T in the Park 2015 Review - Friday

With this year being the first in 18 that T in the Park has not been held at the beloved Balado site, I think it's far to say that the question on everyone's mind as they set off for Strathallan Castle is what would the new site be like?

And it's a question with many nuances, for example what will the drive up (and later home) be like, how will parking be, what will the layout of the stages be?  It's also a question that will provide different answers to different people, so for the purposes of our T in the Park reviews of each day, I'm going to focus on the music on offer, while saving my observations on the new site for a separate blog post later on.

Which means heading straight to the Main Stage to catch the band opening the festival and at the same time bagging the ceremonious honour of being the first band to officially play Strathallan Castle.  It's perhaps no surprise to see the polished synth-pop trio Prides adorning the Main Stage.  It's a trajectory they have been on for a while, and what with their debut album The Way Back Up  also released today (10th July) it feels like the stars are aligning for the band.

The crowd who have gathered at the front of the Main Stage get it.  Prides are here for a party.  And you know what, despite the early slot, despite the light drizzle, and despite the distinct lack of festival atmosphere, that's exactly what they achieve.  With tracks like Higher Love,  opener Out of the Blue,  and set closer Messiah  getting the full sing-a-long treatment, the obligatory balloons, and the crowd jumping and clapping along, it's a great start to the festivities.  What I particularly liked about Prides billing was that it was a Scottish act opening the Main Stage (something which was repeated with The LaFontaines on Saturday).  For the three guys on stage, who have collectively been to T in the Park 22 times between them, to open Scotland's biggest music festival, whether you like Prides or not, it shows the festival recognising the talent on it's own doorstep.

Next up it's over to the King Tut's Tent to see The Twilight Sad play practically the same booking they had last year.  With the success and rejuvenation that Nobody Wants To Be Here And Nobody Wants To Leave  has had for the band, it's perhaps a no-brainer to bring them back for another run at the festival crowd. 

Opening with There's A Girl In The Corner  lead singer James Graham is deep into his focused on-stage performance.  Throwing himself about with the belief of a man who knows his band and his music were built for stages like these and bigger.  Much of the set comes from the aforementioned album, but there's always a special place reserved for the ear-splitting I Became A Prostitute,  and the anthemic Cold Days From The Birdhouse,  which closes the set. 

Perhaps ear-splitting isn't the best description in this particular case, as the noise levels do seem - perhaps forcibly - reduced compared with past Sad gigs I've been to.  Such is the case with festivals slots however, and in all honesty it doesn't take away from what is a impassioned performance.  I had the pleasure of speaking with James afterwards and he extolled the virtues of letting your music do the talking.  As the tent got busier and busier during each track it's clear a lot of people are listening to what The Twilight Sad have to say.

After a brief bit of downtime, and the severe displeasure of having Duke Dumont attack my senses, I gathered again in the King Tut's Tent for Hot Chip.  I've not seen the band in a good few years - okay since they toured in support of 2008's Made In The Dark - so I was brimming with anticipation for this one.  So were thousands of others as the tent was suitably packed for one of the finest, and most consistent, indietronica bands of the last decade.

Yet while it was busy there was is a noticeable lull in atmosphere.  Personally I find it hard to pin that on the band, as they are flawless in their collective wizardry, and synchronized dance moves, dipping into their hit-laden back catalogue for tracks like Ready For The Floor  and I Feel Better.  No instead it feels like the crowd are - depressingly - gathering in anticipation of Fatboy Slim.  And then it hits me.  Over and Over  came out NINE years ago.  Whereas I was front and centre clubbing when the track dropped, for many 'newbies' in the crowd it was a hit from yesteryear.  God I'm old.  That feeling is forgotten though when the cowbell strikes and we all start to get "laid back".  The track is the band's opus and they use it to ignite the crowd into a frenzy with Joe Goddard shouting the infamous T in the Park chant from the stage.  He knows what he's doing that man.

Finishing their set - as they did at Glastonbury - with an incredible cover of Springsteen's Dancing In The Dark  which almost unnoticeably morphs into All My Friends by LCD Soundsystem is a stroke of genius.  At least to me and the other appreciative fans around me.  For many of the fresh-faced youngsters it's a tribute lost on them.  Cé la vie.

If the crowd at Hot Chip not appreciating the impromptu cover of the Boss annoyed me, then it was only a precursor to the feelings I'd harbour as we moved over to the BBC Three / Radio 1 Stage to catch American troubadours The War On Drugs.

With their album Lost In The Dream  earning plaudits the world over - the band found themselves rather bizarrely nominated for a Brit Award - their booking for the festival is well earned.  But while I applaud the DF Concerts team for snapping up the band, questions have to be asked about their scheduling between David Guetta and Afrojack.

The resulting quandary is a crowd made up of those looking to enjoy Adam Granduciel's tales of American woe, steeped in the traditions of Springsteen, Dylan, and Petty, those leaving from Afrojack, and those looking to get prime placing for headliner David Guetta.

Unlike in Hot Chip where the lack of appreciation seemed more generational than anything else, this setting is a straight up musical mismatch.  The apathy, and in some audible cases outright disdain, of large swathes of the crowd makes the whole set rather unenjoyable.  Which takes nothing away from the musicianship and professionalism of the band, who give it their all, either oblivious to the crowd or in defiance of them.  As much as I can pick them out highlights include Under The Pressure  and Red Eyes  both of which induce in me the vast potential of the open American highway.

Which brings me to headliner time.  A tough choice I'm sure you'll agree.  Guetta, Kasabian or Mark Ronson are the acts the festival organisers have booked for the main stages.  Luckily there's always another way.

I spoke already about how good it was to see Scottish acts open the Main Stage.  It was equally great to see Hector Bizerk being given the opportunity to close the Transmission Stage.  The band don't need any introductions around these parts, and in my mind this was lining up to be a highlight of the weekend.

Never ones to disappoint Hector delivered on expectations plus some.  From the moment Louie swaggered out on stage, casually mentioning to the crowd that this is indeed a headline slot at T in the Park the crowd are with him every beat, rap and bassline of the way.

Let's not pretend the tent was bursting at the seams.  It wasn't.  But Hector Bizerk shouldn't see this as a negative rather than a reality of festival puntery.  What should be more inspiring is those who came into the tent and left dyed in the wool Hector Bizerk followers.  Because on the strength of their set, anyone not already converted to the hip-hop band's music, was singing their praises after.

