Here’s a small selection of the best music I have been sent, borrowed or bought in the last couple of weeks. First off is the new single from one of Scotland’s top bands, and who got me to buy new vinyl for the first time in decades in the form of their album the peter’s port memorial service, one of the records of 2010. Of course it’s Mitchell Museum with What They Built, the launch of which is at Glasgow’s Stereo tonight (4/7/20110). It is a piece of power pop driven by relentless drums and guitar, and which is accompanied by a cover of MIA’s Paper Planes. Here’s the single:
http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F17653797 What They Built – Single by mitchellmuseum
Next we have the brilliantly named Jekyll Island, the new single from Rollor. This is a band which I don’t know much about, but I’m sure I will rectify that in the near future. I’ve said it before, but it is refreshing that there seems to be a lot more dirty noise around at the moment than has been the case in recent years. Play it through the oldest speakers you have for maximum effect:
You’ll remember that I went right over the top about Cigarette Smuggling by Mummy Short Arms, a song I still play regularly and which is my song of the year so far. It was released on the Glasgow label Flowers in the Dustbin so I thought I’d check out what else they had to offer. There is lots of good stuff which you can browse here soundcloud.com/flowersinthedustbin but my favourite, ok second favourite, is Yorkshire by For Abel. It is classic guitar pop that is reminiscent if The Wedding Present, one of the best bands ever to have plugged into a Peavey. Here you go:
http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F11367135 Yorkshire by For Abel
Next up is Arran Arctic with Interrupt Me from his latest album In Your Hands. He is one of my favourite new discoveries, and I did so because he commented on something I had written elsewhere. I liked the name and followed it up, and it took me to his website arranarctic which has lots of examples of the lovely sounds he makes. Lots of stuff like this:
Next up is the first single from the new Sons and Daughter album Mirror Mirror, which many will already be familiar with. The album hasn’t yet seduced me as their previous ones have, although admittedly I’ve only had a couple of listens which I will look to remedy soon, but this is a great track with a cracking video. This is Breaking Fun:
I’m going to leave you with a heads up for the first in the new series of Artworks Scotland on BBC 2 tomorrow night (5/7/2011) at 9pm. Titled Scotland Rocks at South by South West, it is Sir Vic Galloway’s guide to the best Scottish bands who visited this year’s SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas. Those featured include Admiral Fallow, Unicorn Kid, Kid Canaveral, Edwyn Collins, The Proclaimers, Rachel Sermanni and many more. Unfortunately it will only be available in Scotland, although I presume everyone who is able to access iplayer will be able to catch it soon after. Here is the trailer to whet the apetite: