The SAY Awards - One Day To Go

Cast your mind WAY back to the 12th of April when the SAY Award Longlist was announced.  It's been a long and enjoyable road, one which has introduced us to new albums and allowed us to wax lyrical about old favourites, which has led us to this, the eve of The SAY Award Ceremony.

Chair: John Williamson (Academic)
Muslim Alim (Producer, BBC Radio Scotland); Francis Bickmore (Editorial Director, Canongate Books); Keith Bruce (Arts Editor, The Herald); Keith Cameron (MOJO); Francine Gorman (Line of Best Fit); Mary Ann Kennedy (Musician/Broadcaster); Malcolm Lindsay (Composer); Keith McIvor (Optimo); Susan Philipsz (Turner Prize Winner 2010) & Fiona Shepherd (The Scotsman)

The above names mark the eleven individual faced with the tough task of crowning the inaugural Scottish Album Of The Year 2011, however rest assured that whoever they choose, it will be on musical and artist merits alone.  My advice to them, if they haven't already made up their minds, is to go with your gut instinct.

Before the winner is announced, tomorrow evening from a ceremony in Film City Glasgow at which we have been lucky enough to be invited, here's a recap of each of the Shortlisted albums.

King Creosote & Jon Hopkins - 'Diamond Mine' 


Diamond Mine King Creosote and Jon Hopkins by music4thesoul

Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat - 'Everything's Getting Older'

The Greatest Story Ever Told by Chemikal Underground

Mungo's Hi-Fi - 'Forward Ever' 

Mungo's Hi Fi - Computer age ft Mr Williamz by mungoshifi

Twin Atlantic - 'Free' 



Rustie - 'Glass Swords'



Mogwai - 'Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will'


Mogwai - Rano Pano by subpop

Conquering Animal Sound - 'Kammerspiel'

CONQUERING ANIMAL SOUND - Bear by Gizeh

Tommy Smith - 'Karma'

2. Land of Heroes 44.1kHz by Tommy Smith 7

Remember Remember - 'The Quickening'

Remember Remember - John Candy by theQuietus

Happy Particles - 'Under Sleeping Waves'

The SAY Awards - Short List

I hate being stuck in work all day with no access to Facebook, Twitter and Blogger.  Means I miss all the exclusives.  (That and being bone idle, and generally having no access to exclusives).

So it's pretty common news by now I guess, yet given my continued support for The SAY Awards and the fact I'm genuinely delighted to see some albums on this list, I thought I'd post up about it anyhoo.  So just pretend you haven't already seen the list and inject some sense of excitement into this post.

Firstly we should acknowledge the winners of the public vote, Twin Atlantic.  Over 9000 people voted, which goes to prove that I'm out of touch with the public, and this means that Twin Atlantic's 'Free' makes the Short List.  Fair enough, it isn't my cup of tea, but you can't argue with democracy.  It would be interesting to know if the album was also picked by the judges OR if they had to bump someone else to include it...

Next shout out goes to Happy Particles, who defied logic by even making the Long List and now find themselves up £1000 and, in my opinion, in with a very decent shout of winning the grand prize.  However the importance of their album 'Under Sleeping Waves' inclusion extends far beyond the monetary rewards.  They are flying the flag for the unsigned, self financed and promoted musicians, those for whom making outstanding music is done in the confines of their bedrooms, in borrowed time in studios, paid for by gigging and working two jobs, the end results never in any danger of being what one would call 'chart successful'.  I'm delighted to see Happy Particles make the Short List and gain even more exposure.

Also we are delighted that another two of our original nominations have made the Short List.  They are of course Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat's 'Everythings Getting Older' and Remember Rememeber's 'The Quickening'.  Both are brilliant albums and I couldn't complain in the slightest if they were the overall winners.  Sad of course to see We Were Promised Jetpacks miss out on the final nod.

On last Monday's show I presented my 'dream Short List', and as well as 'Under Sleeping Waves', 'The Quickening' and 'Everything's Getting Older', we also plumped for King Creosote & Jon Hopkins, Conquering Animal Sound and Mogwai, so it's good to see them also on the final Short List.  That's six albums out of ten that I would have chosen myself.  Not bad.

Completing the list is Mungo's Hi-Fi with their album 'Forward Ever', Tommy Smith's 'Karma' and Rustie with the album 'Glass Swords'.  I have to say I enjoyed Rustie's album when I listened to it, and can appreciate it's inclusion.  Mungo's Hi-Fi are also very good at what they do, it's just that what they do isn't something I'm overly fussed about.  And Tommy Smith's music is also off my radar.  Yet the beauty of The SAY Awards is that it completely inclusive of all genres and that shows in the Short List.

My one gripe is the seemingly inexplicable exclusion of FOUND and their brilliant 'factorycraft' album.  At least it proves that Stewart Henderson, the brains behind The SAY Award's and also head of Chemikal Underground to whom FOUND are signed, isn't exerting any influence over proceedings!  I jest of course, but I'm genuinely shocked that FOUND did not progress into the Short List.

So that's my 2 cents.  There's now two weeks on Monday for you to listen to each album again via The SAY Awards website and app.  Once that is all over, it's just a hop, skip and jump to the Award Ceremony and the crowning of Scotland's Album Of The Year 2011.  Here's the list in full (in alphabetical order):

Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat - Everything’s Getting Older
Conquering Animal Sound - Kammerspiel
Happy Particles - Under Sleeping Waves
King Creosote & Jon Hopkins - Diamond Mine
Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
Mungo’s Hi Fi - Forward Ever
Remember Remember - The Quickening
Rustie - Glass Swords
Tommy Smith - Karma
Twin Atlantic - Free

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 16th April 2012

Despite the mysterious looking tree up above, there's no mystery behind the music on this week's podcast.  Featuring plenty of new Scottish music, including five tracks from artists nominated for The SAY Award.  Listen back and enjoy!

Any Colour Black - You

Mixing It Up - Counting Crows - Mr Jones - As chosen by Jamie Sparks

We Were Promised Jetpacks - Human Error
Satellite Dub - Trying To Stop A Tank With Your Hands
Mike Nisbet - Not Long
Vladimir - Cold Winter Grasp
King Creosote & Jon Hopkins - Bats In The Attic
Collar Up - The Fear Of Love

Peenko Friday Freebie - Seams - 8

Adam Holmes And The Embers - Autumn Leaves
Wrongnote - Heart Of A Rat
Thula Borah - Murder
Bwani Junction - Middle Meadow
Father Sculptor - Blue
Johnny And The Giros - For Ourselves
Stanley - Join Hands
Jonny - Goldmine
Aggi Doom - Bring Me The Head
A Band Called Quinn feat. Kid Loco - Oh Jackie
Without Aeroplanes - Just So You're Warm
Steve Mason & Dennis Bovell - Understand My Dub
Admiral Fallow - The Paper Trench

Scottish Fiction - 16th April 2012 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

Scottish Fiction - Best Of 2011 - Scottish Albums: 10 - 1

It is with a tear in my eye that I present to you my final list of the list making period. I've already given you my Top 30 International Albums of 2011 and I've unveiled numbers 20 to 11 of the Best Scottish Albums of 2011.

So all that remains is for me to wipe the sweat from my brow, put down my earphones, and present to you dear reader (maybe plural next year), my top 10 Scottish albums of 2011*.

* The usual disclaimers apply - Best means favourite, I've not listened to everything (scandalous I know...) and I welcome disagreement!

10. King Creosote & Jon Hopkins - Diamond Mine
Nominated for the Mercury Music Prize 'Diamond Mine' was released back on 28th March. Certainly it's profile has been catapulted by the Mercury mod, but those of us who have loved KC's music for a while will not be surprised by the quality of this album. It's got such quality in depth, heartfelt lyrics and with Hopkins on board the production is second to none.

(Buy the album, download, CD and LP, here)

9. United Fruit - Fault Lines

I was supposed to head along to the Glasgow launch night but fate had other ideas. However nothing could prevent this album, released on 30th May, from being a big hitter this year. Right from the off 'Kamikaze' dispells any possibility that this might be a nice subdued album and rips yer face off and rattles your bones. I've been lucky enough to see them twice this year, and wow is all I can say. 'Fault Lines' is a stunning debut, a stunning album, just stunning. Stunning.

(Download here, buy CD here)

8. Zoey Van Goey - Propeller Versus Wings

So technically ZVG are not a 'Scottish' band. Yet they've ambled about the Scottish music scene for some time now having formed in Glasgow back in 2006. And in signing with influential Scottish label Chemikal Underground and having been produced by Stuart Murdoch and Paul Savage, I'm hypocritcally* claiming them as 'Scottish'. Released on 14th February on the afformented Chemikal Underground, it's a quirky, fun-filled, jolly good fun album.

* read about how I slammed STV for including Snow Patrol in Scotland's Greatest Album.

(Buy the album, download, CD & LP, here)

7. Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will

Seminal post rock Gods Mogwai returned on Valentines day with their seventh LP released on their own Rock Action Records. One of the best named albums of the year, and containing the best named song of the year (you know which one), it's the same beastly guitar driven rock that we've come to know and love. Highlights include Rano Pano, San Pedro and Mexican Grand Prix.

(Buy the CD here, and also available from all good retailers and online stores)

6. FOUND - factorycraft
Released on Chemikal Underground on 14th March lead single 'Anti-Climb Paint' may have been released on a edible chocolate 7", but there's nothing gimmicky about this album. factorycraft is a more stripped back affair, with lead singer Ziggy Campbell's story telling coming to the fore. It's inventive, which one would expect from an art school band, and it's catchy and intruiging enough without being pretentious.

(Buy the album, download, CD and LP, here)

5. Bwani Junction - Fully Cocked

Released on Aksatak Records on 14th November, even though I've only been listening to this album for three weeks before making this list, it's absolutely brilliant. At times it's almost effortlessly brilliant, as the Afro-Caribbean influences sweep throughout the album. But it's not contrived or a premeditated 'sound', it's simply a celebration of sounds and Fully Cocked manages to sound fresh and by references to Auld Reekie maintain a connection to their hometown.

(Download the album here, buy the CD here)

4. We Were Promised Jetpacks - In The Pit Of The Stomach

I have a confession. When Lloyd 'Peenko' Meredith emailed asking for my choices for the BAMS this was number three. However I have since bumped my previous number four up one, due to repeat listening, meaning WWPJ come in at #4. That should in no way detract from what is by all accounts a solid follow up album. Released on 4th October again on Fat Cat Records, it was probably one of the albums I was most anticipating this year. It sounds better than 'These Four Walls', but some of the songs lack a little of the punch of the previous. I feel bad that I'm now comparing this album to the first so I'll stop. Opener 'Circles And Squares' has the same vibe as 'Quiet Little Voices', preview track 'Act On Impulse' hooked my interest with its simplistic beat and showing off the band's penchant for long intro's. And the lead single 'Medicine' is as strong a song as the band have ever released.

(Buy the album, download, CD and LP, here)

3. Remember Remember - The Quickening

After bigging them up in the last section, I really should explain why I've bumped RR up a place since the BAMS. I've hardly had the album off rotation in the last few months. Released on Mogwai's Rock Action Records on 26th September, the album is musically an orchastrated work of art. Keeping the simple method of layering over a repeated beat, this time round, Graeme Ronald has added in fuller sounds by recruiting a band of instrumentalists to his side. At it's peaks, of which there are many, the music soars high, even though there's a tinge of melancholy which was absent from RR's debut. This is music for grown ups.

(Download here, buy the CD or LP here)

2. The Moth And The Mirror - Honestly, This World

I review this album a while back (read here) and reading it back I was rather gushing with praise. And damn right too. I'll direct you the the review for a more in depth discussion, but to sum the album up, it's an album which engulfs you. Capturing you in its folky arms, once invested there is some real post punk angst released, 'Boxes' is a brilliant example of this. Released on 7th November on Olive Grove Records, this is an album which ticks all the boxes I wasn't even expecting it to.

(Buy the album, download or CD, here)



Drum roll please...

1. Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat - Everything's Getting Older

Right from the off I want to stress that this record should not be looked upon as solely an Aidan Moffat record. Opener 'Tasogare' should destroy that illusion straight away, with it's emotional outpouring from Well's piano. Released on Chemikal Underground on 26th April, 'Everything's Getting Older' has probably been my favourite album of 2011 since buying it. Even at the tender age of 25, I find myself identifying with the gloomy Moffat at times. It's an album of unparalled insight, beauty, humour. Fans of Moffat will click with his usual silver tounge, demonstrated especially on 'Ballad Of A Bastard' and 'Glasgow's Jubilee'. But whilst there is the underlying theme of 'ageing', penultimate track 'The Greatest Story Ever Told' is one of the most awe inspiring tracks I've ever heard. A complete understanding of this great adventure we call 'life', Moffat shows he can do beauty just as well as scathing. As for 'The Cooper Top', well no words I have can do it justice. Watch below. And buy this album.

(Buy the album, download, CD and triple LP, here)