Advent Calendar 2010 - Day Nineteen - Mitchell Museum

Tonight is the Electra French Records Christmas Party, so it seems only right that we go to one of the bands playing for our next Christmas song. All being well we'll be there, drinking much more booze than someone working on Monday should.

It would be quite fair to say we love Mitchell Museum round here. From having them play the first Aye Tunes Vs Peenko gig to sharing first place in our favourite albums of the year we aren't shy about letting people know how much we love them either. This is because they are magic.

Anyway, here's their Christmas contribution from last year, their own take on Jona Lewie's Stop The Cavalry.


Mitchell Museum - Stop The Calvary

Mitchell Museum: Website

Advent Calendar 2010 - Day Nineteen - Bob Dogboy Rafferty/El Dog

Two posts again today, and the first one is another two for one deal. Who says I half arse this stuff? Oh yeah, I do, regularly.

First up we have Bob Dogboy Rafferty with a tender ode to a Transformer.

Secondly one repeated from last year, as Bob's band El Dog rip through Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow. Bloody snow, I missed the Kid Canaveral gig yesterday because of it. It better not mess with the rest of my plans.

El Dog - Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow.

And a video too!

Advent Calendar 2010 - Day Eighteen - Cancel The Astronauts

Time for our second Christmas song of the day.

All being well as this is posted I'll be getting myself ready to head off to that scary Edinburgh place to see this band playing at Kid Canaveral's Christmas Baubles gig. In a few hours I'll probably be really quite drunk and attempt to hug at least one member of each band. Apologies in advance then folks.

We had this song last year, but I like it and I like Cancel The Astronauts, so here it is again.

Also, I caught up with the band a few weeks ago when they recorded a session for Pop Goes The Revolution and am happy to report that the fame of having Funny For a Girl used as the theme tune for woodenly acted drama series Being Victor hasn't changed them, and Matthew's Christian Slater anecdote is still a winner.

You can hear that session in full, along with ones from Endor, White Heath and Tango In the Attic here and download a few tracks here.

Cancel the Astronauts - Dead By Christmas

Cancel The Astronauts: Blog - MySpace - Facebook - Bandcamp

Advent Calendar 2010 - Day Eighteen - Dirty Keys

Only a week to go till Christmas! Hope everyone is still enjoying the tunes and has bought all their presents and stuff. No, no, don't tell me what you got for me, make it a surprise.

It is Saturday and I've just about got myself organised in advance again, so two posts today, this one then another at lunchtime.

Our first Christmas offering of the day comes from Dirty Keys. As far as I can remember I was introduced to this band with a line something like "are you ready for some piano led pop/rock?" a question to which my Ben Folds album replied "we most certainly are". Since reviews pretty much fell by the wayside in recent months this is the first time I've managed to squeeze them in on the blog. What can I say? I'm generally a bit rubbish.

Dirty Keys - Only Happy Holidays

As a wee bonus you can also here a demo version of the song and download that too, thanks to Kowalskiy and his monthly free EPs.

Dirty Keys play at The Captain's Rest on Monday, December 20th.

Dirty Keys: Facebook - MySpace - Soundcloud

Advent Calendar 2010 - Day Seventeen - Mark McCabe

I'm desperately trying to catch up with myself and my emails today, as well as getting a few posts prepared for next week to cover me through this weekend of many gigs and probably many pints, so I'll keep the chatter to a minimum today.

Two songs today, an original and a cover, from Aberdeen born and Paris residing Mark McCabe.

Both very nice too.

Mark McCabe - Just Like Home

Mark McCabe - We Three Kings

You can find more from Mark McCabe over on Bandcamp.

Advent Calendar 2010 - Day Sixteen - Otherpeople

Yes, I know, today's Christmas song is very late indeed.

This can be blamed on a number of things: I've ran out of pre-written & scheduled posts, I was out at a gig last night and got home too pished to prepare a post and I was at work all day today. Quite yer grumping and just enjoy the music.

Since the post is late I'm picking something at random. Since it is fresh and new, just put online today, the random selection is otherpeople's festive offering 2 Zero Double 1. Listen & download before.

