(I may have gone, but I’ve not forgotten) Part 1: THE CREEPING IVIES.
Just stopped by to add this little gem from Glasgow punk and rollers, THE CREEPING IVIES.
This is the new, official video for the track ‘Spinning’ which in turn is lifted from the band’s excellent ‘Stay Wild‘ album.
Go get it!
[COLIN JACKSON]
THE PLIMPTONS ….. the end!
THE PLIMPTONS are (or were, if you’re reading this after 10:15pm on the evening of Saturday 30th March 2013) a punk band of sorts from Glasgow … well, Motherwell more precisely. I say ‘of sorts’ because although ostensibly that’s what they are / were, they incorporate(d) so much more into their music and performance.
(I need say no more other than to highlight this with a few videos from the band.)
Formed in 1999, THE PLIMPTONS are very possibly the most featured band on LOUD HORIZON throughout its six-year existence in various guises. But all good things must come to an end, and after thirteen years, they have decided to call it a day. Several of the six members play in other bands / offshoots and with changes in personal circumstances it was becoming increasingly difficult to get everyone together for rehearsal / shows.
As I write this, they will be at Stereo, Glasgow, preparing to go on stage for the last time as a band at 9:15pm tonight. But they leave us with a career spanning ‘retrospective’ album, ‘The Life and Death of Colonel Plimp‘ which will be available through all the usual digital outlets from Monday 1st April.
There is also a FREE download of of the four-track ‘The Plimptons are Dead‘ EP from their Bandcamp page.
I know there will be many from around these parts and indeed further afield, who will miss THE PLIMPTONS, and join me in wishing them all well in their future ventures. As the esteemed author Douglas Adams once almost said:
‘SO LONG AND THANKS FOR ALL THE PISH.‘
(It may be too late … but you can have that one one me, lads!)
(The Plimptons)
(10/10!!!)
WE ARE THE PHYSICS: ‘Go Go Nucleo – > For Science.’
LOUD HORIZON love them long time!
WE ARE THE PHYSICS celebrate the announcement of some ‘live’ dates that take in both Aberdare, Wales and Moscow, Russia (!!) with the video of another track taken from their second album, ‘Your Friend, The Atom,’ which was released last year.
‘Go Go Nucleo – > For Science‘ was directed by Joe and Lloyd Stas of Holomax.
Joe comments:
“With the band being based 283.2 miles away from us it wasn’t that easy to get together and do a video so we succumbed to the ultimate power of Cyberman and sent some files back and forth over the internet. Then we cut it all together with some ace mid century educational videos about the power of the atom and how you have to rinse your eyes out with water if you get nuclear radiation in them. It took us about five months to finish it off as we couldn’t persuade anyone to get brainwashed as we wanted pure authenticity. Luckily our friend Tom was in a period of depression so we convinced him that being brainwashed would help him. He’s dead now.”
This is where you can see the band play in the coming weeks:
29th March Kaluga, Russia
30th March Moscow, Russia
13th April Glasgow Old Hairdresser’s
16th May London Brixton Windmill
17th May Aberdare Elliot’s Bar
18th May Brighton Fools Paradise & Bad Math Alternative Escape
19th May Newcastle Head of Steam
GIFTED KINGS: ‘Dead End Road.’
GIFTED KINGS are a rock band from Glasgow … with a really familiar sound to them. I’ll qualify that – a really familiar vocal sound to me at least. I don’t have much by way of a band biography to hand, but I’m wondering if I’ve not heard the singer at least in a previous band? The kind of ‘strained’ tone reminds me so much of another band I’ve heard around the city’s venues.
That’s by the by though – a rock band from my home city is always going to get my support. And it seems, support for GIFTED KINGS has been flying in from all directions! Offers to tour have been received from as far away as Kiev and Moscow, and their music has been used in several shows on Channel 4, S4C, ITV1 and Sky Sports.
Ripcurl and O’Neill Sports have even adopted the band’s music in advertising campaigns targeting the USA, Australia and Asia.
Their debut album ‘Lose What Makes You‘ (which is due for release shortly – no date advised) was recorded in the same Welsh studio as used by the likes of Queen and Oasis, which was a bit of a ‘kick’ for the lads. And from that album comes the new single, ‘Dead End Road,’ the video for which was shot around Glasgow and the famous Barras area in particular.
