Scottish Fiction Podcast - 23rd March 2014

Last August we dabbled with an all vinyl podcast which went down pretty well.  So naturally I thought it was time to dust off some records and do it again; but this time live in the studio for two hours!  Which given that our wee radio studio is not set up to play vinyl at all was a fun challenge!  So if you'll forgive the odd RPM mishap and some crackles, then dig into music from Errors, Jonnie Common, Withered Hand, Le Thug, Frightened Rabbit and more! 

John Knox Sex Club - Animals
Japanese War Effort - Summer, Sun, Skateboard
Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat - If You Keep Me In Your Heart
FOUND - Machine Age Dancing
Errors - A Rumour In Africa
Django Django - Storm
We Were Promised Jetpack - Quiet Little Voices
Jonnie Common - Shark
Martin John Henry - Span
Admiral Fallow - Beetle in the Box
Aberfeldy - Love is an Arrow
Lightships - Fear and Doubt
Belle and Sebastian - Come on Sister
COVER LOVER - LCD Soundsystem - Live Alone
Rachel Sermanni - Eggshells
Travis - Side
Withered Hand - Heart Heart
Tuff Love - Poncho
Frightened Rabbit - The Loneliness and the Scream
The Seventeenth Century - Banks of Home
Biffy Clyro - Saturday Superhouse
Le Thug - Sense in Scotland
Ambulances - Shine on My Shoes


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 - 23rd March 2015 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 16th February 2015

Dunfermline band Foreignfox enjoyed a fantastic 2014 with their EP We Float Like Sinking Ships remaining a constantly played listen throughout the year, led by their outstanding track Yoghurt.  Ahead of releasing their new single Frostbite  three of the band joined us in the studio for three live tracks and chat about their plans for 2015. 

We also have some Valentine's Day love courtesy of Secret Motorbikes from the Fuzzkill Records Under The Covers  release as our Cover Love track; a Re-Mixing It Up track from Machines In Heaven re-mixing Turtle; plus new music from Sacred Paws, Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat, The Shithawks and more.

Sacred Paws - San Diego
Le Thug - Outer Hebridean
A Band Called Quinn - And Ever Again
Slowlight - Crossfire
Chris Devotion & The Expectation - When The Girl Goes To Town
Foreignfox - Frostbite - Live in Pulse 98.4 Studio
Ded Rabbit - Better On The Day
Red Kites - Salt Walter
Cold Years - Shackled
Gents - Farmer's Wife
The Shithawks - Yo Welcome
COVER LOVER - Secret Motorbikes - Alison
Dec '91 - Catherine
Foreignfox - Yoghurt - Live in Pulse 98.4 Studio
Pronto Mama - Remission
Seas, Starry - Faint Praise
Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat - This Dark Desire
Hustin Bunnets - Kafka on the Shore
Foreignfox - We Float Like Sinking Ships - Live in Pulse 98.4 Studio
RE-MIXING IT UP - Turtle - Lavender (Machines In Heaven Remix)
Best Girl Athlete - He's Calling Me Over
Featherwest - Viking Ship
Miasma - Goldberg


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 - 16th February 2015 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

EP Review - Le Thug - Place Is

Le Thug are a Glasgow based trio whose music is a mix of shoegaze effects, drone rock and experimental electronics mixed with dreamy vocals that, when all combined together, produces a intriguing package.

Opener Outer Hebridean  is a short burst of looped effects and treated guitars that immediately draws you into the EP.  It’s a bold opener as it's perhaps not the standout track on the EP, but it has something captivating about it especially in the way that Clio Alexandra MacLellan's vocals float beautifully over the music. 

Over all too quickly, Outer Hebridean  gives way to Pals,  a sparser track comprising simple clean beats, electronic effects and a lyric that speaks of revenge, “Maybe, baby, I’ll pack up all of my things/Take a trip away for a few days.  I’ll let you think I’ve left with no goodbye.”

Next up is Basketball Land  which has a harder sound than Pals  and is built around a distorted, Mogwai-esque guitar line that pulses and intertwines with beats that almost push towards a dancier feel, albeit a slowed down, more intense type of dance music, if that is even alone possible.  The longest track here, and the one that has been used to preview the EP, Basketball Land  is a fine example of the potential Le Thug have, and the standout on this release.

Paints  follows, moving away from the feel of the first three tracks by giving prominence to a pulsating electro bassline that brings to mind the more melodic parts of the likes of Nine Inch Nails' The Downward Spiral  or My Bloody Valentine's  Loveless before penultimate track Losing Song  returns to the script with another enjoyable mix of shoegazing and distortion.  The chorus is a treat too, bursting like a sunbeam through the fog of effects quite marvelously.

