Reppin' Aberdeenshire, and more recently Glasgow, my session guest on this show is the immensely talented, not to mention modest, Yusuf Azak. His albums, most recently Peace in the Underworld and before that Native Son, contain more ideas than many artists manage in an entire career, a style born out of experimentalism and free form. In amongst chatting about his music, Yusuf performed three tracks live in the studio all of which are here for your listening pleasure.
Your new music fix can be sated with cuts from The Duke, Detroit, Baby Strange, Tijuana Bibles, Turtle, and C Duncan. Hook in and enjoy!
Blog favourite Michael Cassidy returns to Scottish Fiction as our session guest for a record 4th time, ahead of the release of his debut album My Electric Heart on Monday 2nd February, a sentence which gives me a great deal of delight having waited for it's release to close on two and a half years.
Below are videos for the tracks Real Love, Everybody's Scare, and 15 Years which were recorded at Pulse 98.4 as part of Michael Cassidy's Scottish
Fiction Session. To hear the full show, including interview, check out
the Scottish Fiction Podcast for 26th January 2015.
And check out these EXCLUSIVE video of Montpellier and My Electric Heart recorded for the Scottish Fiction blog.
Paisley singer songwriter Michael Cassidy has been a long term favourite here at Scottish Fiction. He was my first ever live guest on the radio show, the headliner of our first ever Scottish Fiction Presents gig, and more importantly he has been a crafter of wonderfully rich and captivating music for the last few years.
Which is why it is an absolute delight to be able to say his debut album My Electric Heart is out now! An album which brings together many of Michael's well known songs, combining his award winning song-writing with the warming sounds of his band. Michael kindly put pen to paper to give us a little insight about each of the tracks on the album.
1) Running Water
An upbeat poppy number about drunken stumbles home. This is a fun song to play live and we usually open gigs with it so it had to go first on the album.
2) Battleships
Battleships deals with heartache and longing that could be considered in a negative light but I've decided to put a positive, and more hopeful, spin on things. I feel the song has a really uplifting message in it which comes through whenever I sing it and it is definitely one of my favourites from the album to play.
3) 15 Years
This track is my latest single to coincide with the release of the album and I also shot a video in and around Glasgow, showing of some of its most famous sites. The video will be put up online a couple of days before the album launch. The lyrics are basically about me asking myself the question how long would I wait for someone who has rejected me, and instead of responding that I would wait 'forever', like quite a lot of other songs, I thought I would put an exact value on it! And I guess the answer is 15 years haha! This is big foot stomper though and I always close my set with it, which always seems to be well received by the crowd.
4) The Men Who Stood Beside Me in the War
This short song was written after reading about the experiences of a group of soldiers in war. I've written the lyrics from the perspective of an old soldier thinking back to the comrades he lost and their different experiences. I am really very fond of this song and the simplicity of it. It's also the song that won me the inaugural Gerry Rafferty songwriting prize, which is undoubtedly my biggest achievement to date.
5) Real Love
Real Love is a really upbeat song that has been described to me as a Glasgow fairytale, which made me laugh. The title of it is tongue in cheek as it's really a song about a fleeting one night drunken romance and the different feelings that at the time might feel like 'real love' but are different when you wake up. These are universal feelings that I know a lot of people can connect with. The track is basically a song about being single, going out, and enjoying yourself.
6) Breath on my Window
A more serious ballad, which is about loss, and the questions you ask yourself in the aftermath of that event. This song was definitely an important one for me because it helped me address certain issues. I am really proud of the music and lyric in this song and I think they really complimented each other nicely, helping me get across what I was really trying to say, which is that things will be alright.
7) Dancing at the Devil's Door
A heavy rolling blues number, where the lyrics are about addressing a time in my life where I felt I was maybe going out and drinking a little too much. In the song I am questioning myself and the different choices I make. Musically, I love the guitar line that runs throughout the song.
