Melbourne’s own power pop quintet The Wellingtons launch their latest album Heading North For The Winter through Dust Devil Music on Saturday November 14th (see event details).

Drawing inspiration from early Elvis Costello, Weezer, and The Cars, come hear for yourself why The Wellingtons album has been named on so many best of lists and played so many sold out shows around the world.

Along with the launch of their brilliant album The Wellingtons new single 'Come Undone' has picked up some heavy airplay at quality radio stations around Australia including Triple M, Triple J, Triple R, PBS FM, Star FM and RADAR Radio amongst many others. The accompanying video was also featured prime-time on RAGE.

Heading North For The Winter has landed in ‘Best Albums of 2008’ lists in South America, Europe and Asia as well as numerous U.S. based radio stations and publications.

What the reviews say:

“You can scarcely do better than Melbourne, Australia's, pride and joy, The Wellingtons."Heading North for the Winter" (Zip) is bursting at the seams with catchy hooks, handclaps, soaring choruses, well- placed horn charts and an immensely appealing blend of male and female vocals. Imagine vintage Elvis Costello at his poppiest and punchiest, add in the above elements, and you get irresistible tracks such as "I Get My Heart Broken Every Day." - Los Angeles Daily News, US

"Better late than never - a new review form Melbourne's weekly music bible 'Beat'." Melbourne's beloved Wellingtons are back with a vengence (sic). Boasting more of the same soaring pop hooks and fast-paced songs as in the past, this album makes you want to dust off your winklepickers and bob till you fall down... - Beat, Melbourne, Oct. 2009

So much to say and so little time! First off, the song "Looks Good in Leather" can now be heard in the US on the new Axe Deodorant commercial. Although not an endorsement, you can see and hear the song right here! You won't dare miss the weekly TV show "Poorman's Bikini Beach". The Zip Records album "Good Hurt" by The Sterling EXP is given maximum exposure (and so are the girls!) each week and the L.A. Based series is happy we are on board.
We also note that Sterling himself appears on the long running TV series "General Hospital" this week! (August 3-6).
But in the end, it's all about the music, and the music on "Good Hurt" remains the intoxicating soundtrack for the summer of 2009. Executive produced by none other than the Mama's & The Papa's Michelle Phillips, you can now watch the first of three videos (watch the video)! The other two videos are in the final stage of production. This is getting exciting!

It's official. The second album on Zip Records by New York's Edward Rogers will be released in early 2010! Entitled "Sparkle Lane", these 13 new tracks are drawn from the same well of radio friendly pop melodies as the 2008 "You Haven't Been Where I've Been". With guests from New York's pop aristocracy, "Sparkle Lane" contains brilliant chamber and indie pop; it's melodies have a haunting beauty.

The King of Hollywood has returned to Tinsel Town. Living on the edge (of the California desert where the inspiration for SAND came from) for many years, Kim is back in Hollywood. His radio show, Underground Garage, remains intact on Saturdays and Sundays on Sirius Radio. Ever the promoter and provocateur of the weird, Fowley has been lately putting on one of a kind daringly perverse events such as the May 20th "Kim Fowley's Lipstick Orgy" at the Knitting Factory. Did we mention his new movie "Doll Boy"?

There is love....and there is LOVEABLE. The new song and video "Better Than The Movies" from Underwater Tea Party's release on Spain's Green UFOs record label is so LOVEABLE! This summer's shows in Spain are a prelude to dates elsewhere in Europe in 2009 and who knows....a new US record in 2010? Check out "Suburban Metronome" - the #1 Zip Record's digital track for April 2009 is "The Untold Story About Mary & Nick". The most purchased song for April 2009!

It's like a 20/20 vision! The second solo album by Steve Allen (20/20 Steve Allen) is coming out on Zip Records in November. We bring it up now because "Thin Line" is an album which you will see and hear on this website from now until the songs can be yours! "Thin Line" is CLASSIC rock'n'roll with melodic sensitivities akin to '60s guitar jangle and '70s AM rock. Aided by Brad Jones, Ron Flynt, Bill Lloyd and other Nashville/Austin legends, Steve Allen's "Thin Line" is a thrill for Zip to present to the world. More soon!

A new treat from swinging Stockholm! Titled "Stomping Grounds", the debut album by Mother James will be officially released in the US on July 14th. The sound is a wonderful mix of pop, swing, blues, and suave lyrics. Among other notable contributors, you'll hear David Myhr (of "The Merrymakers") on piano! This album is something new for Zip Records in every sense of the word.

