Christmas Songs

I am fully aware that is still November, but if I wait until December to ask about this I'll be too late. Besides, once the Coke advert has been on telly it is fair game.

If you were around here last year (and my visitor stats suggest you probably weren't, so hi! Thanks for joining us this year) you might remember that I ran a wee advert calendar type deal, with a Christmassy song every day of December until Christmas Day.

Well, I want to do it again this December, but I don't want to just re-use everything posted last year, this is where I turn to you lot.

Readers, leave any suggestions down in the comments, ideally something I can post without getting sued, by a Scottish band/artist, with some kind of Christmas type theme.

Bands, anyone fancy donating something? I can set things to stream instead of download if it is something you want to sell instead of letting me give away and if you have it on Bandcamp that'll be even better. If you have something up your sleeve you don't mind sharing send a wee email to jim@ayetunes.org.uk and I'll be delighted to include you. Err, just songs though, no links to YouTube of you doing Slade at karaoke, please.

Spotlight: Let's Talk About Trees

After not running any interviews in ages we have two in a week. I'm as surprised as you dear reader.

A while back I received an email from a band called Let's Talk About Trees, asking me to have a listen to a couple of their songs and possibly do a wee something about them for Aye Tunes. I listened to the songs, loved them, then waited around three months to answer the email. I am not a good blogger.

On the eve of the release of their self titled debut album I finally got around to asking Let's Talk About Trees some questions, which they kindly took time out of hand making those albums to answer.

Who are Let's Talk About Trees?

We are Chris McGarry and Kieran Heather - two men from many bands with a particular fondness for the ridiculous.

What do you sound like?

We WANTED to sound like trees, but I suppose Magnetic Fields, Adam Green and the Beta Band is somewhere to start. Bit of Arab Strap as well.

How did the album come about?

Well, we were in the pub (Captain's Rest, to be precise) and were discussing trees for some reason and we'd been recording music just for fun - thought that trees and music might mix. They did! I suppose it was a bet, but no money has passed hands and in any case if we were betting against each other - we both won.

Are making concept albums after a pub bet the future of the music industry then?

I think the way we do things is made easier by having a concept - we're big fans of Brian Eno and he's well into this kind of voodoo. He made that thing Oblique Strategies, didn't he? Heloves concepts. At least I hope he does, I don't know the man and I don't want to make too many assumptions on his part. Anyway, the answer is probably no.

The album launch is coming up soon, what do you have planned for it, or is it a surprise?

I think the surprise is going to be that it actually happened - a lot of our friends are very angry that we're going ahead with it. It's a very cheeky thing to do - make a silly bet in the pub, have a laugh: "hur hur, we're gonna make an album about trees", then show up one day with CDs filled with songs that are actually about trees - people don't expect you to actually do it. When they see the show it'll be the final straw and we will be lynched.

Any plans to talk about more trees in the future, or perhaps other subjects, or is this a one off?

I think the awareness we have raised with this record will suffice. We do genuinely like trees but you'd really have to try to make a career out of it. Instead, we're hopefully going to move on to make a meta-educational album in the spirit of Look Around You (LOOK IT UP!) (Jim: Look Around You is excellent, if you've never seen it you really should try to watch it) - a television series we did not know about until we made the music video for Lumberjack's Lament and somebody commented on it giving reference to the aforementioned television program which I am clearly not going to repeat the name of. It's a pretty marvelous show.

All I can tell you about it is that we will try to break down the taboos of racism, highlight the dangers of (certain) drugs and that there might be a 'bubble moon octopus' involved. The octopus used to be a knight in Malaysia, apparently.

Let's Talk About Trees release their self titled album with a launch gig at Stereo in Glasgow tomorrow night (that's Saturday 20th November). It is a late starter, with doors at 11pm.

You can watch the lovely video for Lumberjack's Lament down below, and to hear an interview with the band and download a couple of session tracks head over to Pop Goes The Revolution.

French Wives - The Home Fires

I kinda meant to plug this last week, but as is not uncommon with me, I forgot.

Every Monday for the forseeable future* French Wives will be giving away a wee something over on their MySpace. [Insert squeals of fanboyish glee from your French Wives loving writer here] Each download is to be accompanied by a blog and a little video.

The first download is available now, a recording of Your Friends and Mine, taken from the band's first "proper" recording session. Go get it from the French Wives MySpace, and keep checking back in there every Monday for more free songs from a fab wee band.

*Unless you are some kind of soothsayer, or know when the World is going to explode, I suppose.

This Week's Gigs: 16th - 21st November

So very late. That's likely to be a repeating refrain for the next wee while, but this time I have an excuse, as I've had to kiss goodbye to a large slice of my free time to be an underpaid under trained shop monkey for a while. Anyone out there want to employ me? I can count, don't nick stuff, speak in sentences, know lots of useless stuff and deal with customers ranging from pleasant to utter arsehole. I'm from Paisley after all, so I have a lot of experience with the latter types. Anyway, enough about me, on with the gigs.

Tuesday:

Slow Club: Lovers Turn To Monsters, Turning Plates. Bloc, free entry.

Gold Panda, Yahweh. King Tut's. (Tickets)

Wednesday:

Wolf Gang, Any Color Black. King Tut's (Tickets)

Detour 1st Birthday. Bloc, free entry

Shamefully I've only ever made it along to the very first Detour and now here they are a year on, having a birthday. As usual these days the line up is secret, but it is unlikely to disappoint.

Thursday:

Oh Thursday, you sneaky bugger...

Randolph's Leap, Inspector Tapehead, Blochestra. Captain's Rest, free entry.

Aye Tunes Vs peenko II co-stars launch their new EP, Battleships and Kettle Chips, with a free gig in The Captain's Rest. The EP is the first release by Olive Grove Records, a new label set up by pals of mine. All of which gives me a good reason to dodge actually writing an EP review under conflict of interests grounds, but the EP is very very good nonetheless and available to buy here.

Now for the sneaky bit...

The Scottish Enlightenment, Le Reno Amps, Deathpodal. The 13th Note.

The Scottish Enlightenment bring their debut album St Thomas to Glasgow. The album is an absolute stunner. A bit of a slow burn maybe, but once it gets its hooks in? Oh boy. The album is available here now, and my gig going on Thursday may have to be settled with a coin toss.

Friday:

Chasing Owls, The Last Battle, Micah Vincent. Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh.

No one has really told me what is happening in Edinburgh this week, so don't blame me for that side of the country being under represented in the gig guide, I'm not a bloody mind reader. This one looks good though.

Ex Libras. Maggie Mays (Tickets)

Londoners Ex Libras are in Glasgow on Friday. Initially didn't quite see what the fuss was over this band, but their most recent EP Cut(s) is a wee bit good, so I may be forced to backpedal.

Saturday:

On Saturday I attempt to do my own multi venue festival thing again, kicking off with Endor and Cancel The Astronauts doing something for Pop Goes The Revolution early on. I think that is technically secret though, so if you want to know more you'll need to ask me, or the bands.

Over The Wall, Kasule. Captain's Rest. (Tickets)

Continuing a pretty flipping good for launches Over The Wall play The Captain's Rest to launch their debut album. I talked a bit about that just the other day, so go here to catch up.

Let's Talk About Trees. Stereo.

Rounding off a busy day and also with their own debut album to launch are Let's Talk About Trees. This is a late kick off, starting around 11pm with the band on about midnight. Hopefully we'll be having a few words with Let's Talk About Trees this week and might be able to tell you a little more about what to expect of the album launch.

I suspect there might be a quite tipsy Jim on the night bus home on Saturday.

Kid Canaveral, The Last Battle. Avalanche, Edinburgh.

Cheeky wee instore gig at the newly reopened Avalanche with a pair of splendid bands.

The Plimptons, The Paraffins, The Kazoo Funk Orchestra, The Murderburgers. Nice N Sleazy.

Oops, forgot this one on the first draft. ANOTHER album launch, this time for The Plimptons. Also a very good album. One day I'll get through the pile and actually review these things instead of just saying they are good. Anyway, in addition to four bands your £6 entry fee will also get you a copy of the album in question, 00s Nostalgia With the Plimptons. Bargain.

Sunday:

The Phantom Band, FOUND. Oran Mor (Tickets)

Betatone Distraction, Kochka, The Red Show. 13th Note.

It took me well over a year to get round to seeing Kochka play live and since then I seem to have seen them every few weeks. I'm quite happy to make up for lost time, they are a band well worth seeing.

Rachel Sermanni, Luke Cairns. The Captain's Rest
The Riot Before, Mondegreen. The Universal.

And So I Watch You From Afar - Straight Through The Sun

I'd be cheating if I called this a review, because I only have a few words to say about the actual single. Nonetheless it is more than worthy of a mention, so...

Northern Ireland's And So I Watch You From Afar have a new single out, which is available as a free download in return for a Tweet or a Facebook post. Go here to find out how to get Straight Through the Sun. As is to be expected from the band it is a lush little slice of instrumental rock, well worth clicking a wee button on your computer screen for.

The single is also available on 7" vinyl, backed with the B-Side Without A Fuckin' Scratch. If you own a record player you should by this, because that b-side is excellent. Close to six minutes of peaks and troughs, with an almighty ear blistering meltdown that sneaks up on you from nowhere.

The two tracks have made my day a whole lot more bearable, which is as good a recommendation as you can get.

The 7" is available on And So I Want You From Afar's upcoming tour and from the Small Town America website.

And So I Watch You From Afar only have one stop in Scotland on their tour, you can catch them at King Tut's on November 26th, supported by the also loud and lovely Tubelord and Carnivores. You did want tinnitus for Christmas, aye? You can buy tickets for that here.

