Ally Kerr

PRESS RELEASE - MARCH 2008

ALLY KERR’S “OFF THE RADAR” NEARS RELEASE DATE.


With his loyal, established fan base eager for new material, and new converts springing up daily across the globe, one of Scotland’s fastest-rising artists and best-kept secrets, singer/songwriter Ally Kerr releases the brand new album, Off The Radar on 14th April 2008 on Much Obliged Records. It will be also released in Japan on the Star Sign / Ultra-Vybe label on 15th March 2008 and will be supported by Japanese tour in April.

Bursting with delicious melodies, achingly beautiful harmonies and playful yet poignant lyrics, this new release is a step up from the critically-acclaimed debut album, Calling Out To You, which was initially released in Japan and included in a major Japanese magazine’s top 20 albums ever to come put of Scotland, alongside the works of Orange Juice, Belle and Sebastian and Teenage Fanclub. One of the tracks, The Sore Feet Song was then used as the theme song for the hugely popular animation series “Mushishi”, which has since been given an international DVD release.

A limited edition single from this new album – “Could Have Been A Contender” - was not only released to glowing reviews and international airplay, but was also nominated for “Single of the Year” on German radio’s influential Popscene show.

Off The Radar combines the fragile beauty of ballads “Be The One”, “There’s A World”, “Footprints”, “Is It Too Late To Work For NASA?”, and “Amorino” with upbeat, perfectly-formed, jangly pop gems “I Think I’m Bleeding”, “The Truth That I Have Earned”, the aforementioned “Could Have Been A Contender” and the glam/grunge guitar collision that is the title track.

Although echoes of Belle & Sebastian, Kings Of Convenience and Simon & Garfunkel resonate, along with shades of The Lilac Time, Kerr’s style is singularly distinctive and Off The Radar should surely give one of Scotland’s most reserved yet brightest musical talents the acclaim he richly deserves.

Tracklisting:
01. Could Have Been A Contender*
02. Be The One
03. I Think I’m Bleeding*
04. There’s A World**
05. The Toothbrush Song
06. Off The Radar*
07, Old Friend*
08. Is It Too Late To Work For NASA?
09. Mystery Star
10. Amorino
11. The Truth That I Have Earned*
12. Footprints

* Denotes tracks recommended for airplay
** Forthcoming single (28th April 2008)

Press Quotes:

"A great new songwriting talent from Scotland" – Bob Harris, BBC
“ Beautifully melancholic" – Press Association
"Gorgeous" - Alex Hampshire, XFM
"Wonderful Scottish power pop" - Gary Crowley, BBC Radio
"A sparkling tunesmith" – Metro
"If someone tells me they have heard better-written songs this year I will duel with them at dawn" - Dominik Diamond, XFM
"Simply beautiful tunes" – Music Magazine, Japan
"Ally Kerr deserves to be a star" – Daily Record
"Sweet pop gems" – Sunday Mail
"Songs to go quietly wild for" - Maverick Magazine
"Wistful powerpop brilliance” – Subba-cultcha.com


Release date: 14th April 2008
FORMAT: CD album CATALOGUE NUMBER: MOR002 BAR CODE: 5024545499629
FILE UNDER: Alternative Rock/Pop DISTRIBUTION: Shellshock

Label Info: Much Obliged Records info@muchobligedrecords.com
Press & Radio: Relentless PR: 0208 778 1281 leni.p(at)tiscali.co.uk
Distribution: Shellshock 020 8800 8110 info(at)shellshock.co.uk

- ENDS -

BIOGRAPHY

One of Scotland’s fastest-rising songwriters retuns to Japan in April for some acoustic shows – the third visit to the Far East in four years. Ally Kerr’s success in Japan followed the release of his critically acclaimed debut album, much of which was written on planes, trains and automobiles as Ally travelled between the East Coast of the USA and the West Coast of Scotland. Calling Out To You was first released on Japanese label Quince Records and was included in a top Japanese music magazine’s list of top 20 albums ever to come out of Scotland, sitting alongside the works of Orange Juice, Teenage Fanclub and Belle and Sebastian.


During his first-ever headlining tour of Japan, Kerr received word that one of his songs was to feature as the theme tune to a major new Japanese animated TV series Mushishi, based on a hugely popular comic book. The Sore Feet Song was released in Japan as a CD single and his fanbase in far-flung corners of the world is growing rapidly as a result of this exposure. A major karaoke company have added this track to their catalogue and new converts in China, Japan and the USA have been eager to find out more. The series is set to air in at least five more countries and was released on DVD in America last summer.


All of this comes after his self-funded debut album, Calling Out To You was released in Japan and word of its beauty quickly spread. The singer/songwriter’s international profile rose another notch after he was selected to play at the 2006 North by North-East music festival in June – Canada’s biggest and most important music festival, rivalling South by South-West in Austin, Texas.


The home team finally took notice and Calling Out To You received a full UK-wide release on Neon Tetra Records in 2005. Although echoes of Belle & Sebastian, The Concretes, Kings Of Convenience, Simon and Garfunkel and many other artists resonate, Kerr’s style is singularly distinctive. Scotland on Sunday recognised him as “one of the most interesting and creative musicians working in the country right now” in its rundown of the hottest new Scottish talent. Melodious, heartfelt, beautiful, sad and quirky are adjectives regularly used to describe the record.


The release of the album followed the critical success of his limited edition debut EP, Midst of the Storm, which was released on 7-inch white vinyl by cult Spanish label Elefant Records (Lambchop, Camera Obscura) and garnered airplay around the world. BBC Radio 1’s John Peel was one such DJ who championed Kerr’s early work on his shows.


Kerr released the limited edition single Could Have Been A Contender in 2007 to critical acclaim and is currently releasing his new album, Off The Radar on Much Obliged Records and in Japan on the newUltra-Vybe sub-label Star Sign Records. Songs from this album have been played live at recent shows and received a great reaction, with many agreeing that this album is a step up from the much lauded debut.

Visit www.myspace.com/allykerr to hear tracks from his debut album.