Peenko Writers Albums of the Year 2012

It's that time of the year when blog's are pretty dominated by end of year lists, this blog is no different. I love a good end of year list so I do, more often than not it acts as a guide to albums that I might have overlooked. In past years I have discovered amazing albums by the likes of St. Vincent, Beach House and more recently Beth Jeans Houghton. As well as having my own selection of albums, I also run the Scottish BAMS, in which I ask all of Scotland's top music sites and DJ's what's been taking their fancy over the past 12 months. The results of which will all be revealed very shortly, I am just waiting to hear back from our winners.
I should hopefully have my favourite albums of 2012 up in the next few days, for now here's the choices from the Peenko team, Mike, Boab and Steve. There's some right corkers in here...

Mike's Top Five

5. French Wives - Dream of the Inbetween   

Its pretty fantastic to see a band you’ve championed, watched from the touchlines, laughed with and cried with, finally getting a debut album out. While some of the re-recorded versions of earlier songs here lack the edge and punch of their rougher cousins, this record is testament to the dizzying songwriting ability which French Wives have at their disposal. Its a proper pop album, in a year of improper pop.

4. State Broadcasters - Ghosts We Must Carry   

There are few records which have moved me more this year than this one. A wide-angle, beautifully written, luxuriously orchestrated sweep through the cold, autumn months in the company of this saw record saw me shifting uncomfortably in my bus seat to pretend there weren’t any stray tears. Some genuinely challenging lyrical themes to test the ducts here.

3. Chris Devotion & The Expectations - Amalgamation & Capital   

Sometimes a record really doesn’t sound great when you first hear it. “Hmm, this sounds like a pastiche of early 80s Stiff Records releases” I thought when I first slipped this on. A week or two later I’d decided that was far from a bad thing, and this haunted me for weeks during the summer. Imagine Elvis Costello never met Jools Holland and didn’t calm down.

2. Meursault - Something for the Weakened   

It was evident as far back as Homegame in 2011 that Meursault were going to be getting louder and angrier on record sometime soon. This collection of sometimes mournful, sometimes angst-ridden, always strident tunes matches Neil Pennycook’s howl of despair with some snarling guitar lines, amid the more familiar folk overtones.

1. Randolph’s Leap - As Fast As A Man   

The rate at which Adam Ross generates miniature epics is matched only by the speed with which the size of the band multiplies. But here, its mostly just Adam and some songs which grew and changed during live outings during the year. I listened to this a lot, and I get the sense that even if big, brassy polished versions of these tracks appeared tomorrow, this simple, heartfelt songwriting would still be getting a spin.

Boab's Top Five

5. PAWS - Cokefloat 
Noisy bastards PAWS demonstrated with Cokefloat that they are so much more than just noisy bastards. Emotive, heartfelt lyrics combined with catchy, memorable riffs make this a thrilling, although not always easy, listen.

4. RM Hubbert - Thirteen Lost and Found 
I wondered where R.M Hubbert was going to take his music following his debut album. His brand of flamenco is all very lovely but I genuinely had no idea how he could develop on it. I needn't have worried. Thirteen Lost and Found took all those lovely elements and expanded a little, with some more instrumentation and collaboration with many other Scottish artists. Car Song, with Aidan Moffat and Alex Kapranos is one highlight among many. My favourite track however is one of only three entirely solo songs on the album, For Joe, which was written following the death of one of Hubbert's good friends. An album for headphones.

3. Killer Mike - R.A.P Music 
Killer Mike is one of the smartest rappers around just now. One track, Reagan, is a devastating and damning analysis of the long term societal effects of neo-liberal economics. I wouldn't necessarily agree with every word he says but he certainly puts his thoughts across rather adeptly. It's a classy album. Even when it looks for a second like he might be veering into 'money and hoes' territory on Southern Fried, he says - and I paraphrase - you can take all your strippers and easy sex but his wife comes first for him. Aww. As Mike says himself at the beginning of Untitled, 'you are witnessing elegance'. He's correct.

2. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!

By the time I'd got into Godspeed they were on their long hiatus period (I'm only a wee young thing, see). So when I eventually did see them live, the albums I'd been listening to throughout that dormant period were suddenly brought to life, a stunning explosion of sound that physically as well as emotionally moves the listener. But Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! sort of turns things round the other way, as the bulk of the album is made up of two tracks which have featured regularly in live sets since the early 2000s. I was a little sceptical of how they'd do it, but all I can say is that they captured the intensity of the live versions superbly.

1. Twilight Sad – No One Can Ever Know

I remember interviewing The Twilight Sad over two years ago and discussing with them the direction they were heading in following their second album, Forget The Night Ahead. Thankfully the answer they gave me on that occasion ("it's sounding a bit...Jason Derulo") was not how things actually turned out. In fact, things turned out bleak as fuck, with tons of menacing keyboards and industrial drum beats - a bit like how the offspring of the Holy Bible-era Manics would sound when you mated them with the Pet Shop Boys. I'm glad this is how it turned out.

Steve's Top Five

 

5. The Twilight Sad – No One Can Ever Know. 

Embracing a change in direction can sometimes kill a band and alienate their audience. When The Twilight Sad decided to bring on board Andrew Weatherall and go down the industrial, synth-led path, it was a bold move. It also paid off handsomely with No One Can Ever Know. A driving urgency lent James Graham’s vocals are more menacing edge. The essence of what makes them a great band is still there, it just has a new facet that takes them onto the next level.



4. Easter – Innocence Man. 

Short at six tracks, but lengthy with only two under six minutes. These songs bucked the trend of indie guitar bands and were epic, guitar led treks along dark paths. It’s intense at times and as much about instrumental passages as meaningful lyrics. It also has a nice feel on the production, letting the listener feel as though they are right there as this is being recorded.



3. Jonas Carping – All the Time in the World. 

Another album that was filled with hidden depths and a darkly beautiful quality. Carping’s voice manages to convey a lifetime of experience in a few short seconds. The arrangement if subtle and complex and the accompanying vocals of Sigrid Nilsson could melt the hardest heart. It seems a fairly straightforward singer-songwriter’s album at first glance, but peek beneath the surface and you’ll get a pleasant surprise.



2. Linden – Bleached Highlights. 

Like a warm summer’s breeze, no matter the weather. The return of Joe McAlinden to the musical landscape was very welcome. Vocals that lift your heart to the heavens. Melodies gently caress your soul. An album of beauty from start to finish, this is one to reach for during those dark winter months when you just need some warmth and light. Joe McAlinden’s voice can deliver that in spades.   

