Album Review - Django Django - Django Django

The buzz around Django Django is incredible and rightly so.  This album could be, and should be, one of the biggest hits of 2012.   Everything about them just seems that little bit... different.  From the colourful and weird album cover (what is that?  An animal of some kind?  Beats me!) to their name itself, every little detail is designed to make them stand out.

What really separates them from the clawing masses of British indie bands is the unadulterated infectiousness of their music.  Consisting of drums, synths, bass and guitar, you may think that Django Django would be similar to the vast swathes of bands already out their, but once the needle drops and the music begins, it's another case entirely.

Django Django would not be out of place amongst the pysch rock of the late '60's, the Krautrock movement of the late 70's, or the acid house of the early '90's.  Yet everything is taken in such light measures and mixed together with care to sound completely fresh.

Opener, 'Introduction' begins with almost ritualistic chants, building up towards some kind of cosmic event, a feeling continued into 'Hail Bop' which loops and pulses with energy ready to burst through lead singer Vincent Neff's vocals.

That energy is unleashed like a supernova exploding with gumdrops and rainbows as soon as the opening beats of 'Default' come in.  The jerky melody created by guitars and synths is underwritten by a groove-tastic bassline, and peppered with snare drums and hit hats, the effect being an unshakable need to shake.

'Firewater' is full of laid back, bleached harmonies, which are a veer from the sassy beats of 'Default'.  Django Django are scared to veer off the track over the course of this album, and jump from different styles and influences with the speed of a tourist walking barefoot on a hot beach.  'Firewater' is the kind of track that might well have sound tracked Mickey and Malories bloody rampage through the desert.

The tribal feel laid down by 'Hail Bop' returns in 'Waveforms', and as much as the album draws on different influences, this is the most utilised sound.  ''Hand Of Man' has a Hot Chip vibe to it, a band who are a definite forerunner to Django Django, and 'Love's Dirt' slows things down a litte.

Alongside 'Default', 'Wor' is my favourite track on the album.  The Arabic/Western themed intro, the wailing klaxon, the clap along rhythm and jangly guitars all woven together is just great fun, and one of the best tracks I've heard in a long time.

'Life's A Beach' is my pick of the closing tracks, the bassline is born out of the same California surfer rock oven as The Beach Boys 'Surfin' USA'.

I don't really do ratings or X out of X stars, but I'm going to stick my neck out and say that this could certainly be the best debut album this year, if not one of the year.  It's gonna be tough to top this one.

Buy 'Django Django' here, from any online music store or any good music retail shop. 

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Words With Friends Cup - The Aftermath - Part 4

I hope you all enjoyed the irrelevant fun of the Scottish Fiction Words With Friends Cup.  A hearty congratulations to our winner Boab Canavan from Campfires In Winter, and thanks to all our able bodied competitors.

In what I am retrospectively calling 'songwriting' month here on Scottish Fiction, there is a slightly serious side behind the Words With Friends Cup, and that is to put the spotlight on the art of songwriting.  So I've asked our competitors if they would be kind enough to answer a few questions about their own experiences and opinions, and what is after all a hugely important part of music.

We all have our favourite lyrics, a line we wish we'd written.  Music full of pulsating beats, jaw busting riffs, bone shattering bass lines and soaring vocals is great, but it's words that make us connect with a song, make us laugh, cry, cheer or grimace as the story being told unfolds.

So who better than to talk to us than the wordsmith himself, The Chief Of Constanents, The Spellmaster, so-good-he-ate-a-dictionary-and-spat-it-out-with-more-words-in-it, our Scottish Fiction Words With Friends winner, Boab Canavan!

As an musician, how do you balance the music with the words?

I don't think we have a deliberate formula in which we say 'we're going to have this much of this thing and counter it with this much of the other thing' for our songs, it's more just a see-what-works-and-tweak-it-as-we-go-along type approach.  Sometimes it can takes months or even a few years to get this right.

What is your approach to songwriting?

We normally have a melody idea and a basic song and chord structure mapped out before the lyrics are written.  I don't find it particularly easy to begin writing lyrics.  It'll sometimes take me a while to get the first few lines going but once I get started the words just seem to keep on coming.  I can't just sit down and tell myself I'm going to write lyrics.  It's normally just something that'll occur to me, often when I'm doing something mundane and not really thinking about songwriting at all.  I've also found using the Evernote app has been a massive help in getting ideas down, allowing to record snippets of melody and guitar chord ideas as well as writing lyrics all in one handy document.

Is there a particular lyric that you wish you'd written?

Aww man, there are loads!  I know mentioning Morrissey in reply to a question like this could be considered by some as a bit cliched but the song The Queen Is Dead is full of lines I wish I'd written.  There's the cutting 'Her Very Lowness with her head in a sling, I'm truly sorry - but it sounds like a wonderful thing'.  There's the silly line I like to believe is a veiled reference to Michael Fagan, 'So I broke into the palace with a sponge and a rusty spanner', which I don't think has any great significance in the song, it's just a great line.  And the fantastic observation about the unconditional affection some hold for the Queen, 'but when you're tied to your Mother's apron, no-one talks about castration'.  Superb stuff.

Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel) is also another favourite of mine.  There's some really tasteful sexual imagery in The King Of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1 (and indeed, throughout the whole album).

'...Dad would throw garbage all across the floor,
as we would lay and learn what each other's bodies were for

And this is the room
One afternoon I knew I could love you
And from above you how I sank into your soul
Into that secret place where no one dares to go'

It's a beautiful way of putting sexual release across.  I don't need to even comment on this one from In The Aeroplane Over The Sea, just read.

'And one day we will die
And our ashes will fly from the aeroplane over the sea
But for now we are young
Let us lay in the sun
And count every beautiful thing we can see'

Anyway, I'm rambling so I'll stop now, but those are just a few of the lyrics I wish I'd written.

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Scottish Fiction March 2012 EP

Nearly the end of the month?  Check.  Needing some free music?  You are in luck my friends because today we unveil the Scottish Fiction March EP which feautres four tracks from great Scottish musicians for FREE!

I've decided to use some nice photo's as our EP covers for the time being, so here's one I took a few days ago whilst out for a cycle.

Music wise, it's as good a line up as ever.  Here's what you can get on this month's EP.

Julia And The Doogans
Marvel Heights
Queen Jane
Apache Spaceman

As always, thanks to all the artists for contributing, and thanks to you for listening.  Don't forget to spread the word, and grab your copy of our FREE March EP below.  Cheers!

