PAUL HAWKINS & THE AWKWARD SILENCES' "THE WRONG LIFE" EP - Out Now!

WHATTUP FOOLS! MORE RECORDS! LESS SALES!

Another foolhardy new release from us in our '2011 Commercial Suicide EP Series'. This time the monsters in question are PAUL HAWKINS & THE AWKWARD SILENCES' anti-folk/post-punk/outsider-pop superstars! They return at last with this 5 track EP of Twisted Americana, Sinisiter Pop, Sardonic AOR and Zombie Balladry. Cover art by Audio Antihero Recording artist Benjamin Shaw.

"Underground legend." - Artrocker

Free track available: "Gomorrah".

"The Wrong Life" EP is available now from Bandcamp, iTunes, Rough Trade, Amazon and Jezus Factory.

Paul (THE HAWK) was interviewed by CLASH MUSIC which you can read HERE and also wrote a 'Track By Track' feature for The 405 which you can see HERE.

BUY IT SO WE FEEL VALIDATED AND RELEVANT TO THE PEOPLE.

HIRED GUN RADIO - Paul Hawkins & The Awkward Silences

We are mere hours (admittedly 48 or so) until the release of the new EP from Paul Hawkins & The Awkward Silences. You can pre-order 'The Wrong Life EP' here on Bandcamp (on find it on Amazon, Play, Rough Trade, Jezus Factory, etc).

Frontman, Paul Hawkins, THE HAWK, has put together a mix of his own choosing for our HIRED GUN RADIO series. Click below to hear the beast and scroll ever further down to hear about the choices and how they came to be a part of the great man's life and strife.

Paul Hawkins & The Awkward Silences' "Hired Gun Radio" by Audio Antihero on Mixcloud

Albino – Quorn

The title refers to a place in Australia rather than the vegetarian foodstuff and the song’s basically a travelogue of a couple on holiday undermined by the fact their relationship is falling apart. Ben Tucker’s one of my favourite songwriters and I really, really like how subtle this song is.

Nick Cave – Fire Down Below

Whilst on the other hand, I’m drawn to this because it’s not subtle at all. This is Nick Cave’s expletive-strewn cover of a 19th century sea shanty. The “Fire Down Below” of the title refers to the engine room of a ship, Hell itself, sexual frustration and, of course, sexually transmitted disease.

Jake Thackray – The Last Will and Testament of Jake Thackray

It absolutely astonishes me that Thackray wrote this when he was younger than I am now- I just don’t understand how someone pulls a song like this off in their mid-twenties. Written in the 1960s it’s a bit dated now but I really like the sentiment. I think it’s the song I want played at my funeral.

Mansun – I Can Only Disappoint U

This is very much a childhood nostalgia thing – it’s an amazing song though. I was never a huge Mansun fan but I remember hearing this for the first time (on a PA system in my local Woolworths of all places!) and being absolutely blown away by it.

The Pet Shop Boys – Can You Forgive Her?

I put this on here simply because it’s a great pop song. I really like the moral ambiguity of it too though – basically both the guy and the girl are, in their own way, victims of circumstances beyond their control.

Babybird – Take Me Back

It’s frustrating that Babybird are remembered for “You’re Gorgeous”, a song that was widely perceived as novelty Britpop wedding fodder, as Stephen Jones is an incredible songwriter. This is one of the most brutal and chilling songs I’ve ever heard – he’s tackling subject matter most people would shy away from and I think it’s a Hell of a feat to pull off a song like this without crossing into sensationalism or exploitation.

David Cronenberg’s Wife – You Should’ve Closed the Curtains

One of the things I like about Tom Mayne from DCW’s writing style is that he doesn’t feel the need to portray himself as the good guy in songs and that means he comes up with some really interesting and unsettling things. This is from the band’s second album “Hypnogogues” and I think it’s one of their finest moments.

Gorky’s Zygotic Mynchi – Spanish Dance Troupe

This is another song I loved in my teens – it’s basically four minutes of, on the surface, quite beautiful throwaway silliness but with a sense of something much sadder lying beneath the surface. The bit where they sing “then we’ll be married, then we’ll be happy” really gets to me.

Momus – The Cabriolet

Momus is someone who passed me by when I was younger but in the last year I’ve really got into his Creation-era albums, all of which are downloadable for free from his website www.imomus.com. Picking a song is very tricky due the sheer volume and range of what he’s done but I do think this is incredibly written and manages to make an entirely unpalatable concept sound incredibly beautiful.

