Scottish Fiction Podcast - 15th December 2014

Scottish Fiction gets Christmassy on this week's show as some Christmas tunes both old and new slip into the playlist along side new music from Errors, Collapsible Mountains, Turtle and Vasquez.  T'is the season and all that. 

Keeping things festive are my session guests Campfires In Winter, who joined me in the studio for a stripped back session ahead of their Christmas gig at Sloans on Wednesday 17th December.  The band played three tracks, including a never before heard exclusive, and chatted about their plans for an album next year.

Belle and Sebastian - The Party Line
The Son(s) - Christmas Song
Broken Records - My Beer Drunk Soul Is Sadder Than All The Dead Christmas Trees In The World
Campfires In Winter - We'll Exist - Live in Pulse 98.4 Studios
Collapsible Mountains - Hope
COVER LOVER - Randolph's Leap - One More Sleep 'til Christmas
Now Wakes The Sea - Bear
Errors - Lease Of Life
Campfires In Winter - Janus - Live in Pulse 98.4 Studios
Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers - Believe In Yourself - As chosen by Campfires In Winter
Lady North - Monster Wants A Kiss
Vasquez - Thumbmusic
RE-MIXING IT UP - The Phantom Band - Women of Ghent (Miaoux Miaoux Remix)
Turtle - Lavender
Campfires In Winter - White Lights - Live in Pulse 98.4 Studios
Deathcats - Sprint
Ballboy - Merry Christmas To The Drunks, Merry Christmas To The Lovers
Das McManus - Not My Words
Honeyblood - Biro
CLASSIC TRACK - Travis - Driftwood
Frightened Rabbit - It's Christmas So We'll Stop


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Twitter - twitter.com/scotfiction984
E-mail - scottishfiction@mail.com

Scottish Fiction - 14th December 2014 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

Now Wakes The Sea - Scottish Fiction Session Videos

Alan McCormack is better known; or at least he should be better known; as the man behind lo-fi, experimental pop band Now Wakes The Sea.  Taking steer from '50's pop, and applying the freedom of imagination, Now Wakes The Sea's 2014 album Bildungsroman  is as fine an album you'll hear this year.

Below are videos for the tracks Scottish Blood Reversal,  Original Bone  and The Shore & The Coastline  which were recorded at Pulse 98.4 FM as part of Now Wakes The Sea's Scottish Fiction Session.  To hear the full show, including interview, check out the Scottish Fiction Podcast for 20th October 2014.

And check out this EXCLUSIVE video of In Time  recorded for the Scottish Fiction blog.

EXCLUSIVE - Now Wakes The Sea - In Time - Scottish Fiction Session Track

Alan McCormack is better known; or at least he should be better known; as the man behind lo-fi, experimental pop band Now Wakes The Sea.  Taking steer from '50's pop, and applying the freedom of imagination, Now Wakes The Sea's 2014 album Bildungsroman  is as fine an album you'll hear this year. 

This track In Time  was recorded at Pulse 98.4 FM as an exclusive track for the Scottish Fiction blog.  To hear further session tracks and an interview listen into the full show here.

Enjoy!

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 27th October 2014

With new music from Casual Sex, John Knox Sex Club, Stanley Odd and Rustie, this week's show is a smorgasboard of delights, cruising genres and styles with scant regard for the usual boundaries. 

Our session guest on this week's show is Alan McCormack; better known as the man behind lo-fi, experimental pop band Now Wakes The Sea.  Find out the influences and background behind latest album Bildungsroman  as well as hear three stripped backed live tracks. 

Casual Sex - A Perfect Storm
Tetra - Tommy Lee Jones
CLASSIC TRACK - Cream - Sunshine Of Your Love
Now Wakes The Sea - Scottish Blood Reversal - Live in Pulse 98.4 Studio
Fuji Above The Lightning - Devil
Wartime Tapestry - Merge
RE-MIXING IT UP - Kid Canaveral - Skeletons (AlpineSkiChampion remix)
Now Wakes The Sea - Original Bone - Live in Pulse 98.4 Studio
Joan Colomo - Hort Mort - As chosen by Now Wakes The Sea
John Knox Sex Club - Minotaur
Shambles In A Husk - The TOWIE Effect
Min Diesel - Down On The Green
Sharptooth - Sister
VINYL PLAY - Camera Obscura - Desire Lines (Live at the Tron Theatre)
Now Wakes The Sea - The Shore & The Coastline - Live in Pulse 98.4 Studio
Sound Of Yell - Hitherto
CLASSIC TRACK - The Pastels - I'm Alright With You
Poor Frisco - Ghosts
Stanley Odd - Her Name Was Hip-Hop
Errant Boy - Dilate
Snide Rhythms - Acid Alliteration
Rustie - Velcro


Subscribe/listen to the podcast via iTunes.

