Album/Single Review - The Ginger Quiff

Albums of the Year 2023

December 30, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

Before I list my favourite “Albums of the Year 2023”, an apology.

I have been inundated this year with new music, new albums, requests for reviews and features. First, I’m happy that there is so much great music out there and that I’m party to being able to hear and share that new music, but secondly, a huge apology to many bands and artists whose music I’ve loved and planned to review/feature but it hasn’t happened. I’d love nothing more than to spend my life listening to and writing about music (and the book I keep meaning to finish), but that doesn’t pay the bills.… Read the rest

Singles of the Year 2023

December 28, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

I have no idea how John Peel narrowed songs down to a Festive 50 every year, he must have received 1000 times the number of songs I receive on a yearly basis. Maybe if I did a Singles of the Year 2023 blog again tomorrow or the next day, things would change slightly as I think of another song that needs to be included, as in the singles round-ups (links to all the round ups of the year at the foot of the blog) I must have listed between 400 and 500 songs this year, another bumper year for new music.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2023 – Part 9 – November/December

December 27, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

The last singles round up was bereft of any comments from me, damn having to work to pay the bills. I’m not going to make any New Years Resolution to be any more organised for 2024… I already know my schedule for January/February.

Anyway, here’s a smorgasbord of tunes for your delight and delectation.

Jo Carley & the Old Dry Skulls – Little Dead Lovin’

With another catchy spooky calypso melody from their latest album, I’ll Put My Voodoo on You, Jo Carley and the Old Dry Skulls continue to plough their gloriously unique furrow. Just try not to be taken by these captivating rhythms, you’ll be recreating the dinner table scene in Beetlejuice before you know it…

Jo Carley & the Old Dry Skulls

The Elegant Chasers – Running Around the Sun

Running Around the Sun, from the band who brought us Clowns and Car Salesman Smile, previously featured in single round ups, comes this huge riff laden behemoth of tune, a spirited uplifting melody but with a hint of melancholy suggested in the vocal and lyrics.… Read the rest

Dancer – As Well – EP review

December 4, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

At the end of this week at La Chunky in Glasgow’s West End, the scene is set for what is to be one of the gig events of December when three band’s come together to play an exclusive gig to the lucky 40 punters who manage to secure a ticket. The three bands are, the oft-featured in these pages, Water Machine and Brenda, alongside Dancer, who recently released their latest 5 track EP, As Well.

Dancer is made up of members of bands such as Nightshift, Order of the Toad and Robert Sotelo: Gemma Fleet (Vocals), Chris Taylor (Guitar/Keytar). Andrew Doig (Bass) and Gavin Murdoch Drums) who, when they come together, make one glorious racket.… Read the rest

Johny & the Dead Girls – Dirty Fuckin’ Rock‘n’Roll – EP Review

December 3, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

The latest release from the king of scuzzy rock,stand up Mr Johny Skullknuckles – ex-Goldblade & aka JSK, The Kopek Millionaires & Johny Skullknuckles and the Lockdown Lovers, is the aptly titled 6 track EP Dirty Fucking Rock n Roll comes from his latest guise Johny and the Dead Girls.

Dirty Fucking Rock n Roll is just that. A celebration of the music your parents warned you against, just in case it should pervert your mind and soul, attracting you to that seedy world of rock and roll, you know the one, where everyone worshipped The Devil, took copious amounts of illicit drugs, only drank straight Jack Daniels (for breakfast, lunch and dinner) and hid satanic messages in the run out grooves of their records.… Read the rest

The Kosher Pickles – The Kosher Pickles – EP review

November 30, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

Glasgow has a great reputation for garage and surf rock, with the likes of Reverse Cowgirls, The Kidney Flowers and The Bucky Rage leading the charge, and a cast of thousands following in their wake – Casual Drag and The Crails to name a couple. Another top outfit that forms part of that scene of rock fiends is The Kosher Pickles, who recently released a self titled 7 track EP, a mix of covers and their own songs which sit seamlessly with the original 60s garage rock tracks, the Glasgow version of The Songs The ~~Cramps~~ Kosher Pickles Taught Us…

Opening in style with a cover of The Others, I Can’t Stand This Love, Goodbye, The Pickles get straight into their groove, full throttle twanging guitars and a solid rhythm section instantly hitting the sweet spot, the band maintaining the frenetic energy throughout the following six songs.… Read the rest

The Hedrons – Tired of Taking – album review

November 29, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

The Hedrons announced their return with a bang playing an energised set in SWG3 towards the end of last year to mark the re-release (& for the first time on vinyl) of their debut album, One More Won’t Kill Us on Past Night from Glasgow, with the promise of more to come. A few months later they teased us with the hotly anticipated rollicking rollercoaster that was their killer single Heartache, now the long awaited follow up to that impressive debut, Tired of Taking, is finally available on your chosen digital platform for your aural delectation. For sure this album proves the title of that debut, one more won’t kill them, damn right, it’ll only make them stronger.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2023 – Part 8 – September & October

November 15, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

The months are fairly flying by, into the Winter months already, September and October were responsible for another batch of top quality tunes from across a variety of genres as per usual. Maybe you’ll find your new favourite band in amongst this Singles Round Up! I’ve had to admit defeat, due to broken laptops, tech issues, work, gigs, life…. you know…. realistically I am never in a million years going to be able to do an individual write up for each song, so… its just the songs, and some links to the bands socials or otherwise. Apologies, these songs deserve a write up, but just listen and find your new favourite bands….… Read the rest

Diablofurs – Welcome to the City of Fun – album review

October 27, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

You know that well known phrase, “Go Big or Go Home?” Diablofurs have done just that with their follow up to the magnificent Neon Satellites, forget Madness and their piddly wee House of Fun, and join me in entering the vibrant and colourful City of Fun. If you know Diablofurs, it will come as no surprise that Welcome to the City of Fun is crammed to bursting full of glorious and hugely anthemic electro-synth punk-pop crowd slayers.

The melee of sound that is the hubbub of fairground noise introduces the albums title track, with a warning immediately following with the opening lyric “welcome to the city of fun, but don’t get blown away,” before the Gang of Furs proceed to do just that… Rob, Suze, Becks, Danii and Kay combining to create an injection of adrenaline, their unbounded vitality helping express their message straight to the core of your being, “welcome to the city of a thousand dreams, you can be most anything you want” and creating an hypnotic burst of neon energy.… Read the rest

The Bathers – Sirenesque – Album (of the year?) review

October 20, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

Unassumingly announcing its arrival with solitary and delicately understated piano paired with birdsong in the form of the calming beauty of Culzean, the long-awaited new album from Glasgow’s very own legendary band The Bathers, Sirenesque, then segues smoothly into its majestic title track. When Chris Thomson’s well-kent, instantly recognisable and richly expressive smooth brogue kicks in it almost induces tears, such is the effect of his highly emotive style, a welcome sound that rolls back the years both with a sense of ebullience, but also tinged with an element of melancholia, the song has an element of Blackstar Bowie to it, before the guitar break takes over and the sense of hopeful buoyancy takes the lead once more.… Read the rest