The Ginger Quiff - Musings on music and mental health

The Claudettes: Dance Scandal at the Gymnasium – album review

April 13, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

The Claudettes

Two of my favourite TV shows in recent years have been Tremé & Twin Peaks. The former telling the tragic, but in some ways uplifting stories of those affected by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Largely ignored and forgotten by the government leaving them to rebuild their lives themselves. The latter being the return of the strange world created by the mind of David Lynch.

So why do I mention these here? After all this isn’t a TV review.

Music for New Orleans or perhaps the Bang Bang Club?

Let me explain. I have been listening to a new album Dance Scandal at the Gymnasium this week.… Read the rest

Ya Ya Logic – Own the World

April 8, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

Some Ginger Quiff ramblings…

When I started my blog, it was for a number of reasons, mainly to give me a release and something to occupy my mind in the times where my thoughts would take me to places I didn’t want to go.

My thought was It would help me focus and write about music I love and raise awareness of Mental Health Issues, if no-one ever read it, then it was still worthwhile for my own sanity.

It has led to much more than that though, I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to write reviews for Louder Than War – both online and in the magazine, and write articles for other blogs.… Read the rest

The Jackhammers, Cundeez & Texas Mod Crushers – Vinyl Rules

April 8, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

Vinyl Rules

Two cracking 7” singles arrived at The Ginger Quiff towers recently. (Well one of them was a few weeks ago, but I’ve been AWOL from the log in recent weeks…)

The Jackhammers

First up it’s the mighty Jackhammers with Jim Shit on vocals & bass, Andy Drankit on Drums and Horace Cockpuppet on guitar and vocals. I’m pretty sure they are not the names they were christened with.

The 3 track 7” is available from their bandcamp site. It has 3 different covers available. Standard orange cover (100 copies), white cover (50 copies) and you’re too late for the black cover – only 5 of those exist.… Read the rest

Rats From a Sinking Ship – Fight the Future live launch review – The Hug and Pint

March 19, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

Rats from a sinking ship – Gig time again

It was exactly a month since I was last at a gig (far too long!). More than that, the last gig wasn’t great from a personal perspective. I needed to have a good gig from Rats From a Sinking Ship tonight to rectify that.

I had great expectations for tonight’s gig and I was not to be disappointed.
The Hug and Pint was a great wee venue too; small, dark, sweaty and intimate. This sort of place is far more preferable to me that the enormous soulless venues like the Hydro, more often than not attracting soulless bands to play them.… Read the rest

Rats From a Sinking Ship – Fight the Future – Album review

March 5, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

Fight the Future

Rats From a Sinking Ship release “Fight the Future”, their 3^rd album, on 17^th March with a launch gig in Glasgow at the Hug and Pint. Ably supported by The Fuck Ups and The Chibmarks along with some punk poetry from Mark McG.

If you are already a fan of the band, you will be familiar with the sound and stance. You won’t be disappointed with either on this storming new album. If you’ve not heard them before, where have you been? It is about time you rectified that.

Vitriolic inspiration

The way of the world at the moment has given Alex Lusty plenty of material on which to base his vitriol on this new album.… Read the rest

Cruz De Navajas – Dominacion – New Album

February 27, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

Next stop Mexico…

Thanks to my blog, I am making a virtual global journey. I’ve been introduced to alternative bands and music of the world. Over the last few months, as well as bands from the UK, Canada and the US, I been sent music from various parts of the world including Turkey’s Tunay Akendiz and Istanbul’s “Reptilians from Andromeda”.

This time it is off to Mexico and Cruz De Navajas (Cross of Knives) whose new album “Dominacion” is available now. The band are new to me but you may already be familiar with some of the tracks on the album from the bands Demo from the end of 2016 and the single “Imperialismo” from July 2017.(available… Read the rest

Alfa 9 – My Sweet Movida

February 19, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

Alfa 9

Alfa 9’s third long player is a heady mix of influences that are worn clearly on their sleeves.

With sixties melodic jangly pop and west coast US psychedelia coming to the fore, The Byrds being a huge reference point, but including undeniable Country & Western and Spaghetti Western leanings.

The bands harmonious layered vocals would also not have sounded out-of-place in the 90’s alongside more modern luminaries like Burgess and Brown. To an extent you can also hear an element of the lush dreamy sounds of shoegaze bands such as Slowdive and Chapterhouse from around that time.

With this mix of influences, it is natural that different styles come to the fore at different times on the album.… Read the rest

Reaction – Out of My Head – 7″

February 19, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

White Vinyl

To keep Reaction fans going until the new album, they have a limited edition white vinyl 7″ out now for ordering on Tarbeach Records.

The two songs on this 7” show two different sides to the band. On one side, “Out of My Head” with its driving guitar, pounding bass and drums intro & refrain is the sophisticated melodic punk rock that the band have become known for. engaging guitar breaks, cymbal crashes and tambourine all add up to this being a stonker of a tune. Carson my want “you out of my head”, but I’m quite happy for this tune to stay there all day.… Read the rest

Graz - Acousic Astronaut - Galaxy Traveler Acoustic EP

Graz – Acoustic Astronaut: Galaxy Traveler Acoustic EP

February 19, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

Graz

I’m currently enjoying this acoustic EP from talented NY singer/multi-instrumentalist Graz (Dan Graziano).

The EP consists of 6 original acoustic songs, as you may have expected from the EP title. Graz has a gruff but rich warm voice, vaguely reminiscent of Elvis Costello and a more than agreeable selection of tracks on the EP.

Each song has something a little different to give, the little twists and unusual instruments on some of the tracks (see musician list below) add an interesting and diverse layer to the songs.

Take, for example, the music box intro and harmonica throughout “Concrete Jungle Blues”, and the atmospheric instrumental of “The Lullaby of Valiant Thor” which adds has an eerie feel.… Read the rest

Voicex – Waiting

February 19, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

Voicex – Waiting…

Following on from “Never”, the Scottish post-punk super-group (Scars, Boots for Dancing, Heavy Drapes) follow up with second offering “Waiting”.

It is a jangly indie-guitar masterpiece.

Shades of 60’s buzz pop/The Primitives in the intro, and capturing the spirit of many bands of the classic 80’s era in Weather Prophets, Shop Assistants and their ilk, with shades of Bunnymen thrown in to boot.

Don’t get me wrong though, Voicex have their own individual sound when you add Suky’s impassioned vocal to the mix. Listen for yourself:

I’ve been fortunate to hear a sneak preview of another track and if you like, nay, love the 2 tracks so far, you won’t be disappointed.… Read the rest