Allo Darlin' are many things. They can turn a room in a famous punk venue into a joyous, jumping, sweaty, pop-mosh pit. Or bring a room of 500 to hushed silence with the few strums of a ukulele and a love song about cooking.
My Heart is a Drummer is the fourth single from Allo Darlin’s self-titled debut on Fortuna POP!, an album so chock-full of great tunes that it just keeps on giving. Brightening up the dull wintery days, “My Heart is a Drummer” calypsos and sashays, combining Elizabeth Morris’ signature ukulele with Bill Botting’s rumbling bass lines, Paul Rains’ rhythmic guitar and Mikey Collins’ swinging drum beat.
Allo Darlin’ are a breath of fresh air breezing through stale music everywhere. Elizabeth Morris’ thoughtful yet playful creations are achingly personal, incredibly poignant and familiar all at once. Incorporating tunes that you think you must have heard before, she twists them into something new and highly intoxicating. Bringing a certain Australian aesthetic from her native country, she translates effortlessly into the London scene, using ideas very much based on every day life and observations. “My Heart is A Drummer” is a statement of inner strength and defiance with lyrics somehow manages to include a chain-smoking asthma suffering boyfriend, that nervous in love feeling of twisting your fingers round the telephone cord and Paul Simon’s Graceland. Meanwhile the b-side, an acoustic version of their last single “If Loneliness Was Art”, tells of longing for someone who is seemingly out of reach.
Allo Darlin’s remarkable success began with their first single “Henry Rollins Don’t Dance” on the WeePOP! label which received play on Radio 1 and 6 Music and was hailed as “the best indiepop song for years” by The Guardian. Since being signed to indie label du jour Fortuna POP!, the band have been going from strength to strength with numerous live radio sessions for the likes of John Kennedy at XFM and Steve Lamacq and Lauren Laverne at BBC 6 Music and tons of critical acclaim.
After multiple shows at the prestigious SXSW in Austin in the spring and a Pitchfork 7.9 album review, Allo Darlin’ will be back on the US music conference circuit appearing in New York at CMJ in October before embarking on a full Stateside tour. Earlier in the year they also appeared at the New York Popfest which lead to a glowing review on the front page of the New York Times website. Back in the UK, they toured with The School in March and played various festivals including End of the Road and Indietracks. Keep an eye out for other forthcoming UK dates.
“Terrific, witty and heartfelt, like a less moody Belle & Sebastian.” (The New York Times)
US TOUR DATES:
16 Oct 2010 16:00 Bloktoberfest (Acoustic Set) – Philadelphia, PA
16 Oct 2010 22:00 Cha-cha-razzi with Brown Recluse – Philadelphia, PA
17 Oct 2010 21:00 The Velvet Lounge – Washington DC, DC
18 Oct 2010 20:00 Burren with One Happy Island – Somerville, MAFind Tickets
19 Oct 2010 21:00 Ask a Punk – New Brunswick, New Jersey
21 Oct 2010 14:30 CMJ Party – The Woods – New York City, NY
21 Oct 2010 20:00 CMJ Showcase at Kenny's Castaway – New York, N.Y.
25 Oct 2010 21:30 Echo – Los Angeles, California
27 Oct 2010 22:00 The Rickshaw Stop with Eux Autres – San Fransisco, California
28 Oct 2010 21:00 Backspacem – Portland, Oregan
29 Oct 2010 22:00 The Rendezvous! with Maths and Physics Club – Seattle, Washington
30 Oct 2010 23:30 Mondo-ween at the Rock Shop – Brooklyn, New York