Scottish Fiction

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 20th February 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 23:23:00 +0000

I was lucky enough to be joined by the delightful A Band Called Quinn, who played three live tracks as well as talking about their music, and the Scottish music community in general. Great banter from Louise, Bal and Robert made this a very pleasant show, so enjoy listening back to it!

The songs that A Band Called Quinn chose were:

The Horrors - A Sea Within A Sea
Crystal Stilts - Through The Floor
D. D. Sound - Burning Love

And live in the studio A Band Called Quinn played:

Wolf Cries Boy
Fragments Of Him
Oh Jackie

The rest of our playlist looked something like this...

Queen Jane - Confetti
Withered Hand - Heart Heart
Nirvana - Come As You Are

Mixing It Up - Lianne La Havas - Forget - As chosen by Jamie Sparks

Collar Up - A Jam Jar Full Of Wasps
Randolph's Leap - Dying In My Sleep
PAWS - Jellyfish
Stevie Jackson - Where Do All The Good Girls Go?
PET - Wear Black
Apache Spaceman - Stevie Nicks
Run Lucky Free - The Factory
De Rosa - A Love Economy

Scottish Fiction - 20th February 2012 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

Super Vinyl Adventure Club

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:26:00 +0000

It's been a while since I did one of these posts. Not because I've given up in vinyl but more because after a while there's only so much you can write about the same shops. So I purposely left it a while.

You may remember me mentioning that each month I get £50 of vouchers to spend in HMV through my work. As I had a bit of spare time this morning before trudging of to work for my ill advised overtime, I decided to go and spend these.

Last time in, the shop assistant had mentioned that the store was looking to expand it's stock of vinyl, which was an interesting thing to hear, given that of late HMV was to music as binge drinking is to a healthy liver.

It would have been too much to ask that the section was moved back upstairs, as electronic devices, headphones, arrays of accessories and cut price DVD's were sprawled out across the main floor. Alas, down I went to browse.

And yes, there was a much better range on offer. Sneaked in amongst the reissues and AC/DC back catalogue that has been there for at least a year, were the latest releases from The Twilight Sad, Errors and RM Hubbert. Great to see some local talent being stocked. The whole section had also had a bit of a makeover, gig posters and old record sleeves adorned the walls making it actually feel like a record shop. Granted I was the only person there, which may be because it was 9:30 in the morning, but part of me suspects that there is lot more to do before HMV attracts serious music fans back in large numbers.

To highlight this point, the three aforementioned records, I have already purchased from Monorail Records. It, and LOVE Music, are still my go to places for music. In fact had it not been for my vouchers I probably wouldn't be in there. That said, I know opinion on this may be divided, but if, and it's a big if given their problems, HMV can shift towards a music store again, giving branch managers freedom to work with their local music scene and tailor their promotions accordingly, then it's music fans who could win. However I would fear once more for the independent traders, and would hope that they could still survive and that HMV would not use tactics to squeeze them out as previously used in the past. It's a double edged sword admittedly.

So I pick my choices, Howler - 'America Give Up', Real Estate - 'Days' and Field Music - 'Plumb'. The big bonus for me on this visit was the assistant who served me. Friendly and knowledgeable we talked about the above things, spoke about HMV getting live bands in, talked about music, and it felt like being served by a genuine music fan.

Why Blogger? - Tidal Wave Of Indifference

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:22:00 +0000

Joining us this time round on 'Why Blogger?' is Stu Lewis, the brains behind The Tidal Wave Of Indifference. With regular album reviews, and the regular Bandcrush feature, Tidal Wave are a stalwart of the blogging community. Stu has been kind enough to answer some of my questions, as we once again delve into the mind of the blogger. Enjoy!

Hello, how are you?

As it happens, on the sleepy side. I could do with a snooze.

Sum up your blog in 140 character tweet.

Immigrant obscurist waffles on about not just Scottish bands. When he can be arsed.

There's little (if any) monetary gain in blogging. Why do you do it?

It's a cliché, but sheer love of music and wanting to tell anyone who'll listen about why they should be listening to it as well. I've been doing that for about 20 years, but learning how to use the internet gave me a whole new platform for my pontificating.

Allow yourself some self praise, what's your proudest blog related moment?

I was delighted to score a little interview with the Go! Team, but ambling into a pub before a Come on Gang! gig to be greeted by two guys that I barely knew (at the time) who were there BECAUSE I HAD WRITTEN ABOUT IT still makes me enormously happy.

You're on a plane and the only in-flight movie is Maid In Manhatten. What do you take to:
Can't I just watch Maid in Manhattan? Sounds quite saucy...
Listen to: Well, my iPod, which has everything I need on it anyway, but I'd probably flick straight to Deerhunter or Grizzly Bear first. Or old favourites My Bloody Valentine.
Read: The latest Colin Bateman or Chris Brookmyre. Easy reads for travelling and you can't beat a bit of humourous crime fiction.
Watch: Aliens. Game over, man.

What Scottish artists would you recommend to the Scottish Fiction readers?

Too many to mention. But try PAWS, French Wives, FOUND, Admiral Fallow and Meursault for starters and get back to me to if you don't like any of them as I'd then feel it my duty to punch you in the face.

Do you write your blog with an audience in mind, or do you blog about what's on your mind?

I'm never really sure what my audience is to be honest so it's usually whatever takes my fancy, also depends on what albums are incoming as a my 'album of the week' pieces have always been the main event on the blog.

What do you think blogs bring to the music 'scene'?

Hopefully a bit of support and some kind words they can use as a quote. It would be nice if they could also generate some sales too, and I know for sure that my musings have prompted a number of purchases; I just don't know how many.

As a reader, what blog(s) do you frequent?

I flit regularly to Aye Tunes, Song, by Toad, Last Year's Girl and Peenko. I know all these people personally and have enormously respect for them. I rely on my Twitter feed to remind me that other great blogs are out there, so tweets are likely to prompt me to have a look at others for both inspiration and entertainment. There's also Radar of course; while I write for them I'm also interested in what the other contributors are doing.

Thanks very much for talking to us. Would you care to end with a joke?

No thanks, although I was reading recent story which suggest that the Flintstones were banned in Dubai. They just don't like them, but apparently the people of Abu Dhabi do.

Check out The Tidal Wave Of Indifference blog here

We're Only Here For The Banter - Run/Lucky/Free

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:57:00 +0000

Run/Lucky/Free make melodic indie music that burst with emotion and feeling. Spread across the country (literally) the band consist of vocalist Rachael Cormack, guitarist Daniel Critchon, bassist Sam Dick and drummer Fergus Costello. Last single The Factory was out late last year, and with the promise of new material in 2012, we're looking forward to hearing more from Run/Lucky/Free. Guitarist Daniel answered our usual barrel of questions.

Hello, how are you?

Hi. I’ve just finished watching ‘I Love You Man’ so I’m in a pretty good mood.

It's the question everyone hates, but could you tell us a little bit about your music and your influences?

Our songs usually consist of a solid rhythm section that makes you nod your head, guitars that jump between atmospheric and in your face, and emotive vocals and lyrics that make you ponder. We try and employ a lot of dynamics in to our music as well. We can’t seem to play music for a minute without going up or down in volume.

