A little Corner of Scotland

Samantha Crain (via the Toad Sessions)

Posted on March 14, 2013March 18, 2013 by a little Corner of Scotland

My first exposure to you came from listening to the song ‘Churchill’ from a recently posted Toadcast. Not recognizing the name, I was fairly certain you were not Scottish. This doesn’t automatically preclude me from paying attention but as this is a Scottish music blog it was something I intended to put off until later. That evening, I kept repeatedly going back to the sessions to listen to the songs. I can’t remember the last time I’ve found someone’s singing so compelling. I had to work you into our blog somehow. Beyond what can be seen in the clip, what can you tell us about that experience in the Toad’s living room?

“Well, seeing as how this was a year and half ago, I can’t remember too much about it in terms of specifics. I remember Matthew making me a nice whiskey and then we did the songs and then an interview. Then we all went to the pub afterwards. This was the night after I had played a packed out little show at Henry’s Cellar Bar with Withered Hand which was very special to me. I am such a fan of Dan’s music and getting to sing “For the Maudlin” with him at the show and hear him live was really a great experience.”

One of the things I first read when I did do a little investigation was your explanation of how your own surroundings influenced your music. It has become pretty clear just how much of Scotland finds its way into the music that we champion. Each time I do discover an artist from Oklahoma, I have a feeling that something similar is happening there. Did you sense an affinity or similarity between the Scottish environment’s musical impact and that of your own experiences back home? (as much as that is possible to gauge from a tour and visit)

“I don’t know if I can actually say much to this. I think it would be unfair of me, as an outsider, to say, in response to my short time in Scotland, “Well Scotland is overcast so all the music sounds this way…” or some weird, overarching conclusion like that. I’m sure if I spent any amount of time there talking to musicians, I would find the same similarity between environment and creativity. I think it is like that everywhere. Unless you are locked up in a room all day, the city, the town, the place you are in is going to affect what pours out of you…and even in the room, the room will affect you. We are sensory based beings and artists are purposely even more in touch with what they are sensing.”

Your session was recorded by Neil Pennycook. Did you happen to bring back any ‘Meursault’ records or ‘discover’ any other artists while there?

“I don’t think I knew Neil was in a band called Meursault until you just asked me this question. I will have to listen to their music! I did, however, start listening to King Creosote after my trip there because Mike MacFarlane, who opened the show we did at Henry’s, played a King Creosote tune and I liked it and so I’ve dived into that a bit and have really enjoyed those songs.”

I found this clip from King Tut’s. I have read that a Glasgow crowd can, on occasion, be ‘tough’. You certainly have their rapt attention here. What was the reception like overall? I’m curious if you found any perceptible differences between a Scottish crowd versus one from Manitoba?

“That Glasgow show was really fun! I didn’t get the feeling that the crowd was humming about or getting too drunk at all. It might have also helped that I was on tour with First Aid Kit (friends of mine, a folk duo of sisters from Sweden) and they always have a polite audience. All my shows in Europe, including England, Scotland, and Ireland, and Canada, have been really positive. I feel like people go to certain places to listen to music and then when they want to get rowdy they go to another place. Actually the toughest shows to play are in the USA. And I can’t tell if people just don’t care as much, or if its because the venues that have live music are also known places to just hang out. So end up having this real mix of people, some who are there to hear the band, and some who are there to socialize. Also, I didn’t notice TVs in very many music venue/bars in Europe, UK or Canada….there are TVs in so many bars and venues over here in the US, and that is my main enemy in keeping a crowds attention.”

I found this nice review of your 2011 opening for Withered Hand in Edinburgh. How did that show actually come about?

“I played at Henry’s Cellar Bar in Edinburgh with Withered Hand. Matthew, from Song by Toad, had been writing blogs every once in a while about my albums since my very first EP, so when I was on tour in the UK, I contacted him to see if he could put together a show in Edinburgh for me and I really wanted to see if Dan could play because I’m such a fan of his. So that show was really great for me. It is always nice to be able to play with bands and songwriters you look up to and that is what that show was for me.”

In a bit of further geographic irony, (as if having to go to Edinburgh to discover an artist from Oklahoma wasn’t enough) when the LP arrived I learned that it was recorded, practically down the street, in San Francisco. How fully formed were the songs before the recording commenced? Were there any changes that came about during the recording process?

“I came into the studio with the songs all written and ideas for them, but the fun and magic of this record came with the fact that all the musicians (all friends of mine from Oklahoma or present band members) and John Vanderslice, hadn’t really heard them. So the parts that were written and the production ideas really were the first gut instinct. And I like gut instincts. Especially when it comes to recording. Laboring over a song and its production and arrangement just isn’t my style. Vanderslice made sure I kept the basic simple integrity of the “singer-songwriterness” of the songs but made good and intelligent tweeks to song endings or repetitions or instrument addition and subtraction to, ultimately, make it sonically interesting for the listener.”

‘Churchill’ leads off side B. I’m turning over the record now and after another listen I’m struck how appropriate and subtle the music is. It is an observation that applies to record as a whole. Is the song title a specific reference?

“I wrote “Churchill” sitting in this room in my house that had piles and piles of books. There were these two big books standing side by side that kept staring me down. It was two volumes out of the Second World War histories by Winston Churchill, “Their Finest Hour” and “The Grand Alliance”. I had hit a long period of writer’s block and felt very out of character with the self-seeking opportunist that I had thought myself to be all my life. This change in demeanor and personality felt much like a war inside my brain and heart and so these book titles seemed worthy of being worked into the lyrics of the song I was writing and then I slapped “Churchill” on as the title to pay homage to those volumes wedging me out of the writer’s block.”

After the first listen it was fairly apparent what a nearly flawlessly perfect record ‘Kid Face’ is. The intimacy of a living room session is conveyed throughout. I still have not listened to it enough times to keep from marveling just how incredible it is. As much as I love the vocals, the music is equally evocative and compelling. Your guitar playing and the embellishments that spring from that are equally noteworthy. Did this all just come about naturally? What do you think has helped set up this deeply expressive balance?

“It did come about naturally. For me, the record I make is a very intimately direct picture of the state of my mind and life. The Confiscation EP, that I wrote when I was 19, was raw and full of imitation. Songs In the Night was written when I was 21 and when I had a steady band and we all lived and played and worked together. It was cohesive and polished. You (Understood), I wrote when I was 23. I was emotional, unpredictable, confused and the record is the same. And then we come to Kid Face. I wrote it when I was 25. I’m in a good quiet spot in my head. I can think clearly and have control. This record is restrained in the same way. It is a picture of the quietness, clarity, restraint, and control that I feel in my life right now.”

