Despite my realisation that I had been slowly disappearing down a black hole, and taking the prompt from Action for Happiness to have a more Mindful March, it has been difficult to get out of the rut, still finding myself lost in “busyness” much of the time and not living life in the moment.
I have managed to take several “moments” out though to listen to the plethora of quality new singles, songs or demos that have come my way by way of e-mail, social media or by pure chance. Many of these songs are due to be followed up later in the year with an album, so the future of 2021, music wise at least, is looking rosy.
In no particular order…
Cathal Coughlan
I recently posted about the new releases on Rock Action from Mogwai and Arab Strap, the Arab Strap album particularly exciting me after an absence of 16 years. I must admit to being possibly as excited, if not slightly more so, about Song of Co Aklan, the upcoming album by/alter ego of Cathal Coughlan. This album is the first from Cathal in 10 years and not happy with having already enticed us with the first single from the album, Song of Co Aklan, the former Microdisney and Fatima Mansions front man has followed that up with a salvo of further tracks, Owl in the Parlour and the latest, The Knockout Artist.
A full album review will follow soon on Louder Than War, but let it be known now that Coughlan is on top form. Being, in my opinion, one of the best lyricists and vocalists of his generation, the album more than delivers on both fronts.
Cathal Coughlan: Facebook – linktree
Here is The Knockout Artist to whet your appetite…
Def Robot
From a couple of bands for whom it has been a long time between albums, to a band that can’t seem to stop releasing albums. Literally up to 11 with their new album…We Go Up to Eleven. Loads of bands have released 11 albums I hear you say…. fair enough. But the first of these 11 albums was released in 2019. The latest in this long list has been preceded by a double A side single Reflection/Original Soda Queen.
I promise a write up of the new album, I was going to say soon, but it’ll probably be whenever I get myself on a fully even keel.
In the meantime, have a listen and if you like what you hear, head over to Bandcamp and snaffle a bargain or 11 (I think all the albums are currently available as “name your price” starting at a mere £1)
Def Robot: Facebook
Teenage Fanclub
It is a year for new releases by (yes I’m going to use a word I hate) iconic Scottish indie bands, with the oldest teenagers in town the Fannies releasing a new album too. Endless Arcade comes out on the 30th April, and while we wait for spring to come around and the album to arrive, there is no need to find religion, just put your faith in the glorious harmonies of “I’m More Inclined”.
Teenage Fanclub: Facebook – Website – Instagram – Youtube – Twitter
The Third Cut
The last song from The Third Cut, Bad Idea was a Galaxie 500-esque dreamy ballad. Their new single turns things entirely on its head. Bang! The song is out of the blocks and sprinting down the home straight before you know what has happened. As you may have guessed from the title, this song hits you like a sugar rush. A perfect pick me up without being saccharine sweet. C’est très bon(bon)
The Third Cut: Facebook –
Hadda Be
The first of a few songs in this list to originate from a certain Glasgow based not-for-profit label and its offshoots. There is soo much good stuff coming from Last Night From Glasgow this year I’m losing track already and it is only March…
Another Life from the artists formerly known as Foundlings crashes into life in a flurry of vibrant guitars, thumping drums and crashing cymbals before Amber’s vocal kicks in. The band take the blueprint of 80s fuzz pop bands like Primitives, Shop Assistants and their ilk, inject a bit of 21st Century grit and create an anthemic sound. They are set to follow this up with another single Wait in the Dark before the album, also titled Another Life is released later in the year.
Hadda Be: LNFG – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram – YouTube
Gracious Losers
Another one from the LNFG stables, this time an elegantly laidback slice of gloriously low key folk, complete with atmospheric slide guitar and melancholic keyboard from The Gracious Losers. The single comes ahead of what promises to be another cracking album for 2021 in the shape of Six Road Ends.
Gracious Losers: LNFG – Facebook
Jeff Bernstein & Ian Donaldson
For his last outing, H2O frontman Ian Donaldson released a real glam rock stomp. This time around he has joined forces with Jeff Bernstein to release this beautifully symphonic song. The title of the song tells half the story as you get drawn in by Donaldson’s heartfelt affecting vocal topping a beautiful soaring classical melody.
Rilke
Rilke follow up Whisper with another heartfelt single packed with soaring melodies and a shimmering cadence in the form of their new single Have it All.
