by Chris Parkes (@rocknrollparksy)

Welcome to the next instalment of the Electone Records blog, as ever we’ll be doing a roundup of what’s going on within the music scene, both locally and from a far.

First and foremost, the time has finally come to make our most exciting announcements for label figureheads The Wicked Whispers! Yes, their long awaited debut album is finished and the brand new single ‘Chronological Astronaut’ is now available to pre-order from iTunes worldwide (released Monday 14th July).

‘Chronological Astronaut’ is taken from the upcoming debut album ‘Maps of the Mystic‘, (released Monday 22nd September on Electone Records). More exciting details coming soon…

The album maybe done but it’s no rest for The Wicked as the band are back in the rehearsal room ahead of their planned summer shows including the announcement of their debut album launch show in Liverpool.

These shows are also Electone Records co- promoted events working with some great people across the UK.

The Wicked Whispers will play:

Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh (June 28)
The Independent, Sunderland (July 5)
Broadcast, Glasgow (Aug 2) *ELECTONE SHOWCASE SPECIAL*
The Kazimier, Liverpool (Sept 13) *ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY*

All tickets are now on sale via See Tickets at the following link:
http://www.seetickets.com/artist/the-wicked-whispers/906054

We have some spectacular acts playing with The Wicked Whispers for these shows including some huge favourites of Electone Records including The Sons Of Bido Lito and Kobadelta supporting in Sunderland and The Liberty Takers and The Green Tambourine Band supporting in Edinburgh.

We are excited to also have announced an Electone Records Showcase taking place in Glasgow on Saturday 2^nd August 2014. All three of Electone Records acts will be performing including The Wicked Whispers, The Levons and a very special hometown performance from Red Sands. We have some great local DJ acts to announce also to polish off a truly special event.

First up, we’d like to welcome to our roster, The Levons. The retro rockers were on our radar from the very start, and have subsequently featured in our blogs a number of times and appeared at our Electone Records Club Nights.

We will shortly be releasing their debut EP on the label, which was recorded at Steve Powell’s Track Studios. One track we were treated to for a short while via their Soundcloud page was ‘Trainwreck’, a storming rocker of a track I’m sure you’ll all come to love.

Beginning on our June resident Electone Records club night, will are thrilled to be introducing a new element – ‘Dave Monks’ Pick of the Month’. BBC Introducing / Merseysides Dave Monks will be nominating a new act each month to appear on the night and making an occasional appearance to introduce the act and spin some tracks.

Tune into Dave Monks weekly Saturday show on BBC Radio Merseyside here each week live or listen again on-line here : http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p001d7td

All of us at the label were sad to hear of the passing of Deltasonic Records’ Alan Wills, after a tragic accident. Alan inspired and influenced a whole city for a decade or more, releasing records from The Coral, The Zutons, Candie Payne and The Sand Band to name a few. Alan will be sorely missed by us all, with some wonderful tributes from everyone who knew him. We would again like to pass on our condolences to his family and all who knew him.

Merseyside Police are still appealing for information. More information at the following link:
http://www.merseyside.police.uk/news/appeals/2014/05/09/cyclist-injured-east-prescot-road.aspx

The annual Liverpool International Music Festival (LIMF) announcements were made last week, featuring a handful of outstanding local acts such as Cast/La’s frontman John Power, The Farm and fresh from their storming sold out show at the Philharmonic Hall Liverpool, The Lightning Seeds will also be headlining the bill.

Some of our picks would be Matt Barton & The Carers, Emilio Pinchi, Nick Ellis, She Drew The Gun, The Tea Street Band , By The Sea and Mike Badger & The Shady Trio.

Also on the bill is Only Child, who released their debut album recently at The Zanzibar Club, entitled ‘From Muddy Water To High Ground’ with the debut single ‘Higher Ground’ recorded at Liverpool’s own Crosstown Records. More information and album availability here: http://onlychildmusicuk.wordpress.com/

Last month was Zutons guitarist Paul Molloy and The Sundowners’ Anti Fracking and Awareness gig at District. With a message of support from Yoko Ono, and an outstanding sold out gig featuring the likes of The Viper Kings, The Coral’s Ian Skelly, Paul Duffy and James Skelly, Edgar Summertyme Jones and Zutons man Dave McCabe to name a few. With another show in the pipeline, be sure to get behind this worthy cause.

Another outstanding gig this month was Rouge Gallery Promotions’ double header at The Pilgrim, featuring fantastic sets from a crop of Liverpool’s finest acts such as Sophie Anderson, Stray Wolf Club, Rowan Reid & The Vigilantes, The Sneaky Nixons (keep an eye out for their Maybes inspired graffiti around town!) and the return of The Wasters.

Selected cuts this month includes Ray La Montagne’s new album, Supernova. Produced by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, who also guests on a number of tracks, the album sees Ray take on a more rocking psych approach, leaving past acoustic based albums of his own like ‘Trouble’ in the dust in comparison.

Another cut is the long lost Johnny Cash album Out Among The Stars. Recorded in the 80’s and shelved by Cash’s label, the recordings were found in 2012 by Cash’s son and prepped the album for release, an outstanding single was released, ‘She Used To Love Me A Lot’, right up there with Cash’s very best ballads.

We here at the label were most glad to hear of Liverpool venue The Magnet re-opening, with the best funk and disco tunes and the return of live acts over the bank holiday weekend and we wish the venue all the best!

That’s all from us for now, so check out some of the acts, buy a record or simply tune in! thanks for reading!