Album Review

LIPA Album – Play_Stop_Rewind

• 26th May 2008

Now LIPA seems to becoming a breeding ground for industry talent with the likes of The Wombats making great success from their time spent at McCartney’s academy.

Now with a radio station already set up the institue have gone and set up a label simply called LIPA Records.

The tracks from this new album from LIPA records have been selected by Travis frontman Fran Healy.

EP, entitled Play, Stop Rewind will be released worldwide by LIPA Records on 26th May.

It is the third release from the university label, whose previous artist roster includes current ‘indie-dance floor’ kings, and LIPA graduates, The Wombats.

In agreeing to be involved Fran stated that “we did some competitions early in our career and it helped us massively. If it wasn’t for doing competitions we would never have had a 3 day
recording session with [Niko Bolas] where he pretty much showed us how to play and me how to write.”

Fran’s eclectic selection for the release draws its power and energy from Essex’s energetic indie-pop band Absent Kid, ‘anthemic’ London
based rockers The Vibrants and Liverpool dance-crossover outfit Killaflaw. The compilation has a more laid back side provided by the country influenced sounds of Ada & the Deadlocks and Alyssa Bonagura and the distinctive style of Lithuanian teenage sensation
Alina Orlova. The line up is completed by the “confident and accomplished” Leicester outfit Pillers Of The Community.

The highlight’s of the EP were Absent Kid’s track ‘Retaliate First’ a raging effort with vocals that seem to stick in your head for some while. The other notable track was by Alina Orlova coming out of nowhere with crazy Kate Bush style yelps something refreshingly different indeed.

All seven artists are due to be featured at the LIPA Records live showcase downstairs at Heebie Jeebies in Liverpool on Wednesday 28th May. The gig is part of the forthcoming festival Liverpool Sound City and promises to offer one of the most exciting ‘unsigned’ line-ups at the event.