8) My Electric Heart
This is the title track from the album and for me it sums up a constant theme running throughout the album. It's a story of falling for someone quickly and then changing your mind just as quickly. I remember writing the words to this after swimming in a lake in Vienna. I’m really proud of the outro section of this song and the strings.
9) Guy Fawkes
My attempt at condensing the story of Guy Fawkes into two long verses and keeping it factually accurate whilst still hummable! I like to think I achieved that and stayed factual! Maybe you could play it in schools! The track also has a canon at the end, which was fun to record and something I have always wanted to have in one of my songs.
10) The Gulf Between
This song deals with the difference between humans and animals and I always pictured the video to this would be me walking through Noah's ark but I'm not sure if I would have the budget to achieve that.
11) Montpellier
I wrote this song on Christmas day and it is a happy song about the start of a new relationship that brings with it a lot of joy but also reveals some darker sides. I would best describe it as a bittersweet love song because although although the lyrics are happy, they also are wary of the future.
12) Everybody's Scared
I owe a lot to Everybody's Scared as it's the first track of mine that was picked up by people It's a song about the ending of a relationship and the lyrics were written the day before I knew it was going to end. It's a pretty sad song, but does however still have an uplifting feel to it which is something I have been very interested in thematically; having upbeat songs with a sad subject matter.
Michael Cassidy - My Electric Heart is out on 2nd February via D Set Records and can be purchased all good online music retailers or directly from Michael Cassidy's Bandcamp
Blog favourite Michael Cassidy returns to Scottish Fiction as our session guest for a record 4th time, ahead of the release of his debut album My Electric Heart
on Monday 2nd February, a sentence which gives me a great deal of
delight having waited for it's release to close on two and a half
years.
These two tracks, My Electric Heart and Montpelier,
were recorded at Pulse 98.4, exclusively for the Scottish Fiction
blog. To hear further session tracks and an interview listen back to
the full radio show here.
Enjoy!
Michael Cassidy plays The Griffin, Glasgow on 31st January 2015, launching his debut album My Electric Heart. Tickets are still available here.
Blog favourite Michael Cassidy returns to Scottish Fiction as our session guest for a record 4th time, ahead of the release of his debut album My Electric Heart on Monday 2nd February, a sentence which gives me a great deal of delight having waited for it's release to close on two and a half years. Chatting about the album, and the launch gigs, it's the three live tracks; all taken from the album; which are the real treat.
The show is also packed out with new music from Kapil Seshasayee, Kathryn Joseph, Monogram, and a Song, By Toad booster pack of Supermoon, Garden of Elks, Numbers Are Futile and digitalanalogue. Plus there's a Re-Mixing It Up track from a well known artist who I've never played on the show before.
I've had baby brain since last week following the birth of my daughter (it seeps a little bit into this podcast too. Sorry!) So as much as that is fantastic, it's also great to sit behind the microphone to record this latest episode of Scottish Fiction. Mainly because I've been sitting on a ton of great tracks that deserve an airing. Included in that are new ones from Garden Of Elks, Prides and Owl John, plus two session tracks courtesy of our friends over at Netsounds Unsigned and Houdidontblog.
Happy New Year to y'all. 2013 was another feather in the cap of fantastic music emanating from Scottish shores. The rise of CHVRCHES shows we do electro-pop with the best of them. The return of Boards of Canada demonstrates we've not lost that shoe-gazey EDM touch either. In between there's been hoards of fantastic folk, positive pop, humongous hip-hop and incredible indie to treat ears of all frequencies.
On Christmas day we aired a special episode of Scottish Fiction which was a look back on some of our favourite singles and EP's for 2013. You can listen to that in full here or via the embed at the bottom of the page. Here's the majority of those tracks, plus a few more, making this post my favourite 25 singles or EP's from 2013.