As for highlights?  Where to start.  Tracks Festival Boy,  Rust Cohle,  and Skin and Bone  from their latest EP are fresh and showcase the band in their current thinking.  Older anthems like Bury The Hatchet  and Colombus  also provoke en masse sing-a-longs making it hard to think when the band can ever drop these tracks from their setlist!  There's an unexpected treat as the band perform a 'festival' cover of Blur's Song 2  to the delight of the crowd.

And that is that.  Day one of T in the Park done.  Hector Bizerk have crowned a day of great music, but questionable crowds.

- Words by Neil Wilson / Pictures by Bill Gray

Album Review - Hector Bizerk - The Waltz of Modern Psychiatry

This year has definitely been another great year for Scotland's favourite alternative/ hip hop groups, Hector Bizerk.  They have continued to go from success to success, leaving everyone asking can they do no wrong?  The unique blend of musicality, incredible percussion and cleverly written lyrics is what makes Hector Bizerk stand head and shoulders above other bands of the moment.

After the buzz surrounding their last album Nobody Seen Nothing  and their series of EP's released throughout 2014 and 2015, Hector Bizerk took a bold decision to release their latest creation, The Waltz of Modern Psychiatry,  as a complimentary soundtrack to the stage play Crazy Jane. 

The album begins with an incredibly well written instrumental track Overture for Jane.  This piece of music conjures up the imagery of an old fair ground complete with with an accordion and piano.  From there it's straight into the title track of the album which begins by sounding pretty sinister thanks to some lovely percussion courtesy of Audrey Tait, and a beautifully gentle guitar.  Frontman Louie builds his rap alongside the dramatic build-up of the instrumentation and the lyrics tell a story of people struggling through their day to day trying not to crumble under life’s pressures.

Dr. Charcot  as you might expect from the title, tells the tale of a character called Dr. Charcot and his views on society and human behaviour.  The lyrics are incredibly well written, although we would expect nothing less from Louie, and musically, this track has one of those bluesy chilled out beats that you can’t help but move your head along to.

Welcome to the Nuthouse  has to be my favourite track from the album.  This track is written as a commentary of someone taking a tour of 'the nuthouse'.  It is so cleverly written and inspires great imagery as you imagine all the scenes being described to you.

Escape to Dreamland  is another standout, which begins with a spoken piece which sets the scene for the whole song, describing an amazing dream land, where you can see people who are no longer with us and crowds are enjoying euphoric moments and everything you had always dreamed of comes true.  It goes on to describe the tale of a female and what she can see in this dreamland, and all the while the music is so atmospheric and builds throughout the middle of the song and then fades towards then end leaving just a voice as it began.

In contract to the previous track, The Salpetriere  begins with lively music and a very catchy beat.  There's a similar sinister feel to the title track of the album and the drums and percussion on the track are second to none.  Moving swiftly on, According to the Pervert  tells the story of a girl dancing in a club and how the males in the room perceive her and are completely transfixed by her actions.  It's a track which is key in demonstrating the range of influences Hector Bizerk can showcase, with more of a rock feel to it in comparison to some the more bluesy tracks on the album.

Yes, I Do Have Autism  has quickly become a fan-favourite and it's easy to see why.  An extremely well written track, told through the eyes of someone who has autism and what is going through his mind and the anxieties he is facing in day to day life.  Complete with a catchy chorus and a great beat and you've got yourself not only a great song, but an anthem.

Penultimate track En Pointe  is a very chilled acoustic affair which tells a collection of stories of all different people who may be struggling or misunderstood.  It's a nice change of pace as the album draws to a close with They Told Her She Was Crazy.  The closer delves into one female's incredible story about fighting to succeed and battling against other people’s expectations of her.  The percussion on this track is amazing and really has you marching along to her beat.  The lyrics and instrumentation on this track are spectacular, with the band maintain such a high level throughout the whoe album.  .

- Martina Salveta

Hector Bizerk - The Waltz of Modern Psychiatry  is out now and available to buy on CD here.

Scottish Fiction Rado Show - 9th July 2015

After focusing on the BBC Introducing Stage on last week's show, this week we focus on the artists playing the T Break stage at T in the Park, as well as rounding up the rest of the Scottish artists playing across the weekend including Hector Bizerk, The Twilight Sad and Admiral Fallow.

SE­­ØUEL is added to the playlist, there's a stunning remix of The Great Albatross from Tongues, plus new music from Akela, Nieves and Tetra.

Prides - Messiah
Ded Rabbit - Scarlet Cardigan
Nieves - Black Tie
Errant Boy - Imaginary Song
The Duke, Detroit - Summer's Come
Schnarff Schnarff - Desk
AROUND THE WORLD - The Libertines - Gunga Din
PLAYLIST - Catholic Action - The Real World
PLAYLIST - Pinact - Everybody Says
PLAYLIST - Kathryn Joseph - the worm
PLAYLIST - SE­­ØUEL - Fear Party
AmatrArt - Forgot About The Last Time
Admiral Fallow - Holding The Strings
Mt Doubt - Leap
Dec '91 - When You Come
Wendell Borton - Adjusting
The Van T's - Growler
The Twilight Sad - It Was Never The Same
Akela - Past Sunrise
RE-MIXING IT UP - The Great Albatross - Roots (Tongues Remix)
Tetra - Whistle By Wolves
Vukovi - Boy George
Hector Bizerk - Rust Cohle


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Scottish Fiction - 9th July 2015 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

T in The Park - Nine acts not to miss!

Boots have already trudged the ground, tent pegs and guy ropes put in completely inappropriate places, and cans of Tennents lager cracked open to the cries of "T IN THE PAAAAARK".  Yup, Scotland's biggest music festival is about to begin, this year in it's brand new home at Strathallan Castle.

While the site will be new, there's a few things that will stay as loyal fans to the festival have always known.  Food and drink will be plentiful, the weather will be unpredictable, and there will be over 100 acts playing across three days and six stages catering to all tastes.

There's some big hitters on the bill this year, but as always here at Scottish Fiction we have our eyes on the home grown talent, and so present to you our top tips of acts not to miss during this year's festivities.