The EP concludes with FC,  a more ambient sounding piece with jagged guitar lines bringing to mind the experiments of Harmonia and other electronic Krautrock bands.  All said and done, Place Is  is a extraordinary EP, and one that demands repeated plays, revealing more and more subtleties with each listen.

- David McElroy

Le Thug - Place Is  is released on 16 February via Song, By Toad Records and is available on download or clear frosted 12" vinyl.  Pre-orders can be placed here.

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 19th January 2015

We get into 2015 proper the same way we ended 2014; with excellent live music and all the best new music about.  My session guest for this episode is artist and musician Sarah J Stanley, who played three wonderful tracks live in the Pulse 98.4 studio. 

Dotted around the rest of the episode there's new music from stalwarts Idlewild and Belle and Sebastian from both their forthcoming albums, and fresh material from Le Thug, Tongues, Lilac Pin, Mt. Doubt and more.

Idlewild - Come on Ghost
BAD LUCK - F L O A T
The Phantom Band - Local Zero
Collapsible Mountain - Laid Plans
Sarah J Stanley - Farmer - Live in Pulse 98.4 Studio
Best Girl Athlete - Talk
CLASSIC TRACK - Endor - Chapel Doors
Belle & Sebastian - Nobody's Empire
Sarah J Stanley - Secretly Not - Live in Pulse 98.4 Studio
Taylor Swift - Shake It Off - As chosen by Sarah J Stanley
Tongues - Colours In The Dark
Mt. Doubt - Feathers
Algernon Doll - Justine
Lenin Death Mask - Tried To Confess
Sarah J Stanley - I Promise Mum - Live in Pulse 98.4 Studio
Django Django - First Light
Redolent - Auburn and Lime
Lilac Pin - Come Inside
RE-MIXING IT UP - Mogwai - The Lord Is Out Of Control (Nils Frahm Remix)
Le Thug - Basketball Land


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 - 19th January 2015 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

That's My Jam #42 - Le Thug - Basketball Land

Oh my, what a alluring and shimmeringly delightful track this is.  A cut from Song, by Toad Records newest roster addition, Basketball Land  is a shoe-gaze extravaganza taken from Le Thug's forthcoming EP Place Is  which will be released on 16th February.

In fact, it's more than just shoe-gaze.  It's a mesmerizing and bewitching brew of drones, woozy vocals, subtle bleeps and chilled out guitars.  It's also possibly the best thing I've heard this year so far.  We are only 10 days into 2015 though, so let's not get carried away!

For Le Thug it's a continuation of their distinctive aural signature, and by coupling with Song, By Toad for this EP release, it's bound to bring them greater attention than before.  Which can only be a good thing.

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 12th February 2013

We-he-he-ell!  What a show lies in store for you here!  Live session guests in the shape of Audrey and Louie from Hector Bizerk, who played some amazing acoustic versions of tracks from the latest album Nobody Seen Nothing.  Plus new music from the likes of Call To Mind, Poor Things, IndianRedLopez, Wecamefromwolves and more!  It's a party, and you're all invited!


Call To Mind - Breathe

Hector Bizerk - Espange In The Works (Live in Pulse 98.4 Studio)

The Police - Message In A Bottle - As chosen by Hector Bizerk

Hector Bizerk - Colombus (Live in Pulse 98.4 Studio)

Immortal Technique - You Never Know (feat. Jean Grae)

Hector Bizerk - Party At A&E (Live in Pulse 98.4 Studio)

Wecamefromwolves - Paradise Place
Forest Fires - Patterns
Poor Things - Halcyon Days!
IndianRedLopez - No Longer Dying
The Strange Blue Dreams - Reverberatin' Love
Miasma - Goldberg
Two Wings - Peace Fear

#tweetatrack - Quickbeam - Seven Hundred Birds - As chosen by @distortion736

Le Thug - Pals
Blood Of The Bull - Bend Over
CHVRCHES - Lies
Bis - Rulers And The States
Young Fathers - I've Arrived


Subscribe/listen to the podcast via iTunes.

Scottish Fiction - 12th February 2014 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 24th July 2013

Behold!  It's Behold The Old Bear live in session for Scottish Fiction.  Or at least one third of the band.  Raindeer MacFarlane, lead man of BTOB and all-round animal lover, joined me in the studio for a couple of live tracks.  We also chatted about the band's sound and progression, the differences between BTOB and Mitchell Museum, and the merits or otherwise of crowd funding. 

Ahead of last weekend's jaunt to Wickerman, I also spoke to Chay Woodman, curator of the Solus Tent at the festival.  And there's new music from the likes of Le Thug, Friends In America, So Many Animal Calls and more!

Franz Ferdinand - Right Action

Pink Floyd - Nobody Home - As chosen by Behold The Old Bear

Behold The Old Bear - Remember When You Were Fun - Live in Pulse 98.4 FM Studio

Thee More Shallows - Night At The Knight School - As chosen by Behold The Old Bear

Behold The Old Bear - Blessings Or Bruises - Live in Pulse 98.4 FM Studio
Behold The Old Bear - Home Space - Live in Pulse 98.4 FM Studio 

Fog - The Rabbit - As chosen by Behold The Old Bear

Honeyblood - Super Rat

Interview with Chay Woodman - Solus Tent at Wickerman 2013

Fat Goth - Creepy Lounge
Calum K. West - Chooning Gum
The Last Battle - Wherever Our Feet Take Us
Friends In America - Gaffe
So Many Animal Calls - Almost Something Is Better Than Nothing
Sweethearts Of The Prison Rodeo - The Solitary Rabbit 
Le Thug - Tenerife
Antibloom - Gutslime
A Band Called Quinn - Forget About It


Subscribe/listen to the podcast via iTunes.

Scottish Fiction - 24th July 2013 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 5th June 2013

 

It's warm, it's sunny, Scotland don't quite suck as much as football as they did two days ago, and there's a whole heap of music packed into the latest episode of Scottish Fiction.  Oh and there's loads of tadpoles too, but that's completely unrelated to anything else.

Contained in this two hours is a Re-Mixing It Up track from Giant Fang and Prides, a Cover Lover track from Rachel Sermanni, new music from Lovers Turn To Monsters, Birdhead, Quickbeam, Galleries, Primal Scream and many more.  There's also a short documentary looking at the future of record shops.  Enjoy!


Primal Scream - Invisible City
Capitals - Sinking Ships
Book Group - BOP
eagleowl - eagleowl vs. woodpigeon

Cover Lover - Rachel Sermanni - Ae Fond Kiss

Lloyd James Fay - From The Eyewall
Frightened Rabbit & Manchester Orchestra - Architect
Sparrow And The Workshop - Valley Of Death
Birdhead - Time Lag Accumulator
Safe Houses - Phyrrhic

Tweet-a-track - Le Thug - Swam - As chosen by @dodpod24

Sean Armstrong - Midnight

Documentary - Broken Records: Have Record Stores Had Their Day?

Lovers Turn To Monsters - Skeletor
Quickbeam - Mountains
Scarlet Shift - Clouds
Human Pyramids - Relapse

Re-Mixing It Up - Giant Fang - Aqualung (Prides Remix)

How To Swim - Midnight Steak

Galleries - Great Comets (of 1910)

Halfrican - Guillotine

Subscribe/listen to the podcast via iTunes.

Scottish Fiction - 5th June 2013 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

That's My Jam #4

I'm torn.  I love records.  And I love beer.  In fact I'd go as far to say that most of my disposable income is spent on these two pastimes.  So when faced with Beer vs. Records on Record Store Day my mind, and most likely my wallet, will crumble!

It's from the above fun venture that my latest jam comes from.  On Saturday 20th April for Record Store Day, the ever wonderful Song, By Toad Records in conjunction with Barney's Beer unveil 'Beer vs. Records', a battle to see which will sell out first, 12" coloured vinyl or a 4 pack of tasty beer, each equipped with 8 tracks by some very, very good bands.  The contributors are our recent Scottish Fiction Presents: Aye Tunes vs. Peenko headliners Le Thug, previous gig buddies Plastic Animals, Magic Eye, and Zed Penguin.

I've heard all the tracks involved, and can assure you they are splendid.  Here's some tasters (sadly you can't taste the beer in advance, though I'm sure from one of Edinburgh's finest microbrewers it'll be good) for you, one track from each band.

Plastic Animals - Pizarnik

Plastic Animals - Pizarnik from Song, by Toad on Vimeo.

Magic Eye - Golden Circle



Zed Penguin - Wandering

Zed Penguin - Wandering from Song, by Toad on Vimeo.

Le Thug - New Balance

Scottish Fiction Presents: Aye Tunes vs. Peenko - Gig Tomorrow!

