Scottish Bands at SXSW 2012 – Updated
Feb 10, 10:48am
Dear Scotland
Dear Scotland
Tagged: scottishbands
Found 212 posts tagged scottishbands:
Earlier today the Scottish Music Industry Association announced via press release that eleven Scottish bands, DJs and producers will showcase as part of this year's South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. The updated list adds several new acts to those that were already made public by SXSW last month. According to today's SMIA press [...]
I don't think I approached this record with breath quite as bated as a lot of the rest of the Scottish music community. I love RM Hubbert live; watching him play the guitar really is one of the most mesmerising things you'll see, and the sincere but humourous chat inbetween songs is as engaging as the actual performance. At the risk of enraging classical guitarists everywhere, however, I will venture that there are limitations to what you can achieve as a solo acoustic guitarist playing entirely instrumental songs. Not that his recorded stuff was bad by any means, [...]
The fact that this album is self-titled makes the headline for this post look like a bit of a joke, doesn't it. How many Djangos does one album title need, after all. Anyhow, at the risk of repeating a little bit too much of this week's podcast , these guys have been described in a few places, somewhat tenuously, as an Edinburgh band. It's a nice thought, but while they did indeed emerge, to the best of my knowledge, from the Edinburgh College of Art, I think they're now based in London and have released their debut [...]
The Twilight Sad were one of the first under the radar Scottish bands I ever really 'discovered' for myself, although oddly enough it was actually American blogs where I first started to hear about them, despite their being from just down the road, relatively speaking. This is their third album, and despite a subtle shift evident in their second, represents by far the most decisive move yet away from the walls of squalling guitars which played such a part in the making of their name. They have adjusted from a devastating combination of heart-rending vocal and [...]
With one EP already to their name, out for free on Glasgow's brilliant Wiseblood Industries, this is the debut album proper by Now Wakes the Sea . Contrary to what their name might hint at, they aren't a nasty emo band, in fact a wonderfully muffled, slow-moving lot. Most bands who use these atmospheric, lo-fi productions methods do so to produce music which is raw and aggressive, daring you to tease the tune out of the static if you have the stamina. Now Wakes the Sea, on the other hand, for all they have a [...]
Hmmm, reading the email I was sent by Shift-Static, there is a definite emphasis on their Edinburgh associations which seems entirely absent from any of their other PR material. So if they were trying to prey upon my nepotistic instincts then they, erm, probably had a point actually. It's hard to resist the idea that somewhere round the corner from you there exists a collection of talented fuckers making amazing music entirely out of the view of the world's music chatterati, so despite the fact that this lot are clearly far more from Newcastle than they are from [...]
A trawl through the 2012 SXSW music schedule published earlier today reveals that there at least 8 Scottish bands who have been invited to attend this year's festival in Austin, Texas. We expect more to be announced in the next few weeks. The 2012 music festival will take place in Austin from March 13th to [...]
Hmm, well I haven't heard much music like this being made in Scotland I don't think - well, not that I've liked particularly - but LeThug are really rather good. They tag themselves as drone on their Soundcloud page , and the sound is dominated by a thrumming, rhythmic buzz, but there are strong elements of experimental electronic pop in here as well, a lot of it is heavily dependent on instrumental textures and it's almost dancey in places. Almost. In Your Head Be It , the EP they have up on Soundcloud, [...]
Well, after last year's obsession with rough and ready lo-fi garage rock, this year* has already thrown up two excellent Scottish releases which, whilst they share a lot of the lo-fi aesthetic, are very much more morose, downbeat affairs. The first of those I'm going to be discussing is Smackvan, who formerly released with the excellent but now sadly defunct Benbecula Records. I've not been particularly prompt about reviewing this album, I have to confess, but that shouldn't be mistaken for a lack of enthusiasm. It may be downbeat and low key, but even at the [...]
