The Parlotones - CD review by Maggie Woods

“Start with a super-talented, award-
winning South African band and throw
in a magnificent single and you have
the compelling Overexposed, one of the
Parlotones’ creative gems!”

WORLD-RENOWNED FOR THEIR INIMITABLE MUSIC VIDEOS, The Parlotones' sun is shining with the release of new single Overexposed, a catchy melodic track that is accompanied by an extremely unique and boundary-pushing animated video and follows on in similar fashion from debut single Dragonflies And Astronauts — which made the selection for acclaimed film festival Res Fest 2006 and was screened in sixty countries worldwide.

Looking forward to seeing The Parlotones finally get the recognition they deserve in the UK, we here at MotorBar are now very familiar with Overexposed. It is a lovely track and a splendid taster for new album A World Next Door To Yours, which comes out in May.

Earmark The Parlotones for future reference because this is talent in excess; stylish and melodious pop-rock with in-built addiction. Overexposed is superb music with a smile, from the remarkable intro it develops nicely into a fantastic track. It is a well-designed and presented CD and check out that fun, enormously enjoyable video! We can't wait to hear from The Parlotones again.

The band took part in the first true UK/SA artiste exchange as special guests on Starsailor's UK tour that started on 26 March (2009), at Glasgow's ABC, and ended in Dublin's Academy on April 16. As part of this unique Artist Exchange, The Parlotones' reciprocated by signing Starsailor as special guests for the South African leg of the band's own tour. This is a relatively new way of introducing artistes who are huge in their respective countries to new audiences and is certainly beneficial for all concerned.

The Parlotones set out on a professional career in 2006 when the band signed a European licence deal on the back of the debut single Beautiful that was being used in a Fujifilm commercial. Since then the boys have understandably become the biggest-selling band in South Africa and have delivered over 200 shows in 2008 across South Africa, the UK and Europe. Key performances include Live Earth (where MSN rated them one of the top 10 bands to see), Coke Fest and V Fest.

The four-piece melodic rock outfit have stacked up enough accolades to make them the hottest band in South Africa. Since winning the SAMA (the South African version of the Brit Awards) for Best Rock Album and an MK Award (SA version of MTV) for Best Video, The Parlotones have become unstoppable.

Having caused quite a stir in Midem in Cannes this January with an outstanding performance to a capacity crowd at the official Midem Talent showcase and set to do the same at both SXSW and Canada Music Week — and with offers flooding in from all over Europe and North America plus having just entered the CMJ Top 200 in the US — 2009 looks to be the year of The Parlotones.

• The Parlotones' single Overexposed is available now (released 23 March, 2009). The video is pure genius — click here to watch it now.

"Earmark The Parlotones for future reference because this is talent in excess; stylish and melodious pop-rock with in-built addiction. Overexposed is superb music with a smile, from the remarkable intro it develops nicely into a fantastic track" — Maggie Woods, MotorBar

Check out myspace.com/theparlotones and parlotones.co.za.

“Following the award-winning album
Radiocontrolledrobot, The Parlotones
will be releasing the upbeat track
Here Comes The Man as a single CD
on 18 August — just in time to turn
up the heat!”

BRINGING WITH THEM A WELCOME RAY of South African sunshine, The Parlotones bowl us over once again with a track from their addictive album Radiocontrolledrobot — released in the UK earlier this year to rave reviews. Here Comes The Man is a cracking good single and was one of the MotorBar team's favourite tracks.

Here Comes The Man has a terrific melody, sexy vocals and masterful lyrics — The Parlotones go from strength to strength, weaving their magic on the UK scene. Tough luck, Jo'burg; we've got 'em now!

From vast arenas to sweaty, cramped bars, The Parlotones — dubbed The Fab Foursome from Johannesburg — have played at sold-out venues where they have lit up the stage with their fine and unique brand of melody driven rock. Their massive dates in Europe and the UK, supporting the likes of The Wombats and Ocean Colour Scene, mark them out as being ripe for well-deserved recognition. Not content with conquering Europe, The Parlotones have also set their sights on Asia. Hurry back, guys!

A huge hit this far with the MTV set, The Parlotones has been a featured artiste on MTV Asia throughout May and June this year (2008). After storming the stage at the City Showcase Festival in London this summer, lead Singer Kahn Morbee and his merry South African melody-makers will once again give the UK a heady dose of Parlotonian magic.

