August, 2019 - The Ginger Quiff

Vore Complex – A Stranger Breed

August 29, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

I was recently sent a link to an album called A Stranger Breed by Vore Complex. A bit of further investigation reveals Vore Complex to be a former solo project by Ben Powers, with a hefty back catalogue of material (check out the bandcamp page). A Stranger Breed is a collaboration with a guitarist (Ed Rose) which in Ben’s words is “generally poppier and more accessible” than his solo projects under the same band name.

A Stranger Breed

A listen to the songs reveals penetrating industrial electronic soundscapes, with carefully selected samples adding to the darkly atmospheric nature of the songs.… Read the rest

Katherine Aly – Sunny Days – new single/video

August 29, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Katherine Aly follows up The Skin I’m Made Of with new single and video for Sunny Day.

Another charming slice of bewitching piano driven pop genius. The initially sparse hypnotizing vocal layered with harmonies and piano, rising to a crescendo this beguiling tune once again showcases Aly’s mesmerising vocal.

I for one am looking forward to an album’s worth of these tunes.

Watch the video here.

Katherine Aly – website

Katherine Aly on Facebook

Katherine Aly – twitter

Katherine Aly – soundcloud

Katherine Aly – Spotify… Read the rest

Tenement & Temple – album review

August 27, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Tenement & Temple aka Smillie and Queen, highly sought after legends of the Scottish music scene, have released what is set to be possibly one of the most heart-meltingly beautiful albums of 2019.

Thrum

In one of their previous incarnations, Thrum, they delighted with songs like So Glad & Illegitimate Clown, and a magnificent cover of Crying (more about magnificent covers later) gigging regularly and generally being an abundantly talented pair, resulting in them being sought after for many collaborations over the years. Recently contributing in no small part to two of my favourite albums of the last few years – Daniel Wylie’s Cosmic Rough Riders Scenery for Dreamers and Reaction’s Keep it Weird Keep it Wired.… Read the rest

5 minutes with…The Best Bad Influence

August 27, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

In 2019 so far, one of the bands I am most excited about is a young trio who take their influence from the rockabilly scene, playing a mix of their own songs alongside some classic covers.

I finally got the opportunity to see The Best Bad Influence live in the flesh, and I’m delighted to report that they do live up to my expectations. The buzz around the band is phenomenal, feedback from those who had already seen them was glowing, reaction to their performances on their social media posts including some impromptu busking sessions was through the roof for a young, relatively new unsigned band, the views and shares was astounding.… Read the rest

Raucous Rockabilly Rebellion

August 25, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

It was Gretsch-a-go-go in Glasgow’s Audio last night.

Four bands made up this showcase, each taking rock’n’roll/rockabilly as a base, and adapting it to their own ends.

The heat of the day was reflected with the venue turning into a veritable sweatbox. The searing heat was reflecting in the blistering performances from each band on the bill.

The Best Bad Influence

It was pleasing to see the venue packed from the off with The Best Bad Influence opening the night. The buzz around this band has been palpable, one I have been excited to see live since witnessing the busking videos they have posted on their social media pages.… Read the rest

Fragile Gang - A Plausible and Desirable Future

Fragile Gang – A Plausible & Desirable Future (album review)

August 23, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Fragile Gang is a band from El Paso, Texas, their new album A Plausible and Desirable Future takes its name from the novel Exit West by Mohsin Hamid. The songs on the album share some of the book’s topics. As you may expect from a band from their location, the socially conscious songs are influenced by a number of subjects, including migration.

Indie/Noisy Pop/Shoegaze…

The band describe themselves as “indie/sometimes noisy pop/shoegaze” a description that pretty much accurately sums up what I hear when I listen.

Good to Go opens the album opens with a vibrating electric hum, pulsating with energy, building and crackling before it bursts into a mellifluous combination of driving guitar, crashing drums and sonorous melodic vocal.… Read the rest

Run Into the Night ft Martin Metcalfe Mon Cheri

Martin Metcalfe and Co…

August 23, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

There has been a flurry of activity from Martin Metcalfe and associated acts this week.

The Filthy Tongues

First up, the Filthy Tongues dropped a clip of a new song at the start of the week. Mummy Can’t Drive sounds very Bowie-esque to me. Featuring Marie Claire Lee who has been ably filling Shirley Manson’s shoes on recent Goodbye Mr MacKenzie dates, is this a little taster of what is to come from the third album in the trilogy? I hope so…

Goodbye Mr MacKenzie

Talking of Goodbye Mr MacKenzie, Good Deeds and Dirty Rags finally has an official release date and a flourish of promotional activity announced that this week.… Read the rest

The Kaplans – Sesiones De Primavera – EP review

August 21, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Hot on the heels of reviewing their album, Urban Elephants, for Razur Cuts (street literature magazine) the latest EP from The Kaplans dropped through my letterbox recently.

A very welcome addition to my CD collection it is too. As a recent convert to the music of the band, I find myself lapping up every new tune I hear from them. The three tracks on this EP provide me with much more to love about this band.

Yes Means No

The first track is introduced with a sample from (what I assume to be) an intro on a Mexican radio station to the playing of one of their songs – I base this purely on the words Mexico and Glasgow in the sample.… Read the rest

Friday I’m in Love… The Cure live in Glasgow

August 17, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

What follows is part social commentary, part mental health awareness and part gig review…

Life’s Rich Tapestry

Friday the 16^th of August was a stitching together of several threads of the complex tapestry that makes up life.

I’m sure I’m not alone in having a job that, for the most part you enjoy and get an element of satisfaction from what you do, however, it can be also infuriatingly frustrating and stressful. One that involves weeks where you put in hours of extra effort that involves massive inroads into your personal life. But you do it because it is who you are, you are the type of person who want to do a good job and have a dedication to doing the best you can.… Read the rest

Spotlight on Mark Tansey – Distorted Vision/Reality Asylum

August 15, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Under the Spotlight in this latest blog is Mark Tansey. Frontman for Distorted Vision and Reality Asylum (with Kaz) and well-kent face on the punk scene. I wanted to ask Mark how he took the step from being one of the most familiar faces “down the front” at punk gigs to leaping up onto the stage to front not one but two bands.

Gigs, gigs, gigs

Mark, you are a familiar face at punk gigs, I’m sure anyone that has been to a punk gig in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Livingston, Bathgate or Fife will recognise you. You are one of these people that really supports the bands – goes to the gigs, gets the merchandise.… Read the rest