And So I Watch You From Afar: MySpace

Spotlight: Male Pattern Band

Here at Aye Tunes we are a bit crap at getting hold of bands and asking them some questions, which is something we need to work on. With that in mind, I approached Male Pattern Band to see if they'd be willing guinea pigs for an introducing type feature, since I'd caught them supporting French Wives a few weeks ago and really enjoyed them. Happily they were and Singer/Guitarist Chris McCrory answered my incoherent questions for me.

Who are Male Pattern Band?

Male Pattern Band are essentially the result of a bleak, nowhere suburban upbringing and the strong desire to escape to something better, something brighter. Maybe we're trying to change our lives for the better, maybe we're just passing time. I don't really know. But if you want to skip all that wanky crap, we are just three friends who enjoy playing music together; who happen to dislike their current surroundings and write songs about psychotropic-addled girls, boys and the usual late-teen frustrations.

What do you sound like?

"Junkyard Pop" - That's what we sound like, to me anyway. It's something you have to figure out; come and see us live or something then decide. People say we sound like The Modern Lovers, people say we sound like Pavement or, "Like Flies on Sherbet" era Alex Chilton, even Sonic Youth. I say, we sound like "Junkyard Pop".

You've got a couple of sold out CDr's under your belt now, and most recently a tape, can we expect any other releases sometime soon?

We are going to release our first LP in the new year, we recorded it in May at Green Door studio with Emily MacLaren and Stu Evans. Most of it was done in one take very late at night and it is probably the definition of "Junkyard Pop". As a band we've evolved since then, as we only played our first gig in February. However, the record is a moment in time we really enjoyed, and we'd like to share that moment with you.
Other than the album, we are doing a very limited re-issue of the split-cassette on CD in February for folks who don't have a cassette player. And other than that, we just recorded another EP with a good friend containing a mix of new and older tracks. We are kind of experimenting with complete Lo-Fi 4-track cassette Portastudio recordings, Analogue 8 & 16 track Tape recordings and full on Pro Tools HD recordings and just trying to find what works best. We are all very interested in the world of recording and sound production. I have a bit of a studio set up here so we just spend hours screwing around making some cool noises and having fun with it really. There was also talk of a free covers EP later in the year, who knows.

Why a tape anyway, and how did teaming up with Black Jash for it come about?

There isn't really a solid reason for releasing on a cassette tape, it's just kind of cool to us. The first music I ever owned as a child was on cassette tape. Also a lot of the noise and otherwise left-field bands we like on Winning Sperm Party are doing it and we thought it was a pretty cool idea. I think it helps put the value back into owning music - rather than just a faceless mp3, it's something you can hold and look at and if you hate it, I suppose you can make it into a necklace.
As for teaming up with Black Jash, we were introduced to them through Emily and Stu at Green Door and we just really took to them. They play good music and put on a brilliant live show, I wish I could work a crowd and, "banter" like Bob does. We invited them up here for gigs together, got talking and the ball started rolling.

You've been pretty busy gigging, has there been anything that has stood out as particularly good so far?

For me, supporting Thee Oh Sees earlier in the year was a particular highlight as they are a band I've been really into for the past couple of years. In The Red records are a big influence on me in particular. I mean, I literally had to run down Sauchiehall St and on to the stage at Sleazy's out of breath and flustered - but I was playing with Thee Oh Sees, how cool is that?!?! Playing with Astral Planes at Brel in the summer was good too, they were a band I seen supporting the late Jay Reatard (another great In The Red... artist) at King Tuts when Male Pattern Band we're just a proverbial 'twinkle in my eye' and I was rather taken by their set. However, supporting French Wives at Stereo in October was I think the highlight gig for the band as a whole. French Wives to us are probably on the tip of a very large and successful musical iceberg, they are a fantastic band. Plus, we've all wanted to play Stereo for years , so many good bands play there. We were shitting ourselves before we went on, but it was brilliant to play that gig.

Was there anything that hasn't gone so well?

The only gig that didn't go so we'll for us was supporting Sky Larkin at Captains Rest a few months ago. Both my guitars broke in soundcheck, serves me right I suppose for not using cases or whatever - I never had any at the time. However, luckily Katie from Sky Larkin let me borrow one of her guitars for the show. That wasn't the end of our sorrows unfortunately - We err, over-indulged on the bountiful supply of free booze Captains Rest offers it's bands and went on stage rather pissed. My voice then proceeded to almost completely burn itself out halfway through the set. Bit of a disaster from our point of view, but folk seemed to enjoy it and Rokbun gave it a positive review so I'm not sure if it's just us being perfectionists or not. You win some, you lose some, y'know?

Finally, what are your upcoming plans, and what can we look forward to from the band over the next few months?

