About this time last year Findo Gask were, in my opinion, just about the most promising band in Scotland. Their unusual take on electro disco pop seemed to appeal to the indie kids as much as to the dancefloor, and with Vic Galloway and Muslim Alim putting them forward as one of two recommended Scottish [...]
This weeks freebies was sponsored by the letter J. J is for Jim. Jim is also known as Ayetunes (or the ginger bunny) and he very kindly tipped me off about a lot of these freebies. For that I am very thankful and so should you be. Mogwai Scotland's finest post rock outfit are set to release their new album, ' Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will' next month. If you can't wait that long then you're in luck as you can now download "San Pedro" from it here . [...]
About this time last year Findo Gask were, in my opinion, just about the most promising band in Scotland. Their unusual take on electro disco pop seemed to appeal to the indie kids as much as to the dancefloor, and with Vic Galloway and Muslim Alim putting them forward as one of two recommended Scottish bands for the BBC Introducing slots at Glastonbury they seemed to be gaining real momentum. Personally I love their first two singles, Va Va Va and One Eight Zero, and they are a band I would actually have loved to have on the [...]
We're in Anstruther this weekend for Homegame, and so we got incredibly pissed late at night and recorded a podcast for you all, just as a special extra Sunday Supplement. This should give you a taste of our Homegame fun and, sadly, also an idea of just how much of a wreck we all make of ourselves in Fife once a year. Honestly, this is my favourite festival in the fucking universe, possibly only equalled by Pickathon, which is incredibl e. Toadcast #113 - The Anstercast 01.Withered [...]
It's busy week, in the absence of Mrs. Toad, and ends with me actually DJing twice in the space of two nights towards the end of the week as well once at some point on Friday, although I'm not all that sure where - Cabaret Voltaire I think - and then the following day at the Bowery at MarchéMarché , which should be good fun. I have been promised that on no account am I expected to motivate people to dance, which probably helps matters considerably. Oh, and I've just realised that I am approaching a hundred kilos [...]
Track Listing 1. Go Faster Stripe 2. Curio 3. Air Pusher Download
Track Listing 1. One Eight Zero 2. Go Faster Stripe 3. Va va va Download
So Matthew's plane crashed on the way back from Italy, after a rather nasty accident apparently involving a trainee pilot, gin and a difference of opinion on the work of Tom Waits. Only kidding, folks. Matthew's alive and well, but figured he'd be trawling through unread e-mails all day, so you have to endure my own personal brand of humour and warped self importance for one more post. Sorry. Tuesday 30th June 2009 - I Heart Hiroshima and the Pineapple Chunks at the Bowery I Heart Hiroshima [...]
The two-day Glasgow bar crawl that is Hinterland will be kicking off in a few of weeks and for just £42 you will have access to a long list of performing golden nuggets. The 405 have gone panning for them and picked out the ones that you might want to consider not missing. Dead Kids Synthesised indie power! www.myspace.com/youaredeadkids [...]
[Photo a bodged version of one of David Forcier 's pics.] You have to admire Limbo. How the hell they manage to put on a three-band lineup every week is frankly beyond me, but to do it and still have so many great bills is a seriously commendable achievement. And this week, once again, they've produced a corker. Findo Gask only have a couple of singles to their name, but they are both absolutely superb, particularly the slightly enigmatic, insidiously catchy One Eight Zero. There are a lot of bands making catchy pop songs with [...]
If you're going to everything that's on this week, you might wish to consider drinking cups of tea at gigs or you'll have a liver like a fucking cricket ball by the end of all this. You could literally drink your way through the week, the finest of music dancing in your ears, and a great big beer-hoover emptying your wallet. My absolute definites are Withered Hand, Sparrow & the Workshop, Trembling Bells, Findo Gask and, erm, Jesus H. Foxx. Christ. I am going to have to make sure I have a couple of orange juice gigs in [...]
This is just an overspilling of all the shiny new things I have in my inbox this week. It's so fabulously up to the minute that there are songs in here which only landed in my inbox yesterday. There's a slightly sneaky legend making an appearance as well, in the shape of Jason Lytle. Jason was the lead singer of Grandaddy, a legendary group who disbanded back in about, erm, 2006 or so, leading to Jason moving to a house out in Montana and apparently giving up on the idea of making a living out of music altogether. [...]
Christ almighty, it's fucking busy this week. So I guess I'll start by listing the three famousy gigs which I will not be attending, just to get them out of the way nice and early. Firstly, I will not be going to see Martha Wainright at the Picturehouse on Wednesday because, frankly, I find her rather annoying, despite expecting to like her music. I expected to like it, I just didn't. I also won't be going to see Mogwai at the Corn Exchange on Tuesday because despite their legendary status, I think [...]
It may seem like a distant memory now, but before blogs existed there was another way for people to get a regular fix of music online. Webzines were the original heirs to the fanzine throne and one of the greatest, Diskant , happens to be on our doorstep. Based in Glasgow, it was once best known for hosting the mighty Mogwai fansite Brightlight! , which still provides a biblical source of topical knowledge on Scotland's long-lived post-rock pioneers. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that I probably [...]
It's now four days into July (hey, happy Independence Day Americans!), but here, slightly later than most other people, are the results of me casting my eye over the music of the year so far. It's been a good, if not remarkable year of music so far. Nothing really standing out over the others as being the album of the (half) year. But there's another five months to go. We'll see. Albums Top-tenular style of course: Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago Wildbirds & Peacedrums [...]
Can't I do one simple GIS for "postman" without being bombarded with mail-on-mail action ? All things considered, I had a pretty good week last week. My boss gave me a raise out of the blue; it won't be enough to keep me working at that soul-killing death factory one second longer than I have to, but hey, free money. datA and the inexplicably-named MY!GAY!HUSBAND rocked shit at IHEARTCOMIX Saturday night, despite datA being hampered by some truly disheartening tech diffs (bass cutting out right when [...]
Tracks picked by Optimo to appear on their singles club Oscarr have to be pretty special and Findo Gask – Va Va Va is no exception. Immediately striking a disorientating interplay of unrelated no-wave funk guitars, your first impression from today's indie is whether this is going to turn into Orange ...
What makes a new band stand out? In an increasingly difficult marketplace, it must be hard, because often our decisions are made before we even listen to bands. A bad name, for instance can put people right off. I know it can put me off. I've no plans to listen to Royworld for instance, unless someone can convince me they're totally ace. On the other hand I have overcome some prejudices lately to appreciate songs by Broadcast 2000, Glasvegas and Antarctica Takes It!. A name can be crucial, particularly when these are often just glimpsed on pieces of [...]
Dear Scotland
Peenko
Song, by Toad
The 405
The Pop Cop
The Daily Growl
Green Pea-ness
20JazzFunkGreats
Childish Gambino
Hot Chip - Night & Day
Sleigh Bells - Demons (Official Music Video)
The Rains of Castamere by The National
A-Trak & Dillon Francis - "Money Makin'" (Official Video)
DIIV "How Long Have You Known?" (OFFICIAL VIDEO)
Catcall – ‘The Warmest Place’
This Is Not The End (Gui Boratto 2012 Mix)
Rihanna Gets Nude For Nude
Michael Jackson – Bad (Afrojack Remix) (Preview)