 

1. PAWS – Cokefloat! 

Energetic, fresh, inventive and downright great fun. From the moment it starts you’re hooked by the great riffs, thumping bass guitar and driving drums. Lyrically complex and heart-breaking, it was easily one of the highlights of 2012. It manages to capture the energy of the lives shows, but polish it slightly and deliver it in a tighter package. 



Hopefully you'll find something new and exciting in these lists, tune back in a few days time and I'll let you know what's been floating my boat in 2012.

Peenko Blog is Four Years Old Today: Vinyl Postcards

 It was four years ago today that the first ever Peenko blog post went up, now that might not mean a lot to you, but for me it's pretty massive. When you hit so called milestones like this, it makes think back on how much has happened over the past four years. I am not going to sit here and blow my own trumpet too much, but prior to starting this site, doing this such as running a record label, putting on gigs, managing bands, etc, etc, were just pipe dreams. Seeing as I have no musical talent to speak of whatsoever, this blog has allowed me to fulfil a much longed desire to be involved in the music industry in my own little way.

For quite a while now I have been thinking about doing something special to celebrate my blogs 4th birthday, for the blogs 1st anniversary I gave away Peenko badges, in year 2 I released an EP with I Build Collapsible Mountains and last year I launched my ill fated podcast (finding the time to record it put paid to that). This year though I am extremely proud to say that I have come with something pretty damn awesome.

What with the recent trend of artists releasing their music on formats which were deemed to be defunct, such as cassettes, VHS tapes, etc. I had been looking to find something that was even more unique and you know what, I only went and found it. So here's the back story about what I came up with...

At the start of the year I contacted four of my favourite artists, that would be:
Randolph's Leap (Fence Records)
The Son(s) (Olive Grove Records)
RM Hubbert (Chemikal Underground)
Behold The Old Bear (Gargleblast Records)

...to ask them if they'd be up for recording a song for me that had to be no longer than two minutes long,  which I would then release exclusively on a vinyl postcard. That would be a postcard that you can play on a turntable, just like a record!

Aren't they pretty!

Anyway, surprisingly enough to me they were all up to challenge and now after many many months of planning and organising I am very pleased to be able to share with you my first ever releases on vinyl postcards!

Each postcard is limited to just 20 copies. The tracks will not be made available anywhere else and there will be no re-press, hopefully making them a bit of a collectors item (or at least that's the plan).

YOU CAN BUY THE POSTCARDS NOW BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK

Just to prove that they actually work, here's a wee video of The Son(s) postcard doing it's stuff (wait until about 20 seconds in for the song to start).

In case you were wondering the songs are all under two minutes long so that they fit on the postcards. I could have paid extra to have more space, but I liked the idea of giving the artists a bit of a challenge. The postcards are priced at £10 per card or £36 for all four, now that might seem pretty steep, but even at that price I won't be breaking even. I like to think of this as being the Scottish equivalent of Blue Monday, so if you feel like moaning about the cards being too expensive please don't!

Here's a bit more info on the cards:

C403 by Behold The Old Bear was recorded by Raindeer in the comfort of his own bedroom.

This Ain't It by Randolph's Leap was recorded by Roy Froude at Stow College. 

Heisenberg by RM Hubbert was recorded by Charlie Ward (aka King Post Kitsch) in his living room.

All My Days Are Shorter by The Son(s) was recorded by KP Son at 13 Leopold Place, in Edinburgh in the spring.

All of the songs were mastered by Jonathan Huxtable of Small Fish Recordings.

The postcards were designed by Kris Ferguson (Mitchell Museum/Miaoux Miaoux)

For those of you who are interested in finding a bit more about where I got the postcards printed, I used a company in Austria called Vinyl Postcards. They're quick, friendly and I can't recommend them highly enough!

BUY THE POSTCARDS

It's been a while...

Hello stranger! After what feels like an age this is my first post on the blog in ages and I have to admit that I have missed my rambles (although I am sure that most of you haven't). It's been pretty strange having other folk write for me, good weird that is. My only fear is that by bringing in Steve, Boab and Mike to write for me just highlights what good writing should be like!

So although on the surface it might look like I haven't been up to much, but trust me I have been a busy boy as of late, there's always scheming going on in one way or another. Some of which I plan to share with you in this post, plus there are still other plans afoot that I am going to keep a lid in for now. Trust me though, it will be worth the wait.

First things first I'll start with the blog, my more frequent visitors might well have noticed a distinct lack of sessions being posted lately. The reason for this being that I got a polite email from someone at the BBC pointing out that the majority of their sessions are available on line and would I mind stopping recording them. I did cheekily ask if it was something that they could perhaps turn a blind eye too, but alas not. Fair play to them for being so nice about it all, I was pretty surprised that I hadn't been pulled up for it well before then. So from now I am afraid that there will be no more BBC sessions getting posted, I have been exploring other avenues to find sessions, so all is not lost, not yet at least.

You might also have noticed that I have revived my Fresh Meat Monday posts, what with Flutes and Siobhan Wilson, I think we are off to a bit of a flyer, plus the artists that I have lined up for the next few weeks are pretty damn brawsome too. It's nice to have the post back.

For those of you who are missing Friday Freebies, you should check out Aye Tunes who's now taken up the mantle of trawling the Internet for the weeks best free songs from that week. It has to be said that he's doing a mighty fine job of it too.

Also, form Saturday coming I'll be bringing back my weekly cover version posts, We've Got It Covered, which died away mainly due laziness on my part. That and it's pretty tricky writing something half readable whilst looking after a two year old (watching Peppa Pig marathons doesn't really help the old writers block!)

So that's us caught up a wee bit with what's going on with the blog, now for a wee bit of what else I have been up to and what I've got coming up in the next few months. When I posted a while back that I was taking a break from blogging to concentrate on running Olive Grove Records and manage Randolph's Leap, that's exactly what I have been up to. A couple of weeks back we released, Ghosts We Must Carry by the State Broadcasters which seems to have gone down pretty damn well. Having lived with the album for almost a year now, it's great to see that it going down so well with others. If you haven't heard the album then I'd urge you to check it out, not just because it's on my label, but mainly because it's a great fucking record.