I heard a song by Death Cab For Cutie the other day called ‘Meet Me on the Equinox’ and I thought that that particular song sounded like the music we make (or at least the music that we’d like to make). It was just a passing thought though.

What's your song writing process like?

I tend to find that there is 3 parts to how we write songs. The first part is that initial spark of creativity that usually comes during a band practice. Everyone suddenly gets really excited about this piece of music we’re creating and within about 10 or 20 minutes we’ll have the base of a song.

The second part is refining the song. This, for us, is a long, arduous and, for the most part, incredibly infuriating process. We’ll take the song under our wing, love it, spend time with it, care for it; and then we’ll completely beat the shit out of it until everyone in the band is happy with it.

The third and final part is the finished product. We all know that a song is finished when we all look up after playing it in a practice and give an affirming nod to each other that says ‘well done… well done’!

What could we expect to see from a live show?

We usually choose about 6 or 7 songs for our set list, play the songs with as much energy as we can muster and try and have as much fun as we possibly can while we’re up there.

If it were all to end tomorrow, what would you say has been your greatest achievement?

Hmm… that’s a tough question. There have been plenty of gigs that we’ve played that were great achievements for us and we’re all really proud of the releases that we’ve had thus far. However, I don’t think we’ve really achieved anything special so far. I’m not trying to put us down or anything, I just don’t think we’ve fully realised what we can do as a band and I think that will come with our next release.

What have you got planned for 2012?

At the moment our main priority is writing new material. We want to record a new EP and release it in the next few months. So we’ll probably go quite quiet for a while, but trust me we’ll be working hard.

At Scottish Fiction we focus on new Scottish music, how do you as a band view the Scottish music 'scene'?

I think the Scottish music scene can sometimes be contained within itself and the bands that make it big here find it hard to break out of the Scottish music scene and make it big elsewhere. However, we definitely have the talent. There’s so many good Scottish bands that I’ve discovered over the past few months.

Also, I‘d like to take this chance to try and big up the Edinburgh music scene because everyone gives it a bad reputattion, especially at the moment with venues like Cab Vol closing down and the Bongo Club coming under threat. I think it’s better than people give it credit for. Recently Edinburgh bands like Bwani Junction and Discopolis have been getting some much deserved attention from the big boys at Radio 1 and the NME; in this week alone Avalanche Records has had in-store performances from Rachel Sermanni, The Twilight Sad and Frightened Rabbit; bloggers like Song, By Toad and The Tidal Wave Of Indifference and Radio DJs like Vic Galloway continue to put on gigs showcasing the best in Scottish talent; Born To Be Wide do a lot to get bands speaking with influential people from the music industry; and, although we seem to be losing venues faster than a fast thing can go fast, we still have incredible venues such as Sneaky Pete’s, The Wee Red Bar, Electric Circus and Henry’s Cellar Bar.

I’ll admit that a lot of the time Edinburgh doesn’t bring the crowds to justify these gigs, but you can’t say that there aren’t people trying to make the music scene in Edinburgh better.

Rant over.

What other Scottish artists would you recommend to the Scottish Fiction readers?

I’m just going to write a list: Forest Fires, Miasma, Seams, Maydays, Betatone Distraction, The Little Kicks, Trapped In Kansas, Bwani Junction, Discopolis, Tango In The Attic, The Imagineers, Letters, Blank Canvas, Make Sparks, Wiredrawn, Fatherson, Paws, Admiral Fallow, We Were Promised Jetpacks… and I’m spent

Thanks for speaking with us, would you care to share a joke with us?

What’s brown and sticky?

A stick.

The old classics are the best!

Check out more from Run/Lucky/Free

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Sunday Stuff - 19th February 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 22:03:00 +0000

On Friday I apologised for being a bad blogger, so I think that has pretty much covered my tardiness with this week's Friday Frolics post. Here's some things that have been happening. Loads more has gone on too, I've just forgot about it probably.

Scottish Fiction Round-Up

We're Only Here For The Banter - Maydays
Single/EP Review - Rachel Sermanni - Black Currents
Single/EP Review - So Many Animal Calls - Traps
Beats And Eats - Fiction Faction
Scottish Fiction Podcast - 13th February 2012
Interview With Malcolm Middleton

News

One of the most exciting acts about, PAWS have joined Scottish big guns We Were Promised Jetpacks and The Twilight Sad on Fat Cat Records. With the debut album in the bag, it's looking better and better for PAWS.

De Rosa announced this week that they are reforming. With a new website on the way, and new material being recorded it's good news.

Showing a bit of sense, Glasgow City Council have put on hold their Public Entertainment License proposals for six months to complete a full consultation. So far over 12,000 people have added their name to a petition. Click on the link to join them, and check out the full implications of the scheme here.

Wise words from Uncle Vic in the Sunday Herald

Gigs

Wednesday 22nd February - 7pm - Stereo - Sparrow And The Workshop, John Knox Sex Club, Three Blind Wolves (acoustic) - £7 here

Thursday 23rd February - 8pm - The Captain's Rest - Adam Holmes And The Embers, The Gillyflowers, Brigid Kaelin, - Tickets at the door, £7.50

Friday 24th February - 8pm - The Arches - Margins Book & Music Festival - Roddy Woomble, Withered Hand, Alasdair Roberts - £10 here

Friday 24th February - 9pm - Bar Bloc - Fantastic Man, PAWS - Free entry

Saturday 25th February - 8pm - The Arches - Margins Book & Music Festival - Don't Be Angry, Human! (Malcolm Middleton), Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat - £15 here

Releases

Randolph's Leap release their 'album' Randolph's Leap And The Curse Of The Haunted Headphones on Monday via Peenko Records. Get it here.

You can PREORDER Martin John Henry's new double A side 'Span' / 'Only Colour' now. Do that here

Other Blogs

Aye Tunes / Insularis Podcast
Peenko - Friday Freebies
Favourite Son - Randolph's Leap And The Curse Of The Haunted Headphones review
Edinburgh Man #83
The Pop Cop - Music Alliance Pact - February 2012

Interview With Malcolm Middleton

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 19:34:00 +0000

I was passed this interview along by Alistair from the Scots Whay Hae! blog. Originally intended for The Skinny magazine, however not used. I've posted it up for three reasons:

1. It's bloody Malcolm Middleton!

2. It's an easy blog post from me as I don't have to do anything.

3. It's to promote the Margins Book & Music Festival 2012 which takes place next weekend (Fri 24th to Sun 26th) and features Malcolm Middleton, Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat, Roddy Woomble, Withered Hand, Alasdair Roberts and a whole host of literary and poetry goodness. Held at The Arches tickets can be purchased from the above website link.

Check it out.

Tell us about Human Don't Be Angry.

It's just a new name to release music under. I was tired of the solo singy-songy stuff and fancied something new and fresh. I'd become a bit of a caricature of myself, or at least I thought I had, which is much worse. So time to move on for a while. I'll go back to the song-writing at some point, but for now I'm enjoying the (mostly) instrumental music.

So why do an album under a different name?

It's like wearing a disguise. I don't feel tethered to having to write about the same subject matter, or from the usual point of view. I think if any musician releases 5 or so albums you can become a bit bogged down by worry and expectations. I wanted a clean slate, and to step out of myself for a bit.

