We've Got It Covered #99

As seems to be the way of things nowadays, I once again find myself speedily trying to draft up this weeks cover version post. More often than not, I find that during the week that I know exactly what it is that I want to talk about. However, no matter how much I pre-plan what I am going to say, when it comes to actually writing a post it's a totally different ball game. It's pretty tricky trying to cobble something together with the distractions that a one and a half year old brings. Not that I complaining, more a case of making excuses for the rambling nature of these posts. In my head I had planned to talk a wee bit about yesterdays sad loss of Adam Yaunch, although I could never claim to have been the biggest Beastie Boys fan. However, I did catch them a couple of times and they were always good fun. But as news of his passing started to filter out last night I couldn't help but feel quite sad about it all. I know it's a bit of a cliche to say, but it really is sad that we have to wait until someone is gone before we can celebrate what they've brought to the world. I guess I just find it depressing that we'll soon see loads of folk heading and buying Beastie Boys albums, I realise that folk are looking for ways to show their grief, but is buying a CD really the way to do it. For a man who was so supportive of the Free Tibet movement, it'd be nice to think that there were a few folk out that might opt to make a donation to something that I am sure Adam would have been happier to see folk go out and make a donation to them instead.

Anyway, that's enough of my ramblings, on with this weeks cover version which comes from Rod Jones & The Birthday Suit. The Idlewild songwriter and guitarist, is playing a solo acoustic show at bar bloc on Tuesday coming (8th May), alongside This Silent Forest and Ryan McDowell as part of a free show for the latest Slow Club night. To get you in the mood here's a cover that he did a while back of Snap's 'Rhythm is a Dancer', that was recorded for a Vic Galloway session...

Rod Jones &  The Birthday Suit-Rhythm is a Dancer (Snap cover)

Scots Way-Hay #77 - The Birthday Suit

They say you should never meet your heroes, thankfully for Idlewild's Rod Jones, he was spared the joy of having to speak to me in person. What with the band that he made his name with, going on an indefinite hiatus (damn you At The Drive In for ever coining that phrase), Rod has been keeping himself busy a new project by the name of The Birthday Suit. What with his partner in crime Roddy Woomble having morphed into a folk singer, Rod has gone in the opposite direction and gone back to his rock roots. The one thing that strikes me about The Birthday Suit is that they sound more of a unit than a group of musicians indulging one mans self indulgent project - that's meant to be a compliment. Anyway, that's enough of my ramblings here's Rod to tell you a bit more about his new band...


Hello, would you care to intoduce yourself to the Peenko readers?

Hello there. I'm Rod Jones of The Birthday Suit.


How did you all get to know each other, and come to be in a band together?

Most of us have been friends for a while and have worked together on various projects so when I was looking to put together the band it was an easy decision to involve them.


What would you say are the biggest musical infleunces on the band?

Songwriting wise anything from Sonic Youth to Bruce Springsteen to Crosby Stills and Nash. Although we don't sound like alot of the influences I think we take elements from everything we listen to, sometimes without knowing it.


In comparison to your earlier solo material which was a lot more mellow, The Birthday Suit is much more rock orientated, was this something you consciously set out to do with this band?

To an extent yes. I had started to write another record and it was sounding like a natural progression of the first but I just felt I needed a change. I missed playing rock music and wanted to see if I could make a record in that genre, outside of Idlewild.


Having been part of the music industry for over 16 years, does it feel harder to motivate yourself to be creative and challenge yourself or is this something that has never really left you?

Not at all. I make music because I enjoy it and playing with different people and writing new songs is motivation enough. I can't wait to get out and play this record live.


With your parnter in crime Roddy (Woomble) pursuing a much more folk orientated sound, are you enjoying being able to get back to playing heavier tunes?

I am. Although I do enjoy playing acoustic and trying different styles, I had missed the energy and frenetic nature of playing rock music. There is also something exciting about the uncertainty of a new band.


In recent years you've been involved in a number of projects, including the Scottish Mental Health Foundation's “Music Like A Vitamin” and more recently with The Fruit Tree Foundation. How did you end up getting involved with these projects? And how important to you is it to be able to do things like this?

I was approached by the Foundation a few years ago to help curate some shows to raise awareness and I jumped at the chance. It's something that is close to my heart and that I have really enjoyed being part of. The Fruit Tree was born due to a feeling I had that we were raising alot of awareness, but only around the festival dates. I really wanted to do something that had more longevity and would be around after the festival. Making records is what I know best and so it seemed the obvious choice. We now are "branching out" a little and have started a mentor program, putting together established musicians with new unsigned acts to give them a head start in the industry. I'm fortunate that I am afforded the time to do these projects which are in many ways the most fulfilling things I do.


What are your plans for the rest of the year and beyond? Have you started thinking about working on any new material yet?

For the next few months we will be playing live and trying to build our fan base but I have started writing a second record and plan to record around Easter time. I feel we are just starting out and have a good way to go as a band yet and I'm really looking forward to seeing where it goes.

The Birthday Suit - Do You Ever?

