two thirds of the way through the year and time for another round up of the best singles, demos, live tracks and general goodness that has come my way by hook or by crook throughout the month of September.
bis – Lucky Night
It’s your lucky day, bis returned in September with their new single Lucky Night, a song packed with bis goodness and accompanied by an engrossing CGI video packed with clones of the bis threesome. The upbeat electropop anthem bemoaning dodgy nightclub chat up lines “a boy walked up to me…” It’s bis, what’s not to love?
The Nightingales – Bloody Breath
From their new album The Last Laugh is this slice of Nightingales brilliance, layering addictive driving rhythms starting with an incessant piano riff before adding throbbing bass and adding instrument after instrument to create an insanely hypnotic melee, all topped off with Robert Lloyd’s distinctive low, almost menacing brogue and you have sheer perfection. For non-Nightingales devotees, you MUST check out the documentary King Rocker…
Slim Wrist – Milk Teeth
Another cut from their latest album, Closer for Comforting, as you might expect from the electronic Edinburgh duo, Milk Teeth is dreamily tranquil, a tune packed with swooping swirling empathy and the feeling of being wrapped up in a warm hug.
Dives – Say
Three-piece from Vienna, Dives, released their single Say in September. The song is an uplifting feel good late summer indie fuzzy guitar led song, with solid driving rhythm section.
Fragile Gang – I Love the Rain
Its been a while since I reviewed the Fragile Gang album, A Plausible & Desirable Future, so I Love the Rain was a really welcome return. For a band from Los Angeles, California, they seem to have a foot firmly planted in Glasgow. A name which possibly comes from The Pastels song(?), a song about rain (Los Angeles? – really? – ha ha) that reflects in sentiment and sound an element of the Jesus and Mary Chain. All in all, three and a half minutes of indie pop perfection.
Suede – That Boy on the Stage
From their latest masterpiece, Autofiction (I swear this band keep getting better with age like a good wine) comes the darkly goth like glam stomper that is That Boy on the Stage, Brett and the boys continue to show the young guns how it’s done. Magnificent.
Pete Astor – Fine and Dandy
This is single of the month for me for so many reasons. First off, of course it is Pete Astor, lead singer of the wonderful The Loft and The Weather Prophets. Second, it is a tribute to the late, great friend of Pete, the off the wall character that was the eccentric Pat Fish of The Jazz Butcher. The empathetically delivered lyrics just ooze the character of Pat Fish, as Pete sings of him looking down on us from above letting us know all is well over a beautifully played indie guitar melody. Pat will be smiling wherever he is.
Deux Furieuses – All We Need is Sanctuary
Once again Deux Furieuses pull it out of the bag, their welcoming style of punk protest songs this time tackling the subject of refugees and showing great empathy and support for the downtrodden and repressed and those souls seeking a safe haven. No person is illegal.
The Bobby Lees – Monkey Mind
Following up Ma Likes to Drink is the single Monkey Mind from forthcoming new album Bellevue. The song is an upfront punk attitude fuelled exploration of the times when your negativity in your brain takes over, Sam facing her demons in her own inimitable style. The album Bellevue promises to be a cathartic listen.
Western Column – Club Orange
Side project of Christopher Devine of Glasgow band Dutch Wine, single Club Orange is a fusion of jangly pop guitars and dream pop sensibilities, with its slow burn and build verging on ethereal shoegaze at times.
Akrobat – Basquait’s Widow
Dublin’s Akrobat released the disquieting single Basquait’s Widow in September, its mix of strong Dublin accented vocals, edgy leftfield, almost menacing instrumental arrangements and eerily delivered backing vocals come together to create an intensely discomfortingly addictive listen.
Three Out of Four – Heroin
Starting out unassumingly and unsuspectingly as a mellow acoustic ballad, Heroin soon reveals its true colours. As the lyrics suggest “I’m floating in nirvana”, the band take that as a cue to do just that and crash together in a Nirvana influenced melee of crashing guitars and percussion.
The Cult – A Cut Inside
Essentially The Cult doing what The Cult do. Crunching riffs, a huge bombastic behemoth of a tune, all topped with Astbury’s gruff instantly recognisable vocal. One of those band’s I’ve never really stopped listening to, they keep producing steadfastly solid rock albums.
Hound – Take Off
If you didn’t know this band were from Glasgow you might be forgiven for thinking they may be part of the US alt music scene, or even antipodean, sharing much in common with the likes of Kiwi Jr, but with a leaning towards the likes of Glasgow’s very own 1990s. Regardless of origins, this is a highly addictive slice of energetic poppy alt-rock.
Dropkick Murphys – Fonies
Another song from their new Woody Guthrie tribute album, This Machine Still Kills Fascists. Another cracking take on the music and words of the protest singer who influenced the likes of Joe Strummer. I just wonder why they have substituted fascists for fonies? Is it for radio play? Anyway. They have a cracking line up for next year’s previously postponed UK gigs.
The Proclaimers – Dentures Out
A perfectly timed release, coinciding with the outpouring of sentimentality and rose tinted nostaligia that surrounded a certain death and subsequent funeral. This superb observation atop superb jangly indie guitars won’t go down well amongst the little englanders and Brexiteers (who probably all stomp around at weddings to 500 Miles) and proves that the Auchtermuchty twins remain more political and punk than The Exploited, Anti Nowhere League and GBH put together.
popup – Solstice
From their upcoming March album release on Last Night From Glasgow, popup make a welcome return with their swooning laidback single Solstice, the song is packed with emotional intensity as it soars and builds to its glorious conclusion.
Brenda – Cease and Desist
What’s not to love about Glasgow’s off the wall synth pop trio Brenda? A live experience like I’ve never seen before, with a brilliant self-deprecating humour abounding, and then there is this cracking earworm of a single, with an intro like early New Order, the trio layer addictive harmonies and surf guitar riffs alongside a lyric bursting with attitude to create a tune you just want to keep pressing repeat on…
Jemma Freeman and the Cosmic Something – Easy Peelers
Having been turned on to Jemma Freeman and the Cosmic Something several years ago by a good friend, I finally managed to catch a phenomenal live show by this most energetic of bands earlier this year. The frisson of pure electric energy experienced at that show is packaged up perfectly in the three and a half minutes of surging vibrancy that is Easy Peelers, the thrilling rush created by the of a trio of musicians in perfect synchronicity only bettered by the machine gun delivery of lyrics by Jemma. Flawless.
Jemma Freeman and the Cosmic Something
Black Nite Crash – Sugarwave
From their new album, “Washed in the Sound with Black Nite Crash”, Sugarwave is a folky-tinged 90’s alt-indie-guitar influenced shoegazy anthem that does what it says on the tin, takes you away onn the crest of a sugary-rhythm coated wave.
Dmitry Wild – Sweetest Thing
First released by Dmitry in 2015, this version of Sweetest Thing is a testosteroned-up version of the previously released single. Starting up much like Darklands era laidback indie scuzz from Jesus and Mary Chain, with plenty of reverb, the song then ramps things up a few notches taking its cue from noisy alt rock bands such as the aforementioned Jesus and Mary Chain and early Telescopes, alongside Velvet Underground undertones.
Candy Coffins – Seaside Girls
Lush textured rhythms from South Carolina’s Candy Coffins with leaning towards late 80’s US post punk bands.
Jo Carley and the Old Dry Skulls – Dose of Your Medicine
From coffins to skulls, it is approaching the season after all…Jo Carley and her crew return with their unique vaudeville take on gothic swamp blues, if this is a dose of my medicine, I’ll take it like a good boy…
Jo Carley and the Old Dry Skulls
Joe Strummer – Fantastic
Fantastic comes from the second Joe Strummer box set, cunningly titled 002. Essentially Fantastic is an early version of Ramshackle Day Parade from the posthumously released final album Streetcore. I’m hoping some generous soul in a red and white suit may bring me the box set later in the year…
Walt Disco – You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me
With their debut album on the list for the SAY award, one of Scotland’s most exciting young bands follow up the album with an EP of covers in November, Always Sickening. This extraordinary version of the Dusty Springfield classic is a taster for the EP.
DITZ – Summer of the Shark
With their album, The Great Regression, finally released on vinyl, DITZ have released Summer of the Shark as a single to promote the release. The song provides a commentary on sensationalism of news stories and empathises with Elvis shooting TVs. Something many of us can empathise with after the recent takeover of all TV channels for 24/7 coverage of crocodile tears.