We'll we now have a website - www.malepatternband.com - that we made. There are lots of hidden secret pages, I bet you can find them. (Jim: I've not found any, I'm rubbish) We'll be using that instead of Myspace now, we still have a very basic page with contact and gig info though if you are a Myspace die hard. But all the updates will be going on the website and our Facebook page.
As for real world plans, just keep doing what we're doing but at a higher gear. Ultimately writing songs, playing gigs and having fun. However, you should definitely look out for more EPs, exclusive releases, one-off and/or otherwise bizarre gigs and maybe even LP number 2 in the near future.

Download: Male Pattern Band - Twee

There's a couple of chances to catch Male Pattern Band coming up soon, the Tut's gig should be particularly good.
Male Pattern Band: Upcoming Gigs

- 11th December @ Flying Duck for the Rancho Picante Christmas Party

- 19th December @ King Tuts supporting St Deluxe (Buy Tickets)

- 12th February @ Gambetta w/ Paws

Photos by Claire Thomson

Male Pattern Band: Website - Facebook

Define Pop Festival 3

Ah time, you've gotten away from me again. The third Define Pop Festival takes place this Saturday across Stereo, the Admiral Bar and Pivo Pivo, and I'd intended to do a better preview of it that this, but haven't, obviously.

Last year's festival was more fun than a bag of, um, fun things (read a very hungover review here if you want) with plenty excellent bands and a ton of good folk. Although we can only guess at the quality of the folk on Saturday the line up looks just as excellent.

Here's the line up and stage times, subject to change:

Stereo:
4.30 The Ghosties

5.20 The Paraffins

6.10 Juan Pablo

7.00 The Hundred Metre Club

7.50 Epic26

8.40 Suspire

9.30 Trapped In Kansas

10:15 Tango In The Attic

The Admiral
4.45 I Build Collapsible Mountains

5.35 Aspen Tide

6.25 So Many Animal Calls

7.15 Campfires In Winter

8.05 Black International

8.55 Little Yellow Ukuleles

9.45 Cities & Skylines

Pivo Pivo
6.45 Little Fire

7.35 Indigo Central

8.25 From Paris To Prison

9.15 The Mademoiselle

10.05 The Machine Room

10.55 Kochka

Over The Wall Get "Treacherous"

Over The Wall release their debut album, Treacherous, on November 22nd. To celebrate there are a pair of launch gigs. The first is tomorrow night in Edinburgh, the second on November 20th in Glasgow. Here's a little video of Ben and Gav to tell you more details:

The Edinburgh gig is also Limbo's third birthday and Over The Wall will be supported by How To Swim and The Oates Field, and that takes place at The Voodoo Rooms (Buy Tickets)

For the Glasgow gig on the 20th, in the Captain's Rest, Over The Wall will be joined by kasule, with the evening hosted by Bozilla. (Buy Tickets)

The album is released by Motive Sounds on November 22nd and will be available to buy direct from there or from all the usual shops.

I'll try and review the album soon, but in the meantime you can hear one of the tracks below.

Stream: Over The Wall - Two Nightmares

Stereo's Special Deal

Pretty much just a plug this post, so skip it if you don't like it.

January can be a bit of a rubbish time for gigs, everyone is a bit skint after Christmas and New Year, so anyone putting a gig on runs the risk of it being quieter than usual, so many don't bother.

With that in mind Stereo in Glasgow are offering a special deal for the month of January. Instead of the usual prices hiring the venue will only cost £80. That, to me, is a bit of a bargain.

To book the place, or for more info, email Si. If you feel like telling him i sent you, please do.

You never know, might even take up that offer myself...

This Week's Gigs: 8th - 14th November

Before I get on with what is on this week a quick thank to everyone that came down to The Classic Grand on Friday for our gig and a huge thanks to I build Collapsible Mountains, Come on Gang! and The Seventeenth Century for playing. They were all, of course, excellent.

Now, on to this week.

Monday:

Wavves, Otherpeople, PAWS. The Arches (Tickets)

Not that keen on Wavves to be honest, but we like Otherpeople and PAWS loads. While I'm at it, you can grab a free download of Wooplash by Otherpeople over at Artrocker just now.

Aaron Wright and the Aprils. King Tut's. (Tickets)

Tuesday:

Miller Filtered Music Present: Ash, Aerials Up, Alan R Davison. Oran Mor (Tickets)

The second Miller Filtered Music gig sees Ash play a stripped back set, joined by local supports Aerials Up and Alan R. Davison.