In no particular order, and with no other judging criteria than my own personal tastes here's Scottish Fiction's Top 25 Singles / EP's of 2013
Prides - Out Of The Blue
Name changes have never sounded so good. Previously Midnight Lion, now Prides, the Glasgow three piece re-invented themselves to fist pumping effect. Dancing like a maniac to this tune at Wickerman was a highlight of 2013.
Campfires In Winter - Picture of Health EP
Following single White Lights released early in 2013, September's release of Picture of Health EP cements Campfires In Winter's status as one of the finest emerging bands in Scotland. Album next surely?
Book Group - Victory Lap / A Lowdown of a LOUD Sound
Début single from Book Group released via the influential Gerry Loves Records. Insprining, uplifting and gloriously inflectious. Book Group, don't you ever change.
Young Fathers - I Heard
Edinburgh hip-hop trio Young Fathers hooked many people with this smooth, emotional and soulful cut from their second EP Tape Two. Released on the legendary Anticon label, lead single I Heard has the power to worm inside your brain for weeks.
Atom Tree - Tide of Thorns EP
There is a wave of artists who are continuing to push electronica music in new and exciting directions. Glasgow producer and musician Atom Tree is but one of them. Debut EP Tide of Thorns leads the pack and this track Die For Your Love evokes fluorescent memories of euphoria on a blissful come down.
Nevada Base - Foresight
Having never been a Nevada Base fan before this track I feel almost sheepish in the realisation that they are indeed Scotland's answer to LCD Soundsystem. Foresight is an accessible jump on point for those in search of jerky rhythms and groovy basslines.
Naked - Lie Follows Lie
Spooky, eerie and haunting. Check, check and check. Not the most googleable names in music, but once you've found Naked, and this July release from the Edinburgh based three piece, you won't want to let go.
Giant Fang - Aqualung
When I reviewed this track back upon it's 23rd June release I said it had a 'freedom-of-the-summer' vibe and flavoured by the influence of M83. In the midst of winter Giant Fang'sAqualung transports you back to the warmth of a carefree summer.
Lovers Turn To Monsters - Skeletor EP
Ok so I know I said this was in no particular order, but I'm putting it out there Lovers Turn To Monsters Skeletor EP is my favourite EP of 2013. Intelligent and brutally honest lyrics with simplistic and heart tugging guitar playing, it's on a comparable scale with the indie lo-fi artists that young Kyle Wood calls his heroes.
Fake Major - Have Plenty Of Fun
Four armed singer songwriters don't come much better than Richard and Jarv of Fake Major. Released on Comets & Cartwheels back in May of this year, Have Plenty of Fun proves that sometimes song writing partnerships are much more important than bells and whistles. This track Little Researcher is a gem.
Michael Cassidy - Everybody's Scared
Fans of Paisley musician Michael Cassidy will be familiar with this track. Everybody's Scared has been given the full band treatment ahead of the release of début album My Electric Heart, and re-released with a renewed sense of warmth and purpose.
DEATHCATS!!! - The Raddest EP
Bursting with scuzzy feel good vibes, channelling the blitzkreig ethos of The Ramones and the lo-fi touch of Fugazi, DEATHCATS might just change your life. Failing that The Raddest EP is awesome and deserves your attention.
Honeyblood - Bud
Scotland's answer to The Breeders and Throwing Muses, Honeyblood released Bud on continual Scottish music supporters FatCat Records. It's garage rock with a laid back veneer and one of 2013's finest singles.
Poor Things - Hurricane Poor Things
Poor Things are another band who mine '90's American alt-garage rock for influence. And to fantastic effect too. Hurricane Poor Things ambles with intent and purpose. Check it out.
Pinact / Min Diesel - Split 7"
Sneaking two bands in for the price of one here, this split 7" released in September by the Cool Your Jets label showcases Pinact and Min Diesel in all their DIY alt-rock glory.
Gone Wishing - The Gone Wishing Tape
The discovery of 2013 for me was the music of Owen McLaughlin. In it's solo guise Owen plays under the moniker of Gone Wishing and his debut EP is heartfelt, gutsy and tender in just the right amounts.