Paul Hawkins & The Awkward Silences – Johnny

This is, of course, us and from our new EP. It’s one of our live favourites at the moment and is based on an urban myth I heard as a child. I couldn’t find a good version of the story online so I did my own. At the time I wrote it I was staying in Edinburgh and getting really immersed in the various ghost stories of the city, which I think is probably something that really comes out in the song. (Stream in full: http://audioantihero.bandcamp.com/track/johnny)

Hefner – Anne & Bill

Along with Suede and Belle & Sebastian, Hefner were my favourite band of my formative years so I really wanted to include them here. It’s feels slightly annoyingly indie to choose a really obscure song, especially as there’s not many “obvious” Hefner songs, but I genuinely think this is one of their finest moments and, as it wasn’t on any of the albums except the “Catfight” rarities compilation even a lot of Hefner fans may not know it.

There’s three things I really love about this – first off a budding relationship between two near-pensioners isn’t something you get many songs about.; secondly I love how the music builds whilst it feels like nothing happens at all; and thirdly I think the whole concept of the empty box in the first half of the chorus is excellent. I really do rate this song and think it’s a fine one to end with..

Freaky Features: PAUL HAWKINS & THE AWKWARD SILENCES / NOSFERATU D2 / BENJAMIN SHAW

Had some pretty exciting press! THINGS TO HEAR! THINGS TO READ! THINGS TO DOWNLOAD! THINGS TO BUY! THINGS TO GIVE YOUR SOUL TO.

Paul Hawkins & The Awkward Silences advance EP Stream on The 405

The new EP Paul Hawkins & The Awkward Silences is now available for streaming exclusively on The 405 in advance of its release date. The stream is accompanied by a Track By Track analysis written by Paul.

Paul Hawkins EP Stream & Track by Track Feature

Nosferatu D2 'Formation/Split' Anniversary for GIITTV

Ben Parker of Nosferatu D2 (and Superman Revenge Squad/Tempertwig/Jonbarr Hinge) wrote an album analysis of their one and only record for God Is In The TV.

Nosferatu D2's GIITTV Album Feature

Benjamin Shaw 'Song Of The Day' on TLOBF & Whiteboard Music

Benjamin Shaw's 'hit' is "When I Fell Over In The City" and while it isn't his best or most adventurous song, we are milking his only pop song while we still can in the lead up to his upcoming debut LP "There's Always Hope, There's Always Cabernet".

The song is being given away by a ton of sites at the moment but has also been named the 'track of the day' by big-time bad-boys The White Board Project and The Line Of Best Fit. Pop along to either of those for your free download.

You can see the grisly music video for the song and it's sequel "The Carpeteer" below. Both are taken from his debut EP "I Got the Pox, the Pox is what I Got".

When I Fell Over in the City - Benjamin Shaw from Antiherovideo on Vimeo.

The Carpeteer - Benjamin Shaw from Antiherovideo on Vimeo.

All of the above records are available pretty cheaply as CD or Downloads on Bandcamp

Buy Buy Buy!

Jamie - Audio Antihero: Specialists in Commercial Suicide

www.audioantihero.com

Paul Hawkins interview in CLASH

Paul Hawkins skips on the awkward silences when he speaks with CLASH about the upcoming EP "The Wrong Life", his involvement in the anti-folk scene and the future of The Awkward Silences and his good self.

READ ON...

Click here for the Interview

"The Wrong Life" is the new EP from Paul Hawkins & The Awkward Silences and is available for pre-order now, out on Monday: CD & D/L

Thanks & Never Say DIY!

Jamie - Audio Antihero: Specialists in Commercial Suicide

www.audioantihero.com

Look At Me, I Own MP3s! - Paul Hawkins

Paul Hawkins of Paul Hawkins & The Awkward Silences is a contrary beast and is following the latest "Look At Me, I Own Records" feature from our favourite red headed woman with a list of his favourite MP3 albums.

It is perhaps not the best means of promoting his upcoming physical CD on Audio Antihero Records...but what can we do?!