Rilke: Facebook
Lemon Drink
Yeah, I know. Its LNFG again. I can’t help it if they keep releasing quality records. A sinister intro sweeps in revealing a thobbing bass and thumping drum beat, the guitar sings its intro before the infectious vocal hooks you and drags you in. “You won’t feel a thing” as you get sucked in by the driving beat and the compelling guitar hypnotises you….
Lemon Drink: Facebook – LNFG – Spotify
Andre Salvador & the Von Kings
From a Demon Child, to Something Nice for you now, literally. It is the latest video/single from Andre Salvador & the Von Kings self titled album and is a quirky slice of sunshine to light up any wet and miserable days.
Andre Salvador & the Von Kings: Facebook – LNFG Hive
wojtek the bear
This is getting embarrassing now. Maybe LNFG and its offshoots should give someone else a chance. Ha ha. By the way I’m not getting paid for this…the opposite is true if anything and on that note, if you haven’t already you should check out all the membership options they have on offer…
Right maybe I should take wojtek the bear’s advice and shut up.
I’ll shut up and you listen to this offering from their upcoming album, heaven by the back door. Try not to tap your foot…you can’t.
wojtek the bear: Facebook – Linktree – LNFG Hive
Iggy Pop
Mr Pop shows there is life in the old dog yet as he rages (quietly) against the dying of the light with his take on the Dylan Thomas poem. This actually had me feeling quite emotional with a wee lump in my throat by the end of it.
Katherine Aly
Not a new single per se, but the angelically voiced singer recently posted her sympathetic cover of Nine Inch Nails Hurt. Click on the link to her Facbook page to listen
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=183720566548401
Katherine Aly – Facebook – Website
Trashcan Sinatras
I’m sure I’ve posted this before but as the double A sided 7″ recently dropped through my letterbox, I feel it is worthy or a further plug. Ayrshire’s finest released Ways and The Closer You Move Away From Me last year, but this is a perfect reminder that their classic I’ve Seen Everything album is getting a well deserved vinyl re-issue later in the year on Past Night From Glasgow…
Trashcan Sinatras: Facebook – Website
Sister John
The video for the new single from the wonderful Sister John was released at the start of March. The song itself precedes their third album, I Am By Day, and is as luxurious in its serenity as it is assured in its engaging guitar work. A great sign of things to come on the latest album.
Diablo Furs
Keeping themselves occupied during lockdown, Daiblofurs have created a socially distanced video for Rival Grrls from their brilliant Neon Satellites album from last year. Hopefully it won’t be too much longer ’til the band can get together in the same place. Enjoy this while you wait…
Diablofurs – Facebook – Soundcloud – Bandcamp – Spotify
The Members
A wee poignant number from The Members in the shape of Bedsitland, complete with lashings of doo-wop for good measure. Listen to this while reading the new autobiography from JC Carroll.
The Members: Facebook – Website
The Magic Sponge
Having recently reviewed the new album from The Magic Sponge on Louder Than War, the band, Perry Richards, Tim Whelan, George Pace, Geoff Bonner and Hamilton Lee who have an impressive collective background, in bands such as Furniture and Transglobal Underground have released the video for their single Sometime Black is Too Bright. A little link to the last song too, with JC Carroll creating the video.
The Magic Sponge – Facebook
Monsterpop
Coming at you initially like a grungy Peter Gunn, Monsterpop’s new single Holes riffs its way into your (ear)holes. There are no holes in the melody though as the moody driving rhythm takes hold and lodges itself in your subconscious. Another belter from the multi-talented Jimmy Dev.
Monsterpop – Facebook – Bandcamp
The Muldoons
When you take one of the purveyors of my favourite albums of last year, Made for Each Other, and a song from one of the re-releases of last year, The Bluebells Sisters (and yes, they both come from that same source label) you get a cracking cover version. It may take a lot to make her laugh, but this cover of Cath brings a huge smile to my face.
