Cloth - The Ginger Quiff

Singles Round Up 2023 – Pt 7 – July & August

September 6, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

Doubling up for this massive round-up, the last couple of months have disappeared in a flash… Loads of great new music from these summer months. As usual, where available, I’ve added the songs to an evil Spotify playlist for you to sample before you buy… support the artists by buying their music, and merchandise, if you like what you hear.

In no particular order, but kicking off here with the new single from the duo who have given me one of my most unique and unusual gig memories of the year, well, to be fair, probably my life…

The Courettes – Tough Like That

Returning to these shores for the second time this year, The Courettes are currently taking a break from recording their new album with a tour of England, and released a video for their Back in Mono B-Sides and Outtakes track, Tough Like That.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up – Part 3 – March 2023

April 10, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

Another month and another immense list of songs for your aural pleasure. Don’t let anyone ever tell you there is no good new music about these days…

As usual, there is an evil Spotify playlist for you to sample the songs before you go to the artists own sites to buy their music if you like it….

The Black Delta Movement – Zip Tie & Photograph

Zip Tie from garage rockers The Black Delta Movement is initially an understated slow burner, a low and slow sinister rumble that builds in speed and increases in intensity as the song reaches its powerfully climactic zenith.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2023 – Pt 1 – January 2023

February 10, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

So much for my plan of being better organised into 2023, Can’t believe we’re nearly 2 weeks into February and I’m still lagging behind…

Anyway, what follows is a list of the songs that have been soundtracking my January, some from the end of December too seeing as how I was TOO organised in December and published my December singles before Christmas…

Ren – Hi Ren

One of the most affecting singles of the end of December/beginning of January is this soul baring song from Ren. Brutally honest about his health struggles the song is a bare knuckle battle between himself and his thoughts, with a sound reminiscent of Eminem and The King Blues, once you press play on the video you will find it utterly impossible to be distracted by anything around you.… Read the rest

Cloth – Low Sun EP – Review

October 6, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

Glasgow duo Cloth are the epitome of minimalism and using space and quiet as an essential part of their overall sound and impact, proof positive that powerful impactful music doesn’t always have to mean loud, brash and boisterous. This hypothesis is corroborated fully by the four tracks that make up the bands new 4 tack EP, Low Sun released on the influential Rock Action label.

The EP kicks off in unassuming but highly effective style with Old Stories, Rachael’s breathy vocal paired with minimalistic synth backing, before effective layering builds multiple textures, and fills the initial spaces and silences with soundscapes which are both somehow huge and restrained simultaneously.… Read the rest

The First Big Weekend…

September 13, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

My return to live music kicked off in style last weekend with Hugh Reed & the Velvet Underpants in the Bungalow Bar in Paisley. This weekend was what you could call the First Big Weekend (copyright: Arab Strap) of my 2021 gig calendar with not two but three consecutive nights of live music. Bring it on. (Not sure if I should be apologising to my family or whether they were just glad to see the back of me for three nights…)

I’m not going to deny, it wasn’t without some trepidation that I was returning to gigs, and not just due to COVID and everything that goes along with that, but also the being around people in general, and social anxiety aspect of it all.… Read the rest

Spotlight on Last Night From Glasgow

July 23, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Independent labels in Scotland

Independent record labels & Scotland. There is a phenomenal history that could take several articles before you would begin to do them justice. Between them they have spawned some era-defining artists and albums. Obviously not an exhaustive list, but with a very brief flicking of the mental rolodex, you can’t avoid thinking of Postcard, then over the years, labels like Fast Product, Chemikal Underground, Creeping Bent and Rock Action all unleashing a variety of notable albums.

There are too many to mention without completely changing the focus of this blog, but there currently numerous Scottish based independent labels flying the flag for the music scene and giving many bands a platform to release their music.… Read the rest