Here's some word on his records, strange but true:

Best Album Literally Nobody Knows

Albino – Bleeding Heart Yard

Albino are a band who gig around London and have never really achieved much recognition, even in obscure indie circles. They recorded this album in 2006 and it’s basically an album of near-perfect folk-pop songs and I really wish more people knew it. If a song like “Flotsam Drift” had been recorded by someone with even a tiny bit of money or publicity behind them it would have reached Coldplay-esque proportions of success…

Album I’d Be Least Likely to Give my Grandmother for Christmas

Momus – Hippopotamomus

There are two famous (in minor indie celebrity terms) stories about this album – firstly the fact that the NME gave it a 0 out of 10 after their reviewer was physically sick through listening to the song “a Dull Documentary” and that the whole album was ultimately pulped due to Michelin’s legal action over the song “Michelin Man” which compared their corporate mascot to a sex toy. For any other act this would undoubtedly be considered a bizarre piece of legal action. However – given Momus was also sued by transsexual conceptual artist Wendy Carlos for a later song speculating on her travelling through time to engage in a relationship with her pre-surgery identity Walter Carlos – he probably found it a bit more par for the course.

The album itself is basically an album of songs about sex but, rather than being erotic or deliberately shocking done with quite a childlike sense of glee and wonder. Vorarephilia, bestiality, and various other paraphilias are all covered. The overall effect is rather playful though, and there’s something very joyful about someone being as explicit as possible purely ‘cos they can. Still won’t be given it to my Grandmother for Christmas though!

Guiltiest Pleasure

Simon Turner – Sex Appeal

Simon Turner was a 70s aspiring teen pop star who never quite made it, later released a couple of great albums on Creation as the King of Luxembourg and now, as Simon Fisher-Turner, is a respected film composer on Mute Records. “Sex Appeal” is a compilation of what he terms the “awful pop music” of his early career, perhaps made a bit more contentious than it might be due to the fact that many of the songs were written by his then-mentor Jonathan King which does admittedly colour your perception of some of the more innocent songs. There’s some great offbeat throwaway pop songs on here though and I do rather enjoy it.

Most Ridiculous Claim that the First Album was Better

David Bowie – the Deram Anthology

Most people into music know the story of David Bowie – a struggling musician called David Jones who kept releasing music without success until he changed his name, changed his identity and suddenly started writing brilliant songs. Not so many people though have actually heard the records he released during that time – one album and a few singles on Deram records which are compiled on the “Deram Anthology”. It’s a strange mix of music hall, novelty songs, psychedelia and the odd moment of sweeping pop brilliance but what’s really fascinating is just listening to someone develop, try things out, fail and try again. There’s something very human about it and I’m a big fan.

Best Album With Worst Title

Final Fantasy – He Poos Clouds

I’m a huge fan of Owen Pallett and this is one of my favourite albums of recent years – perhaps even my favourite. But Christ I wish it had a different name when I recommend it to people…

Most Star-Studded Album

Rogues’ Gallery – Various Artists

Rogues’ Gallery was released in the wake of the popularity of the Pirates of the Caribbean films and is basically a set of covers of traditional sea shanties recorded by one producer in four locations around the world with whoever he can get to play on the records. So far, this is probably only interesting to me, but the cast of performers is staggering – Nick Cave, Jarvis Cocker, Lou Reed, Bryan Ferry, Martin Carthy, Warren Ellis, Richard Thompson III, Loudon Wainwright III, Anthony from Anthony & the Johnsons, Stan Ridgeway, Van Dyke Parks and, erm, Sting all feature and there’s some absolutely cracking songs. All in all, it’s amazing it isn’t more widely known…

Best Boxset

Jake Thackray - Jake in a Box

Jake Thackray was sort of a Yorkshire Jacques Brel. He taught English in France and then starting performing songs became, oddly a staple of “That’s Life” for a few years as well as releasing some brilliantly observed warm, satirical and funny songs about Northern life in the 1960s which stand amongst the most perfect examples of narrative storytelling I’ve ever heard. This compilation contains nearly everything he ever released and is utterly superb.

Most Improbably Festive

Mickey & Bunny sing English Christmas Carols in Ukranian

I found this online (you can too here) when I was searching for music for a Christmas gig I put on three years ago. As far as I can understand it’s a 1965 Christmas album by a husband and wife duo are called Mickey and Bunny and are, erm, singing English Christmas Carols in Ukranain. There’s something very weird about hearing nostalgia-inducing songs from your childhood in an entirely different language and it’s both comforting and jarring at the same time. Слухай Як Вісник Співає (or Hark the Herald Angels Sing as it’s known in English) is definitely the strongest moment, which is odd at it’s not one of my favourite carols.

Honourable mention must also go to the 1973 album Merry Christmas from the US Navy, which I found on the same blog. Recorded just after the end of compulsory military service in the US, it was a strange mix of Christmas record and Navy recruitment ad where Navy bands playing traditional carols were mixed with then-TV comedian Danny Thomas extolling the virtues of Christmas, family, tradition and signing up for the Navy as though they all went logically together.