Connect with us and submit any submissions via:
Facebook - www.facebook.com/thisisscottishfiction
Twitter - twitter.com/scotfiction984
E-mail - scottishfiction@mail.com

Scottish Fiction - 27th October 2014 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

Album Review - Now Wakes The Sea - Bildungsroman

Bildungsroman  is the second release from Now Wakes The Sea via Mini50 Records, but follows on from a stream of sold out cassettes and CDr’s.  Now Wakes The Sea releases can be anything from synthy drones to off kilter pop songs, all bound by two sonic identities: Alan McCormack’s voice and the lo-fi nature of the recordings.  Although Mini50 debut, Fluoxetine Morning  and Bildungsroman  are both more graceful than their small run, self printed releases, to call them polished would be a stretch, and this is certainly not a bad thing.

Recorded straight to cassette, the first thing you notice about this album is how well it suits the band.  Admittedly recorded very well to cassette, the format gives the album a barrier of quality beyond which the band cannot pass, and it gives the release charm, especially given the almost haphazard nature of the album.

The album can be mostly broken into three main categories.  Infectious and odd pop tunes, ambient pieces and lo-fi ditties.  The real stand out tracks on the album are the pop tracks.  First single, Original Bone  is an irresistibly catchy gem that is put together with skill, through inventive sounds and interestingly placed bubbly synths and a guitar hook that on endless repeat would happily accompany any summer.  The Coast And The Shoreline  is similarly brilliant with strong verses, a psychedelic chorus and a charming guitar hook.

The first of the ambient interludes, Pictures Stay the Same,  is, again, well constructed and made up of interesting sounds that progress in a defined direction before giving way to a more trippy sampled word section.  The closer, Shining Bright O’er The Land And Sea  is not quite as successful in a stand alone composition, but acts as a nice breather to close the album.

The lo-fi ditties make up the bulk of the album.  These range from the circus-rock of early Wild Beasts on Prefab House  to the psychedelic and relatively static Sick Kids.  The strength of the songs throughout is clear, but one can’t help but feel this collection of great songs sit together slightly awkwardly.  An outside producer would bring these compositions together with a sense of focus and bind them, rather than push them apart with varying styles and productions.  Let’s not forget though, this was recorded at home by the band to cassette, and what they’ve managed to achieve goes far beyond most bedroom tape releases, and their potential, through recording and song writing, with two of this years catchiest tunes, is unquestionable.

- Ashley Leiper

Now Wakes The Sea - Bildungsroman  is out now via Mini50 Records and available to buy and download here.

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 1st September 2014

I got snapped at Doune The Rabbit Hole putting my fine slimline athletic build to good use.  Full of grace and poise I'm sure you'll agree!  Included in this week's show is some chat about the festival along with a blinding reminder of how good Errors are.  We also get our fill of new Scottish music with the returns of We Were Promised Jetpacks, The Twilight Sad and Pronto Mama. 

Pronto Mama - Goose Steps
Night Noise Team - Days
Bronto Skylift - Bird Catcher/Eater
Now Wakes The Sea - Scottish Blood Reversal
The Twilight Sad - There's A Girl In The Corner
Errors - Pleasure Palaces
The Cormorant - Caffeine Shakes (And Other Tales of Sleep Deprivation)
Foreignfox - Quiet At Home
Dear Lara - Bookclub
Turning Plates - Falling Lives
We Were Promised Jetpacks - Night Terror


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Scottish Fiction - 1st September 2014 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

We're Only Here For The Banter - Now Wakes The Sea

Now Wakes The Sea began as an outlet for Alan McCormack to dabble with wonky lo-fi pop experiments, but over the past few years grown into a band capable of molding new and interesting ideas of out wonky instruments, pop culture references and '60's pop influences.  Completing the band line up are Thomas Campbell on bass and Jennifer Hamilton on drums.

Hello!  How the devil are you?

I'm ok right now - we just played a very sweaty show with a fantastic audience in one of my favourite venues.  Beads of sweat slipping down my hair and into my eyes stinging with salt.  Blood on my shirt and on my hands from a cut I can't remember.  CDs sold.  New friends made.

It's the question everyone hates, but could you illuminate our readers with a little bit about your music and your influences?

When I was really young I listened to tapes of '50s and '60s pop in my grandparents car, things like Del Shannon and The Everly Brothers and Helen Shapiro, and that's essentially what Now Wakes the Sea sounds like, but twisted and pressed and reshaped through the filters of memory and nostalgia.  We've been likened to Grizzly Bear and Neutral Milk Hotel and Mount Eerie, which isn't bad.  I still can't get enough of '60s pop these days.  I also like Van Dyke Parks, Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Joe Meek, and we all like McCartney more than Lennon.

What's your songwriting / creative process like?

Laborious.  Far more misses than hits.  I stitch together songs from scraps of lyrics and notebook scribbles, pieces of overheard conversation and misheard quotes from TV.  My guitars are in a stupid tuning and I don't really know what any of the chords are, but I like the restriction of not knowing where the common progressions are, or knowing how to play any over-used chord sequences.  When I've written something, I'll give it to the other band members and we'll work out how to play it and find arrangements through instinct.  I trust Jennifer and Thomas and we're all comfortable with our own individual playing styles.  I'm happy to just let them play whatever they want, really.

What could we expect to see from a live show?