How would you say this differs from your usual music?

It's obviously still me, but I'm not singing about depression or death, or whining because I don't know what's going on. For the most part the music is lighter, but still somewhat subdued I guess. I've been bandying the words "upbeat" and "fun" around quite a lot...

What can we expect from your Margins Festival show?

Loud upbeat fun summer tunes. Jan Hammer meets Big Country. A shiny new enthusiastic and polished band. A balloon. And maybe an onstage smile.

You're being supported by Aidan Moffat and Bill Wells. What are the chances of that Arab Strap reunion?

Who can say? I'm up for it, but it'll depend on what kind of mood Grand Master Moffat is in.

Are you planning a HDBA tour?

Yes, the album comes out on the 16th April so I'll be playing quite a bit. I'm happy playing guitar again and want to enjoy it as much as I can, before the old me takes over and gets the urge to write depressing songs again. I think I'd like to do another HDBA album before I go back to that though.

What do you think of the controversy over the public entertainment licence in Glasgow?

I think it is crazy. Stupid. Mental. Pathetic. A shit idea.

Pick one song from the album that will make people realise what HDBA is all about.

It'd probably be the opening song "The Missing Plutonium". It says it all.

What's your take on the cultural scene in Scotland at present? Some writers have been talking about a golden age for lit- what does it feel like from your (musical) perspective?

Ha, the question says it all. "Some writers have been talking about a golden age for lit". Joking aside, it's obviously a good thing if you're into your culture and stuff ;) Personally, I like music with guitar solos, films with explosions and cheap plot twists, and books about philosophy or hobbits.

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 13th February 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 19:13:00 +0000

Love was the name of the game for the theme this week, as Valentine's Day was just around the corner. Non of your usual soppy ballads though, as I ask for suggestions for alternative love songs, and you duly delivered with some great suggestions. As usual we also have a jam packed show with plenty of new Scottish music to boot. Listen in again below.

Blue Sky Archives - Cosplay The Hard Way
So Many Animal Calls - Traps
The Mouse That Ate The Cat - Hubris
Marvel Heights - Mark Your Defeat
Panda Su - Eric Is Dead (Jonnie Common Remix)
Endor - St Michael's Bells

Mixing It Up - John Reuben - Jamboree - As chosen by Jamie Sparks

The Statler Project - Plenty
Maydays - Eternal Optimist
Blank Canvas - Golden
The Darien Venture - 1.21 Gigawatts
Hunt / Gather - Mort le Blanc

The Cure - Friday I'm In Love
Bright Eyes - First Day Of My Life
Aztec Camera - Somewhere In My Heart
Blink 182 - Rock Show
Guillemots - Made Up Love Song #43
The Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
Bloc Party - I Still Remember
Frank Zappa - Dirty Love
The Moldy Peaches - Anyone Else But You
The Stone Roses - Ten Story Love Song
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps
Lou Reed - Perfect Day
Madness - It Must Be Love

Scottish Fiction - 13th February 2012 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

Single/EP Review - So Many Animal Calls - Traps

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 12:57:00 +0000

'Eulogy' was one of my favourite EP's from last year, so I was delighted when So Many Animal Calls announced their signing to Overlook Records and the imminent release of new single 'Traps'. It was released officially on Monday 13th February, and the video has been making the rounds as well.

The first compliment that I can give this song is that my 5 year old daughter loves it, getting all 'rock and roll', as she puts it, when it comes on. She even knows the words. So when writing this review I asked her opinion, she simply put two thumbs up. Good show lads!

I mentioned on my radio show a few weeks ago, that with the demise of The Dykeenies, there were plenty of bands with the 'fail pop' sound waiting in the wings. So Many Animal Calls are at the forefront of the group, and with the feisty and urgent vibe of 'Traps' they are well placed to fill the void left.

Musically, 'Traps' is like a shot of adrenaline straight to the bloodstream, edgy and sharp guitars overlap with a bass line that exudes funk. Lead singer Sean McKenna's vocals are confident and betray the bands young age. And like so many bands emerging from Scotland, there's almost a sense of pride in the Scottish accent.

B-Side 'The Best Way To Be Broken' is a much more reversed affair, McKenna's vocals dulled to match a sombre mood, and strung out over a melodic piano. It's a four minute track with essentially a three minute building intro culminating in a wonderfully layered ending, combining vocals, guitars, piano and drums. Excellent work.

Buy So Many Animal Calls - 'Traps' here

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Beats And Eats - Fiction Faction

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 23:30:00 +0000

Another week another picture of my dinner table. Oh and some nice looking food on top of it! Yup, it's the feature with the best name back for another round of cookery delights. This week's Beats And Eats recipe comes corteosy of David Richards from Fiction Faction via (of course) The Pop Cop's Scottish Musician's Cookbook

When I started doing this whole malerky, this was the dish I was most looking forward to. Honest, cheap, healthy and hearty food. A dish with a Scottish feel throughout it. And kicking matters off, I threw on Fiction Faction's track 'Malenky Lizards' from their EP of the same name enjoying the wholesome sound of it's punchy sound. There's a whiff of The Smiths in the guitar playing, but lead singer David's vocals are much deeper. It's a solid song, which does what it says on the tin, if the tin says 'Staple Indie Rock Song'.

The smell of the ham hough, which had been boiling for the previous three hours was bliss. Lovely and smokey, mmmmm! I stripped the meat of the bone, and set aside, along with some pre-chopped syboes. In when the potatoes to some boiler water, and let them simmer away until soft enough to serve. As the whiting would only take a few minutes to cook, I listened to next track 'A Lot Can Happen On A Summer's Day', which in my opinion is a stronger track. Audibly more interesting, there's a lot going on, with clashing guitars and frantic drumming. The vocals on this song have a lot more power behind them, demanding the attention of the ear.

With the potatoes ready, I decant (can you decant potatoes, I'm not sure) into a seperate bowl and stir in the syboes and ham hough. It's now a quick and delicate manoevure to pan fry the whiting in a little olive oil. A minute on each side, as per instructed and onto the potato mixture. To finish a quick butter and lemon sauce is made in with the juices from the fish. A bit of seasoning, salt, pepper, and lemon thyme, and Bob's your uncle!

Tasting Notes

The 'Malenky Lizards' EP has a Miaoux Miaoux remix of the track 'Apparitions', which is quite spectacular. But as this is a Fiction Faction extravaganza, soundtracking our eating experience was the original track. Full of energy, the track surges with an electrical pulse, the guitars creating this techno futuristic feel about the track. I like it. And I like this dish too. As David says in the recipe, whiting doesn't get used enough. It's a great white fish, very delicate and doesn't over power the other elements of the dish. In my best masterchef impression, everything on the plate works well together, combining in my favourite dish so far!

5/5 syboes for this one!

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Single/EP Review - Rachel Sermanni - Black Currents EP

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 22:15:00 +0000

This month's EP is from another artist that I really hope gets the recognition deserved this year. Having tipped her (I know, check me out thinking my opinion matters!) for 2012 late last year, it's a pleasure to have the official first EP out and in the public ear.

First things first, that is a very nice cover. Shades of The Cure - 'Disintegration' about it, dark, broody, it intrigues me in a very intriguing way. Simply put, I like it.