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 28th March 2012

Back to normality at Scottish Fiction towers, and when that 'normality includes tracks from Martin John Henry, Cancel The Astronauts, White Heath, Galleries and a whole heap more.

Usual features back in for this one.  Idlewild are our featured artist, 'The Boy With The Arab Strap' by Belle & Sebastian is our classic album track, and with Mixing It Up and the return of Peenko Presents it's a goody!

The OK Social Club - The Shape Of Things To Come
The Machine Room - The Cost Of Progress
Martin John Henry - Only Colour
Ambulances - Shine On My Shoes
Bobby Womack - Across 110th Street
Brazil Exists - Cars And Aeroplanes

Peenko Presents Friday Freebies - Where We Lay Our Heads - Bury You

Cancel The Astronauts - Intervention

Classic Album - The Boy With The Arab Strap - Belle & Sebastian - The Boy With The Arab Strap

Capitals - Jealousy
The Arcade Fire - Abraham's Daughter
Crusades - Pseudo Andro

Mixing It Up - Nero - Guilt - As chosen by Jamie Sparks

White Heath - In A Glasshouse
Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way
Becci Breaks - Some Type Of Heaven

Featured Artist
Idlewild - When I Argue I See Shapes
Idlewild - A Modern Way Of Letting Go
Idlewild - El Capitan

Chris Rodger - Halfway To Glasgow
Letters - The Halfway House
Galleries - Young Wounds

Scottish Fiction - 26th March 2012 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

Words With Friends Cup - The Aftermath - Part 3

I hope you all enjoyed the irrelevant fun of the Scottish Fiction Words With Friends Cup.  A hearty congratulations to our winner Boab Canavan from Campfires In Winter, and thanks to all our able bodied competitors.

In what I am retrospectively calling 'songwriting' month here on Scottish Fiction, there is a slightly serious side behind the Words With Friends Cup, and that is to put the spotlight on the art of songwriting.  So I've asked our competitors if they would be kind enough to answer a few questions about their own experiences and opinions, and what is after all a hugely important part of music.

We all have our favourite lyrics, a line we wish we'd written.  Music full of pulsating beats, jaw busting riffs, bone shattering bass lines and soaring vocals is great, but it's words that make us connect with a song, make us laugh, cry, cheer or grimace as the story being told unfolds.

This time round it's the turn of The King Hat's prominent song writer Alan Power to chat a little about the song writing process.

As a musician, how do you balance the music with the words?

If there is a secret formula to song-writing I'm certainly not aware of it.  I think when most people think about song writing they have visions of some poor bastard sitting in a dungeon chained to a piano or a guitar, forced to write songs for some creep of a pop star, who in turn parades around TV studios and radio station selling their songs to kids with little or no imagination and too much pocket money.  How contrived it all seems.  The whole concept from start to finish seems horrific.

When I listen to music, I want to hear someone singing like they believe every word that is coming out of their mouth; like the words would burn the throat if they didn't.  I think if you’re going to get up on stage and sing about something close to your heart, you better give it your all.  It’s very difficult to get over the fact your sharing your most private of feelings with a room full of strangers (and doing so through a microphone), but if you truly believe in your songs, and deliver them with the same amount of passion that drove you to write it down in the first place, I think more often than not people will relate.

What is your approach to songwriting?

I'm not sure how you can find balance between lyrics and the music; it’s never part of my thought process.  I’m very fortunate that most of our songs come from Bert strumming away on the guitar.  If I hear him play something I like, I jump on it like a tenner on the street.  He’ll then record a quick blast of it, and then I’ll take it and listen for a while.  Then before I know what I'm doing, I’m writing about something or other.  Then we go into the studio and just work on it from there.  I suppose the mood of the song is finally set when Carlo and Rusty add their parts

Is there a particular lyric that you wish you'd written?

I sometimes think song-writing is a bit like a magic trick.  When you listen to something that stops you in your tracks, you wonder how the fuck they did it; you wonder what happened, and why they were moved to write such moving things.  But as much as you try to figure out the why, you would rather just sit back and enjoy the trick.  There is a line in the Placebo song "Without You I'm Nothing"; it’s also the title track of the album (which is fucking outstanding from start to finish).  Its goes a little something like this

I'm unclean, a libertine,
and every time you vent your spleen,
I seem to lose the power of speech,
slipping slowly from my reach.
You grow me like an evergreen,
You never see the lonely me at all

My heart breaks a little every time I hear it.  I really wish I could have written that line.

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We're Only Here For The Banter - Apache Spaceman

Apache Spaceman are a four piece band from Glasgow, with a heavy rock sound able to please most ears.  The band have a forthcoming EP which will no doubt build their fanbase.  We spoke to guitarist Stephen for our 'We're Only Here For The Banter' feature.  Have a read.

Hello, how are you?

Hello!  I'm good sir, thanks for asking.

It's the question everyone hates, but could you tell us a little bit about your music and your influences?

I would say our music comes mostly from a love of late 80's/early 90's alt. rock.  I don't know how you'd describe our sound but I would say that's our biggest influence.  Nirvana, Pixies, Smashing Pumpkins are all important bands for us.  Jeff The Brotherhood and Bass Drum Of Death are amazing as well.  I'm into a lot of modern lo-fi stuff like No Age, Times New Viking, Wavves, Milk Music and California X.  I think the rest of the band would add Black Sabbath and some hardcore punk.

What's your song writing process like?

It's usually very fast.  Someone will bring in a riff and we'll all mess about with it until we can create a structure.  We usually have a song complete after one rehearsal session.

What could we expect to see from a live show?

You could expect to see Galbraith (vocals/guitar) screaming violently in the faces of children.

If it were all to end tomorrow, what would you say has been your greatest achievement?

In terms of the band?  Probably getting to the stage where it's acceptable to scream in the faces of children. That's a milestone for all bands.

What have you got planned for 2012?

We've got our debut EP coming out at the start of March.  That's exciting because we've been sitting on these songs for a while, it will be good to get them out there.  We've got a gig at The Classic Grand on March 23rd.  Then it will be making new songs, playing gigs around Scotland and releasing an album later in the year.  We're also going to be featuring on CATH Records' (PAWS' record label) first compilation album, which they're releasing in June along with a fanzine.  We're big fans of PAWS so that's cool for us.

