Lorraine McCauley & The Borderlands - Ally McCrae Session (28/02/10)

Track Listing

1. Haunt Me
2. Stepping Stones
3. Fallin'
4. Big Love

Download

Friday Freebies

Aye Tunes
It's sad to say, but the series of 'Ayetunes vs Peenko' gigs are going on an indefinite hiatus. I am sure you're all gutted to hear that sad news, on the plus side it means that we are now both going to be putting on shows. So you'll have even more reason to get out there and enjoy some amazing new music. Jim has already lined up his first ever Ayetunes Presents gig at Stereo on the 21st of this month, featuring Boygiranimalcolour, Kochka and Trapped Mice. If you hadn't heard of any of the bands, or you just a bit curious to hear more then you're in luck as he's posted up a free sampler from each of the artists on his Bandcamp page. If you like what you hear then you can also buy yourself a ticket at the same time, just think how happy that'd make our favourite ginger bunny.

Lorraine McCauley
The former Scots Way-Hay starlet has posted up a free download of her amazing tune 'Haunt me', which was one of my favourite songs of last year. You can find it here for free, cheers to Jim for the tip.

French Wives
This week in the 7th of their Home Fires freebies, those lovely French Wives have posted a free download of 'Welcome In The Light (Robin Dunne Remix)', don't hang about as this freebie will be gone by Monday.

The Dears
The Canadian outfit are giving away a free MP3 download of new song, "Blood" from the new album Degeneration Street in exchange for your email address.

FOUND
So the cat is out of the bag, my love for all things FOUND is out there on the old blogosphere. Just as I thought I couldn't like this lot anymore, they crop up with this free download of their take on King Creosote's classic, 'Leslie'. 'Mon the FOUND!

Darren Hayman
For the rest of this month, the former Hefner frontman is writing and recording a song a day and giving them all away for free for a couple of days on his Soundcloud page. If oyu missed any and want tt download them, then you can buy them on his Bandcamp.

The Line of Best Fit
Those clever little Best Fitters have only gone and done it again, they've drafted up their list of ones to watch in 2011 and rather cracking it is too. If you fancy checking out who they've tipped or big things this year, then you can get downloading tracks from an array of artists including Echo Lake, Prizes, Suuns and Guards (I have no idea who half of these fucking bands are, I guess I have to admit that my hipster days are well behind me now).

KEXP
The awesome Seattle radio station offers up a free daily download, so it's defo worth checking out. This week they had free tunes from The Radio Dept, Active Child and Crocodiles. Check out what else they have on offer here.

Shambles Miller
A massive congratulations goes out to wur pal, Shambles Miller who has been accepted into this years Strummerville DIY. As part of this he had to offer one of his songs as a free download, very kindly he's made “Things That Make Me Angry” from his latest EP “Shambles Sails the Clockwork Sea“ available as a free download. Downloads of his track count toward that weeks top 20 downloads chart on the site, as every download gives him a better chance of getting into the chart, so do yourself and him a favour and get downloading

Madness
I know Christmas is just a distant memory now, but it's still nice to get some presents. Those lovely Madness boys are still giving away a free download of 12 songs of Madness (plus a 13th… a brand new song!) all recorded live on their recent ‘Do Not Adjust Your Nut’ UK tour.

Arran Arctic
I liked the blurb that Arran sent me about this wee freebie, so I hope he won't be too offended if I quote him on it "I wasn't planning on releasing the new single All That I Can Do until later this month, however a rather sleepless night has provided me with all the time necessary to make the track available to download for free". Once again he's come up with the good, get downloading here.

Yuck
They might not be for me, but I know that some of you are fans of this lot. If you click this link you'll find a free download of them covering Porcelain Raft, and them returning the favour.

Monster Island
If you like the Fall, then this should probably be well up your street, it's a free download of Manchester's Monster Island's new EP 'The Green Room' which you'll find on their Bandcamp.

Kyla La Grange
This freebie comes courtesy of our good mate the Pop Cop, who this week posted his ones to watch in 2011. There are some pretty tasty choices in there, so make sure you give them the once over. Typically just after he'd posted his tips, he came across another artist that tickled his fancy. If you fancy checking out what got the 'Cop all excited you're in luck as Kyla La Grange has a free download up for grabs here.

Radiohead
I am not too sure if you are allowed to post bootlegs on Bandcamp, so this might not last too long. If you head here, then you can find yourself a free download of Radiohead live at Meadowbank Stadium in Edinburgh, recorded way back in 2006. Once again, thanks to Jim for the tip.

Native
Indiana math rockers, Native are offering their first EP 'We Delete; Erase' for free on their Bandcamp

Star Slinger
Download for free the Manchester producers Rogue Cho Pa EP via Soundcloud

Lou Hickey
If you sign up to Ms Hickey's mailing list she'll send you various downloads over the next few months.