More information on MySpace >

College Fall is heading over for a European tour in June and July 09!
Check the tour dates >
The band has been invited to play at an Australian art and culture exhibition in Denmark that is being opened by Princess Mary - very exciting! Tour includes Denmark, Finland and the UK (more locations may be added to the itinerary). College Fall will be playing one last acoustic duo show in Perth, Australia, before they head off to Europe.

In your town!
The band is keen to perform all around so if you want them to play in your town, contact Zip now.

Also, see YouTube live footage of College Fall in Finland, Denmark, and other destinations!

Splitsville returns to the Big Apple on Saturday, April 25th, headlining the fourth annual New York Power Pop Page Show...Splitsville will perform TWO SETS. The venue is: Kenny's Castaways, 157 Bleecker St., New York City (between Sullivan & Thompson). The show is $10, 21+

The complete line up is:
8 PM - Joey Salvia
8:30 - The Trouble Dolls
9:30 - Amanda Kaletsky
10:30 - Splitsville

Joey Salvia is featured daily on 1050 ESPN Radio's The Michael Kay Show. You may also remember Joey from the band The Montgomery Cliffs. You can hear more of Joey on MySpace.
The Trouble Dolls is a local band that should be well known to NYC'ers. They've been performing in the area for the better part of a decade.
Amanda Kaletsky opened for Coldplay last summer. See the video >

Hey .. Smash Palace is being played on BBC Merseyside in Liverpool. Hear DJ Spencer Leigh talk about the bands upcoming shows at the Cavern Club in May (about 40 minutes into his show). The Smash Palace CD "Everybody Comes and Goes" is coming out in the UK next month in May!

Smash Palace will be in Hollywood this coming weekend, April 17th and 18th, for the premiere of the new movie "Chasing the Green". See show details >
There are 8 Smash Palace songs in the movie. The band will also be on a Q & A panel following the show. 
Check out the website for the movie at www.chasingthegreen.com.

The official premier for the movie "Chasing The Green" will occur on April 17, 2009 in Los Angeles. Featured prominently in the soundtrack are songs by Smash Palace. At least seven tracks in all and the major motion picture has been having incredible pre-opening run of success at film festivals.

All prejudices aside, two of the highlights at the 2009 SXSW were performances by Madrid's illustrious "Underwater Tea Party". UTP appeared at a packed showcase at Esther's Follies and rocked the buzzed crowd at the Spanish party on the following afternoon. The band played all new material - songs from the album "What Crisis? This Crisis" which will likely see a US release on Zip Records in 2009. This band can deliver energy, power, cuteness and catchy songs in such abundance that their bright future is now happening!

Soon to be released in the UK! The recent Smash Palace release "Everybody Comes And Goes", Edward Rogers "You Haven't Been Where I've Been" and Baldwin Drive "Orange & Black" will be distributed through Shellshock and they will be available throughout the UK beginning in mid May. Although not "instant gratification", real good music is coming to those who wait!

Another rare treat is on the way from Zip Records. Swedish artist "Mother James" dropped our jaws and we wrestled the rights to bring the fine album "Stomping Grounds" to North America. On top of the top notch eclectic pop song craft, there is less than a one degree of separation to Swedish legends "The Merrymakers"! Yikes!

Zip Records is excited to announce a new one from the musical motherlode of Sweden. The band is Little Red Snapper - a reincarnation of one of Zip Record's earliest signings, Dorian Gray. The latter band's shimmering pop has been replaced by a dose of Americana to create a sound best described as country-pop.

Created in 2006, Little Red Snapper is composed of the Freytag Brothers (Dorian Gray 1995-2006), Fredrik Mattson (of the EMI signed "Pony" and more recently KFM) and drummer Magnus Fagernas (Atomic Swing and infamous cult band "Dead Scouts").

Little Red Snapper features three lead singers and their gorgeous sound is aptly captured on the group's new album "Morning Light." Released in Sweden in late 2008, "Morning Light" was produced by legendary Jari Haapalainen (Camera Obscura, Ed Harcourt, The Concretes).

"Morning Light" comes out on Zip on April 28th, 2009 and as they report in the Swedish press "harmonies as soft as newly washed bedclothes."