At Scottish Fiction we focus on new Scottish music, how do you as a band view the Scottish music 'scene'

It's a fantastic time for music in Scotland at the moment.  There's a great diversity in a lot of the artists breaking through just now.  There are also some great promoters, venues, blogs and magazines about that seem to be completely geared towards helping promote new music.

What other Scottish artists would you recommend to the Scottish Fiction readers?

There's a lot of great Scottish artists about just now.  PAWS, Male Pattern Band, Happy Particles, Lady North, Bronto Skylift, Divorce, The Scottish Enlightenment, Remember Remember, Holy Mountain and Salo.  There's a few anyway.

Thanks for speaking with us, would you care to share a joke with us?

Ayr United.

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Scottish Fiction's Words With Friends Cup - Winner

Hail the conquering hero!  The winner of the first Scottish Fiction Words With Friends Cup is...

Boab Canavan representing Campfires In Winter!  Well done to the big man who fought his way through some tough competition to clinch the title.  Commiserations of course to our losing finalist Brian Pokora, and a hearty thanks to all our competitors!  Was good fun, and maybe, just maybe we'll give Boab the chance to defend his title one day.  Here's our final post match interview from Boab.  Also keep an eye out for some insight from our musicians/bloggers about the importance of words in music. 

Scottish Fiction - Boab, congrats on your win.  How does it feel to hold the *theoretical* WWF Cup in your hands?
Boab - I'm thrilled, I've ordered all my friends and family to call me by my name followed by 'WWF Cup Champion' from now on.
Scottish Fiction - There was quite a sizeable points gap in the end.  Was there a point you thought "I've got this in the bag"?
Boab - Not until I played the final tile.  You never know what someone is going to pull out so you cant be complacent or premature.
Scottish Fiction - Well done to Boab who takes the Scottish Fiction WWF Cup crown for the Campfires In Winter boys!

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Words With Friends Cup - The Aftermath - Part 2

I hope you all enjoyed the irrelevant fun of the Scottish Fiction Words With Friends Cup.  A hearty congratulations to our winner Boab Canavan from Campfires In Winter, and thanks to all our able bodied competitors.

In what I am retrospectively calling 'songwriting' month here on Scottish Fiction, there is a slightly serious side behind the Words With Friends Cup, and that is to put the spotlight on the art of songwriting.  So I've asked our competitors if they would be kind enough to answer a few questions about their own experiences and opinions, and what is after all a hugely important part of music.

We all have our favourite lyrics, a line we wish we'd written.  Music full of pulsating beats, jaw busting riffs, bone shattering bass lines and soaring vocals is great, but it's words that make us connect with a song, make us laugh, cry, cheer or grimace as the story being told unfolds. 

So with that in mind, we spoke to Stewart Allan from Black International.

As a musician, how do you balance the music with the words?

Lyrics are very important to me, and I do spend a lot of time mulling over the words for our songs, but I suppose it really depends on the piece of music in question.  Occasionally lyrics can just be a vehicle for a vocal melody, other times the words and music are completely co-dependent.  I have no idea if anyone pays attention to the lyrics I write, so most of the time I feel like I’m just doing it for my own amusement.

What is your approach to songwriting?

If I’m being honest, the mechanics of songwriting isn't something I analyse too much.  I try to just let things happen when they're ready to happen.  Occasionally songs just appear from nowhere, and as the cliché goes, it’s like you’re a lightning rod channelling energy from the ether.  Other times it’s a complete grind, perhaps you get so far then put it away for a year or two until it’s ready to be birthed.  Songs are just an assemblage of different things; music can be chopped up, stretched, mixed, partially erased, juxtaposed in unexpected ways, and most of the words on our album were treated in a similar fashion.  I’d work from my notebooks; cut and paste lines from different scribblings, collage them together, edit and reshape them over time.  These days I tend not to sit down on my own and write a song from beginning to end, I prefer to work things up in the rehearsal room, that way we’re not tied down to preconceived structures so much and we can bounce things off each other quickly.  I try to work faster now, more spontaneously, trying to nail the essence of something in the first sitting.

Is there a particular lyric that you wish you'd written?

There are hundreds and hundreds of things I wish I’d written!  I like things that combine the mundane with the slightly fantastic, even if it’s in what they leave out rather than put in.  If I had to pick something specific, Morrissey gets me every time:

It was dark as I drove the point home
And on cold leather seats
Well, it suddenly struck me
I just might die with a smile on my face after all

Or maybe Mark E Smith, I never fail to be amazed by the way he can suggest all sorts of things with complete economy of language:

I’ve been sharpening a knife in the bathroom
On a brick I got from the garden
No-one will fuck with me again

If I ever write something as good as either of those I could retire my pen quite happily!

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Scottish Fiction Podcast - 19th March 2012

On this week's show I was joined by very special guests Where We Lay Our Heads.  The guys chatted about their new single 'Bury You', their upcoming tour, their plans for 2012 and how they see the Scottish music community.  We also got them to pick some tunes, and play some live songs!

After we bidded adieu to our guests, we had music from the likes of Discopolis, Michael Cassidy, Queen Jane, Saint Death, The Spook School and more!  Listen again and see what you missed!

Discopolis - Zenithobia
Where We Lay Our Heads - Cochrane Hall [Live]
Cafe Disco - Terra Nova
Letters - The Halfway House
Where We Lay Our Heads - Top Three Finish [Live]

Embers - Tunnel Vision
Where We Lay Our Heads - Keanu Reeves [Live]
Where We Lay Our Heads - Bury You
Ajimal - Footnote To Love [Part One]
Miasma - The River
Queen Jane - Those Summers
Michael Cassidy - Everybody's Scared
Any Colour Black - You
The Spook School - That's When I Ran Away
Ambulances - Feeling Sick

Mixing It Up - Chase & Status - Fool Yourself - As chosen by Jamie Sparks

Behold, The Old Bear - Solsbury Hill
Vasquez - Pete's Eagle
Saint Death - Thompson's Daughter

Scottish Fiction - 19th March 2012 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

Single/EP Review - Capitals - Sinking Ships / Jealousy

More double A side frolics, this time coming from Edinburgh based duo Capitals with their singles 'Sinking Ships' and 'Jealousy' which were released on Monday 12th March via their Bandcamp on a pay-as-you-wish basis.