Despite its brevity, the recent Rolling Stone ‘review’ contains this sterling insight – “The emotion in her tone is a dissertation”. When did you first start singing? Was there a guitar in your hand from the beginning?

“I will say “yes” because the first time I started being aware of my singing or singing as an expression was when I started playing guitar. Something about having an instrument with me allows me to sing with impulse and freedom. Without an instrument, I am much more cautious in singing.”

I’ve enjoyed listening to the digital press album quite a bit these past few weeks, but was still caught by surprise just how much better it sounds on vinyl. Given the record’s dynamics that stands to reason. Are you a vinyl aficionado?

“Yeah! I’ve been listening to vinyl since I was a kid. We’ve always had a record player in the house. And given that the recordings on Kid Face never went through a computer in the studio, I can see how vinyl would be its natural environment. The subtleties of the manipulations and frequencies that Vanderslice was conjuring in the studio are best displayed on vinyl. I feel like you hear the whole picture.”

I recently ‘discovered’ another Oklahoma band via the enthusiastic praise of ‘The Seventeenth Century’ who played with ‘Other Lives’ in Scotland. I did manage to uncover ‘Colourmusic’ on my own. Is there anyone else we should investigate?

“Other Lives. Amazing. Colourmusic. Amazing. Keep your ears open for Parker Millsap, he’s a 20 year old wiz at folky blues and sounds like Robert Johnson and Tom Waits and William Elliott Whitmore all rolled into one. I have high hopes for him. Also, Penny Hill, who sometimes plays bass for me, she is an amazing guitar player, songwriter, and singer.”

You will be heading into SXSW soon. Keep your eyes open for Washington Irving. Is there anyone there you are hoping to see play? In fact, I’d love to hear your reaction to this song ? (note: sadly Washington Irving had to cancel after sending these questions but Mr. and Mrs. Toad are there right now, presumably causing mayhem)

“Oh what a rad band! I will try to see them. But SXSW is a mess for me and I’m usually very overwhelmed and don’t know what to do and don’t know how to have fun there. So I’ll probably just end up hiding out towards Dripping Springs, coming in when I have to play, then retreating again. My friends, Frontier Ruckus, have an amazing saw player in their band so I always have a soft spot for that.”

I keep trying to come up with a Scottish artist I might find comparable. This is more of an emotional connection, but I keep coming back to Panda Su. I would certainly say that you are both singer song writers with an engaging vocal style that resonates on an emotional level slightly more deeply than most. What’s your take on this song?

“You really have to stop showing me videos of bands or I am just going to stop playing music! She’s good!”

I’m most likely projecting here but a situation that I imagine has occurred frequently on tour is someone coming up after a show and telling you how moved they were. Have you gotten used to that yet?

“Yeah sure I’ve gotten used to it, but I still haven’t figured out the perfect gracious response. I mean I hope people are moved, I don’t do this all for myself. But I’m still trying to understand what it is that people want to hear back. And maybe that is just “thank you”.”

Now that the record is out and the tour seems to be winding down: what’s next? Of course, what I’m really asking is how long before we can reasonably start looking forward to your next SF show?

” TOUR WINDING DOWN!? what are you talking about? The record is out which means touring BEGINS! Just because there aren’t a lot of dates posted doesn’t mean we aren’t planning things. Its hard to get venues to let you play these days unless you have costumes and a few synths and a review in Pitchfork so we’re trying to book shows, really we are…SF will be happening soon I hope.”

I saw this interview with American Songwriter the other day and feel compelled to link it as well. This record is a must on vinyl if that is still possible. And in case you still aren’t convinced here is the title track ‘Kid Face‘ captured live a few weeks ago.

(Samantha Crain) is technically not ‘Scottish’, but in this case I think it is safeto loosen that restriction a little. Creating a magnificent Toad Session is sometimes grounds enough.

Thor

Live Reviews

Frightened Rabbit: Live in SF

Posted on March 13, 2013March 18, 2013 by a little Corner of Scotland

As one of those early FR fans I’ve got no problem admitting that “The Winter of Mixed Drinks’ left me uneasy. I distinctly remember the first time I heard ‘Swim Until You Can’t See Land’ previewed at a show and not being sure of the new direction. The last show in town was at the Independent, which their popularity has long since outgrown. When I noticed the listing at the venue 4 months beforehand, it was already sold out. Despite having to pay three times face value, it was decidedly worth it as the set focused heavily on the earlier material. I hadn’t actually listened to ‘Pedestrian Verse’ that often before the show. This was partially due to waiting for the month long delayed LP and also because, despite generally liking the new direction, I still didn’t find it compelling. Going in, I was hoping that the performance would allow me to better understand and appreciate the album.

I think the thing that was most evident the other night was that FR live is where they truly are at their best. The beauty of the show was how seamlessly they integrated the new songs into the live performance, how fresh they sounded and just how well they worked. This time Pedro and I stood second row center; watching them play, figuring out who was doing what and when and truly appreciating how it is all so carefully balanced and articulated. This was not only highly enjoyable but somewhat of a revelation.

Double checking from some clips from the last Fillmore show we attended, I’m confident FR has added another person to the stage. Apologies for only using the pronoun, but he was magnificent in providing accompanying percussion and guitar. I was frequently drawn to his performance when wondering where a new dynamic in the sound was coming from. This happened a lot with the other performers as well. There is a certain musical ‘democracy’ to this band where everyone brings an equal amount to the table. At times, they are almost modular with overlapping chord progressions and even when everyone is doing something else the meticulous care given to the layering of the sound is almost breathtaking. They have become such a well-oiled machine (or an expensive German engineered car if you like) that is a delight to see in motion.

At this point I should mention that scanning the crowd I was frequently struck with how radiant their smiles and bright their eyes were. I’ve been to many a show (and have seen FR 7 times now) and can truthfully say that the joy expressed on the audience’s collective face is a degree higher than any other. It goes without saying that this enthusiasm is reciprocated by the band themselves. One of the integral components of any FR show are Scott Hutchison’s stories, sense of humour and humility.