The opening track is called 'Breath Easy', which is a song I've heard live before, most notably from a Radio Scotland session. An earthy bass plods gently through the song, lending weight to the theory less is more. Sermanni's voice is very fragile, fleeting like the gentle breeze. Anything more than the light piano and violin background might shatter the spell created. Sermanni's music is very much folk, and this is clear front the off. All the ingredients are here, and this sets her a little bit apart from others of the female singer/songwriter category at present.

'The Fog' is the next song, and in my opinion the strongest on the EP. Again, I've heard this song in it's live version, and the recorded version has a very finished feel to it. A haunting acoustic intro leads into Sermanni's voice, which is at it's strongest on this track, switching from soft like Norah Jones to powerful like Adele, all with that charming Highlands twinge. Musically, there's an eerie, 'what's around the corner' feel to the song, violins picked, urgent drums, and a sense of dread at every note.

The only song that I haven't heard previously on this EP is the title track 'Black Current'. A song about a dream, which intersects with reality at points, the songwriting and thematic content has all the bear marks of Jeff Buckley, and in this song especially, Sermanni's voice is strung over the track with a carefree, yet completely intended, manner.

Closing track 'Song To A Fox' is another live favourite, and here demonstrates the wonderful use of space and atmosphere that this EP has in abundance. Nothing is overstated or over seasoned, and Sermanni has done a wonderful job of retaining the real feeling that one gets from her stripped down acoustic performances.

Overall this is a wonderful collection of songs, crafted incredibly well, and captive enough to wish that there were more than four tracks.

Buy Rachel Sermanni - 'Black Currents' on CD here or in any good independent record shop. Download available via iTunes

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We're Only Here For The Banter - Maydays

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:54:00 +0000

Sprawled across the Scottish landscape, from Caithness to Edinburgh, are Maydays. Confidently making melodic pop tunes, the band have got new material planned for this year. Drummer Darren took some time to answer a few quick questions.

Hello, how are you?

Grand thanks. Fed and read to be questioned.

It's the question everyone hates, but could you tell us a little bit about your music and your influences?

No problem. Its a strange one for us. Most of our band are in love with The Band more than any other band but we don't write songs like them or sound anything like them. I would still say were heavily influenced by them though. There are 6 of us and we all love many of the same bands but we each like completely different things aswell. So I would say we're somewhere in that new indie bracket that we all share a common interest in but the style of each instrument comes from what were each listening to and thats ever changing.

What's your song writing process like?

Like no other! We're divided between central and northern Scotland. Most of us write. We record these horrendous demos in a very basic chords/melody fashion. We email them to each other. Give our opinions and ideas. And then eventually we get together and turn them into something similar to finished songs. We've been playing together for some time now and it usually comes together pretty fast. If it's taking too long then it usual wont get finished. We're not ones to slave over a song. We're hoping to change things a little and experiment more with sounds now. So we're gonna take a little more time with each idea.

What could we expect to see from a live show?

In and out. We usually have a 6 song rule. The aim is not to bore people. We want them to remember the first song by the time they've heard the last.

If it were all to end tomorrow, what would you say has been your greatest achievement?

The travel expenses we received for playing the Opening of Scottish Parliament last year. Did you know it's 289 miles from John O'Groats to the foot of the Royal Mile? And it takes 3 cars to transport 6 people and a massive organ.

What have you got planned for 2012?

Quite a few things. We hope to be playing a few small festivals this year and play more gigs in general. We're very busy emailing each other demos just now and have been meeting to write as we plan to record an EP at Chem 19 in April-ish time. Hopefully we'll release that in the summer. We're also releasing a single on the brand new Edinburgh label Feast Records in March. That launch is in Cabaret Voltaire on the 2nd March.

At Scottish Fiction we focus on new Scottish music, how do you as a band view the Scottish music 'scene'?

Currently it's brilliant. Hard to tell when you don't live in one of the Cities. But from here, what we've heard makes us proud.

What other Scottish artists would you recommend to the Scottish Fiction readers?

We've always loved an Edinburgh band called Miyagi. We've been listening to the Bwani Junction album a bit. The Imagineers have some great songs and are a great live band. Tango in the Attic have lost a member but are doing some new stuff with a new sound. The Merrylees. Run/Lucky/Free. Paws. It's hard to think on the spot!

Thanks for speaking with us, would you care to share a joke with us?

Whats the difference between Walt Disney and Bing Crosby? Bing sings and Walt Disney.

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Friday Frolics - 10th February 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:40:00 +0000

Ooooooh what's going on! Bit sparse this week, either I'm not doing enough research or it's just a bit quiet this week.

Scottish Fiction Round-Up

We're Only Here For The Banter - The Dirty Demographic
Why Blogger? - 17 Seconds
Album Review - The Twilight Sad - No One Can Ever Know
Album Review - RM Hubbert - Thirteen Lost & Found
Scottish Fiction Podcast - 6th February 2012

News

More SAMA news, Vukovi have been announced as playing at the Main Event held in The Garage on 1st March.

Listen again to The Twilight Sad's excellent performance on Uncle Vic's show on BBC Scotland on Monday night.

Fancy a free a compilation of music from acts who have played on Fresh Air's In Session? Grab it here.

Gigs

Saturday 11th February 8:30pm - King Tut's Wah Wah Hut - Aerials Up with support from Kobi and Echofela - £6

Wednesday 15th February 9pm - Flat 0/1 - MILK: Anti Valentines feat. So Many Animal Calls (single launch party), Carnivores & Midnight Lion (DJ) - £4

Releases

So Many Animal Calls have got a lovely new video for their new single 'Traps'. 'Traps' is released on Monday 13th to download, and out on limited edition 7" vinyl and CD on Wednesday 15th. Buy all of the above here.

Other Blogs

The Pop Cop - Save BBC Introducing Scotland campaign: where we're at (part 3)

The Pop Cop - It's The Taking Part That Counts

Edinburgh Man #82

Peenko has a whole heap of new sessions up. Just head over and check them all out in one big go.

Song, By Toad - No Fun Please, That's What Glasgow Is For

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 6th February 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:38:00 +0000

Rocking up with a barrell of new songs, Monday's show featured new tracks from The Twilight Sad and RM Hubbert amongst others. The theme for the second half of the show was flowers, and listeners came up with a whole heap of good suggestions. Check out the playlist and listen again!

The Twilight Sad - Don't Move
RM Hubbert (feat. Aidan Moffat) - Car Song
Pareto - These Men Can't Dance
Rachel Sermanni - The Fog
New Town Triptych - Never Again
Randolph's Leap - The Nonsense In My Soul
Saint Death - Dignitas
The Dykeenies - New Ideas
Johnny And The Giros - The That Friction Overcame Fun

Mixing It Up - M.I.A. - Bad Girls - As chosen by Jamie Sparks

I Monster - Daydream In Blue
Manic Street Preachers - Small Black Flowers That Grow In The Sky
Radiohead - Lotus Flower
Nick Cave & Kylie Minogue - Where The Wild Roses Grow
Travis - Flowers In The Window
The White Stripes - Blue Orchid
The Killers (feat. Lou Reed) - Tranquilize
Seal - Kiss From A Rose
The Jam - Carnation
Animal Collective - In The Flowers
Regina Spektor - The Flowers

Scottish Fiction - 6th February 2012 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

Album Review - RM Hubbert - Thirteen Lost & Found

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:48:00 +0000

What a treat for you this week. Not one, but two album reviews this week. Check out my review of The Twilight Sad's 'No One Can Ever Know' after you have read my review of RM Hubbert's brand new album 'Thirteen Lost & Found'.

