Grown-up birthday parties are a tad depressing. The initial excitement of arranging such self-gratifying celebrations is always lost to the traumas of guilt-ridden guest-list selections, tireless outfit deliberations and the realisation you`re edging one step closer to `the box`. more… “Paul Vickers & The Leg / Thomas Truax / Saint Judes Infirmary”
Aye, okay, a joke’s a joke. The first album was good. The concept sounded crap, but the results were good. Surely taking the show on the road is one step beyond what they can get away with ? They are after all just another covers band, aren`t they ? more… “Nouvelle Vague”
In the red corner: The Johnny Lynch led Fence Collective tag team that is The Pictish Trail. Featuring James Yorkston and King Creosote, tonight they are practically a beginners’ guide to what exactly they’re feeding them in the Easy Neuk of Fife more… “Billy Callahan/The Pictish Trail”
Combining the written word with cutting-edge musical accompaniment isn’t a new idea. The Ballads Of The Book compilation CD may have recently revived it within Scotland`s borders, but the concept goes all the way back through Alan Warner’s collaboration with Superstar to William Burroughs’recording with Kurt Cobain, and beyond more… “Y’all Is Fantasy Island / Alan Bissett / Zoey Van Goey”
Say what you like about Stephen Pastel (and, I’ll wager many of you have). You cannot deny that alongside being one of the most influential and iconic figures in the Scottish music scene and running the best record shop in the country, he’s managed to release (through his Geographic label) a collection of works that are never less than worth a look (sometimes even genius). Today, Geographic gets a whole day to itself as part of Triptych 07 more… “The Pastels/Pierre Bastien/Electrelane/Tenniscoats/The Royal We”
The years go by and the Triptych festival continues to grow. The one thread through what they`ve been doing seems to s be having as eclectic a line-up as they possibly can over the three days/three cities. But, you can`t help wonder who in their right mind thought that sticking baggy-architect Andrew Weatherall on the same bill with the Medway king of garage Billy Childish was a programming coup more… “Billy Childish & The Musicians Of The British Empire”
It`s a highly boring tale of work, taxis and press passes, but basically I was late for tonight`s Low gig. Late enough to miss a full half hour of their set in fact. Mea culpa, I blow. Apparently there was a fight in the audience early on, presumably during a foot-stamping happy hardcore number. Oh wait, this is a Low gig` more… “Low”
The Littlest Album has been one of the more interesting ongoing projects in the Scottish music scene. The basic concept is twelve bands, seven inches, one minute each. Over the two preceding volumes it has thrown up some compact gems of brevity and experimentation. In fact, in a number of cases the best thing a band ever did. Tonight is the first leg of the launch for volume three. more… “Catface/The Just Joans/The Plimptons/Les Enfant Bastard/Unknown Forces Of Everyday Life”
Tonight there is a special hole in the ozone over the ABC. Inside it looks like a Kelly Osbourne convention. I find myself fretting about the under-age drinking policy and wondering if the audience’s fathers know that they’ve had their Balaam & The Angel T-shirts nicked. more… “The Horrors/Neils Children/The Low Miffs”
Miss The Occupier play an intriguing blend of pop and dark rock. Unfortunately, they have a habit of dressing it up in jerky art-rock trappings. more… “Bis/Miss The Occupier”