Archive for June, 2007
D’ye ken?
Tuesday, June 26th, 2007
Forgive our honesty, but we almost didn’t put THE DYKEENIES in The Pop Cop today. They tick all the right boxes by being Scottish, up-and-coming and on the move, but we still reckon it could go either way for the popular Cumbernauld band.
We’ve heard about 10 songs they’ve put their name to and only a couple really made us perk up. But when they get it right – as they clearly did with debut single Will It Happen Tonight? – it’s easy to see why the King Tut’s record label handpicked them for their first pet project.
Now signed to Lavolta Records and about to release new single Clean Up Your Eyes on July 9, only time will tell if The Dykeenies can come up with enough ideas to rise above every other Killers-influenced brooding indie rock band out there. Watch this space.
And watch them here:
Jul 10, Kef, Aberdeen
Jul 12, King Tut’s, Glasgow
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Remember, he’s a Woomble
Monday, June 25th, 2007
This is dedication for you. We’re just in the door from The Outsider. Our shoes are ruined thanks to 72 hours of rain in Aviemore and our muddy carbon footprints are all over our Golf’s interior. But it was well worth it. We started our eco-friendly festival experience with a massage for two (not like that), which got us all blissed out for the musical treats ahead.
And so today’s post-cum-Outsider rundown will be in dedication of RODDY WOOMBLE, whom we have to admitThe Pop Cop had forgotten about. He’s a very endearing chap and a multi-layered (as our photo shows, he wore a T-shirt, cardigan AND jacket!) folk hero these days. The performance couldn’t have been further from hisIdlewild days. There he was, in between a fiddler and an accordion, not having a clue what to do with his hands during songs. Bless.
As good as acoustic versions of You Held The World In Your Arms and American English were, the highlight was My Secret Is My Silence from his solo record of the same name, an album which we don’t think anyone bought. Maybe you should think about it.
Next up was Eddie Reader. In fine voice and doing her best to warm up a drenched crowd, she performed ashoogling (Google shoogle if you want to know what it means) set including some Robert Burns numbers. Her banter was great too and she even gave out the address of a guy who she’d written a song about. Poor guy. She also threw in a couple of Fairground Attraction songs to remind us of the timeless essence of good songwriting.
Unlike Justin Currie, who reminded us of the horrors of choosing to stay dry in a tent over sanity. In an endless list of awful things that made for a truly gut-wrenching experience, his session musicians stand out for ridicule for appearing to be cast-offs for the part of Status Quo’s backing band. Think stripy trousers, gum chewing and more leather than you’d get from the local coos. Actually, best not think about it.
Guillemots were up next to save us from hunting down Currie and subjecting him to a similarly slow death. Despite having to play acoustically they brought their circus music and freaky dancing to town. We’d run away with them.
Quite what headliners Crowded House were doing in Aviemore is still a mystery to us. Having the privilege to watch one of the best bands to ever walk the planet was everything we could ever have hoped for and more. They’ve just announced a show at the SECC on November 30. We’re going for a lie down first.
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Oh Macdonald, what a yarn
Friday, June 22nd, 2007
There’s nothing worse than someone saying you look like a goat behind your back. Well, actually, there is… what if you just happened to be standing behind them when they said it. Ouch.
The reason many people will probably take an instant dislike to AMY MACDONALD is the same reason we admire her so much. At the age of 19, she cites her influences as Travis and Babyshambles. You heard right. Not The Byrds, nor The Jam, nor Joy Division nor any other supposedly more credible band from another era that teenage musicians claim to be rejuvenating the spirit of. You grew up in the 90s, lads, give it a rest.
Back to our Glaswegian friend Amy, then. She posts messages on the Travis board, worships Jake Gyllenhaal and writes songs about footballers’ wives. Haven’t we all.
Here’s a true story. The Pop Cop first heard of Amy Mac when barely 10 seconds of Poison Prince was played in an advertising plug for her debut single. Some ear-prickingly distinctive vocals, feisty acoustic guitar work and a catchy hook later and we were sold. Our only disappointment was that the song wasn’t about killing the Purple Rain dwarf, which you’ll soon realise if you download it here.
Amy already has a record deal with a major label and an inevitably polished debut album, which goes by the name of This Is The Life, will land on July 30.
See her in Scotland here:
July 7 – T-Break Tent, T in the Park
August 10 – Belladrum Festival, Inverness
August 14 – Tunnels, Aberdeen
August 15 – Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh
August 16 – King Tut’s, Glasgow
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