Catholic Action

One of the hottest tipped bands about at the moment are Catholic Action.  Fronted by former Casual Sex, and current Pinact, member Chris McCrory the band are prolific with recent single The Real World  released via Fuzzkill Records.  Check them out on Saturday on the T Break Stage.

Man Of Moon

I was very impressed last month when I caught Edinburgh duo Man of Moon performing at the BBC at the Quay event.  Their single The Road  is catchy as anything, with chuggy guitars and crashing cymbals creating a steady pulse throughout.  The band are playing the BBC Introducing Stage on Sunday.



The Twilight Sad

The Sad of course need no introduction, and are primed to play their fourth T in the Park set to date in King Tut's Tent on Friday afternoon.  The band have progressed up through the stages, T-Break to BBC Introducing to King Tut's Tent, and of course this summer's festival appearances come fresh of the back of the critical success of fourth album Nobody Wants To Be Here And Nobody Wants To Leave. 

Stillhound

Exciting times surely lie ahead for Stillhound, a Glasgow foursome, who play only their second live gig to date on the BBC Introducing Stage on Saturday.  Their brand of artful, electronic pop harks to the soundscapes of Boards of Canada, but is more accessible with instant appeal making them potentially the discovery of the festival for you.

Pinact


The duo of Corrie Gillies and Chris McCrory released one of our favourite albums of the year back in May via Brooklyn label Kanine Records.  With a well-honed, energetic, and passionate live act, plus seriously infectious melodies and a raucous guitar/drum combo, Pinact are a band to lose yourself to.  They'll be on the BBC Introducing Stage on Saturday.

The Van T's

Another band with real promise on the T-Break stage are twin sisters Chloe and Hannah, better known as The Van T's.  Their grungey, garage rock style twists in surfer-pop, and reverb soaked '90's alternative rock for an altogether enthralling sound.  It's completely plausible to see The Van T's follow in the path of Honeyblood or PAWS, and their set on Sunday will be a good marker for that.

Hector Bizerk

Conflicted over whether to see headliners Kasabian or David Guetta?  It's not a problem for Hector Bizerk, who were a late addition to the bill and take up headliner duties on the Transmission Stage on Friday evening.  Guaranteed to be the top pick here at Scottish Fiction, their set can be guaranteed to be full of energy, sing-a-long raps, and body draining bounce alongs.  NOT TO BE MISSED.

Miaoux Miaoux


Someone call Daft Punk and Pharrell.  Miaoux Miaoux has taken the 'sound of summer' mantle from them with his new album School of Velocity.  The new LP, out now on Chemikal Underground, was made with sun and good times in mind, and hopefully that's exactly what we'll get from the band's set on Sunday in the BBC Introducing Tent.  Prepare to dance, sway and vibe.

Monogram

Last but not least is Monogram, another electro-pop act from Glasgow who strive to make infectious tunes that extract dancing from listeners.  Fronted by Liam Rutherford, and backed with Gordon Skene and Ben Singer, the band have been working hard to bring their polished studio sounds to a live environment.  Catch them on Sunday in the BBC Introducing Stage to see how well they've managed it.

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 11th June 2015

It's been a loooong few months away from microphone for a number of reasons.  However I'm dee-lighted to be back with Scottish Fiction in the brand new radio studios of Pulse 98.4.  Perched at the very top of Barrhead, it's pretty picturesque with the view spanning all the way across the Clyde valley.

As for the music, well on our return I tried to pack as much music into the two hours as possible, so there's tracks from Poor Things, Lovers Turn To Monsters, and Aylee, as well as Machines In Heaven who take pride place as the first song on our Scottish Fiction Playlist.  There's also a track from each SAY Award Shortlisted album, plus Re-Mixing It Up and new features From The Vaults; a classic Scottish Fiction session track; and Around The World where we extend our music choices beyond Scotland. 

Poor Things - No Way, Jóse
Halfrican - Life Is Hard
Honeyblood - Killer Bangs
PAWS - Tongues
The Amazing Snakeheads - Here It Comes Again
Young Fathers - No Way
Happy Meals - Altered Images
PLAYLISTED - Machines In Heaven - Displacer
Numbers Are Futile - Monster
Ubre Blanca - Muscles and Jungle
WHITE - Future Pleasure
AROUND THE WORLD - Run The Jewels - Early
Aylee - Learn To Swim
Mt. Doubt - Leap
FROM THE VAULTS - Rick Redbeard - Any Way I Can (Live in Pulse 98.4 Studio)
Hector Bizerk - The Waltz of Modern Psychiatry
Errors - Genuflection
Kathryn Joseph - the why what, baby?
Belle & Sebastian - The Party Line
Paolo Nutini - Better Man
Slam - Ghosts of Detroit
RE-MIXING IT UP - Prides - Messiah (Giorgio Moroder Remix)
Man of Moon - The Road
Woodenbox - More Girl Than Friend
Lovers Turn To Monsters - Glass Hands

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Scottish Fiction - 11th June 2015 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 30th March 2015

Another week, another dose of Scottish Fiction to serve up.  Get some electronica with new tracks from Django Django and Babe, enjoy some folk and singer-songwriter fare with new ones from Lidh and Siobhan Wilson, and dip into more DIY alt-rock with Polarnecks and The Bellybuttons.  And more.  There's always more.  Enjoy!

The Van T's - Daisy
Dearness - Thaw
Polarnecks - Awake
Errors - Lease of Life
Babe - The Warbling
Passion Pusher - Home
COVER LOVER - Tuff Love - Lovely Day
Amelia Bayler - Internet Friends
Pennycress - Heavy Heart
Call To Mind - Recovery
Django Django - Reflections
Night Noise Team - High Line
Washed - Cinders
Watchfires - The Northern Lights
The Bellybuttons - Red Wing
dune witch trails - gold bar faucet tap
Depeche Choad - Pube Village
BEAM - Hex
Siobhan Wilson - Say It's True
Lidh - Murmur
RE-MIXING IT UP - Charlotte Brimner - Face (Hector Bizerk Remix)
C Duncan - Here To There
Art of the Memory Palace - La Lumiere
Henry and Fleetwood - Forestry


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Scottish Fiction - 30th March 2015 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

EP Review - Hector Bizerk - The Bell That Never Rang

Continuing on the series of EP's named after the miracles of St Mungo, The Bell That Never Rang  is the latest offering from Hector Bizerk.  The 'Glasgow EP' series has seen the band push the boundaries of their sound, and The Bell That Never Rang  is no different, a very different beast to previous work.