If you come back here later in the week, I am going to be posting up a wee Track By Track that Graeme from the band has written for me, it's pretty damn ace. Although the album came out on the 17th of September, we've not actually had the the album launch yet, we've been building up to that in order to make it pretty special. On Sunday the 21st of October we're going to be taking over Wellington Church Hall (off University Avenue) in Glasgow for an evening of entertainment. We will of course have the State Broadcasters playing live with Edinburgh's finest, eagleowl supporting. Not only that but we're also going to have the premier of the bands video for their song Trespassers. It's only £4 to get in, plus it's BYOB, so it should be a pretty fun evening.

Another gig that I am going to be involved with is going to be in conjunction with my pals over at Fence Records. On Friday the 26th of February we're putting on a joint shindig at the Glad Cafe in the southside of Glasgow to celebrate the release of Randolph's Leap's new Hermit EP which comes out on Fence that same day. As I am sure you are aware my life has very much become entwined with the Leap and their adventures. So the fact that they've now signed up to Fence is a pretty big deal to me. Tickets for the gig are available in advance from the Fence Records website, we've got some pretty special guests lined up for the evening so it should be a cracking night.

Last, but most certainly not least, I have one last gig to tell you about. Myself, Jim from the Aye Tunes blog and Neil from newbie blog, Scottish Fiction, have teamed up to put a series of monthly gigs at the Flying Duck in Glasgow. Our first night is on Saturday the 27th of October and I reckon we've got a corking line up in store. We've got French Wives, Cancel the Astronauts and The Bad Books, all for the measly sum of £6. For fear of overloading you with information I will let you a bit more about the gig closer to the time. Just get it pencilled in your diaries for now!

And that as they say, is that. It's the blogs 4th birthday in less than two weeks time and I have something pretty damn special lined up, which I will of course tell you more about nearer to the time...

Live Review: Player Piano, Randolph's Leap, The Pictish Trail - The London Palladium 28/09/2012

As a youngster, Sunday nights were always something of a liminal zone. That desperate wish to squeeze everything you could out of a precious weekend set against the strange tendency of the adult world to close down and go to sleep after lunch on the sabbath. It's not even like there was any escape in television – the geriatric antics of “Last of the Summer Wine” were followed by “Sunday Night at The London Palladium”. Essentially the precursor of the modern X Factor, but with celebs on their way down the showbiz ladder rather than try-hards and wannabes. Dubious comedians, people balancing things – or indeed themselves - on each other and fading variety acts who only your grandma would recognise – all glued together with an unctuously smarmy compere, often of the Forsyth or Monkhouse stable. When that arrived, you knew your weekend was over. So it was a strange sensation tonight to be threading my way through the straggling crowds of post-office drinkers in the West End, and approaching the brightly lit colonnade which brashly announced Tommy Steel in “Scrooge!”. To the side, a more discreet white paper notice announced tonight's entertainment, and a corridor led into an ante-room no less opulent than the entrance. Sadly, I wouldn't get to see the massed ranks of Randolph's Leap treading the same boards as Tommy Cooper or Jimmy Tarbuck tonight – but the promoter Idle Fret have got a heck of a venue on their hands here in the Val Parnell Room. Essentially the intermission bar of the main hall, it delights in a domed ceiling, a spiral staircase to the proper theatrical dressing rooms, and by far the most impeccably clean toilets in history. This folks, is London – where the gents are paved with marble...

First up was tonight's special guest – a late addition to the bill which had led to much speculation. The mystery act was in fact Player Piano, also known as Jeremy Radway, who has been treading the boards with Fence colleagues for a good few years now, always promising immediate progress the album which his debut EP whetted appetites for back in 2009. Tonight, it's just Radway with his guitar and thus we don't get to hear too much from that big, brassy EP of soulful croons – but we do get an insight into the record he's spent years working on. Radway has been a father for almost a year, and claims his domestic duties have left him wholly out of practice and unprepared for the evening. There's certainly a shambolic air to proceedings, but in the hands of a showman like him it becomes part of the fun. His deep growl of an Indiana accent in which he mutters during the between song pauses is nothing like the cracked, soaring leap of his vocals when he cuts loose and lets the simply strummed tunes turn into heartfelt, swelling soul-pop gems. There's a moment when his lack of preparation results in him having to play back an MP3 of one of his forthcoming tunes to fix the lyrics in his mind. A lesser performer could have been fazed, but the laconic Radway takes it in his sometimes oddly Lou Reed like stride. By the end of his short set he'd got the audience largely on side and responding warmly to his quiet take on things. He's claimed many times before that the album is almost here, and on the strength of tonight when it arrives it's got a fair chance of being quite a record.

There is a moment when it looks like Randolph's Leap aren't going to fit on the stage. For their landmark first ever gig outside Scotland, the entire band has assembled here. From the joyously brassy, opening blare of “Hermit” from their forthcoming Fence EP, it's clear that they intend to make an impression on the locals. Tonight we see a no-nonsense Adam Ross leading the band through an amazingly tight set list – written on the back of a discarded paper plate – with less of his inter-song jokes – which I surprisingly miss despite his famously dubious quality control - and more tunes packed in. And of course we still get his lyrics – dripping with wit, built around off-kilter and ill-advised rhymes but always managing to tug just the right heartstrings somehow. With a prodigious work rate, the Leap are here to promote not only the forthcoming EP but also a recent home-recorded affair for Peenko Records, “As Fast As A Man”. Hearing these brittle, wonderfully vulnerable solo pieces reworked by the full band is quite an experience, and with the addition of violin, trumpet and trombone filling them out into minor epics. One of the best things about seeing the full-band incarnation of Randolph's Leap is the sense of abject fun which exudes from the stage – there are lots of bands I love to see perform, but few I actually feel like I want to join on stage. Sadly, the Leap's long-suffering manager has forbidden them to add any more musicians to their growing troupe for now – so my triangle solo will have to wait. Just like the last couple of shows I've seen, they close with “Crisps”. How this song has mutated from a strange little casio-backed strum into the blarting, singalong romp which is played tonight is probably worth a whole article in itself. As it is, it provides a fittingly memorable exit for the band tonight. It's easy to be glib and dismissive if you're a Londoner and can see new bands every night of the week – but lets hope Randolph's Leap caught a few ears and stick in a few memories tonight.