(A free copy of the single can be had from the band here. )
DAVE ARCARI – new album on the way!
For those not familiar with the name, DAVE ARCARI is Glasgow’s, no Scotland’s ….. no – THE UK’s foremost Bluesman. He’s not just any old regular Bluesman though – weaving trash-country, rockabilly and even punk into the more standard Delta Blues, his is one almighty and unique sound.
I’ve had the pleasure of watching DAVE play on several occasions and each time he was doing his ‘solo’ thing, standing alone and completely filling the stage with his presence and the wail of his steel guitar.
But for his new album, due out at the end of this month, he has teamed up with THE HELLSINKI HELLRAISERS and ….. well, here’s DAVE himself to fill in the detail and give a brief taster of what we can expect.
(LOUD HORIZON will of course post a review of the album just as soon as it comes to hand.)
Meantime, if you happen to question my opening-line opinion, here are the title tracks from the last two albums from DAVE ARCARI. I rest my case.
THE DEADLINE SHAKES: ‘Boy.’
I know, I know ….. ‘here he goes again,’ you’re thinking.
Let me take you back to 22nd August last year. That’s the date LOUD HORIZON first brought news of Glasgow’s THE DEADLINE SHAKES. At hat point, they had made no recordings and had played only a handful of shows. This is what LOUD HORIZON said then.
Since that date, my conviction has has proved justified with the likes of STEVE LAMACQ, TOM ROBINSON, VIC GALLOWAY, JIM GELLATLY, ARTROCKER, THE LIST and loads more adding their support.
Their new single, ‘Boy‘ is scheduled for release on the Flowers in the Dustbin label on 18th March and the video, which was directed by band member Iain McKinstry, photographed by Gregor MacEwan and filmed on location in Platform Theatre, Glasgow is shown below. (If you’re wondering why The Soundcloud link is also posted, it’s so that the track is also played out via the LOUD HORIZON page on the HYPE MACHINE.)
THE PLIMPTONS are dead ……free EP to celebrate(?!)
… well, not quite – but they will be killed off on the evening of Saturday 30th March.
Yup – about thirteen years after being (some would ‘rashly’) allowed the freedom of Glasgow’s music venues, THE PLIMPTONS, Glasgow / Motherwell punk mentalists, are calling it a day.
But you wouldn’t expect them to go quietly would you?
So, in their own inimitable style they have arranged an ‘all-dayer’ at Glasgow’s Stereo Bar where they will be joined by a host of other established punk / alternative bands from the locale – see poster below.
“The only real reason is that it’s really hard to get the 6 of us together. We’re all in other bands, and quite a few of them with each other…but I don’t think we’d want to call it The Plimptons unless everyone was involved…and it’s always better to go out with a big party with your mates than let it become a chore or that kind of thing,” explains guitarist / vocalist Martin Smith.
The band are also releasing a nineteen-track retrospective called “The Life and Death of Colonel Plimp” the following Monday (1st April) and right now they’re giving away an all new EP called “The Plimptons are Dead” from :http://theplimptons.bandcamp.com/
(I know this post is a little self-indulgent and that most readers won’t be able to go along to the show – but the Glasgow ‘scene’ owes a lot to these guys, and as personal favourites I think it only right and proper to give them decent send-off. Here’s a little of what can be expected on the night. Each of the following tracks can be found on the retrospective collection, ‘The Life and death of Colonel Plimp.‘)
The Plimptons are dead … long live The Plimptons!
ORPHANS: adopted by Mike Watt (for one night only.)
I wouldn’t normally plug individual gigs since most people reading this will come from another country never mind the same city as this show.
However, ORPHANS are a Glasgow band that I have liked a while now, so as a wee ‘one-off’ here’s details of an upcoming show with il Sogno Del Marinaio, featuring the legendary Mike Watt (Stooges, Minutemen, fIREHOSE) at the Art School in Glasgow on the 2nd March
If you’re around Glasgow on that date and fancy going along, here’s a link leading to where you can buy discounted price tickets.
I’ll admit I know nowt of the headliners, but here’s why I like ORPHANS – partly ‘coz of the music, but also because they have made this track available as a free download!
STANLEY ODD -vs – THE DEADLINE SHAKES
You certainly can’t accuse LOUD HORIZON of not recognising potential when it sees it!