Opener Skin and Bone  starts slowly and controlled; afro-beat drums with Louie's calm vocals atop.  As if an unbeaten rap battle record wasn't enough, Louie further stakes his claim as Scotland's best MC with intelligent and witty lines such as; "I'll be the public enemy when the crisis hits / Chuck Deodrant into flames" and "While UKIP in your bed with feeble friends".  A delicious climbing bass line shepherds in the chorus; which is closer to Arctic Monkey's Crying Lightning  style than hip-hop demonstrating the band's reluctance to conform to genre descriptions.  "Still nobody seen nothing yet" warns Louie, casually assuring us that despite the plaudits thus far the best is still to come.  Ending with a psychedelia-soaked synth frenzy and the type of drumming Audrey Tait has come to be renowned for Skin and Bone  might just be the finest track Hector Bizerk have produced to date.

Festival Boy  begins with the hungover thoughts all too familiar with festival goers.  One of Louie's skills as an MC is his ability to craft characters through his lyrics.   Festival Boy  is another of those close to the bone creations, Louie's drawled half sung chorus giving rise to the bucket hat adorned staggering image in our heads.  Musically the track dabbles in funk and blues with delightful drum fills punctuating the verses.

TV series True Detective lends the name of lead character Rust Cohle  to the next track.  Like the TV series, the track is dark and foreboding; largely in part to the ominous guitar riff at play.  This track is an opportunity to take exception to many social injustices across the world, and again Louie's wordplay shines through particularly with reference to the Middle East and an ex-footballer's woes.

Closing track Best Man Speech  tells the dilemma of a best man who is all too aware of his mate's wife-to-be affairs.  The track again draws in influences from jazz, funk and afro-beat to craft a charming sound which paces along perfectly with Louie's rhymes.  The vocal only last verse is a fantastic production touch, demonstrating the clearing of mind one might expect when such a moral dilemma is dealt with. 

The Bell That Never Rang  represents another fine body of work under their belt.  Marching from strength to strength the band head over to SXSW surely assured and confident that ain't nobody seen nothing yet.

- Neil Wilson

Hector Bizerk - The Bell That Never Rang  is out now on limited edition CD and can be purchased here.

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 2nd March 2015

This week's show is absolutely stacked with great new music which more than makes up for the fact that I can hardly talk.  Covering all bases there's music from Hector Bizerk, the new single from Foreignfox, hazy pysch pop from LYLO, a vocal led track from Turtle, rich instrumental from digitialanalogue and much much more.  Make sure to check out each artist if you like the cut of their jib.

Young Fathers - Rain or Shine
Jonnie Common - Binary 101
Kill The Waves - Vow
Lush Purr - Rut
Errors - Slow Rotor
Hector Bizerk - Skin and Bone
Mayor Stubbs - Abandon Ship
Sorren Maclean - Rows & Rows of Boxes
COVER LOVER - Rachel Sermanni - I Want You Back
Ashley Park - Long Good Night
Death Let Her - A Picture of the Times
Thirty Pounds of Bone - Ribbon
Trapped Mice - When I Sleep
digitalanalogue - ID 83846 (Don't Look Down)
Spinning Coin - Hanging Gown
Lylo - Separate and Sway
Turtle - Silent Weapons
C Duncan - And I
Mt. Doubt - Asunder
Foreignfox - Frostbite
UNIFORMS - Pink Couch
Pinact - Anxiety
RE-MIXING IT UP - Wozniak - Five Star (in violet remix)
Shona Brown - Your Silence Is So Loud
Tongues. - Anymore


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Scottish Fiction - 2nd March 2015 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

Gig Review - Hector Bizerk, Broadcast - 20th February 2015

Photo courtesy of Árpád Horvárth (www.arpadhorvath.com / www.glasgowstage.com)

With their recent announcement of playing SXSW next month, their fiery loyal fanbase, and the continuing acclaimed EP releases, one might have wondered why Hector Bizerk chose the 150-capacity Broadcast for their latest EP launch gig.  However one track into their blistering set and it's abundantly clear.  The sold out venue crackles with excitement, as hip-hop molds the packed crowd into one entity, upon which frontman Louie dives into just one song in.

Right from the first pounding beats of Audrey Tait's drums Hector Bizerk on Party At A&E ,  which results in the first chant of the night; "nobody seen nothing"; there's a party atmosphere about.  Quickfire crowd favourites Burst Love;  with it's shout along chorus; and Orchestrate;  complete with ska-infused bassline; keep the energy going.

Time for the first new track and taste of the EP which tonight is launching.  Rust Cohne  doesn't disappoint as it showcases Louie respected lyrical talents pulling down the veil on dark inner city problems.  Other new tracks showcased tonight include the dance-along Festival Boy, which expands the percussion to African tribal and reggae beats, and Skin and Bone,  the opener and standout from The Bell That Never Rang.   There's a menace and confidence in Louie's delivery, backed out by the rest of the band; Fraser Sneddon with a killer bassline, Audrey at home behind the drums, and David Calder with wild synths and additional percussion.  Such confidence is borne out because this is amongst one of the finest tracks the band have produced.

Also included in that bracket are Bury The Hatchet,  Colombus,  and Fingerprints On The Drumkit,  all of which get a vociferous reception, the former allowing Louie to spit at a ferocious speed as the crowd jump to the drum'n'bass sound. 

As last EP The Bird That Never Flew  explained the visual element of hip-hop is paramount to Hector Bizerk; and band artist Pearl Kinnear has spent the last 30 minutes on the stage turning the music into a piece of art, which gets centre stage towards the end of the night. 

Sweaty, bruised, and by no means done the band erupt into the jazz drenched The Bigger Picture.  As Louie shouts "it's nothing but hip-hop" with crazed elation he draws to an end the gig which by this stage has transcended.  The evening has been a tribal gathering; a celebration for the Hector elders, and initiation for the new comers. 

As Louie himself often says, genres are irrelevant in most cases.  What is relevant is that Hector Bizerk are one of the best live bands currently plying their trade in Scotland.  Soon they'll be back Stateside at SXSW and it's without doubt that along with Irn Bru and whisky, they are amongst Scotland's finest exports.  Scotland is convinced.  Time for the rest of the world to get on board too.

