Jonathan Whitelaw writes about music because he isn't good at playing it. For his musings and book plugs follow him on twitter: @JDWhitelaw13

Foreign Skies

The Human Error
Foreign Skies

The city of Glasgow is an underappreciated hub of rock and roll. One look down the list of hard rock giants that have a connection to the city reads like a venerable who’s who of rock goodness.
Primal Scream, AC/DC and the ever-resilient Nazareth are still ploughing away, fans all over the world. While other cities like Birmingham, Los Angeles and Liverpool are plaudited, while Glasgow has quietly plodded along as a sleeping rock giant.
Sleepy and quiet are two words that can’t be used to describe Foreign Skies. The three-piece outfit from the Dear Green Place arrive with their new EP The Human Error and it’s loud. Very, very loud.
Playing under the banner of alternative, post-rock, it seems like a rather futile effort to try and brand this group. There’s an indefatigable edge to their music, which speaks for itself, or rather shouts.
Kicking things off with the brooding ‘Swells’, the new EP lights a fire from the very beginning and fans the flames throughout its four tracks. Stepping up the pace a little with ‘These Hills’ the action really gets going with ‘Piste’
Furious drumming and a head explosion of guitars and feedback, this is loud music at its very best. Jamie Coltart’s vocals deliver a passion that perfectly mixes and holds it own with the thundering percussion and delicious soundings hooks and riffs.
Above all else, there’s a self-belief in the music. Taking no prisoners and going for the jugular straight from the off, The Human Error is a rip-roaring addition to a city’s thriving rock scene. While it might not be every indie fan’s cup of tea and it does pale a little for harder rock fans, Foreign Skies are a band on the rise and more than worth the listen.

Deathcats

All Hail Deathcats
Fuzzkill

At what point does imitation stop being flattering? It’s a question that’s plagued certain bands and artists for decades. Indeed, for some it never leaves them, hanging over their whole careers. more… “Deathcats”

Friends in America

The More I Have, The Less I Own (The More I Learn, The Less I Know)
download

Scotland feels like a bubbling pit of indie talent right now. Perhaps it’s the history, the political flux or just the bad weather but there are lots and lots of young artists who are ploughing the same field. more… “Friends in America”

Universal Thee

Bear in the Hospital
EmuBands

What ever happened to the big-sounding indie band? There seemed to be a lot of groups riding the Kasabian wave with their massive guitar sound and slamming percussion. more… “Universal Thee”

Holy Mountain

Ancient Astronauts
Chemikal Underground

Hard rock should be like Ronseal. The name says it all, it should be hard, solid and pack a meaty punch that makes the listener feel like they’ve gone fifteen rounds with Mike Tyson. more… “Holy Mountain”

The Voluntary Butler Scheme

Honey in the Gravel Mixture
Split

Sometimes, all you want to hear is a bit of sunshine. And as the upbeat, playful single goes, there’s a dire shortage in the charts and beyond at the moment.
Hoping to change all that are The Voluntary Butler Scheme (TVBS) with their new release ‘Honey in the Gravel Mixture.’ Cheery, brimming with positivity and zeal, this happy little tune is just what everybody needs after what was a torrid winter.
When it comes to one-man bands, Rob Jones is a venerable tour-de-force. The brains, brawn and instrumentalist behind TVBS, his third album A Million Ways to Make Gold is on its way later this month. It’s from this record that the new single comes and, as far as previews go, there are few better to lead the way for a fully-fledged release.
Easy listening and cheerful aren’t words that normally describe a lot of music in the modern age but that’s exactly what ‘Honey in the Gravel Mixture’ is. Featuring a wonderful chorus of trumpets, acoustic guitar and just the right level of percussion, Jones manages to infuse a little bit of magic into the digitally encoded bits of the song.
The lyrics are spellbinding and their gentle delivery is pitch perfect. You can almost feel the dark clouds rolling away as the track wears on. Much like the Beautiful South at their playful best, Jones and the single offer up a positive, energising look on the world. And who doesn’t need that sort of boost at this time of year.
Coming out just in time for the spring lead in to summer, ‘Honey in the Gravel Mixture’ from album A Million Ways To Make Gold, has the right qualities to be a mainstay for 2014. The right mixture of upbeat, inspiring lyricism and delivery, it could be a big winner for the rest of the year.