Strolling into the empty venue at the spite of a freezing cold queue for the gig, I find myself defrosting quite quickly in the midst of Twin Atlantic's severely overheated backstage room. Among the many beer (and less importantly, water) bottles, vocalist Sam McTrusty sits trying to concoct the perfect playlist for tonight's event, while guitarist Barry McKenna and drummer Craig Kneale kindly share a few words with me before hitting the stage. Read more..
I've been to some very, very good gigs recently, but this was fucking incredible. Drew ( Wounded Knee ) put together an evening of bands to celebrate the release, on Gerry Loves Records , of his album House Music . He was preceded on stage by The Wee Rogue, whose hunched playing style and gentle vocals we rather lovely. Kittens, I wasn't so sure about, I must be honest. They were nice to listen to, particularly in the intimate environment of this particular gig, but I am not all that sure I would feel compelled to [...]
I remember the first time I saw the Twilight Sad. They played in Bannerman's in August 2007, with Popup and Dumb Instrument, and I remember bumping into at least half a dozen people from different bands, all excited to hear this new Scottish band who most of us happened to have heard about first from American blogs, oddly enough. It was similar last night actually, in the sense that having gone along with Ian, we ended up bumping into loads of local music people. Clearly something about the Twilight Sad excites music people. Before we get [...]
Unbeknownst to myself at the time, James Yorkston was the first Fence Collective artist I ever really, seriously fell for. Back when he first released Moving Up Country I was pretty damn impressed, but when he then followed it up with the outstandingly beautiful Just Beyond the River a couple of years later I was entirely smitten. For all that, however, it's now been a good few years since I've seen him play, despite both he and I being at pretty much every Homegame festival for the last few years. As with [...]
Carbrain - The Wake One of the bands who came to Sarah Records with an established history, coming to the label with a reputation, not having their reputation shaped by it. From them forming in 1981 to arriving at Sarah in 1989 they did some things and went places that look good on paper/internet, played with and had members of bands that are fun and advantageous to namedrop, were on a record label with greater prestige than all Sarah will ever be able to [...]
The John Knox Sex Club do more or less everything music isn't really supposed to be doing at the moment, and they do it absolutely brilliantly. Firstly, it's strongly folk influenced, an attribute which was flushed clean out of the zeitgeist by the success of Mumford and Sons. There may still be money to be made in it, but the hipsters are staying well clear. Secondly, it's bombastic as fuck, not a hint of irony, not a hint of clever retroism, cool detachment, nothing. They absolutely go for it, with not a care for the sort [...]
Video: Vimeo - YouTube Photos: Flickr Audio: zip file (right-click, save as) The Toad Session I was probably most nervous about recording was Milk Maid , I think. It was arranged at the last minute, they are a full, four-piece rock band, their profile is riding relatively high at the moment and I'd never really recorded anything so loud in our house before. As it was, it turned out pretty fucking well, if you ask me, so when [...]
Presumably bored with the excessive amounts of time and work required to produce and publicise formal releases, Yusuf Azak has made a four-song EP available for free on his Bandcamp page . Those of you listening to it as normal, innocent punters will hear lush, lovely acoustic pop tunes, swathed in strings, piano and Yusuf's gorgeous vocals (although the familiar looping and layering is a little less prominent here than on earlier releases). He seems to divide opinion, Yusuf, which is odd because I don't really think of him as the most deliberately challenging or [...]
You may have noticed that on the Song, by Toad Records site we now have the rather fantastic Jonnie Common's Deskjob for sale. It's not actually on the label of course, although a couple of Toad bands are featured, but I gave Jonnie a bit of a hand with some of the PR and stuff like that, so he gave me some to sell on the site as a thank you. Given that I now have a vested interest in selling the album I can't really review it here, but I do want to [...]
R.M. Hubbert – Thirteen Lost and Found
Feb 8, 10:53am
Song, by Toad
Song, by Toad
I don't think I approached this record with breath quite as bated as a lot of the rest of the Scottish music community. I love RM Hubbert live; watching him play the guitar really is one of the most mesmerising things you'll see, and the sincere but humourous chat inbetween songs is as engaging as the actual performance. At the risk of enraging classical guitarists everywhere, however, I will venture that there are limitations to what you can achieve as a solo acoustic guitarist playing entirely instrumental songs. Not that his recorded stuff was bad by any means, [...]
- RM Hubbert - Sandwalks (with Stevie Jones & Paul Savage)
- RM Hubbert - Sunbeam Melts The Hour (with Marion Kenny & Hanna Tuulikki)
Artist: RM Hubbert Title: Sandwalks (with Stevie Jones & Paul Savage) Link Text: RM Hubbert - Sandwalks File Name: RMHubbert-Sandwalks.mp3 Bitrate: 320 kbps Year: 2011
Artist: RM Hubbert Title: Sunbeam Melts The Hour (with Marion Kenny & Hanna Tuulikki) Link Text: RM Hubbert - Sunbeam Melts the Hour File Name: RMHubbert-SunbeamMeltstheHour. mp3 Bitrate: 320 kbps Year: 2011
Django Django – Django Django
Feb 7, 10:55am Song, by Toad
Song, by Toad
The fact that this album is self-titled makes the headline for this post look like a bit of a joke, doesn't it. How many Djangos does one album title need, after all. Anyhow, at the risk of repeating a little bit too much of this week's podcast , these guys have been described in a few places, somewhat tenuously, as an Edinburgh band. It's a nice thought, but while they did indeed emerge, to the best of my knowledge, from the Edinburgh College of Art, I think they're now based in London and have released their debut [...]
Artist: Django Django Title: Firewater Link Text: Django Django - Firewater File Name: DjangoDjango-Firewater.mp3 Genre: 52 Year: 2012
Artist: Django Django Title: Storm Link Text: Django Django - Storm File Name: DjangoDjango-Storm.mp3 Genre: 52 Year: 2012
The Twilight Sad – No-one Can Ever Know
Feb 7, 9:06am Song, by Toad
Song, by Toad
The Twilight Sad were one of the first under the radar Scottish bands I ever really 'discovered' for myself, although oddly enough it was actually American blogs where I first started to hear about them, despite their being from just down the road, relatively speaking. This is their third album, and despite a subtle shift evident in their second, represents by far the most decisive move yet away from the walls of squalling guitars which played such a part in the making of their name. They have adjusted from a devastating combination of heart-rending vocal and [...]
Artist: The Twilight Sad Title: Another Bed Link Text: The Twilight Sad - Another Bed File Name: TheTwilightSad-AnotherBed.mp3 Bitrate: 160 kbps Year: 2012
Now Wakes the Sea – Fluoxetine Morning
Jan 31, 9:58am Song, by Toad
Song, by Toad
With one EP already to their name, out for free on Glasgow's brilliant Wiseblood Industries, this is the debut album proper by Now Wakes the Sea . Contrary to what their name might hint at, they aren't a nasty emo band, in fact a wonderfully muffled, slow-moving lot. Most bands who use these atmospheric, lo-fi productions methods do so to produce music which is raw and aggressive, daring you to tease the tune out of the static if you have the stamina. Now Wakes the Sea, on the other hand, for all they have a [...]
Artist: Now Wakes the Sea Title: Popranolol Link Text: Now Wakes the Sea - Propranolol File Name: NowWakestheSea-Popranolol.mp3 Genre: Experimental folk Year: 2012
Artist: Now Wakes the Sea Title: Seven Apples Link Text: Now Wakes the Sea - Seven Apples File Name: NowWakestheSea-SevenApples.mp3 Genre: Experimental folk Year: 2012
Shift-Static – In Italics
Jan 26, 9:33pm Song, by Toad
Song, by Toad
Hmmm, reading the email I was sent by Shift-Static, there is a definite emphasis on their Edinburgh associations which seems entirely absent from any of their other PR material. So if they were trying to prey upon my nepotistic instincts then they, erm, probably had a point actually. It's hard to resist the idea that somewhere round the corner from you there exists a collection of talented fuckers making amazing music entirely out of the view of the world's music chatterati, so despite the fact that this lot are clearly far more from Newcastle than they are from [...]