The Birthday Suit's debut album, 'The Eleventh Hour' is available to buy now for £7.99 directly from the band on their official website. The band play live at Beat Generator in Dundee on the 25thg of this month, followed by appearances at the Tollbooth in Stirling on the 26th and the 9th of December at the Greenside Hotel in Glenrothes. Then in the New Year they're hitting up King Tuts in Glasgow on Sun day the 19th of February. For further dates keep checking the bands website.

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Friday Freebies

Field Music
To kick this weeks freebies off we have one of the most under-rated bands in the UK, Sunderland's finest sons have just announced that their their fourth album, Plumb, will be out in February next year. As a wee teaser they've made the song "(I Keep Thinking About) A New Thing" free to download from their website.

The Fruit Tree Foundation
After the success of last year's First Edition album, Rod Jones of Idlewild fame has done something a bit different this year, as they've launched a new mentoring programme which saw Rod Jones, James Yorkston and Withered Hand, pairin up with aspiring singer-songwriters, Liz Cronin, Marie Collins and Lucy Cathcart Frödén (from Tall Tales/Social Services) to create two songs each. The results of which are pretty damn impressive, you don't need to take my word for it though as you can download the EP for free via The Skinny's website.

The Jezabels
This Australian outfit are already being heavily tipped as ones to watch in 2012, having caught them a couple of months back in Tuts I am still not fully sold. You can make your own mind up though by downloading their track 'Try Colour' for free here.

Lil Daggers
Having released their King Corpse EP on Song, by Toad Records, the Miami back are now gearing up for the release of their debut album on 5th December 2011. You can download a free taster here.

Scottish Fiction EP
Up and coming blogger, Scottish Fiction has just posted up his latest free EP on Bandcamp, this month he's got free tunes from Trapped Mice, Plastic Animals, Donna Maciocia and Supermarionation.

Loch Awe
Yes, I know it says that this a by a band called Negotiations, but trust me this is a free download of a new demo track by Edinburgh folk-noise outfit Loch Awe. Grab it here.

Oh You Dancer!
I am a bit late with this freebie, but here's a free a download of a Halloween inspired track by Oh You Dancer! the electronic brainchild of Jamie 'Daisuke' Sturt of scottish alt-folk band This Silent Forest and post-rock-hardcore band Atlas.

Little Victories
The Glasgow based indie/electro/dance collaboration featuring Kev Sherry (Attic Lights) producer and multi- instrumentalist Jim Lang (Malcolm Middleton, Mona, Echo & The Bunnymen) have made their new single 'Killing Me, Killing You' free to download on Bandcamp.

Three Blind Wolves
Ahead of their US Tour, Glasgow folk-rockers, Three Blind Wolves have released a free acoustic album which you can download here.

Guided By Voices
Having reformed just last year, GBV have just announced that they've also been recording new material with a new album 'Let's Go Eat the Factory', set for release in January 2012. If you head over to Stereogum when you can download a free new tune.

Nettwerk Fall Music Sampler
Free samplers can be a good way to find out about new music, I haven't had a chance to listen back to this sampler, but seeing it features Ladytron I am sure it's bound to be half decent. Just head over to Amazon where you can download it for free.

David Lynch and Karen O
On paper it's a fucking mental proposition, on record it's a mental as you think it might sound, but somehow the combination works. The track, “Pinky’s Dream" was specially recorded for My Lynch’s Crazy Clown Time LP, you can grab it here.

Johnny Foreigner
I genuinely thought that Johnny Foreigner had chucked it on years ago, so it's good to know that they're still going. You can download their new single 'Feels Like Summer' for free here.

Drums of Death
The electronic outfit have made available a free download of their song ‘Cold Lazarus’ in return for a ‘Like’ on Facebook.

Rod Jones and the Birthday Suit - Vic Galloway Session (17/05/10)

Track Listing

1. Sing It Alone
2. Rhythm is a Dancer (Snap cover)
3. Sing Your Praises

Download

Friday Freebies

Yusuf Azak
You can catch Aberdeen-born artist Yusuf Azak supporting Merursault in a few weeks at thei album launch. If you fancy having a wee listen to what he sounds like then you might be pleased to learn that he has put his two self-released two EPs, "Gazelle" and "Light Procession", to download for free on his homepage. Kudos goes out to David Kowalskiy for this tip.

Pink Pills
You might remember that I featured Ryan J Gallagher, aka Pink Pills in a previous Friday Freebies, well now the Edinburgher low-fi pop troubador is back with with a free album, 'Concrete Heartbeat'. You can download the album for free here in MP3 and here using FLAC.

Ready Set Go
It used to be just kids at gigs that used to make me feel old, now I have the pesky buggers making me feel fucking ancient. readysetgo is a 14 year old music producer/composer, yes you read that right. He's from Aberdeenshire and he's one talented wee bugger. His album,
"Who the hell needs cover art anyways?" is available to download for free here. If you like your electronica check it out, be prepared to feel old as fuck though.

Healthy Minds Collapse
They remind a bit of Therapy?, China Drum and the Wildhearts, actually they remind of a lot of the bands that I was listening to in the 90's. They have a free download of their song 'Best Intentions' up for free download, all they ask in return is your email address.