There was a point where the warm-up to a song took a little longer than usual and I began wondering how I would answer the question, if asked, what my most and least favourite FR song would be. Just as the question was answered, ‘Backwards Walk’ commenced. My favourite version of this was at the Bottom of the Hill quite a few years back. This review captures that night rather succinctly but they are wrong about the encore. Scott did come back out, in the dark, and began singing ‘Backwards Walk’. It had an almost a cappella like start as he stood at the edge of the stage leaning forward as much as he could. There was some fumbling of guitar and I don’t honestly remember whether he was using an acoustic or an electric, but I do have the beauty of that performance in my heart. The new enhanced version worked but it was a far cry from that memory. This is rather a long build up to tell you something that ends up being contrary to what you might expect. The real achievement of the show was how seamlessly and perfectly the 8 songs played from ‘Pedestrian Verse’ fit in with the other songs in the set. They were the songs that sparkled, had depth, and were fully engaging. It isn’t that the older songs were no longer welcome, but proof of just how much further the new material has come.

There is something magical about listening to a new record the day after a show. Seconds after the needle was dropped with the opening keyboard lines of ‘Acts of Man’ I was back at the Fillmore. Prior to this, I wasn’t sure I really even liked the song. It ended up being the glorious live ‘ending’ to the regular set. I understand the record much better now. There is a whole new clarity that is hard to describe. Perhaps more importantly I don’t recall this experience with the last record. The distance between recording studio and stage seems shorter. Perhaps this time around the intent was to create something that would more fully and easily translate to the live performance. It worked. Even more, I think it is safe to say no studio recording could ever truly capture the majesty of FR live. Quite frankly, that is how it should be.

The answer to what is my least favourite song would have been ‘Swim Until You Can’t See Land’. I still remember the unease of hearing it the first time before the album and I’ve never really enjoyed it until now. Last night it just clicked. Admittedly, the first song that came into my head the next morning was a Twilight Sad one, but when I was trying to conjure up a FR song I was rather surprised to be ‘listening’ to my ‘least’ favourite song.. Maybe I’m just slow.

2 apples, a poster, the Fillmore center 2 rows deep, the 7^th FR show, and a stripped down Twilight Sad opener – I so wish that could happen more often with the other bands on our radar. But until then, I can’t wait until the 8^th.

I’ve purposefully not mentioned the Twilight Sad because we get a rare opportunity to see them twice in one week and will put my thoughts off until then.

Thor

Live Reviews

Chvrches: Live in SF

Posted on March 11, 2013March 18, 2013 by a little Corner of Scotland

When I first heard that Chvrches would be attending this year’s SXSW, the thought of heading down crossed my mind. Every year sets off the hope, usually dashed, that some of the Scottish bands who make it down to Austin might come further north-west. You can imagine how pleased we were to find out that the first North American show would end up being right here in San Francisco.

Nothing illustrates their rapid rise more than the fact that I don’t possess a single EP or album. I did have the 10” single in my cart but just couldn’t justify the 10 pounds shipping. Sadly there wasn’t anything musical to buy from the merchandise table last night. Going into a show only having heard 3 songs on the internet and having watched a few live clips is almost antithetical to an old timer like me. I learned from some of the younger people after the show that this is actually pretty normal for today’s generation. While it was nice to have seen one gentleman with a beard whiter than my gray, for the most part I’m rather out of place.

I’m always fascinated by the totally different crowds at every San Francisco show I attend. I’m a constant, but why is there almost never a familiar face? I conducted a non-scientific survey of the crowd before and afterward and it was pretty evident people were there because of the ‘internet’ through links and cross recommendations to bands like Grimes, Purity Ring and remixes from people they followed; more of an electronic music slant and all perfectly understandable.

For fun I asked a few people if they had heard of Blue Sky Archives, Unwinding Hours and The Twilight Sad. I didn’t find anyone. Had I brought up Aereogramme (and I am trying to cut back on doing that) the looks would have been even blanker. As it turns out, as I learned from this local press piece, even I had not realized that Martin Doherty was the touring keyboardist there as well. Until yesterday, I thought I had only seen Martin twice at the Independent playing for the Twilight Sad. Clearly my perspective and ‘path’ to the show was different than most of the people who wouldn’t have been allowed in back then even if they were fans. I’m pretty sure it also influenced my decision to stand on the side of the stage with the mighty Iain Cook.

Predictably the ten song set was bookended by ‘Lies’ and ‘The Mother We Share’. I should have even expected the Prince cover that was offered as an impromptu encore. (as good as it was, I would have loved some Altered Images) My favourite place to be at the Independent is right at the side of the stage. You can feel the air pushed by the drums and hear the guitars from the amps as opposed to the PA. Obviously, I didn’t properly think that through for a Chvrches show. It was quite odd to see the opening act drum kit pulled away and nothing brought back to fill the empty space. Not since Glasvegas, have I been to a show where the main act was so lacking a proper drummer.

I’m really not trying to be dismissive. While the 80s are too far behind me to be swayed by instrumentation alone, it was truly astonishing to see how much was done with so little. I was very intrigued by the use of a Maschine (I broke down and picked up a Mikro myself to play with) to provide the distinctive sampling riffs and some percussion. Not a fan of the online finger dexterity demos, it was nice to see it used to good effect in a serious live setting. I’m actually quite partial to the bass playing keyboard player and was impressed with how much Iain Cook was doing and how fluidly it was executed. Seeing the Fender sitting next to the Moog was encouraging as well.

I can’t pretend it was the most exciting show I’ve been to; although there was never a moment where I lost interest. Not having heard the bulk of the set before shouldn’t really have mattered but it did dampen my emotional reaction. I did get a sense that some of the songs were still underdeveloped and suffered a little from their essential similarity. As incredible as Lauren Mayberry’s voice was, I really appreciated the song sung by Martin Doherty and some of the backing vocals provided by Iain Cook to change up the dynamics. That I woke up this morning with snippets of music and lyrics running through my head that I can’t place is proof enough that, overall, it worked. The internet personal recording device age is quite fascinating as well and this clip of ‘Science and Vision‘ is a good sample of the middle of the show set. There is a good deal of potential here and I imagine that the first record will be quite exceptional. Given Iain Cook’s prodigious talents that is almost a given.

In terms of a triumphant ‘return’, it can’t be stressed enough how wonderful it was. The crowd seemed to really enjoy it, the place was sold out and the band was touched by the positive warm reception. There was one young lass who specifically went to Scotland to see them. It made her night when Lauren Mayberry recognized her and pointed out her dedication. It really doesn’t matter that this old curmudgeon was reminiscing about the old days when bands walked in the snow to play to thirty people.

