Album/Single Review - The Ginger Quiff

We’ll be coming, we’ll be coming…

June 1, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

…when you hear the noise of the Cundeez and Rudebeard boys, we’ll be coming down the road.

Remember the old days, remember the O’Jays… no, I’m going down the wrong cut de sac here. Remember in your youth (if you are of a certain vintage) when Scotland qualified for competitions with clockwork regularity? Only to crash out to some minnows in the group stages right enough, but qualified none the less.

Even if you weren’t a football fan, you knew we’d qualified. Who can forget being on the march wi’ Ally’s Army and Andy Cameron in 1978 when we all thought we were really going to come home from Argentina as trophy winners only for our dreams to be crushed.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2021 – Part 5

May 12, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

Mirroring last weekend, I’ve spent all the time my body can manage doing manual labour in the garden, so I’m back to trying to empty my inbox of the influx of e-mails that show no sign of abating.

As before, not reviews as such, more just a round up of singles, tracks or demos that have stuck their heads above the parapet and caught my attention. Where available, I’ve added them to The Ginger Quiff 2021 playlist on Spotify featuring all the bands/albums that have appeared on the blog (or in reviews I’ve done for Louder Than War) this year.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2021 – Part 4

May 3, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

I find it virtually impossible to keep up with the volume of new music that fills my inbox on a daily basis. I would love to say I had time to listen to everything, but there aren’t enough hours in the day. If only I didn’t have to work to pay the bills.

Anyway, here is the latest round up of some of the singles and demos that I have managed to listen to and enjoyed, tunes that have caught my attention in the last few weeks. Seeing as it is a hideous, rainy bank holiday Monday, I am taking a welcome break from digging up the garden to pull them all together in one place.… Read the rest

Hadda Be – Another Life – album review

April 22, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

If you’ve ever read any of my blog posts, you’ll probably be fed up with the very mention of Last Night From Glasgow, but I make no apologies for the repetition. The fact is, those in charge of quality control at the heart of LNFG have got their heads screwed on and are totally in tune with quality sounds.

Case in point is the debut album, Another Life, from the band formerly known as Foundlings, Hadda Be.

Gloriously Joyous Riffing

If you’ve been fortunate to hear the recent singles, the albums title track and the more recent Wait in the Dark, you’ll know exactly what I mean.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up – 2021 – Part 3

April 13, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

In an attempt to keep up with the number of singles that I’ve been enjoying lately, here’s another Singles Round Up. Apologies to anyone that may have sent me potentially the “next big thing” and I’ve missed it… the big red number on my mail app is currently stressing me out. Yes, I am one of those people, any red numbers against an app on my phone is a no go… I’m losing my email battle though.

Anyway, here are some bands/singles you should check out if you haven’t already…

Jehnny Beth & Bobby Gillespie – Remember We Were Lovers

The former Savages front woman joins Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie for this beautifully understated duet, with video produced by ex-JAMC bassist Douglas Hart.… Read the rest

Natalie Pryce – Bad Men – album review

April 9, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

The mysteriously enigmatic band Natalie Pryce unveiled their latest album Bad Men recently. As usual this is an unsettlingly enjoyable listen. The musical content of the 10 male-monikered songs to be found within is suitably reflected in the cover art featuring a sinisterly creepy masked man in crumpled pyjamas reclining aggressively on a bed…

This album comes at a time where issues like taking back the streets for women are to the fore in the wake of recent events following the murder of Sarah Everard at the hands of a serving policeman. I’m sure the messages portrayed on this album won’t be popular with the “not all men are like that” brigade.… Read the rest

The Middlenight Men – Issue 1 – album review

April 7, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

Like many other new albums in 2021, I’ve been enjoying this one for some time now but due to heavy workload and a general feeling of listlessness and malaise, I’ve never got around to writing about it. With a few days off work ahead of me, and having recovered from the after effects of the AZ vaccine, I’m going to try to rectify that…

‘Marvel’ous

So what of Issue 1 from The Middlenight Men? Well, quite simply it is ‘Marvel’ous. This band has provided the full package. The whole affair is a statement as to why physical releases beat streaming hands down.… Read the rest

The Gracious Losers – Six Road Ends – album review

April 3, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

Continuing in their quest to cause me marital grief due to the ever increasing number of vinyl arrivals, Last Night From Glasgow released the latest album from The Gracious Losers last week.

This supremely talented collective have come together once again to create a sublime soundtrack to my various trips around Scotland for work this week.

Last Night From Glasgow Patreon

Taking these soul soothing tunes with me reminds me to mention that, if vinyl isn’t your thing, and I’m not judging, you can join in the party with a monthly subscription that allows you to access all the labels releases in digital format.… Read the rest

paul RESEARCH – skate THE ROYAL MILE

March 24, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

Scars legendary guitarist returns following his adventures with Voicex for this arresting and eclectic collection of songs, collaborating across the miles (from Edinburgh to Barcelona, New York City to Rome and closer to home in England) none of the albums contributors met during the recording of the album during 2020 and ’21.

The songs and music are all written and played by the maestro himself while the vocals are shared between Leanne (LeeLoo) Greenman featuring on five of the nine songs, singing duties split equally on the remaining songs between Carrie Furniss and the enigmatically named James.

This album is clearly a labour of love from Paul.… Read the rest

Jason How – Plastic Dreams and Lovers

March 23, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

Guitar string empresario by day and psyche pop guitarist and lyricist extraordinaire by night. Rotosound’s Jason How excels himself once again with, unbelievably, an album which is apparently made up of songs which didn’t make the cut for previous albums. The outcome is a remarkable collection of songs that feel like they were made to be together, and any right minded band would be proud of.

The majority of the songs on the album are exactly what you would expect, and want, from a Jason How record. Powerfully perfect psyche pop melodies coupled with his usual selection of razor sharp observations and biting criticism, sitting perfectly alongside his emotive human interest tales.… Read the rest