- Neil Wilson

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 11th January 2015

2014 had so much incredible music that we can't quite cut the apron strings just yet, which is why on this first new Scottish Fiction show of 2015, we've plumped for playing a whole heap of our favourite tracks from last year.  A little late perhaps, but don't think of this as a definitive list (as I could easily fill another two hour show with great songs from last year) but as a selection of some of the music that floated our audible boat in 2014.  Tunes from Campfires In Winter, Prehistoric Friends, Monogram, Tuff Love, ULTRAS, Hector Bizerk and much much more are all nestled in this episode.

Vasa - Not A Cop
Conquering Animal Sound - The Next Day
Monogram - Romance
Foreignfox - Yoghurt
Skinny Dipper - Hospital Bed
Boygirlanimalcolour - JUPITER FIST
United Fruit - Open Your Eyes
The Phantom Band - The Wind That Cried The World
Book Group - Here Is Too Near
Campfires In Winter - We'll Exist
Stanley Odd - Son I Voted Yes
Hector Bizerk - A Pearl Paints A Thousand Pictures
Machines In Heaven - Feel Slow
Mogwai - Teenage Exorcists
Turtle - Lavender
Siobhan Wilson - Dear God
Gone Wishing - The Watchers
Behold, The Old Bear - Restless Day
Wozniak - Paper Hat
C Duncan - For
ULTRAS - This Is Where I Fall
Deathcats - Liquid Gold
Tuff Love - Slammer
Prehistoric Friends - Wisdom Tooth
Roxy Agogo - Crocodiles


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Scottish Fiction - 11 January 2015 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

EP Review - Hector Bizerk - The Bird That Never Flew

Never content to rest on their laurels, Glasgow hip-hop duo Hector Bizerk, push the barriers further and further with their latest EP The Bird That Never Flew,  the second in their Glasgow motto influenced series of four.  The EP not only sees the band test themselves; the production is markedly different and Louie's rhymes sharper than before; but also expands their delivery of the hip-hop art form as it incorporates visual artist Pearl Kinnear's art into the performance.

For those familiar with Hector Bizerk's spitfire style of 'Drums.Rap', EP opener Pearl Pictures,  with it's genteel acoustic guitar providing the backdrop to Louie's vocals, signposts from the word go that preconceived notions of the duo, and indeed hip-hop, are not welcome here.  The track has the aura of a closing track, but in actuality works nicely as an entry to the EP, compared to the harsher sounds to come, with MC Louie dissecting the "inner city wilderness" of Glasgow where salvation comes via music, art and creativity. 

People Make Glasgow,  a take on the now unofficial motto of Glasgow, is a dark, unnerving ode to the city.  Drummer, and in-house producer, Audrey Tait, expands the songs boundaries with a swirling, sweeping electronic sound-scape dripped in icy irrelevance, which when combined with Louie's vocals and the foreboding, almost tribal drums, creates a dystopian image that mocks and laughs at the motto's intended meaning.  Louie doesn't hold back in laying out the darker side of the city, and it's inhabitants past and present.  "Do you think I came up the Clyde in a banana boat?" he proclaims while also pointing to the unspoken "Commonwealth secrecy" which includes the colonial past and the ousting of local residents to make way for the 2014 games.


It could be argued that The Bird That Never Flew  borders more on the spoken word side of hip-hop than ever before, a claim which is bolstered by the appearance of Scotland's Makar Liz Lochhead on Trouble Is Not My Middle Name.  A noted fan of the band; she has performed a cover of Party At A&E;  her appearance is audibly strange with the noted difference between Louie's clipped and angry vocals and her cool and pacified verse.  However her guest spot is more than just a gimmick.  It's a cultural statement, a joining of hands across generations, embodying the same message, the same rejection of labels.  The use of her distinguished and elder voice to throw those words back in the faces of the same voices that would label Hector Bizerk 'troublemakers' is proof that Hector Bizerk understand the act of delivering a message as much as the message itself.

The Bird That Never Flew  fleshes out several themes.  Firstly addressing the residents of Glasgow, afflicted by poverty, who never 'flew', or were told they never would.  Louie's lyrics touch on the affluence gap and the lack of social mobility - "the land of milk and honey where too few drank".  More topically, there's a political edge to the EP, which contrasts the nature of Glasgow's vote for 'Yes' against the nationwide 'No' vote - "liberation was short lived". 

Hector Bizerk continue to show why over the past few years they have steadily grown and garnered support from all quarters.  Music, at it's finest, is truly an art form.  With The Bird That Never Flew,  Hector Bizerk have fused the visual and the aural into a package with pushes, probes and satisfies both senses. 

- Neil Wilson

Hector Bizerk - The Bird That Never Flew  was released as a film premier at Glasgow's The Poetry Club on 28th November 2014.  Keep an eye on the band's Facebook page for notification of a wider release in the near future.

Bringing in the bells with... Hector Bizerk

Growing in confidence and stature was the name of the game for Hector Bizerk during 2014 as more and more people are being switched on to their unique and thoroughly Glaswegian brand of hip-hop.  For Audrey and Louie it's been coming a long time, but this year say them hit mainstream consciousness courtesy of a SAY Award shortlisted album, and gave them the space to experiment and expand their art with their latest EP's.

With 2015 peeking over the horizon, I caught up with Louie from the band to chat about the year that was 2014 for Hector Bizerk.


How has 2014 been for Hector Bizerk?

We've had a rare-tare to be honest Neil.

We were invited to headline some festivals in Scotland and Ireland, played some shows in US, played with some of our hero's Public Enemy, De La Soul and even played at The Barrowland with The Libertines too.  We won a SAMA and were top ten nominated in SAY Award too!  We also released The Fish That Never Swam  EP to a sold out Art School in September, and collaborated with visual artist Pearl Kinnear and film makers Andrew Mackenzie on The Bird That Never Flew.  Liz Lochhead also covered one of my songs Party at A&E  which was unreal to hear The Makar doing some of my rhymes.  To quote the immortal words of Muhatma Ghandi.. "Fuckin' yass!"

How have the band progressed and changed from this time last year?

I think our sound has evolved naturally with the addition of Davey Calder on percussion and synth.  He came in to replace wee Jen and we've written a full album of material since he has been in the band.  With him, Fraser and Audrey I genuinely believe the musicianship is outstanding and we are becoming a solid song writing unit.  We've taken some risks with each of the EP releases and I think it's important to write dangerous music.  I think our recordings and our live show have improved.