It's fair to say that The Pictish Trail has his work cut out following the triumphant Randolph's Leap set. But, he's nothing if not a showman and on this, his birthday, he has a crowd of loyal Fence followers eating out of his hand. Opening alone on the stage with his guitar, his aching regret-laced falsetto has the audience spellbound. He could probably have got away with this for the entire set, but instead he introduces his band – a collection of musical luminaries culled from the might of Scotland's underground with whom he's been working fairly regularly for a while now. The result is a remarkably tightly honed indie-rock sound which produces some engaging moments of blissed-out noise, but occasionally drowns Lynch's vocal talents entirely. However, the presence of the band allows The Pictish Trail to explore work from his recent EP including the woozily narcotic “Michael Rocket” and a chugging, glam-rock take on “Of Course You Exist” released so far only as a download accompanying a sweatshirt. The highlight for me though, as it has been previously, was a searing, vitriol-drenched take on “Ribbon”. Turned from a delicately picked ballad on record into a spitting, howling burst of punk rock, it sets heads bobbing in a manner which this venue has probably not seen before. The band are clearly loving every moment of this, and the end sections of songs become extended workouts, with Bart Eagleowl emulating by turns Jimmy Page and Mark Knopfler while Lynch fiddles with electronics and introduces warped, warbling noises into the mix. Invoking the spirit of variety theatre which haunts the building, Lynch calls for audience participation during “Not To Be” and gets a raucous, roof-raising response, before closing with the mighty “Winter Home Disco”. Deceptively summery and warm, the gently insistent beats and shimmer of guitars provokes spontaneous dancing in the room. Its a reminder just how fine this song is, and despite the bands early exertions there is nothing brutal or hamfisted in their delicate treatment, while Lynch is spurred to new heights.

All too soon it's over, and we're left with Josie Long spinning Justin Timberlake on the decks without even a hint of irony, while a large chunk of Randolph's Leap hit the dancefloor. It was one of those kind of nights, where improbable things happen and where seeing acts you've seen repeatedly succeed on their home turf decide to tear up the opposition's pitch.

Peenko Records Present: Randolph's Leap - As Fast As A Man

Some of you might have noticed that I haven't been posting much on the sight lately, what with everything that's been going on over at Olive Grove Records and managerial duties of Randolph's Leap, I haven't had much time to dedicate to the blog. So it might look like I have been slacking, but trust me I haven't, trying to squeeze everything in alongside a day time job, being a dad and a husband, plus having some form of a life ain't easy. All of that being said I still love running this site, so it's been a great help to have Boab, Steve and Mike take some of the slack for me. Plus it's great to have actual proper writers on the site, hopefully you'll agree that they've been a pretty good addition and have freshened the place up a bit.

If you've been frequenting this site for a while now, then you might be aware that next month will be the blog's 4th birthday. I have always tried to celebrate the event by doing something a bit different each year, for the 1st birthday I gave away free badges, for the 2nd birthday I released the first ever release on Peenko Records with I Build Collapsible Mountains and last year I started my ill-fated podcast (I'm still toying with bringing it back at some point in the future - if I can find the time that is). So the the blogs 4th birthday celebrations I have a number of things coming up over the next month or so. To start it all off here's the first exciting bit of news, as you've already guessed from the post header I am putting out another release on Peenko Records. To date I've released the aforementioned IBCM EP, plus there was Randolph's Leap and the Curse of the Haunted Headphones which I released on cassette back at the start of the year. Now I am chuffed to be able to share with you all the next release which is a mini album from Randolph's Leap called 'As Fast As A Man'. Not one to linger in the past, Adam has controversially suggested that cassette tapes might be a dying format and has jumped ship to the weird and wonderful world of the compact disc.

I am not pretty chuffed to be able to share with you what is essentially a follow-up to The Curse of the Haunted Headphones.  Adam has upgraded from a tape recorder to a laptop and bought a new microphone.  If the Curse of the Haunted Headphones was an album of bedroom recordings, Randoph’s Leap: As Fast As A Man has entered the heady domain of living room recordings.  Retaining the same lo-fi charm / shambolic laziness of the Haunted Headphones, As Fast As A Man consists of 9 tracks, featuring acoustic guitar, occasional keyboard fuzz and sumptuous violin (thanks to Heather Thikey).  The limited edition album is available now on Bandcamp. Each one is unique, hand-made and decorated with a member of the animal kingdom (sadly the monkey cover has already been sold). As wee teaser we've made the song Goodbye available as a free download, it's one of my personal favourite tracks from the album - although Weatherman is the song that I have been obsessed with for the past few months.




As if all of that wasn't exciting enough, the band have also just been signed up to Fence Records, the home to King Creosote, Kid Canaveral and the Pictish Trail. I have been bursting to tell folk about this for months now, so it's great to that it's now been properly announced. On the 26th of October they will be releasing their new EP, Hermit as part of Fence's Buff Tracks EP series. The EP contains 3 new tracks, and a remix (courtesy of the massively talented, Jonnie Common). You can pre-order yourself a copy of the EP from the Fence website, although I would suggest you sign up to the whole of the Buff Tracks series as the Pictish Trail EP is properly ace.

 To celebrate the release of the Hermit EP, myself and Fence Records are putting on a launch show at the Glad Cafe in Shawlands on the Southside of Glasgow. Support on the evening comes from an array of folk from within the Fence Collective, so it has all the makings of being a pretty special evening. Tickets for the gig are available in advance here. The venue only holds 100 folk, so if you're planning on coming along you would be advised to get a ticket in advance as we're expecting it to be pretty damn busy.

I'll let you know more about what I've got coming up over the next few days, for now you should check out As Fast As A Man and marvel at the awesome poster above. Oh and if you live in London and you're free on Friday night, then should get yourself along to the London Palladium as Randolph's Leap are supporting the Pictish Trail at his big birthday bash. This is going to be the bands first ever show outside of Scotland, so we're all a bit excited about it. I'll be at it too, but don't let that put you off!

We've Got It Covered #111

Man I am getting pretty shoddy when it comes to posting these weekly cover versions, I might have missed posting something up last weekend but I reckon I have a pretty good excuse in that I spent most of the weekend meeting up with folk to do some plotting. There are plans afoot for a wee bloggers project involving myself, my old partner in crime Jim Aye Tunes and the relatively new kid on the block, Neil from Scottish Fiction to join forces to put on a regular gig night in Glasgow. At the moment we're still very much at the planning stage, but hopefully if all goes according to plan we should be putting on our first gig together at the end of October. I'll let you know a bit more about that once things have been formalised and we've actually got some bands booked.
I also had the pleasure of meeting up with Adam from Randolph's Leap last Saturday, again to do some more plotting. I might have mentioned before that they've got an EP coming out on Fence in the few months and that they're currently working on their debut album proper. So I think it's safe to say that there's more than enough going on to keep things ticking over, but if you're Adam though. The talented wee bugger has been continuing to write new material, which he's been recording in flat in Partick. Much as in the same that his last offering 'Randolph's Leap and The Curse of The Haunted Headphones' came about, he's been sending me a few songs which we'd initially thought might turn into an EP, but seeing as he can't stop coming up with new material, the EP has now been expanded and is now going to be released as a mini-album through Peenko Records at some point in the next few months. We're not 100% as to when that might be, but again I'll let you know more about that once things have been agreed. I have listened to the mini album to death and I really can't wait to be able to share with you guys n gals. That being said, at the moment I am enjoying having it all to myself.
On a completely different note, apparently the Internet has decided that wear currently seeing the death of the music blog. Or at least that's the bandwagon that everyone seems to be jumping on at the moment, then again if there's a bandwagon to be jumped on your average blogger will be right there. When I first started this site I did find myself following the trends being set by the likes of your Pitchforks and your Stereogums, however, I made a bit of conscious effort to move away from following the hipster crowd and do my own thing, which was to look at was going on in my backyard. That's not to say that I haven't been guilty of getting caught up in the hype that the Scottish music scene is sometimes guilty of. Then again I guess that's the problem with music blogs, the need to be at the forefront of discovering new and exciting bands means that we barley have time to digest a bands music before we're off looking for something sparkly and new. Upon reflection I guess that is one of the reason why I decided to take a break from blogging as much as I did. That constant need to find something new just wore me down, I just wanted to spend more time going back and properly listening to music that I knew I already liked, instead of sifting through stuff that I didn't.
Which I guess brings me back to my original point about the death of the music blog, I can't see blogs dying out in the short run. There are always going to be people like me who are passionate about music and want to shout about what they love on the Internet. Hopefully what we're going to see is a move away from this fast paced culture of everyone following the same trends, posting the same shit about the same bands and basically copying what everyone else does. When I first started reading music blogs it was because they offered something different to what I was being offered by the mainstream press. That however seems to have gone full circle, with loads of bloggers just talking about the same over hyped artists.
I know that the Scottish blogosphere has been guilty of over Scottish hyping bands, more recently there's been a bit of backlash from some disgruntled folk that the word 'amazing' gets used far too often. Which I guess is a fair criticism if you take it in the context of comparing Scottish bands against everything else that is going on in the world. I have thought a lot about this as it really pisses me off when folk start taking snide wee jabs at folk who are just talking about stuff that they love. If a blogger says that they think that something is amazing then I reckon you should take their word for it, if you don't agree then what are you doing wasting your time reading their site. I think that folk need to put things into context, the majority of the time when I am talking about how good I think a Scottish band is I will be looking at them in comparison to what is going on in my own scene. I am not taking them an comparing them with the likes of your Arcade Fire's of this world. Music blogs at this level should very much be seen as a first foot on the ladder, if the band is good enough then you will tend to find that more sites will talk about you. I guess the problem that we have nowadays is that everyone ends up talking about the same thing, which is quite frankly boring. The rise of the blog came about as folk were looking for something new and exciting, now that things have become so saturated with everyone regurgitating the same shit, I am of the opinion that the loss of some sites might not be a bad thing.

Sorry, I didn't mean to go off on such a ramble there. Nic and Erin are away out which means I had peace and quiet to rant on the web. On a lighter note, I have been pretty amused by this spoof blog which mashes up old interviews from various Scottish music blogs and sites. You might not find it funny, but it amused me somewhat.

Anyway, back to the point of this post which is really about sharing a cover version with you all. This weeks cover versions come from Emma Pollock and Beerjacket. I decided to go with these two tracks as they are both going to be playing at the Old Hairdressers in Glasgow this coming Wednesday (29th August) at an event called 'What’s so funny ‘bout Peaceniks, Love & Understanding?'. The night which is being put on by Rodge Glass (author/Burnt Island) is in aid of the Alliance for Middle East Peace, featuring an array of talent which includes the aforementioned Beerjacket and Emma Pollock, plus appearances from the likes of Rick Redbeard, Alasdair Gray, Alan Bissett, Ewan Morrison, Paul M Carlin, Kirstin Innes, Allan Wilson and Peenko favourite, Adam Stafford. It promises to be one hell of a night, plus it's also doubling as Rodge's leaving night as he's heading for ventures new. It's only £5 to get in and you'd be doing your bit for charity, so essentially it's a win win situation. You can find out more information on the gig by clicking on the poster for it below.

Right I am now going to get myself ready to head out as I am heading through to Edinburgh for the day with some friends to drink myself stupid and hopefully go and see Kid Canaveral. Although that will depend on a) if I can persuade my friends that this is a good idea and b) whether I can still stand by then. For now though here are two cracking covers from two cracking artists, enjoy!


Emma Pollock - New Amsterdam (Elvis Costello cover)

Beerjacket - Wake Up (Arcade Fire cover)

