Although I have been posting reasonably regularly on the blog, I still kind of feel as if I have been neglecting it a little bit. I guess that's more to do with withdrawal symptoms form not posting every day, which had become a bit of an obsession of mine. If you're ever considering starting your own we blog you should be warned that it really does take over you life, mostly for the better. I might have taken a break from posting, but I have still been pretty busy, behind the scenes there's been a lot going on with my [...]
Saturday of Sound City saw me flagging a bit, after Black Lips had destroyed me mentally and physically the previous night. But, with no time to feel sorry for myself, I tackled the only day of the weekend that staged events during the day. Granted, the major one I attended was a barbecue, but still, this city festival stuff takes it out of you... Read more..
The title of this post might be a little misleading, yes there will be news, however, I am not too sure about the schmooze and blues. It just seemed like a good idea as it kind of rhymed, plus my head is slightly frazzled after far too much alcohol abuse, so it's the bst you're going to get from me today I am afraid... First off, I have a wee reminder that this Thursday we are putting on our third live Peenko Session at the [...]
This is one of those weeks where there could be two of you and you'd still probably not quite manage to get to all the decent gigs in the city this week. Personally I am going to try and keep it a bit calm, but I have my doubts as to whether or not I am likely to succeed. Mrs. Toad, no doubt, will be wildly impressed. I had fun down in London last week, incidentally. As I mentioned, I did a quick interview with Tom Robinson for BBC 6Music while I was there and, in typical fashion, [...]
This was meant to have been a series of posts between Christmas and New Year, of my favourite songs of 2010 but it never quite worked out. Anyway, for the Aye Tunes Presents gig just passed I whittled down the number of tracks from around 100 and knocked up a few CDs to dish out in exchange for a donation to charity. I didn't quite have time to supply a tracklist with the CDs though, so I promised everyone that picked one up I'd put the tracklist online. For those [...]
This was meant to have been a series of posts between Christmas and New Year, of my favourite songs of 2010 but it never quite worked out. Anyway, for the Aye Tunes Presents gig just passed I whittled down the number of tracks from around 100 and knocked up a few CDs to dish out in exchange for a donation to charity. I didn't quite have time to supply a tracklist with the CDs though, so I promised everyone that picked one up I'd put the tracklist online. For those [...]
One of THEE most important bands to my musical development. This song still stands erect. The album is still every bit as epic and organic. Echo works the tension and that, kids, is one of the great secrets to music. The weighting and the unweighting. [...]
When I sent emails out to all of last year's Scots Way-Hay artists I honestly only expected to get a handful of replies back. How wrong I was. It turned out that most bands were pretty keen to let you all know what's been tickling their fancy in 2010. So in the last of my [...]
When I sent emails out to all of this years Scots Way-Hay artists I honestly only expected to get a handful of replies back. How wrong I was, it turned out that most bands were pretty keen to let you all know what's been tickling their fancy in 2010. So in the last of my series of posts I give you the favourite albums of 2010 for Ardentjohn, Endor, French Wives, Lorraine McCauley and Over the Wall..... Blud Rins Cauld by John Knox Sex [...]
So this is a bit of a late post, it had been pencilled in to tie in with the release of the album, which was weeks ago now. I had actually given up hope on actually getting sent this, so when it popped into my inbox a couple of days back it came as quite a nice surprise. Part of me almost felt like what's the point, it's been for ages now, but then I started to think of it in terms of me being a uni lecturer (god forbid) receiving an essay from that one pupil who they know [...]
I'm not sure where it started but I've noticed a strange trend with Scottish acts making music with spoken "vocals" over the music. I've spoken about it on here a few times, likening them to Arab Strap since that's where I first heard it. An entire album of it would probably become quite trite quite quickly, but when it's done well and comes outta nowhere, it really works. I think it might be the accent; pointed and thick, or maybe they're just good storytellers. Maybe we're all just terrible singers so our only option is to drawl over [...]
I must admit that it at the moment I am finding it a bit tricky to come up with a post for every day of the week. This is mainly because of the lack of radio sessions available for me to rip, I am getting quite picky in my old age. Thankfully though help is it at hand, thanks to a lovely chap by the name of Brian Pokora, who is very kindly going to be letting me post an array of sessions that he recorded for his show on Fresh Air. Kicking it all off we have the Over [...]
Misinformed Google users may believe Treacherous is the work of a UK based 'children in need (of an adventure)' charity. Over the Wall are actually a rather sincere act from Glasgow, who sit comfortably between experimental and quaint pop without tipping over into a bucket labelled 'twee aftermath'. Gav Prentice and Ben Hillman have been writing and recording their music since the heady indie-pop days of 2006. The aforementioned charity came into existence a full seven years preceding the band and to my knowledge have never released a record. Some might [...]
After a weekend of alcoholic liver-punching with the awful cunts from Gerry Loves Records I find myself back in Edinburgh with Mrs. Toad off in Australia and nothing between me and an entire week spent on the internet in my pants with a jar of pickled onions and a jumbo packet of pork scratchings. In fact, that sounds like a pretty good plan, all told. Balls to dignity, self-respect and hygiene. Wednesday 10th November 2010: Casiotone for the Painfully Alone & My Tiny Robots at Sneaky Pete's . [...]
After taking the summer off, ILL FIT returns with a bad ass line-up featuring three of the most exciting new bands around. Kicks off at 19:30, rolls on 'till 12am with free entry all night long. OVER THE WALL fuse together traditional folk with electronic samples, Bontempi organs, trumpets and earnest vocals to create perfect intelligent pop songs. Hailing from Scotland, this will be the bands first London show. ECHO LAKE are dreamy without being dream pop, ambient without being boring, hinting [...]
I've been a big fan of Over the Wall ever since their 2008 release The Rise and Fall of Over the Wall . They fuse together traditional folk with electronic samples, Bontempi organs, trumpets and earnest vocals to create perfect intelligent pop songs. Consisting of duo Gavin Prentice and Ben Hillman, the Glasgow based band have just released their single 'Settle Down' on Motive Sounds Records. I caught up with the duo to talk about 'Settle Down', their forthcoming album, Fabian politics and the blossoming Scottish scene. So, you have a new single [...]
Track Listing 1. Settle Down 2. I Going Swimming (Peter Garbiel cover) 3. Thurso Download
Over The Wall - Settle Down More info at Motive Sounds . More music at Myspace . Cheers to the Hello Thor gang for sending this my way. Related posts: Submission Time! The Opening Acts' Half-Assed, Once-A-Year Electronica Report Briefly
Peenko
Never Enough Notes
Track In The Box
Song, by Toad
Aye Tunes
Aye Tunes
Rick Saunders Breaks His Silence
Dear Scotland
acuvi.org
Listen Before You Buy
The Line Of Best Fit
The Opening Acts
Music Alliance Pact. MAP. February 2012.
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A-Trak - "Round of Applause" / "Where My Money At" (MP3 Download)