Louie, you and I chatted back in May about The SAY Awards.  Is it still as much of 'pinch yourself' feeling to have Nobody Seen Nothing  amidst the cream of Scottish music?

It definitely is something we are very proud of.  I think Stewart Henderson and the guys at SMIA have done an incredible job in showcasing the very best music in Scotland and for us to be included in their was something special.  I think that Young Fathers victory in the Mercury Prize also subsequently resulted in some great press for SAY Award too as most people think their debut album also won the SAY Award too.  That was fortuitous for the awards profile and I'm pleased about that.

You embarked this year on a series of four EP, with their titles taken from the famous Glasgow motto.  It's also been a massive year for Glasgow, and Scotland as a whole, culturally and politically.  The band are vocally passionate about the city, so how do you think 2014 has been for Glasgow?

I think our city has done itself proud hosting high profile music events like MTV EMA's, the sporting event that isn't quite the Olympics, and of course the fact our city never shat it in the referendum.  We have such a vibrant music community here in this city and I'm proud to be able to watch world class music in my hometown any night of the week!  That in itself is something special.

2014 has ended with the release of your EP The Bird That Never Flew,  the second in your series of four, and arguably your most ambitious project to date.  How does it feel to have the EP out?

Because we made it as a film, we're in a bit of a limbo with it as we need to protect it's exclusivity at the moment.  We've show it once so far at the premiere event at The Poetry Club.  It was absolutely sold out and everyone was quite overwhelmed by how beautiful it is.  I'm very proud of it and acknowledge the contributions of our talented friends Ian Henderson, Andrew Mackenzie and Pearl Kinnear.

What's been your favourite Hector Bizerk gig this year?

It's really difficult to chose man.  New York was amazing and our first festival appearance in Ireland was fucking nuts.  People were going mental.  I thought we'd never top that type of atmosphere then we headlined the Solus Tent at Wickerman the following night and it was even better!  Hectember was insane too!

What have you been listening to this year?

I've been listening to a lot of Pronto Mama; their latest EP is flawless.  I also really like Man of Moon from Edinburgh and of course lots of hip-hop.  As well as that the Arctic Monkeys album was off the scale. 

Audrey has been listening to lots of Ryan Adams, Alt J, and Galactic.

Fraser listens to lots of stuff we don't allow him to play en route to gigs such as Bon Jovi and Extreme.

What constitutes a Hector Bizerk Hogmanay?

Last year we played for Milk in Glasgow, and we actually missed the bells and got the count down wrong.  That was a bit embarrassing.  I ended up spraying champagne on a couple who were having an argument!  This year we are in the Highlands with Detour, sharing a bill with Prides, Fatherson Miaoux Miaoux and Pronto Mama.  That will be some carnage.

Lastly, thanks for chatting to us, enjoy New Year, and all the best for 2015.  What can we expect from you next year?

We have a small Glasgow headliner in Friday 20th February in Broadcast to launch the 3rd EP The Bell That Never Rang.  Then we will release the 4th and final EP in March, and a brand new album in September.  We have some plans to play overseas again too so we have a really exciting year ahead!

EP Review - Hector Bizerk - The Fish That Never Swam

Hector Bizerk are a creative duo from Glasgow, comprising of drummer Audrey Tait and rapper Louie.  If you haven’t heard of Hector Bizerk yet… do yourself a favour and give them a listen.  They are completely different to anything else on the Scottish music scene at the moment.

The instrumentation and melody within their tracks are truly great and extremely unique.  You can tell that they draw inspiration from various different types of music such as jazz, electronic and more chilled out acoustic music to create this unusual sound.  These seem a strange grouping of music genres however these totally blend well together on The Fish That Never Swam, the first in a series of four EPs which are set to be released eight weeks apart.

Tait undoubtedly has a head for a good beat.  Every single track has a fantastic drumbeat, which marches the track on, and keeps the listeners head moving in time with the track.  The lyrics for each track are incredible.  Louie is without a shadow of a doubt one of the most eloquent, intelligent and well-spoken songwriters Scotland has seen.

Although rap music may not be for everyone, this band have such genuine talent and are totally fresh and different, they manage to grip people who wouldn’t usually fall into the rap genre.  Each song is so relatable, especially if you are from Glasgow.  The tracks on this EP describe typical scenes from Scotland and typical characters you may come across in the city centre on a Friday night.

Once again, Hector Bizerk have smashed it!  The Fish That Never Swam is so worth a listen!

- Martina Salveta

Hector Bizerk - The Fish That Never Swam is out now and is available on CD via the band's Big Cartel and on download via iTunes.

PREVIEW: Tenement Trail - Saturday 4th October

Saturday 4th October sees Tenement TV bring their now famous Tenement Trail festival back to the streets of Glasgow.

Back for it's second year, Tenement Trail will see music lovers sprawl across five Glasgow venues; King Tut's, Flat 0/1, Nice 'N' Sleazy's, O2 ABC2, and Broadcast; and take in over 35 acts across 13 hours.

Building on their reputation for spotting and supporting local talent, the festival plays host to to likes of Friends In America, Campfires In Winter, Atom Tree, and Randolph's Leap.

Tickets are on-sale now from Tickets Scotland and in Tickets Scotland stores in Glasgow and Edinburgh.  Tickets are priced at £14 per ticket advance.  Tenement Trail will kick-off from 2pm and run until midnight with an official after-show in Flat 0/1 until 3am.

The full line up can be found via the Tenement Trail website, and it's guaranteed that there's something for everyone.  Here's a select few of our Scottish Fiction tips if you are heading along on Saturday.


Campfires In Winter - Flat 0/1 - 10:30pm



Randolph's Leap - King Tut's - 10pm



Deathcats - Nice 'N' Sleazy's - 4:15pm



Roxy Agogo - Nice 'N' Sleazy's - 7:15pm



Hector Bizerk - Broadcast - 9:45pm

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 22nd September 2014

This week's show marked the return of our Scottish Fiction Sessions, as I was joined in the Pulse 98.4 FM studio by acoustic singer-songwriter Dear Lara.  The man behind Dear Lara, David Lan, chatted about his music and influences, as well as playing stunning live versions of tracks from his latest EP 'Cape North'.

