Another batch of sweet sweet vibes emanating out of Scottish shores. Including new music from JR Green and Black International plus a killer Re-Mixing It Up track by way of CHVRCHES.
I also run through the Scottish Alternative Music Awards nominees with a track from each category.
Another week, another dose of new Scottish music... Scottish Fiction style. Might actually try come up with a dance for that and become a YouTube sensation. Or not. Anyway, back to the music, and this week you'll hear some stunning tracks from Discopolis, Hector Bizerk, Finn LeMarinel, Sparrow And The Workshop and more. Aye Tunes Friday Freebie returns after a few weeks away, and Cover Lover, Re-Mixing It Up and Tweet-a-track all pop up too.
Week two of looking at The SAY Award Long List means another five albums, with a track from each. This week it's the turn of Emeli Sande - 'Our Version Of Events', Errors - 'Have Some Faith In Magic', Paul Buchanan - 'Mid Air', Django Django - 'Django Django' and Human Don't Be Angry - 'Human Don't Be Angry'.
(Picture courtesy of Fanny Lambotte / Wolf Teeth Music)
It's a laid back and cultured affair for this week's show as out live guest Siobhan Wilson treats us to some wonderful live music, chat about her time in France and her influences, and selects some tracks for our listening pleasure. Following our session there's a 'Cover Lover' track from Frightened Rabbit's new EP 'Backyard Skulls', plus brand new music from Plastic Animals, Edwyn Collins, Travis, Black International, and chat about all things from Beers vs. Records, gigs, and babies. Yes, we cover all bases here. Enjoy!
Perfume Genius - Normal Song - As chosen by Siobhan Wilson
Siobhan Wilson - All Dressed Up - Live in Pulse 98.4 FM Studio
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.
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!
Stewart don't play Words With Friends, he plays Words With LOSERS. All you jive turkeys got to understand that in this championship there's only one word that counts, and that's PAIN SANDWICH. You better get used to chowin' down on that sandwich, it's got cold baked beans on it, horseradish and some of that harissa stuff that turns your guts to jelly! WHAT A RUSH!
Despite talking the talk, sadly Stewart from Black International, didn't walk the walk and lost a closely contested match against Stu Lewis by two points.
As The Bee Gees once said, 'it's only words'. But when you have Words With Friends, then it becomes a competition. And that's when things get interesting!
Scottish Fiction proudly presents the first Words With Friends Cup. Over the month of March, eight Scottish musicians and bloggers will be pitting their wits and way with words against each other in a knock out competition to be crowned the WWF Champion! (Let's hope no giant panda's tries to sue us over the name!)
The format is simple. Our 8 contestants have been drawn against each other in round 1. The winners will progress to the semi-finals, and we will whittle those four down to two, and then our winner will emerge. Each game lasts one week, if there's no outright winner, who ever leads at the end of the week will win.
Game A Game E
Shambles Miller
vs Winner of Game A
Carlo Acosta
Game B vs Winner of Game E
Steve McGillivray
vs Winner of Game B
Brian Pokora
Game C vs Champion! Game F
Dave Wark
vs Winner of Game C
Robert Canavan
Game D vs Winner of Game F
Stu Lewis
vs Winner of Game D
Stewart Allan
I'll be keeping you bang up to date with some cutting and insightful commentary, and providing you with a nice profile of each of our contestants. You can keep up to date with the whole affair on the blog, on our Facebook page and via Twitter with hashtag #WWFCup. And I'm sure those who are winning will be none to shy about broadcasting it!
The more observant amongst you may have noticed that I've been rather late in revealing part two of my favourite albums of 2011. Part one (which was my top 30 albums by International artists) was nearly two weeks ago! (read it here)
However I've been busy inbetween putting out the Scottish Fiction Shelter Christmas EP, two Scottish Fiction shows on Pulse 98.4 FM, recording a end of year special which you can here on Pulse 98.4 FM on Boxing Day at 9pm AND rocking out to We Were Promised Jetpacks at ABC and Mogwai at the Barrowlands.
So without further ado here is Scottish Fiction's Best Of 2011 Scottish Albums numbers 20 to 11:
Third album from the experimental Glaswegians who do not know the meaning of the word quiet. Released on 4th July (a fitting nod to the American metal influences) on It's A Stiff! Records, this album will not be to everyone's taste, but that's part of what makes it so good, it fully commits to the alt metal vibe that thrashes from the word go.
