Singles Round Up 2026 – January – Part 4

The final part of this month’s singles round up runs to 21 songs, bringing the total to 57 brilliant new songs for the first month of the year, 23 of these from Scottish bands/artists, a cracking start to the year I’m sure you’ll agree. Part 4 of the singles for January includes new singles from 3 bands that feature on the forthcoming New Sound of Scotland CD namely Cowboy Hunters, Vanderlye and The Froobz, and with Oedipus and the Mama’s Boys being on Part 3 of the round up, it’s already stacking up to be a great year for new music from the bands on the CD, the next couple of months are shaping up well with singles on the way from pedalo, Martha May and the Mondays and Sister Madds to name but 3…

As soon as I get the CDs delivered, I’ll post details on how to get your hands on one… it’ll be a case of when they’re gone, they’re gone…

First up on this part it’s the somewhat eery and menacing Dr Love from Would Be Goods, be well warned by the spookily haunting melody and don’t let the name fool you, this Dr Love is not there to heal you or mend your broken heart, rather he will pull the rug from under you and rip your heart to shreds.… Read the rest

The Just Joans – Romantic Visions of Scotland – album review

I cant believe it’s been nearly six years since the band’s last album, the wonderful The Private Memoirs and Confessions of The Just Joans, but believe me, the wait for Romantic Visions of Scotland from Scotland’s answer The Smiths meets The Beautiful South (…and yes I know the current incarnation of The Beautiful South includes Scot Rianne Downey) has been well worth the wait. What is on offer here on this tongue in cheek titled album is eleven aural equivalents to Allan Bennett kitchen sink dramas, each individual vignette is an everyday tale of life in the world of The Just Joans and in turn each is a perfectly formed and utterly relatable microcosm of the day to day realities of life in the West of Scotland.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2025 – Part 12 – December

Perhaps unsurprisingly, December was rather barren for new release singles, I say that in numbers alone as the quality of what I did hear was high, with one of December’s singles, from Falkirk’s Static sneaking into my top 100 singles of the year. The sum total of my December round up is 10 singles. It may have been me in not being as active on social media or missing some quality songs dropping into my inbox, but 10 it is and they were a cracking wee bunch to be fair…

The Just Joans followed up Here Come the Rugby Boys with Limpet, yet another gem from the band who have a knack for creating stylish kitchen sink vignettes of life and whose lyrical tales always take you on an emotional journey, whether that be humorous, melancholic or just pure joy, the dual-vocalled, brass infused Limpet is a heart-melting slice of unbridled love and joy.… Read the rest

November Singles – Part 3

We’re nearing the end of November and the singles keep on coming, with another motley bunch hitting the airwaves since I out pen to paper for the last batch… once again there is sureky somethonh here for every taste, with the young Scottish crew making an impression, and another few songs vying for the title of Single of the Month for November.

First up in this part is the latest single from Jo Carley and the Old Dry Skulls side project Carley’s Wreck and Ruin, Jo’s familiar vocal capturing me under her spell immediately as her bewitching voice repeats the song’s title Devil’s Got The Poison.… Read the rest

Tugboat Captain Live

Tugboat Captain, The Just Joans and Curdle – Live in the Hug and Pint

Back in The Hug and Pint for the second time in a week, this time a three band bill put on by Angus from Double A Side records who released Tugboat Captain’s LP, Rut last year.

Curdle

Curdle live

First up was the wonderfully dark Curdle, a band wholly suited to the month of October with their sinister lyrics and don’t mess attitude fuelled trippy riot grrl pop. I’m just loving being back at live gigs, and making up for lost time, so I’m soaking up every minute of every band I can. Having first seen Curdle supporting Dead Hope in the Old Hairdressers, I’ve been hooked on their music ever since.… Read the rest