Obligatory Ones To Watch In 2012 Blog Post

I really don't like these lists very much. It is pretty much impossible to say who will have a good year, who will plod along as usual, who will split up or vanish without a trace, or anything else. It's also hard to say what counts as having a good year. Playing to a wee tent at at festival? A "triumphant" sell out gig to about 150 people in Glasgow or Edinburgh? The whole exercise always seems a tad pointless to me, you'd be better off sticking some band names on the wall and throwing darts to select them. That may or may not be the same way that bands land those wee tent at festival gigs anyway.

So, with all my grumbling out of the way, here I go being a hypocrite and making a list of bands to keep an eye on anyway. To remove some of the guess work - and the temptation to randomly pick folk that I just happen to like - I'm msotly concentrating on bands who are confirmed, or at least likely, to have new material out this year. Less "Ones To Watch In 2012" then, more "Ones To Watch In the next couple of months when their LP comes out". Of course, since some of these bands aren't even Scottish that moany first paragraph makes even less sense, but I'm not going back to change it now.

First Timers:


PAWS
I could pretty much have just written a list with PAWS on it and no one else and been satisfied with my choices, really. One of the most entertaining live bands in Scotland, PAWS are heading into the studio at the end of January to do some work on their debut album. I already can barely wait to hear some results.
PAWS - Winners Don't Bleed (Toad Session)

Black Books
It took me forever to get round to featuring Black Books here, so now I'm determined to make up for lost time. My favourite Texans release their debut album on February 14th this year, and if it carries on quality wise from their first EP it should be a darn fine record.
Black Books - Out The Door

Sneakpeek
Staying in America, shifting over to California, Sneakpeak are a band that I heard some time around the middle of 2011, listened to loads, and promptly completely forgot to ever mention on here. Falling into the dreamy lo-fi grungey pop genre that I seem to have become a wee bit obsessed with, Sneakpeek have been teasing tracks off their first album over on Youtube of late, and it all sounds quite fab.
Sneakpeek - Walk All Over Me

Rumour Cubes
Post rock, more or less, done beautifully. Debut album The Narrow State is out at the end of February, and currently sitting high on my "most anticipated" list.
Rumour Cubes - Rain On Titan

French Wives
It feels a bit odd including French Wives here, I've been listening to them for so long they are practically part of the furniture. This year however ought to be a good one for them, with the release of their debut album, and a trip to Austin for SXSW already on the cards. Still no sign of them turning into Simple Minds either, which is a nice added bonus.
French Wives - Covered In Grace


Difficult Second Album:

RM Hubbert
Hubby hardly needs mentioned by me, but he's getting included anyway. There's often an album that comes along early in the year that lays a marker for everything else to follow, and with his second album Thirteen Lost & Found Hubby has staked that claim for this year. For Thirteen Lost & Found Hubby has roped in some friends - Aidan Moffat, Emma Pollock, Luke Sutherland and more - to lend a hand, and the album both picks up where First & Last left off, and wanders into interesting new areas. Thirteen Lost & Found is released by Chemikal Underground on January 30th.
RM Hubbert - Tipsy Tapsy

Miaoux Miaoux
It took a minute to remember that Miaoux Miaoux belonged down here, and not with the first timers, but his debut album Rainbow Bubbles came out aaaaages ago. Miaoux Miaoux is another one of the artists I've been following for ages - at one point almost literally, as I bumped into Julian on a near weekly basis, which I swear was an accident - and from what I heard at his preview gig at the tail end of last year his second album should be something quite special. Chemikal Underground have just snapped up Miaoux Miaoux, and  if we don't see that second album this year I will, I don't know, complain on the internet or something.
Miaoux Miaoux - Hrvatski

The Last Battle
Since debut album Heart of the Land, Soul of the Sea The Last Battle have rejigged their line-up and sound quite a fair bit. Last year's Springwell EP was a much noisier affair, and I'm keen to see what approach they'll take on their second album, which is currently being recorded.
The Last Battle - 365 Days

Oh go on then, let's have some folk that I just like.

Randoms:

Hector Bizerk
I've said before that I often struggle to get my head around Scottish hip-hop, but I don't have any trouble with Hector Bizerk. And MC and a drummer, they keep things pretty simple (my brain won't allow me to complete this sentence without saying "no rabbit in a hat tricks", so there, it's done, let me move on now brain), and do it very, very well. They've got two EPs under their belt already, both worth a listen.
Hector Bizerk - Man Up (Ally McCrae Session)

Pris
Shouty, bitchy, London girls that sound something like what would happen if Kenickie and Shampoo had children together.. By goodness I love them. Unashamedly pop, I keep using Pris to cheer myself up when my inbox gets too full over self indulgent over serious navel gazing nonsense. Long may they continue.
Pris - The Better You Look The More You See

Loch Awe
As I write this Loch Awe are locked up in Hamilton, recording at Chem19 studios. Their first EP (or is it a mini album? I can never tell) back in 2010 was pretty ace. Since the release of that the band have changed the way they sound a fair bit, meaning we can't get away with describing them as dead folky any more.
Loch Awe - I Will Drift into 10,000 Streams (demo)

The Spook School
As with Loch Awe, The Spook School were a band I wanted to see live so much that I practically begged them to come and do a gig for me so I could watch them. Despite having very little recorded yet they've made a pretty decent impression with more than just me, shown by them ramraiding the readers' poll at the end of last year. As a band they are still rough around the edges, which - at least for now - just adds to their charm for me. Fingers crossed we hear much more of them this year, and other people than me make them come and play in Glasgow.
The Spook School - Are You Who You Think You Are?

This is a picture of Mýa, apparently she's going to kill us all this year, or something.

Five Things For Thursday

One of my aims for this year is to stop hearing something I like, thinking "yeah, I like this, must put it on the blog sometime" then completely forgetting to put it on the blog ever. With that in mind then, here's a handful of music for you with minimal chatter from me, all either free or "pay what you like" to download.

Fat Janitor - Lurk
You always knew the school janitor was up to no good, didn't you? Well, here's some proof. Lurk is available to download free from Bandcamp. Play loud.


Aloha Tigers - The Kind of Girl U Like
Ian that used to write Have Fun at Dinner has been talking about this band for as long as I can remember, and is now going one step further by making them the first release on his new tape label, Kirkcudbright Tape Club.
The Kind of Girl U Like is the first single released, free to download.
Aloha Tigers - The Kind of Girl U Like by kirkcudbrighttapeclub

Hipster Death Squad - Good Times Again
A band that I found through Peenko's Friday Freebies, Hipster Death Squad have been firing out a fair amount of new songs since I first started stalking following them. They've just released a new single as a free download from Bandcamp, and I really like this one, so here you go.


As In Bear - Mr Glued
Last night my readers voted them one of the best new bands in the poll, today a free download arrives in my inbox. That's what I call good timing.
Mr. Glued by As In Bear

mi mye - the time and the lonleyness
I had mi mye on the Advent Calendar last month, along with a mental note to myself to keep an eye out for more from them. Turns out I didn't have to wait very long. They say that the time and the lonleyness, their new album, isn't officially out until February, but you can download it right now from Bandcamp, so why don't you?

Readers' Poll Results

Is it too late to say happy new year? Happy thingamijig anyway.

Before I can move on to exciting (note: may not actually be exciting) 2012 things I'd better get the poll results out of the way, so here they are.

Best Album:
1. King Creosote & Jon Hopkins - Diamond Mine
2. Conquering Animal Sound - Kammerspiel
3. Adam Stafford - Build a Harbour Immediately
=3. Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat - Everything's Getting Older
5. United Fruit - Fault Lines
=5. Pensioner - Yearlings

I'm sure that'll make up for King Creosote and Jon Hopkins missing out on the Mercury Prize.

Best Single/EP:
1. Rob St. John/Ian Humberstone - Split 7"
2. Japanese War Effort - Surrender To Summer EP
=2. PET - What You Building?
4. Song of Return - Trajectory EP
5. Mogwai - Earth Division EP
=5. The Spook School - History/Hallam

Yep, nothing for me to complain about there really.. Impressive showings from young upstarts PET and The Spook School.

Best Band:
1. Kid Canaveral
2. The Phantom Band
3. The Twilight Sad
4. PAWS
5. United Fruit

A reversal of last year's best band award, with Kid Canaveral narrowly overtaking The Phantom Band. PAWS and United Fruit come crashing in to the top five, probably with a wail of feedback.

Best Solo Artist:
1. Adam Stafford
2. Miaoux Miaoux
3. Withered Hand
4. Rob St. John
5. King Creosote
=5. PJ Harvey
=5. Jonnie Common

I swear I didn't rig this category. Only King Creosote makes the list again from last year, while somehow PJ Harvey manages to sneak in, somehow.

Best New Band/Artist:
1. The Spook School
2. Monoganon
3. PET
4. Friends In America
=4. As In Bear

Yaaaaaaaaas, g'wan yersel' Spook School! Once again, nothing thee to make me grumpy.

Best Live Band/Artist:
1. PAWS
2. Kid Canaveral
3. The Twilight Sad
4. United Fruit
5. Frightened Rabbit
=5. Remember Remember
=5. Mogwai

You will not get even the slightest hint of an argument out of me about PAWS topping this one. I also firmly believe it is near impossible to leave a Kid Canaveral gig without having had fun.

Best Music Website/Blog:
1. Song, by Toad
2. Peenko
3. The Tidal Wave of Indifference
4. Glasgow Podcart
5. Last Year's Girl
=5. The Pop Cop

Horrible human beings, every one of them.

Best Music Radio Show/Podcast:
1. Song, by Toad - The Toadcast
2. BBC Introducing in Scotland
3. Edinburgh Man
4. Glasgow Podcart
5. Vic Galloway on BBC Scotland

You lot really like that Toad guy, don't you? Curiously few votes for Uncle Vic after he won this category last year. Vic's replacement on BBC Introducing, Ally McCrae, narrowly misses out, with Song, by Toad taking the prize by a slender margin.
Several votes for Glasgow Podcart came with the qualifier "but they should do the podcast more often", so, yeah, get your finger out Podcart.

Best Venue:
1. Barrowlands, Glasgow
2. Stereo, Glasgow
3. Sneaky Pete's, Edinburgh
=3. Captains Rest, Glasgow
5. King Tuts, Glasgow
=5. Pilrig St Pauls, Edinburgh

The Barrowlands wins again. I can't remember the last time I was in it. Since Stereo was home to most of the Aye Tunes gigs last year I'm happy to see it take second spot. Sneaky's inclusion last year was a controversial one, we'll see if anyone has anything to say about it this time round. Personally I'd go for Pilrig St Pauls over King Tuts any day of the week.

Well there you go, that's the lot. For those interested, 42 people voted in the poll, but 3 of them got binned for breaking the blatant ballot stuffing rule.

Happy Christmas!

Because at Aye Tunes we don't do merry.

First things first, see all that money you got as a Christmas present? Put aside £5 of it, and with that fiver go and buy the debut album from Happy Particles, Under Sleeping Waves. It is released today on Bandcamp, and it is really blooming good.


Now for some free stuff. I'd like to say they are my Christmas gift to you, but since I am not any of the people giving away the free music that would be a quite blatant lie, and telling fibs is bad.

Gargleblast Records gave away a free download on the twelve days running up to Christmas. If you missed out on them, including a brand new song from Martin John Henry, you can download the lot here.

Pensioner have made their self titled debut album available as a free download until new year. It's pretty good, nice and loud. Grab a copy of that here

The Bird and the Monkey are another band giving away their debut album. Until new year you can download BalloonBaboonBallroom for free over here

As mentioned when I had him in the Advent Calendar (ooh-err) Kevin P. Gilday has picked Christmas day to release his first album too. Graphite is available for free from Bandcamp.

