Album/Single Review - The Ginger Quiff

Singles Round Up 2021 – Part 11

October 10, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

Another bumper batch of singles, demoes, or tracks that have somehow made their way into my slightly detached world . I’ve been trying desperately to keep on top of all the new releases and singles that keep catching my eye/ear, evidently I am only human and there are loads I’ve missed, and some probably included here that have been out for a while but I’m only getting my lugs around them now.

As always, these are in no particular order and where available, they’ve been added to the Ginger Quiff 2021 Playlist.

First up, its a bittersweet song…

The Jazz Butcher – Time

Many of us will have been shocked and saddened by the sudden passing this week of one of independent music’s most highly respected and talented free spirits in The Jazz Butcher iconoclast himself, Pat Fish.… Read the rest

Vardy – Pandemonium 555 EP – review

September 30, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

“Someone get me outta this place…” (Vardy – Outta This Place) something I’ve increasingly thought over recent weeks as I read the progressively more and more bizarre headlines, wondering if the last two years have actually been real? And it appears it is not the only thoughts I have in common with Daniel Vardy, the Vardy in question here, recently having released his 7 track Pandemonium 555 EP.

Pandemonium is an appropriate title for these seven steroid injected frantically energetic, vitriolic, indie guitar anthems tinged with a visceral punk attitude, his East Midlands accent demonstrating elements of both anger and desperation throughout the songs.… Read the rest

One’s That Got Away… Jeshua – Unreliable Narrator

September 29, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

One’s That Got Away

Despite me trying to keep on top of things this year, inevitably things always escape me. I have the best of intentions of posting reviews, listening to everything that is sent to me (as well as the stuff I buy myself), but life gets in the way sometimes… Here is the first in another series I’ll probably start, then never get around to following up on. Anyway. I’m aiming to do some mini reviews of albums I’ve been enjoying this year that I meant to review when they were released but then shit got in the way….… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2021 – Part 10

September 24, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

2021 is building up to be as big a shit storm of a year as 2020, COVID still looms large, but is quickly being taken over by events in Afghanistan and closer to home, the clusterfuck that is the fall out of Brexit. Hey, but we’ve got blue passports, crowns on pint glasses and are back to using pounds and ounces…

It is with an enormous debt gratitude of then, to all the bands and artists who keep me sane with the music they keep releasing this year. It has been a phenomenal year so far for new music and we’ve still got three months to go.… Read the rest

The Muslims – Fuck These Fuckin Fascists – album review

September 15, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

As John Lydon does all he can to piss on the legacy of punk and the Sex Pistols, through wearing his MAGA hats and moving further to the right and dissing the left, the true voice of punk in the 21^st Century belongs to the likes of the visceral voice and unyielding energy of Bob Vylan, the most important UK punk act to emerge in recent years. And from the US, while musically treading a poppier punk path but with no less anger and resentment towards a countless list of deserving targets it’s the turn of THE MUSLIMS “a crunchy, kickass punk band of Black + brown queer muzzies.”… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2021 – Part 9

September 5, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

2021 has been rammed full of quality new music, so many new singles and ones to fit every musical taste. Here’s my latest round up of the ones that have caught my attention.

And a note to all festival organisers whose bills are crammed with ladrock, there are literally thousands of alternatives out there….

Brat Coven

Brat Coven are a three piece riot grrrl/punk band with attitude form Glasgow. Listen to the lead song on their latest three track single and be in absolutely no doubt that they will accept NO unwelcome advances from sleazy blokes with the uncompromising grunge punk of Not Ur Girl.… Read the rest

Jackal Trades – At This Point – album review

September 1, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

Mark McGhee never rests.

Does this man never sleep? He seems to be constantly spinning plates, managing to keep them all going and letting nothing slip, while keeping up high standards and levels of quality control on everything too …

Live shows with The Girobabies (whose Who Stole Utopia? album remains an absolute revelation), You Call That Radio podcasts, and of course Jackal Trades (and master of them all), whose album At This Point was released a couple of months ago…. Yes, I’m still playing catch up, but that s a good sign – hunner’s of brilliant new music out there…

At This Point is essentially McGhee’s (and a supporting cast of thousands) commentary on the state of the COVID era disunited kingdom.… Read the rest

Mickey 9s – Modern Kunst – album review

August 30, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

The delay in writing this review is very remiss of me, I’ve had the latest Mickey 9s album for what seems like aeons. Certainly at least a few months before it was actually released, I’m sure the residents of Simshill/Castlemilk/Kings Park and the surrounding Glasgow Southside environs are probably sick of it blasting out my car windows on repeat. Either that or they’re now all fully fledged Mickey 9s converts. I’d like to think the latter.

I mean how can you NOT like this album? Playing it in the car was probably a bad idea. You can’t really listen to this album without getting sucked in by the high octane addictive post punk-funk.… Read the rest

Weve Met Before Havent We Deer Leader album cover

Deer Leader – We’ve Met Before… Haven’t We? – album review

August 29, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

I’ve only just regained control of my emotions after the stunning Sister John album, then Last Night From Glasgow only go and do it again…

I have to say, this is one of my most hotly anticipated releases of the year having been blown away by each one of the series of singles that preceded its release.

I’m There Right Now

To be honest, this album hasn’t lived up to its promise. It has smashed it. Exceeding my expectations in more ways than I could ever have hoped or imagined. I’m actually apprehensive about reviewing this as I’m not sure I can find the words to do it justice.… Read the rest

monsterpop – Undaunted – album review

August 28, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

Jimmy Dev seems to have been an omnipresent part of the Glasgow music scene forever, playing with countless bands putting his hand to a variety of music styles over the decades. Testing and honing his craft throughout his career, he can most recently be found and heard releasing singles and EPs under the nomenclature of monsterpop (lower case “m” intentional).

The resultant sound for monsterpop is a harmonious amalgamation of the different incarnations of Jimmy through the years (and believe me, if you’ve seen him on Facebook, there are many of those….) take a hunk of hard rock, a peppering of punk, a few grains of glam, an element of the eighties and plenty of punchy power pop, mix well and you’re pretty much there.… Read the rest