Geotic
Pitchfork - "When he's not making beat-screwed, effervescent electronic pop as Baths, California-basted singer/songwriter/producer upstart Will Wiesenfeld also maintains a more ambient-focused side project, the evocatively named Geotic. Yesterday, Wiesenfeld made available his latest LP as Geotic, Mend, free of charge, at the Geotic website."

Scots Way-Hay - The Artists Album of the Year (Part 3)

When I sent emails out to all of this years Scots Way-Hay artists I honestly only expected to get a handful of replies back. How wrong I was, it turned out that most bands were pretty keen to let you all know what's been tickling their fancy in 2010. So in the last of my series of posts I give you the favourite albums of 2010 for Ardentjohn, Endor, French Wives, Lorraine McCauley and Over the Wall.....

Blud Rins Cauld by John Knox Sex Club

chosen by Gav, Over the Wall

"My album of the year is Blud Rins Cauld by John Knox Sex Club. Parts of this album sounds like a group of guys starting a riot, which is very much the sense you get when you see them play live, but the best thing for me is that there's a lyrical depth here absent from most Scottish bands about. No actually, absent from the vast majority of contemporary music. You get the sense of really big classic themes running through an album that also has time to talk about juvenile delinquency in a particularly Scottish way. There's also a burgeoning violence to the music, even when they're in the middle of one of their very tender moments, that's really compelling. I've been playing it constantly since I got it at Insider Festival (where they played the set of the weekend in my opinion) and I think when I look back on the last year later in life this will be a big part of the soundtrack"

Boots Met My Face by Admiral Fallow

chosen by all of French Wives

"Our album of the year is unequivocally Admiral Fallow's debut 'Boots Met My Face.' It is an album which has garnered near universal praise, and such praise is completely deserved. It is extremely rare in pop (to use a slightly catch all term) bands for each and every member to have quite such a high degree of general musicianship. Indeed, in many of the rare instances where this is the case such musicianship is often thrust in the face, or ears, of the listener. However, this is not apparent on this record. The bands musical skill is perfectly apparent throughout, however despite the vast instrumentation at no point do any of the parts feel self indulgent or unnecessary. Melodically and structurally the songs are so meticulously constructed that the arrangements sound like the best possible version of the original song. Add to this the interesting lyrical content and it makes it extremely difficult to watch or listen to this band without being completely in awe"

Hunting My Dress by Jesca Hoop

chosen by Lorraine McCauley

"I watched Jesca perform at a music festival last year and just loved her quirky song style and beautiful lyrics. She has an amazing imagination and creates new places and ideas to explore in each song. Favorite track, though its hard to choose, is The Kingdom and the video for it is great too.......check it out"

High Violet by The National

chosen by David McGinty, Endor

"The most commercially successful album to date by a band who spent years in the relative wilderness is often seen as one of two things: a crossover or a breakthrough, The National’s High Violet is certainly the latter. Whilst the band’s crossover potential is evident on this release, and comparisons could be drawn to the early albums of stadium fillers like R.E.M, this record is evolutionary not revolutionary. Its breakthrough into the mainstream charts follows the critical acclaim surrounding four previous records and years of slugging it out on the road, yet in 2010 it seemed The National proved they could no longer be ignored. Over the course of their last few releases the band have been honing a sound, primarily based around true craftsmanship in terms of their songwriting. Sure, since Boxer there’s less shouting, and knee-jerk purists have been arguing whether or not that record is better than it’s predecessor, Alligator, since 2007; the fact of the matter is that High Violet is the latest instalment in the evolution of a band which has be lauded by critics, and rightly so, since their debut almost a decade ago. Not only is High Violet the most evolved National record, and debatably the finest example of their ability as songwriters and musicians, it’s got to be one of the best albums of 2010"

The Courage of Others, by Midlake

chosen by Seth, Ardentjohn

"It is a beautiful album and, after Trials of Van Occupanther, it was always going to be hard to top it.

The band chose a different genre for the album (which in itself is difficult) and this gave it, instantly, a different vibe from their previous but their harmonies are always to die for and the old english feel of the album is wonderful.. They seem to put their mark over anything they try.

A beautiful album which gets better with every listen: a bit like their last one, but not the same at all. Wonderful"

Weekly Round Up (28/11/10)

Monday - Verse Metrics kicked off the week with some Fresh Meat action
Tuesday - there was a distinct lack of sessions this week, but thanks to my mate Tom we had this cracking live recording of Idlewild in Shetland
Wednesday - the fabulous Lorraine McCauley was my 43rd entry into the Scots Way-Hay club
Thursday - I had a live recording of Frightened Rabbit in San Francisco
Friday - after a bit of a lull over the past few weeks, Friday Freebies was back with a bit of a bang, highlights included tracks from Admiral Fallow, Thirty Pounds of Bone and Mogwai.
Saturday - Wooden Box With a Fistful of Fivers, Woodenbox With A Fist Full Of Fivers took on Lady Gaga in We've Got It Covered.

(sorry there are no links this week, normal service will be resumed next week)


News, gigs and any other gubbins......


