoldingSarah Barton  Keeley www.myspace.com/sarahbartonkeeleyBelinda Gillett   www.myspace.com/belindagillettAl Lindsay   www.myspace.com/allindsayJoanna Eden   www.myspace.com/joannaedenBookings on 01603 662134  www.myspace.com/thewinelightclubB2: 8 March Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigbywww.myspace.com/b2venueLove somebody, yes I do – The Fighting Cocks (Essex, UK)The Fighting Cocks are Essex’s premier Gypsy Hardcore band, and they have their own label FGZ records. MC Matyi: vocals and guitar; Pinky: vocals and guitar; Anna: vocals and choreography; Cherry: vocals and band stylist; Ilaria: vocals; DJ Assassin: turntable selecterYou can download clips of all the songs on their album Come and See from their website and indeed you can download the full version of the this song Love somebody, yes I do. Sunday 11th: Costa Urbana @ Notting Hill Arts Club, London W10 £6Saturday 31st: Cambridge Ladyfest Upstairs @ The Graduate, 16 Chesterton Road, Cambridge CB4, 8pm, £4www.f-cocks.demon.co.ukwww.myspace.com/thefightingcocksIdeas, comments and pronunciation corrections please via an MP3 or the MyChingo voice message system (right) or the comment button right here!