It is with great joy that Umbrella can announce their latest signing, VaLID. Perfect punk that brings back from memories from the mid 90s.

“Punk bands have made a resurgence in Australia and we’re looking to capitalise on this growth sector of the market” says Joel Connolly, Co-Director and Artist Manager at Umbrella.

“Royal Headache are getting heaps of props and we think we just might have the next big thing on our hands” says Cor-Director and Artist Manager Greg Carey.

“Yeah, all of our bands are from the Blue Mountains and we wanted to branch out, so we took a road trip to Forbes and look at what we found!”

VaLID will be releasing a full length double album in 3 weeks. The album is mostly written and some songs have even been recorded.

VaLID 4 lyf!

https://www.facebook.com/events/139002356202835/

People said it wouldn’t happen but Greg and Joel have finally joined a naughty rap group with fellow Umbrella compatriots Fishing, SPOD and Richard In Your Mind.

To celebrate both Joels 30th birthday and the formation of this apparent super group a party will be held at GOODGOD Small Club on February 4th 2012.

SPOD
Donny Benet
Naughty Rappers Collective
Black Vanilla

+ DJs Sex jacUZI, Klitty Litter, Kenny G Spot, Jay-C MAN, Slippery Dik, Jahova Casanova and LEVINS

Tickets from here - http://www.moshtix.com.au/event.aspx?id=53806&ref=moshtix.venue&skin

Facebook event here - https://www.facebook.com/events/270218879707188/

This thing is going to sell out. For real.

Top Records for 2011
PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
Shabazz Palaces – Black up
Belles Will Ring – Crystal Theatre
Youth Lagoon – The Year Of Hibernation
Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo

Top Songs For 2011
Yonkers – Tyler The Creator
The Last Living Rose – PJ Harvey
I hear Your Voice On The Wind – Belles Will Ring

Favourite Show For 2011
Belles Will Ring Supporting Leader Cheetah at The Gaelic Theatre. This was hands down the best Belles show I’ve seen and one of the best performances I’ve ever witnessed, second only to Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. People will be all like “but you manage them! don’t be a jerk!” and to them I’m all like “They aren’t one of my favourite bands because I manage them, I manage because they are one of my favourite bands.”

1. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo
2. Unknown Mortal Orchestra  - Unknown Mortal Orchestra
3. Jay Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne
4. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
5. Belles Will Ring – Crystal Theatre
6. Real Estate – Days
7. The Herd – Future Shade
8. Wu Lyf – Go Tell Fire To The Mountain
9. Youth Lagoon – The Year of Hibernation
10. Bon Iver – Bon Iver

Other big mentions:
The Roots – Undun
War On The Drugs – Slave Ambient

Top Music Moments 2011:
- Latitude Festival, England
- Somerset House – Cloud Control / Stornaway
- SXSW, Austin TX
- Splendour In The Grass
- Crocodiles – The Garage, London
- The Jezabels, Enmore Theatre

Top Singles 2011:
Baby’s Arms – Kurt Vile
Video Games – Lana Del Rey
Green Aisles – Real Estate
Maybe When – Richard In Your Mind
Spin Cycle – The Herd
Watersport – Fishing
Somebody That I Used To Know – Goyte feat. Kimbra
Seventeen – Youth Lagoon
Belles Will Ring – The Green

It’s available as a free download and a gift from Belles to everyone who wants it. Listen to it on Christmas day while sipping on a cherrie.

The campaign lasted three weeks and offered some fantastic incentives including private concerts, contributors names printed in the liner notes and specialised cover songs.

The band are over the moon and we’re all very grateful to the 68 people who contributed.

http://smacawards.com/