Ever since Hubby was kind enough to come on my radio show (have a listen to that podcast here) I've been enthralled with RM Hubbert's music. I have to be honest, first album 'First & Last' is not like anything I would normally listen to, and while I enjoyed the finger picking flamenco style of acoustic guitar very much, what won me over more than anything was the raw honesty with which Hubby played and talked about his music. I found that devoid of lyrics, listening to Hubby allowed a time of reflection and contemplation.

That's something which has in part been retained in opening track 'We Radioed' and third track in 'For Joe', both are the same instrumental style of Hubbert's earlier work. 'For Joe' especially is a track full of emotion. Starting off with a slow, melodic, almost hypnotic rhythm, midway through the track there's an outpouring of rapturous plucking and strumming, before ending solemnly.

Snuggled in between these tracks is my favourite song on the album, 'Car Song', which features Aidan Moffat. I think Hubby's guitar playing complements Moffat's gritty lyrics and gruff voice well, the wooden tap of the guitar, the repeated sweeping melody. The true strength of the track for me is the last verse, a lull in the track, Hubbert's playing kicks back into play with the necessary optimism to soundtrack Moffat's 'breaking free' lyrics.

Next track 'Gus Am Bris An Latha' sees Hubbert joined in guitar duties by John Ferguson, and is instantly familiar as an RM Hubbert track, the intricate finger picking retained and backed up by a fuller sound provided by Ferguson. The last third of the song really kicks of and showcases Hubbert's excellent playing.

The concept behind 'Thirteen Lost & Found' is Hubbert reconnecting with the thirteen people who contribute to the album. I have avoided the word 'guest' because, these are not a whole heap of guest appearances, rather interwoven to the central theme of the album. 'Sunbeam Melts The Hour' has Marion Kenny and Hanna Tuulikki on it, and it is definitely the most worldly track on the album, mixing the flamenco guitar playing with the ethereal vocals of Tuulikki who is Finnish. It's a well crafted song, with different little glimmers of beauty seeping through with each listen.

Where as 'First & Last' was a very personal record, 'Thirteen Lost & Found' is much more welcoming and warm. The deep piano intro on 'Sandwalks' is inviting into a track that crashes and breaks like a the instrumentation of a storm at sea. Next track 'Half Light' features Emma Pollock, and like Moffat, her voice is complimented exceptionally well by Hubbert's guitar playing, but in a different way, more bassy and deeper. And that's another strength of this album. Hubbert works with his collaborators, adapting and complementing what they bring to the table. His guitar playing is the one constant throughout and he's savvy enough to let the different elements each artist brings fuse with that constant to stop the album becoming a mish mash of tracks.

'Switches Part 2' is another track I adore from this album, partly because Hubbert played it on my show, mentioned above. It's quite simply stunning and I can't say any more about it for fear of not paying it enough justice.

Album closer is 'The False Bride', which features the folk singing of Alasdair Roberts, again complimented by Hubbert's delicate finger picking. It's a nice closer, although betrays the upbeat moments on the record, with a tale of tragic woe and lost love.

For those not already acquainted with RM Hubbert, this record offers an excellent opportunity to ease yourself into his work. 'First & Last' won't be for everyone (some people just need vocals apparently). But the very heart of this LP is still the raw beauty and emotion that is conveyed by Hubbert's music. Giving that all this stems from Hubbert using music to deal with issues that have affected his life, it reinforces the power of music to communicate.

Buy 'Thirteen Lost & Found' here or from any good music retailer (that probably doesn't include HMV)

Check out more from RM Hubbert

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Album Review - The Twilight Sad - No One Can Ever Know

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:43:00 +0000

Released on Monday 6th February, 'No One Can Ever Know' is the third LP from The Twilight Sad, and builds on their already soaring status as Scotland's prominent export of alternative rock music. Whilst their first two LP's were heavy, drenched in the 'Wall Of Noise', and essentially a good raucous ear bash, 'No One Can Ever Know' turns that particular dial down a notch to great effect.

The first taste we got of the album came in the form of free download 'Kill It In The Morning', which is the album closer. The familiar embrace of lead singer James Graham's vocals were a welcome return coupled with the freshness of the song, a keyboard driven track which retains some of the post-rock scuzz and stirs in some 80's synths.

The album's lead single 'Sick' dropped on 14th November, and was a much stronger insight to the new direction which the Kilsyth band had veered in. Once again Graham's vocals are as passionate as ever, haunting and achingly beautiful with the choral refrain of 'over the hill, over the hill we go'. A simple repeating guitar riff is the glue which holds the track together, and again taking lead are the programmed synths, which lead to a more experimental sound, akin to Radiohead on Kid A and closer to home the post rock styling of Aerogramme.

These two tracks firmly whetted my appetite for more, and when the needle hit the grove and opening track 'Alphabeat' kick in with a healthy drum beat the stage was firmly set. 'Alphabeat' is a fine opener, the sound of a band getting ready to let loose, and it builds nicely throughout.

'Dead City' is one of my favourite tracks from the album, and also one of the best for examining the different sound 'No One Can Ever Know' has in comparison to earlier Sad work. Listen to this song against any track from the first two albums, and it's clear the band have progressed from their post-rock influences which can hang around Glasgow like a smog, limiting any change or progression. Replace Graham's vocals with those of the late Ian Curtis and this track would slot into a Joy Division set with ease.

Track three is single 'Sick', and following that is 'Don't Move', which combines a high hat and snare beat with distorted guitars giving pride place to the vocals, eerie, dark and hinting at trouble bubbling underneath. It's not hard to return to the Joy Division comparison which song titles such as this, 'Kill It In The Morning', 'Don't Look At Me' and 'Dead City'.

'Nil' is a quieter affair, again showcasing not only Graham's gruff Scottish voice, but his exquisite story telling, recalling a tale of dangers , 'you've been there, seen her, lying in the ground'. 'Don't Look At Me' rather than being quiet and introverted throws itself about with a fast paced rhythm, soaring synths once again touching back to the new wave sound. 'Not Sleeping', along with 'Dead City', gives us the lyric that the album takes it's name from, 'no one ever knows where she has gone'. Almost all of The Twilight Sad's songs have a common theme, stories of regret or hinting at terrible events. Shrouded in mystery the listener indulges in a little pop psychology. It's clear there's torment here, whether it's real or cleverly imagined I guess we'll never know.

A thumping end to 'Not Sleeping' leads to my favourite song on the LP, and the second single taken from it. 'Another Bed' is the most obvious '80's inspired track, instantly the new wave, synthpop sound of Depeche Mode, New Order and The Human League. The drums in particular are something that Stephen Morris would be proud of. However The Twilight Sad put their own twist on this sound, leaving the joy and happiness behind, injecting instead loneliness, depression and abject abandonment.