Once again I am pretty low on news this week, I am away up north visiting my folks this weekend so I haven't had much of a chance to have a hunt about find out what's going on. The only thing I have to report is that my fellow Scottish music blogger, The Daily Dose Sir William Swales of Define Pop promotions have teamed up to put on a gig at the 13th Note in Glasgow on Tuesday (2nd). The line-up is: Super Adventure Club, PAWS, Hagana, Rollor, with doors at 8pm, tickets are £5.

I promise I'll have more for you next week....

Scots Way-Hay #43 - Lorraine McCauley

The older I get, the more I find myself listening to folk music. It's odd to think that during my teens I grew up on a staple diet of heavy rock and punk. I think my teenage self would be horrified by my current taste in music, then again what do kids at that age know. I think it helps that there are so many talented folk artists in Scotland at the moment, perhaps there always were, but at least now I am picking up on them. The most recent artist to prick my ears up is singer-songwriter, Lorraine McCauley, who originally hails from the Inishowen Peninsula, Donegal, and now lives in Edinburgh.
She sent me over a copy of her new EP, 'Haunt Me' a good few weeks back, at the time I was pretty swamped doing stuff for Olive Grove. Normally there would have been a danger of it being over looked, but there was something about her voice that really struck a chord with me. She appears to draw inspiration from an array of folk-rock singers, personally I hear touches of Laura Marling, Joni Mitchell and even a touch of Karine Polwart in there.
At this time of year as everything starts to slow down a little, it's just that bit too cold to venture out, and you'd rather just stay cosy at home. Well this is the perfect soundtrack for these kind of evenings.



Would you care to introduce yourself?

Hello, I'm Lorraine from Lorraine McCauley & The Borderlands. Pleased to meet you.


How would you describe the music you make?

Ah ha well I'd say that it is a Modern Folksy kinda thing. With myself on the guitar and singing and The Borderlands on cello, accordion, viola, fiddle, glock and any other instruments on hand at the time.


How did you come together as a band?

I met Jonee Duggan the accordian player and sound engineer when playing a gig in Glasgow and that set in motion the formation of our band, Lorraine McCauley & The Borderlands. We decided on a free trade swap. Jonee recorded my songs and I gave him singing lessons. Jonee then accompanied my songs on the accordion as well. I first met Nick Jenkins a fiddle, viola and mandolin player in a late night jamming session at a festival. So when I seen him perform again at Creative Scotland I asked him to play on the EP. Billy Hamilton seen me performing at Secret CD’s in Edinburgh and offered to play cello. So Billy joined us in the studio too for the recording of my debut EP "Haunt me" and from that The Borderlands came to life.


How did you start out making music?

I grew up in Donegal and from an early age I was singing in Irish Feiseanna. But it wasn't until I went to live in Japan that I picked up the guitar and started writing my own material. During this time I collaborated with many artists ranging in styles from folk rock to trip hop. Mostly I wrote songs and performed with Japanese multi-instrumentalist artist Ritsuko under the name RiLo. Upon leaving Japan I travelled throughout England working, farming and finding my own way of writing and singing. But it wasn’t until moved to Edinburgh that I started writing and gigging regularly, inspired by the vibrant Scottish folk scene here.


What process goes into the way you write songs?

I write songs and then bring them to the band. The guys are all extremely talented and develop their parts and really bring the songs to life. Who are your big musical influences? People whose music inspires me would be Martha Wainwright for her honesty and freedom, Jesca Hoop for her originality and creativity and Karine Polwart for her ability to tell great stories in her songs.


What kind of influence do you feel that where you come from has had on the music you create?

Well growing up in Donegal traditional music was part of life, so I'd say that has influenced my accompaniment choices. What can people expect to see/hear from your live shows? See? Me in a dress usually and three men with beards if they haven't shaved recently! Hear? The modern folk sound of Lorraine & The Borderlands with lyrics that reach out to you from the start with music for the soul and senses ;0)


Has there been a particular gig that has stood out for you so far (good or bad)?

Our fourth gig as a band was at Knockngorrach festival in the West of Scotland – we sharing the line up with Jesca Hoop, King Creosote, The Beat and Lunasa and it was amazing. The crowd we're great and in the middle of our set two stilt walkers joined in the performance with an impromptu dance to our music.


What are your plans for the rest of the year and beyond? Do you have any new releases planned for any time soon?

Next up is the official launch event for our debut EP "Haunt me" at Coda Music, Dec 1st at 6pm. We will be playing live in Coda Music Shop on the Mound in Edinburgh and celebrating with mulled wine and mince pies. So we hope to see you there. To find out more please visit Myspace or join or Facebook page Lorraine McCauley & The Borderlands.

Lorraine McCauley - Haunt Me


Lorraine McCauley's EP, Haunt Me is available to pre-order now through CD Baby, you can also download it on iTunes and through Amazon. On the 1st of December, Lorraine an her band The Borderlands celebrate it's release with a gig at Coda Music in Edinburgh.

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