The Times They Are A Changin' In Peenko Land

In a couple of months time this blog will be hitting the grand old age of 4 years old. Now that may not mean a lot to you guys, but it means a lot to me. Ever since I started this site it has pretty much taken over my life, for the better I might add. On reflection, I am really proud of what I have managed to achieve in such a short period. Prior to 'Peenko', I would never have dreamed of doing half of the stuff that I have done, such as putting on gigs, releasing records and the like. Okay, so in the grand scale of things, that might not mean a lot to most people, but it has meant a shit load to me. There is one downside to it all, which is something that folk often ask me about, namely 'how do I manage to fit it all in?'. The simple answer to that is that I sacrifice nearly all of my spare time either doing blog or label stuff, plus I have also recently started managing Randolph's Leap, which leaves me with not a lot of time for anything else. If you add into that equation my daughter, my wife and a full time job, it does all add up. So much so that I have to admit that I am pretty knackered at the moment. I love writing this site, family and work aside, it's been the main focus of my life for coming on four years now. But what with two albums coming out on Olive Grove in the next few months, I realise that I don't have the time to do everything. Not unless of course someone wants to pay me to write this blog so that I don't have to work full time. You never know there might be a Sugar Mummy out there just waiting to help support a rambling music blogger. Don't tell the wife mind...
Basically for the next few months I have decided to take a bit of a break from posting every day. In short for the next wee while Friday Freebies and Fresh Meat Monday posts are going on a wee hiatus. The reason for this being that the freebies post takes up so much time to organise and research, that I'd quite like a wee break. If you're looking for someone to keep you posted on free Scottish music, then get following my partner in crime Aye Tunes Twitter account. As for the Fresh Meat posts, in the past two years I have posted a whopping 132 Fresh Meat interviews, so I would quite like to take some time out to go out and discover some new music without the pressure of having to come up with something new and exciting every week.
Recently a number of my contemporaries have decided to call it a day, most notably Favourite Son and then today, the man who partly inspired me to start this site, The Pop Cop, has announced that he is going to be going on hiatus for a bit. Although that being said he's handing over the reins of his site to a mysterious young lady in a kind of Doctor Who-Esque metamorphosis. Seeing as I am going to be quite busy with other things for the next few months, I did think about taking a break from the site all together. That lasted all of two seconds, as I realised that I would miss this too much. So instead I thought about bringing in some new faces to write for me. The trouble with that is that I wanted to bring in folk who shared similar music tastes to myself and could write well (or at least better than me that is - not hard I know). Easier said than done I should add, but alas find them I did. So in a bit of a coup for the site I have managed to rope in two new folk to write reviews for the site. You heard me right, reviews. Hey, I might not think that I am the greatest reviewer in the world. but these guys are pretty damn fine. So here's the plan, I am going to continue to post up sessions, We've Got It Covered posts and the odd news post and Boab is going to continue to review EPs and singles in his Help Ma Boab, It's The 62 Word Review posts. Plus from tomorrow onwards I also have two new reviewers joining the Peenko crew, Mike and Steve.
Both are figures that you might already have heard of, Mike, previously wrote the blog, Songs Heard On Fast Trains, which I had always thought was an amazing read. So when he recently announced that he was calling it a day I decided not to hang about, so I tapped him up and thankfully he was up for it. He's already drafted up his first post, which should be going up at some point tomorrow.
In addition to adding Mike to the team, I have also just drafted in a fellow by the name of Steve, a man who has previously written for the likes of Muso's Guide, Glasgow Podcart and John Robb's Louder Than War site. With a pedigree like that I am not to sure how I have managed to get him on board, I am sure he'll soon realise what a mistake he's made, but for now I am chuffed to bits to have and Mike on board.
Welcome to the team gents.

As for me, I guess that this would be a sensible time to update you all with what I have planned for the next few months. In September coming, the label I co-run, Olive Grove Records, will release our first album of 2012, from the Glasgow six piece, State Broadcasters. It's called 'Ghosts We Must Carry', and it's a gorgeous wee album that I can't wait for the rest of the world to hear. Having had the album since December of last year, I am genuinely really excited that it will finally be out there for others to hear. In case you missed the memo, we released a free single from it back in June.



If you like this, then you're going to love the album. Also ahead of the albums release, we're going to be releasing a second free download single, 'Kittiwake' on 27th August. We also have a video for Trespassers currently in production, which will feature a giant moth man. If it's half as good as I am told it's going to be, then it should be pretty damn special. As for the album it's out on 17th September, and we're currently finalising plans for a launch venue for the album. Hopefully I should be able to share more info on this for you soon, I'll be sure to post something up once it's finalised.

As well as the State Broadcasters album, we're also going to be releasing the album from the massively talented Jo Mango in November. As with the State Broadcasters, I still have to pinch myself that her album is going to be coming out on Olive Grove. The album was originally going to be called The Moth And The Moon, which could have gotten a bit confusing what with us having The Moth & The Mirror on the label. Instead Jo has opted to go with 'Murmuration' as the album title. If you want a wee taster of what the album is like, then have a listen below.



On top of all of the Olive Grove stuff, as I said before I have now started managing Randolph's Leap. Why am I taking on even more work you might wonder, well the answer to that one is pretty simple, I love the band. Having worked with them so closely for almost two years now it felt like a natural step to take on more of a managerial role. This year alone the band have released two albums, played at festivals including Away Game and T in the Park, plus there was the recent headline slot at Tut's. Yes, I am showing off, but fuck it, after all of the hard work that's gone on behind the scenes I feel comfortable with shouting about these achievements. The best thing about it all is that there is still loads of great stuff still to come, there is an EP coming out on Fence Records in October (I think), they're playing the London Palladium with the Pictish Trail in September, there's an album coming out in Japan some time soon, also there's the little matter of them recording their debut album proper. So yeah, all of that might take some of my time up.



Last, but not least (I know, I know, I don't half ramble on), there is the small matter of the blog celebrating it's 4th birthday in October. For those of you who have frequented this site for a few years (poor you), you might recall that I have tried to do something special for each birthday, in year one I gave away badges, year two we had the I Build Collapsible Mountains EP and last year I had my ill fated podcast, which may one day return - mainly because I reckon rambling on a podcast would be easier than having to type up of all my inane thoughts. Anyway, for this years birthday I have something pretty special lined up, or at least I think it's special, you might disagree. Either way it could turn out to be the best/worst thing that I have ever done. For now all that I'll say is that it involves some of my favourite artists recording songs especially for me, which will be released on a special format. I don't want to spoil the surprise, so trust me this is going to be pretty damn cool.

Right I think I best stop there, if you got this far thanks for sticking with me. I am really looking forward to the next few months, I have a cracking team on board and some amazing music to share with you all. The times they are a changin', for the better I reckon.

A Face For Radio: Video-rama (Part 3)

Some of you might have noticed a distinct lack of a We've Got It Covered post on Saturday, as I am sure that most of you will already know I was up at T in the Park with Randolph's Leap. Fuck me that was a trek and half, I ended up getting our van well and truly stuck in the mud, which in turn ended up with me joining the AA in order for them tow us out. Normally at festivals I piss my money away on over-priced beer and rank rotten burgers, signing up for breakdown cover wasn't something that I ever imagined doing in a rainy field in Balado. Rather than bore you with how muddy it was, here's a video of Randolph's Leap who kicked things off on the T Break stage.

The good folk from Detour launched the second episode of their new TV show last week. This months episode features live footage from Midnight Lion, Vukovi and Honeyblood. A live session from Hector Bizerk's Louie and Stanley Odd's MC Solareye, an interview with Twin Atlantic's Sam Mctrus. Plus a 'blink and you'll miss it' cameo from my good self, which I pray to go my mother never has to witness!

Mind how I mentioned that Zed Penguin had a cracking new single out, well here's a cracking wee video to go with it!

I haven't mentioned me for all of two seconds, so I might as well do so again. If you check out this15 minute "Propaganda edition" of the Glasgow Flower Show mini documentary, you can catch me rambling pish for a few minutes. There are some good bits in there that make it worthwhile. You might want skip my bits though, or at least look away from the screen until I am gone. And cover your ears for that matter.