Two of my favourite Scottish bands, both of whom have previously been highlighted in this blog as well as featuring in Artrocker Magazine NEW BLOOD articles (again written by li’l ol’ me!) have been announced as finalists for the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy in Scotland – The Big Apple Award.
STANLEY ODD and THE DEADLINE SHAKES will be joined in the final by Tango in the Attic; Finding Albert, and The Featherman.
Here’s what the MUSIC NEWS SCOTLAND blog has to say:
The winning act will perform in New York City supporting The View at the renowned Bowery Ballroom on Sunday 7 April, during Scotland Week 2013.
Music therapy charity Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy in Scotland and Creative Scotland teamed up once again to launch the once in a lifetime opportunity for new and emerging Scottish bands to win The Big Apple Award and support The View in New York. The top five bands named above who were short-listed by a panel of music industry experts, will play the grand live final at Glasgow’s g2, downstairs at The Garage, on Wednesday 19 December. In:Demand Uncut and Amazing Radio presenter Jim Gellatly will host the final.
The grand final is FREE to all. It’s over 14s (under 16s to be accompanied by an adult of 18+) and doors open at 7pm with the first band on at 7.15pm approx. The winning band will then have a few months to get every note right before being flown out to support The View at New York’s Bowery Ballroom in April 2013.
Judging this years entries were Yvonne McLellan from Island Records, Caroline Parkinson, Director of Creative Development, Creative Scotland, BBC Introducing presenter Ally Macrae, Robin Murray from Clash Magazine and Mickey Mcmonagle from the Sunday Mail.
For more information on supporting Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy in Scotland go to http://www.tartanclef.org.
Of course, I can’t say if I have a personal favourite to win this terrific prize……. what I can (and will!) say, is …..LOUD HORIZON knows its shit!!!
……. and only because the Edinburgh band have been around longer than their Glasgow counterparts, and have more than the one video online, here’s another:
WE ARE THE PHYSICS: ‘Dildonics.’
How do you start to explain a song such as ‘Dildonics,’ the new single fro LOUD HORIZON favourites, WE ARE THE PHYSICS?
Tell you what: bassist and vocalist Michael M is always good for a quote – let’s get him to do the talking.
“I was reading this thing that I might’ve just imagined about scientists constructing sperm from human bone marrow that would, ultimately, render the male genitalia completely useless as a reproductive organ. I think it might’ve been in an issue of TV Quick. So we wrote the song about how redundant the male would become, unable to compete with artificial counterparts, reducing the flesh penis to a cozy piece of old world technology like a Nokia from the 90s, but veiny. It’s not so much a warning as an undermining of patriarchal ideas, and also we released it on 7″ and that’s a wee laugh.”
That’s all you need to know!
(Oh! And you can buy a copy of the 7″ here.)
(At least it’s not a floppy disc – that’s my wee laugh!)
BAD FOR LAZARUS @ Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, Glasgow.
BAD FOR LAZARUS made the long trip to Glasgow from their Brighton home for a show at the city’s Nice ‘n’ Sleazy venue. You probably weren’t there … so you can read a little of what went on here.
GARDEN OF ELKS – spooky coincidence, or what..?
Funny how things turn out, eh?
On Wednesday evening, I posted a little ‘Introducing’ item on new band GARDEN OF ELKS. On Thursday night, I met up with the lads from BAD FOR LAZARUS for a chat ahead of their gig at Nice ‘n’ Sleazy in Glasgow, and guess who I heard playing in the first support slot downstairs?!
Obviously Niall and Ryan have played numerous shows with their other bands, but this was only the second gig for GARDEN OF ELKS, and I’ve got to say .. they truly kicked it! Strong, powerful riffs with an incessant, bouncing and aggressive beat were the order of the day.
Yeah – they will definitely play in front of bigger crowds as the word gets around, but while the punters may have been thin on the ground for the evening’s opening act, they can take satisfaction in having drawn favourable comment from the headliners who have also been members of Nine Inch Nails and Eighties Matchbox B Line Disaster.
Not a bad night’s work, then.
CARLY CONNOR: ‘Last Love’ EP
I recall seeing CARLY CONNOR playing live at King Tuts in Glasgow earlier this year when she supported Sound of Guns. I hadn’t heard of CARLY before, despite her being from these parts and really didn’t know what to expect: you know how it is with ‘local’ support acts, when the gig promoter books a band / artist with a loyal, paying fanbase so that at least the evening’s costs are offset.
