Music Feature - The Ginger Quiff

Baby Shakes – Live, The Flying Duck, Glasgow

July 18, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

I love a good gig, and usually have a few to look forward to weeks or months in advance. There is something to be said though for Impromptu gig nights. The other night in Glasgow was a case in point.

I’d seen the Baby Shakes gig advertised and had swithered whether I should go, mid-week, last few days before I’m off for a couple of weeks so busy at work. I’d unconsciously put a mental x against it as one of those, I’d like to go, but I’ll stay in.

Of course, if that had been the case, there wouldn’t have been much more to write about.… Read the rest

Curdle – Curdle -Album Review

July 16, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Not officially a “new” album as such, but as the album has just earned itself a vinyl release on Double A Side Records (having appeared on the wonderful Play it Like a Woman compilation), now is as good a time as any to revel in my love of the music of Curdle. A band who seem to announce a new live date every couple of days, and I can never get to any of them … as I keep saying, maybe next time.

I first came across the band when they supported Dead Hope in Glasgow’s Old Hairdressers and fell in love with the dark but uplifting racket they made, making sure I purchased the album on its release.… Read the rest

Bubblegum Lemonade – Desperately Seeking Sunshine – album review

July 11, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Having made mention of The Martial Arts on a recent blog and Paul Kelly’s welcome return with 4 glorious tracks on the I Use to be… EP, it would be remiss of me not to feature another stalwart of the Scottish indie-pop scene.

Bubblegum Lemonade

So, here’s to the multi-talented Laz McCluskey of Bubblegum Lemonade fame. It has now been several months since the band’s latest album Desperately Seeking Sunshine landed, but on the evidence of the 12 sun-kissed tracks on offer here, you don’t have too far to look. And thankfully the cantankerous Madonna is nowhere to be seen.

Laz has hit a fruitful vein of creativity on this, his latest release in a long line on the Matinee Recordings label.… Read the rest

An Eclectic Cornucopia of Charismatic Congenial Creations to Charm and Captivate

July 10, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

There are several tracks/singles and EPs that I have been sitting on for a while or I’ve just received that been enjoying recently

Katherine Aly

Starting with the sublime Katherine Aly. The Skin I’m Made Of is an achingly beautiful piano driven ballad. Aly has a beautifully distinctive voice, crisp and clear with no warbling affectations and the song reaches the parts other vocalists can’t reach. Some may have been lucky enough to catch her recently as I believe she supported Goodbye Mr MacKenzie in Dundee. I hope to hear a lot more from her in future.

The Martial Arts

Next up is stalwart of the Scottish indie scene, Paul Kelly, returning with The Martial Arts.… Read the rest

Membranes What Nature Gives...Nature Takes Away

The Membranes – What Nature Gives… album review

June 19, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Four Seasons for the punk generation

It took a while for me to find the right words to put to this review. On the first couple of listens I was totally blown away, lost for words.

You see, What Nature Gives…Nature Takes Away is far more than just an album. Like nature itself, it is profound and unstoppable, a Tour De Force, an irresistible masterpiece in four parts. Vivaldi’s Four Seasons for the punk-goth generation if you like.

What The Membranes give…

It feels like the culmination of an entire life’s work, a cycle of life just like nature itself, it seems like the whole of The Membranes career has built to this overwhelming pinnacle.… Read the rest

Goodbye Mr MacKenzie – Good Deeds & Dirty Rags – a celebration

May 16, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

A Celebration. The 1980s was a fruitful time for Scottish bands. The tail end of the 1970s into the early 1980s saw the rise of innumerable post-punk bands like Josef K, Scars, The Associates, Fire Engines and Orange Juice created a scene spawning cult independent record labels Postcard Records. At the other end of the scale, worldwide mega-stardom was achieved by the likes of Simple Minds. There was certainly plenty to celebrate in the Scottish music scene.

Criminally Under-rated Classic

For me, one of the key releases and a memorable highlight happened in 1989. Following a string of underground quintessential singles.… Read the rest

Swervedriver – Future Ruins -live review

May 15, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

What can I say about last night’s gig, nay, experience, in King Tuts? Intense, emotional, jaw-droppingly beautiful, powerful… I could go on and on with other such superlatives. I was expecting to enjoy it, but not nearly as much as I did. It made the fact that it was only a Tuesday night with another three working days until the weekend eminently more bearable.

Cherry Wave

Cherry Wave who are a new one on me, played a blinder. And a deafener to be fair. The three guitar, bass and drum attack meant visceral distortion, fuzz and plenty of whammy bar vibrato in a wall of sound MBV/shoegaze type manner.… Read the rest

Duncan Reid and the Big Heads at Scotland Calling

Scotland Calling 2019 – a rambling review (of sorts)

April 29, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Having been to every Scotland Calling since its inception, tickets were duly purchased 12 months in advance for this year’s event before really looking at who was on the bill. It may sound strange to say but largely, it hasn’t mattered in years gone by. Not to say that it doesn’t matter at all, obviously the bill will switch off and turn on different people accordingly and of course, being a fan of live music, it is always great to see be at a gig. But for me, Scotland Calling has become an annual day out spent with two of my closest pals.… Read the rest

Punk Fests – Old v New – Scotland Calling & Dammit-Fest 2019

April 22, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Scotland Calling

This weekend sees the return of Glasgow’s annual festival of punk, Scotland Calling. Into its 6th year now, I’ve been to them all so far and it has always been a good day out and an opportunity to catch up with friends.

Like every festival, there are bands that suit our tastes and others that give us an opportunity to take a break. Head out for a drink or something to eat in the many hostelries and eating establishments on and around Sauchiehall Street.

We have joked every year about the line-up, with some bands making several appearances.… Read the rest

L-Space – Music for Megastructures – Album review

April 18, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Scottish 4-piece L-Space present their glorious opus, Music for Megastructures. An outstanding body of work and departure from their debut album Kipple Arcadia. This release is a most welcome addition to the magnificent and varied output from the burgeoning roster of label Last Night from Glasgow. One remarkable fact about this instrumental album is that it is recorded entirely on synthesisers (save a few bass parts here and there). The resultant futuristic haunting atmospheric sounds had me hooked from the off.

With four sides/themes to the album, it plays out like a metaphoric journey through life. Arriving at this space-age mega-civilisation with part one, Transport, the music conjures images of firing rocket boosters and of air rushing past, of ships horns and space age trains over rails.… Read the rest