Last but not least here's a wee video of Campfires in Winter playing on the roof of a pub in Inverness. As you do. If you are out and about tomorrow night then you can catch the boys playing live at the Art School in Glasgow with Vasa and Hot Jupiter.

Friday Freebies

Randolph's Leap
First thing tomorrow morning I'll be hauling myself out of bed an ungodly hour to head up to my first T in the Park for five years. The last time I went, I came back engaged - I've always been classy. This time round I'll be on my best behaviour as I am acting as tour manager (ie driving the van) for Randolph's Leap, as they will be opening the T Break Stage at 12pm on the Saturday. If you're going to be be there for the gates opening, make sure you pop your head in - even if you're not a fan (how could you not be?!), it will be an ideal place to shelter from the rain. As a wee taster to encourage folk to come and see them play, the band have released a free download of a new unreleased song called 'Man, I Feel Rough'. Which I think is pretty damn ace, but then again I am just a little bit biased. You can make your own mind up by streaming the song below.



Chris Devotion and The Expectations
Another cracking band that will be appearing on this years T Break stage, are Chris Devotion and The Expectations. Having had the pleasure of putting them on at our Bloggers showcase gig at goNorth, I can vouch for how good they are live. Sadly I won't get to witness their set as they're playing on the Sunday and I'll long gone by then, if you are going to still be up then get yourself along at 13.40 for a tight ass rock 'n roll show. In the event that you need a wee bit of persuading, you should check out their song, 'The Girl Is Leaving', which they've made available as a free download. If you're not going to T, you can also catch them at Belladrum and the Wickerman Festival!



Chemikal Underground
Scotland's coolest and most influential label, Chemikal Underground, are currently giving away a free compilation featuring an array of talent, including, The Phantom Band, Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat, RM Hubbert and a whole host of other goodies. You can download the compilation for free from Amazon



Scottish Fiction
My fellow blogger,  Scottish Fiction, is back with another one of his series of free EP's. This month he's got managed to gather in a whole host of  up and coming talent. If you want to get your grubby little mitts on free tracks from The Seven Deadly Sins, Mad Nurse, Make Sparks and Aaron Wright, then just head on over to his Bandcamp page.





Snow Patrol
I know, I know, if I had any street cred then I wouldn't be posting anything up by Snow Patrol, but fuck it, I don't care if you don't like them, as I do. So deal with it. If you do like Mr Lightbody & Co, then you might be interested to learn that they've made a new version of Lifening (Burst To Life Mix) available as a free download on their homepage.



PET
Okay so it's not quite free, it's one of those pay you want type deals, but you can opt to pay nowt if you like. It's the return of Edinburgh outfit, PET, who have just released their fourth single, 'Together Apart', which you can download from Bandcamp. 





We Are The Physics
Monday there saw the return of Gasgow's finest 'mutant science punks', We Are The Physics. They've come back with a bit of a bang, with their new single, 'GORAN IVANISEVIC' taken from their forthcoming album 'Album Details Not Ready Yet'. Did I mention it's free, I didn't need to, did I?!




Tilly & The Wall
It has been that long since I last heard anything from Tilly & The Wall, that I presumed they'd chucked it ages ago. Apparently I was wrong, as they have new album called Heavy Mood in the offing,  as a wee taster they've made the first single from it,  'Love Riot' available as a free download through Stereogum. By the sound of things I htink they have ditched he whole tap dancers as percussionists thing. I may well be wrong, and often am.

Drunk Mule
To finish off this weeks freebies, it's our old pals Drunk Mule, once again they've recorded a new tune which they're giving away as a free download. This one's called 'Fancy Pants' and it's free to download from their Bandcamp page.

We've Got It Covered #106

This may or may not work, but I am going to give it a bash. This will be the first blog post that I will ever have written on a train. So if this goes tits up you'll know why. As per usual I left this to the last minute, hence the rushed nature of the post. I'm currently heading through to Edinburgh with Randolph's Leap for their show with Kid Canaveral at the Wee Red Bar.
So for that reason, here's the Leap and their cover of Ivor Cutler's 'Everybody Got'.

Randolph' Leap - Everybody Got (Ivor Cutler)

Brawsome Gigs Alert

What with me having far too many good gigs to mention, I have decided that the easiest thing for me to do is to role them all into one mega post. So if you're not likely to be heading out to a gig any time soon, then you may want to look away now...

First off, we have a gig that I'll be putting on next month at the Captain's Rest featuring Mitchell Museum, Jo Schornikow from The Shivers and a New York singer/songwriter called Scott Rudd.  Stick that in your proverbial pipe! This will be Mitchell Museum's first headline show in their home town since they emerged from their hiatus a few months ago, so I am pretty chuffed that it's myself that's getting to put the gig on. Also, for any of you who saw The Shivers when they played at Mono last year, you'll know just how great Jo Schornikow is, plus if you chuck in the amazing talents of Scott Rudd, then you really are in for a bit of treat. If that doesn't convince you to come, then just take a look at the poster for the gig, how awesome is that?!
Tickets for the gig are available now from TicketWeb it's £5 in advance or £6 on the door.

Mitchell Museum - Take The Tongue Out (Marc Riley Session)
Jo Schornikow - Bird's Nest
Scott Rudd - Another Lover

Tomorrow night, Peenko favourite Adam Stafford will be at the Captain's Rest alongside Rick Redbeard from the Phantom Band to celebrate the release of their new split 7" single which has just been released by the innovative Edinburgh label, Gerry Loves Records. If you can't make it along to the show, then you can console yourself by buying the record here.

Then on Saturday night, Edinurgh based blogger, The Tidal Wave of Indifference, is putting on another one of his showcase gigs. This time round he's roped in four really exciting up and coming acts, The Bad Books, an Edinburgh outfit who have been causing a bit of a stir in their home town. As of yet all I've heard is a bootlegged live track, which sounds nae too bad. Plus he's also got a couple of other cracking wee bands in Loch Awe, The Spook School and The New Fabian Society. The gig is in the Wee Red Bar and you can buy tickets in advance here.

Last, but certainly not least, two of my favourite bands, Kid Canaveral and Randolph's Leap are going to be at the Wee Red Bar the following Saturday (30th). This will be my first gig in the east since I was through for Kid C's Baubles gig back in December of last year, so I am pretty damn excited about this one. The Canaveral's will be showcasing material from their forthcoming album, which should hopefully see the light of day before the end of the year. Tickets for the gig are available in advance using this link.