Ironically, the impending arrival of Chvrches prompted the discovery of the local band Churches. I’ve already seen Dominic East (1/3 of Churches) perform his own material and was blown away. For a chuckle, I got to tell him about the Glasgow version and am looking forward to seeing the full band play ‘Lovelife‘ soon.

Tonight? The Twilight Sad opening for Frightened Rabbit.

Why so excited? It is not at the Independent (where the monitor I was standing next to wasn’t turned on until the 6th song) but at the Fillmore. My theory that the Independent sound guys were diminishing my enjoyment of a Twilight Sad show is about to be tested.

Thor

update: Here is the bulk of the show, I must be lurking somewhere in the dark lower left corner of the stage.

Bands We've Chatted With

Fake Major

Posted on March 8, 2013March 9, 2013 by a little Corner of Scotland

Our email tagline is ‘while Scotland sleeps we listen’ which means that when we do wake up, there is frequently a facebook-twitter deluge to wade through. The reaction summary the other day went a bit like this:

(Sadness) -“Endor broke up!”

(Relief) – “Endor is now just not Endor”

(Joy) – “there’s a new song and video!”

(Hell yes!) – a message from Comets and Cartwheels asking if we’d have any interest in doing a feature.

From over here it seems that it was all a closely guarded secret. How well coordinated was the roll out? Is there a story to the new name?

“Surprisingly not as well coordinated as you might imagine. We have been working on our new project “Fake Major” for the last 6 months, and when we finally got our first track completely finished (and we were both happy with it!), we put it online two days later. It wasn’t so much a closely guarded secret, as much as we didn’t just want to tell everyone who had helped support Endor that it was over and nothing else. We wanted to show those people that we were still writing and recording, and had something new to offer them. The name comes from a feline friend that lives on my street. We thought it sounded good and stuck with it!”

With this duo you’ve gamely entered ‘Over The Wall’ and ‘TMTATC’ territory. I’m guessing this change has been a creative boon and way to move forward musically. Would you characterize that as being the case?

“I think when you start anything new, there is always an excitement at the beginning, and this has helped us be more creative in everything we have been doing recently – writing, recording, and making videos.

We have definitely changed the way we write and record music. In the past we limited ourselves to what we could reproduce at a live show, but now there is a real difference between our recordings, and how we reinterpret the songs when performing.”

Releasing the video on the same day was well played. If I had heard the song ‘Little Researcher’ the first time without knowing the source, I can’t honestly say I would have instantly recognized it as being Endor. Listening to it a few times, I’m struck by how ‘well considered’ it all is. Other than just extorting the questioner to listen, how would you say your song craft has developed?

“Little researcher was originally written as our previous band was falling apart, so for Jarv and I it was even more important that we scrutinized every single line. We continually revised the song until we were both happy, and I think we have delved a bit deeper with all the songs on our upcoming EP. Each individual part – whether a guitar line or vocal harmony – has been more considered than before, make sure every part has its purpose and hopefully adds something interesting.”

The video is undoubtedly one of the finer debuts I’ve seen in a while. It probably seems impossible now, but did you ever consider any other narratives to present the song? My favourite part was when the stethoscope is placed to the glass and the music itself slows down a beat shortly after. Who came up with idea for the final notebook entry?

“We are extremely proud of the video, and it was a great creative experience to work with Jolene and Richard (of Precious Productions). I don’t think we did consider other narratives. Jarv had the idea of a child trying to make sense of the world around them, and together we all developed the different scenarios. Richard (of Precious Productions – we call him “Richard 1”) did an incredible job editing it all together, as you have picked up on it the stethoscope! We were lucky enough to have a star in the making play the heroine. Lots of the video was made up of things she already owns, and I think the final notebook entry was her doing. A future star in the making for sure.”

Since we last chatted, people have started sending us ‘press kits’ and I’m still fascinated by the nearly contradictory usefulness and meaninglessness of them. Which four songs on that Snow Patrol album do I need to listen to again more carefully?

“Ha! Yeah press releases are a strange thing. Jarv sang on Open Your Eyes, Shut Your Eyes, Make This Go on Forever and Hands Open on their Eyes Open album.”

The snippet from the press blurb that did make me take note was “The truest version of Fake Major exists somewhere between the record and the venue” This strikes me as a much deeper observation. Could you describe that place yourselves?

“The original idea we had for this band was to write songs that would sound great with only two people performing them, and equally as good with a full compliment of musicians. We hope that when people come to see us perform live, they can appreciate the different interpretations of the songs, while being able to relate to them from the recordings they have heard. As a bonus, it’s a lot easier to tour with two people rather than seven!”

The first EP is “to follow”. Any sense of the timeline? How many tracks? … Any information you could share would be most welcome.

“The final tracklisting is still to be decided, but the EP should be out in April 2013. We plan to release material as we have it, so expect more to follow.”

It seems that your first ‘official’ show was a few weeks ago in Dundee. We’d very much like to hear how it went.

“The show in Dundee was great thanks. It felt good to be back on stage performing after hiding away for what seemed an eternity. It is always interesting to take the songs out from the practice space, and get an idea of what parts work better in larger rooms (and which definitely don’t). It’s especially satisfying when certain areas of a song unexpectedly sound great, it’s a real ear treat!”

Thanks for introducing us to Michael Cassidy. Can you tell us anything about him from previous experience? (or from what you learnt from the support slot)

“Michael is a lovely guy, and a great singer songwriter. This is the first time we saw him play with a band, and there is a real country influence that is probably less evident when it’s just him and his guitar, which I really liked. Special mention needs to go to his guitar player who was quite spectacular.”

Have you secured Ms. Crawford for the next video?

“We are currently having heated discussions with Ms Crawford’s agents (/parents)! Child stars are extremely unpredictable.

I like how Fake Major end up right under Endor on our band list. Here is another video release for the song ‘Camera‘

Thor

Bands We've Chatted With

Brave Young Red

Posted on March 5, 2013March 5, 2013 by a little Corner of Scotland

I’m so tired of knowing about EP launches and the pigeon roosting patterns of Glasgow side streets that I bought a ticket for the launch on the 28th at the 13th Note so I could be there in spirit. How did it go?

