Month: December 2024

Children of Gaza Benefit – Scorpio Leisure, Kirsten Adamson, The Filthy Tongues, The Countess of Fife, The Rezillos – Voodoo Rooms

December 31, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

The last gig of 2024 for me was a late addition to the gig calendar, at a hastily arranged (and quickly sold out) gig arranged by Fay and Martin. I did swither over it, what with getting over bruised ribs and a sprained ankle, the weather being miserable and the thought of getting home afterwards. However, the deal was sealed as the reason for the gig was to raise money for the children of Gaza/Palestine, which, if anyone follows my socials will know is a subject close to my heart. And of course the line-up featured some of the best acts Scotland has to offer…

I’ve said this before, but I think the future is in gigs with loads of bands playing short sets and a quick change over in between.… Read the rest

David Luximon – A Certain Frame of Reference

December 30, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

The previous album from Perthshire (my second home!) lad David Luximon, Duty of Care, was a long term fixture in my turntable, however, like happens so often, events arose to avoid me from writing about it. With the arrival of A Certain Frame of Reference I was damn sure I wouldn’t make the same omission this time around, so here it is, like many of my reviews this year, better mate than never.

Opening with a yearning and atmospheric fiddle, the craving longing at the heart of I’m Taking You For a Drive had me hooked from the off, the song is heartachingly beautiful, a sense of burning desire and love palpable in the sweet melody and adoring lyrics.… Read the rest

December Singles Round Up – Part 5 – Guided By Voices, The Cides, English Teacher, Onat Önol, Middle Class Guilt, Everyone Says Hi, Lightnin’ Truck, benefits

December 29, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

Guided by Voices – The Great Man

Probably one of the most productive bands in the planet seemingly releasing an album every time I turn around, whether in the guise of Guided By Voices or offshoot Cub Scout Bowling Pins. The Great Man comes from the bands 41st album The Universe released in February and is a comment on all the “great men” in world politics… ahem.

Guided By Voices

The Cides – The Rebel

Latest single from The Cides who have appeared in the roundup a few times. The song harks back to the old mantra in the late 70s that punk wasn’t a style of music but an attitude, with lyrics acknowledging that there is a “rebel inside me” and with a desire to make a difference…to take action against injustice.… Read the rest

December Singles Round Up – Part 4 – Say She She, Howling Hawk, Alcatraz, Model Worker, Gypsy Pistoleros, Drop Nineteens

December 29, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

The fourth part of the round up for December is an eclectic mix of Jazz, Blues, Indie Rock, Glam Punk and Shoegaze…

Say She She – This Wintertime

The Christmas single from Say She She was a double A Side with this, their own sublimely gorgeous blues tinged jazzy soulful track This Wintertime, the other side being a cover of Marvin Gaye’s Motown classic Purple Snowflakes.

Say She She

Howling Hawk – Ramona

From the soulful blues of Say She She, Howling Hawk pick up the baton and move from jazz to blues rock territory on this masterful laidback groove.

Howling Hawk

Alcatraz – Sedation

New music from Glasgow from the excellent Alcatraz with their compelling track Sedation ahead of their appearance in January at King Tuts New Years Revolution.… Read the rest

December Singles Round Up – Pt 3 – The Primevals, The Cundeez, Horsegirl, Reverend and the Makers, The Furio, Arrows Meet

December 28, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

Part three of the December round up includes an appearance from the legendary Scottish institution that is The Primevals, Dundee punks and all round good guys The Cundeez, young Chicago slacker rock trio Horsegirl, Sheffield’s Reverend and the Makers, The Furio and Scottish “superduo’ Arrows Meet.

The Primevals – I’m the Man-Wulf

An instantly addictive prime cut from The Primevals in the shape of the compelling primal roar of a garage rock belter that is I’m the Man-Wulf, a song commissioned by comedian Stewart Lee to soundtrack his upcoming stand up tour. There is a forceful and engaging urgency to I’m the Man-Wulf that digs its claws into the jugular of the listener and refuses to let go.… Read the rest

December Singles Round Up – Pt 2 – The Dead Shout, Carol Hodge, Parliamo, The Wildhearts, Keeley, Stephen Hero

December 27, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

Part two of the round up of singles for the month of December features the second single from Jack Elfick and Co. in The Dead Shout, the third single from Carol Hodge’s excellent 5th album EffortLess InSecurity, Parliamo have the superb new song Every Ounce, and Ginger returns with his new Wildhearts line up and their new single, while Keeley has an alternative mix of Forever Froze from her second album Beautiful Mysterious and closing off part 2 is Imagine Me Gone from Stephen Hero.

The Dead Shout – Drag You Down

Drag You Down is the second single from ex-Bikini Bottoms guitarist and singer and his latest incarnation, the band The Dead Shout.… Read the rest

December Singles Round Up 2024 – Part 1 – Midland Railway, Berries, Sloan Brothers, her picture, Baby Brave, Blue Foundation,

December 26, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

The first part of the singles round up for the last month of 2024 before I consider the best of the year…

Midland Railway – Bedroom Analysis

A wonderfully uplifting song which feels like the writer has crawled into my head, with lyrics about anxiety and overanalysis of your thoughts…musically post punk maelstrom, driving squally guitars, and to my ears times when it almost hints at Pogues/Dropkick Murphys Celtic punk territory, a great start to this months round up.

Midland Railway

Berries – Jagged Routine

From their excellent 2024 self titled album, the more observant among you will note this song has previously appeared in a Singles Round Up, but it didn’t have a video until now…

Berries

Sloan Brothers – Breathing Distress Blues (DOA PDA)

Purveyors of one of 2022’s albums of the year, Sloan Simpson recently released one of the must inspiring songs of this months round up in the form of Breathing Distress Blues, the uplifting nature of the song even more surprising as the song was written on the back of a serious medical emergency, as Sloan says in his own words “tells of a songwriter with minutes to live deciding to spend that time writing a love song.”… Read the rest

Tulsaqueen – October – Album Review

December 24, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

Still running to catch up trying to get a load of album reviews done before I finally decide on my end of year lists…

October has, unsurprisingly given its title, been out in the wild so to speak for a while now, just like many of the albums I’ve enjoyed and still not written about yet… 

The debut Tulsaqueen album was an absolute delight, and as such I had great expectations for October, expectations which were smashed on first listen, as the album made its mark immediately and indelibly. It has a suave, laidback and unassuming style with arrangements that really get under the skin, there is a sparse and somewhat fragile beauty within the quiet assertiveness of the songs, with gently strummed guitar and bewitching vocals forming the core of the songs which captured my imagination and pull me into a mesmerising and mythical parallel Lynchian Twin Peaks dream universe. … Read the rest

Carol Hodge – EffortLess InSecurity – Album Review

December 20, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

Ginger Quiff namesake Carol Hodge recently released her fifth studio album in the shape of the personally relatably titled EffortLess InSecurity. As I’ve now come to expect, this is another fine example of her elegant and empathetic wordsmithery. EffortlLess InSecurity is perhaps her heaviest album yet, and not just from a musical genre perspective, where she has shifted gear once again with the record having more of a stoner rock edge while in places taking on a soaring extravagance like an ostentatious Queen epic, but also in the deeply affecting and personal lyrical content. 

Whatever direction Carol takes with her music, the enduring core of her sound will always remain, with her incredible vocal and piano always sitting front and centre and carrying the bill of the emotion.… Read the rest

Johny and the Dead Girls – Need for Speed – Album Review

December 18, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

Rockers England’s Mr. Vincent is back with his band of deceased dirty fuckin’ rock ‘n’ rolling girls for the follow up to last years fittingly titled Dirty Fuckin’ Rock ‘n’ Roll with a just as suitably named new album Need For Speed, it’s ten full throttle punk ‘n’ roll rattling by in just shy of 30 minutes…

Kicking of with the old Thames TV theme that only those of a certain vintage will remember, Sex and Drugs picks up, at an incendiary pace,  from where Dirty Fuckin’ Rock ‘n’ Roll left off and doesn’t let up for the duration, with barely time to catch a breath between songs.… Read the rest