Kid Canaveral - And Another Thing!! (Live at T in the Park)
Randolph's Leap - Going Home (MFR Session)

Like a List-errr in the Sun: Yet Another Rambling News Post

Bloody hell, there's a lot been going on lately, since the last rambling news post there have been a shit load of announcements. Some of them good and some of them down right shite. I guess it's best to get the bad news out of the way first, as it's better to end on a high, right?!

As I am sure of many of you will already be aware, the BBC have decided to call time on BBC Introducing in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales and lump them all into one big UK-wide programme. To say it's a kick in the nuts for the Scottish music scene is a bit of an understatement. In recent years we have seen taken some pretty massive steps forward in the way that view folk the Scottish music scene, so I am pretty damn gutted to see it go. You can read more about what happened over on The Pop Cop.

On a more positive note for the Scottish music scene, the SAY Award shortlist was announced earlier this morning. The award which is being touted as Scotland's answer to the Mercuries, have managed to whittle down what are deemed to be the top 10 Scottish albums to be released in 2010. Admittedly I am still a bit bitter that Adam Stafford didn't even make the long list, but hey there's still loads of great stuff in there. I was pretty damn chuffed to see Happy Particles make the final list, for a band who didn't have a label and released their album on Christmas fucking Day, it's great to see them up there with the more established artists. Personally I think they might well be in with a shout, but that could be my heart leading my head.

The artists that will compete to win the inaugural SAY Award on June 19 with added bonus of a first prize of £20k will be one of the following:

Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat – Everything’s Getting Older
Conquering Animal Sound – Kammerspiel
Happy Particles – Under Sleeping Waves
King Creosote & Jon Hopkins – Diamond Mine
Mogwai – Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
Mungo’s Hi Fi – Forward Ever
Remember Remember – The Quickening
Rustie – Glass Swords
Tommy Smith – Karma
Twin Atlantic – Free (who made the list thanks to being the winners of the public vote).

With each of the shortlisted artists are already guaranteed £1k, I guess this is the Ying to BBC Introducing's Yang. It's about time that us Scots got out there and started shouting about just how great the music our country is producing really is, I think the SAY Awards is a great way to start.

Talking about showcasing Scottish talent, King Tut's have announced the line up for this years Summer Nights Festival. The festival which runs for a fortnight in July aims to showcase some of the most exciting up and coming bands that Scotland has to offer. If you haven't already seen the line up, then it looks something like this:

Thursday 12th  – Pronto Mama, Brazil Exists, The Little Kicks and Lost City Soul 
Friday 13th  – Hector Bizerk, Madhat McGore, Bigg Taj feat. Spee SixNine & Becci Wallace and BilL Breaks 
Saturday 14th  – John Wean, The NK Jays, Seed and Minor Delilah 
Sunday 15th  – Xavia, Lost in Audio, Atlas : Empire and Seams 
Monday 16th  – Daniel Docherty, Craig Fagan, Chloe Latimer and Anna Shields 
Tuesday 17th  – Beerjacket & Friends play 'The White Feather Trail' and other favourites, Quickbeam and Mike Nisbet 
Wednesday 18th – Brown Bear And The Bandits, The Sea Kings, Aaron Wright and Lovers Turn To Monsters 
Thursday 19th – Midnight Lion, Galleries and Aames
Friday 20th – Holy Esque, Queen Jane, The Mirror Trap and The 10:04s 
Saturday 21st – Jack Butler, Selective Service, Mickey 9′s and Kobi 
Sunday 22nd – The Recovery!, Hunt / Gather, Fat Janitor and No Island
Monday 23rd – The Unwinding Hours, Olympic Swimmers and Dead Electric 
Tuesday 24th – Fires Attract, Scarlet Shift, The Darien Venture and Crusades 
Wednesday 25th – Randolph's Leap, Jonny Jack,  Blue Sky Archives and Bronagh Monahan 
Thursday 26th – DARC, The Mouse That Ate The Cat, Johnny And The Giros and TeKlo

Tickets for all of the gigs are on sale now (just click on the link above), there will be a limited number of Golden Tickets going on sale shortly which will allow you to get entry to ever single night of the festival at a much reduced rate. For further details just check out the King Tut's homepage.

We Were Promised Jetpacks will be out on the road shortly promoting their last album, 'In The Pit Of The Stomach'. Calling all over Scotland the band have a number of dates booked up, including an appearance at the Tweedlove Festival in Peebles on Saturday the 2nd of June. The event which is being held at Peebles Burgh Hall, also features some special guests (I have no idea who this) and a DJ Set from the Frightened Rabbit boys. Tickets for the gig are £15 in advance and they're available here. The rest of the tour looks something like this:

May 23rd - Doghouse, Dundee
May 24th - Lemontree, Aberdeen
May 25th - Ironworks, Inverness
May 26th - PJ Molloy's, Dunfermline
May 31st - Tolbooth, Stirling
2nd June - Tweedlove Festival, Peebles
3rd June - The Dirty Weekender, Kilmarnock

24th June - Oran Mor, Glasgow (alongside Aidan Moffat and Bill Wells, R M Hubbert, Remember Remember,Withered Hand, Monoganon and loads more)



Edinburgh outfit, Matt Norris And The Moon, release their new EP, 'This Kingdom' EP on the 23rd of May through 17 Seconds Records. To celebrate they're having a wee release shindig at the Voodoo Rooms the same day. Support on the evening comes from Donna Maciocia, Randolph's Leap, Nicky Carder and there will also be a DJ Set from Ed '17 Seconds). To get you in the mood you can watch the video for the single, Roots Below errrr below....

Those fabulous Born To Be Wide boys are back with another excellent seminar evenings, this month event is entitled 'Beyond The Regular Gig', and it will be focusing on playing live in unusual locations, private homes, club nights and corporate events. Panelists will include Douglas Robertson, who has hosted dozens of concerts in his Edinburgh home, Andy Richardson whose Trouble club nights include live acts,  Ally McCrae, who combines his BBC activity with co-running Detour events and Nick Herd who has hosted concerts in churches, recording studios and galleries apparently. Tickets for the event are on sale now.


Right, I think that's enough ramblings for one evening, to finish up with I have Adam Stafford's new video of him performing Shot-down You Summer Wannabes live. The song which is taken from last years Build a Harbour Immediately album, is a personal favourite of mine, so I am pretty chuffed that it's going to be coming out on blue 7" via Kingfisher Bluez in August. If you're heading out to Stag & Dagger this Saturday, then you catch him playing live at Sleazy's at 4.30pm.