Well, neither the promoter nor I should have been concerned, for two reasons. Firstly, Sound of Guns would easily sell out King Tuts on their own, and secondly, CARLY blew me away!
This three-track EP (available as a free download) can be heard below, but for what it’s worth, here’s my view.
Lead track ‘Last Love’ is a strong, powerful, almost pained track with nice, subtle use of a brass section. It’s one that’ll nestle itself in your head when you’re least expecting it to – but if I’m honest, it leaves me a little disappointed in that it has more of a ‘mainstream’ feel to it, when I think CARLY is at her best with a more rocking, bluesy or soulful style, like some of earlier work evidences. Still – sometimes it pays to diversify a little, so fair dos.
Ah! Now we’re talking: ‘The Road’ is the perfect illustration of what I was just talking about. This is the CARLY that I saw earlier in the year. This is about as soulful as you could want. This is the CARLY I like best.
Closing track ‘Walking’ is a cover of the old Shangri Las hit, ‘Remember (Walking in the Sand) and is every bit as good as the original, in my opinion.
So here you go – see what you think. If like me the lead track disappoints a little, then just remember that it probably doesn’t do CARLY justice; if you do like it, then just remember that she is even better ‘live!’
(A video for ‘Last Love’ should be available shortly.)
(8.5 / 10)
MOON DUO live review – Broadcast, Glasgow.
MOON DUO played one of the shows of the year at Glasgow’s new ‘Broadcast’ venue on Monday 12th November 2012. Read a review (of sorts!) of the evening here.
SUSPIRE: ‘Dodos.’
I need to get out more!
I’m getting old. I’m often swayed by the thought of sitting in a warm house with a beer and watching Eastenders when the alternative presented is to wait an age in the rain for a bus to take me uptown to some cold, half-filled venue that charges exorbitant prices for the same beer.
But then I’m reminded of the plethora of excellent bands out there – bands on my own Glasgow door-step that I’ve never heard of. Band that I should be out there enjoying.
Bands like SUSPIRE.
SUSPIRE were formed by drummer Clare Kelly who enlisted brothers Mark Duffin on bass and Paul Duffin as lead vocalist and guitar. Friend and collaborator Brian Cunningham had been working with Paul, on a side project for a couple of years so when Mark moved to Canada with his girlfriend, Brian was a natural replacement on bass. Brian’s introduction as a full member has inspired the trio to create their first album together.
Self-released and self-directed, they embody the DIY spirit that so many independent artists strive towards.
‘Dodos’ is a departure from SUSPIRE’s previous single ‘Salvation Sister’ (which won a Scottish Music Award for ‘Best Alternative / Indie Recording of the Year’ in 2011). Its driving rhythms and intense, complex vocal harmonies are complimented by warm layers of weaving sound and compelling hooks.
A song which could sit comfortably in any movie soundtrack, the accompanying video for ‘Dodos,’ provides a vivid interpretation of the music, augmenting the already compelling emotional arc of the song. The video is the result of a successful crowd-funding campaign, drawing on the bands loyal fanbase, and an alliance with the vibrant Glasgow-based company ‘Gentle Giant Productions’.
The video premiered on Canadian TV on 20th October (together with an interview), after the band used their extended contacts and their innate Scottish ability to talk themselves into any available opportunity. Drummer Clare and frontman Paul also performed live on the show.
(You can watch the band’s appearance on the Go! Vancouver show below.)
Glasgow on a bleak autumnal / winter’s night can be quite daunting, believe me! But some things are worth making an effort for. (I can always record Eastenders!)
SUSPIRE host their ‘Dodos’ Launch Party at THE ART SCHOOL UNION, GLASGOW on Sunday 18th November. Support will come from Emma’s Imagination, Dee, & CAAPS – plus some guest appearances onstage with SUSPIRE – the event should be one to remember. (Doors open at 7:30pm.)
Guy’s restaurant (Candleriggs) is providing a free scrumptious finger buffet on the night (everything from sushi to chicken and more), and ticket proceeds from the night will be donated to Govanhill Baths Community Trust.
This is an e-ticketed event, but £6 entry can be obtained (if space permits) on the door. Advance tickets may be bought here.
SOME SONGS Side-By-Side.
SOME SONGS SIDE-BY-SIDE is a box set compilation documenting alternative music in Glasgow 2012. It is a collaborative project between 3 independent record labels – Watts of Goodwill, RE:PEATER Records and Stereo Café Bar.
Watts of Goodwill have put out Gummy Stumps debut 7” and the much lauded Muscles of Joy album, the label is run by Dep Downie of the Monorail record store.
RE:PEATER have released critically acclaimed debut LPs from She’s Hit and Jacob Yates & the Pearly Gate Lock Pickers.
Stereo Café Bar have recently started a label and this will be their first release. As one of the best live music venues in the city, Stereo has an excellent reputation for promoting independent music and their move into releasing records is very exciting, particularly given the owners past releases through the Club Beetroot 7” series that included both Mogwai and Alex Kapranos.
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Although this is a box-set dedicated to the bands and music of Glasgow in 2012, it is much more far-reaching than some parochial release. There are no strained and accentuated ‘proud to be Scottish’ accents on show here, so the music will sit well regardless of the listener’s origins.
Eight bands contribute the twenty-two tracks, spread over some seventy-two minutes; eight bands with some very different sounds to offer, they only restriction to their mandate was a time limit of twelve minutes.
The first three tracks are provided by TUT VU VU. This is very different! They are quoted as ‘following an experimental path; fusing dark, sleazy club jazz with a hint of foreboding rhythm & blues,’ which is much more succinctly put than I could ever manage! ‘Moondog,’ comes across like the England Football Fans’ Brass Ensemble taking some ‘happy-pills’ and adding a Casio organ; ‘Egypt,’ is dark, scuzzy and eerie, while the song ‘Tut Vu Vu’ comes across something like the cross between the soundtrack of a Seventies TV cartoon series and the band Yello.
The first of the three songs by PALMS, comes in at just shy of two minutes and sounds very much like an all-female version of Shrag, what with the sharply yelped vocal interplay between the three girls. Even the subject matter on ‘Take Off Your Clothes’ is similar to what you’d expect from the LOUD HORIZON favourites. ‘Blood’ is a bit slower and sinister sounding, with a little grunge-type undertones, while ‘Keep You Bright’ continues in a similar vein, reminding me a little of The Breeders.
ORGANS OF LOVE used up their time allocation with just two tracks: ‘Imagine The Worst’ is an atmospheric organ-led track with reverb drenched female vocals – very ‘Berlin’ in sound if you know what I mean; kind of like Eurythmics gone sleazy (and good!) ‘Queenie,’ slows things right down. Vocalist Sister Blister sounds as seductive as she does threatening, her voice coming across like a demented cabaret star, while the omnipresent organ hisses and moans behind her.
Every band / track on this set is a winner, but there are some real highlights and for me GUMMPY STUMPS provide some of these. I have seen these guys play a few times and they never fail to deliver! ‘Thwarted Mirth,’ rumbles and crashes away in a background of swamp-style picked guitar and rolling drums, with spoken-word vocals stabbed in the listeners’ direction, like some drunken Glasgow jakey hurling random abuse at passers by. ‘Broken Bach,’ builds in some discordant sax, to accompany the sort of ‘poetic recital’ of the vocals. It’s all very ‘art-house’ and spontaneous sounding. ‘Bedfordshire,’ has more rambling and shambling vocals, with the backing rising to a crescendo, while final track ‘Silver Silver’ is most definitely the closest to a Captain Beefheart track I’ve heard in a long time – even allowing for the Glasgow accent.
SACRED PAWS comprise two thirds of Golden Grrrls – Eilidh Rodgers and Rachel Aggs. All three offerings ‘Just Kids,’ ‘Falling Over’ and ‘Postcards’ feature that kind of ‘Graceland’ Paul Simon / Vampire Weekend, Afrobeat type guitar interplay with lovely harmonies.
The most pleasant surprise of the compilation is supplied by THE ROSY CRUCIFIXION. I don’t know much about this band, so to hear three tracks that are so ‘instant,’ is quite something. First up, ‘Winners’ makes me think of a female-fronted Jacob Yates and The Pearly Gate Lockpickers (who actually close this compilation!) There is the stompin’ rock ‘n’ roll attitude and catchy harmonies mixed with a dark-surf guitar twang. ‘Don’t Water Dead Flowers’ leans more on the darker side, with rumbling drums and discordant guitar whilst ‘Sunshine’ is more frantic, again with a rock ‘n’ roll feel but with added handclaps and a chorus sounding like the 5-6-7-8’s.