2 zero double 1 (the festive song) by otherpeople

Otherpeople play Bloc in Glasgow tomorrow (Friday) night, along with Hey Enemy and United Fruit.

Otherpeople: Facebook

Advent Calendar 2010 - Day Fifteen - Aidan Moffat & Malcolm Middleton

Day fifteen, doesn't time fly? Only nine more days to go after this - duh - so if you have a Christmas song up your sleeve that you are longing to have included you'd better get a move on.

Today is another three for the price of one day. Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton should need no introductions by now, either individually or as Arab Strap.

One song from each then and one from Arab Strap.

Arab Strap - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

I wrote a bit about this particular song the other day when we had Now Wakes The Sea performing it, so if you want to read me over analyse a cover version you can find that here. This version was recorded for a radio session and features the lovely Lauren Laverne on backing vocals.

From Malcolm we have a live version of Burst Noel, taken from the Long, Dark Night half of his rather excellent double live album that came out recently.

Rounding things off we have Aidan Moffat & The Best-Ofs.

Aidan Moffat & The Best-Ofs - Plastic Mistletoe

Advent Calendar 2010 - Day Fourteen - Esperi

Today's song is just lovely.

Snowman comes from the new Esperi single which came out on Monday. It is, basically, three and a bit minutes of pure, sweet bliss.

The other song on the double A side single, Made For Life, is also pretty darn ace, so the whole package is worth a little bit of your money.
You can get the single from all good downloady places, or buy a very limited CD - in a swanky homemade Snowman sleeve no less - over here.

If you like your music with moving pictures you are in luck too, there's a video for the track.

Esperi plays at Petite Noël in Dundee on December 15th, and at the Olive Grove Records Christmas Party at The 13th Note on December 22nd.

Esperi: MySpace - Facebook - Bandcamp

Our Favourite Albums of 2010: The Final Three

Numbers 10 to 4 were published yesterday here, along with a few albums that flirted with being in the Top Ten but were eventually left out before I drove myself crazy. The Top Three were notable by their absence. There's a reason for that, other than me wanting to drag things out an extra day.

That reason? I can't decide. Three albums have stood out for me since each of them were released as favourites of the year and it has gotten to the point where I can't put them in order of 1-2-3, so I'm cheating. Or copping out, if you prefer.

It is a three way draw for favourite album. In joint first place, sharing the trophy (there isn't really a trophy, not yet anyway) are...

Kid Canaveral - Shouting At Wildlife

The Scottish Enlightenment - St Thomas

Mitchell Museum - The Peter's Port Memorial Service

Advent Calendar 2010 - Day Thirteen - Lovers Turn To Monsters

Sometimes good things happen when I'm half joking.

The other week Kyle from Lovers Turns To Monsters mentioned he was recording a Christmassy EP and asked for suggestions for something to cover. I suggested East 17's Stay Another Day, partly because I'd heard it several times at work that day, partly expecting to be told to shove it, but mostly seriously because I thought it could actually work well.

Much to my surprise I wasn't told where I could put my suggestion. I was right, it does work well.

Stay Another Day is below to listen to and download, but please go and get the whole Attack of the Deranged Killer Mutant Snow Goons from Bandcamp here. It has a Calvin & Hobbes title and is a free download, two more fine reasons to check it out.

Lovers Turn To Monsters: MySpace - Bandcamp

Kyle of Lovers Turns To Monsters also plays in Boygirlanimalcolour. I've mentioned they have a gig with me coming up in January, yes?

Our Favourite Albums of 2010: #10 - 4

Five million drafts of lists later I'm forcing myself to publish this before I can change my mind again.

Favourite albums doesn't have the same ring to it as best I know, but makes me feel a bit more comfortable.

The Top Three will follow tomorrow. There's a reason why they are straggling which you'll find out then. In the meantime feel free to guess what they are based on what is missing.

Come back later in the week for a run down of some of my favourite singles and EPs, and another of my favourite songs.

#10: The Unwinding Hours - The Unwinding Hours (Review)

#9: Lamplighter - All Is Vanity (Review)

#8: Admiral Fallow - Boots Met My Face (Listen)

#7: Over The Wall - Treacherous

#6: The Phantom Band - The Wants

#5: Mammoeth - Nascent (Review)

#4: RM Hubbert - First & Last (Review)

All fine, fine albums.

