Category: Country

Singles Round Up 2026 – February – Part 1

February 15, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

When you take your eye off the ball for a second… I’ve been guilty of ignoring my inbox and my blog of late, I turn away for a couple of weeks and there is a plethora of fantastic new singles from a gamut of bands and styles… This is just the first part of February’s round up, beyond this initial collection, there is another burgeoning list of new singles for February and it is the usual smörgåsbord of sounds from across the globe, with a heavy dose of homegrown talent. Within that homegrown talent in Part 1 there is bona fide music legend Fay Fife in her Countess of Fife guise, and new singles from the likes of Broken Chanter through to newer kids in the block who are making quite an impression on the local scene in the guise of bands like heavyskint and Dallas Love Field.… Read the rest

Buzz Cutz – Amy Duncan, Hen Hoose Collective, M John Henry, The Cribs, The Jack Rubies – January Albums

February 15, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

I don’t make New Years Resolutions, but I did kind if make a mental note that I would try to be kinder to myself in 2026, aim to have a better work/life balance and set aside more time to do the things I enjoy… best laid plans and all that…

You guessed it, despite the best of intentions and promising myself that better work/life balance and to be less critical of myself, it’s only February and already I’ve missed more gigs than I’ve been to, I’m constantly metaphorically self-flagellating and I’ve gone down several dark holes which I’m scrabbling to escape from,it feels a bit like those cartoons where you see the character stuck in a hole and as they start to climb the walls, something happens to knock them back down again.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2026 – January – Part 4

January 29, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

The final part of this month’s singles round up runs to 21 songs, bringing the total to 57 brilliant new songs for the first month of the year, 23 of these from Scottish bands/artists, a cracking start to the year I’m sure you’ll agree. Part 4 of the singles for January includes new singles from 3 bands that feature on the forthcoming New Sound of Scotland CD namely Cowboy Hunters, Vanderlye and The Froobz, and with Oedipus and the Mama’s Boys being on Part 3 of the round up, it’s already stacking up to be a great year for new music from the bands on the CD, the next couple of months are shaping up well with singles on the way from pedalo, Martha May and the Mondays and Sister Madds to name but 3…

As soon as I get the CDs delivered, I’ll post details on how to get your hands on one… it’ll be a case of when they’re gone, they’re gone…

First up on this part it’s the somewhat eery and menacing Dr Love from Would Be Goods, be well warned by the spookily haunting melody and don’t let the name fool you, this Dr Love is not there to heal you or mend your broken heart, rather he will pull the rug from under you and rip your heart to shreds.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2026 – January – Part 2

January 22, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

Part two of an already strong month for new singles and another smorgasbord of songs from bands old and new from harmonious folky melodies from Amy Duncan and M. John Henry through to in your face punk from Dropkick Murphys and Gogol Bordello… Part three still to come with some more outstanding songs…

First up in this part is Ghost Reverb, the lead track from the Post Punk No Wave EP from Novelistme the alterego of multi-instrumentalist Andrew Price and in which he leaves behind standard verse chorus verse song structures to create a one take improvisational commentary on life, it’s often a bleak and uneasy listen.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2026 – January Pt 1

January 11, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

A couple of weeks into January and things are already bright in terms of new singles, with plenty of action from bands close to home, a cover from a forthcoming cover versions album and the return of a few indie legends… The first couple of songs in the first part of the January round up are from home grown talent both with French titles.

I’m surprised Fraser McCallum has time to write his own music given his status as sought after guitar for hire in the Scottish music scene, taking on the mantle of a young version of Douglas McIntyre… But indeed he has made the time and the resultant impassioned single where he takes on a persona of Serge Gainsbourg L’eau à les yeux is a masterstroke, a song that is so swathed with affecting pathos in it’s sound and delivery that it could easily be a Morrissey song, in a time and place where Morrissey songs were to be celebrated.… Read the rest

The Ginger Quiff – Albums/EPs of the Year

December 31, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

Having had a prolonged break from writing The Ginger Quiff blogs in 2025, as well as missing many of the gigs I wanted to get to, it also meant I missed reviewing some of my favourite albums of this year. That didn’t mean I wasn’t enjoying the music or using it as a form of therapy, I am one of those people who can’t get through a day without listening to music, and if I do, something is majorly wrong… any, for what it’s worth here are my 50 favourite akbums of 2025, 25 favourite EPs (actually 26) and my favourite re-releases and compilations, where I did review them, I’ve included the link to the review.… Read the rest

November Singles Round Up – Final part…

December 15, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

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

House Guest Festival 2025 – Review

April 14, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

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.

Count the Days


The Sankaras opened proceedings in Sleazys, but my starter for 10 for the day was a furiously energetic Count the Days.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2025 – February – Part 3

March 29, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

The Mushroom Club – Afraid

Trippy psych sounds abound on February single Afraid from Glasgow based garage rock band The Mushroom Club.

The Mushroom Club

Pales – Uppercut

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

Pales

Self Esteem – 69

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

The Countess of Fife – Betwixt and Between – EP Review

March 8, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

I was fortunate to get the opportunity to spend some time in the company of Scottish music icon Fay Fife towards the end of last year and have the pleasure of an in-depth chat about her Countess of Fife project. Our catch up coincided with her reaching the Kickstarter campaign target for her second album, A Woman of Certain Wisdom, in the guise of The Countess of Fife, following the runaway success of her first album Star of the Sea, which had also just seen its second pressing.

You can read the whole interview here

When we spoke, Fay alluded to an EP that would be released ahead of A Woman Of Certain Wisdom later this year, featuring early versions of songs she had recorded for the new album.… Read the rest