Wild Nothing, Crayons, Kill The Waves. The Arches (Tickets)

Focus Left. The Arches

Focus Left is a new platform for short filmmakers who are interested in incorporating live elements into the screening of their work, whether it be live music, soundscape, performance or improvised narration. The line up for the night includes:

Forest of Black's short film from this year's Homegame Music Festival
Live audiovisual electronica performance of No Man's Land by Fiona Soe Paing
Retchy (aka Graeme Hawkins) performing The Lyre Of Orpheus
Fear Wasabi perform live over their music video for the Pixies' Debaser
Charmaine Gilbert and CP Lucas Kao screen A Lifetime, featuring live narration from actress Wendy Barrett
Me and the Machine's Clara García Fraile premieres her latest short
Electro-acoustic duo Blacktzar perform alongside a screening of their latest video How Does It Feel, animated by Barry Thomson
Another chance to see Sigma Film's I Love Luci (recently screened at the Fence Records' Hallowe'en party)

Wednesday:

Jjnx Lennon, The Girobabies, Robert Sarazin Blake, Roscoe Vacant. The 13th Note.

Muso: Mickey 9's, Codeen. The Buff Club.

Thursday:

Sonny Marvello, The Cinnamons, The Dirty Demographic, Galleries. Stereo.

Launch gig for Sonny Marvello's new EP, Pull Me Up.

Friday:

You Already Know, Deadotter, The Little Mill of Happiness, Circle of Tyrants. The 13th Note.

One of our favourite bands, You Already Know, play their first proper gig in ages. I am fully prepared to have my face melted, my ears pounded and to love every minute of it. Get yourself along.

Mocker, The Tenemants, The Fonetics. Ivory Blacks.

This is a fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis, so your money will be put to good use if you go.

British India, St Deluxe, Penguins Kill Polar Bears. Stereo. (Tickets)

The Scottish Enlightenment, Trapped Mice, Jesus H. Foxx. The Wee Red Bar, Edniburgh.

Edinburgh launch gig for The Scottish Enlightenments debut album. The album is pretty much brilliant and this gig should be too. The Glasgow launch is the following week, so Edinburgh people have a chance to pick up the album first and rub our West of Scotland faces in it.

Pablo Eskimo. The Vale

Saturday:

The Power Cut Choir, Freight Logistics. Gambetta.

Radar Present: Mitchell Museum, Bronto Skylift, Capitals. Electric Circus, Edinburgh. (Tickets)

Define Pop Festival 3. Stereo, The Admiral, Pivo Pivo. (Tickets)

Should be a proper preview of this up during the week, but until then here's the short version. Three venues, Seven quid, loads of bands. Announced so far are *deep breath* Tango In The Attic, Trapped In Kansas, Little Yellow Ukuleles, Cities and Skylines, I Build Collapsible Mountains, Suspire, Epic 26, The Machine Room, The Ghosties, Aspen Tide, So Many Animal Calls, Campfires In Winter, Kochka, The Hundred Metre Club, From Paris To Prison, Indigo Central, Little Fire and Juan Pablo, with more to come.

Sunday:

No Dancing: Withered Hand (Solo), Bronto Skylift, Ambulances, Galoshins. Stereo. (Tickets)

The Sexual Objects, Flesh, Wake The President. King Tut's. (Tickets)

One More Aye Tunes Vs Peenko Plug

There's just two more days to go until this, after which I'll shut up about it obviously.

On the offhand you hadn't noticed Peenko and I are putting on another gig on Friday.

It is in The Classic Grand, with an early kick off time of 7pm, so finish work, have your dinner and get along quick so you don't miss anything.

This will be the last of the Aye Tunes Vs Peenko gigs, at least for a while, so we'd love it if as many people as possible could join us for a few beers, and uncomfortable amount of us invading your personal space with hugs and of course some quality musical entertainment.

Joining Campfires in Winter, Mitchell Museum and Kid Canaveral, Little Yellow Ukuleles, Randolph's Leap and We're Only Afraid of NYC on the list of bands foolish enough to play for us we have:

I Build Collapsible Mountains

Luke Joyce's one man singer-songwriter show. It isn't just us that is very excited about I Build Collapsible Mountains, he was a runner up in the recent Radar Music Prize too.

Stream: I Build Collapsible Mountains - Rails

Come on Gang!

Edinburgh based three piece indie pop merchants help us show that we like both Edinburgh and women, honest. Dancing is encouraged. Come on Gang! have made the final shortlist for Hog The Stage too, so could well be stealing the limelight from Biffy Clyro at Edinburgh's Hogmanay.

Stream: Come on Gang! - Fortune Favours The Brave

The Seventeenth Century

The Seventeenth Century make a thrilling combination of pop, folk and rock music, with orchestral influences. The Seventeenth Century are a bad that no matter how often I listen to them, how often I see them, I keep finding something new in their songs. Plus, it isn't often you get to see a violin and cornet player throw the kind of shapes or exert the amount of energy that Mark Farmer and Mike Truscott do. I can't help but agree with John Robb, who said after seeing them that "Their sound is utterly original and the band is pure genius"

Stream: The Seventeenth Century - Mid October

Tickets are £6, available from Tickets Scotland, TicketWeb, direct from us in person (just send me an email and I'll come meet you to swap tickets for money) or online, or you can contact the bands for tickets. There will be tickets on the door, but get in quick before they all go.