MUSCLES OF JOY are another all-female group whose opener ‘Insi’ is like some sort of dreamy mantra with soft chants and an almost hypnotic beat interspersed with the occasional little yelp. ‘Segue,’ is a great little track. It’s slow, but sounds pretty ‘experimental’ and is full of weird sort of ‘orchestral’ sounds with haunting wailings going off in the background. The last thirty seconds I so quiet you really have to make an effort to hear it! Different!
And then we come to one of the best bands to come from is fair city in many a long year – JACOB YATES AND THE PEARY GATE LOCKPICKERS. Now, that may sound a bit of an odd assertion coming from one who often states his indifference to slow and downbeat tracks – especially in light of the two tracks on offer here. But believe me, having seen these guys on several occasions, I ‘get’ it, completely!
This is the band that epitomise the genre ‘doom-wop’ as they blend their take on dark rock ‘n’ roll with rockabilly and the sounds of the Deep South. ‘Bits of Glass’ is a morose song about the subject’s first love dying in a car crash. It doesn’t sound like much of a song – but listen through, please!
‘The Grace of God’ is another of Jacob’s downbeat tales – for that’s what all the bands song’s are. The dark, dry humour and bluesy, refrain keep the listener gripped … and I have to say that while a lot of their songs are based on personal heartbreaks and observations of Glasgow life, they do rock things up a lot more on their album / live set.
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The box set (2 x 12” vinyl, CD & original artworks) will be released on 3rd December and although I don’t yet know the final selling price, I do know that it is planned to keep the cost to an absolute minimum. Without doubt, this will become a collector’s item, whether or not you come from Glasgow. I would suggest that if you would like to enquire about availability, you make contact through the SOME SONGS SIDE-BY-SIDE Facebook page initially.
(I obviously have access to a ‘reviewer’s copy’ but you can guess exactly where my pocket money will be going in the first week of December!)
(10 /10)
BO NINGEN @ Stereo, Glasgow – 22nd October 2012
Read a review of the ‘best gig of the year’ here!
MAJUTSU NO NIWA
I was fortunate enough last week to get hold of a Limited Edition vinyl copy of the new ‘live’ album from MOJUTSU NO NIWA. This is the band formed by Tokyo guitarist / violinist Fukuoko Rinji after his previous band, Overhang Party folded in 2008. As is my penchant at the moment, it’s four tracks, heavy on the psych and features some really tripped out guitar.
The following video features the track ‘Turn To Flames‘ which features on the ‘Live’ album, albeit not this particular performance.
(I bought my copy of the album from the fabulous Volcanic Tongue record store in Glasgow. It’s a tiny wee shop, hidden away towards the west End of the city. However, they do provide a mail-order facility, and if you’re into ‘underground’ music of any nature,particularly psych, psychedelic, krautrock, obscure punk etc., ….. then do give ‘em a call!)
WE ARE THE PHYSICS: ‘Your Friend, The Atom.’
During their recent session with Marc Riley on Radio 6 Music, it was mentioned that WE ARE THE PHYSICS first appeared on the show some five years ago in 2007. That was also the year I recorded my first interview for ARTROCKER MAGAZINE – the subject matter being, yeah …. WE ARE THE PHYSICS. (If I remember correctly ,we were banished out into the cold winter air when Michael Guitar was refused a beer at the bar because he could not prove his age …. despite the band being provided with crates of complimentary beer in their dressing room!)
Anyway, since then WATP have released their debut album to much critical acclaim; produced a couple of now sold-out singles; toured the UK several times; played shows in Russia, Japan, Finland (alongside several death-metal bands – work that one out!) and toured with / supported bands as varied as Polysics (their favourite early inspirational band) Franz Ferdinand, Art Brut and 30 Seconds To Mars.
Consequently, their hyperactive brand of ‘b-movie-sci-fi-punk’ (it’s really not too easy to define their sound!) has reached a large and varied audience and the combination of their almost comic book appearance and stage antics together with this rather indefinable sound has endeared them to pretty much everyone who has seen / heard them.