I first discovered Black International's music earlier this year when the band agreed to do a Q&A session for the blog and subsequently contribute a track to one of our free EP's. Their album 'In Debt' was released on 11th March on their own label Return Of Order. Its an album choka block with influences, different sounds and bursting with energy.
Released on Gargleblast Records on 10th October, ex De Rosa man Martin John Henry has produced an album that is a open and beautiful as it's coverart. It's an intriguing and compelling listen, which is full of so much detail that multiple listens, because you'll want to listen again, pick up on little gems obscured from first glance. Personal highlight is the below 'Ribbon On A Bough'.
Contained on this album of 16 tracks, part new material, part reworking of older tracks, are some of the finest songs released by a Scottish artist this year. The album staggers from minimal acoustic hummings, to ambient drones, and all the while takes the listener for a most enjoyable journey through the brain of creator Derek Bates. 'Returned In Time' is a gem of a song. Have a listen below.
Hailing from the granite city (Aberdeen for those not in the know), IndianRedLopez released on of the finest debuts this year. Released on 6th June on A Badge Of Friendship, 'Empty Your Lungs And Breathe' is an album with the legs to propel IndianRedLopez to bigger things that their sound craves. Never straying too far of the mainstream rock path on songs such as 'Ropes' and 'My Eyes' which would be snug at home on any commerical radio stadio, there is also plenty of dabbles into electro and alternative rock to keep everyone interested.
I think it's pretty safe to say that The John Knox Sex Club are unlike any other band on this list. Their second album, self released on 29th August is an absolutely fucking (note this is the only profanity in this post) triumph of an album. It shouldn't really be this good, it's heavily folk influenced, it's opener is 13 minutes long, and it's pretty depressing to listen to, but my oh my does it hit home. The band are mighty fine live, and on this record they've captured that as best as they could.
I think a lot of people have either missed this off their list completely or had it a lot higher. And I think that's because Build A Harbour Immediately, released on Wise Blood Industries on 22nd August is either loved or not. So strangely I'm in the middle. Well not really the middle, because I think it's an excellent record, but not quite top ten material. But let me rescue myself by saying that this is one of the most creative records of the year. Stafford quite often pulls the rug from beneath your ears halfway through a track, which generally results in a broad smile across the face.
Released on Song, By Toad Records on 13th June, I've been listening to Don't You Touch My Fucking Honeytone for a good portion of the last few weeks, and it really reinforced in my just how good the whole King Post Kitsch album really was. Whilst '...Honeytone' is a standout brawling highlight, the rest of the album is of equal quality. The slight roughness of the sound helps add a certain underdog feel, and makes you want to spread the word about this album even more.
Peter Kelly, a.k.a. Beerjacket is Glasgow's premier singer/songwriter. Up until the release of The White Feather Trail on 3rd October this year, Beerjacket's releases were self recorded and produced, which it should be said doesn't take away from the quality of the music at all. TWFT is that little bit cleaner, and the album soars for it. Heart firmly on sleeve, TWFT is full of positive uplifting honest stories that make your day that little bit better.
Born from the ashes of Union Of Knives. Add in Louis Abbot and self released 'Limits' (6th June) is the result. And what a result. At times you can feel the angst in some of the songs (UoK where unceremoniously dropped prior to their album being released). Song Of Return create big songs. Atmospheric, slightly dark at times, and climxing in almost anthemic sing along moments. 'Trajectory', below, was the sound track to the TITP 2011 website. Nice.
Lo and behold! It's the end of another month and that can only mean one thing.
Time for some more great free music courtesy of Scottish Fiction and our August EP. Featuring some great artists who have appeared on the 'We're Only Here For The Banter' Q&A feature over the month of August, all of them have been kind enough to contribute a track which is available to download for free NOW! This month's contributors are:
Edinburgh band are six and half a dozen. However there's something about Black International which deserves your attention. The three piece outfit completed their line up in 2009, and since have been building towards big things. Post punk influenced pop, their music is much like Edinburgh itself, beautiful with smudges of grim and dirt. Debut album 'In Debt' was released in March of this year, and the band have some high placed admirers including BBC1's Ally McCrae, Vic Galloway. Rumour has it fellow blogger Ayetunes is a big fan too!
The band took some time out to talk to us. Here what they had to say:
Hello, how are you?
Very well, thank you!