For those into that kind of thing there's a Facebook event page here too.

So, that's The Classic Grand on Friday November 5th at 7pm. If you are worried about missing out on fireworks let me know and I'll buy you a sparkler.

Come along and we'll love you forever.

This Week's Gigs: 1st - 7th November

This week's guide is brought to you by the numbers three and five, and a large amount of bias.

Monday:

Fighting With Wire, Carnivores. Stereo.

Derry's Fighting With Wire hit Scotland, and drag in Aye Tunes favourites Carnivores as support. It'll be loud, it'll be good. Oh aye, Carnivores have cheap tickets too.

Happy Birthday, PAWS. Captain's Rest.

Tuesday:

Nanobots, Ste McCabe, Stella Zine, Glasgow Glam Bangers. Gambetta.

Happy Birthday, Mtchell Museum. Sneaky Pete's, Edinburgh.

Wednesday:

Mtchell Museum, Miaoux Miaoux, Miniature Dinosaurs. King Tut's. (Tickets)

A delightful evening of M's. Our love for Mitchell Museum and Miaoux Maioux is bordering on unhealthy, and Miniature Dinosaurs are quite smashing too. If you only go to two gigs this week make this your first one. The other one is on Friday, obviously.

Fabrikant Records Present: Flights of Fancy. The Lot, Edinburgh.

Featuring musicians from Conquering Animal Sound, Haftor Medbøe Group, The Lotus Project, Discordian Trio, NeWt, Stanley Odd and more.

Thursday:

Second Hand Marching Band, Benni Hemm Hemm, Tannahill. Stereo.

We like the Second Hand Marching Band and Benni Hemm Hemm round here, but we are paticularly excited about the third band. Comprising Alasdair Roberts, Wounded Knee, Sean from John Knox Sex Club and SHMB members Alistair, Pete, Ross and Rich, they'll be performing songs based on the work of Paisley poet Robert Tannahill. Pop over here for some more details, and a few free mp3s too.

The Last Battle, The Scottish Enlightenment, Very Well. Wee Red Bar, Edinburgh.

I've owed The Last Battle an album review for ages now, but the short version is this - their debut album is really very good. The upcoming album by The Scottish Enlightenment is also very good. Edinburgh folk could do a lot worse than pop along to this. The Last Battle also have an instore appearance at Elvis Shakespeare's on Saturday.

Elba Sessions Present: I Build Collapsible Mountains, iglue, Now Wakes the Sea. The Liquid Ship.

Our pals over at Elba Sessions have their last gig of the year on Thursday and as usual it is well worth a look.

Friday:

Aye Tunes Vs Peenko III: I Build Collapsible Mountains, Come on Gang!, The Seventeenth Century. The Classic Grand. (More Info)

Well of course I'm going to tell you to go to this. I've been slightly less obnoxious in pimping this gig on the blog so far, but you can probably expect me to ram it down your throat between now and Friday. Even if it wasn't me & Peenko putting it on I'd be advising you to go though, as we always put on a line up we'd want to go to. This will be the final AVP gig and we aim to end things with a bang, so it would be nice to see lots of faces there, familiar and new. Please come. Holler if you want tickets.

Other gig options are available on Friday, but bias means I'm not telling you what they are.

Oh ok then, since I like these bands, you can find Mondegreen at Nice N Sleazy and Male Pattern Band, Black Jash and Jacob Yates and the Pearly Gate Lock Pickers at The 13th Note.

Saturday:

Meursault, Happy Particles, Olympic Swimmers. Stereo.

Roses Kings Castles, Fiction Faction, Reverie. The Classic Grand. (Tickets)

Happy Hallowe'en (Just A Bit Early)

I know that Hallowe'en is (a) not till Sunday and (b) ridiculous, it is meant to be for kids, but instead turns into an excuse to dress up as a slutty nurse when you should know better, but it gives me an excuse to round up some vaguely spooky themed music and watch scary films, so whatever. Since you are likely to be doing all your partying before Sunday (and if you want suggestions for something to do, why not peek at the gig guide?) we figured we'd post early too with some songs to soundtrack your creepy weekend.

Fist up we'll revisit a post from Monday's Keeping It Peel extravaganza for some Aereogramme, just since it is already uploaded and handy.

Aereogramme - Thriller

Next up is the latest of FOUND's free track giveaways. Something Under The Bed Is Drooling takes it's name from Calvin & Hobbes, which means it is already a winner in my book.


Our next wee Hallowe'en track comes from the good folk at Back de Piggy Records. The two track release by Goat Doctor is available on a pay what you want basis, and is quite terrifying really.