Lidh - Rockpool Hospital EP
This video harks back to the play cartoon imagery used by The B-52's, but Lidh's music draws from a much wider range of influences combining in a slightly rough around the edges folk pop. Single Rockpool Hospital is the pick of the bunch from her EP of the same name.
Mast - Romance
Former The Darien Adventure man Liam Rutherford struck out on his own in 2013 as Mast. He struck gold with this shimmering delightful track Romance
John Knox Sex Club / Over The Wall - Split 7"
With both bands hiding in the shadows for most of 2013, a combined return via a Gerry Loves Records split 7" was a stroke of genius on everyone's part. Animals packs the usual John Knox Sex Club punch, and Tell Her I Love Her bursts with inventive fun pop.
Garden Of Elks - Extended Play
Shouty fun pop at it's best, Garden of Elks seal the deal with a pinky promise (so they say) and rock raucously with a Pixies induced stupor.
Mad Nurse - The Rip
Not a lot is known about Mad Nurse expect they are a four piece from Edinburgh who specialise in epic, layered post rock tinged creations. The Rip EP is one of 2013's most unrecognised releases.
Shambles Miller - Deadpool
Shambles Miller Does It Again. Is what the headlines would say in a world where the Glaswegian singer-songwriter replaced Beyonce as the world's biggest pop star. Whilst we wait for that, latest single Deadpool cheekily muses on the big questions.
TeenCanteen - Honey
All girl sunshine pop never sounded so good. Taking their lead from the girl bands of the 60's and 70's, Glasgow's TeenCanteen shone brighter than most with this début release Honey.
Talk about a broad spectrum! In this week's show there's hip-hop from Kobi Onyame and Young Fathers, punk from Medals and Sink Alaska, indie-folk from Michael Cassidy and a dose of post rock from Wolves of Winter. Not to mention some remixing action from De Rosa, a ballboy cover of Bruce Springstein and a whole heaps more of the best new Scottish music about.
Hot on the heels of début album Deerheart Blood Relatives swung by the Pulse Community Radio studio for chat and tunes. Their bubbly and witty strain of indie-pop boils over making the session a charming interview about influences, summer festivals, and puns. Three excellent live tracks are also dotted throughout so dig in.
The second hour of the show includes regular features 'Tweet-a-track' and a 'Cover Lover' track from perennial Scottish Fiction chum Lovers Turn To Monsters. There's also new music from Miracle Strip, Mungo's Hi-Fi, Book Group, Call To Mind and more!
Everybody’s Scared is exactly what you expect from Paisley’s Michael Cassidy. That is not to say that the singer-songwriter has become predictable, far from it, however this new release is predictably brilliant. Having garnered support from BBC Radio 1 and toured with Ben Howard, Cassidy has set his stall out as one of Scottish music’s most exciting prospects and this single has only proved further that the buzz around him is justified.
Everybody’s Scared is the perfect mix of simple and eloquent. Cassidy’s husky Scottish vocal, as ever, fills you with warmth as you listen, a perfect tonic to combat the impending harsh Scottish winter. His guitar playing is something to admire, driving the song along cheerfully as Cassidy croons his inner anxieties over the top. It’s this juxtaposition between the music and the lyrics that make the song resonate. Lyrics like, "waiting for someone", and "I’m on my own again" are expected over a less chirpy riff, but it’s this type of song writing that has led to Michael Cassidy to where he is today, and long may it continue.
- Stuart Thompson
Michael Cassidy - Everybody's Scared is out on D Set Records on 18th November. You can pre-order the single here.
Cue industry bitching, sniping, and moaning, side by side with actual anticipation to what is generally the best stage at T In The Park. Yes folks it's the T-Break stage!
The 16 acts playing across the stage on Saturday and Sunday at this year's 20th T In The Park have been announced. Further details regarding day splits and times will be announced in due time, right now, let's just salivate at the prospect of some good music on the T bill.
My tuppence worth... Machines In Heaven and Poor Things are two of the most exciting bands about, Vasa, and Honeyblood will rip your ears and hearts open with wonderful noise, Hector Bizerck are making some of Scotland's finest hip-hop beats and Michael Cassidy and Fake Major are not to be missed for some brilliantly crafted indie with folk leanings.
So I played it safe and it never quite made it onto the playlist for the show, however this is as much political commentary as you're getting. I'll leave the rest for you to fill in. To the music my good man, post haste!
And what marvellous music indeed, with oodles of new stuff woven through the fabric of our little show. Expect new tracks from Michael Cassidy, Song Of Return, Quickbeam, Algernon Doll, Casual Sex and more! Also in the mix is our 'Cover Lover' track, a Travis cover of a famous Matt The Hoople song, this week's 'Tweet-a-track' suggestion and a 'Re-Mixing It Up' number which is a Bis remix of Arab Strap. Top drawer! All this and much more in the land of Scottish Fiction.
It’s a sad day when you realise all those older people in the movies weren’t lying. It is true, everyone does reach a point in their life where they look back at old photos or videos and think, “Oh my god! What is with my hair?!” Or, “what am I wearing?!” And other such over the top, self involved phrases. The other guarantee is that if you are a musician, it’s one hundred times worse.
But it’s not all about regret, they don’t call them our formative years for nothing. Sometimes our earliest attempts at creativity and life in general can have a massive effect on our future decisions. Recently over the Christmas holidays I got together with the three other members of my first band 'The Park', named of course after our local teen hang out. Whilst together we decided it would be an idea to try re-recording some of our old songs, for fun but of course to simply see if they stood the test of time (they do… Kind of.) But during the process, reminiscing, drinking, trying to recall what certain songs were about, I quickly started to realise how much The Park ethos had in common with that of Lovers Turn To Monsters.
The Park started off when we were around 15 and admittedly we had absolutely no clue what we were doing. Although the three members had been acting as collective for a few months, when I was drafted in I had been playing bass for around a month. The group had been trying their hand at being a covers band and had grown instantly tired. With a new line up we all decided the best plan of action would be to jump right in at the deep end. With no prior song writing experience we put a practice in our diaries and demanded we all appear with at least a song each. And surprisingly, when the time came,we did. Our drummer and guitarist had a lot more than that in fact. This hyper active writing process continued week in week out and after our first two practices we had collectively put together ten songs. Influenced heavily by Nirvana and the indie rock of the early noughties they were all basic verse/chorus/verse but that’s what we wanted. The first recordings of the songs are of course ungodly, but they developed as we went on and to this day we can still run through them and they work. In fact I even played one at my Tut's show last summer, (albeit translated onto the Banjo but still!)
The Park taught me some very important musical lessons; sometimes it is best to just throw yourself in. Art to me is about being in the moment and just because you’re not the best player or have no idea how to record yourself to a listenable degree doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. As long as you have heart and passion it will shine through any of that other nonsense…
With this in mind I decided to head to the internetz and ask some other musician types if their first bands had effected them in a similar way, or if they’d simply covered '...Teen Spirit' with a PE teacher taking lead vocals and moved on with their lives…
Ewan Grant a.k.a. Algernon Doll
What was the name of the first band you were in?
The first proper band I was in was called, 'Judas And The Mullets'. It was with some guys older than me at school who played classic rock that I hated. I quickly used this to get the attention of the older year's bands and joined a metal/hardcore band called 'Talus' and I played guitar in that. It was super fun as we got to play with Allergo and we had a really good home town crowd.
Do you feel that they played a big part in shaping your music today?
Probably just reminds me that music should be fun and never taken too seriously. I mean it's serious art but people take themselves to seriously. Do you ever go back and visit any old songs? Any embarrassing titles or song subjects you regret?