No one can deny that The Twilight Sad require a little effort. They are not, and much to their credit, a band who tag along with the latest fad. For established fans, this slight tweak on their sound gives a new facet of a rough piece of coal to examine. For new listeners, well you've stumbled across their finest work to date. Now go and listen to 'Forget The Night Ahead' and 'Fourteen Summers & Fifteen Winters' and really get to grips with the band.

Buy The Twilight Sad - No One Can Ever Know from all good record shops and online retailers

Check out more of The Twilight Sad

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Why Blogger? - 17 Seconds

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:23:00 +0000

Time for another delve inside the curious mind of the blogging community. This week it's the turn of Ed Jupp who, since 2006 has been running the excellent blog 17 Seconds. Ed also set up 17 Seconds Records and has a wealth of experience in the music 'scene'.

Hello, how are you?

A little frazzled! have just successfully organised an event in Dalkeith library involving my brother Miles and Frankie Boyle, as part of National Libraries Day, at Dalkeith Library. It went well -and I know have that sort of tension headache comedown. Otherwise...great!

Sum up your blog in 140 character tweet.

Running since July 2006, an mp3 blog featuring reviews, interviews and musings, and the odd rant

There's little (if any) monetary gain in blogging. Why do you do it?

Because I'm passionate about music and writing, so this gives me the chance to do both. There is little monetary gain - but the amount of free music and gigs I get passes to me that I can go to far more and listen to far more than I could do otherwise.

Allow yourself some self praise, what's your proudest blog related moment?

Probably interviewing Roy Harper - who was lovely, although getting a hug from Jennifer Herrema after interviewing her was a close second.

You're on a plane and the only in-flight movie is Maid In Manhatten. What do you take to:

Listen to: My iPod! But my favourite travel album is The Man Machine by Kraftwerk (yes, even above Trans Europe Express and Autobahn)
Read: Something by Christopher Brookmyre or Jonathan Coe would probably be my first choice.
Watch: My favourite film of all time is Withnail and I, so probably that; or an Alfred Hitchcock (not one of his comedies)

What Scottish artists would you recommend to the Scottish Fiction readers?

Do we have all day?!
Idlewild, Aberfeldy, Belle & Sebastian, Chris Bradley, Shop Assistants, Camera Obscura, Matt Norris & The Moon, Josef K, Rustie, Simple Minds (1979-1986), The Delgados, Mogwai, X-Lion Tamer, Meursault, The Skids, Jesus H. Foxx, Young Fathers, Fiction Faction, Wildhouse, eagleowl, White Heath, The Pastels, Wounded Knee...

Do you write your blog with an audience in mind, or do you blog about what's on your mind?

Mostly the latter, I think.

What do you think blogs bring to the music 'scene'?

The opportunity to discover new acts, and (re)discover older acts; the fact that anyone can do it, the opportunity for people to bring something to the table who might not get exposure either as artists or as writers; the fact that their space is inifinte as opposed to print media which, by definition, is finite

As a reader, what blog(s) do you frequent?

Song, by Toad
Peenko
The Vinyl Villain
Aye Tunes
Manic Pop Thrills
Love Shack, Baby
Teenage Kicks...
I Am Fuel, You Are Friends and many more.

Thanks very much for talking to us. Would you care to end with a joke?

I went in to see my boss.
He said: 'What's wrong with you?'
I said: 'I've got a wee cough.'
He said: 'You've got a wee cough?'
I said: 'Thanks boss, see you this time next week!'

Check out 17 Seconds blog here

We're Only Here For The Banter - The Dirty Demographic

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:48:00 +0000

The Dirty Demographic shape pop tunes to make sexy people dance. The four piece from Glasgow banish guitars in place of keys and synths, and glittery vocals full of joy! The are planning an album release for this year, following an EP released in 2011, and will be busy touring this year. Lead vocalist Angus Munro took some time to chat to us.

Hello, how are you?

Hi, we're great, thanks for asking.

It's the question everyone hates, but could you tell us a little bit about your music and your influences?

We're a piano-based pop outfit from Glasgow that share a lot of influences. Some we can think of our Ben Folds Five, The Divine Comedy, System of a Down, Weezer, Duke Special, Dresden Dolls to name a few.

What's your song writing process like?

Angus (Piano/Vocals) will usually bring a new song to a rehearsal or record a demo for the rest of the guys. Once we've all found one we like we start arranging it; chopping and changing parts until we have a full band song.

What could we expect to see from a live show?

Piano-Smashing, Bass-Thrashing, Snare-Breaking, Synth-Shaking, Vocal-Quaking; high energy stuff. Also Alan (Bass/Vocals) is known to backflip on stage although that may or may not be a lie.

If it were all to end tomorrow, what would you say has been your greatest achievement?

We've played with a lot of great bands last year but the highlight was definitely supporting The Hoosiers. It was a real great show with a lovely bunch of guys and would have been an awesome one to go out on!

What have you got planned for 2012?

We're working on our first album this year so a lot of time will go into that. Saying that, this is our busiest year in terms of gigs so expect to see us play all over the shop.

At Scottish Fiction we focus on new Scottish music, how do you as a band view the Scottish music 'scene'?

There's a lot of good new music around and Scotland is a real melting-pot. London is still the hub and where to be heard but a lot of up and coming Scots are showing up down there reminding everyone just how vibrant our scene really is.

What other Scottish artists would you recommend to the Scottish Fiction readers?

Kids With Crayons, Kith & Kin & Rio Callahan. Really great bands and writers - go see them if you have the chance.

Thanks for speaking with us, would you care to share a joke with us?

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Britney Spears
Britney Spears who?
Knock Knock
Who's there?
Oops I did it again.

Check out more from The Dirty Demographic

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&lt;p&gt;&amp;lt;a href="http://scottishfiction.bandcamp.com/track/family-tree"&amp;gt;Family Tree by The Dirty Demographic&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Saturday Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:14:00 +0000

In the four weeks that I've been running 'Friday Frolics', only once has it actually gone out on a Friday. Maybe there's something to be looked at there...

However before I consult my scheduling diary here's this week's Saturday Stuff (Friday Frolics).

Scottish Fiction Round-Up

Beats And Eats - Kettle Of Kites
Scottish Fiction Birthday Radio Show - Photos
Scottish Fiction Podcast - 30th January 2012
31 Songs - Song 5: Modest Mouse - Float On
We're Only Here For The Banter - Olympic Swimmers
We're Only Here For The Banter - Blank Canvas
Scottish Fiction January 2012 EP

News

Glasgow band Pareto have announced their split. As a parting gift they have made their final single, 'These Men Can't Dance' available to download for free here.

One of the best small festivals on the circuit Doune The Rabbit Hole have all of these things: A) a new website, B) a new location and C) an awesome line up including The Phantom Band, Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat, Olympic Swimmers, The John Knox Sex Club, Three Blind Wolves and much much more. Check out the full line up and buy tickets now via their website (link above)

Another split, this time alt rockers The Dykeenies have called it a day. Although this particular style of music isn't my favourite, they had some solid tunes, and it's sad news indeed.

Tickets for Fence Records new festival Eye O' The Dug held over April 14-15 are on sale here

Admiral Fallow's new album will called 'Tree Burst In Snow' and is due for release on the 21st May. Oooh!