Artist: Shift-Static Title: Sky Burial (Waskerley Way Remix) Link Text: Shift-Static - Sky Burial (Waskerley Way Remix) File Name: ShiftStatic-SkyBurial-Waskerle yWayRemix.mp3
8 Scottish Bands Now Announced for South by Southwest 2012
Jan 18, 3:44pm Dear Scotland
Dear ScotlandLeThug – In Your Head Be It
Jan 12, 6:15pm Song, by Toad
Song, by Toad
Hmm, well I haven't heard much music like this being made in Scotland I don't think - well, not that I've liked particularly - but LeThug are really rather good. They tag themselves as drone on their Soundcloud page , and the sound is dominated by a thrumming, rhythmic buzz, but there are strong elements of experimental electronic pop in here as well, a lot of it is heavily dependent on instrumental textures and it's almost dancey in places. Almost. In Your Head Be It , the EP they have up on Soundcloud, [...]
Smackvan – Sound in Space
Jan 11, 1:30pm Song, by Toad
Song, by Toad
Well, after last year's obsession with rough and ready lo-fi garage rock, this year* has already thrown up two excellent Scottish releases which, whilst they share a lot of the lo-fi aesthetic, are very much more morose, downbeat affairs. The first of those I'm going to be discussing is Smackvan, who formerly released with the excellent but now sadly defunct Benbecula Records. I've not been particularly prompt about reviewing this album, I have to confess, but that shouldn't be mistaken for a lack of enthusiasm. It may be downbeat and low key, but even at the [...]
Artist: Smackvan Title: 4am Link Text: Smackvan - 4am File Name: Smackvan-4am.mp3 Year: 2011
Artist: Smackvan Title: Black Eyes Link Text: Smackvan - Black Eyes File Name: Smackvan-BlackEyes.mp3 Year: 2011
L.O.V.E. Love
Dec 24, 2011, 9:39am
Adding Machine
Adding Machine
Artist: Orange Juice Title: L.O.V.E. Love Link Text: L.O.V.E.Love - Orange Juice File Name: 03-l-o-v-e-love.mp3 Genre: 12 Year: 1982
Scottish Bands at SXSW 2012 – Early Announcements and Rumours
Dec 6, 2011, 5:00pm Dear Scotland
Dear ScotlandEarlier today the South by Southwest Festival (SXSW) updated its list of showcasing artists for the 2012 music event. Included in that announcement are the first two Scottish bands who are expected to make the trip to Austin next March - Laki Mera and Three Blind Wolves. More below. Regular readers will know that as [...]
Twin Atlantic // Interview // 28.11.11 // Cardiff Student Union, CF10
Dec 1, 2011, 10:56am
Never Enough Notes
Never Enough Notes
Strolling into the empty venue at the spite of a freezing cold queue for the gig, I find myself defrosting quite quickly in the midst of Twin Atlantic's severely overheated backstage room. Among the many beer (and less importantly, water) bottles, vocalist Sam McTrusty sits trying to concoct the perfect playlist for tonight's event, while guitarist Barry McKenna and drummer Craig Kneale kindly share a few words with me before hitting the stage. Read more..
Wounded Knee – Live at the Iso Lounge, Friday 4th November 2011
Nov 22, 2011, 10:31am Song, by Toad
Song, by Toad
I've been to some very, very good gigs recently, but this was fucking incredible. Drew ( Wounded Knee ) put together an evening of bands to celebrate the release, on Gerry Loves Records , of his album House Music . He was preceded on stage by The Wee Rogue, whose hunched playing style and gentle vocals we rather lovely. Kittens, I wasn't so sure about, I must be honest. They were nice to listen to, particularly in the intimate environment of this particular gig, but I am not all that sure I would feel compelled to [...]
