Pink Hedgehog news:

November 2011 News – Two new releases in stock/German Tour/New reviews/Autumn Sale!

Hello everyone,

Following on from last month’s announcement about our two new releases, I can confirm that we now have official release dates for both albums and the limited edition CDs are already in stock and ready to order. Ha Ha Ha by Mondo Jet Set will be out first on 28th November, followed a week later by Peter Lacey's We are the Sand on 5th December. Both albums will be available to download from all the usual digital music providers, but the collectors and traditionalists amongst you will be more interested to know we have 100 CD versions available of each release as well. The CDs are very high quality limited edition CD-Rs, but come as a clear jewel case, with a full colour sleeve, on-body design and even cello-wraps! Use the links below to find out more about both albums and to hear MP3 clips.

Ha Ha Ha by Mondo Jet Set, click here:

http://www.pinkhedgehog.com/shophahaha.htm

We are the Sand by Peter Lacey, click here:

http://www.pinkhedgehog.com/shopwats.htm

There will be a small amount of promo copies available... obviously we’d much prefer people to buy a copy, but please let me know if you would like to hear either (or both) of the albums – assuming you are a DJ or music writer who may like to help promote the releases!

And now live news! Last month Garfields Birthday appeared at the newly re-opened Kings Club in Weymouth as part of this year’s LupusFest event. Once again Shane was able to join us for half the set and made his presence felt with his harmonies and riff-tastic guitar playing. We are already working on tracks that will likely appear on a new album in 2012; but November will see the focus back on gigging with me (Simon) and Leighton returning to Germany, together with Si Jubb, for our second Songs & Whispers tour. We have been busy rehearsing new material; the aim is to have at least half a dozen new songs in the set, promoting the recent More Sense Than Money album as well as my own new Surrender, Dorothy! release. See below for a full list of the dates!

Garfields Birthday / Si Jubb "Songs & Whispers" 2011 German Tour

Monday 14th November ~ Big Buttinsky, Osnabruck (9 pm)

Tuesday 15th November ~ Hafen Casino, Bremen (8 pm)

Wednesday 16th November ~ Linden, Hannover (9 pm)

Thursday 17th November ~ Platformtheater, Groningen, NL (8 pm)

Thursday 17th November ~ Kroeg Van Klass, Groningen, NL (10 pm)

Friday 18th November ~ Tagenhaus Bredbeck Culture Center, Osterholz (9 pm)

Saturday 19th November ~ Katjas Villa K’bunt Shop & Culture Centre, Bremen (8pm)

Sunday 20th November ~ Fair Café, Schortens (2.30 pm)

Sunday 20th November ~ Kerem Kulturkneipe, Delmenhorst (7 pm)

Tuesday 22nd November ~ Theatersaal Universat, Bremen (12.30 pm)

Tuesday 22nd November ~ LoX, Bremen (8 pm)

Wednesday 23rd November ~ Polyester Klub, Oldenburg (8 pm)

Thursday 24th November ~ Spatz and Wal Klub, Unna (8 pm)

Friday 25th November ~ Townside Hostel, Bremen (8 pm)

Saturday 26th November ~ Festhalle Neuhaus, Neuhaus (8 pm)

Unfortunately my latest album, Surrender, Dorothy!, has once again enjoyed “critical success”, which basically means a lot of people have had some very nice things to say about it, but very few people have actually bought a copy! I guess that’s preferable to selling thousands of copies and everybody hating it, right? Either way, here are a couple of new reviews that I’ve had in for it that I would like to share with you:

The Big Takeover (USA)

"Since he began working outside the confines of his band Garfields Birthday, Pink Hedgehog owner Felton has really been hitting his stride as a singer/songwriter, with each LP being better than the last. Surrender is no exception. Backed by the Lucky Bishops’ Alan Strawbridge and fellow psych-pop iconoclast Anton Barbeau, Felton channels four decades of British acid pop into a half hour of irresistible bittersweetness. From the folky 'Compatible' to the bright 'Novelty' and the swirling 'Lying Down', Felton effortlessly keeps the should-be hits coming." (Michael Toland)

Terrascope (UK)

"Simon Felton will be well known to readers of these reviews, and here comes his second solo album Surrender, Dorothy! which features none other than psycher-than-thou US dude Anton Barbeau, whose recent Psychedelic Mynde Of Moses is a great little album. Opener 'Peepshow' nails Felton's indie-psych colours to the mast, with tricksy backwards effects, indie guitars and Felton's very own lugubrious vocals, while uptempo bopper 'Marbles' mixes tunefulness with wistful lyrics; only two and a half minutes, so I expect that'll be the single. 'Surprise' is soft and subtle, 'Lying Down' is a kind of waltztime lament, while 'Finally' changes the audio palette for acoustic guitar, tinkling bells and mournful vocals; I detect the hand of Mr Barbeau here on production duties. 'Novelty' is nostalgic and tuneful - another single! - and 'Slowing Down' reminded me of some of the slower Pugwash songs; great cut, this. A 'sixties flute 'tron opens 'Compatible' to retro-ears, while 'Psychedelia Smith' is another track with Barbeau's fingers all over it. The album closes with a surprisingly dark song, 'Day Dreams & Broken Bones.' This is certainly the most engaging release so far from the house of the Pink Hedgehog, and is recommended."

And finally, our Autumn Sale will end on 11th November, so don't leave it too late to grab yourself one of the many bargains to be found there!

http://www.pinkhedgehog.com/summersale.htm

The next update will be after the German tour and Christmas will be just around the corner! Keep warm, Simon.