(James) “I think I can speak for everyone in the band when I say it was a fantastic night. We managed to lose track of the number of people coming through the doors but from counting ticket sales at the end of the night we realised we had sold the venue out. It was a tight squeeze, but I think that adds to the charm of the 13^th Note. A bigger venue wouldn’t have had the same intimacy between ourselves and the audience. This catered for both our upbeat, electric songs and the quieter acoustic pieces.”

The first time I heard the EP and then listened to it repeatedly was in the few hours before going to see Midge Ure back in mid-January. I bring this up one last time (promise) because I was struck by several things that night – how good this young band I had just discovered was and how set in musical amber my generation tends to be. Why do you think so many people tend to stop looking for new music not that long into adulthood?

(Angus) “Having worked in an “old man pub” that had covers bands playing the same pub band songs from their generations I’ve seen a lot of this. I think in a lot of cases life gets in the way, in that they don’t have the same spare cash to buy music or access to the knowledge/technology to find new music. I mean I know a number of exceptions to this but that seems to be the case with the majority. However, I have found that if you take time to show people something they will often like something new. I think if someone is a true music fan they will always be a music fan.”

A few weeks ago while doing some research I stumbled across Angus’ blog The Practice Room. I found it fascinating in that it mirrored, live and on the ground, the search for new music that I have to conduct from afar. The blog is something I’d like to revisit later, but I am curious as to the motivation for doing it?

(Angus) “I originally started that blog as a university project last year in which the original plan was to do a blog centering around sessions with bands and ask them about their writing process and influences etc. However time and money constrains stopped this so it morphed into a more conventional music blog. I always seemed to be telling people to listen to a band or recommending music to people so this seemed a good medium to do so. Since I go to a lot of gigs, live reviews seemed to be a good way to get this point across to encourage people to go see bands. Being based in the industry too, I wanted to have somewhere other than facebook or twitter to voice my opinions and try and put my point across about certain matters. The only reason I’ve taken a bit of a break from it just now is because of commitments to uni and the band but I do have plans to start it up again, the sessions too hopefully!”

I assume you’ll take a few copies of the EP over to Avalanche later in March when you play Edinburgh? Have you played there before?

(James) “We definitely will try and get some copies into Avalanche in March, Angus is already in contact with Kevin about it! Previous to the launch, we got some copies into Love Music and Monorail in Glasgow. As a band I think we all agree that one should support their local record shop. Brave Young Red have never played in Edinburgh before, I have in a previous band during the Fringe Festival period which was great fun so I’m looking forward to getting back with the Brave Young Red crew.”

You’ve literally just added the Roots EP to bandcamp now. So instead of asking when you are going to do that, I’ll ask what you think of the new Kid Canaveral record?

(Angus) “I’ve not actually heard it yet but you’ve reminded me that I really liked the first one and saw the band at a few festivals in 2011, but never ended up buying the album. So I’ll probably end up getting both when my next student loan payment comes in (along with the endless list of other albums I’m looking to get)!”

I was listening to the ‘Youth and the Young’ EP as I finished these questions. From my perspective, it seems young Scottish musicians and bands are slightly more inclined to incorporate some of the cultural musical traditions of their surroundings. Do you think this is a fair assessment? Have Scottish traditions had an impact on your own music?

(James) “I think that’s a very appropriate comment. Something I’ve been listening to on loop recently, which I think is a great example, is Rick Redbeard of the Phantom Band’s debut solo album No Selfish Heart. The melodies and warm acoustics with the odd violin and subtle harmony thrown in, really evokes a strong sense of Scottishness. My favourite track on the album is actually a cover of a traditional piece, called Kelvin Grove, about a park in the West End of Glasgow. I believe it was written by the poet Lyle. The slow pace and descending chord sequence is beautiful along with the vocal melody. It’s a timeless piece that sits comfortably in the album, so you can understand how Scottish folk tradition directly affects a lot of the contemporary music we hear coming from Scotland today. Larger Scottish bands such as Frightened Rabbit and Admiral Fallow have clearly drawn influence from this culture and of course, we listen to these bands. One band at the minute who I think are fantastic are Flutes, who we are supporting in April at their single launch in Glasgow. They have a darkness in their music, the spacey, obscure, picked chord progressions and the imagery that their lyrics project possesses that defined Scottish sound. As the main songwriter in the band I think I generally draw my inspiration from all of these bands around me, big and small.”

Who would you cite as direct musical influences?

(Angus) “We all come from rather different musical backgrounds but there are certain bands that when we were starting out we decided we really like and would like to make music that was akin to that. Whether what we came out with sounded like these artists or not is irrelevant now I’d say but there definitely was an idea of what we liked and would like to sound like. Normally when asked we say Frightened Rabbit, Admiral Fallow, We Were Promised Jetpacks and Bombay Bicycle Club.”

(James) “I think we all grew up listening to the legends – Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, the list is endless. But I think listening to our music it would be hard to draw comparisons. We may share common tastes with the main Scottish acts of course being Frightened Rabbit, Admiral Fallow, WWPJ etc. but do we really sound like these acts? I think it’s important to have influences, but we’re independent thinkers as well. I don’t mean to sound arrogant, but I don’t think we really sound like anybody. An influence in terms of band development I suppose would be Bombay Bicycle Club. They have so many complex sounds, intertwining genres and that’s something as a songwriter I can relate to. They have an entirely stripped-back acoustic album, Flaws, but on the other hand the rest of the music they play is powerful, alternate indie rock or whatever you’d like to call it. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I don’t think we have a limited sound and I never would want to limit.”

Sometimes I’m pretty slow but I could swear you started off as a three piece. I just now realized that Erin not only provides additional vocals but is also a regular member of the band. I was not aware of James’ earlier solo efforts. What has the transition from solo artist to a five member band been like?

(James) “I’ve been playing solo acoustic gigs since the age of 15. Since beginning University and discovering an entirely new music culture in the South of Scotland, I found my music taking a turn and becoming more dynamic and in some cases adopting obscure rhythms, chords, and melodies. I began to find it difficult to really communicate the songs across to listeners in the context that I wanted to, I felt the songs were limited with just the acoustic guitar and alone vocal. It was then that I asked Angus and Michael (Stewart) to step in. Angus of course played bass and Michael played cajon drum at this point. This helped the dynamics and confidence grew in the newly formed group. We began to gig more and more regularly, but we were still only playing acoustic nights and we wanted to do more. There was talk of introducing a violin player, flute player, but in the end we decided we just wanted a female vocalist. We had played a couple of gigs with Erin before and then asked her if she wanted to join us alongside her own solo career. From there piano was introduced and Michael moved to drums. However, at Christmas time he couldn’t make a gig and we asked Mikey (Hepburn) if he would fill in. It went well, and we wanted him to stay on drums as Michael (Stewart) was never that comfortable as he’s always been more of a guitarist. So that kind of happened by accident. So it’s been a journey, but we’ve done a few gigs as a full band and have had a great response, so the only way from here is up!”