The Muldoons: Facebook – LNFG Hive – Bandcamp
Power of Dreams
With their new album Auslander due later in the year, Power of Dreams are giving away an acoustic version of their classic single 100 Ways of Killing a Love to anyone who signs up to their mailing list. Follow the link below to get hold of your copy of this slowed down emotional version of the song.
https://linktr.ee/powerofdreams
Rudebeard
The party starts here again after their “festive” offering, their take on the glorious year that was 2020… Rudebeard are back with a new five track EP, One Big Yes, and they are pinning their colours well and truly to the mast in several ways with this one. The video for the lead song premiered at 5pm on their Facebook page yesterday. Following in the footsteps of John Gordon Sinclair and Andy Cameron, the song celebrates the Scottish National Football team, only their song is a belter.
Following a recent upturn in the fortunes of the national team, the band have re-recorded a version of the song originally recorded by Newtown Grunts as more of a lament to the misfortunes of the team. Toepokes and Tragedies should be the teams theme as they enter the Euros…
Rod, Adam and co drop the acoustic guitars for the rest of the EP and normal service is resumed.
Better Than a Smack in the Pus is Rudebeard through and through, revealing their roots from the likes of Newtown Grunts and the NSFW Joe Viterbo, and has some very tasty rockabilly guitars smack bang in the middle. The dancing really starts with Dirty Secrets, a mighty weekend party ska romp which will have your head in a spin… with shades of Blur’s Boys and Girls (!) chucked in for good measure.
Things are Getting Better will have you speed-skanking your legs down to stumps as you work yourself into a sweat in a paean to positivity. I recently reviewed the latest long player by Randolph’s Leap, one of the things that stood out was of course the brass section. the welcome sound of Ali’s trumpet also heralds the arrival of the last track on the EP, Thank you, Goodnight, I’ll leave you to work out where their allegiances lie 🙂
Rudebeard: Facebook – Website – Spotify
The Lee Harveys
As a taster for their new album 221, The Lee Harveys recently teased the song Motor City Blues. Everything you would expect from the band, a foot to the floor ’77 punk rock blast with Bitzy’s familiar timbre and plenty of Stooges references. Can’t wait for the album, and an end to lockdown so there may be the chnace of a visit to these shores for another storming gig. Have a look out for the other new track too – Dead Pop Star.
Click on the link for a welcome blast of punk rock…
The Lee Harveys: FOAD Music – Facebook – Spotify
Ex-
More ’77 punk sounds from Meek and Co with their latest EP, the three track Lockdown Sessions EP. The EP starts with the more than relevant You’re Doing My Head In, as we all live on top of each other with no let up “I succumb cos I’m under your thumb” sings Meek. Ultimatum kicks off, literally, with a repetitive kick drum that underlines the whole song, which goes on to blast into a glam stomp, thunderous guitars chugging along apace.
The NYC glam punk of Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers seems to be the blueprint for the story of the wannabe fame hungry subjects that feature in the lyrics of the closing track, Miss America. As always from Ex- this is a cracking EP, get your copy now from the band via Facebook
A new album, Solitary Confinement is due soon too…
Ex- Facebook
Lou McLean
Locked Down in Leith is the new EP from Lou McLean. The five track EP kicks off with Goodbye, Lou and her guitar laying bare her feelings and insecurities felt living through lockdown, but revealing a feeling of defiance and wry humour in the face of “the end of the world” as she wonders if she can build her experiences into a “bangin’ song”. The answer is, of course, yes. As you might guess from the title of the EP, the theme is carried across all of the songs here.
While Goodbye is defiant, the third song, The World is On Fire, has a feeling of fragility in its beauty, displaying the range of emotions I’m sure many of us have felt over the course of the last 12 month. GLAMBAM closes the EP as Lou explores the ups and downs of a relationship in the face of strange times. The EP is available on several platforms now: https://linktr.ee/loumcleanmusic
Uncle Kid
A wee bit of Scottish trip hop to end things. The new EP from Uncle Kid is called Indistinct Chatter and features the track below, Supermarket Sweep. Like Lou Mclean, this track is Uncle Kid’s take on lockdown, from an different viewpoint and in an entirely different style. This brooding spoken word performance has an uneasy edge as he explores the impact of lockdown on society returning to the phrase “everyone wants to get back to normal”, having already used that “normal was a crisis”. The EP is out now on bandcamp and the usual streaming sites…
Uncle Kid:
Spotify
Bandcamp
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube
If the tracks above are available on Spotify I have added them to the Ginger Quiff 2021 Playlist:
Thanks so much mate!
i didnt know if you had heard it.
I really appreciiate it.
This has made my day