“In the sprirt of this glad season, the United States renews its faith in the many blessings that are ours. We are a country endowed with great natural and spiritual wealth. And ours is a people of strong minds and stout hearts, determined to rise to new heights of happiness and Nationals Security.” You don’t get that from the Queen’s Christmas message.

The "The Wrong Life" EP from Paul Hawkins & The Awkward Silences is out Monday the 1st of August on CD & Download and you can pre-order it from:

Bandcamp - free track for your troubles

iTunes

Amazon

Play

Rough Trade

Jezus Factory - you can get their complete discography from these badboys

Look At Me, I Own Records! #8 - Kathleen Elise (WVUM Radio)

BOYS AND GENTLEMEN!

I present the first piece of solid evidence that chicks dig us.

This installment of "Look At Me, I Own Records!" comes from our number 1 Pre-Raphaelite, Kathleen Elise of Miami's WVUM Radio. She recently interviewed me for her show, which will broadcast sometime soon. I cannot believe some of the things I said...Pitchfork are going to send their hit squad after me (and I'll probably just be happy for the attention). There's also going to be exclusive sessions from the hypochondriac-tic Broken Shoulder (new split EP in September with Fighting Kites) and the mischievous and expensive Benjamin Shaw (new album in November, I've even hired PR for it).

Coolest find? The Max Levine Ensemble/The Spirit Animals 7”

When I was a kid (a younger kid), Max Levine represented everything about punk to me. I learned of them from my cousin, who worked at an infoshop in D.C., and I was soon obsessed with their music and their mantra. Unfortunately, the one time they came down to Miami I was not allowed to go see them because the venue had a bad reputation. Bummer. At any rate, I stumbled upon this split at my local record shop and the 13-year-old in me about died.

Cover with most back hair? Seven Songs, by Fabulous Diamonds

This one easily goes to Seven Songs, one of two records I own by Fabulous Diamonds. I work at a radio station and intended to play the albums on my show, but it never ended up happening – likely because the most interesting thing about this record is its cover. Eugh.

Most valuable? Inside In/Inside Out Live at Abbey Road, by The Kooks, Good News for People Who Love Bad News, by Modest Mouse

My parents tried to buy my love by getting me these two albums for Christmas. It worked. Each album is categorically unattainable in the U.S. They are the envy of my friends and foes alike, and oh, how I cherish them.

Most nerdy? Romeo and Juliet Original Soundtrack Recording

I’m an English major and a book hound and an all around SNOOT, so it should surprise no one that I enjoy my fair share of Shakespeare. One of the better film versions of Romeo and Juliet is the 1968 film produced by Franco Zeffirelli (which I own on VHS courtesy of Ebay). I bought this soundtrack just for the arrangement of “What is a Youth” – and maybe partly for all the pictures of Leonard Whiting.

Best album I inherited? Everything’s Archie, by The Archies

My momma always said she’s responsible for my love of music and books. The music bit comes from her relentless blasting of musicals and The Archies throughout my childhood. She’s since passed on her Archies records to me, and for my part I’ve amassed a good number of musicals on vinyl. Thanks, mami!

Hardest to find? The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, by David Bowie

I don’t believe this record is particularly rare, but for some reason I had to travel to three states before I finally found a copy. It was worth it, though, as this album is by far my favorite of the three Bowies I own.

Album I hope to never have to listen to?

(Editor's note: Seriously, man. Kathleen was called on this gross error of judgement INSTANTANEOUSLY. Tad are brilliant. Everyone knows that. 'I'M A JINX! I'M A JINX!')

As I said earlier, I work at a radio station. We get sent A LOT of terrible, terrible, terrible music, most of it in the form of .mp3s or CDs. One of the only vinyls we still have is the one you’re looking at, TAD, by 8-Way Santa – or maybe it’s 8-Way Santa, by TAD. I don’t know. I can only be sure that 1) I do not want to know what an 8-way Santa is, and 2) I’m grateful I will probably never have to listen to whatever music that mustachioed man is offering.

So that's what our fair lady offered us. If you live in a civilised time zone then you should naturally tune into her show. For me it's on at like 4am or something grotesque...and some of us HAVE JOBS TO GO TO (woefully).

Anyway, catch up on the previous installments in this series (I did one, once) here - LOOK AT ME, I OWN RECORDS! If you want to contribute then e-mail me info@audioantihero.com (it doesn't matter if you're a massive nobody).

Never Say DIY!

Jamie - Audio Antihero: Specialists in Commercial Suicide