How do you tell the two Michaels apart?

(Angus) “We tend to refer to one as Michael (Stewart – guitar) and one as Mickey (Hepburn – drums)…them looking different helps too however it does confuse matters when one of our friends uses Mickey as a general nickname for either one.”

(James) “One is good at drums, the other, not so good. *winks”

The EP cover art, especially the compass, is arresting. What’s the story behind it?

(James) “I bought the compass when I was in holiday in Corfu last year. It was in a shop that sold hand made wooden items and I found it in a box. I simply thought it looked pretty cool. I had not long finished the song “Footprints” which is the second track on the EP and it mentions the line “My compass starting pointing South as I began to fill with doubt”. Perhaps I subconsciously thought that I had to have it! Footprints in particular is about me leaving my hometown in the North of Scotland and moving to the South. Essentially it’s about the struggle of finding where ones true home is where they feel most comfortable, amongst themes of entering manhood, growing, and leaving. That’s where the line in the chorus “These roots have a hold on me” comes from as well, giving us the EP title. We wanted to evoke a strong sense of something organic hence the trees, leaves, etc.”

Listening to the EP yet again, I’m struck by how accomplished it is. ‘Silk and Satin’ could have been the result of putting Kid Canaveral and the State Broadcasters together in a room and not letting them out until they distilled and blended their sound. It is such a lovely song. Being in the lead position on the EP, is it what you would consider the first single? What does the title ‘Roots’ signify?

(Angus) “Thank you very much! I remember when we first started playing the song it reminded me of Kid Canaveral now that you mention it. It’s arguably one of the more upbeat songs from the EP but I always find it hard to define what is a lead single from a limited choice. For arguments sake just now I’ll say it is though. I think James is better explaining the EP name…”

(James) “As discussed earlier, Roots, comes from the second track, Footprints and the internal struggle of finding ones true home. Again, the EP has recurring themes of growing and leaving, as represented by the female character. I guess it made me think back to basics, where someone is stripped down to having nothing except themselves. Stripped down to their roots.”

The last song ‘Little Dove’ sounds like it might have come from the solo period. Have you already begun writing new songs? What is next after this EP?

(James) “Surprisingly, Little Dove was written after the rest of the band had been recruited. Michael (guitarist) was playing about with the waltzing chord progression one afternoon and I asked him what it was, to which he answered he was only mucking about. I instantly had a melody forming in my head and began writing the song in the next room. When it comes to lyrics I like to challenge myself using different stimulus and it was the cover of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, that had caught my eye. I found the image of the woman very powerful and starting writing about the character, tying it in with the same female character illustrated in Silk & Satin. Little Dove resembles an acceptance in her life where she realises leaving is the best option. I think for just now we’re going to continue to promote our EP over the next few gigs as it’s something we’re very proud of. There’s talk of releasing a single in the summer, but we also have some exciting opportunities such as playing at Liverpool Sound City in May.”

It will be like being in Glasgow with sunshine around here in a week. Chvrches, Frightened Rabbit and the Twilight Sad twice in a six day period. Now that Washington Irving is no longer headed to SXSW, I don’t even regret not being able to head down there. I’ve often thought that if I was in Scotland that I would not be able to properly function with all the shows I’d want to attend. How do you juggle so much live music?

(Angus) “With great difficulty…I think the only thing that is stopping me going mad with choices of gigs to go to all the time is the band itself and being a student based in Ayr which means I’m limited by train times and money. Often what I’ve found does dictate what gig I go to is which ticket is available first and if I have the money to get a ticket at the time. If it’s a friend who’s playing/promoting the show that can often dictate it too.”

Any other Scottish artists we might not yet know about?

(Angus) “Running a blog means as well means I can talk at length about this so I’ll try and be brief. Despite being in the band I’m in I often end up listening to a lot of loud, riff orientated bands like Carnivores and The Darien Venture (whom I love). If instrumental music is your thing, then our good pals Vasa are definitely worth listening to. Campfires In Winter who you’ve already featured, blew me away the first time I saw them last year and I can’t wait for their single launch next week as well. Inuit who I did a blog post a wee while ago seemed to be very interesting. I absolutely loved PAWS’ debut, and look forward to seeing what Honeyblood have to offer as well. On the quieter side of things a singer originally from Edinburgh but based in London who goes under the name Blue Rose Code has just put out an excellent debut album called North Ten which I highly recommend. Jamie Flett & Matt Scott both played amazing sets at our EP launch, and finally Anna Sweeney, Hannah Jackson and our own Erin Todd are excellent female solo performers. I think that’s enough for now…”

glasGOwest

Man Without Machines

Posted on March 1, 2013March 2, 2013 by a little Corner of Scotland

The combination of yellow and red cover art plus the name Man without Machines inevitably (for someone who was a teenager in the early 80’s in Canada that is) brought to mind the debut LP from Men Without Hats. Apparently, they were too style conscious to wear them in the frigid Montreal winters. Any hidden meaning in your name? Could you also explain the significance of the title – Kreuzberg Press?

“Ah now, this is where things get confusing. I originally went under the name of ‘The Kreuzberg Press’ as a sort of working title for the ‘band’. I then settled on ‘Man Without Machines’ which was a slightly modified version of a 1960s book title by Cottie Arthur Burland called ‘Men Without Machines: The Story of Primitive Peoples’. I’ve not actually read it but I can imagine it might be a patronising look at indigenous peoples or something like that. The title I liked because it reminded me of Kraftwerk, obviously the ‘Man Machine’ but also the way they gave off the persona of being primitive, robotic, all dressed the same and without obvious individual personalities. Of course I’m also playing on the irony of a man without machines when I do actually use lots of them.

The similarity to ‘Men Without Hats’ name is entirely coincidental, but one I’m happy to go along with.