This August, The Parlotones will embark on an 18-date Feel The Heat Summer tour here in the UK, raising the temperature with familiar hits and brand new tracks. Their two albums, A World Next Door To Yours and Radiocontrolledrobot went Gold and Platinum respectively.

The Parlotones — South Africa's biggest export — give us their best single yet! Keep your eyes out for the band as they perform at a venue near you.

• Here Comes The Man will be released in the UK on 18 August (2008) and the band will be working on a brand new album in January 2009.

Check out myspace.com/theparlotones and theparlotones.com.

"Here Comes The Man has a terrific melody, sexy vocals and masterful lyrics — The Parlotones go from strength to strength, weaving their magic on the UK scene. Tough
luck, Jo'burg; we've got 'em now!" — Maggie Woods, MotorBar

"Seriously catchy punk pop�" — Kerrang!

"Melodious rock with vocals like the guy from Linkin Park — only better!" — Notion

"Perfectly feel-good music� Compelling listening" — London Tour Dates

“If you were tempted by The Parlotones’
last two singles Beautiful and Louder
Than Bombs — both reviewed by
MotorBar — you’ll love the band’s album
Radiocontrolledrobot. The two singles
were taken from the album and are
fantastic — but that’s not the end of it...”

THE PARLOTONES ARE NOTHING IF NOT DYNAMIC.
Not content with releasing two great singles, Radiocontrolledrobot — the band's latest album that was so well-received in their native South Africa — is due to hit the airwaves with a jolt in the UK and looks set to follow the success it had on the other side of the world.

Beautiful and Louder Than Bombs have proved The Parlotones talent, but Radiocontrolledrobot is an album laden with exciting and innovative tracks to take this talent one stage further.

Overexposed is a passionate, if typical, Parlotones' offering and the amazing Radiocontrolledrobot title track is an electronics whizz; Dragonflies & Astronauts has folk overtones with its words and its delivery, but it has also been given a Parlotonian air. We love Pretend — a really great, clever sound — and you simply rush into Rock, Paper, Scissors! Wonderfully melodic, Here Comes A Man is addictive and could easily be taken off the album as another single. The resonance and ensuing beat of final track Tiny is absolutely enchanting — a track with clever musical note-juggling and tricky harmonies. Do we like The Parlotones? Of course we do!

To paraphrase William Shakespeare: If Music Be The Food Of Love� Play On� and on� and on...

• Radiocontrolledrobot rocks — and it will be bouncing into action on its 26 May (2008) release. Don't miss it!

Tracklisting: Louder Than Bombs | Overexposed | Beautiful | Radiocontrolledrobot | Dragonflies & Astronauts | Colourful | Interlude (The Impossible) | Pretend | Rock, Paper, Scissors | Martyr | Here comes A Man | Tiny.

"The Parlotones are nothing if not dynamic� Radiocontrolledrobot — the band's latest album that was so well-received in their native South Africa — is due to hit the airwaves with a jolt in the UK and looks set to follow the success it had on the other side of the world" — Maggie Woods, MotorBar

Check out myspace.com/theparlotones.

“Help yourself to another slice of
melody-driven pop! Hot on the heels
of a sell-out UK tour earlier this year —
when they sizzled on stage and melted
fans into total submission — South
Africa’s rising stars, The Parlotones,
are back with another fantastic
single that promises to be Louder
Than Bombs...”

CRASH-LANDING ON OUR SHORES this month (May, 2008) is The Parlotones' South African Music Awards-winning album Radiocontrolledrobot — and the new release Louder Than Bombs is the second single to be taken off this remarkable album.

Having made their welcome return to Europe (and in particular to England!) with a tour throughout March and April, The Parlotones are now back home in their native land on a 16-show tour that ends in Durban on 1 June (2008). The band is experiencing phenomenal success in South Africa with performances that are sold out well in advance and the band's profile is set to soar in the UK with the Summer temperatures. Selected shows in South Africa will be filmed for an upcoming DVD release to be announced shortly.

The Parlotones

The first stop on their European tour was Switzerland, where they were invited to perform at the Bscene 2008 Festival. The Bscene Festival is the biggest indoor music festival in Switzerland, with over 50 bands performing in eight different venues. After having sell-out arenas for the past eleven years, the twelfth Annual BScene Festival drew an enthusiastic, music-hungry crowd.

Having stormed Switzerland, the boys rampaged on through Germany to blitz five shows — three of which saw The Parlotones opening for NME cover darlings, The Wombats, during their sell-out shows in Berlin, Munich and Hamburg.

