Fresh Liverpool four piece, The Jjohns, have unveiled their debut single release for the Modern Sky UK label, ‘Sewn’. Inspired by a Fleetwood Mac listening binge while the band were out on a tour of the Netherlands last year, ‘Sewn’ balances irresistible harmonies and vocal hooks with a clattering restlessness that truly captures the energy of their rabid live shows.

Speaking about the track, frontman Dom Dunning says: “Writing ‘Sewn’was motivated by our band’s trip to Eindhoven last year, we had the Fleetwood Mac greatest hits on loop and a song that Mik [Dom’s brother & guitarist] showed me instantly hit me, I felt great… I always write in the notion of trying to create my own version of a particular song or melody and that was the case with ‘Sewn’. We got home from the trip and straight away me and Mik picked up the guitars and the magic happened. I always had the hook lines "you got me bad/got me sewn girl" for a while and managed to fit it into the end of that song.”

Recorded locally at the legendary Sugarhouse in St Helens, ‘Sewn’ was produced in-house by the very capable Ady Hall and Lee McCarthy.  With a sound lovingly true to their Merseyside roots, The Jjohns have drawn early comparisons with the likes of The LA’s, The Beatles and The Coral; though on this startling debut, fans of R.E.M.’s earlier days may even detect a knowing lyrical wink to one of the classic IRS years singles in the closing bars.

THE JJOHNS - 2018 LIVE DATES

18th August – Shout About It Festival – Liverpool

14th September – Jimmy’s – Manchester

Manchester four piece, The Slow Readers Club, have announced their new album, Build A Tower, which will be released on May 4 via Modern Sky. Specialising in a dark and brooding indie electro that has drawn comparisons with Interpol, The Killers and The National, The Slow Readers Club have already received acclaim from the likes of Steve Lamacq, Peter Hook and Eddy Temple Morris, as well as having supported James on their arena tour, and performed at festivals including Isle Of Wight, Festival No.6 and Kendall Calling. The Slow Readers Club will be completing an extensive UK tour in support of Build A Tower running throughout April and May this year.

Build A Tower was recorded close to home at Edwin Street Recording Studios in Bury and produced by Phil Bulleyment (Gaz Coombes, Dutch Uncles). It will be the band’s third album, and their first with Modern Sky, following the release of their eponymous debut (2011) and Cavalcade (2015), both of which were released independently.

The band said of the release: “We’re really proud of the record as we’ve learned a lot since our last, self-released, album. Build A Tower feels like a big step up. Even though fans have heard a couple of the tracks played on the last tour, there’s a lot we’ve been holding back until they had the album in their hands, so we’re also looking forward to getting out and playing live. We're excited to see what people make of our new music.”

THE SLOW READERS CLUB TOUR DATES

April

26th – Cardiff, Globe

27th – Southampton, Engine Rooms

28th – Leeds, Brudenell Social Club

May

4th – Manchester, Cathedral

5th – Liverpool, Sound City Festival

6th – Glasgow, Stag & Dagger Festival

10th – Newcastle, Riverside

11th – Hull, The Welly

12th – Nottingham, Rock City

17th – Wolverhampton, Slade Rooms

18th – Norwich, Arts Centre

19th – Northwich, Library (The Charlatans Northwich homecoming)

25th – London, Islington Assembly Hall

26th – Stoke, Sugarmill