A few cynical commentators (who were likely just in a foul mood ‘cause somebody stole their scone) point to the similarity in style that runs throughout the WATP songs. Yeah, OK – I don’t suppose you can deny the formula of abrupt, jerky, manic guitar; staccato, yelped vocals; hand claps and machine gun attack drums. But listen to within the ‘style’ and you will certainly hear variation enough. And more often than not, that ‘variation,’ be it guitar effects, samples or just clever, synchronised vocal interplay between the band, will raise a smile. Although, perhaps maybe not quite so much on ‘There Is No Cure For The Common Cold So Don’t Expect A Cure For Cancer’ – I don’t think they were playing for laughs on this one.
In fact, this is one of the songs where indeed the ‘style’ of music has actually taken a turn for WATP. It shows they can slow the pace and be a little more reflective. Of course, this doesn’t last too long as the next track is ‘Goran Ivanisevic’ – an homage to the Croatian ex-tennis player. And although songs like the crowd favourite ‘Napoleon Loves Josephine’ hark back to the ‘old’ Physics, I can sense a subtle change within ‘Your Friend, The Atom.’
This change comes partly as a result of the band’s growing maturity (sounds strange, doesn’t it – the word ‘maturity’ being used in context with WATP?!) but also I think the production sounds slicker than on the debut ‘ … Are OK At Music’ album. There seems to be a more rounded sound; more depth. And in places, there is more of a harder edge to the music; a little heavier. For example, ‘Eat Something’ crashes in more like Mad Capsule Markets than Polysics … although ultimately there’s no mistaking it’s a WATP song!
Likewise, ‘Junkie Buns’ kicks in with a more conventional rock refrain and although ‘Circuit Babies’ is more like what we’d expect from the band, they incorporate a kind of stern, disciplined Russian sounding chorus.
But perhaps the real indicator as to where WE ARE THE PHYSICS are headed is in the final track, ‘Olivia Neutron Bomb.’ This is their first venture into ‘anthemic rock’ and is arguably the best on the album. It’s certainly different to all the other thirteen, what with its chugging, Blink 182 / Box Car Racer styled rhythm and all.
Maybe, like Olivia’s character Sandy in the final scene of ‘Grease,’ we are to witness a transformation and style change of dramatic proportions? I wouldn’t be surprised … but then, who really knows where WE ARE THE PHYSICS are concerned?
(Released through This Is Fake DIY Records on 22nd October 2012)
(10 / 10 – obviously!)
THE DEADLINE SHAKES: ‘Sweeten The Deal.’
A few weeks ago, LOUD HORIZON gave you the ‘heads up,’ on new Glasgow band THE DEADLINE SHAKES. Their debut single will be available on a download basis fro 5th November ………..and now here, hot of the press or whatever these things come off of, is the brand spanking new video.
THE DEADLINE SHAKES: ‘Sweeten The Deal.’
It’s always good to be ‘in at the start.’
So – here’s one we recommend; one that you can impress your pals with; one to which you can always smile smuggly in six months time when the music press finally catch on …….
THE DEADLINE SHAKES are a Glasgow based band that have played only a handful of live shows and have not yet released any recordings. BUT, they are now signed to a label of impeccable taste (FLOWERS IN THE DUSTBIN) and their debut single, ‘Sweeten the Deal’ will be released on 5th November.
Remember where you heard it first!
THE GLAD CAFE.
Glasgow’s newest live venue officially launches tonight (Friday 17th August 2012) with a sell-out show featuring recent additions to the iconic Chemikal Underground label, Conquering Animal Sound.
The intimate, 100 capacity GLAD CAFE is situated just south of the City Centre, in the Shawlands area – as short 5 minute train ride away, with numerous buses passing its doorway from the Centre.
A ‘pre-launch’ party was hosted last night, at which Glasgow indie noisniks ST. DELUXE played and excellently raucous set. They were then followed by a more mellow DJ set from FOX GUT DAATA. Contrasting ‘indie,’ with a more experimental and electronic style of music highlights where THE GLAD CAFE will initially concentrate for their regular Thursday, Friday and Saturday ‘live’ events – although through time the expectation is for a wide range of styles to be showcased.
Inspired by a chance visit to Cafe Oto in Dalston, London back in 2009, the question was asked:
‘Why is there no such place in the multi-ethnic southside of Glasgow?’
Explains Business Manager Rachel Smillie:
“We asked all the twenty-something southsiders we knew: ‘What do you think of this idea?’ Many of them were musicians, artists, actors, film-makers … and they totally got it. They offered their support and ideas and in turn spread the idea, encouraging friends to fill in our online survey.’