There's also new music from Carnivores, Hector Bizerk, and Turning Plates; plus a classic track from Cocteau Twins, a Re-Mixing It Up track from Jo Mango via Machines In Heaven, a glorious cover version from Turtle and Eliza Shaddad, and a vinyl play of a gorgeous track from Siobhan Wilson.

Withered Hand - Black Tambourine
Brownbear - Dead Or Alive
Suspire - On A Clear Day
Hector Bizerk - The Fish That Never Swam
Dear Lara - Penny - Live in Pulse 98.4 Studio
Turning Plates - A Hymn To A Quickening
Gone Wishing - The Watchers
Behold, The Old Bear - Demons In Love
VINYL TRACK - Siobhan Wilson - Dear God
Dear Lara - Girl In My Head - Live in Pulse 98.4 Studio
The Thrills - The End of Innocence - As chosen by Dear Lara
Vukovi - So Long Gone
Blank Canvas - Your Sin
RE-MIXING IT UP - Jo Mango - The Black Sun (Machines In Heaven Remix)
The Phantom Band - (Invisible) Friends
Dear Lara - Book Club - Live in Pulse 98.4 Studio
COVER LOVER - Eliza Shaddad & Turtle - Driftwood
Boygirlanimalcolour - JUPITER FIST
Carnivores - Let's Get Metaphysical
CLASSIC TRACK - Cocteau Twins - Ribbed And Veined
BMX Bandits - My Girl Midge

Subscribe/listen to the podcast via iTunes.

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E-mail - scottishfiction@mail.com

Scottish Fiction - 22nd September 2014 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

Doune The Rabbit Hole - Preview

Doune The Rabbit hole returns for another bout of independent and alternative music over the weekend of Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th August.  Now into it's fourth year on the Scottish festival circuit, the festival has grown a reputation for offering up an eclectic mix of music, arts and breathtaking scenary.

Scottish Fiction have had a great time at the festival over the last three years, and we are pleased to say we'll be there again this year to cover the goings on.  The line-up this year is as packed and diverse as always, so while there'll be plently to suit everyone, we've picked out a few of our tips should you be heading to the Cardross Estate next weekend.

The festival kicks off on Friday, with Hector Bizerk the standout highlight.  2014 has been a stellar year for Louie, Audrey, Fraser and Jen, playing incredible shows at Belladrum and GoNorth, supporting Public Enemy and seeing their album Noboby Seen Nothing  on the shortlist for The Scottish Album of the Year Awards.  The good times keep on coming, and the band have a new EP, The Fish That Never Swam  out next month which they will support with the now annual Hectember Weekend.  Catch them play Doune The Rabbit Hole to find out why they danewhattheywant.

Into Saturday and there is an array of talent to choose from.  Fresh from playing with RM Hubbert in Rutherglen a few days back, Richard Dawson offers a great choice for those who love some stripped back acoustic guitar playing.  If you are looking for a trippy, mind expanding way to spend your Saturday, then pop along for Grumbling Fur's set, where I can guarantee you will not be disappointed.  SambaYaBamba are always up for a party, as are local ska legends The Amphetameanies.  Towards the business end of the line-up for Saturday and PAWS return to Doune for another evening of high octane, no regrets, garage-rock fun.  Pulling on tracks from their amazing sophmore album Youth Culture Forever  and mixing them with the classics from debut Cokefloat!  don't miss one of the best live acts about.  Rounding off our tips for Saturday are electro-wizards Errors with whom you can bring in the wee hours and dance like there's no tomorrow.

Except their is a tomorrow and it brings with it sets from Blochestra and Let's Talk About Space to get things going.  Both acts offer something slighty different, with Blochestra packing the stage with an ensemble of musicians and Let's Talk About Space brining knowledge and science along with melodies and harmonies.  Elsewhere are The Yawns with their summery shoegaze tinged rock, Woodenbox playing tracks from their forthcoming album Foreign Organ  which should be out sometime in November, and one man extravaganza Adam Stafford who'll be looping and jamming with his usual enthusiasm and vigour.  Top of the shop though is SAY Award winner RM Hubbert, who always plays a blinder.  His blend of meloncholic guitar picking and healing music is the perfect end to a Sunday packed full of great music.

Tickets for the festival can still be purchased in advance online saving you some money.  For full prices and to buy tickets head here.

Who will win The SAY Award? - The Nominators Vote

So we've already heard from you, the Scottish Fiction readers, who you think will win The SAY Award (check that out over here if you haven't seen the results already), and now it's time to investigate further.

As you'll know the long list of twenty albums that was announced on 24th April was drawn from the nominations of 100 independent music industry figures including promoters, musicians, DJ's, bloggers, journalists, record shops and many more (you can find the full list of nominators on The SAY Award website).  As an interesting aside, because each nominator was asked to choose their favourite five albums over 120 albums produced in Scotland received at least one vote during the nomination process.

Once the long list is decided the nominators jobs are done.  The judging process is carried out by a separate group of industry experts, known ominously as the judges, who ultimately pick the winner (you can find the full list of judges on The SAY Award website).  Worth pointing out, given what's coming next, is that the judges are not involved in the nomination process, and vice-versa., and the tips and comments below from the nominators bear no influence to the final judging process whatsoever. 

This year's short list reads like a who's who of Scottish music.  Rock icons Biffy Clyro, last year's winner RM Hubbert, the intangible but hugely influential Boards of Canada, post-rock behemoths Mogwai and indie cult heroes Edwyn Collins, Steve Mason and The Pastels.  It's not all about the established acts though as Young Fathers and Hector Bizerk both have a spot in the short list - check out our interview with Louie from Hector Bizerk here - and although they are a household name in the UK, it's worth remembering the CHVRCHES have only risen to such heights within the last 18 months.

So we wondered, now that the short list has been decided, and the award ceremony is so close, who do the 100 nominators, given their different backgrounds, opinions, tastes, etc, think will win?  So we asked.  Of the 100 nominators, including yours truly, we got answers from 42, and those answers look like this:

Young Fathers, Tape Two  - 2.38%

The Pastels, Slow Summits  - 0%

Steve Mason, Monkey's Mind In The Devil's Time  - 4.76%

RM Hubbert, Breaks & Bone  - 0%

Mogwai, Les Revenants  - 16.67%

Hector Bizerk, Nobody Seen Nothing  - 4.76%

Edwyn Collins, Understated  - 9.52%

CHVRCHES, The Bones Of What You Believe  - 52.38%

Boards of Canada, Tomorrow's Harvest  - 4.76%

Biffy Clyro, Opposites  - 4.76%

Quite a resounding backing, I'm sure you'll agree, for CHVRCHES, polling over 50% of the vote, and if you adjust the number of votes to include those nominators who didn't respond, that's still nearly 25% of the vote to CHVRCHES.  Mogwai, perhaps unsurprisingly given their standing in Scottish music, are the nominators second choice, with Edywn Collins coming in third.