Bigfatbig – Brink of My Sanity
A rollicking grungy punk pop single about just trying to get through each day one day at a time, when life is overwhelming you – “put one foot in front of the next”. The song comes from what is shaping up to be a cracking debut EP Rockin’ and Rollin’ & Whatnot”
Def Robot – Palaces of Gold
Lifted from their latest album, Never Mind the Monarchs, the ever-productive Def Robot continue to mine their very own seam of gold in this cutting commentary, complete with scything guitar riffs and solo.
Blue Violet – Favourite Jeans
A delicately beautiful folky ballad from Blue Violet exploring someone “picking up the pieces on the long road to recovery”. The song comes from a new EP “Love, Hate and Forgiveness” out in October. Blue Violet have a few dates in the Highlands coming up as they finish off their Scottish tour.
In the Forest – Fire & Flame
An exquisite single from In the Forest from their debut album, These Four Falls, available to pre-order now on Last Night From Glasgow. Fire & Flame evokes a feeling of calm, exuding a soothing tenderness as the voices blend in perfect harmony over gently tranquil rhythms and melodies.
The Elegant Chasers – Car Salesman Smile
Having previously included the single Clowns in one of my round ups, I missed this one when it came out in June. It comes from The Elegant Chasers debut album Sentimental Dust released in July, available on Bandcamp.
The Persian Leaps – Alright Alright
Another slice of sunshine soaked power pop from Persian Leaps in the form of Alright Alright from their new EP Machines for Living
cruush – false start
A sonic melee of searing guitars surrounds you before Amber’s vocal kicks in, creating a more fragile empyrean feeling as a foil to the wall of noise created by the guitars, both coming together in a perfect storm.
In their press release the band describe the song as “Sonically the track reflects everything falling apart around you in a country where anxiety and disillusion are escalating, and there seems to be a complete lack of compassion and thought.” A pretty good summation of the shitstorm the useless bunch of idiots in Westminster have created.
The Filthy Tongues – Hang My Head
Hang My Head is a welcome indicator that the long awaited third album in their trilogy, “In These Dark Places” is on its way. The follow up to Jacob’s Ladder and Back to Hell is available to pre-order now on Last Night From Glasgow. Martin, Fin and Kelly return to Filthy Tongues duties following the success of the reformed Goodbye Mr MacKenzie selling out venues and playing astonishing sets to the delighted gatherings. Despite the title of the new album, musically Hang My Had has an upbeat driving rhythm, all augmented by Martin’s familiar welcoming brogue. Roll on the album.
Bela & the Lugosis – Blinding Red Sunglow
Glam goths Bela and the Lugosis continue to create their uplifting blend of the two genres, following up there August release Upon This Stone with this footstomping 90 second blast of pure nostalgic brilliance.
David Delinquent & the IOUs – Rocksteady Girl
Sticking with the short and sweet, Rocksteady Girl from Dundee’s David Delinquent and the IOUs clocks in just shy of two minutes, and not a second of that 2 minutes is wasted, blasting out of the blocks with an unbridled effervescence and not letting up for a second, the energy and joy in the music created by this man and his IOUs is quite something.
Telefis – The Carthaginians
Continuing to have an impact after his untimely death, The Carthaginians is the latest single from the posthumously released second album from Telefis, the duo of Cathal Coughlan and Jacknife Lee, and features a typically Coughlan-esque lyric. The album is sheer quality from start to finish.
Daniel Wylie – Let Go of the Gun (Year of the Tiger)
One of the gems of Glasgow’s Southside, Danile Wylie has a talent for writing an addictive song. Let Go of the Gun is no exception. Lush jangly guitars, cool laid-back harmonies, this song is perfectly formed and represents Daniel’s classic sound. Co-composed by Ian M Bailey, Danile has also collaborated recently on Ian M Bailey’s second album which I will be reviewing from The Ginger Quiff shortly..
Teenage Waitress – Pretty Little Baby
Picking up where he left off Danile Ash aka Teenage Waitress, the provider of one of my favourite albums of recent years (Love and Chemicals) released a new single Pretty Little Baby (actually in August – but it slipped through my net). Losing none of the charm and panache demonstrated on that album, hopefully the single is a precursor to an album that equals the quality of that debut.
The Emperor of Ice Cream – I See You Everywhere
Continuing in the vein of lush harmonies and addictive chiming guitar pop sensibilities, I’ll end this ‘ round up on a high with the latest single from The Emperor of Ice Cream and bid you adieu.
As usual – if the songs are on Spotify – I’ve added to a playlist…. go and buy from the bands though 🙂