Music Feature - The Ginger Quiff

Bela and the Lugosis – Vampire Kiss – album review

February 21, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

Before you press play on any of these songs, I imagine you will have some idea of the style of music, Bela and the Lugosis – Vampire Kiss, screams 70s disco crossed with grime doesn’t it? I jest of course. If you are yearning for the days you wore only back, came out only in the hours of darkness with your pale complexion, eyeliner (or guyliner!) and black nail varnish, this album will have you re-living nights in the Tech. Actually, if that is still how you roll, this album is for you.

Of course, the band name recalls the gothest of all goth bands (cue debate from all the ”real” goths out there), the mighty Bauhaus.… Read the rest

From Berlin to Russia, Punky Rock n Roll to Reggae and everything in between… bitesize album reviews (Joe Whyte)

February 15, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

My output has been sparse to say the least in 2022, it is therefore with great thanks due to Joe Whyte (Vive Le Rock writer and guitarist with legendary Airdrie punks Reaction) that this blog contains not one but four album reviews covering the globe and providing a gamut of musical styles to suit all tastes…

First up, from one of my favourite record labels, Tarbeach, is an album from Two Hearts, a band I only became aware of last year after they performed as part of Cynthia Ross birthday bash streaming live from NYC…

Two Hearts

Rock ‘N’ Roll 2020 (Tarbeach)

7/10

A Japanese love letter to NYC

I’d have to say that this one was a slow-burner for me; the first couple of listens didn’t convince and I found the lo-fi, clattering production slightly irritating.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2022 – Part 1 – January

February 10, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

I’ve been in absentia for the entire month of January, like many out there, I’ve been struggling with my Mental Health, to the extent that even things that normally give me pleasure felt like a chore or just utterly pointless.

I normally revel in receiving emails and messages sharing new music and releases, but in the last few weeks I just found it overwhelming. However, I have finally started to dig myself out of the mire and in doing so, have trawled through seemingly unending emails unearthing the best of new songs, singles, demos and so on from January (in my humble opinion)

In no particular order:

Simon Love – I Love Everybody in the Whole Wide World (Except You)

This seems to be a good place to start, lyrically and musically exceptional, there is no mixed message to be picked up from this, Mr Love making his feelings perfectly clear.… Read the rest

22 for ‘22

January 6, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

In no particular order…22 bands I’m looking forward to hearing more from, albums I’m looking forward to getting my grubby mitts on, and gigs or tours I’m looking forward to attending (fingers and toes crossed) in 2022

1. The Courettes

The band that never rests is already looking ahead to what’s next. Not one’s to rest on their laurels or take a well earned break after an ecstatically received album in Back in Mono, supported by 71 dates across 9 countries, Martin and Flavia have already been in the studio laying down tracks for their follow up. Let’s hope for some more UK dates this year, Back in Mono (live in Mono!)… Read the rest

The Ones That Got Away… Karma Surround – Songs Lost in the Meantime – album review

January 5, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

Karma Surround is a duo made up of Darren Roy and his brother Michael from Fife, who recently released their debut album, the remarkable Songs Lost in the Meantime. They have been releasing songs over the last year or so via Bandcamp. Towards the end of the year finally putting together their album.

This is a charmingly captivating piece of work, made up as it is of ten sublime jangly indie pop, acoustic folky slices of good karma inducing instant musical sunshine. And what is remarkable is that these were all recorded in a makeshift home studio, mixed and full band songs mastered by Alex Wharton for a sum total of £250.… Read the rest

The Ones That Got Away… The Scaramanga Six – Worthless Music – album review

January 5, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

Yes, I know its 2022 now, and I’ll start to be inundated with new releases (my inbox has already started pinging…) but I still have several albums I want to cover from last year…including this belter from The Scaramanga Six.

Worthless Music may well be the title of this, the tenth, album from The Scaramanga Six but that’s where that comparison ends, this is a thunderously good collection of powerfully strident hard-edged, while sophistically artfully concocted, post punk anthems. Certainly nothing worthless here, no weak links and plenty of compelling melodies.

The band announce their arrival with the blistering defiance of Big Ideas, big on beats, big on rhythm, big on melodies, big on striking song structure.… Read the rest

The Ones That Got Away… Annie Booth – Lazybody – album review

December 30, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

I did include this album in my top 25 of the year, but hadn’t got around to reviewing it at that point. Since then I have pretty much listened to the album on almost a daily basis. If I were to be doing my end of year blog now, I would have to say that Lazybody would be in my top five favourite albums of the year. Note to self, wait until it is actually the end of the year before revealing any lists…

I Don’t Mind…Until I Mind

There is a certain stunning unique quality to Annie’s vocal that always manages to hit that sweet spot somewhere between joyous, comforting and an air of melancholy.… Read the rest

The Ones That Got Away… Filthy Filthy – Getting Away With It – album review

December 30, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

Continuing in my attempt to get some last reviews in before we hit 2022, for some albums that I was late in getting to, or that were just too late to get into my end of year blog posts.

Next up its some old school punk rock n’ roll courtesy of Hull’s Filthy Filthy. Having noted that I hadn’t featured many albums that could be classified as “punk” in my top 25 albums of the year, I’ve been enjoying this and the debut from Year Zero which was also released in the latter stages of the year. More on Year Zero in another post though..… Read the rest

The Ones That Got Away… The Musicians of Bremen – Intolerance and Resilience – album reviews

December 29, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

As we reach the end of the year, there are a few albums I need to highlight that either came to me too late to make my end of year lists or I just overlooked earlier for some reason or another.

Despite what their name tells you, Glasgow based band, The Musicians of Bremen, ended the year by releasing the second part of their double header debut album Resilience, having released part one, Intolerance, earlier in the year. Like the Brothers Grimm tale from whence they get their name, their wish would be to rid us of al the thieves and liars, particularly the ones that run the country/world…

The two album title could be buzzwords for recent years as we see society split even further and intolerances increasing from both side of the divide, some of these intolerances entirely despicable created through the rise of the right (a particular visceral response to Brexit at the end of the album “We Voted NO” leaving you in no doubt where the band stands) and incompetent lying governments on both sides of the Atlantic while other intolerances totally understandable as the rest of us rail against hate, racism, homophobia, xenophobia and bigotry.… Read the rest

A Damaged Christmas Gift For You – Review

December 20, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

There are several Christmas albums that I would consider essential listening for this time of year. The 2000 compilation Its a Cool Cool Christmas for one, with a host of quality songs from the likes of Eels, El Vez, Drugstore no a personal family favourite, Christmas Boogaloo by Big Boss Man. Christmas by Low, whose Just Like Christmas appears on the aforementioned compilation, is another must listen at Christmas, while a modern classic, Ghost Stories fro Christmas (Aidan Moffat and RM Hubert) jumped straight into my all time favourite Christmas albums list on its release a few years ago.

Of course, one of the all time classics is A Christmas Gift for You, featuring the famous wall of sound in contributions from Darlene Love, The Ronettes, Bob B Soxx and the Blue Jeans and The Crystals.… Read the rest