The Plimptons released a seasonal themed single last year called 'I Hate Hallowe'en'. It sounds a bit like The Misfits version of Monster Mash, with a Scottish accent. Fantastic then. It is still available as a free download here. I Hate Hallowe'en is also included on the upcoming Plimpton's album '00s Nostalgia With The Plimptons. The album is set to be launched on November 20th, and you can download the first four tracks as well as finding out more details at the same link as you got the Hallowe'en single.

Supporting The Plimptons at that album launch are The Paraffins, which is handy, since they are also supplying our next freebie. The Thirty One Ten Ten EP was recorded for the recent Way of the Tomb night in Glasgow and is available to download here.

Finally a little something from Le Reno Amps. Never Be Alone is a spooky little taster for their new album, due out early next year. Listen/download below.

Never Be Alone by Le Reno Amps by Armellodie

Oh, and a wee video from Fiction Faction.

Gorman Go Japanese

Bit short notice this, due to emails slipping between the cracks, sorry.

Glasgow band Gorman have been picked to represent Scotland at Japan Music Week, currently the only Scottish band to have been chosen to do so.

In order to pay their way the band have been doing a series of fund raising events, the latest taking place on Thursday October 27th.

Before Gorman head off to Japan they'll be playing an intimate gig in The Vale in Glasgow, where they will perform debut album Kairos in it's entirity, with the set featuring some material rarely, if ever performed live.

The gig kicks off at 7:30pm, entry is £6 and more details can be found over on Facebook.

Gorman : Website

Buy the debut album Kairos on iTunes or Amazon

Down below you can hear a wee bit of the band in rehearsal, and they talk a bit more about heading to Japan.

Mogwai Announce New Album, Tour

Mogwai have announced plans for their seventh studio album, and a tour to go with it.

The album is called Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will, and is set for release on February 14th 2011.

Here's the tracklist:

White Noise
Mexican Grand Prix
Rano Pano
Death Rays
San Pedro
Letters To The Metro
George Square Thatcher Death Party
How To Be A Werewolf
Too Raging To Cheers
You're Lionel Richie

Also announced is a tour of Britain, full dates below. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday 29th October.

TOUR DATES
26 Jan: Tolbooth, Stirling (www.ticketsoup.com / 01786 274000)
27 Jan: Paisley Town Hall (www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/onlinebooking /0141 887 1010)
28 Jan: Perth Theatre, Perth (www.horsecross.co.uk / 01738 621 031)
29 Jan: The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen (www.boxofficeaberdeen.com)
30 Jan: Grand Ole Opry, Glasgow (www.seetickets.com / 0871 220 0260)
2 Feb: Tokyo, Japan (More details to follow)
13 Feb: Mandela Hall, Belfast (www.ticketmaster.ie / 0844 847 2455)
14 Feb: The Live Lounge, Galway (www.ticketmaster.ie / 0818 719 300)
15 Feb: Olympia Theatre, Dublin (www.ticketmaster.ie / 0818 719 300)
17 Feb: Bournemouth O2 Academy (www.ticketweb.co.uk /0844 477 2000)
18 Feb: Cardiff University (www.seetickets.com / 02920 230130)
19 Feb: Bristol O2 Academy (www.seetickets.com / 0870 4444400)
20 Feb: Leeds O2 Academy (www.ticketweb.co.uk / 0844 477 2000)
21 Feb: Edinburgh Picture House (www.seetickets.com / 0871 220 0260)
23 Feb: The Regal, Oxford (www.kililive.com / www.tctmusic.co.uk )
24 Feb: Birmingham Institute (www.seetickets.com /0870 264 3333,www.ticketweb.co.uk /0844 477 1000, www.hmvtickets.com / 0843 221 0100)
25 Feb: Brixton O2 Academy London (www.seetickets.com / 0870 264 3333,www.stargreen.com / 0207 734 8932, www.ticketweb.co.uk / 0844 477 1000)
26 Feb: Manchester Academy (www.seetickets.com / 0870 264 3333,www.ticketline.co.uk / 0844 888 9991)
27 Feb: The Sage Gateshead (www.thesagegateshead.org /0191 443 4661)

Tickets for the February dates are £20 in advance for everywhere except London which are £22.50.
Tickets are also available via http://mogwaitickets.sandbag.uk.com

Mogwai: Website

Keeping It Peel - The Nectarine No.9

This will be the final Keeping It Peel post of the evening from me, but keep you eyes on the other bloggers who will be carrying on way into the night.

I'm left with umpteen sessions that I haven't found time to post, so if you want this to turn into a semi-regular thing do let me know. It'll be more like once a week, rather than once an hour though. However, up yours to those people that say I have no work ethic for the blog :)

To round things off I've picked The Nectarine No.9, simply because they are a band that I can't see myself finding a way to shoehorn into any other post, but one I really like. Formed in 1991 by Davey Henderson, a man of many bands, notably Fire Engines and personal favourites Win. Davey is still going strong with the Sexual Objects. The Nectarine No.9 are another of the groups that seemed to be ever present when I was getting into independent and local music. They have a stack of albums under their belt, and a clutch of Peel Sessions too.