More bad news for Scottish music fans. This time Janice Forsyth's show on BBC Scotland is for the chop. Lend your support against this here.

Nominations for the Scottish Alternative Music Awards are now all announced. Head over to their website to check out the nominees for all seven categories. Voting opens soon.

Gigs

Playing a free gig instore at LOVE Music Glasgow on Wednesday 8th February at 5pm will be Rachel Sermanni to promote her new EP 'Black Currents'. Get yourself along and lose yourself in her stunning voice.

Celtic Connections finishes tomorrow, Sunday 5th February. Here's my pick of what's on:
St Andrew's In The Square - Rachel Sermanni & Friends - Doors 7:30pm, tickets £13
Apollo 23 - Celtic Connections Festival Club - Doors 10pm, tickets £8
The Arches - Vieux Farka Toure supported by Bwani Junction - Doors 7:30pm, tickets £14
O2 ABC - Hazy Recollections featuring Dead Man's Waltz, Hidden Lane Choir, Captain And The Kings & The Seventeenth Century - Doors 2:30pm, tickets £10
Apple Store Buchanan Street - Chasing Owls - Doors 5pm, free

Sunday 5th February - Nice 'N' Sleazy's - Blouse, It Girl and Kill The Waves - Doors 7:30pm, tickets £7.50

Wednesday 8th February - O2 Academy - NME Awards Tour 2012 - Two Door Cinema Club, Metronomy, Azealia Banks, Tribes - Doors 7:30pm, tickets £19.10

Thursday 9th February - Grand Ole Opry - The Twilight Sad - Doors 7:30pm, tickets £12 (if anyone wants to treat me to this feel free!)

Releases

The Twilight Sad's new album 'No One Can Ever Know' is out on Monday! I got my pre-order through today and it's a belter. Buy it in all good record stores or online here as well as iTunes and Amazon.

Forest Fires have got a new video out for their song 'Recovery'. Have a swatch.

Rachel Sermanni releases her debut EP 'Black Currents' on Monday. You can pre-order the CD here and download the EP NOW here.

The Mouse That Ate The Cat have put two new songs up on Soundcloud for you all to listen to.

Other Blogs

Peenko - Friday Freebies

Peenko - RM Hubbert - Thirteen Lost & Found: Track by Track (I may get round to writing my own review, but this is an excellent insight into an outstanding album)

Favourite Son - Videos Of The Week

Edinburgh Man #81

Beats And Eats - Kettle Of Kites

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:10:00 +0000

I knew getting married would have a plus side! That hefty looking pestle and mortar sat dormant in my kitchen for over two years since we received it as a wedding present. That is until last Wednesday, when, continuing in my quest to cook all the recipes in The Pop Cop's Scottish Musician Cookbook, I made Pesto Alla Genovese contributed by Tom Stearn of Kettle Of Kites.

Feeling all authenicy and like a genuine Italian cook I began to make the pesto. The ingredients called for pine nuts (check), olive oil (check), lots of fresh basil (check) garlic (check) sea salt (check) parmesan cheese (check) and pecorino cheese (uncheck). Despite my search of a few supermarkets I could not find any pecorino cheese, so to compesate I doubled up on the parmesan. The end result tasted lovely so I'm presuming this was an ok move to make. Making the pesto in the pestle and mortar was the most exercise I have done in a long time, and all good exercise needs some music to soundtrack it. Luckily for me I had the tunes of Kettle Of Kites on hand to listen to, and 'Not Tall Enough's cheery and fast paced tempo helped my smoosh that paste in no time!

I liked the technical details of this recipe, I for one had no idea that the quantity of salt used helped determine how the pasta cooked. After peeling mu potatoes and topping and tailing my green beans I popped them into some boiling water. I had chosen to use linguini pasta, and after leaving the veg cooking for a few minutes threw this in along with the veg to cook. During this downtime I had a listen to 'Dunmore', which is a very laid back track, a nice little acoustic folk song which sounds a little like Admiral Fallow at points.

Another thing I loved about this recipe is that it was very simple and easy to make. Just before the pasta finished cooking I divided up the pesto, mixed in some water, then topped off with the finished pasta and veg. A good handful of parmesan cheese and black pepper on top and we were ready to eat! To compliment the eating we listened to 'Mr Pearl' an jaunty number which showcases Tom's voice very well.

Tasting Notes

Tom get's bonus points straight away for a very detailed and concise recipe which was easy to follow. Top man! It also looked very nice, and had an authenic feel about it.

The pesto I found very nice. There is something true about things tasting good if you have to work hard to make them. And that was without the pecorino cheese, which I'm sure would have enhanced the taste even further. I'm also a bit fan of linguine pasta.

The mark downs for me were the green beans, and this is purely because of personal tastes not due to the recipe. I'm not a bit green bean fan, I would have enjoyed this much more without them. And I prefer my potatoes with a bit more flavour, whereas in this recipe they were a bit bland.

Overall I'm going to give this 3/5 basil leaves.

Check out more from Kettle Of Kites:

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Scottish Fiction Birthday Radio Show - Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:18:00 +0000

As well as the Podcast here's some pictures from the show.

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 30th January 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:49:00 +0000

Aww look at those handsome faces! Monday night's show was my 1st birthday as a radio presenter (I use the term loosely) and to help me celebrate were some very special guests. From left to right: Julia Doogan, Michael Cassidy and Shambles Miller.

During the course of the evening we chatted, played some songs and had some live music courtesy from my esteemed guests. Oh and I picked a few tracks too.

Have a listen to the show again, and do check out more from of our guests music below!

Julia And The Doogans - Website Facebook Twitter
Michael Cassidy - Website Facebook Twitter
Shambles Miller - Website Facebook Twitter

Scottish Fiction - 30th January 2012 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

31 Songs - Song 5

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:05:00 +0000

Song 5 - Modest Mouse - Float On

Some songs just put a smile on your face. When you need it most, whatever may be going on, it's reassuring to know that there's always a song that will turn that frown upside down, even if just for three and a half minutes. 'Float On' by American indie band Modest Mouse is as near to indie-pop bliss as you can get. It really shouldn't be, but it works perfectly.

A work colleague first introduced me to Modest Mouse around about the time that their breakthrough album 'Good News For People Who Love Bad News' was released, which was mid 2004. We used to have a small CD player through the back of the fast food restaurant that we worked in, which was loud enough that we could hear it over the din of the fryers but out of earshot of customers. Usually the person who was in the kitchen area would have first dibs on what was played and Donald and I had gotten into the habit of making mix CD's each week, adding in songs we thought might impress the other. It was incidentally around this time I started to appreciate the art of the 'mixtape', a la` High Fidelity, but that's a story for another day.

The hour between 10 and 11 was generally the best hour on a Saturday shift. Having started at 7, put away the delivery and prepped up enough food to see you through to 11, when the first wave of customers would generally appear, it was the time we could put our feet up and properly listen to the music.

From the first kicks of the drum kit and the jangly rhythm guitar, there's a feeling that this song will lift your mood. Before your cheeks have formed into full dimples, there's a glorious little riff to contend with. Listening to the music, which is crafted together with such care and attention, conjures up images of a merry little cartoon complete with smiling sunshine. It's not overly complicated, prescribed in just the right amounts, and underlying is that jangly melody inviting you to sway along with it. It's a slice of perfect pop, served up with a dollop of cream.