Pavement (covers)
Like Pavement? Like covers? then you'll love this compilation 'show me a word that rhymes with Pavement'. It even has Rod Jones from Idlewild covering 'Shady Lane', double bonus. Yep, it's free and you get it here.

Broken Social Scene
The Canadian super-group are giving away a track from their forthcoming album, 'Forgiveness Rock Record' on their website. The track 'World Sick' is up as a free download here.

Bonnaroo Compilation
The Bonnaroo Festival are giving away a free compilation for climate change, featuring Wilco, Pearl Jam, My Morning Jacket and The Decemberists. Download it here.

Capitals
I heard these guys on Vic G's Monday night show, liked it a lot. You can too!! As they're giving away a free download of their song 'A Spectre Is Haunting Europe', go and download yourself a copy here.

Donna Maciocia
The former lead singer of Amplifico (not sure if they've split or if they're just on an indefinite hiatus) has a whole host of the MP3's up for free download on her website. Go feast here.

Crystal Antlers
Uncut described them as being 'fried psychedelic punks', does that make any sense? It just seems like journalistic bollocks to me. Anyway, if you fancy finding out what they eally sound like, then you might be interested to learn that they have put up two new songs for free download on their website.

Foals
Mind these guys? they had the guy that looked just like Sylar from Hereos. They never did much for me, but fuck it, it's free and you can't really grumble at that. Sign up for their mailing list and they'll send you a remix of a new song.

Alec Ounsworth
Mind Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, remember how good their debut album was? Now you're thinking how disappointing their follow up was, right?
Want to hear what their lead singer has been up to, then head on over to his homepage and download a live version of the song 'Modern Girl'.

Silver Columns
So the big 'secret' is out and the Silver Columns have been un-masked as The Pictish Trail and Adem. Who'd have thunk it?! Anyway, they have a new single, 'Cavalier' coming out on April 19th through Moshi Moshi. In anticipation of its release the NME have put a remix of the song by Time And Space Machine aka Richard Norris from Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve, up for free download.

Waskerley Way
Matthew from Song By Toad posted about this on Wednesday, sounded not bad, plus it's free. We like free things round here. If you like your shoegaze, then this five track demo, 'Yonder' might be right up your proverbial street.

the Banana Sessions
The Edinburgh 'mutant folk-pop' band the Banana Sessions, have two demo tracks up on their site which can be downloaded for free, just head on over to their homepage.

Music Like A Vitamin 2009 line up takes shape

The Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival, which includes the rather brilliant 'Music Like a Vitamin' concerts, returns this year running from 1 – 22 October 2009. Details of the programme will be announced officially on Tuesday the 1st of September, however details of some of the shows have already started to filter out.

Karine Polwart and Emma Pollock are the first acts to be 'announced' for the opening show at the Glasgow Fruitmarket on the 1st of October. Then on the 21st of October, Edinburgh is treated to the delights of the Attic Lights, Rod Jones Solo (Idlewild), Frightened Rabbit, Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub) and Euro Child (performing as Johnny) at the Picture House (still haven't been there, is it any good?). I am guessing that none of this is supposed to be announced just yet, but hey it's not like the information isn't already out there. Go moan at ticketweb and the concert hall if you reckon I'm spoiling any surprises, god I am so defensive, perhaps it's because I haven't gotten so many folks backs up in the past with this blog, and genuinely I really don't mean to, honest guv.

Tickets are available for the dirt cheap price of £5
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Thanks to Susie and Popcop for the tips.

how you can be involved in the new Idlewild album

In quite a novel approach the 'wild are looking to involve their fans in the making of their new album, (details below) sounds like a great idea to me...

"Idlewild are pleased to announce plans for our forthcoming new studio album with an opportunity for our fans to be involved from an early stage. We will be in the studio for the first few months of 2009 and plan a conventional album release in the summer but, for a limited time, we would like to offer our fans a chance to be involved from the beginning by pre-ordering a special edition album along with plenty of extras. This offer is available world-wide so that finally fans overseas will have the chance to hear our music at the same time as everyone in the UK and before any general release.

Here's how it works:
By going to idlewildmusic.com you will get details on how to pre-order and what you will receive.
These include a limited edition CD album (with free download version) in exclusive packaging & including at least one bonus track. This will be shipped within weeks of completion & before any standard release.
You can get your name to appear in the CD booklet with the album and on a roll-call on the web site.
Access to download 15 free tracks from live recordings at the King Tuts "album by album" shows In December '08 & access to a members only section of the web site with album progress updates, exclusive photo and video content from the recording and preproduction process with diaries/blogs by individual band members and lots more.
Signing up will also automatically enter you into draws for special prizes.

Why are we doing this?
After 11 years of recording and releasing records within the constraints of the record industry we now fee that the time is right and the technology exists for us to deal more quickly and directly with the fans. It also allows us total control of our music and will ultimately mean that should you choose to get involved you will hear our music as soon as it is available.
Although the album will have a more traditional release some time later in 2009 we hope you will support us in our efforts to try something new and choose to pre-order the album now."

To Pre-order or just find out more, click here

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