Another interesting aside, and you'll see this point illustrated by some of the nominators comments below, is that a lot of the nominators WANTED one album to win, but PREDICTED that another would.  Using the comments that I was given, if I adjust the votes to show who the nominators wanted to win, rather than who they think will win, CHVRCHES share of the spoils drops to a still pretty impressive 40.48%.  The albums that see an increase in the vote, when we are playing by heart over head rules, are Hector Bizerk, Young Fathers and Boards of Canada.  Take from that what you will, but the DIY ethos of Hector Bizerk, the cutting edge Zeitgeist of Young Fathers, and the sheer influence of Boards of Canada, perhaps leave some of the nominators wishing to see those artists rewarded accordingly.

Of course, as we've said through the series of articles about The SAY Awards, the final decision will fall to the eleven judges tomorrow night (Thursday 19th June), who are all as passionate about music as anyone of us, and will no doubt come to a decision based on the merits of each album and the music contained therein.  Let's wish all of the short listed albums good luck, and be sure to check them out regardless of the overall winner.

Giving some context to the above figures, here's what some of the nominators had to say:

"In the absence of There Will Be Fireworks from the long list and Frightened Rabbit from the short list my choice would be for Mogwai to win, which from a man who likes his lyrics is praise indeed." - Kevin Buckle, Avalanche Records

"I am going with CHVRCHES as my prediction.  It maybe an obvious choice but they have managed to move quite brilliantly from an underground act to one receiving global praise and success and they have possibly opened the door for more emerging synth driven acts.  They have been hailed as one of the UK's success stories of the past 12/18 months and that definitely makes them one of Scotland's" - Jamie MacDonald, Netsounds Unsigned

"I predict that CHVRCHES will win.  Having been through the mill in other bands, they have made an album of great electro tinged pop that is cool, yet sounds great on daytime radio.  Edwyn Coliins might be an outsider bet, after what he has been through to make an album." - DJ Mash, DJ/Producer/Broadcaster

"Hopefully Mogwai can win this year. Their music remains a real inspiration for the Clash team. But I fear Chvrches may pip them with their pop sheen and emergent hype. I'd equally love to see Young Fathers steal the show after they stole my heart at SXSW a couple of years ago. It's a strong final shortlist though, I'm really proud to be even consulted on such a vivid field of Scottish music." - Matt Bennett, Deputy Editor Clash Music Group

"The decision will, of course, come down to the collective make-up of the individual minds within the judging panel.  But, after back-to-back years where The SAY Award winner was introspective, bearded and male, I think there might be a bit of subconscious pressure on them to come up with a choice that stretches out into different genres.  The Bones Of What You Believe by CHVRCHES, with its Top 10 UK/Top 20 US chart placings, was very much the Scottish success story of 2013, but that might be seen as an album that has already had its commercial rewards.  In that case, I could see an on-the-night underdog victory for the likes of Young Fathers or Hector Bizerk." - Alan Morrison, Group Arts Editor, Herald and Evening Times

"Great list to choose from.  Love all of them.  Steve Mason brings back happy memories of collaborating on my album, Filmtales.  Boards of Canada are just damn amazing, but Mogwai, Les Revenants just edges it for me.  Beautiful melodies and haunting backing.  Awesome." - Paul Leonard-Morgan, Composer

"I'm going to say Young Fathers, mostly because it's the only record left in the competition from my original nominations, but also because it's far and away the most exciting record on the short-list. I should add that this is me stating who I want to win, rather than who I think will win. The answer to the latter would probably be Chvrches because I think it strikes the best balance between quality and impact. In short; anyone but Biffy please" - Tom Johnson, Gold Flake Paint

"It might seem like last year's big record but that tends to be the nature of the pop lens - a sugar high followed by a crash.  Then, years later, reappraisal is possible due to a total lack of ongoing reassessment. Like all "proper" pop artists, the speed with which CHVRCHES rose - not ignoring the significance of such a feat in an industry on its knees - rendered sustaining fierce interest impossible.  On top of that, CHVRCHES winning might help silence those voices which have accused the awards of being excessively indiecentric.  I somehow doubt the various members' past achievements in The Twilight Sad, Aereogramme etc, mean much to the many thousands of people in the UK and beyond who felt the pop mojo that lies within CHVRCHES' songs stir something in their libido.  That's what pop was, is and will always be about." - Sean Guthrie, Music Writer, Herald and Sunday Herald

"Well, from the announcement of the short list I have constantly said that  I think Hector Bizerk SHOULD win and I think CHVRCHES WILL win.  Both albums are worthy winners, each of which has pushed the boundaries of what many people understand as what independent Scottish music looks and sounds like, and I firmly believe that it is these innovative albums that The SAY Award should be recognising.  Hector Bizerk have my vote for their fantastic album which they have brought to life through their fantastic DIY shows while never losing their passion for what they do and their DIY ethic, but CHVRCHES have deservedly captured the hearts and minds of listeners and critics worldwide and the award would cap a fantastic year for them." - Lisa-Marie Ferla, Last Year's Girl

"It's a great selection to pick from - comforting in its eclectic landscape and heralds Scotland as the creative hub that we all know it to be.  It's all subjective, of course, but from my vantage point the music that stands out and demands my aural attention is Boards of Canada, Tomorrow's Harvest.  This is the result of the emotional and visual intensity that the seventeen tracks deliver.  Quite beautiful." - Iona MacDonald, Singer/Songwriter, Doghouse Roses

"My personal choice from the final ten would be CHVRCHES' sparkling LP The Bones of What You Believe.  It's rarely been off my record player at home, and Lauren Mayberry's vocals have been in my ears on bus journeys and walks to work since late last year more than anyone else, wrapping Glasgow in synths. It'll be seen as a classic of its era in time." - Paul English, Daily Record