Tell us a little bit about your music and influences.
Our music is economical, stripped down, and to the point. Our influences are fairly eclectic, but everything gets thrown in the blender and comes out sounding like… us, really! The aesthetic of the band is chiefly informed by left-field punk music, but if you look closely you can see lots of other things buried in there; 1960s pop, garage and soul, Latin jazz, rockabilly, but all viewed through our utilitarian prism... For example, Feed Me Rhetoric on the album owes quite a lot to Tropicália- the Bossa Nova beat, the fuzz guitar parts, the vocal stylings etcetera- but if I didn't mention that you’d probably never put two and two together. Most of our songs have elements drawn from somewhere you might not expect, and I often sense people struggling to get a handle on what the band sounds like. We can be quite slippery, which occasionally causes unease. We don't mind that though!
Scotland has a thriving music scene. How do you find being a part of that?
It’s an exciting time at the moment, there’s so much quality out there, it’s sometimes hard to keep up with! I think one of the strengths of the Scottish scene is the passion of the people who are writing about it, bloggers, podcasters and so forth; there’s so much genuine enthusiasm, and that’s healthy. We’re proud of the fact we’re a Scottish band, and we’re in some very good company. We’re also keen to get our music heard as far away as possible, so to that end you sometimes have to think of yourself as a British band or even a European one first, and Scottish second.
The album "In Debt" has been out for 5 months now, how have things changed since its release?
When we first put the album out it was probably safe to say that very few people had heard of us. I think our profile has been raised a bit since then, and in places other than Scotland too. I’m not saying we’re suddenly cool or a buzz band or anything, but compared to a few months back we’re getting a bit more recognition. We’ve done things we’d only dreamed of in the past, like doing a live session for Ally McCrae on Radio 1. Most bands in our position would chew their own feet off to get that sort of exposure, it’s humbling and encouraging at the same time. We’ve had some label interest recently, people are offering us gigs a lot more… it’s good to finally get some return for our hard work, even if it’s still on a very small scale.
You put the album out on your own label, how valuable do you think it is to have a DIY attitude towards music?
I think you’d be insane not to have that attitude. You could sit around for years waiting for a label to approach you, it’s even less likely now than it was five years ago. The tools for bands to release their own music are there, it’s fairly inexpensive, straightforward and simple to do. You hear bands occasionally moaning about not getting exposure or gigs, why not start a blog or put on some of your own gigs with like-minded people? It just takes a bit of creative thinking and some basic social skills. Nobody will ever want to work with a band in this day and age who can’t demonstrate a bit of nous when it comes to doing things for themselves.
Which Scottish artists would you recommend to the Scottish Fiction readers?
There are far too many to mention without things getting out of hand, so I'll pick 6 of our communal favourites to keep it sensible- United Fruit, Pensioner, Verse Metrics, Rollor, French Wives and Kid Canaveral. All excellent bands. There are easily two dozen more I could list just off the top of my head.
Some very nice things have been said about the album, what has been your own biggest accolade so far?
It’s difficult to pick one thing, the reaction has been largely positive, and we really appreciate anyone taking the time to listen to it and review it. Personally speaking, it’s always nice when someone comes up to you at a show and says how much they liked the record, I find that’s about as much of an accolade as you can hope for. Craig was wandering around T in the Park this year and someone asked him for his autograph and said they’d loved the album; something like that really makes your day as a musician, once the initial suspicion that they’re taking the piss subsides!
What could we expect to see/hear from your live shows?
Sweating. Swearing. Noise. Lollipops. Our shows are pretty intense most of the time.
And what does the rest of 2011 hold for the band?
At the moment we're making a video for a projected single release, and we're starting to sort out songs for our next batch of recording. We have enough ideas for another album, but whether or not we go down that route again remains to be seen. Apart from that we'll be gigging away as usual, we're off down south again in September for a mini tour which should be fun. There may be some extra-exciting news coming soon, but we remain tight-lipped about that for now! I’m such a tease.
Thanks for speaking with us, would you care to share a joke with us?
Ok, my memory for jokes is abysmal, so I had to ask a friend to supply one. I can only apologise for this…
My mate's shagging twins. I asked how he tells them apart. He said, "It's easy, Sally's got massive tits and Brian has a beard..."
You can check out more about Black International on their website, follow their banter on Twitter, and join in some social networking fun on Facebook.
