Indie - 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

The First Big Weekend…

September 13, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

My return to live music kicked off in style last weekend with Hugh Reed & the Velvet Underpants in the Bungalow Bar in Paisley. This weekend was what you could call the First Big Weekend (copyright: Arab Strap) of my 2021 gig calendar with not two but three consecutive nights of live music. Bring it on. (Not sure if I should be apologising to my family or whether they were just glad to see the back of me for three nights…)

I’m not going to deny, it wasn’t without some trepidation that I was returning to gigs, and not just due to COVID and everything that goes along with that, but also the being around people in general, and social anxiety aspect of it all.… 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

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

Singles Round Up 2021 – Pt 8

August 16, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

This is a singles round up of mammoth proportions. I spent some time scrolling through the wealth of e-mails I received over the last few months, and other singles I’ve been particularly enjoying. 2021 has been a treasure trove of new music across so many genres. Even though this is my biggest singles round up of the year so far, it still only scratches the surface of what is going on just now…

…and then there are all the albums, just recently, over and above the ones I’ve already featured/reviewed I’ve been enjoying the new albums from The Media Whores, monsterpop, The Hurricanes, Jackal Trades, Mickey 9s, Jeshua and The Strays to name but a few.… Read the rest

Sister John – I Am By Day – album review

August 5, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

Sister John’s third long payer, I Am By Day, finally got it’s official release last week on Last Night From Glasgow after what feel’s like a lifetime’s anticipation. The follow up to Returned from Sea and their eponymous second album was absolutely worth the wait. I’m not sure there are enough superlatives in the English language to describe how listening to this record makes me feel.

For the uninitiated, first I need to say, what’s taken you so long? But, by way of trying to give an indication of what to expect, try to imagine if some of the members of Fleetwood Mac had decided to join forces with The Velvet Underground and created their own blend of divine avant-garde folky Americana and you’re partly there.… Read the rest

Daniel Wylie’s Cosmic Rough Riders – Atoms and Energy – album review

July 1, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

Last Night From Glasgow’s Hive imprint is home to yet another sublime pop masterpiece in the shape of Daniel Wylie’s Cosmic Rough Riders latest long player, Atoms and Energy. Mr Wylie has pulled it out of the bag once again with this collection of ten bewitchingly charming and perfectly formed melodic treasures.

This man’s knack for writing an addictive song grabbed me from the off, nearly wearing new grooves on both sides of The Thieves single Talk Your Head Off/The Party and feeling aggrieved when an album never surfaced with a release of one of my live favourites at the time, Star Spangled Banner.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2021 Part 6

June 6, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

Here it is, Singles Round Up 2021 Part 6 – since I published Part 5, the quality songs just keep coming this year, and that is only the ones I am just about keeping up with. For every superb song I manage to listen to, I’ve probably deleted a handful of e-mails that may have contained another cracker.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again -don’t let anyone ever tell you that there are no good new bands or new music out there. If that sis what you think, you’re just too damn lazy to find it…

Here are a selection of the songs I’ve been enjoying of late.… 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

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