The comparisons with Radiohead don't end in their decision to follow the Oxford band's 'pay-what-you-want' release format.  First single 'Sinking Ships' oozes with Radiohead's over driven guitars and drumbeats, not so in a way that it's a direct rip off, as Capitals sound comfortably settled into a sound they can make their own.  It's impressive to note that while this song sounds packed full of the power from a full band, Capitals are in fact an electronic duo.  The production on this track is outstanding, and beefs up all the elements to add real power to the underlying gloom.  Vocally, there is a magnetism to Angus' voice, which the music plays to.  I really like this track, it's wormed it's way into my subconscious without even trying too hard!

Second single 'Jealousy' is a chip of a similar styled block.  A well constructed bassline and drumbeat pick the pace up a notch in comparison to 'Sinking Ships'.  Again, I'm drawn to a Radiohead reference, as there's a feel of 'Jigsaws Falling Into Place' that I can't shake.  It's a sound that I like though, so I've no quibbles with this.  'Jealousy', as the name gives away, has a darker current running through it, but strangely for me is the more 'radio-friendly' of the two tracks.  It does gloom-rock much better than some of the bigger name pretenders have pulled off in the past.

Download Capitals 'Sinking Ships' / 'Jealousy' on a Pay-What-You-Want basis here

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Single/EP Review - Ambulances - Feeling Sick / Shine On My Shoes

Ambulances, the six piece band from Fife, are back with us with a new double A side single, 'Feeling Sick' and 'Shine On My Shoes'.  They have been relatively quiet since their debut album 'The Future That Was' came out back in 2009, although they did sneak out a lovely little Christmas number as well.

'Feeling Sick' has a intruging hook, that is the core pull of this track, right from the start.  The vocals are mellow and un-hurried, and the repitition of lines, "I feel a little sick, just a little sick" as part of the chorus adds to the easy going feeling.  Scattered around the memorable hook are joyous little delights in the music.  The drums are chilled out, and I love the intentional missed beat at 1:54, and towards the end there a great buzzy electronica keyboard outro.  Did I mention how insanely catchy that hook is? 

'Shine On My Shoes' is a more indie pop driven single, and compliments the experimental nature of 'Feeling Sick' well.  The too-cool-for-school "come-ons" in the chorus remind me a little bit of The Dandy Warhols, the whole song sounds like it has been dipped in American West Coast slacker indie rock vat. 

Both songs are out now to buy on Bandcamp, and you can also pre-order a 7" vinyl.  Excellent!  Oh and have a peek at the excellent video they have put together for 'Feeling Sick'.

Download and pre-order the 7" Ambulances 'Feeling Sick' / 'Shine On My Shoes' here

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Words With Friends Cup - The Aftermath - Part 1

I hope you all enjoyed the irrelevant fun of the Scottish Fiction Words With Friends Cup.  A hearty congratulations to our winner Boab Canavan from Campfires In Winter, and thanks to all our able bodied competitors.

In what I am retrospectively calling 'songwriting' month here on Scottish Fiction, there is a slightly serious side behind the Words With Friends Cup, and that is to put the spotlight on the art of songwriting.  So I've asked our competitors if they would be kind enough to answer a few questions about their own experiences and opinions, and what is after all a hugely important part of music.

We all have our favourite lyrics, a line we wish we'd written.  Music full of pulsating beats, jaw busting riffs, bone shattering bass lines and soaring vocals is great, but it's words that make us connect with a song, make us laugh, cry, cheer or grimace as the story being told unfolds. 

So with that in mind, we spoke to Shambles Miller, Scottish Fiction's favourite bearded singer/songwriter.

As a musician, how do you balance the music with the words?

As a singer-songwriter, the lyrics are really important. Although I have songs with sections which lend themselves well to instrumental stuff, I rarely play with a band, so my songwriting tends to be geared towards the lyrical side. I guess for me the music augments whatever it is that I'm singing, to give greater impact to funny or light-hearted lines like "the world's about to end, so let's be more than friends...like maybe naked friends?" or add more weight and emotion to "there are more of us than there will ever be of them and we are stronger than they'll ever comprehend" or "it's the time you've spent together with the people who brought colour to the memories of your life", for example.

What is your approach to songwriting?

It differs from song to song but usually my best songs are the ones that just suddenly happen: for whatever reason some wee spark sets me off and I end up with the chords, melody, and lyrics very quickly. I'll write until I feel I've got some good stuff down then leave it to knock around the back of my head while I go do the dishes or walk the dog, basically anything that will distract my brain and let my subconscious do some work, until a new lyric or piece of melody pops in there. My dog always looks a bit pissed off when I cut his walk short to rush home and finish writing a song. Plus, he already hates it when I sing.

Is there a particular lyric that you wish you'd written?

Oooh, good question. There are so many! I've always loved "the Book of Love" (the Peter Gabriel version preferably) and all the lyrics in that song are great, especially the line:

"The book of love is long and boring, and written very long ago, it's full of flowers and heart-shaped boxes, and things we're all too young to know".

It's the simplicity and beauty of that last part, the idea that no matter what age you are, every one of us is too young to ever fully comprehend the entirety of the thing that is love. In that way, love is a great equaliser.

Sorry, I bet you were expecting something daft there! I'm a romantic at heart really. I bet I'll probably think of another dozen lyrics as soon as you publish this! Oh, actually:

"God only knows what I'd be without you".

Told ye!

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Why Blogger? - Favourite Son

The Favourite Son blog is a personal favourite of mine.  It's well run, well presented, and has lots of great regular features.  The man behind it all is Chris Hay and he was kind enough to answer a few questions for our fortnightly 'Why Blogger?' feature.  Cheers!

Hello, how are you?

I'm good ta.

Sum up your blog in 140 character tweet.

Scottish music blog with news, reviews (when I pull my finger out), interviews, podcasts, gig listings, and other features. Occasionally offensive on social networks, and usually running late. I'm currently in the process of trying to reboot the blog a bit and change it up.*

There's little (if any) monetary gain in blogging. Why do you do it?

I guess I regard myself as passionate about grassroots Scottish music, and I'd say that is true about the other BAMS I have met.

I've always been an ardent follower of Scottish music and then spent a few years abroad and became massively out of touch. I got back into what was happening through various blogs and sites like Glasgow Podcart, then started writing for a few places from there, and just woke up very early one day and decided to start a blog of my own.

Also, my friends are not into the same music as me at all so I needed somewhere to vent about the bands I was loving, and now its two years later.

Allow yourself some self praise, what's your proudest blog related moment?

Probably making the guy from Starsailor cry, though that was on twitter.