And so, three years later, the doors are finally thrown open, but as Rachel gratefully acknowledges:
“This simply could not have happened without the will and generous volunteering support of a host of talented people who helped run events, play at events, make films, posters, website and ‘zine; a dedicated Board of Directors who willingly donated their time and professional expertise; a supportive and effective group of advisors, and a team of professionals who saw the building development in an open-handed and big-hearted way.”
THE GLAD CAFE is a designated social enterprise, and as such aspires to plough profits back into 
providing affordable music lessons and workshops for local people. There will also be a fuller use made of the venue space with various interesting sessions planned.
And of course, let’s not forget the ’cafe’ aspect, with an excellent menu available that caters for everything from breakfast selections through lunchtime wraps to evening sharing plates!
The premises are also licenced with a bar in both the Cafe area and also the venue room.
In THE GLAD CAFE, Glasgow’s South-side now has a venue that can easily rival the established venues of the West-end in terms of ambience and ambition.
LOUD HORIZON wishes all connected with the venture well! (We’ll be back…..!)
(CRU SERVERS play along with BEN BUTLER & MOUSEPAD and headliner, RUSTIE on the evening of Saturday 18th August as part of the GLAD CAFE LAUNCH WEEKEND.)
WE ARE THE PHYSICS: ‘Applied Robotics.’
Following on from the international success that was ’Goran Ivanisevic‘, Glasgow four-piece science punks We Are The Physics offer a further taste of what to expect from their forthcoming second album with a brand new single.
Clocking in at a touch under three minutes, ’Applied Robotics’ shows off the quartet at their blistering best, as frenetic and fast-paced as their phenomenal live show, as infectious and immediate as any rock single this year.
Vocalist Michael M tells us more.
“We’ve had ‘Applied Robotics’ as a live staple for a while and generally stop to take photos of each other in the middle of the song as a future indicator of the very moment we get bored of playing it. It’s fairly indicative of the general theme of our new record which is the democratisation of high technology and how it becomes an almost invisible and underwhelming extension of our bodies. We thought maybe we no longer appreciate how powerful the technology we take for granted is and we wondered at which point we’ll merge with it completely like robo-folks. It could’ve already happened if you regard even wearing glasses or contact lenses as high technology, which it certainly was at one point. Also, we just liked shouting ‘robotics’ so everything we just said is retro-fitting justification. It’s more about shouting.”
‘Goran Ivanisevic‘ received a great reception both online and off, the band featuring in Q, the Guardian, and the Telegraph websites alongside many more, the track played on BBC 6 Music and Amazing Radio in addition to various podcasts and regional stations, and also saw the foursome featured across various Croatian media – including on TV channels and in the country’s largest tabloid.
We Are The Physics are additionally set to hit the big screen, as they are have been filming scenes for ‘God Help The Girl’, the musical feature film written and directed by Belle & Sebastian’s Stuart Murdoch, starring as band ‘Wobbly Legged Rat’.
They are currently booking live dates nationwide, with the following confirmed so far:
JULY
19 Glasgow Mono w/ Bis
AUGUST
22 Edinburgh Electric Circus w/ Churches
ERRORS: ‘Relics.’
Glasgow band ERRORS have announced the October release of a brand new 8-track mini-album on Rock Action Records, together with dates of their forthcoming UK tour.
(The following sample track ‘Relics’ features guest vocals from Bek Oliva of Edinburgh based band Magic Eye.)
The new record entitled ‘New Relics‘ follows on from the critically acclaimed ‘Have Some Faith In Magic’ released earlier this year. ‘New Relics‘ was recorded by the 3 piece during the Spring of 2012 in their Glasgow studio and will be released on CD, 12″, Digital Download and a VHS version limited to 200 copies only that will see the band collaborating with Rachel Maclean (director of their stunning ‘Pleasure Palaces’ video – see below) and other visual artists to provide a unique visual representation of their music.
(The VHS version of the mini-album will be available only from selected stores as well as directly from the band’s online store.)
This is where you can catch ERRORS‘live’:
OCTOBER
10th - Manchester - Soup Kitchen
11th - Norwich - Sound & Vision Festival
12th - Newcastle - Hoults Yard
13th - Edinburgh - Electric Circus
17th - Nottingham – Bodega
18th - London – Heaven
19th - Bristol - The Cooler
20th - Cardiff - SWN Festival