Bubbling Under:

As the five million drafts suggest the list could, and has, change at any given time, so in addition to the top ten here's a few that are well worth investigating too, but didn't quite make the cut. I could have extended the list to twenty, but I don't know the difference between my 13th favourite and my 20th favourite, so in no particular order, with handy links to listen to most of them...

Endor - Endor

Super Adventure Club - Avoid Zombies

The Last Battle - Heart of the Land, Soul of the Sea

We See Lights - Ghosts and Monsters

Woodenbox With A Fistful of Fivers - Home and the Wild Hunt

A Band Called Quinn - The Beggars Opera

Bottle of Evil - Bottle of Evil

How To Swim - Retina (or More Fun Than a Vat of Love)

the John Knox Sex Club - Blud Rins Cauld

These two came just a little too late in the year. Both excellent albums that if I'd had a chance to spend a little more time with would certainly have fought their way into the top ten.

30 Pounds of Bone - Method

The Savings And Loan - Today I Need Light

This Week's Gigs: 13th - 19th December

Oh God, it's the week from Hell.

Between bad weather and general poorness I've had a couple of weeks off from going to gigs, looking at everything that is on this week it is probably just as well. I can feel the onset of liver failure just writing this up.

Fun fact: 5 of the 9 bands who have played an AVP gig have a gig this week. Well I thought it was interesting...

Monday:

Bronto Skylift, Lady North, LightGuides & Departures. Glasgow School of Art. Free entry.

Well, that's a Hell of a way to kick off the week.

Tuesday:

There's a VERY tasty gig on in Bloc on Tuesday, but I think it is technically meant to be a secret, so to avoid getting a kicking from anyone I won't list it, you'll just have to go on word of mouth. If you like girls named Rachel, warm coats and scared animals it'll be a good one for you.

Withered Hand, Underground River, The Japanese War Effort. The Captain's Rest. (Tickets)

Another good looking line up this one, carrying on the theme of "a million and one gigs I want to go to" this week.

Wednesday:

The Outsider Book Launch. MacSorley's

Launch event for "The Outsider-Short Stories 2005-2010" by Mark Buckland. The night kicks off at 7pm with free entry and features readings from Allan Wilson, Anneliese Mackintosh, Craig Lamont and Cameron Steel, plus music from Burnt Island. The Outsider is limited to 150 signed and numbered copies, which will be on sale on the night.

The Yummy Fur, Nico's Bike, Astral Planes. Stereo. (Tickets)

Apparently one of The Yummy Fur's last ever gigs. How much you believe that depends on your cynicism levels.

We're Only Afraid of NYC, Mondegreen, Hold The Suspect. King Tut's. (Tickets)

A threesome of bands we love.

Thursday:

Come On Gang! Capitals. King Tut's (Tickets)

Another cracking looking gig - with another Aye Tunes Vs Peenko band - made even more tempting by Night Noise Team playing downstairs in the bar from 7pm.

How Garbo Died, Diamond Sea, Broken Down Heroes. The 13th Note. £2.

Jocasta Sleeps. Bloc, free entry.

I think is is possibly meant to be secret too, but they put it on Facebook, so I'm listing it. Jocasta Sleeps reform for one night only for a special gig.

Song, by Toad Christmas Party. Queen Charlotte Rooms, Leith. (Tickets)

If I could, I would. If you are planning on going you'll probably want to buy a ticket in advance.

Shambles Miller. The Liquid Ship, free entry.

Happy Particles, RM Hubbert, No Comet. The Captain's Rest.

Friday:

Ten Tracks Presents... Stereo.

More details, including a two for one ticket offer, here.

So Many Animal Calls. BOX, free entry.

Stars In Their Eyes Christmas Special. Pilrig St Pauls, Edinburgh. (Tickets)

Another Edinburgh Christmas party, this time masterminded by eagleowl. Again, you'll want to buy a ticket if you plan on going.

Saturday:

We Were Promised Jetpacks, The Seventeenth Century, The John Knox Sex Club. QM Union, Glasgow. (Tickets)

Kid Canaveral's Christmas Baubles. The Lot, Edinburgh.

Rounding off the Christmas parties in Edinburgh are Kid Canaveral, with an all day extravaganza. Kicking off at 2pm - oh my this is going to get messy - the day will have sets from Kid Canaveral (obviously), ballboy, a solo set from King Creosote, The Last Battle, Gummi Bako, Cancel The Astronauts and Come on Gang! which all adds up to a superb sounding day. If you don't have a ticket nae luck, it is sold out.

This will be only the second time I've ventured through to Edinburgh for a gig this year, both times for Kid Canaveral. They had their album launch at The Roxy which then closed. This is at The Lot which has announced it will be closing soon. Maybe I should avoid Edinburgh, the venues don't seem to like me.

Sunday:

So after all that can we have a nice quiet, relaxing Sunday? No, no we cannot.

Luz Da Lua, Aviators, Mano Neto. The Forest Cafe, Edinburgh.

St Deluxe, Acrylic Iqon, Male Pattern Band. King Tut's (Tickets)

Likely to be brilliant.

Electra French Christmas Spectacular. Nice N Sleazy. (Tickets)

Almost certain to be brilliant. Live sets from the wonderful Mitchell Museum and The Seventeenth Century, plus superstar DJs.

Anyone fancy buying me a ticket for this? I think I'm skint...

Advent Calendar 2010 - Day Twelve - Paul Vickers Special

Today we have a triple threat of the weird and, hopefully, wonderful. We also have a real rarity - a song that I genuinely hate, but enjoy in this form.

All three songs today feature in one way or another Paul Vickers, as should have been obvious from the title.

Paul Vickers is best known to me as one of Dawn of the Replicants. I was really into them about ten years ago, before losing track of them somewhat. They were a great band, impossible to categorise, and we'll have them down at the end.

Recording The Impossible describe them self as being "inspired by the likes of Ivor Cutler, the Jerky Boys, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Chris Morris and Tom Waits", so you should probably be able to tell you won't be in for something dull and mundane really. Today's Christmas song of choice is there, well, unique, take on good old Silent Night.

Recording The Impossible - Silent Night

Paul Vickers and The Leg are as difficult to describe as Dawn of the Replicants, so I'll cop out by not even trying.

I was sure I'd never heard this song in my life until a couple of years ago, when an American friend included it on a mixtape for me. It's been around for way over 50 years, originally performed by Gayla Peevey. Apparently my brother used to sing it to me when I was young, a memory I'd clearly suppressed.

Paul Vickers and The Leg - I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas

Finally, Dawn of the Replicants. Round about the time of their debut album One Head, Two Arms, Two Legs. Also, fun fact, I used to talk a bit with co-founder Roger Simian in, of all places, a 2000AD newsgroup, many years ago.
As for the song... Well, this is a song which actually had the ability to make me violent. Years of working in retail, and therefore years of hearing it about a dozen times a day for all of November and December, will do that to you. Oddly enough, all other Christmas songs I'm fine with, even though I've similarly heard them a million times, it's just this one that makes me want to punch people in the throat. Sorry Macca fans, but the song makes The Frog Chorus sound like a work of genius.
Fortunately, the Dawn of the Replicants version doesn't make me want to punch folk. Though it can't quite redeem the song entirely it does make it enjoyable, or at least tolerable.

Dawn of the Replicants - Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime

Dawn of the Replicants - Recording the Impossible - Paul Vickers and The Leg - SL Records

Advent Calendar 2010 - Day Eleven - Macabre Scene

The second Saturday day is also a repeat from last year, but it is another one I liked a lot, so shoosh.

Macabre Scene - Last Christmas

And video too!

Macabre Scene: MySpace - Facebook

Some twit couldn't tell the difference between "draft" and "scheduled" today so the Christmas posts are late, sorry...

Readers' Poll Reminder

Just a reminder that if you want to take part in the 2010 Aye Tunes Readers' Poll you have a little over a week to get your entries in.

Voting closes on Sunday, December 19th, you can find all the details and voting form here.

So far the best band and album categories are particularly close, so get your votes made or you can't complain about the results!