I wouldn't say one thing in particular stands out, more a collection of things. It might sound daft, but when you see yourself quoted on a press release and then not on the next one as much bigger websites + publications have picked up on the band, that is pretty satisfying and feels like the blog has fulfilled its role if you like.

You're on a plane and the only in-flight movie is Maid In Manhatten. What do you take to:

Listen to: Ryan Adams
Read: probably a geeky Brandon Sanderson book
Watch: The West Wing

What Scottish artists would you recommend to the Scottish Fiction readers?

Where to start? There's always a load of new bands coming through, but I'd say a good guage of what I'd recommend right now would be my Tips for 2012 which included Blank Canvas, Brown Bear and the Bandits, Discopolis, Friends In America, Forest Fires, Michael Cassidy, Scarlet Shift, So Many Animal Calls, The King Hats, and Vukovi.

Do you write your blog with an audience in mind, or do you blog about what's on your mind?

I think you get to know what folk enjoy reading from the stats and response, and you do a lot of trial and error to see what works, but everything I write is due to a personal interest.

What do you think blogs bring to the music 'scene'?

I think they've become quite important. I used to play a bit and even 5 or 6 years ago you didn't have the exposure allowed by blogs and the other forms of media that have become more prominent. If a band can get attention from the blogs then it's a good platform for wider reaching media, and there are some blogs out there with massive readership that can be a catapult alone.

As a reader, what blog(s) do you frequent?

There's loads of great one's out there, and I'd probably say have a look at my blogroll, but I regularly check Aye Tunes, Peenko, Kowalskiy, The Pop Cop, Tidal Wave of Indifference, Rave Child, The Daily Dose, Curious Joe, Song By Toad, and of course Scottish Fiction :) I'll have no doubt missed some great sites out there too.

Thanks very much for talking to us. Would you care to end with a joke?

What do you call an epileptic in a bush?

Russel

Check out Favourite Son blog here

We're Only Here For The Banter - Queen Jane

Buzzing out of Cumbernauld are four piece Queen Jane, who put out their 'Denver' EP last month.  The indie-pop sensations are fresh sounding and are taking their beats out on the road with shows planned for the coming months.  Did we say gigs?  No, we said shows, but still...

I'm super stocked to say that Queen Jane will be playing the maiden Scottish Fiction Presents gig on June 17th.  Find out more about that here.

Hello, how are you?

Hello Neil. I’m pretty good thanks. Stuff has been pretty chilled as of late. Life was pretty hectic before the EP launch but now that’s by I can spend my nights drinking tea and chilling with the cat as opposed to making up CD cases with Craig and his mum or pestering people on Facebook about the gig.

It's the question everyone hates, but could you tell us a little bit about your music and your influences?

We’re your typical ‘guitar band’. Two guitars, bass and a drummer. We describe ourselves as guitar pop with some heavier vibes. Bands like The Maccabees and Bombay Bicycle Club are influential in regards to our guitar sounds but we have some folky elements in there and also the addition of keys on our newer stuff. Born Ruffians are quite influential in regards to vocals, hitting the high notes and all that jazz! Bands that influence me personally are bands like Fugazi and that’s down to their approach to music more than their actual sound. They make me want to be in a band and make music. The hardcore D.I.Y ethos can be applied to anything and any type of music.

What's your song writing process like?

Our song writing process changed when working on the last EP. Before, I used to come up with an idea and go to the rest of the band with it fully evolved. Trying to get my whole idea across when we were paying £10 an hour to practice was never good for creativity. Now I come up with a basic idea for a song and take it to Harv and Mark and we build on it in a more relaxed environment. Then we’ll jam about and Craig is always super quick at coming up with drum parts. Since Craig usually hears the idea last he is good for pointing out bits we can work on which is a good way to work. It’s like a system of quality checks, sort of like a Toyota factory or something.

What could we expect to see from a live show?

A bit of everything really. We usually start our sets with some up-beat numbers. Then play some of the slower ones as folk will usually be paying attention by then. We always like to end with a big build up and a reverby overdriven explosion. We put a lot more energy into shows now, a lot of heart. Hopefully that comes across to the people watching it.

If it were all to end tomorrow, what would you say has been your greatest achievement?

Playing King Tuts last summer was massive for us. We were all insanely stoked to be playing such an iconic venue. We’re coming up for our third support slot at Tuts now in less than a year. Putting out a record we’re proud of as well, that is a sort of ‘lasting’ achievement. We’re definitely proud of ‘Denver’. I’m just proud that we’ve lasted this long as we started messing about in school and the fact it’s evolved into what it is now with the same people is something I’d never have expected.

What have you got planned for 2012?

We’re supporting King Charles in March, we’re stoked on that. Hopefully we can land some more decent support slots this year. We also plan on putting on some more shows around Glasgow with bands that we like. We’re tired of being conned by promoters and really enjoy putting on our own shows with bands we really enjoy watching play. The support we get when going at it alone is so much better so we really appreciate that. Hopefully we can do a mini tour in summer, see some new places and play to some new crowds. Then we’re going to hit the studio in autumn to work on a mini album which will hopefully be released in winter. But for now we just want to play as many live shows and promote the new EP.

At Scottish Fiction we focus on new Scottish music, how do you as a band view the Scottish music 'scene'?

I can only really speak for the Glasgow scene but that alone is amazing. There are so many good bands, artists, venues, club nights, bloggers and small labels. For example you can go to Subclub on a Wednesday night and get blasted with the best dance music around. Or you could go to Milk at Flat 0/1 a few blocks up and witness some great live independent music, some weeks it’s electro other weeks it’s hardcore. There is so much variety in Glasgow, it’s very healthy for music. I love the way a lot of bands know each other and big each other up. It’s a really positive vibe. You get the odd bit of bearded folk standing looking cool at shows when really they should be dancing but you get that everywhere I suppose.

What other Scottish artists would you recommend to the Scottish Fiction readers?

From our neck of the woods there is a band called Campfires In Winter. They are always our first choice when we are putting on a show. A great mix of folk and post rock and they are great guys. So Many Animal Calls are friends of ours and they are doing really well just now. They are also on Glasgow based label, Overlook with a band called Salo. Salo are heaviness at its best. I’ve been really into Carnivores recently. Their last show at Milk put my faith back into going to small shows. They are definitely the best live band in Scotland just now!

Thanks for speaking with us, would you care to share a joke with us?

