Beat The Radar 'To The City, From The Sea' CD out now!

Exclusive pre-release CD & launch party offer!

“Fuck looking like a fashionista: this is indie music as it’s meant to be.. they mean every word.” The Fly

aA are proud to release aA2w/47 - Beat The Radar's 'To The City, From The Sea' album on CD today.

If you’re starting to feel that indie music has lost its heart, then Beat The Radar may be the antidote to your malaise. BTR’s debut album, To The City, From The Sea, is packed with heart-on-their-sleeve lyrics, raw vocals, chunky guitars and big, pop choruses. “I know that mountains of other bands also say they have the above,” says singer Jonny Swift, “But I just think they don’t do it as well as us.”

Named for their move from the wilds of the far northwest coast to inner city Manchester, To The City, From The Sea was recorded with producer Tom Knott (Micah P Hinson, King Creosote, The Courteeners, Emmy The Great, The Ting Tings) at Airtight Studios in Chorlton.

The finished result is a proper, old fashioned debut album: plenty of upbeat songs, a couple of downbeat ones, and a brilliantly raw distillation of Beat The Radar’s raucous live shows. In keeping with the title, some songs are inspired by nights out in Manchester – Stars came from a night looking up in a city centre beer garden, Pretend You Play Guitar from watching a guy playing air guitar in a club – others come from those Lake District days, such as early composition By The Sea. Of those, there’s often a sense of escapism and frustration – 18,19, 20, 21, 22 reflects on lyricist Jonny’s formative years, and Passenger provides a contemplative counterpart to the album’s freewheeling spirit.

Beat The Radar comprise singer Jonny plus Laurie Hulme (guitar) Rowan Smith (bass) and Adam Featherstone (drums). Hailing from “the scummy edges of the Lake District,” they formed while studying in Lancaster, and relocated to Manchester in 2008. On arriving in the rainy city, the band were quickly picked up by Manchester’s Akoustik Anarkhy Recordings. Their debut single Telephone Conversation (which appears on this album) was played on Radio 1 and 6 Music, where it received strong support from Steve Lamacq. They have also hit the live circuit hard, playing support slots for The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, The Longcut and The Answering Machine.

Click here to buy the album now - you can also get an album and a ticket to next week's launch party for only £9....CD release proper is next Monday.