News & Bits - May 10th

News time! Excited? Fine, be like that.

Actually did a gig guide this week, which you can find here, so we are back to the usual round up of new releases and whatever else I can find today. Golly, there are a lot of new releases too.

New Releases (Or: I clicked through 200 pages on eMusic so you don't have to)

Aspen Tide - From the Strong Came Forth (single). Available from iTunes.

Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat - Everything's Getting Older (album). Should have a review of this some time this week, but the short version is that it is a tremendous album. My favourite thing Aidan has done since Arab Strap. Buy digital from iTunes, CD from Amazon, or straight from Chemikal Underground, where the vinyl version looks very tempting, even to me who doesn't have a record player. Also, download The Copper Top from the album for free here.

the douglas firs - Happy As A Windless Flag (album). Ace debut album by the douglas firs. Stream the whole thing on Bandcamp and buy it there too on CD or cassette. Download a free single, The Shadow Line, here. Details of this week's launch gig can be found, funnily enough, in this week's gig guide.

Edinburgh School For the Deaf - Orpheus Descending (single). Debut single from the quite ace ESFTD, available from Bubblegum Records.

The Girobabies - Countdown To Tinnitus (single). A taster of the upcoming Girobabies album, Bus Stop Apocalypse, available from Bandcamp.

I Build Collapsible Mountains - I Build Collapsible Mountains EP. IBCM go USA. Available from Bandcamp for $1. Get your Robocop quotes at the ready.

Jonnie Common - Photosynth (EP). Two tracks are available to download free from Bandcamp, the full 4 track EP will be available on CD soon from Jonnie Common's website.

Loon Choir - Bricks (single). Available on Bandcamp.

Night Noise Team - Slow Release. Oops, didn't realise this was out this week till I was looking, I need to review this soon too. Good album though, available from Bandcamp and iTunes.

North Atlantic Oscillation - Grappling Hooks (album). I don't much like it when a band reissues an album with extra tracks, but maybe you do. If so you can buy it from iTunes and Amazon.

Porch Song Anthology - The Late Mornings (EP). Very lovely this. Video for the title track here. Buy the EP from iTunes, hop over to the gig guide for details of the launch night on Thursday.

Something Beginning With L - Piano (EP). A splendid wee EP of acoustic versions of tracks from their upcoming album, available from Bandcamp.

Trapped In Kansas - I Was Born (single). Available from Bandcamp.

Viva Stereo - Endure the Dark to See the Stars (album). Yet another right good album out this week. You can buy this one from the De-Fence shop.

Where We Lay Our Heads - WWLOH (EP). Acoustic demo EP, available on Bandcamp, name your price.

News:

Song of Return will be launching their long awaited debut album with a gig at The Arches on the 4th of June. Tickets are a super cheap £4 and available here.

Also at The Arches on the same night Strawberry Ocean Sea launch their new double A side single, with support from Death By Misadventure and Tijuana Bibles. More details and ticket info here.

The list of Scottish bands showcasing at goNORTH this year has been revealed. You can find that here.

IndianredLopez, one of those showcase bands, release their debut album on June 6th. You can pre-order Empty Your Lungs and Breathe here.

The Second Hand Marching Band are another one of the showcase bands, so this seems like a good time to slip in a plug that they, along with Loch Awe, will be supporting The Last Battle at Stereo in July.

dems has remixed the new Miaoux Miaoux single Hey Sound. You can have a listen here. There's a launch gig for the single at Mono on May 24th. Support comes from The Japanese War Effort and Nevada Base, with some guy called Peenko DJing too.

The second release by Red Hat Records will be a double A side single by Poor Things. The single is out on May 30th, with a launch gig on May 26th at Bloc, with support from Cancel The Astronauts and Happy Vandals.

Advance warning of a very tasty gig next week, as the UWS Union in Paisley will be putting on a little something for the end of term. Announced already for the gig are Admiral Fallow, Aerials Up, Michael Cassidy, Kitty The Lion, Alan McKim, Johnny Barr, Carnivores and Marvel Heights with more TBA. The gig takes place at the union in Paisley on Thursday May 19th, £3 entry, and you don't have to be a student to go.

Miniature Dinosaurs are hosting their own 5-a-side tournament on the 28th of May at Stirling Albion's Doubletree Dunblane Stadium. Following the football some of the bands involved will be playing a gig on the pitch.

iglue has a selection of demo tracks up for free download on Bandcamp.

Shields Up have a load of stuff on Bandcamp too.

Wrongnote are heading off to that London on Wednesday to record an interview with Tom Robinson for 6music, which you should be able to hear in the early hours on Monday morning.

Positions Vacant:

Trapped Mice are in the market for a new violinist, so if you are one then get in touch with them.

The aforementioned Where We Lay Our Heads are seeking a new drummer, so bother them if you like to hit things with sticks.