Nah, we had a song called , 'Gravecrawler' about the singer's dead cat (it was quite sweet really). We also used to replace words in titles with 'minge' for some reason so there was, 'The Leprosy Minge' and 'Greed For Minge'. I don't find myself going back to these songs but I should consider it! http://algernondoll.bandcamp.com/ https://twitter.com/AlgernonDoll
Michael Cassidy
What was the name of the first band you were in?
My first band were called Signals. I was the lead singer and I also co-wrote the songs. Mainly we played pop rock/punk.
Do you feel that they played a big part in shaping your music today?
The band was an amazing introduction to writing music from an early age. I wrote with the whole band but primarily my friend Gez. We always tried to have ideas that we enjoyed but also that people at the shows would enjoy. That's something I still adhere to. Do you ever go back and visit any old songs? Any embarrassing titles or song subjects you regret?
I do listen to our old EP's and I'm still proud of them. I don't just hear the music. I hear the jokes and stories attached to the songs. I loved being in that band and when we were 17 that was going to be our job for the rest of our lives. Our last EP we done about four years ago still stands up as great songs I think. An embarrassing title would be 'Dani's Song'. It's safe to speak for the other guys when I say we collectively regretted that!
My first band was called Nectar and we formed on the night of our first gig.We were named by the gentleman putting on the gig. He gave us two options; either he would announce we were called Nectar or something MUCH WORSE AND VERY, VERY RUDE INDEED.After being bullied into this name, some of the very funny neds from school took to calling me Hector Nectar. How we laughed. What was your role in the band?
I sang and played guitar. We were a Nirvana covers band to begin with and so we were very much the archetypal noisy grungy band. I won't speak for the others involved but I certainly couldn't really play very well at all. Or sing well. In fact, my main role was putting a face to the name Hector Nectar. Do you feel that they played a big part in shaping your music today?
If playing that first gig had an influence on me it would be that it created my love of spontaneity when it comes to performance. Little or no rehearsal: just play what you feel.I look back on it quite fondly. When I started playing my own songs with and without bands, I suppose I always looked back in one way or another to compare what I felt playing them with the feeling of first playing classic songs by my heroes. I think it's probably only now that I could feel my set could ever be as strong as it was playing those Nirvana songs. It takes a while to become a good songwriter! Do you ever go back and visit any old songs? Any embarrassing titles or song subjects you regret?
My most embarrassing song was probably my first, although I never played it with a band. I have no idea what its subject was but I do remember it had a rap in the middle. A rap. Me rapping. Me. http://beerjacket.bandcamp.com/ https://twitter.com/beerjacket
Shambles Miller
What was the name of the first band you were in?
Well that depends. I had a wee band in school with my friend Neil Slorance called Pablo Slowfish. We didn't really play gigs though, except in the school, which I'm pretty sure kids only came to because it got them out of class for half an hour. My first proper(ish) gigging band was called The Dostoevskies. Neil was in that too. We've been bros for a while. What was your role in the band?
I was the guitarist and I wrote some of the lyrics. We played a mishmash of funk and punk. And nonsense. Do you feel that they played a big part in shaping your music today?
No, not really. I wrote some of the lyrics, which is where my passions still lie, but my music is nothing like it was in The Dostoevskies. I mean, we had a song with a disco breakdown in the middle. So yeah, nothing like my music now. Do you ever go back and visit any old songs? Any embarrassing titles or song subjects you regret?
I recently found an old demo CD we did, which was hilarious. The only song I can still play bits of was called 'Lost In Disneyland', which I guess was an early precursor to my lyrical style of using a comical backdrop to convey serious themes. It was pretty ridiculous though. I painted quite a scary picture of Mickey Mouse. A lot of that early stuff was also quite political, which is still a common theme in my music now, but back then it was pretty naive. I don't regret any of it though, partly because I can't remember half of it, but mainly because it was a good laugh. You have to have a good sense of humour if you're going to name your band after a 19th-century Russian novelist. http://twitter.com/shamblesmiller http://shamblesmiller.wordpress.com/
Sean McKenna - So Many Animal Calls (vocalist/guitarist)
What was the name of the first band you were in?
Bad Day? – with the question mark. We thought this distinguished us from other bands but in reality it was confusing for fans and promoters. We were once incorrectly billed as 'Bad Day With AQuestion Mark'.
What was your role in the band?
I was the singer/guitarist. I, regrettably, wrote most of the lyrics as well. We described ourselves as 'indie/pop'. I realise that doesn’t paint a particularly vivid picture of what we sounded like. We started off really pop/punk before my voice broke (my voice broke twoweeks after recording our first EP and we had to re-arrange or cut those songs). As the swathe of NME bands (The Wombats, Klaxons, et. al) edged their way into the mainstream we tried to go with it by changing our sound in hope that it would turn more people onto us but it may have come across as contrived. That being said I’m still immensely proud of some of the songs we played. Our last EP had some flickers of things that I later incorporated into So Many Animal Calls. Do you feel that they played a big part in shaping your music today?
Definitely! I used to sing in a faux American accent, the lyrics were sickly obvious and the music wasn’t really similar to what I listened to. When me and Ross (Stewart) came to write for So Many Animal Calls there was no pressure for it to turn out well and we had no idea what it was going to sound like. It took a lot of weight off and I think the result was a lot more hones. It might sound like Kerrang in 2004 but I like a lot of that music! I’m glad to be in a position where I can write and play what I want and have people who support me in it. Do you ever go back and visit any old songs? Any embarrassing titles or song subjects you regret?
I went through a period of revisiting our old songs and re-working them into slower and more gloomy arrangements. Some of them worked but I doubt I’d ever let them see the light of day. I think it would ruin the nostalgia of being 18 and playing at ABC2 to everyone I knew if I re-recorded the songs and made them sound grim. It’d be a bit of an insult to anyone who had supported us as well. In terms of embarrassing song titles, I’ll leave a list. I think all are equally embarrassing Don’t Mention The War Salsa Dancers (This Girl Could Put In No) Effort Last Look At The End Of The Book I wouldn’t say there are any subjects I’m embarrassed writing about – I think it was more just the poor execution of some of them.
Voting has opened for the 2013 Scottish Alternative Music Awards, henceforth known as the SAMA's. The public vote will remain open for the next ten days, giving you all the chance to shape how the awards are dished out.
Once you've voted, then you can pick up tickets for the awards show here
which is being held at The Garage on Sauchiehall Street on Friday 8th
March. Hosting the event again is Billy Kirkwood, with live acts still
to be announced.
Perhaps, like me, you're not the biggest fan of public votes. Afterall, what do the public know? Well fear not, because I'm here to tell you who to vote for guide you through the murky fields of indecision.
Scottish Fiction Pick - It can only be Fat Goth. Their outstanding second album 'Stud' dropped earlier this month, and none of the other nominees can touch them in terms of the finished article. If Fat Goth don't pick up this one, I'm throwing a strop.
Scottish Fiction Pick - Strange to me that Solareye is nominated ahead of his collective Stanley Odd. However even by himself Solareye still nudges it over Young Fathers as my pick.
Scottish Fiction Pick - I imagine, and indeed have been informed, that Meursault are tremendous live. Ashamedly though, I've never seen Neil Pennycock's men live, and have to back United Fruit for this one. Seen them twice live. Both time they destroyed it.
Scottish Fiction Pick - Honeyblood. By virtue of the fact that they are Honeyblood. This is also a poor selection of bands to choose from. Vote Honeyblood.
Scottish Fiction Pick - What the fuck does it matter, it'll clearly be CHVRCHES that win. They are currently unstoppable, and with damn good reason to. Actually this is the category with the most talent in it, and will CHVRCHES will run away with it, each of the other acts could pick up a lot of points too. Bit like the SPL really.