‘I went to a fish disco last week. I pulled a muscle.’ It’s terrible I know. Someone prank called me last week and told that joke. I found out who it was and I’m going to phone them at 2am playing the Liam Neeson ‘I will find you and I will kill you’ speech down the phone. That’ll teach them!

Check out more from Queen Jane

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Scottish Fiction Presents

So this is happening soon.

Pretty big news!  I'm positively, absolutely, thrilled to buggery to announce that on Sunday 17th June we are bringing a bevvy of talented individuals to The Captain's Rest as part of the very first Scottish Fiction Presents.  For all of five of your shiny pound coins, you can see this quartet of musical delights:

Saint Death

Post rock quintet Saint Death make hairs stand up on the back of my neck.  Glad to welcome them onto the bill to kick things off with a punch!




Queen Jane

The Q Tang Clan are a four piece indie-pop band from Cumbernauld.  Their latest EP 'Denver' was fun, frolicy and fulsome.  Brilliant!



The Spook School

I'm as excited as a school boy about these guys driving through from Edinburgh to play.  Two guys, two girls is how The Spook School put out their quirky C86 infused music. 



Michael Cassidy

Drawing things to a close is none other than Paisley's own Michael Cassidy.  As fine a singer/songwriter as there is, this'll be braw!


All of this is happening from 8pm on Sunday 17th June at The Captain's Rest and is £5 at the door or online.  I'd be delighted if you can come along for a great bill and a great night too!

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 12th March 2012

Another Monday night means time for some more fresh new sounds from Scottish Fiction.  This week featured music from Jesus H. Foxx, Vigo Thieves, Martin John Henry, The Son(s) and more!  Our featured artist this week was Selkirk's own Frightened Rabbit  and our classic album was Primal Scream's 'Screamadelica'.  Also keep your ears pricked for Peenko Presents, a recommended free download from Lloyd. *Links to follow*

Jesus H. Foxx - So The Wind Won't...
The Jezabels - Endless Summer
Thirty Pounds Of Bone - Crutches
Two Wings - Eikon

Mixing It Up - Jack Penate - No One Lied - As chosen by Jamie Sparks

The Son(s) - If I Hear You Talk Apostrophes Again...
Vigo Thieves - Heartbeats
Lovers Turn To Monsters - Hey There Pilgrim

Peenko Presents - Sonny Carntyne - Lies Framing Snapshots

Classic Album - Primal Scream - Movin' On Up - Screamadelica

Martin John Henry - Span
Coat Hooks - To The Staring Husks!
Marvel Heights - Mark Your Defeat
The Twilight Sad - Don't Move
We Were Promised Jetpacks - Circles And Squares
Capitals - Sinking Ships

Featured Artist
Frightened Rabbit - Fast Blood
Frightened Rabbit - Skip The Youth
Frightened Rabbit - Be Less Rude

Fiction Faction - Turquoise Noise
So Many Animal Calls - Traps
Tango In The Attic - Paw Prints

Scottish Fiction - 12th March 2012 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

31 Songs - Song 6

Song 6 - The Flaming Lips - Do You Realize??

It may be the 21st century but there is still a fair share of taboos that exist in polite conversation. For instance I dream of the day that two men can discuss the merits of self fellatio without fear or impunity. One other such taboo is death. Music can be a great ice breaker to these taboos. (I'm no longer talking about self fellatio for the record).

It's something which will happen to us all, sure as Madonna's proposed Malawi school will never see the light of day, we all will meet our end at some point or another. Quite a solemn thought really. No wonder we don't talk about it. But does it need to be that way?

Well no, it doesn't. And The Flaming Lips will tell you why in a way that only they know how.

'Do You Realize??' is one of the most affirming tracks ever made. The juxtaposition of lines such as the soppy "do you realise that you have the most beautiful face" and the dismal "do you realise that everyone you know someday will die" is rivals Morrisey. And it is the latter realisation that is our fear, spawned from the unknown, a throw back to times where religion did put the fear of hell and eternal damnation into the faithful flocks.

Let's face it, we're all probably scared of dying on some level. If you listen to the lyrics in this track Wayne Coyne, for me, turns that fear on it's head with the line "you realise the sun don't go down, it's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round". Wow.

Now I'm not wanting to put words in Wayne Coyne's mouth, what I read from that little couplet is that death is only as real as you want it to be. People we love die, much like the sun goes down. Yet the sun doesn't go away and neither do those who have died. Sounds all a bit circle of life doesn't it? But hey, some moments call for it.

And peppered around this taboo buster are other little dots of genius. From the innocent opening refrain of "one, two, three, four" which is so childlike it helps convey the lightness of the subject matter, to the humongous observation that yes we are indeed floating in space. That for me is almost a near perfect one line dismissal of God, religion and heaven.

Hell I even love the quirky double question marks and the fact that Americans can't spell realise.

The key message behind the song is to enjoy the little time we have in this life, summed up in a nutshell with the line "let the know you realise that life goes fast, it's hard to make the good things last". And if you've ever seen The Flaming Lips live you'll know that they make fun there primary objective. Why don't you?

Scottish Fiction's Words With Friends Cup - Update

Drumroll please!  We have our Scottish Fiction Word With Friends finalists.  Here's how things have been going.

Carlo Acosta vs. Brian Pokora

It was a close one, toing and froing with the lead.  But it was Brian from Trapped Mice / Loch Awe who pipped Carlo from The King Hats by 15 points.  Carlo's patented style of 'playing-with-letters-until-something-works' simply wasn't enough to stop Brian in his tracks.  Congratulations to Brian, and hard luck to Carlo.  Here's what our contestants had to say:

Scottish Fiction - Hard luck to Carlo from The King Hats.  Every great match always needs a loser!
Carlo - It's been a great competition.  I can't wait to see who wins.  This was such a good idea. I'm wining it next year! 
Scottish Fiction - The final proved one step too far.  Do you think you could have done anything different?   Who is your tip for the WWF Cup Final?
Carlo - It's tough to take.  Complacency was my enemy after building such a big lead. Brain is my tip, he pulled out some crackers.

Brian - That was so close, extremely well played!
Scottish Fiction - You're through to the WWF Cup Final.  Is this what you've been aiming for since round 1?  How do you plan to prepare for the big game?
Brian - I think I'll stop playing my other games, save all the words for this one.  Also, I'll play as many dirty words as possible.