If all goes well the results will be announced on either Christmas Day or Boxing Day, depending on how much counting I have to do.

Advent Calendar 2010 - Day Eleven - The Morgue Party Candidate

Today's song is a home demo that Ross from The Morgue Party Candidate sent over last year.

It makes a change from the downbeat songs we've had recently, so it is getting a repeat this year!

The Morgue Party Candidate - I Seen Mummy Kissing Santa Claus

The Morgue Party Candidate: MySpace - Bandcamp

Some twit couldn't tell the difference between "draft" and "scheduled" today so the Christmas posts are late, sorry...

Free Music Friday

I normally leave this kind of thing to my friend/occasional promoting partner/arch nemesis Peenko for his Friday Freebies series, but he occasionally misses stuff I think is worthy of a plug.

I could tell him of course, but hey, why let him have all the traffic from the freeloaders? He gets enough from me tweeting stuff I've found on Bandcamp anyway ;)

Anyway, here's a few things I like that are available as free downloads, or in some cases name your price with no minimum, so you can decide for yourself if you want to pay for it.

Duncan and the Ex-Teens - Songs I Know

There can never be enough side projects from members of Dananananaykroyd, can there? This one comes from Duncan Robertson, with a little added drums from Paul Carlin. The description on Bandcamp reads "I was trying to teach myself to use a new bit of software, but the only lesson learnt was how bad I can be at letting songs just go. Listen quick, before I change my mind and gather them all back up."

Do be sure to get in there quick then, because the songs are pretty good.

Ghost Pants - Arms b/w American Ghost

Peenko did cover this one, but as it follows nicely from Duncan and the Ex-Teens I'm including it too. In case you don't know, the reason it follows nicely is that Ghost Pants is, mainly, Dananananaykroyd's Paul Carlin. This single is described as a thank you to everyone who has paid attention to Ghost Pants over the last seven months. If you haven't paid attention so far now would be a good time to start. The single is available for free, along side the three already released Ghost Pants EPs which are on a name your price basis.

Laeto - Zwoa

Laeto mostly grabbed attention this week by surprising everyone with the release of their third album, which you can find here. To celebrate the release of that Too Many Fireworks have made the second Laeto album, Zwoa, available on a name your price basis for a limited time.

The Japanese War Effort - No Homo: A Protest Song

We love The Japanese War Effort round these parts. This is, as the name suggests, a protest song touching on a regular Japanese War Effort theme of football, and why giving the World Cup to Qatar isn't great. Really, really good.

The Japanese War Effort - Ribbit (dems Remix)

An extra free track from The Japanese War Effort, this time remixed by dems. When I eventually get round to a post with my favourite songs both The Japanese War Effort and dems will both be making appearances. You can find the original version of Ribbit on the new Gerry Loves Records Split 12", which is well worth a purchase.

Electropapknit Volume 1

Posted a bit about this yesterday, but if I'm rounding up free downloads I may as well include it again. Short version - this is a 16 track compilation released by Electropapknit Records, featuring loads of good music.

Gargleblast Records - Gargle Xmas 001

As mentioned in the gig guide this week Gargleblast Records have a Christmas party happening tomorrow night. Nice timing then that they've put this release up for free download. Two songs each from Foxface, Pan and De Rosa, originally given away as a free CD-R at the 2007 Gargleblast Christmas party. Someone once tried to sell me one of the CDs for £25, I'm glad I resisted and waited two years instead. Incidentally, whatever happened to Foxface? They seemed to quietly vanish a year or so ago and I miss them a bit.

How Garbo Died - Batch 2: Evacuation Techniques 101

Released before I'd even had a chance to plug Batch 1, so go grab both free from Soundcloud.

Viva Stereo - Endure the Dark, to See the Stars

Fence Collective members Viva Stereo are preparing to release their fourth album early next year and have released this teaser for it. Since I first looked at the Bandcamp page they've also added a second track to the download, a little Christmas song. That's either sneaky of them, or punishment for me spending too much time lurking around Bandcamp and downloading things too early. The single is only up for a limited time, so get in quick. You can find out more about Viva Stereo at their website. Oh, fun fact, Viva Stereo share a member the The Vitamin Sees, who I interviewed here a wee while back.

Mark McCabe - When I Grow Up

Hailing from Aberdeen but now based in Paris - which is a far more sensible move than going to Aberdeen from Motherwell - Mark McCabe will be making an appearance in the advent calendar in the coming days. Before then though he has an EP available on name your price which is worth a listen. He ploughs the same folky acoustic pop furrow that so many do, but does it well. There's even a little Xcerts cover version in there.

Miaoux Miaoux - Snow

Quite simply one of my favourite songs released this year. Originally on the Blooms EP Miaoux Miaoux has now released Snow as a free download single, backed with a remix featuring real, actual snow. Just a beautiful song, basically.

There's also a variety of Christmas themed freebies kicking around, but I'm saving those for the advent calendar!

Now to sit back and wait to get sued/battered.

Ten Tracks Presents: A Website is For Life, Not Just For Christmas + Special Offer

To celebrate the season, as well as the launch of their brand new website, Ten Tracks are hosting a marathon 8 hour party at Glasgow's Stereo Cafe Bar next week.

The party takes place on December 17th, with tickets available here.
However there's a special offer for Aye Tunes readers, simply email info(at) tentracks.co.uk with "ayetunes" in the subject line and you can snag yourself two tickets for the price of one.

Tickets cost £10 and include a FREE year long subscription to the Ten Tracks download site which itself is worth £10.

The party features:

The Blessings
Frog Pocket
GRNR
Not Squares
Tokamak
Logik Party
Enfant Bastard
Foxgang
Fur Hood
Blood Blood

You can find more details on the event and those appearing over on Facebook.

Advent Calendar 2010 - Day Ten - Now Wakes the Sea

Hey, guess what? That's right, today's song isn't an upbeat romp either!

I probably should have planned this better, but I've already burned through my pre-written posts and am now in the "making this up as I go along" phase.

Anyway, today's Christmas song comes from Now Wakes the Sea who offers up a cover of a classic in the shape of Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).

As I'm the kind of person who gives such matters too much though I've decided there are two ways you can go with covering this song. You can either really go for it and belt it out, which works best if you are a female singer - dig up Slow Club's version for an idea, although Rebecca always sounds a bit too tentative on their version for my liking - or slow it down and make it moody. Last year I posted a version by Arab Strap which did the latter to great effect. If you don't go down one of those two roads you are doing it wrong.

Now Wakes the Sea takes a similar approach. In their (well, his, we at Aye Tunes get confused about these things) own words "There aren't any saxophones and exploding drums, but subdued horns and drum machine instead, mixed with mellotron flutes and distorted bass", the results are pretty swell. You can stream the song below and it is available to download on a name your price basis at Bandcamp. I won't spoil the surprise but if you download you'll get a little something extra too.

Now Wakes The Sea has an EP set for release through Wiseblood Industries at the start of next year, keep an eye out for it. In the meantime there's a few more songs available on Bandcamp.

Now Wakes The Sea: Bandcamp - Facebook

Electopapknit Vol. 1

Wee bit later than planned with this, since the launch night kicks off in just a few short hours. I did mention it in the gig guide though...

Today sees Electropapknit Records put out their second release. They are following up the debut EP by Deathpodal earlier in the year (which I liked a lot) with a compilation and a splendid compilation it is too.

Featuring music by Eagleowl, Douglas Firs, Deathpodal, PVH, Noma, Wounded Knee, Detail, Eternal Fags, Citizens, Iliop, Vom, Conquering Animal Sound, Public Spaces, Battery Face, Foundling Wheel and Jesus H Foxx - a very impressive selection - the compilation is available as a free download from Soundcloud and should be on Bandcamp soon too. At a price poit of zero you'd be daft not to check it out.

A small number of physical copies are also available. 50 hand screen-printed CD-Rs, along with cakes and other goodies, will be on sale at the launch gig. That gig takes place tonight at The Winchester Club in Glasgow where your £4 entry fee will let you see Galoshins, Min Diesel, Battery Face (who may be sporting actual battered faces after being jumped a few nights ago) and Public Spaces.

Electopapknit: Website - Bandcamp - Soundcloud