That should be enough to keep you busy for now, and better than Now That's What I Call Music 735 that someone bought you in a panic.

Have yourself a stupidly happy Christmas, thanks for visiting, come back soon! Also, don't be a dick, eh? Good on you.

Advent Calendar - Day Twenty Four: Tribal Fighters

This final Advent Calendar post is brought to you by a terribly happy Jim. I'll let you work out why for yourself.

I should probably end things with a Scottish band, but we've had plenty of them throughout December, and I've been gradually trying to take in more from beyond our borders this year anyway, so here's some folk from Manchester instead. Tribal Fighters, like most of the English bands I've liked this year, were first nudged my way from Stewart from Black International, so cheers for finding good new music for me Stew.

Listen to Christmas Stalkings below, and download it (and some other songs) free from Bandcamp.



Tribal Fighters: Bandcamp - Facebook

That's it for the Advent Calendar for this year. If you missed and of the 24 days of mostly festive nonsense you can find everything using the Christmas tag on the posts.
Have a lovely Christmas, try not to fight any relatives or break your new toys, and remember to vote in the Readers' Poll by the end of Boxing Day.

Advent Calendar - Day Twenty Four: Mi Mye

Nearly done. So very nearly done. One or two more advent posts and I'm finished for the year.

Let's start to wrap things up with a couple of crackers then, shall we? Let's apologise for the tortured puns in the previous sentence too.

A few people recommended this to me at almost exactly the same time, and it is indeed very good. I've not had a chance to investigate mi mye's other stuff yet, but don't let that stop you doing it for yourself and telling me what you think.

merry christmass and sorry for all the trubble i cosed is available to download for free on Bandcamp.


mi mye: Bandcamp - Facebook

Advent Calendar - Day Twenty Three: The Big Nowhere

It seems only right that after celebrating with them at the Aye Tunes Birthday Bash back in June we have The Big Nowhere back for Christmas too.

Just, barely, making it in time for inclusion in the Advent Calendar after much badgering of the band to hurry the heck up and get it finished comes The Big Nowhere's Christmas EP, Christmas In The Gutter.

You can listen to Christmas In the Gutter at Bandcamp, and buy it for a quid (or more) if you like it.
As a wee Christmas treat, you can download one track from the EP, a cover of Big Star's I'm In Love With a Girl, for free from me below too.

The Big Nowhere - I'm In Love With a Girl

The Big Nowhere will be re-releasing their debut album Pull Down the Moon on a limited special edition CD in January. Don't worry, I'll tell you when you can get your paws on that.

The Big Nowhere: Website - Bandcamp - Facebook

Advent Calendar - Day Twenty Three: Birdlips

Curses, I had the name of whoever pointed my towards Birdlips written down on a bit of paper, to remind me to give them a nod when I got round to posting this. I've lost the bit of paper. Thanks, mystery person.

I've not had much in the way of traditional, or God bothering, depending on your viewpoint, Christmas songs, but there's some on this, so enjoy or avoid as you wish. Listen to Slow Burners for the Holidays below, and download it at the price of your choosing at Bandcamp.



Birdlips: Website - Bandcamp

Advent Calendar - Day Twenty Two: Numbers and Letters

We like Numbers and Letters round here, enough that I braved the three buses to get there and long walk home on a Sunday night when they played in Glasgow a few months ago. It was worth the annoying trip.
Every year they record and release a Christmas song too, so I've been patiently waiting all month for their new one so I can slip it in here.

This year's Christmas song from Numbers and Letters is a version of In the Bleak Midwinter and is, as all their previous Christmas songs have been, lovely. I think Sarah and Joe from Admiral Fallow pop up on this, but I could have gotten that completely wrong, and I'm clearly not professional enough to fact check.
Listen to the lot below, and grab them from Bandcamp for whatever you feel like paying. While there download a copy of the Numbers and Letters EP if you haven't already, it's good and free too.



Numbers and Letters: Website - Bandcamp - Facebook

Advent Calendar - Day Twenty Two: Kevin P. Gilday

Although I've not actually looked back to check, I think most of the Christmas songs this year have been of a fairly cheery variety. Let's end that run then.

Two tracks today from Kevin P. Gilday, who did a wee opening spot at the last Aye Tunes gig a few months ago. Kev has an album out on Christmas Day, featuring contributions from Kevin Frew, Tim Courtney), David Flood, Emily MacLaren, James Campbell, Jennifer Campbell and Rebecca Kilgour, but I'll get back to the album properly later.

First off, a poem, My Crappy Christmas.
My Crappy Christmas by Kevin P. Gilday

Secondly, a wee preview from the album, Graphite, in the form of Crooked Christmas.
Crooked Xmas Reprise by Kevin P. Gilday

Kevin P. Gilday: Tumblr - Facebook - Soundcloud

Readers' Poll Reminder

You've had my lists of my albums of the year, and lists from pretty much every other blog around by now, so it's time to remind you about the Aye Tunes Readers' Poll, where you can have your say on the best bits of the year.
Voting closes on Boxing Day, so you only have a couple of days left to get your entries in. Full details below.

Quickie rules & regulations type things:

• Answer or skip whatever questions you want, but if a bunch of people answer one question with the same answer it'll be pretty obvious ballot stuffing.
• No ballot stuffing! If it isn't obvious I probably won't notice it though.
• You can choose up to three answers for each question, try and put them in order, 1 being best, 2 second best, blah blah blah.
• You can vote for bands, albums etc from anywhere, they don't have to be Scottish.
• Polls close on December 26th, after that I'll count up the results and post them around new year.
• This is meant to be a wee bit of fun, so don't moan about the results when posted!
• I won't keep your name/email address or any other info once the poll is done, unless you tell me to.

My attempt at putting together a fancy voting form failed miserably, so I'm afraid you'll have to do a wee bit of work. Copy/paste the stuff below and stick it in an email to poll@ayetunes.org.uk and I'll do the rest.

Aye Tunes Readers' Poll 2011

Best Album:

1.

2.

3.

Best Single/EP: (Basically anything that isn't an album)

1.

2.

3.

Best Band:

1.

2.

3.

Best Solo Artist:

1.

2.

3.

Best New Band/Solo Artist: (New is very subjective, if you first heard of them this year, that'll do)

1.

2.

3.

Best Live Band:

1.

2.

3.

Best Music Blog/Website: (Aye Tunes isn't eligible for this. Partly to avoid accusations, partly to stop me seeing how few would have said it anyway)

1.

2.

3.

Best Music Radio Show/Podcast:

1.

2.

3.

Best Venue:

1.

2.

3.

Your Name:

That'll do I think. Feel free to tell your pals about the poll!

Advent Calendar - Day Twenty One: The Second Hand Marching Band

Gig plug related Christmas song, yay!

The Second Hand Marching play play at The 13th Note tomorrow (Thursday) in a gig that I've already mentioned a couple of times, but I'd be wasting an opportunity not to mention it again, since they've got a Christmassy song to go with it.
Also playing at the gig are Withered Hand (Christmas song HERE) and The Last Battle (Christmas song HERE). It'll be dead good. You should go. Tickets can be bought here.

Bonbon is taken from The Second Hand Marching Band's Grit and Determination EP, which you can buy here. I wrote a wee bit about it when it came out ages ago, which you can read here. Although you're probably better off buying Compendium now I think about it, since it contains all the songs on that EP and is dead cheap.... Yeah, buy Compendium.



the second hand marching band: Website - Bandcamp - Facebook

Advent Calendar- Day Twenty One: The Recovery Club

It's been ages since I've heard anything from The Recovery Club, but here they are, popping up with a new festive offering. Good, I like them, so it's nice to see them still around.
Silent Night is available free from Bandcamp for a limited time, so get it while you can.



The Recovery Club: Bandcamp - Facebook

Advent Calendar - Day Twenty: Olympic Swimmers

Sneaking this in as a wee bonus advent calendar "door", mostly since I want an excuse to post it, but didn't want to just have a post saying "Look, a video!".

So. Look! A video!


OLYMPIC SWIMMERS - Where it Snows

Where It Snows isn't a Christmas song at all, but it has snow in the title, which makes it wintery at least. Yeah, I'm really reaching on this one, aren't I?

Anyway, When It Snows is an ace wee song, and Olympic Swimmers are a pretty ace band, so in it goes, against the face of all logic and arguments. When It Snows will be on Olympic Swimmers' debut album, which is due out some time in 2012. If the rest of the album is this fine it'll be a swell record indeed.

Olympic Swimmers: Website - Facebook - Bandcamp

Catching Up: Black Books

It took me the best part of six months to get round to writing about Black Books. They've been up to some stuff since I babbled about their EP. Rather than wait another six months to get round to mentioning them again, here's a few new things from The Black Books.

I mentioned previously that there was an album on the way "in the near future". Well, now there's a date set for the album! The Black Books' self titled debut album will be released on February 14th, perfectly timed to buy for someone you love. Or for you to nag someone into buying you for Valentine's Day. Or to buy for yourself, really. Don't worry, I'll remind you about the album release nearer the time.
Out The Door is a new song taken from the album, and available to download free from Bandcamp. I rather like it.



In addition to teasing us with their own new stuff, the band found time to contribute a cover version to SYFFAL.com. You can listen to and download their version of The Cardigans' Lovefool below.


Black Books: Blog - Bandcamp - Facebook

Advent Calendar - Day Twenty: The Stormy Seas

Only a few more of these posts to go. I'll need to find something new to occupy me after this week is over.
Maybe counting Readers' Poll entries? So far that's a simple task, since there's only a handful of them to count up. Go here to find out how to vote, you still have some time.

Today's song comes from The Stormy Seas. They released their debut album last month, and it is rather good. Have a wee listen here. Now they've gotten all festive, with a wee Christmas song.

The Christmas Before Last is available to download free from Bandcamp.



The Stormy Seas: Website - Bandcamp

Advent Calendar - Day Nineteen: The Narrows

Look out, Mancunians! This Christmas song from The Narrows is a bit different from their usual stuff, I like it, so into the calendar it goes.



The Narrows: Bandcamp - Facebook

Advent Calendar - Day Nineteen: Woodenbox

Fed up of the Christmas songs yet? Don't worry, we're into the last week of them, soon it'll all be over.
At which point I'll most likely go back to posting hardly anything. At least I'm productive in December.

Today's offering comes from Woodenbox.  Do they still have their Fistful of Fivers? I'm not sure.

The Christmas Song is a free download from Bandcamp.



Woodenbox: Facebook

Advent Calendar - Day Eighteen - Louis Barabbas & The Bedlam Six

I came across this through Song. by Toad, so adjust your appreciation/blame appropriately.



Louis Barabbas & The Bedlam Six: Bandcamp

Advent Calendar - Day Eighteen: The Belle Hops

I think I had this last year, but I'm too lazy to check.
Anyway, it is still sweet, fun, and charming, so have A Belle Hops Christmas Song again.



The Belle Hops: Bandcamp - Facebook

Advent Calendar - Day Seventeen: The Phantom Band

Oops, this was meant to be yesterday's song so I could fit in a gig plug, but, err, I forgot.
All is not lost though, as The Phantom Band's Phestive Phantomime continues at Stereo tonight! If you're quick there should still be a few tickets left, try TicketWeb, Monorail, or chance your arm on the door if you are feeling particularly daring.

Recorded for Vic Galloway's final Radio 1 show last year, The Phantom Band, who performed The Howling from their debut album Checkmate Savage in a very special style. Strictly speaking it isn't a Christmas song, but it is really good, so shut up.

The Phantom Band - Silent Howling Night

The Phantom Band: Website

Advent Calendar - Day Seventeen: Touch N Go!

Touch N Go is someone else, but I'm not sure I'm meant to say who. I'll leave it a mystery so I don't risk a kicking.

The blurb goes: "The heroic Mickey Touch returns with a triumphant ode to the Baby Jesus recorded especially for Christmas 2011 all around the world."

If taken seriously this is not one of the better Christmas songs you'll hear on the blog. Don't take it seriously, or don't say you weren't warned.

Touch N Go! "The Story Of The Baby Jesus" XMAS SINGLE by ineedmusik

Advent Calendar - Day Sixteen: Scottish Fiction

I'd hoped to do something along these lines myself this year, but response to my requests and pestering was, at best, lukewarm, so nothing came of it.

Not to worry though, as Neil over at Scottish Fiction managed to be a better motivator than I, and put together a charity Christmas compilation of his own. A minimum donation of £2 gets your seven tracks, from Lonely and Lola, Ed Muirhead, The Spook School (yay!), Linzi Murphy, Evil Hand (yay!), The Dirty Demographic and Lovers Turn To Monsters (him again? Yay anyway!), with money raised going to Shelter.
Stream the EP below, and head over to Bandcamp to buy a copy.

Best Albums of 2011: 10 - 1

IT'S THE FIIIIIIINAAAAAAAAL COUNTDOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWN!
Top ten Aye Tunes albums of the year time. I can stop listing things and try to reintroduce myself to society after this.
Same disclaimers as yesterday:

1. best just means my favourite, you are allowed to disagree without either of us being wrong.
2. I've not heard every blooming album released this year.

You can find a bunch of other albums I liked that didn't quite make the top twenty here, and numbers twenty to eleven here.

10. United Fruit - Fault Lines

Noisy? Check. Frantic? Check. Awesome? Double check. Fault Lines is an adrenaline rush in music form. Full review from earlier in the year here.
Buy: Bandcamp - Bigcartel

9. FOUND - Factorycraft

One of the year's more fun albums, Factorycraft saw a slimmed down FOUND take a less experimental approach to their music, thought there was that edible 7", and deliver a pile of cracking pop songs in the process. Jam packed with hooks and sing along lyrics, Factorycraft does the simple things very well, and makes the difficult things seem easy.  It still goes a bit wonky and off kilter at points, and never gets dull. The end result is about as addictive as whatever drug is particularly addictive these days, but much better for you.
Buy: Chemikal - Amazon - iTunes

8. John Knox Sex Club - Raise Ravens

I can't tell you if I agree or not with the regular description of the John Knox Sex Club as "the best live band in Scotland" since I haven't seen them since some time last year - I know, poor show Jim - but I can tell you their second album, Raise Ravens, was one of the best released this year. Although folk is the simplest tag to apply, the music is regularly much more muscular and powerful than the folk label usually implies. Gentle laments trade places with growled vocals and distorted guitars, before the growls turn melodic, all with a sinister, menacing undercurrent. This is an intense and at times downright creepy album, blending the tradition with the modern, steeped in atmosphere. It is almost impossible not to get lost in, absorbed by Raise Ravens.
Buy: Bandcamp

7. You Already Know - Petrol Money

The first You Already Know album made my Best of 2009 list, and anyone that has been unfortunate enough to have put up with me talking about the band any time since won't be all that surprised that second album Stop Whispering is one of my favourites this year. More glorious noise. Also in The Gush/Meatshield.Into And Over You/It Comes In Waves this is the album with the filthiest sounding track progression of the year. Full review here. You Already Know have split now, but Petrol Money was a fine parting gift.
Buy: Bandcamp

6. Nicola Roberts - Cindarella's Eyes

Come ahead, I'm ready for you. A damn fine leftfield pop album, good lyrics, more effing, blinding and anger than you'd expect and much more interesting musically than some weedy indie nonsense. A regular listen, and a thoroughly enjoyable one too.
Buy: Amazon - iTunes

5. Monoganon - Songs To Swim To

My, that's a handsome cock. I've been a fan of John B. McKenna for a while, admittedly in part because he used to sell me beer while working in the pubs of Glasgow, but also for his music. Songs To Swim To is, by a distance, the best thing John and his band have released I think. Also, despite all my protests, proof that I've not entirely shunned folky poppy stuff this year.
Buy Vinyl/Free Download: Winning Sperm Party

4. Kochka - The Entropic Biopic of a Quixotic Psychotic

Still not sure about the title, but everything else about this album I love. Coming on like a demented funfair, complete with Markk Donnelly's attempt - a worrying successful attempt at that - at channeling a mad carnival barker, this is pretty much unlike anything else I've heard coming from Scotland this year. Addictive, fun, and nigh on impossible not to dance to, it took ages to get a debut album from Kochka but the result made the wait instantly forgivable.
Buy: Bandcamp

3. Conquering Animal Sound - Kammerspiel

When Kammerspiel was released at the start of the year I'd been looking forward to it a lot on the basis of what I'd heard from Conquering Animal Sound on record and on stage before, and the album didn't disappoint. Roughly a full year on from my first listen to the album I'm nowhere near tired of it yet. More blethering in the form of a review here.
Buy: Gizeh -  iTunes

2. Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat - Everything's Getting Older

I wasn't overwhelmed when Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat collaborated at Chemikal Underground's 15th anniversary gig back at the start of 2010, things verging a little too close to The Fast Show's jazz club at times for me, so I wasn't too sure what I'd think of the album that eventually followed. Teaser tracks A Short Song To The Moon and The Copper Top immediately dismissed any fears I had, and made me wonder if my ears had been working properly that night at the ABC.
The collaboration seemed to bring out the best in each other. Arguably Aidan's best work as a lyricist, finding new ways to break your heart and make you laugh, allied with Wells's subtle, measured compositions add up to something a wee bit special. Although as filthy as you'd expect from Moffat in parts, a lot of the album provokes genuine emotion and is mature and measured, the end result is pretty damn great.
Buy: Chemikal - Amazon - iTunes

1. Adam Stafford - Build a Harbour Immediately

I got a copy of Build A Harbour Immediately quite early last year from Adam Stafford, after I'd half joking complained to him that Lloyd from Peenko wouldn't shut up about how good it was having received a copy before me. I then spent several months trying not to annoy everyone I know by telling them how brilliant this album was, but no they couldn't buy it yet and no they can't have a copy off me. I think eventually Matthew Healy from Loch Awe was about ready to kill me.
Having alienated all of our friends that just left Peenko and myself repeating to each other how bloody marvelous an album this was. Then, one night in April, we were drunk together, and hatched a plan. One more Aye Tunes Vs Peenko gig, and we'd beg Adam to make it his album launch. He agreed, and then we had the fun of having to not annoy people by telling everyone about the launch gig for this amazing album that was still two-three months away. Anyway, the gig came round eventually, we spent a night with massive smiles on our faces, and we finally had people to agree with us that yes, Build A Harbour Immediately is indeed a pretty ace album, and we smiled some more.
It was at the album launch that I heard a description of the album far better than any I could come up with when Julian Corrie - Miaoux Miaoux - described it as "starts off fairly normal, then it just melts". Can't put it any better than that really.
At the halfway point of the album with Shot Down You Summer Wannabes - which was one of my favourite songs of 2010, and sold me on Adam solo in the first place - things take a turn for the unconventional. The guitars drop out, replaced with vocal loops, layers of noise, beatboxing, and all manner of lunacy. And it's brilliant.
That was all a terribly long way of saying "best album of the year" but yes, Build a Harbour Immediately is the best album of the year.
Buy: Bandcamp

That concludes our best albums of 2011, you may now begin pointing, laughing, disagreeing, or swearing never to return.

You can buy some, if not all, of these records from Monorail and Love Music in Glasgow too. Shops are nice, you get to talk to people in them. Some shops and some people are rubbish though, so you can also buy a lot of these from Insularis Records from the comfort of your own home, without even putting on clean clothes.

Advent Calendar - Day Fifteen: Neil Milton

I'm going to let Neil do the honours of introducing this one, just because his email made me laugh out loud when I read it.
"I've arranged a preposterous string quartet version of Wham's Last Christmas. I'm not really sure why - I hate the song."

I appreciate Neil's level of dedication to supplying Christmas songs - even ones he hates - to the masses* Me? I quite like Last Christmas.
*4 people who read this nonsense.

Here's Neil's version of Last Christmas then.
Last Christmas by neilmilton

Neil Milton: Website - Facebook - Soundcloud

Best Albums of 2011: 20 - 11

MORE LISTS! Yes, list season continues, as I fight with borderline obsessive compulsive disorder and an overwhelming need to rank things using a system that makes no real sense and changes every ten or fifteen minutes.
Two disclaimers

1. best just means my favourite, you are allowed to disagree without either of us being wrong.
2. I've not heard every blooming album released this year.

Onward then, to the first batch of my twenty favourite albums of the year. You can find a bunch of other albums I liked that didn't quite make the cut here.
In reverse order, like some kind of fancy countdown, here's numbers twenty to eleven:

20. Fay Wrays - Strange Confessor

Noisy Americans. This was another one that came from the random blog submissions pile that i listened to loads, but never really did anything about writing up. We've long established that I'm useless though. Not quite sure why Strange Confessor ended up clicking with with me, but it did.
Fay Wrays - Paper Tiger Meets The Straw Man
Download Strange Confessor: Bandcamp

19. Zoey Van Goey - Propeller Versus Wings

I've had a wee bit of a Zoey Van Goey bandcrush thing going on this year, as they've generally done a bunch of stuff that has left me smiling like a fool. They started off that trend early in the year with their second album, Propeller Versus Wings. Playful, witty, fun, and with more hooks than the average fisherman, it's a pretty easy album to fall for. Also "I am drunk and on a ladder" is the finest opening line in a song in ages.
Zoey Van Goey - My Aviator
Buy Propeller Versus Wings: Chemikal - Amazon - iTunes

18. King Post Kitsch - The Party's Over

I'd been looking forward to this album for ages, such was my enjoyment of the first, and following King Post Kitsch EP. The Party's Over didn't disappoint. At times a fuzzy garage rock album, at times something more psychedelic  sometimes dreamy pop, occasionally all and none of these things, all excellent.
King Post Kitsch - Fante's Last Stand
Buy The Party's Over: Song, by Toad - Amazon - iTunes

17. Sparrow and the Workshop - Spitting Daggers

Picking up where they left off with Crystals Fall, Sparrow and the Workshop remain one of the more interesting sounding bands around. They are a bit more muscular sounding and in your face this time round, and none the worse for it. An album with swagger and stomp, balanced with moment of graceful calm and tenderness.
Sparrow and the Workshop - Snakes In the Grass
Buy Spitting Daggers: Sparrow and the Workshop - Amazon - iTunes

16. Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will

You pretty much know what you are going to get with Mogwai, and this was the best thing they've have done in years. Up until they released the Earth Division EP later in the year, which was also excellent, but isn't an album. George Square Thatcher Death Party is the best song title of 2011 too.
Buy Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will: Mogwai Shop - Amazon - iTunes

15. Remember Remember - The Quickening

This is an album I can never quite find the words to properly describe, so I'll leave it at this: blooming gorgeous.
Buy The Quickening: Amazon - iTunes

14. Take A Worm For A Walk Week - T.A.W.F.A.W.W.

As I've mentioned before, this year I've mostly been enjoying loud things. T.A.W.F.A.W.W. delivered in spades. A brutal and aggressive half hour of music that left more of an impression than the metaphorical Mouldmaster to the thigh on a frosty morning.
Buy T.A.W.F.A.W.W.: Bandcamp - Bigcartel

13. Martin John Henry - The Other Half of Everything.

I still miss De Rosa, but getting an excellent solo album from Martin this year lessened the nostalgia considerably. As I said when the album came out, if you can listen to Ribbon on a Bough without your head bobbing check your pulse, you might be dead. Martin is one of the best songwriters in Scotland, and it is a joy to have him back on record.
Buy The Other Half of Everything: Bandcamp

12. Doctors & Dealers - Every Sinner Has A Future

The second Sparrow on the chart, Doctors & Dealers being mainly the work of Sweden's Sparrow Lindgren, Every Sinner Has A Future balances light and shade wonderfully. Tales of heartbreak and depression lurk behind pop songs, with a playful sense of humour lurking round the corner to save things getting too dark.
Doctors & Dealers - Carpet Burn
Buy Every Sinner Has A Future: Amazon - iTunes

11. Black International - In Debt

Internal debate ahoy over whether to include this album or not. In the end it came down to the same old thing, I became quite friendly with Black International and got them to do a gig for me after falling for their music, not before, so In Debt can go on the list for the right reasons. Every song has something that catches my attention, and the whole album has been subjected to more listens than just about anything else to come my way this year. Also good and noisy, with some properly excellent drumming.
Read more about the album in Black International's track by track guide here.
Buy In Debt: Bandcamp


We'll be back tomorrow with the final countdown, the top ten Aye Tunes albums of 2011.

Advent Calendar - Day Fourteen: Lovers Turn To Monsters

We had Lovers Turn To Monsters in the Advent Calendar just last week, but promised then that Kyle was working on a new Christmas EP, and would be turning up again.

Well, Feed My Christmas Time is finished and available, and I'm a man of my word (unless I've promised to review something) here's Lovers Turn To Monsters again.

The Christmas EP is a pay what you want download from Bandcamp, and if you have a look in the files after downloading you'll find out how to get a copy of last year's Lovers Turn To Monsters Christmas EP too, in case you missed it first time round.



Lovers Turn To Monsters: Facebook - Bandcamp

Best Albums of 2011 - Bubbling Under

It is December, I write a music blog, that means it is list season. That time of year when the blogging community spend too long trying to remember what albums came out this year, which ones were good, which ones were rubbish, which ones it is cool to like, which ones we haven't heard but have to pretend we have, and so on.
It is also the time of year that we all suppress a snigger while looking at other people's best of lists while saying to ourselves "REALLY? That album was SHITE!", and silently judging each other's taste in music.
It's a fun time of year.
I've been obsessing over my list for too long already, trying to cut it down into a manageable length, and having the nagging feeling that I've missed something out.
Eventually I decided to pick a Top Twenty to run as my best of, but since I liked more than twenty albums this year, and since I don't know what the difference between #33 and #45 in a top 50 is, here's a bunch of albums that I want to mention somehow, and on a different day could easily have swapped places with something in the Top 20. Go ahead and start judging me, just remember that "best" always means "favourite" really.

In no particular order, The Aye Tunes Best of the Rest Albums 2011

Scroobius Pip - Distraction Pieces
Quantum Leap reference in the first song equals instant inclusion. That and Death of the Journalist, which has been one of my favourite songs of the year, even if I'm one of the targets. The rest of the album is pretty swell too.
Dad Rocks! - Mount Modern
Suffering slightly from only having been released fairly recently, Mount Modern is an album that started off good, and grows on me a bit more with each listen. Had it had more time it would rank higher, but as it is still a gorgeous thing, and worth a few of your pounds.
Eureka Machines - Champion The Underdog.
Power-Pop Punk from Leeds. Their first album won an Aye Tunes award back in the days when no one read the blog (no, not yesterday you cheeky bugger) and this, their second album, is no slouch either.
The Antlers - Burst Apart.
Never quite fell in love with the whole thing, and less taken with this than I was with Hospice, but there's some really great bits on there.
Le Reno Amps - Appetite.
We've swapped some pandas for Al Nero now I think, but before the band went on hiatus they gave us a new, really good, album.
Something Beginning With L - Beautiful Ground.
A right good debut album, this .Fuzzy, poppy, shoegazey, and fragile all at once, tis a lovely wee thing.
the douglas firs - Happy As a Windless Flag.
It was a good year for releases from Armellodie Records really, this was another fab album from their stable
Milk Maid - Yucca.
Scummy sounding lo-fi rock that sounds like it cost about a fiver to record? Yes please. Not as good as PAWS but.
Edinburgh School For The Deaf - New Youth Bible
Album opener Of Scottish Blood and Sympathy gets things off to a great start, from there it gets a wee bit rough in spots, but ace in others, certainly a good enough album to be included in here.
Comply Or Die - Depths.
One of far too few albums that I actually got round to reviewing this year, and one of several that took advantage of me being a bit sick of acoustic folky stuff - though there's plenty of that in my end of year lists too - by making an almighty exciting noise.
Loney Dear - Hall Music
Fragile, melancholy, and quite gorgeous. Not the most immediate of albums, but a good one.
The Moth And The Mirror - Honestly, This World
The Sons(s) - The Son(s)
I may have mentally marked The Son(s) and The Moth and the Mirror down slightly in the year end ranking because both were released by my pals, Olive Grove Records. Both are smashing albums.
Piet Haag - Countryside Walks With Piet Haag
Very little amused me this year as much as this did, so it's in.
The Great I Am - Real Capital
Another I actually remembered to review. Real Capital is a very schizophrenic album, swapping from electro to folky from song to song, but that just endeared it to me even more. The Great I Am have switched names to Machines In Heaven now, but are still making wonderful noises.
Evil Hand - Huldra
A bit dreamy, a bit shoegazey, entirely gorgeous. One of the hardest albums to omit from the top 20 really. Ask me again another day and it would be in there.
Tiny Birds - Hymns For the Careless
"Sad songs with happy music". I touched on Tiny Birds a bit (that sounds slightly wrong) in one of my wanders down south earlier in the year, and the album is still one I keep going back to regularly.
The Wiggle Room - I Presume
Really, really enjoyable pop. One of my favourite albums that randomly popped up in my inbox this year that I'm kicking myself for glossing over until now.
I Build Collapsible Mountains - The Spectator & The Art
In a year when I largely got bored of "man with guitar" music, I Build Collapsible Mountains still produced something good enough to remind me that there are tremendous artists out there doing that thing.
Trips and Falls - People Have To be Told
Song, by Toad Records released an awful lot of good stuff this year. This Trips and Falls album is awfully good. Smart, witty, and sounds great, what's not to like?
Veronica Falls - Veronica Falls
It's a bit jangly and twee at times, but that's fine with me. It's a fun album, and there's some lovely boy/girl harmonies in there, which I'm always a sucker for.
Jacob Yates and the Pearly Gate Lock Pickers - Luck
Imagine Glasvegas weren't shite. That doesn't have a lot to do with this album, but imagine it anyway, just to make yourself feel better. Anyway, filthy sounding doom-wop from a man and band that sound like they could crush you like a paper cup and thoroughly enjoy doing so. Brilliant then.
Zombie Girlfriend - Music For Porn
MORE lo-fi noise pop? Oh go on then. I know virtually nothing about Zombie Girlfriend other than there is two of them, they come from Hungary, and they please my ears. That's more than enough information for me.
Loch Lomond - Little Me Will Start a Storm
Chemikal Underground released a lot of good albums this year, including this one from Portland's Loch Lomond.
Luke Haines - 9 1/2 Psychedelic Meditations On British Wrestling Of The 1970s & Early '80s.
I like Luke Haines, I like wrestling, how could I not like a concept album about British wrestling in the '70s and '80s? There's plenty of ways I could have hated it I'm sure, none of them came to pass though. It's a weird beast, but a good one.
Come On Gang! - Strike a Match
Quite willing to admit to the inclusion of Strike a Match being one tinged with bias and nostalgia, since Come On Gang did an Aye Tunes Vs Peenko gig, then had Peenko and I along to DJ at their last gig. Not entirely a nostalgic entry though, as there's some right good stuff on the album anyway.
Dead Boy Robotics - Dead Boy Robotics
A very late entry to the list, on account of it having only just been released. If I'd sepnt more than a week or two with my copy it might have ranked higher, but as it is it deserves inclusion somewhere. I particularly like it when they get all shouty.