I decided to resurrect the ‘The Kreuzberg Press’ for the title of the album. I find Kreuzberg (in Berlin) a fascinating place. It has been a hot bed for art, music and counter culture for many years. Most well know as where Iggy Pop and Bowie used hang out and was the inspiration of Bowie’s ‘Low’ album. It was also where the press was traditionally based, almost like it’s voice and also the presence of Checkpoint Charlie – an iconic symbol of the cold war. All these things coming together make it very interesting.”

There is, obviously, something behind the frequent references to the music as being somewhat of an electro-pop nod to the eighties inspired nineties. Was that a conscious aim or does it just happen to be a byproduct of the instrumentation?

“I would say it was partly intentional and partly not. People often criticise the 80s for being bad for music, but it certainly wasn’t, they only remember the hair metal, polished pop and novelty acts. I write the songs first and then add the instrumentation. I wanted to create a combination of nods to 80s new-wave synth and the more crunchy indie-guitar pop of the 90s. There are some deliberate references, like the string synth sound in ‘Peterloo’ is very similar to ‘Seconds’ by The Human League.”

The video for ‘Something’s Happening Here’ is bouncy, fun and highlights the almost casual vocal delivery that makes the record as a whole stand out from much of the over wrought earnestness out there at the moment. It isn’t superficial, there is quite a lot going on under the hood and, maybe most importantly of all, it is just out and out fun to listen to. Was the record something that came from within or is it also, in part, a reaction to the music currently around you?

“The songs do come from within and I wanted to something to do something that I enjoyed rather than try to fit in with what’s going on around. I quite like how it has such a big sound but with the nonchalant vocals. Some people have criticised that but I avoided affecting the vocal too much. That video is definitely done with a bit of a wink and tongue in cheek.”

When I learned that the first single ‘Something’s Happening Here’ included a cover of ‘Six Months in a Leaky Boat’ I had to track one down. I’m old enough to have heard it played live on the ‘Time and Tide’ tour and it has always been a favourite. How did you come to making it the B-side?

“I’m not quite sure why I chose that, I’ve always liked the Finn brothers and thought it was a fun song to do. I came across it again after not having heard it for ages and thought it would fit in quite well the MWM sound. It was actually on the UK radio ‘advisory’ list when Split Enz released it due to the Falklands war, probably due to the title rather the song itself, so it didn’t get much airplay at the time in the UK.”

‘Even Still Even Though’ is the just released second video. The song, with its wonderful staccato vocals is no less infectious than the first single. I’m struggling to make out what it is actually about. Could you elaborate?

“Ha, now this one is our ‘Whiter Shade of Pale’ it doesn’t actually mean anything, it’s more of a word play thing. I’m sure someone can come up with some profound interpretation though.”

I’m assuming that ‘Peterloo’ isn’t directly about St. Peter’s Fields and is perhaps an allusion to the current Scottish political climate regarding potential independence. A little hard to tell from over here, but am I even close? Would you care to comment on the song’s intent?

“Ah, you are correct in that it’s not directly about the original Peterloo, but it’s more to do with the Arab Spring, starting with the green revolution in Iran. I thought there were quite a lot of similarities with the St Peter’s Field events. The situation in Scotland is different, there are no mass protests or military in the streets, it’s more like the Quebec situation.”

I’ve had the album on an usb stick in the stereo for a while now. It rather conveniently begins playing from the beginning whenever the receiver is turned on. It always catches me by surprise how much it bouys the spirit whenever it is turned on. What was the recording process like?

“Well I record everything in my home studio. Most of the ideas start with guitar and it evolves from there – adding synth parts and drums. Some of the Bass parts were re-recorded by Andrew who elaborated a bit more on what I had done. I then went to chem19 studios (Chemikal Underground’s studios), near Glasgow and mixed all the tracks up there with the input of Paul Savage (ex Delgados). It was good to get his input, we took some things out, doubled things up, added extra drum parts and so on.”

We are all off to see the Wedding Present play ‘George Best’ tonight. Is any song on that record a particular favourite? I’m probably most excited to hear ‘My Favourite Dress’. If you had to do a WP cover what would you choose?

“The Wedding Present, one of my favourite bands. I’ve always wanted to cover a Weddos track and I definitely will at some point. From George Best it would probably be ‘A Million Miles’. If it was Bizzaro it would be ‘Brassneck’. One of favourite moments seeing them play was in Glasgow where Gedge announces “I’m not being funny but can anyone remember the first line of [a song]” then someone from the audience shouts it back and he say “oh yes that’s it” and starts playing the song.”

Will the album only be available on CD and download?

“For just now yes. I’m putting it out on my own label so the budget is tight. If there is a demand for vinyl then I’ll think about doing it.”

You’ve also got the 10th Spare Snare record coming out at the end of March. Through some bandcamp snafus, I was able to get a copy the minute it was posted. The sonic differences are pretty pronounced. What is your usual role and contribution to a typical Spare Snare song?

“We’ve got this reputation for swapping instruments on stage – well that’s even more pronounced when we record. I’m mainly on keys, guitar or bass, but some tracks I’ll be playing drums, which I can’t really play. We don’t really have set roles during recording it’s just what comes out at the time. We are always forgetting what parts we’ve played when we come to play the newer stuff live.”

Anybody in Dundee we should keep our ears open for? (and that better not include Dundee’s ‘Mumford and Sons’)

“(Ha ha I know who you’re talking about.) There’s not really a scene as such in Dundee at the moment but there are some bands that keep cropping up. There’s a band called ‘Fat Goth’ who are a heavy rock band – I’m still not sure if they are serious or a parody though. There’s another young band called ‘Blood Indians’ who are starting to crop up, they play kind of sparse dark folky stuff.”

I’ll leave you with one clip to close. I think I’ve found the subliminal seed for my love of Scottish music. “I think that I’m in Scotland and I’m walking in the forest through the rain and I wonder if I’ll fall in love again.” Of course, since that isn’t really a question perhaps you could ask one instead?

“Ah Men Without Hats, great stuff. When I was going through this before, Family Guy was on the TV in the background and ‘The Safety Dance’ came on in the episode – nice coincidence.

So as you are someone who has lived in Canada – anytime I’ve been there people tell me that their grandparents are from such and such a place in Scotland, there seems to be more of a diaspora of Scots in Canada than in the States. Is that something that has been a factor in your passion for Scottish music?”