Boab Canavan vs. Stu Lewis 

In our second Words With Friends semi final Boab from Campfires In Winter took on Stu Lewis of The Tidal Wave Of Indifference blog.  Things were close pretty much up until the final moments.  Boab pulled it out the bag though with an outstanding final play of 'pimento' onto a triple word score, meaning even Stu's 101 pointer couldn't stop Boab running out as the winner. 

Boab - That was a nail biter.  Couldn't believe my luck I when I saw the letters appear before me.
Scottish Fiction - Your through to the WWF Cup Final.  Is this what u've been aiming for since round 1?  How do you plan to prepare for the big game?
Boab - I was hopeful but wasn't really expecting to get this far.  In preparation, I'll be eating a dictionary every day

Stu - Well played that Boab, I CANNOT BELIEVE that last word you played!!!
Scottish Fiction - The final proved one step too far.  Do you think you could have done anything different?  Who is your tip for the WWF Cup Final?
Stu - I'm backing Boab.  I've played (and beaten) Brian but Boab feels unstoppable.  I don't think I could have done anything more.  Even after my 101pt word, 'pimento' was sensational!

So that's it folks.  We've been whittled our competitors down from eight to the final two.  Our finalists.  Things will kick off this Friday and Brian will battle Boab for the inaugural Scottish Fiction Words With Friends Cup.

We're Only Here For The Banter - Marvel Heights

Marvel Heights are a five piece from Glasgow with the attitude of punk rockers but influences far wider, including Biffy Clyro and Twin Atlantic.  They are all set to release their second EP 'Make No Waves' next month, and have been kind enough to stop by Scottish Fiction for a wee chin-wag.  Here's what Sarah had to say when we asked our usual set of questions.

It's the question everyone hates, but could you tell us a little bit about your music and your influences?

I’d say we’re alternative rock, but we’re all influenced by different bands – I think it’s what gives us something unique.  These influences go from Sigur Ros to Taking Back Sunday.

What's your song writing process like?

We all contribute our own parts during the process, but a lot of the time it can originate from a guitar riff, a piano piece or even a drum beat can spark the start of a song.

What could we expect to see from a live show?

Lots of energy!  I never want to be shy about the fact that we love gigging, so I think that comes across passionately when we play.

If it were all to end tomorrow, what would you say has been your greatest achievement?

We played some awesome gigs with Paolo Nutini a couple of years ago, and also recently supported Flogging Mollys and Lightguides – those were amazing gigs.  But I think our biggest achievement so far is our debut E.P, which we worked so hard on.  We also got to work with producer Chris Gordon, who was a great match for us.

What have you got planned for 2012?

Gig as much as we physically can, to promote the E.P (Make No Waves).  We also plan on doing a couple more videos, and continue to write new material.

At Scottish Fiction we focus on new Scottish music, how do you as a band view the Scottish music 'scene'?

It’s really thriving, so that’s a really good pigeon hole for us to be in!  It’s also important though to think about what’s coming next, so we try to be ahead of the game with what we write too.

What other Scottish artists would you recommend to the Scottish Fiction readers?

Michael Cassidy!

Thanks for speaking with us, would you care to share a joke with us?

Only heard this one today! It’s terrible.
Working in the elevator business must have its ups and downs…..

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Saturday Stuff - 10th March 2012

As usual, it's Saturday night, I'm not doing anything, so here's some news and other stuff...

Scottish Fiction Round-Up

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 27th February 2012
Scottish Fiction Words With Friends Update
WWF Cup - Player Profile - Steve McGillivray
WWF Cup - Player Profile - Stewart Allan
We're Only Here For The Banter - Julia And The Doogans
Scottish Fiction Words With Friends Update
Scottish Fiction Podcast - 5th March 2012
WWF Cup - Player Profile - Stu Lewis
Why Blogger? - Kowalskiy

News

Hear Glasgow are holding a Music Industry Panel Event on Wednesday 14th March between 6pm and 8pm at Studio One, The City Halls, Candleriggs.  Hop along if you wish to pose your questions about a career in the music industry.

South By South West kicks off this week.  Read Vic Galloway's preview of this years event.

WWPJ's have announced some Scottish dates.  Dunfermline, Aberdeen, Inverness, Perth and Coatbridge, get ready.

Belladrum have announced their line up for this years festival.  It's a good 'un, with Frightened Rabbit among the highlights.  Take a peek.

Gigs

Sunday 11th March - 7pm - O2 ABC - The Presidents Of The United States Of America - £18.50

Sunday 11th March - 8pm - The Captain's Rest - Skippy Dyes, Wrongnote, Whigs & Rakes, The Mademoiselle - Sold out

Friday 16th March - 11pm - The Arches - 2 Many DJ's - £19.50

Saturday 17th March - 7pm - QMU - Glasgow's Biggest St Paddy's Day Festival feat. Discopolis, Aerials Up, Partwindpartwolf, A Plastic Rose, Kobi Onyame and more tbc - £5/£6

Releases

Two Wings release their single 'Eikon' on Monday 12th.  Fancy a free download?  Get it here in exchange for an email address.

Fiction Faction release double A-Side 'Nina's Different' and 'Turquoise Noise' today.  Get yourself a download for £2 here.

That cheeky amphibion Matthew at Song, By Toad has released a 18 track free sampler.  Every track's a winner, so grab it and enjoy.

Other Blogs

Edinburgh Man #86
Favourite Son - Videos Of The Week
The Pop Cop - Three little words, one big problem
Not quite a blog, but have a listen to fellow Pulse presenter Jamie Sparks
Peenko - Friday Freebies

Why Blogger? - Kowalskiy

It's time for another delve into the pysche of the blogger, with 'Why Blogger?'.  This time round David from the blog Kowalskiy has been kind enough to answer some questions.  Every week Kowalskiy bring reviews and chats with bands, as well as the famous 'Singles Club', and the original free monthly EP.

Hello, how are you?

I'm great ta. How's you?

Sum up your blog in a 140 character tweet.

Enigmatic, sporadic blogger and "hub for up-and-coming Scottish music". Caters for lonely hearts and free monthly 5-track Scottish EP lovers

There's little (if any) monetary gain in blogging. Why do you do it?

You say that, but I've saved a fortune on buying CDs! I'd always read blogs (well ever since Planet Sound shut down anyway) and was into a lot of local bands at the time, and thought I'd chip in with my tuppenceworth. Kowalskiy will never be a source of income for me. If I went down that route I think it'd suck all enjoyment and passion out of it, and in the end, that's the main reason I'm kept doing it.

Allow yourself some self praise, what's your proudest blog related moment?

I think the response to my free monthly EPs. I've always been a fan of the unfinished demo, the acoustic version and the live performance. Often they tell you more about a band's music than the polished, final product. Back when I came up with the idea, I emailed my five favourite artists and within 5 days, the first EP was on the cybershelves. That these five artists jumped on board and sacrificed one of their tracks for a relatively new blogger they'd never clapped eyes on, is still something I can't get my head 'round. Bands going out of their way to record something specially is also baffling. There are some extremely trusting bands out there! Other than that, thanks to the good lads from Rose Parade, I've been namechecked in the Evening Times, The List see me as some sort of new music "hub" and Neil Buchanan is following me on Twitter!

You're on a plane and the only in-flight movie is Maid In Manhatten. What do you take to, listen to, read and watch?

First of all, what's wrong with Maid in Manhattan?? I happen to believe J'Lo delivers a sterling performance! OK, true story... I went to Italy in the summer with my beloved. All I had on the iPhone was demos and singles by Edinburgh's Letters - perhaps the most exciting new band that surfaced last year. Cocky, belligerent wee shites (well, Mikey at least ;-) ), but they have the music to back it up! Movie-wise, Grown Ups was on there. Not usually a huge fan of Adam Sandler, Kevin James or Chris Rock... still not, but it wasn't bad. Would much rather have watched something along the lines of The Darjeeling Limited mind you. As for reading, if you can find a better book than Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, please let me know.

What Scottish artists would you recommend to the Scottish Fiction readers?

I could be here for a while, but in terms of last year alone, I've loved seeing bands like Letters, Partwindpartwolf, Echo Arcadia, Happy Particles, The Machine Room, PET, Laurence & The Slab Boys start to make some headway. The Little Kicks, Cancel The Astronauts, Over The Wall and French Wives are firm Kowalskiy favourites, and in terms of the soloists, Will Hanson and Wiredrawn have been fantastic, and The Ramisco Maki Maki Rocking Horse continues to amaze me. He deserves some bloody recognition! Also, I have a severe man-crush on King Creosote. One slight disappointment though, and I never thought I'd say it, is the new direction he seems to be going in. All this recent collaboration lark is just not for me, and it pains me to say so. Why Kenny, why!??

Do you write your blog with an audience in mind, or do you blog about what's on your mind?

Neither really. Let''s be honest, no one will read Kowalskiy if they're not prepared to go out and look for new up-and-coming, local music. I don't feature NME and Q-endorsed buzz bands, or whoever the BBC say is one to watch. So in that respect, my audience is gonna have to find me! As for what I blog, it really is just what bands tickle my fancy. I think as soon as you start featuring these 'buzz' bands you don't like, just to get some extra readers, the integrity of the blog is gone. So I guess I'll continue to rely on word of mouth to keep getting visitors to the site...

What do you think blogs bring to the music 'scene'?

I think blogs, along with podcasts and student radio are fast becoming the only way for up-and-coming bands to get their name out there and their music heard. Especially in Scotland! Just look at who the BBC (in all their wisdom) have picked as their so-called Sound of 2012. How's an unsigned pop/indie/folk band from up here meant to get some recognition from the mainstream media when they throw their weight behind that PR-weighty dross?! With that in mind, Andy from TVPE's idea to run a blogger version this year was a great step to rectifying that. Was good to see French Wives getting in the Top 10. Here's hoping that helps them, in some way, get some much-deserved credit.

As a reader, what blog(s) do you frequent?

Before I started blogging, it was only really Peenko and Song, by Toad that I read on a regular basis. So you can probably blame them for me starting my own. Well, them and me wanting something interesting to put in the 'Non-academic activities' sentence on my CV as my Ph.D. was drawing to a close. Now, I've got Aye Tunes, Favourite Son, Radar, The Pop Cop all bookmarked too... as well as your good self! Oh, and Larry "Slab Boy" Reid's procrastinations on his Laurence & the Slab Blog are always a good read.

Thanks very much for talking to us. Would you care to end with a joke?

Gotta be a physics one then. Apologies in advance...

Heisenberg was out for a drive one night when he was stopped by the police. The officer asked, "Sir, do you know how fast you were going?" Heisenberg replied, "No, but I know exactly where I am."

Check out Kowalskiy blog here

WWF Cup - Profile - Stu Lewis

Stu Lewis

Stu Lewis is a 30-something muso, blogger, promoter and feline fanatic who almost certainly has a thousand things more useful he should be doing than playing Words With Friends, among them pouring disdainful scorn over an inbox stuffed full of new tunes.

He describes his first round win over Black International as "up there with my wedding day and the birth of my daughter, but not quite as wonderful as seeing the Flaming Lips live for the first time."

His most ridiculous moment came after shouting numerous expletives at the screen for not accepting an obviously legitimate word.  As it turned out, while it was a legitimate word, it was a legitimate word in French, at which point he returned to being snarky about your taste in music

Check out Stu's blog The Tidal Wave Of Indifference and wish him luck in the semi finals of the Words With Friends Cup where he takes on Boab from Campfires In Winter.

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 5th March 2012

Monday's show brought in a bunch of new features including our 'Classic Album' where we play a track from one of the best album's Scotland has produced, and three tracks from our 'Featured Artists' who was Franz Ferdinand.  Check out the full show again, and click on the individual links for more from each artist.

The Douglas Firs - The Quickening
Chris Devotion & The Expectations - A Modest Refusal
Meow And A Mew - Lasso The Moon
Dolfinz - Teenage Bloom
French Wives - Younger
The Shins - Simple Song
Bronto Skylift - Tiger

Classic Album - Psychocandy - Jesus And The Mary Chain - Just Like Honey

Drunk Mule - Shoot The Fingers, Kill The Hand
Holobeams And Broken Machines - Ground Frost
Die Hard - In The Garden
Le Thug - Down
Miaoux Miaoux - Cloud Computer
King Post Kitsch - Movies And Magazines

Mixing It Up - Django Django - Wor - As chosen by Jamie Sparks

Admiral Fallow - Beetle In The Box
Mitchell Museum - Take The Tongue Out

Featured Artist
Franz Ferdinand - Darts Of Pleasure
Franz Ferdinand - Walk Away
Franz Ferdinand - Lucid Dreams

The Japanese War Effort - Pool Attendant

Scottish Fiction - 5th March 2012 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud