Sister John I Am By Day

Sister John – I Am By Day – album review

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

Marianne Dissard

Marianne Dissard – Interview

Marianne Dissard

Marianne Dissard is a French born singer/songwriter, who spent a large part of her life living in Tucson, Arizona. She started her career as a film-maker before taking up singing, and releasing her first album in 2006.

I am making up for lost time listening to her wonderful back catalogue having been introduced to her music through her sultry re-working of Richie Valens Come on Let’s Go and the remarkable Prisencolinensinainciusol by Adrian Celentano. These were initially planned to be part of a covers album, although having now released several of her covers as singles, the album might not materialise imminently.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2021 Part 7

It’s mid July and I’ve got about a hundred reviews semi written, but not finished, so instead of finishing them, why not waste several hours putting together another singles round up while sitting by my home built garden bar drinking some IPA or other..

I’m going to kick off with perhaps my favourite single in the last couple of months, from my most eagerly anticipated album in an age…

Lola in Slacks

Trocchi’s Canal blends the wondrously sultry vocal talents of Lou Reid with Brian McFie’s exquisite guitar playing to create a dark noir pop masterpiece, roll on October for the album Moon Moth.… Read the rest

Superstar - Palm Tree

Songs that Saved Your Life? Pt 1*

*Borrowing from lyrics from Rubber Ring by The Smiths, and a book by Simon Goddard with the same name.

“The passing of time
And all of its sickening crimes
Is making me sad again
But don’t forget the songs
That made you cry
And the songs that saved your life
Yes, you’re older now
And you’re a clever swine
But they were the only ones who ever stood by you”

My experiences in the last few weeks have inspired me to write a (currently undetermined) series of blogs covering some of the albums that, without being too over dramatic, played a part in saving my life.… Read the rest

The Best Bad Influence

Live Music – The Best Bad (Good) Influence…

This is a post I started writing earlier, but the outcome has changed as a result of today’s activity…

Rollercoaster of Emotions

I’ve been on a bit of a rollercoaster for the last few weeks, experiencing some of the highest highs and the lowest lows I’ve felt in a long time from a mental health perspective.

Yesterday I finished delivering a two week induction training course in Perth for 10 new starts, and I’m now emotionally and physically drained after two weeks of putting my heart and soul entirely into work. I’m glad to say the actual training was an entirely positive experience, with the odd left field issue thrown in to test me.… Read the rest

Tom McGuire & the Brassholes – Interview

Tom McGuire & the Brassholes have recently released a couple of top quality soul funk singles and on the eve(ish) of their gig this Thursday at the Euro Championships fan-zone in Glasgow Green, I had to the opportunity to pose Mr McGuire some questions.

Oh Savanna

The Ginger Quiff: You’ve returned recently with a brace of stunning singles, most recently Oh Savanna, and prior to that Super Solid Soul Vehicle. I read that Oh Savanna was based on a meeting with a real person, and Super Solid Soul Vehicle is inspired by the wonderful Bill Withers. Tell us more about the story behind Savanna.Read the rest

Daniel Wylie’s Cosmic Rough Riders

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

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

Monica Queen

Monica Queen – Thrum/Tenement & Temple – Interview

Anyone who has heard the stunning vocal talents of the one and only Monica Queen will rush to tell you she is one of Scotland’s brightest talents. With such an extraordinarily dynamic and unique voice, I guarantee that once heard, she is never forgotten.

From bands like the wonderful Thrum and Moni, through collaborations and supergroups such as Belle and Sebastian’s Lazy Line Painter Jane and the remarkable Gracious Losers, and recent albums with bandmate and partner, the equally talented and in demand guitar slinger Johnny Smillie, such as the astonishing and affecting Tenement and Temple album, she can put her voice to anything.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2021 Part 6

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

We’ll be coming, we’ll be coming…

…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