Last Night From Glasgow - The Ginger Quiff

Brenda – Brenda – debut album review

July 12, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

Glasgow is awash with new music talent these days, at the forefront of the bands trading their wares comes the unique synth sounds of Brenda. To avoid any confusion, Brenda is a band, not a person, the coming together of the wonderfully unconventional trio of Litty, Apsi and Flore (also a member of another of the bands at the forefront of the current crop of extraordinary bands mined from this particularly giving seam – Water Machine).

While not exactly shrinking violets or introverted wallflowers, the band are modest in their own descriptions of their talents and musicianship, but in the opinion of this listener, their debut album is up there amongst my favourites of the year to date.… Read the rest

SLIME CITY – SLIME CITY DEATH CLUB – album review

May 16, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

Do you want some existentialist fun? Then come on and join the Death Club! The membership benefits are second to none. Don’t worry death isn’t a pre-requisite, although Slime City are here to remind you of the fact that you and everybody that you love will one day die…

On that note it should be pointed out that gallows humour is a matter of course, but just forms a small part of what you get with your membership of this singularly unorthodox exclusive, naw make that inclusive, club. Slime City has something for everyone in their repertoire. Rising from the ashes of the legendary We Are The Physics, Glasgow’s Slime City has been on the go for what seems like aeons now, after a series of audaciously sublime singles, we are finally being treated to the debut album from this sardonically anarchic band.… Read the rest

Blue Aeroplanes – Culture Gun – album review

April 22, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

My tiny mind is blown. I thought Last Night From Glasgow had reached their zenith early this year with Hifi Sean and David McAlmont. Then along came Culture Gun. I must have listened to Side A at least half a dozen times before I even managed to flip over to Side 2, the four songs on the first side offering so much, it was hard for me to take it all in on the first listen. Raw energy. Commentary on the state of society. Impassioned vocals. Tunes which veer from boisterous and rambunctious to beatific and thought-provoking. Lets face it, Gerard Langley and Co.… Read the rest

Scorpio Leisure, Casual Worker & Spread Eagle – live in The Rum Shack

March 25, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

Take one measure of Rum (Shack) add an intoxicating blend of three 100% proof bands and mix well with an effervescent crowd, fizzing in anticipation, and you have a veritable cocktail, enough to brighten another dreich night in Glasgow’s south side. The Rum Shack has built a reputation for itself as one of Glasgow’s best club-sized venues, and rightly so, a great atmosphere building in the bar next door, and transferring to the venue itself, a venue which has great acoustics and plenty of space to get great views of the stage and bands.

I was disappointed not to have made it though to Edinburgh for the first show by tonight’s headliners, Scorpio Leisure, when they supported Lydia Lunch.… Read the rest

Brenda – Band Interview

February 26, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

2023 is Brenda’s year for the taking. With a debut album coming later this year and before that singles in the shape of Cease and Desist and Microscopic Babe with its LA recorded video. I had a chance to shoot the breeze with Flore, Apsi and Litty, and with an attitude as refreshing as their music, there is nothing in the way that can stop this unique trio.

It was a dreich Saturday afternoon when I met the band, but the atmosphere in The Bell Jar was warm and inviting as was the welcome from the three members of Brenda, and the now famous Pat (Flore’s dog, who is also the subject of a song by her other band Water Machine).… Read the rest

23 for ‘23

December 28, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

I may have made it difficult for myself by starting this last year. I’ll need to come up with one more band, album or gig I’m looking forward to next year. Mind you, judging by the sheer volume of amazing new music that is out there, it shouldn’t be too much of a challenge. So here is my list of music related stuff I’m looking forward to next year so far…

In no particular order, but I’ve got quite an easy place to start.

1. Sacred Noise

One of the bands I’d listed in my 22 for ‘22 are back in for my list of great hopes for 2023.… Read the rest

Lungleg and bis live in The Classic Grand

December 11, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

I recently went to a gig by a band with “leg” as part of their name. I left the gig feeling uninspired and despondent as I felt I’d witnessed the result of a band being hyped to the nines on the strength of one (maybe two) songs, a band that could undoubtedly play, but felt like they had no soul. (I know Manda will disagree with me on this…)

Anyway, my final (planned) gig of 2022 was headlined by a band whose name included the word “leg”, and with a support from the mighty bis, I was in no doubt before either band played a note that this was going to be a special night, there was something in the atmosphere, an air of anticipation in the venue that was palpable.… Read the rest

LNFG Review special: bis – Systems Music for Home Defence/Lungleg – Maid to Minx (re-issue)

December 10, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

Ahead of a very special return this weekend with a gig to support the re-issue of the superb Maid to Minx album from Lungleg with the mighty bis in support, promoting the release of their own latest long player, Systems Music for Home Defence, it seemed appropriate to review both albums in one go…

I’ve always hated the word iconic as I feel it was one of those words that became overused and lost its meaning, much like the word literally, which is literally used incorrectly just about every time I read it somewhere or hear someone say something stupid like “I literally died on the spot”.… Read the rest

Vulture Party – Archipelago – album review

October 15, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

A series of unlinked events and circumstances seem to have conspired and culminated in a lack of reviews appearing recently, subsequently my list of unreviewed releases is getting longer.

There was therefore no rhyme nor reason that I picked Archipelago, the new album by Falkirk based synth pop 4-piece Vulture Party ahead of the numerous other releases I have on my list.

Perhaps it was serendipity at play, as several of the songs here seemed to speak to my current circumstances, or perhaps it is just my own subconscious twisting and turning the lyrics and song messages to my own end.… Read the rest

Return to Returned from Sea – Sister John live in the Glad Cafe

September 24, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

glad (adjective) “feeling pleasure or happiness”

I have to say that after a few weeks of feeling little pleasure or happiness, last night, The Glad Cafe was an appropriately named venue for the fifth birthday celebration of Returned from Sea, the gloriously emotional debut album from Sister John. Nights like this should be available on prescription. the power that live music can have over me cannot be emphasised enough.

I think I can be fairly sure I’m not just speaking for myself when I say how special this night was. A quick scan around the venue during Sister John’s set and I observing rapt faces entirely transfixed by the perfect performance from the effortlessly cool quartet of Jonathan (complete with broken finger), Amanda, Sophie and Heather.… Read the rest