No Scottish heritage here. One of the last of the German emigrants to the New World, on a ship no less. Arrived in Montreal in ’67 at the age of three and boarded the train to English speaking Ontario. Maybe I picked up something of the North Atlantic during the passage. Growing up in Canada it was easier to be exposed to music from the U.K. My passion first fueled by such things as the Delgados and much, if not all, of the Chemikal Underground roster has become even deeper with the past decade’s Scottish talent. There is a particular underlying cadence to the music that is more deeply satisfying than most music from other regions. Since starting the blog about a year and half ago, this has deepened even further the more I explore. Having said that I am really perturbed that the upcoming Frightened Rabbit show is the same night as Efterklang.

The album will be available from all the usual digital places on March 4. Here is a soundcloud album sampler in the meantime.

Thor

Bands We've Chatted With

Campfires in Winter: White Lights

Posted on February 26, 2013March 10, 2013 by a little Corner of Scotland

I quite like the single art work. Who designed it? Simplicity itself compared to a Biffy cover, but it is just as effective. Will the little campfire carry forward as a bit of branding?

“The artwork was designed by a friend of ours called Geo Chierchia (Eleven Eighty Seven). We had originally planned to do the artwork ourselves but asked Geo to design a poster for the gig. The idea he came back with was fantastic and we took the decision then to ask him to design the CD artwork too. I think we probably will continue to use the wee campfire, aye. It’s weird because one of the first things we decided when we chose our band name was that we could never use fire, campfires or winter on any artwork. And then when we saw Geo’s design we just thought fuck it, that looks really good.”

Not being a stranger to the band, I took a great interest in listening to ‘Cardboard Ships’. I was quite surprised by how much more I liked it than I remembered. I didn’t recall it being one of my favourites from the early recordings. I’d certainly think of it as one now. It is remarkable how nicely you’ve polished it up and given it a deeply moving new musical underpinning. Are there any other older songs that have been reworked?

Our songs are always developing really. We’re always looking for ways to make them better. Cardboard Ships was one of those ones that, when we listened back to it, we felt could be better. In fact, there was an acoustic version we recorded for a radio session once that this new version is actually based on. We just wanted to make something epic and beautiful (despite the dark subject matter) because we felt it was a good enough song. We are taking the same approach to a few older songs too, one of which is ‘They Looked Just Like Fallen Leaves‘. We’ll see how it all goes.”

The new single ‘White Lights’ seems to be richer and a little more musically diverse. Is it a good indicator of where your song writing is taking you?

“Lyrically, it’s a little more personal than much of our previous material. I feel that I’ve shied away from writing about personal stuff in the past and that, while I like writing about imaginary situations happening to imaginary characters and having those same characters appear over different songs, I should open up a little more. I think that’s something I’d like to carry on. Musically, it’s maybe a bit more poppy than we normally are – a bit ‘straighter’”

Is the single a solid step toward an upcoming full length? (please assure us that an updated version of ‘Before The Owl Will Fly’ will be there as well)

“Yep. The next step after this will be an EP in the autumn, then a full length album sometime next year. As for ‘Before The Owl Will Fly’, I certainly hope so”

What do you think of the new Fake Major single?

“I really like it. I was sorry to hear Endor had finished because I thought they released a really fantastic album and didn’t really get all the recognition they deserved for it. But aye, it’s great. It’s a bit more atmospheric than Endor, and kind of feels like how they might have progressed had the stayed together.”

Ever since starting up the vinyl collection again, quite a few 7” singles have travelled across the Atlantic. I was just looking at the stack of them and marveled how much more substantial (and artistic ) they were compared to CDs. Do you still buy them? If so, what were the last 2 or 3 you’ve picked up?

“I do indeed. In fact when it comes to new releases I try and go for vinyl over CD if the option is there. My last vinyl purchase was Frightened Rabbit’s Pedestrian Verse with the Dead Now 7”. Over the next few months I’m planning to look back at my CD collection and get some of my favourites on vinyl too.”

Right now advance copies of the single seem to be attached to the launch gig. What forms will it be available in after that?

“It’ll be available as a digital download and a limited run of CDs. No vinyl this time I’m afraid but hopefully we’ll get some of those done for a future release.”

The Campfires are pretty clear in stating who their influences are. Take a bit of Frightened Rabbit, a little Twilight Sad, and some of the more raucous potential of their own early demos and you’ll just begin to describe their sonic potential. Perhaps oddly, I’ve always been a little bit afraid that Campfires in Winter would be dismissively compared to them by ‘critics’ who then commit the additional sin of failing to appreciate the warmth, depth and range to be found in their music. Obviously, the musical terrain they tread on is similar – To American ears it is almost stereotypically Scottish. But that’s the thing about stereotypes – they are exactly that for a reason.

It is almost impossible to grasp that the band is just releasing their debut single considering how good their demo catalogue is. A revamped version of ‘Cardboard Ships’ included on the single highlights the strength of their musical development. Editing this section queues the song in my mind and now I’m compelled to listen to it yet again.

“We’ll get as far as we would in the sea on a cardboard ship as we would in the air on a paper plane trip”. Soaring poignant vocals flowing on a low sonic wave that opens up to a beautiful mid song instrumental melody that ushers in the next vocal round before ending in a slow washed out organ (or whatever sound it is) fade. When done – it begs to be played again from the beginning. This is no B-side.

The actual single comes in two lengths – a full 6.04 and a 4:32 radio edit.

With the introductory musical paragraph of the longer version neatly truncated, the shorter version lunges into the vocals almost immediately. “It will take 3 parts liquid and 2 parts luck”. Radio friendly and possibly more engaging; I rather like having both included even though there is not much difference after that. Interestingly, the vocals have been confined to the first part of the song allowing the music and guitars to have more expression than ever before. Describing it won’t do it justice (at least by me) and to be honest it isn’t something you’ve not ‘heard’ before. It is, however, a song that is better than the sum of its parts.

My reaction to this single oddly mirrors my reaction to the new Frightened Rabbit record. For them it is a very positive course correction and for the Campfires it is the herald of a potentially incredible debut album to come. Hopefully they’ll go as far.

For a little extra treat, I came across this clip of this acapel-a-coustic version of ‘See Us There, Both.’and don’t forget to get the actual demo here.

(update) The video for ‘White Lights‘ was released on March 4th, 2013.

(update) I’ll let you work out what a fish in a sub is — White Lights Acoustic

Thor