This is most likely the simplest gig plug you'll ever read.  So rather than me prattling on, I'll let the music do the talking.  See you there!

Scottish Fiction Presents: Aye Tunes vs. Peenko

Saturday 30th March.

Doors 8:00.

Tickets £6 on the door.

The 13th Note.

Pinact



Saint Death



Le Thug

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 27 March 2012

There's only so many times I can start the intro to the podcast with 'more live music'.  But that's exactly what what we have in the latest Scottish Fiction show.  There's new music from Sparrow And The Workshop, Night Noise Team, Homework and Holy Esque.  There's chat about Saturday's Scottish Fiction Presents: Aye Tunes vs. Peenko, with music from Le Thug and Pinact.  And there's 'Tweet-a-track' and 'Re-Mixing It Up features too.

Aaaaaaaaand our live guest is the wonderful Panda Su, who treated us to some live music and chat about her upcoming tour.  It's positively, absolutely, definitely superb.  


Father Sculptor - Sault
Le Thug - Swam

Tweet-a-track - Primal Scream - Loaded - As chosen by @BryanMcManus

Homework - Cairo

Re-Mixing It Up - CHVRCHES - Recover (CURXES 1996 Remix)

Sufjan Stevens - I Walked - As chosen by Panda Su

Panda Su - Bee Song - Live in Pulse 98.4 FM Studio

Stealing Sheep - Shut Eye - As chosen by Panda Su

Where We Lay Our Heads - Keanu Leaves
Reverieme - Build A Home

Panda Su - Alphabet Song - Live in Pulse 98.4 FM Studio

Land Of Talk - Some Are Lakes - As chosen by Panda Su

Pinact - Flake
Holy Esque - St.
Night Noise Team - A Man Makes
Biffy Clyro - Black Chandelier
Edwyn Collins - A Girl Like You
Sparrow And The Workshop - Murderpolis
Le Thug - Swam


Subscribe/listen to the podcast via iTunes.

Scottish Fiction - 27th March 2013 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

We're Only Here For The Banter - Le Thug

Ahead of this weekend's Scottish Fiction Presents: Aye Tunes vs. Peenko gig, which takes place on Saturday at The 13th Note (which you should totally come along to), we caught up with Dann from our headline act, Le Thug.  Have a swatch at what they say, before grabbing your ticket online right here and rocking on down to the gig on Saturday.


Hello, how are you?

I'm good thanks! How are you?

Very well thanks, looking forward to Saturday!  It's the question everyone hates, but could you tell us a little bit about your music and your influences?

We just try to blend fuzzy, effect laden guitars, synths and loops into some sort of abrasive, ambient, melodic noise.

What's your song writing process like?

Usually with a simple guitar or synth part.  Or loop.  Then we just add stuff to it as we go along, whatever sounds good.  We try to keep it minimal.

What could we expect to see from a live show?

Nothing visually spectacular.  We rely on the music being loud and coherent enough to make an impact.  We could probably do with some visuals to be honest.

If it were all to end tomorrow, what would you say has been your greatest achievement?

Probably getting played on Estonian radio.  And the Scottish Fiction podcast too of course.

What have you got planned for 2013?

We've got a split 12" coming out on Song By Toad Records .  I think there might be a launch night gig in Edinburgh for that as well.  We also recorded a few new songs recently so hope to put them out in some format, probably on Bandcamp as an EP as soon as we can.  We have a few gigs in Glasgow coming up in the coming weeks too.  (This one in particular!  Scottish Fiction Presents: Aye Tunes vs. Peenko)

You've got a rather lovely split 12" coming out on the brilliant Song By Toad records soon. Other than the bands featured on that, what four artists would you like to see do a split EP?

Super Furry Animals, MBV, Brian Eno and Iron Maiden,

What other artists (Scottish or not) would you recommend to the Scottish Fiction readers?

Recently been listening to MBV, Hivver, Blanck Mass, Machines in Heaven, Oneohtrix Point Never, John Maus, Konx-om-Pax, Women, Xander Harris, The Yawns...

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

A termite walks into a pub and asks, "Is the bar tender here?"


Check out more from Le Thug

Facebook         Twitter         Website

Grab tickets to see Le Thug live at Scottish Fiction Presents: Aye Tunes vs, Peenko on Saturday 30th March at The 13th Note right here

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 6th March 2013

No live guests this week, just a orgy of wonderful new music from Scottish shores, including a track from the brand new Kid Canaveral album, 'Now That You Are A Dancer' (I might mention it's brilliant a few times), and also music from Three Blind Wolves, Man Without Machines, Walker Smith Jr., Golden Grrrls, The Darien Venture, and heaps more.

'Aye Tunes Friday Freebie' returns with a track from DanDanDan, there's a funky little jazz remix in our 'Re-Mixing It Up' feature with Bill Wells doing the remixing duties for A Band Called Quinn, and our 'Cover Lover' track is a Frightened Rabbit b-side.  On top of all that, let's welcome a brand new feature 'Tweet-a-track', which quite simply asks YOU to tweet your suggestion to @scotfiction984 during the week, and we will pick one to play.  Treat your ears and have a listen.


Three Blind Wolves - In Here Somewhere
Tremors - Kisses In The Cinema

Aye Tunes Friday Freebie - DanDanDan - You've Wasted Fire

Fake Major - Little Researcher
Lenzie Moss - Kelvin British Summertime
Adam Stafford - Vanishing Tanks
Ardent John - In The Morning
Cover Lover - Frightened Rabbit - Don't Go Breaking My Heart

Golden Grrrls - Past Tense
Roy's Iron DNA - Under My Skin
Walker Smith Jr. - I Like Those Odds
The Darien Venture - Catapult

Tweet-a-track chosen by @AOTDFEst - The Jesus And The Mary Chain - Tower Of Song

Brown Bear And The Bandits - Olive Tree
Kid Canaveral - Breaking Up Is The New Getting Married
Le Thug - New Balance
Rick Redbeard - No Selfish Heart

Re-Mixing It Up - A Band Called Quinn - Ghosts From The War (Bill Wills Remix)

Machines In Heaven - Mumbo Jingo
Inuit - We Don't Go There In Winter
Man Without Machines - Falling Star

Subscribe/listen to the podcast via iTunes.

Scottish Fiction - 6th March 2013 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud

Scottish Fiction Rresents: Aye Tunes vs. Peenko - Saturday 30th March

Last Saturday of the month and it's time for another does of blogger's delight as Scottish Fiction, Aye Tunes and Peenko serve up our choice of live music. We return to The 13th Note for this one with a line up to rattle your bones and intrigue your ears.

First up are two piece noise monsters Pinact, who employ the DIY attitude we love. Oh and they also sound rather awesome with their blend of alt punk rock.



Cranking up the noise levels are 6 piece behemoth Saint Death. Armed with drums, bass, synth, three guitars and layered vocals, when Saint Death roll out their post rock sound it's like the Kraken unleashed.



And topping of the bill are Le Thug, self confessed abrasive ambience makers. Expect part drone, part shoe-gaze and full on awesome. With a split 12" out on Song By Toad Records in March, this three piece are going places.



Saturday 30th March.  Doors from 8:30pm.  The 13th Note.  Tickets £6 online or at the door.  See you there!

Scottish Fiction Podcast - 13th February 2013

Another week, another stunning playlist choka full of new Scottish music.  On this podcast we've got an exclusive first play of the new Campfires In Winter single, music from Brave Young Red, Mogwai, CHVRCHES, Zed Penguin, Randolph's Leap and more!  All our usual features are here, including 'Cover Lover', a French Wives cover of 'Blue Boy' by Orange Juice, 'Re-Mixing It Up', a Evil Hand remix of How To Swim's 'Bacterium' and 'Aye Tunes Friday Freebie' which this comes from Machines In Heaven.  On top of all this we unveil the three bands playing Scottish Fiction Presents: Aye Tunes vs. Peenko gig on Saturday 30th March.  Get stuck in!


Brave Young Red - Brown Boots
Lovers Turn To Monsters - Don't Sleep! Talk
Frightened Rabbit - Holy
Glassbooks - Disarm The Television

Aye Tunes Friday Freebie - Machines In Heaven - The National Monument

Stanley Odd - Carry Me Home
The Tide Inside - Wings
Le Thug - New Balance
Saint Death - El Metro
Battery Face - Wednesday
Behold The Old Bear - Best Enemy
Plastic Animals - Best Friend
Randolph's Leap - News

Cover Lover - French Wives - Blue Boy

Campfires In Winter - White Lights
Zed Penguin - The Letters
FRANK - My Philosophy
CHVRCHES - Recover
The Deadline Shakes - Boy
Pinact - Telephobe

Re-Mixing It Up - How To Swim - Bacterium (Evil Hand Remix)

Pronto Mama - Rubber
Mogwai - Wizard Motor


Subscribe/listen to the podcast via iTunes.

Scottish Fiction - 13th February 2013 by Scottish Fiction on Mixcloud