So, there you go. Most albums are available to buy from Amazon, HMV and iTunes.
My twenty favourite albums will follow in a few days.

Advent Calendar: Day Thirteen - Trapped Mice

Hooray, we're now past the halfway point in the advent calendar! The end is in sight.

Today's post is a special one, we've got a wee exclusive! Last year Trapped Mice donated the song God Is Here to the advent calendar, and this is still the only place you can get that song. This year they've donated another exclusive track too, accepting a challenge I made on Twitter for someone to do a cover version of a song I love. Apparently God is Here will be getting its first live outing on Thursday, download it below if you missed it last year.
This year's Aye Tunes exclusive is Trapped Mice covering, and giving a reworking to, Low's Just Like Christmas.

Trapped Mice - God Is Here
Trapped Mice - Just Like Christmas (Low Cover)

Trapped Mice play at The Wee Red Bar in Edinburgh on Thursday the 15th, with Supermarionation and Plastic Animals. There's the promise of mince pies, and a three way Rock Paper Scissors contest to decide the running order for the night. Doors open at 7, entry is £4, and you'll want to get along sharp for the battle.

Trapped Mice: Bandcamp - Facebook

Advent Calendar: Day Thirteen - The Banana Sessions

Advance warning, I've got the cold again, posts for the next few days might be half arsed and rubbish...

The Banana Sessions launch their debut album, Mixtape, this Sunday - the 18th - at The Bongo Club in Edinburgh. The album is available to pre-order from Bandcamp now.

Here's a festive tune from them to go with the plug.
01 Don't Lose Your Mind (It's Christmas Time!) by The Banana Sessions

The Banana Sessions: Website - Bandcamp - Facebook

Advent Calendar - Day Twelve: Advances In Mathematics

Oops, rather late with today's Advent Calendar installment, aren't I? Better have something good to make up for it then. Let me have a root around my metaphorical bag of stuff....

Ah yes, Advances In Mathematics! Today sees the first release from the Manchester band, with the Sad Xmas Present EP. I've been listening to this a fair bit in the past couple of weeks, and now that Sad Xmas Present is available to all, it is as good a release as any to use for the advent calendar today.

The Sad Xmas Present EP is available on limited CD, or as a free download from Bandcamp.



Apparently the ‘Sad Christmas Present’ in question is the Tremelo pedal guitarist Ben Ambridge asked for 4 years ago. It features heavily in the song that carries its name.

For good measure, here's a video too:

Advent Calendar - Day Eleven: Yossarian

Tim London is a many of many names and talents, but for today he is going under the name Yossarian for his entry into the advent calendar.

Mr Xmas reminds me a bit of Madness, which is rarely a bad thing. It's loads of fun, grab it down below.

Yossarian - Mr Xmas

Tim London: Website - Music - Bandcamp

Advent Calendar: Day Eleven - How To Swim

How To Swim can always be counted on to deliver a Christmas present, and this year is no exception.
A Minor Key Christmas is available as a free download from Bandcamp, and you can listen to it below. It features two new songs, and a cover of the one Christmas song that makes me want to commit mass murder, Paul McCartney's Wonderful Christmastime. How To Swim's version is much less murder inspiring, so well done to them for that. Have a wee poke around their Bandcamp for more stuff too, including the Christmas EP they did last year.



How To Swim have a wee festive gig coming up too, which is why I'd held back on posting this till now. The gig takes place on Friday December 16th at Nice & Sleazy, with How To Swim supported by The Store Keys and Adam Stearns. It'll cost you a fiver to get in.

Behold, a poster.

How To Swim: Bandcamp - Facebook