Velcro fuzz bass guitar and jazz drums and experimental percussion and faulty guitars and forgotten lyrics.  It can get loud with drones, noise, and loops, but can also be pin-drop quiet, sparse, and empty.  It can be difficult trying to replicate what's on record, so we like to mix things up a bit with instrumentation and arrangements, so you probably won't get a replica of what's been recorded.  I'm trying to sneak the name 'Dusty Rhodes' into as many songs as possible at the moment.

Tell us about your latest album Bildungsroman.

Bildungsroman  was released on Edinburgh's Mini50 Records at the end of May.  It's the album where all my stupid ideas about music finally became a reality.  Recorded to cassette tape on an old four track in the latter half of 2013, it's a lofi, ramshackle, psychedelic take on pop music.  I'm quite proud of it, but keen to get started on something different.

What else have you got planned for the rest of 2014?

We're playing a few shows this summer, including gigs with pioneering drone heroes Earth and lofi twee heartthrobs The Wave Pictures.  And an album I recorded with Fife-based Andrew Pearson will be released on Common Records in September to tie in with Cassette Store Day.  And I have to write some new songs for a pretty cool project you'll hear more about sometime soon.

What are you listening to at the moment?

On the Beach  by Neil Young is great for when a hot summer day becomes a balmy evening and everything is tinted pink and orange from the sunset.  There's a compilation series called Punk 45 by Soul Jazz I've been listening to a lot recently too.  Proto punk and underground psych noise and no wave from the late '60s to early '80s.  And I recently got an album called Black Orchid by someone called Stephen David Heitkotter.  Super druggy and slow and lofi and sounds like it's going to fall apart at any moment, but full of grooves and great bass.  That's great.

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

What's the difference between a sick bee and a dead horse?

One's a seedy beast while the other's a bee, deceased.


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Scottish Fiction Podcast - 28th May 2014

Free from the hell that is college graded unit work, Scottish Fiction is back with another hour of freshly squeezed new Scottish music.  With enough variety to tantalize all tastes, there's full blown grunge from Algernon Doll, along with chat about Radio 1's Big Weekend, dark electro pop by way of Eilidh Hadden and Atom Tree, and a blistering track off the new Broken Records album.  Grab a glass and pour, it's Scottish Fiction your one stop shop for the best new Scottish music.

Kid Canaveral - Skeleton
Now Wakes The Sea - Original Bone
Eilidh Hadden - Close To Home
Atom Tree - See The Light
The Dirty Lies - Shallow Grave
Collar Up - I Wanted To Hurt You
The Phantom Band - The Wind That Cried The World
So Many Animal Calls - Stories
Great Cop - Vacancy
Deathcats - Danny Dyer
Algernon Doll - Suicide
Chris Devotion & The Expectations - Don't You Call On Me
Broken Records - Winterless Son
Matt Norris & The Moon - The Anchor

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Scottish Fiction - 28th May 2014 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

That's My Jam #2

As it's Burns day today, in celebration of haggis and 'tim'rous beasties' everywhere my new jam is a wonderful collection of famous works from Scotland's greatest poet, Robert Burns, recorded by Now Wakes The Sea.


"As a child, I had a meaty collection of Burns work that I would read before bed (I'd also read The Broons and Oor Wullie annuals - it was all very Scottish), and as I often try to channel childhood memories and nostalgia into music, I thought it would be fitting to revisit some of this material that is often overlooked by those who so disliked having Robert Burns this and Robert Burns that drummed into them at school."

That's what Now Wakes The Sea had to say about the wee collection of tunes, and being an auld romantic my favourite is 'A Red, Red Rose' a poem that was read at my wedding.  Check it out and feel all romantic and patriotic.

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 9th January 2012

As the Renegade Master once said, "I'm back once again!"  The first show of 2012 featured a whole heap of great music and an hour long tribute to Ziggy Stardust himself.  Check out the full playlist below and listen in again.  Podcasts are also now available to download.  Fill yer boots.

Pensioner - Big Trouble In Little Richard
Errors - Earthscore
Shambles Miller - For The Would Be Woody Guthrie
Little Love And The Friendly Vibes - Typical Teen
Jonnie Common - Summer Is For Going Places (alt mix)
Cymbals Eat Guitars - And The Hazy Sea
Calm As The Colour - Velvet Sunburst
Now Wakes The Sea - You Are The Cold
Happy Particles - AM Sky (Bleary)
Jonathan Snee - Falling Out

Mixing It Up Choice - Kerry Leatham - Do You Fancy Me?

David Bowie - Rebel Rebel
David Bowie - Blue Jean
David Bowie - The Man Who Sold The World
David Bowie - China Girl
David Bowie - Jump They Say
David Bowie - Heroes
David Bowie - Fall Dog Bombs The Moon
David Bowie - Ashes To Ashes
David Bowie - The Jean Genie
David Bowie - Sound & Vision
David Bowie - Golden Years
David Bowie - Rock 'N' Roll Suicide
David Bowie - Life On Mars?

Scottish Fiction - 9th January 2012 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud