My third from last gig in 2025… in a year when I seem to have missed more gigs than I managed to get along to for a combination of reasons not worth going into here..Let’s just say I need to resolve to ensure 2026 is much of a shit storm than 2025…
There was the potential for me to be missing this one too, but with this line up, plus the knowledge that this would be the last ever outing for Junk Pups it was a no brainer to pull out all the stops and make it by hook or crook.… Read the rest
While everyone else is publishing their end of year lists, as usual I’m bringing up the rear and finally publishing my final part of November’s singles round up… a part which throws up just as many pure gold nuggets as the rest of the month did. Rock, glam, punk, indie… from artists who have reached legendary status (in my eyes and ears at least) to those who are breaking though and creating some astonishingly good new music.
First up in this part is one of those who have reached legendary status. It’s Hanoi Rocks frontman Michael Monroe and the second single to be released form his new album Outerstellar due for release on the 20th February.… Read the rest
It had been too long since I’d been at a gig in the Glad Cafe, especially considering that it and The Rum Shack are my local venues. It was especially great to walk into the venue knowing what I was going to witness, such is the beguiling and intriguing nature of the music of Son of the Right Hand. Clearly the feeling was mutual given the hubbub and upbeat buzz around the cosy and welcoming venue right from doors open. I had a good feeling that it was going to be a gig to remember.
Before the band got to officially launch their EP, we had two support bands to entertain us, with eclectic styles to mix things up a bit.… Read the rest
The debut three track EP, Other Conspiracies, from the raucous rising stars of Auld Reekie, post-punk noiseniks, Shinlifter is out now. Other Conspiracies kicks off with Close Encounters, a song that has the band high on adrenaline, musically launching themselves headlong at your jugular with a furious urgency, the lyrics spat out rant-like with an unbridled venom. The driving fuzzy guitars change mid-song to sharp angular riffs that match the pointed lyrical barbs. I do hope you’ve never got on the wrong side of vocalist Olivia Furey, as you’re definitely on her shitlist, “I want to list them name by name from primary school to the present day.” … Read the rest
The debut album from the talented duo of Amelia Lironi and Naomi Mackay, who met while studying music at Riverside College, is an exquisite masterpiece with its stylish melding of 1970s styledisco and funk with 1980’s post punk, their perfectly syncopated dual vocals playing off the sweeping synths, disco handclaps and funk/punk guitar riffs and creating an overall sound that is elegantly suave and coolly sophisticated.
This album has feel good written all over it, the infectious nature of the music, and it’s laidback geniality has a way of catching you unaware, enveloping you in it’s warm embrace until you feel invincible, like you don’t have a care in the world and nothing really matters anymore, apart from the music.… Read the rest
Gutterblood first came to my attention with the release of their single with political commentator Bonnie Prince Bob, the excellent anti-monarchy rant that is Gardyloo and their excellent Hard Ghandi EP from whence it came. I’m glad to note that the outspoken Bob is back alongside Tom with some hard hitting vocals and lyrics when you pair that with founding member Andy MacVannan whose thunderous ground-shaking bass lines form the solid backbone of the bands sound, complemented by some heard hitting heavy riffing by ex-Gin Goblin Dave you have a band who are in fine fettle angrier and more forthright than ever. … Read the rest
I’ve not written a blog/review since April… and reading that one back now, the negativity in my tone probably said as much about my state of mind at the time as it did about the event itself.
Maybe I should have noticed the slow decline from then until a few months later when things came to a head and my brain, for want of a better word, imploded and became my worst enemy once again. but hindsight is a great thing isn’t it? Slowly getting back on track means revisiting the things that bring a bit of joy and relief into an insane world and try to regain some sanity and balance, it means bringing some conscious positive habits in to replace all the unconscious negative habits that insidiously creep in.… Read the rest
If it was down to me, I’d listen to and write about music 24/7, but unfortunately, that doesn’t pay the bills, it only adds to them! So work has to take priority which doesn’t help when you have to burn the candle at both ends just to stand still…
Anyway if I don’t change the way I do these singles round ups it’ll be July before I’m done with February.
So here goes…
All the way from Brazil, Signo 13 served up another slice of moody gothic post punk with Onironautus while The Faint revival continued apace with an unreleased single, Brokers, Priests and Analysts, from their reissue of Blank-Wave Arcade.… Read the rest
In 2024, the inaugural House Guest Festival was such a roaring success, I had high hopes and expectations for this years event. My hopes were most definitely not dashed as Scottish Music Collective & Crowded Flat pulled off another cracker of an event, planned perfectly and executed with a pinpoint precision, with timings being a major factor in events such as this, everything flowed as gracefully as as a swam gliding across water, but I’m sure this meant no end of unseen frantic exertion behind the scenes. Kudos to all involved.
The Sankaras opened proceedings in Sleazys, but my starter for 10 for the day was a furiously energetic Count the Days.… Read the rest
Trippy psych sounds abound on February single Afraid from Glasgow based garage rock band The Mushroom Club.
Uppercut comes from French alt-rockers Pales latest EP, Crush. Both the title of the EP and single are appropriate adjectives to describe the sound of the band, the crushing intensity of the guitar riffs and the layering of vocals and instruments on the single coming together in a glorious melee and rising to a knockout crescendo
Perhaps not one to add to your workplace playlists, as Self Esteem celebrates every sexual position imaginable but draws the line at….… Read the rest