The Nectarine No.9 - Maida Vale Peel Session 04.03.2001

1. Pong Fat 6

2. Pocketradiodrops

3. Found Things

4. It's Raining For Some Cloudy Reasons

That'll do pig. That'll do.

For more information on Keeping It Peel visit the website set up here.

Keeping It Peel - Aereogramme

I was very late to the party with this band. In fact, by the time I got into Aereogramme they were just about to call it a day. My first Aereogramme gig was their last, and I was left with a feeling of regret that I hadn't caught on sooner.

Delving into their back catalogue from there threw up more and more reasons to fall in love with the band, and in a short time I went from being ambivalent to fully converted.

Aereogramme's Craig B and Iain Cook are back making music together now after some time apart as The Unwinding Hours. Their debut album released earlier this year must be a strong competitor for the imminent Album of the Year polls, and their gig a little over a week ago in Glasgow's Oran Mor was nothing short of stunning.

Aereogramme recorded a couple of Peel Sessions, but I only have one handy, you can find that below.

They were in 2004's Festive Fifty twice, with Dreams and Bridges at #4 and The Unravelling at #15.

Aereogramme - John Peel Session 29.01.2003

1. Believe Me

2. Snake

3. Inhalation Blues

4. Thriller

For more information on Keeping It Peel visit the website set up here.

Keeping It Peel - Primal Scream

Nearing the end of my Keep It Peel posts, before my hands fall off or my eyes go even more wonky than they already are.

Primal Scream's two Peel Sessions were done way back in the mid 80s when they were a much more jangly band, long before the experimentations of later years. I've got a bit of a soft spot for C86 Scream Team though and it is always fun to compare between how they started and where they went.

The sound quality of the sessions is a bit iffy, but you get the idea.

Primal Scream - Maida Vale Session 01.12.1985

1. Tomorrow Ends Today

2. Leaves

3. Bewitched and Bewildered (this one cuts off before the end, sorry)

Primal Scream - Maida Vale Session 06.05.1986

1. Crystal Crescent

2. Aftermath

3. Subterranean

4. I Love You

For more information on Keeping It Peel visit the website set up here.

Keeping It Peel - El Hombre Trajeado

el hombre trajeado woke up in october 1995, snoozed a little through 2003 / 2004, then went back to sleep for good in 2006

So it says on their website, and who am I to disagree with the people responsible? El Hombre Trajeado were a familiar name when I was out and about at gigs around the late 90s. They'd pop up from time to time on a bill and had a name that stuck in the head. I hadn't thought about them in some time though, until early this year when the band's RM Hubbert released his album First & Last. Hubby's excellent album sent me back to listen to El Hombre, which gave me a nice little reminder of just how good they were.

All three of their albums and a single are available on a "name your price" basis here. RM Hubbert's album is available on the same terms here.

El Hombre Trajeado recorded three Peel Sessions, you can hear a couple of tracks below.

Many thanks to RM Hubbert for hooking me up with these tracks.

El Hombre Trajeado - John Peel Session 01.03.1998

Diary Extract

El Hombre Trajeado - John Peel Session 24.01.2001

Redial

For more information on Keeping It Peel visit the website set up here.

El Hombre Trajeado: Website

RM Hubbert: Website

Keeping It Peel - The Delgados

In tribute to John Peel the 5pm post today, this one, has been written at the wrong speed. In other words, I didn't finish it quick enough to post it at the right time.

The Delgados would be my other favourite band ever if pushed. Them and Arab Strap would need to have some kind of Deathmatch to provide a clear winner, and that seems unlikely to happen.

The Delgados were, of course, Emma Pollock, Paul Savage, Alun Woodward and Stewart Henderson. Not only did The Delgados release five briliant studio albums, but they also formed Chemikal Underground Records together.

The band split in 2005, with each member happily going on to do their own things and they continue to run Chemikal together.

You are allowed to not like The Delgados (though you'll be wrong, I can prove it with graphs) but what this foursome have done for Scottish music both with their own releases and with Chemikal Underground is very deserving of your respect at least.

The Delgados feature 13 times in the Festive Fifty. Pull The Wires From The Wall placed at #27 in 1997 before being #1 in 1998, also making it in to the Millenium All Time Fifty at #26.

Again, all of The Delgados Peel Sessions have been released, so I'll just be cherry picking a couple of tracks. You can buy The Complete Peel Sessions on CD or (very cheap) download from Amazon, download from iTunes, direct from Chemikal or anywhere else that sells good records.

The Delgados - John Peel Session 12.05.1996

Under Canvas Under Wraps

The Delgados - John Peel Session 17.06.1998

The Weaker Argument Defeats The Stronger

The Delgados - John Peel Session 02.09.2004

Is That All That I Came For?

For more information on Keeping It Peel visit the website set up here.

Chemikal Underground: Website