Adam Stafford & The Twilight Sad – Live at the Bongo Club, Edinburgh, 16th November 2011
Nov 17, 2011, 12:25pm Song, by Toad
Song, by Toad
I remember the first time I saw the Twilight Sad. They played in Bannerman's in August 2007, with Popup and Dumb Instrument, and I remember bumping into at least half a dozen people from different bands, all excited to hear this new Scottish band who most of us happened to have heard about first from American blogs, oddly enough. It was similar last night actually, in the sense that having gone along with Ian, we ended up bumping into loads of local music people. Clearly something about the Twilight Sad excites music people. Before we get [...]
- Adam Stafford - Shot-down You Summer Wannabes
- The Twilight Sad - I Became A Prostitute
- The Twilight Sad - Kill It In The Morning
- The Twilight Sad - That Summer At Home I Had Become The Invisible Boy
Artist: Adam Stafford Title: Shot-down You Summer Wannabes Link Text: Adam Stafford - Shot Down You Summer Wannabes File Name: AdamStafford-ShotDownYouSummer Wannabes.mp3
Artist: The Twilight Sad Title: I Became A Prostitute Link Text: The Twilight Sad - I Became a Prostitute File Name: TheTwilightSad-IBecameaProstit ute.mp3 Bitrate: 320 kbps Genre: Acoustic Year: 2011
Artist: The Twilight Sad Title: Kill It In The Morning Link Text: The Twilight Sad - Kill it in the Morning File Name: TheTwilightSad-KillitintheMorn ing.mp3 Bitrate: 320 kbps Genre: Punk Rock Year: 2007
Artist: The Twilight Sad Title: That Summer At Home I Had Become The Invisible Boy Link Text: The Twilight Sad - That Summer at Home I Had Become the Invisible Boy File Name: TheTwilightSad-ThatSummeratHom eIHadBecometheInvisibleBoy.mp3 Bitrate: 320 kbps Genre: Alternative Year: 2007
James Yorkston – Live at the Queen's Hall, Edinburgh, 11th November 2011
Nov 16, 2011, 12:42pm Song, by Toad
Song, by Toad
Unbeknownst to myself at the time, James Yorkston was the first Fence Collective artist I ever really, seriously fell for. Back when he first released Moving Up Country I was pretty damn impressed, but when he then followed it up with the outstandingly beautiful Just Beyond the River a couple of years later I was entirely smitten. For all that, however, it's now been a good few years since I've seen him play, despite both he and I being at pretty much every Homegame festival for the last few years. As with [...]
Artist: James Yorkston Title: Tortoise Regrets Hare Link Text: James Yorkston - Tortoise Regrets Hare File Name: JamesYorkston-TortoiseRegretsH are.mp3 Bitrate: 320 kbps Genre: English Folk Rock Year: 2008
Artist: James Yorkston & the Athletes Title: St. Patrick Link Text: James Yorkston & the Athletes - St. Patrick File Name: JamesYorkstonandtheAthletes-St Patrick.mp3 Bitrate: 192 kbps Genre: Alternative & Punk Year: 2002
Carbrain
Nov 3, 2011, 9:48pm Adding Machine
Adding Machine
Carbrain - The Wake One of the bands who came to Sarah Records with an established history, coming to the label with a reputation, not having their reputation shaped by it. From them forming in 1981 to arriving at Sarah in 1989 they did some things and went places that look good on paper/internet, played with and had members of bands that are fun and advantageous to namedrop, were on a record label with greater prestige than all Sarah will ever be able to [...]
Artist: The Wake Title: Carbrain Link Text: Carbrain - The Wake File Name: carbrain.mp3 Genre: Twee Year: 1989
John Knox Sex Club – Raise Ravens
Oct 19, 2011, 9:42am Song, by Toad
Song, by Toad
The John Knox Sex Club do more or less everything music isn't really supposed to be doing at the moment, and they do it absolutely brilliantly. Firstly, it's strongly folk influenced, an attribute which was flushed clean out of the zeitgeist by the success of Mumford and Sons. There may still be money to be made in it, but the hipsters are staying well clear. Secondly, it's bombastic as fuck, not a hint of irony, not a hint of clever retroism, cool detachment, nothing. They absolutely go for it, with not a care for the sort [...]
