Off the back of his beautiful debut album, Home, which was nominated in our Albums of the Year poll, Peter Broderick has announced a UK tour for next month.

Taking in some lovely little venues, and appearing at Bella Union’s Valentines Party!

February
4 LONDON – Sonic Cathedral @ The Social
5 BATH – Moles
7 BRISTOL – The Folkhouse
8 MANCHESTER - Academy
9 YORK – The Duchess
14 LONDON – Union Chapel (Bella Union Valentine’s Show, further guests to be announced)
15 CAMBRIDGE – Portland Arms
16 BRIGHTON – Freebutt
17 COVENTRY – Taylor Johns House

Tickets on sale now.

It’s that time of year again… We’re making our list and checking it twice, trying to find out who’s been naughty or nice. Yes, it’s our Album of the Year! More coveted than a shiny penny, more famous than the winner of last year’s X-Factor and guaranteed to start debate!

This year, to shuffle blame away from TLOBF HQ, we’re getting YOU, yes, YOU the reader, to vote for the albums YOU think are the best 2008 had to offer. We’ve whittled down a mammoth list of prospective albums to a mere 50. It’s tough work, but someone had to do it.

So, mouse button at the ready - get clicking! You can pick as many albums as you like, there are no limits. If you feel it’s worthy of “Album of the Year” status, then do the right thing and cast your vote.

If you need some help making that all-important decision, you can read our take on the albums listed in our 2008 archive here.

The poll will close on Friday December 12th.

There is a prize up for grabs for one lucky reader. Some very kind record companies behind the following 50 records have offered up a selection of prizes including: ultra-rare vinyl, posters, t-shirts and CDs by some of the nominees, plus a pair of tickets to see the sold-out Fleet Foxes show at London Roundhouse in February 2009. To be in with a chance of winning this mammoth and hugely exciting prize, enter your details at the bottom of this page. The lucky winner will be notified via email. Competition closes on Friday 12th December.

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Imagine the scene: By the bar, half-full glasses of cloudy, imported beer clink buoyantly while a rabble of private-school tailored voices pay no heed to the sweet rhythmic simplicity that flickers on stage. From the crowd, an angrily bellowed “shush” forces its way back but so immersed in idle-chatter are the antagonists that these protestations are barely acknowledged. And there he is - a stool sitting Peter Broderick - with only a few fey melodies and a set of hopeful vignettes to conquer those there not only to be seen but also to be heard. Continue Reading

Bella Union are at it again - having recently signed The Acorn, Abe Vigoda, Fleet Foxes and Our Broken Garden, the influential London based label have just secured a deal with American born but Denmark based multi instrumentalist Peter Broderick. His new album Home will be released on 20th October which the label pitch as “a record of quietly breathtaking beauty, a gentle and subtle record which reveals its magic gradually over the course of many listens”. Judging from the tracks up on his myspace page we could be in for some what of a treat. ‘Below It’, the only track available to preview from the album, begins with a wistfully picked acoustic guitar with layers of multi-tracked vocals that eventually build into something quite wondrous.

Born in 1987, Peter has already played and toured with numerous groups in Portland and has established himself as a regular session musician for many recording studios, adding violin, banjo, musical saw, mandolin to M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel’s recent She & Him album. Broderick also guests on M. Ward’s new as yet untitled record. In mid 2007, Peter was invited by the Danish ensemble Efterklang, to move to Copenhagen and join their live band. He thus dropped his entire life in Portland, Oregon and moved across the world, spending much of the past year on the road with them.

Peter will be in the UK in September as opening act for the incredible Wildbirds and Peacdrums. Sure to be a great show - Wildbirds.. are one of the best live acts I’ve seen in a long time. Those dates for your diary are:

September
8th - Deaf & Dumb Institute, Manchester
9th - Pavilio, Belfast
10th - Crawdaddy, Dublin
11th - Brudenells Social Club, Leeds
12th - Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
13th - Cube, Bristol
15th - Hoxton Bar & Kitchen, London
16th - The Albert, Brighton