When I say pop, I don't mean the vacant bubble gum variety that too often is served up, I mean pop in the styling of The Beach Boys and Phil Spector. It shouldn't really work in this sense, as lead singer Isaac Brook, doesn't have the most naturally appealing singing voice. For the majority of Modest Mouse's work this isn't a major concern, after all their brand of alternative indie isn't exactly tailored to that particular demographic. Listen to the opening line when it kicks in and you'll see what I mean. Yet it works, Brook's edgy off kilter vocals make the song sound real rather than empty, the sound of a regular guy just looking for a piece of happiness in amongst the rubble of everyday life.

Lyrically that's exactly what the 'Float On' is about. To give a direct quote from Brook's himself:

"It was [writing Float On] a completely conscious thing. I was just kind of fed up with how bad shit had been going, and how dark everything was, with bad news coming from everywhere. Our president [George W. Bush] is just a fucking daily dose of bad news! Then you've got the well-intentioned scientists telling us that everything is fucked. I just want to feel good for a day."

The first verse laments about backing into a cop car, and running your mouth off a bit too much, but both things turn out all right. And you know what, if hitting a cop car can turn out alright, then maybe everything else can too. But for me it's the chorus, from which the song derives its name that wins me over every time. "We'll all float on ok", that lackadaisical attitude that no matter what's going on, we'll just float on, and you know, be happy? And that's what we need reminded of more and more these days. 'Cause even if things get heavy, we'll all float on. And we will. 'Float On' serves to remind us of that.

We're Only Here For The Banter - Olympic Swimmers

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:59:00 +0000

Olympic Swimmers are a five piece from Glasgow who make somewhat shoe-gaze influenced indie music. I first heard the band supporting Admiral Fallow in The Arches last year, and with an album due for release this year a few more heads should be turned the way of this impressive outfit. Susie from the band took some time to answer a few questions. Have a read.

Hello, how are you?

I’m usually a bit moany but less so today.

It's the question everyone hates, but could you tell us a little bit about your music and your influences?

I don't hate it, I'm just not very good at answering it... Sometimes it's loud, sometimes it's really quiet. There's usually an opportunity to look at your shoes, but more for a prolonged glance than a true gaze, and more recently we seem to have had a brief outbreak of faster tunes to ensure noone falls asleep at gigs. It tends to verge on the melancholic, but we do try hard to balance that out with some element of uplift! We all have very broad and often opposing tastes but in relation to the music we do with OS we are generally agreed on our love of, and therefore openness to influence from, bands like Aereogramme, Cocteau Twins, Low.

What's your song writing process like?

Usually start with someone's idea(s) and play/sing around it until we can agree or it's time to go home.

What could we expect to see from a live show?

If you're really lucky a malfunctioning smoke machine and a pseudo-religious experience.

If it were all to end tomorrow, what would you say has been your greatest achievement?

Depends what's ending! The band? My life? The world? We made an album during 2011 and we’re just getting ready to put it out. I'm very very pleased that we've managed to do this! I feel like we put a lot into it and are so happy with how it's turned out that although it would be a bit unfortunate if noone else ever hears it, it might soften the blow of the world ending to know that we at least managed to finish it.

What have you got planned for 2012?

To release this album! As soon as possible in case the world ends.

At Scottish Fiction we focus on new Scottish music, how do you as a band view the Scottish music 'scene'?

I'm not sure we've ever discussed it so I can't really tell you what anyone else's view is! I think that it’s nice that bands of all different styles appreciate each other’s music and can work together or play together and it doesn’t seem odd. I like the lack of genre!

What other Scottish artists would you recommend to the Scottish Fiction readers?

Happy Particles, No Comet, Holy Mountain

Thanks for speaking with us, would you care to share a joke with us?

Here’s a suitably themed Chic Murray number: My girlfriend's a redhead, no hair, just a red head

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We're Only Here For The Banter - Blank Canvas

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Edinburgh is a city with a rich musical history, steeped in the post punk history of The Fire Engines and Oragne Juice amongst others. Rather than stand back in awe of this, a whole fleet of Edinburgh bands are surging through and amongst the strongest are Blank Canvas. Latest double A side single 'By The Fire' & 'Golden' sweeps across your ears with it's dreamy guitar riffs and urgent bassline. The four piece have been tipped by bloggers and press alike, so 2012 will be interesting to see what comes out the bag. The band were kind enough to have a quick chat to us, here's what they [guitarist Daniel] had to say:

It's the question everyone hates, but could you tell us a little bit about your music and your influences?

We are Blank Canvas and we come from Edinburgh. We collectively find it hard to pinpoint an exact genre that we would all relate to, but things like that are often retrograde anyway. Our musical style tends to shift between the ornate and the more uncouth, both to me seem equally valuable.

What's your song writing process like?

Each song is different. Some we write in a day, some take half a year. We usually start with an idea or an individual motif, often inspired by a unique sound or a more abstract ideal. These small bits of music then begin to mutate into songs or even parts of songs. We rarely write an entire song individually.

What could we expect to see from a live show?

Our live shows are where I feel we truly come to life. The songs become rawer and more primitive, which in itself can be liberating. Now that we are being a little more selective in terms of gigs I am hopeful that we can keep them as intense and fresh as they have been and that they can keep improving.

If it were all to end tomorrow, what would you say has been your greatest achievement?

That’s a hard question. The songs that we’ve written and the countless gigs we have played do sit very fondly with me. I think we are only just realising our potential musically, so hopefully our greatest achievements are still to come!

What have you got planned for 2012?

We have a bunch of stuff that will be announced over the next month that we are very excited about. We want to just record a lot of music and play good shows. I’m looking forward to the summer in particular as we hope to play a bunch of festivals.

At Scottish Fiction we focus on new Scottish music, how do you as a band view the Scottish music 'scene'?

It seems to be improving and diversifying at the moment, which is a good thing. We have never felt part of any scene, I think this might in part be due to the fact that initially we made music together in our own bedrooms and garages and didn’t really take our geographical positioning into account. There is obviously a great history of exciting Scottish music and lots of my favourite bands are Scottish, so when we raised our heads above the parapet it was cool to see ourselves hopefully in that same lineage.

What other Scottish artists would you recommend to the Scottish Fiction readers?

We played a gig with Discopolis, they're cool. I like Magic Eye from Edinburgh and Vienetta from Glasgow.
Check them out.

Thanks for speaking with us, would you care to share a joke with us?

I can’t think of one but here are some amusing pictures of Ross Kemp if that will do?

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By the Fire by Blank Canvas

Scottish Fiction January 2012 EP

noreply@blogger.com (Scottish Fiction) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:37:00 +0000

After the huge success of our Shelter Christmas EP it's back to the business of dishing up some free music from Scotland's talented artists for you to enjoy.

Here's the line up for this month's EP:

A Band Called Quinn
Bottle Of Evil
Mickey 9's
Blank Canvas

As usual you can listen to/download the EP below. Spread the word and enjoy!

Scottish Fiction January EP by Scottish Fiction