Artist: John Knox Sex Club Title: Above Us the Waves Link Text: John Knox Sex Club - Above Us the Waves File Name: JohnKnoxSexClub-AboveUstheWave s.mp3 Year: 2011
Toadcast #196 – PAWS Toad Session
Oct 15, 2011, 8:30am Song, by Toad
Song, by Toad- Toadcast #196 - PAWS Toad Session » ToadcastNo196.mp3
- PAWS - Bird Inside Birdcage, Ribcage Inside Bird (Toad Session)
- PAWS - Bloodline (Toad Session)
- PAWS - Jellyfish (Toad Session)
- PAWS - Winners Don't Bleed (Toad Session)
Link Text: Toadcast #196 - PAWS Toad Session File Name: ToadcastNo196.mp3
Artist: PAWS Title: Bird Inside Birdcage, Ribcage Inside Bird (Toad Session) Link Text: PAWS - Bird Inside Birdcage, Ribcage Inside Bird (Toad Session) File Name: PAWS-BirdInsideBirdcageRibcage InsideBird-ToadSession.mp3 Year: 2011
Artist: PAWS Title: Bloodline (Toad Session) Link Text: PAWS - Bloodline (Toad Session) File Name: PAWS-Bloodline-ToadSession.mp3 Year: 2011
Artist: PAWS Title: Jellyfish (Toad Session) Link Text: PAWS - Jellyfish (Toad Session) File Name: PAWS-Jellyfish-ToadSession.mp3 Year: 2011
Artist: PAWS Title: Winners Don't Bleed (Toad Session) Link Text: PAWS - Winners Don’t Bleed (Toad Session) File Name: PAWS-WinnersDontBleed-ToadSess ion.mp3 Year: 2011
Yusuf Azak – Prizefighter EP
Oct 12, 2011, 9:10am Song, by Toad
Song, by Toad
Presumably bored with the excessive amounts of time and work required to produce and publicise formal releases, Yusuf Azak has made a four-song EP available for free on his Bandcamp page . Those of you listening to it as normal, innocent punters will hear lush, lovely acoustic pop tunes, swathed in strings, piano and Yusuf's gorgeous vocals (although the familiar looping and layering is a little less prominent here than on earlier releases). He seems to divide opinion, Yusuf, which is odd because I don't really think of him as the most deliberately challenging or [...]
Artist: Yusuf Azak Title: Swim Link Text: Yusuf Azak - Swim File Name: YusufAzak-Swim.mp3
Jonnie Common's Deskjob
Oct 4, 2011, 6:55pm Song, by Toad
Song, by Toad
You may have noticed that on the Song, by Toad Records site we now have the rather fantastic Jonnie Common's Deskjob for sale. It's not actually on the label of course, although a couple of Toad bands are featured, but I gave Jonnie a bit of a hand with some of the PR and stuff like that, so he gave me some to sell on the site as a thank you. Given that I now have a vested interest in selling the album I can't really review it here, but I do want to [...]
Artist: Adam Beattie Title: Bone Dry Link Text: Adam Beattie - Bone Dry File Name: AdamBeattie-BoneDry.mp3 Genre: Novelty Rap Year: 2011
Hot Videos
St. Vincent - 'Cheerleader'
Jay-Z & Kanye West - Ni**as In Paris (Explicit)
The Shins: “September” (b-side of “Simple Song” 7”)![Niki & The Dove - The Fox [OFFICIAL VIDEO]](http://cdn.elbo.ws/youtube/l2f6UbMnlq4_130.jpg)
Niki & The Dove - The Fox [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
CHROMATICS "INTO THE BLACK"Hot Posts
Skrillex Uses Satanic and Homosexual Influence to Win Grammys
Was Bon Iver the biggest FASHION DISASTER of the Grammys? [via the FASHION POLICE]
The Shins - "The Rifle's Spiral" (New)
Dave Grohl Trying To Shit On The Whole Laptop Based Music IndustryStats
| Blogs: | 4,063 |
| Posts: | 2,954,961 |
| MP3s: | 1,707,139 |
| Videos: | 357,790 |