Next stop was eleven stellar shows in the UK, one of which was at the 100 club — a highlight of the band's tour. A legendary venue, it has seen the likes of the esteemed Jimmy Hendrix and The Sex Pistols rocking on stage.

Two of the UK shows saw The Parlotones open for multi-platinum selling Ocean Colour Scene who were publicly praised by Noel Gallagher for "Keeping the rock 'n' roll flame burning during the 90s".

The Parlotones' two albums, A World Next Door To Yours and Radiocontrolledrobot, went Gold simultaneously — the former going Gold in three months and steadily heading for platinum success. Having achieved this album success, now the new single, Louder Than Bombs, with its happy and professional music is full of promise to follow in the footsteps
of the albums.

Laden with life, laughter and dance-inducing beats, Louder Than Bombs is great to listen to and bursts with a devilish, frenzied resonance that simply tips you out of your seat.
This definitely marks the next level for The Parlotones. Louder Than Bombs is Devil's Foodcake on CD. Don't miss out. To steal a line from William Shakespeare: If Music Be The Food Of Love� Play On.

• Louder Than Bombs is available now (released in the UK on 5 May, 2008).

• Radiocontrolledrobot — available to humans from 26 May (2008).

"Louder Than Bombs is Devil's Foodcake on CD" — Maggie Woods, MotorBar

Check out myspace.com/theparlotones.

“A magical blend of rock indie pop with
seductive vocals and instrumentals —
The Parlotones unleashed!”

A SULTRY OFFERING from South Africa's finest chart-toppers comes in a full-out invasion of an electrifying blend of emo indie, washed up on the UK shores by a fantastic band, The Parlotones.

Listen to Beautiful — just when you think you've got something here, you find you're hearing 60s and 70s sounds that meld with up-to-the-minute beats to hook you in and make you beg for more. The Parlotones are absolutely one of the best bands to come out of the 'Dark Continent' this century!

The publicity machine says: "Packed with more passion than the South African scrum, The Parlophones' songs merge innovative and authentic ideas with their trademark pop melodies. Led by showman and front man Kahn Morbee, the hotly-tipped quartet will kick off the year with a bang by serving up their four-track EP — Beautiful — on 18 February (2008)."

Handpicked as the soundtrack for Fujifilm's Irish television advertising campaign, Beautiful was the single to kick-start it all outside of South Africa — and what a beginning! In recognition of the band's genius, the Gold-selling Radiocontrolledrobot (released in 2008 in the UK) was named the SAMA Best Rock Album at the South Africa's Music Awards (the equivalent of the UK Brits) and spawned three top ten singles including a number one.

The publicity machine tells us: "Already chalking up the kudos from both peers and music fans, the rockers are set to share a stage with Razorlight in South Africa after Johnny Borrell requested a club show with a top South African band. The Parlotones were the obvious choice! Heroes to their people, The Parlotones were invited to perform at this year's Nelson Mandela's 46664 aids awareness concert in Johannesburg and made history when they became the first artistes to perform twice at the Coca Cola Colab Massive Mix concerts, the biggest international music festival South Africa has ever seen. Last year it attracted the likes of Metallica, The Rasmus, Fat Boy Slim, Stereo MCs and the Audio Bullies."

The Parlotones are no strangers to stadium crowds and have opened for super-group Live on their Black Mountain White Light tour in October, with sell-out performances in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. This was followed by an invitation to perform at Live Earth South Africa as well as the band being voted 'Music Stars of the Year' at the YOU Awards.

Their debut UK single, the delightful Dragonflies & Astronauts, has been nominated for
two international awards, including the world renowned ResFest Digital Film Festival (resfest.com) for best video — the boys hope for similar success with Beautiful
and they deserve to get it because it is Beautiful exactly as it says on the tin.

• The Parlotones four-track EP Beautiful is to be released on 18 February (2008), followed by the album Radiocontrolledrobot later in the year. Tracklist: Beautiful | Pretend | Tiny | Here Comes A Man.

"I've had a listen and they're really good!" — Rav Singh, News Of The World

"The Parlotones are absolutely one of the best bands to come out of the 'Dark Continent' this century!" — Maggie Woods, MotorBar

Check out myspace.com/theparlotones and theparlotones.com.

Video links

Fujifilm Advertisement | The Parlotones' Beautiful

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