Archive for August, 2011

The major label massacre

Friday, August 19th, 2011

There are no shortage of scare stories about how the music business can be a cruel, cruel place. This, sadly, is another one.

In February 2010, I dedicated a post to the growing number of emerging Scottish artists who had been snapped up by major labels – a promising sign that an industry in decline could at least see genuine commercial potential in our talent.

Their 18-month progress report, however, makes for very grim reading, with the majority of these young musicians having found themselves on the receiving end of some ruthless decision-making this summer. If you don’t want to know the score, look away now…

PEARL AND THE PUPPETS
Dropped by Universal Republic/Island Records after releasing two EPs, Because I Do and Make Me Smile, which were featured in adverts for the likes of Vodafone, Victoria’s Secret and Orange as well as the movie Tamara Drewe. Katie Sutherland is currently battling to obtain a host of recordings that had been earmarked for her debut album which the label still owns the legal rights to and has no plans to release.

KID ADRIFT
Dropped by Island Records after one EP, Oxytocin, and one single, A4 In Ecstasy. A status update from the band in November 2010 announced that they were in the process of mixing their debut album which is now unlikely to ever see the light of day.

THE BOY WHO TRAPPED THE SUN
Dropped by Geffen after one album, Fireplace, which failed to dent the top 200 of the UK charts and peaked at No.57 in the Scottish charts. Stornoway-born Colin MacLeod also released a handful of singles and EPs in partnership with indie label Chess Club.

Pearl And The Puppets – Slamming Doors

The Boy Who Trapped The Sun – Dreaming Like A Fool

EDIT: Glasvegas can be added to this list – they were dropped by Columbia after their second album flopped.

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Music Alliance Pact – August 2011

Monday, August 15th, 2011

This is the first time I’ve ever picked an act to represent Scotland in the Music Alliance Pact who have yet to play their first gig, but there’s no doubting the quality of impassioned indie-rockers Arches. The band (which features former members of Young States, Jocasta Sleeps and Yashin) have spent much of the year squirrelled away recording a bundle of great tracks, the pick of the bunch being Like Fireworks – a Music Alliance Pact exclusive free download.

Click the play button icon to listen to individual songs, right-click on the song title to download an mp3, or grab a .zip file of the whole 32-track compilation via MediaFire.

SCOTLAND: The Pop Cop
Arches – Like Fireworks (radio edit)
If a band’s ambition is related to the epicness of the music then Arches’ goals must be stadium-sized. Like Fireworks is the sort of song someone with the pedigree and studio budget of Doves or Elbow would release as the first single from a new album, not the first offering from an unsigned Glasgow group. Immerse yourself in its colossal choruses here and on the promo video.

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The Goss: a catch-up

Sunday, August 14th, 2011

I’m back from my two-week break – hopefully Natasha took good care of you. If you’re suffering withdrawal symptoms from not getting your daily fix of Scottish music news on The Goss feed at the top of this site’s homepage then you can overdose on this catch-up post (while being bombarded with some of my holiday snaps).

So, our noisy neighbours burnt down the Sony warehouse in Enfield that housed the stock of independent distributor PIAS, which was awful news for record labels such as Chemikal Underground. The Phantom Band seem to have captured the mood of the (non-rioting) nation with this tweet:

Rightio, on with the updates and scenery shots – there’s a prize if you can name which country I was in…

LIVE SHOW ANNOUNCEMENTS
August 18: A new Glasgow-based venture called A Square Go! is taking a leaf out of the Detour handbook by putting on gigs in unusual spaces and environments. The launch night sees Conquering Animal Sound, Yahweh and The Radiation Line play in a West End bedroom. Unlike the Detour events you have to part with some cashish, but you do get a couple of downloads for your £4. Ticket link
August 25: We Were Promised Jetpacks have been added as support to Jimmy Eat World at Edinburgh’s Corn Exchange. Ticket link
August 22-29: The DF Concerts-organised Rock n Roll Damnation features a week of heavy riffage in various venues around Glasgow. The highlight is LightGuides + We’re Only Afraid Of NYC + Pareto at King Tut’s on August 28. You’ll be able to buy LightGuides’ debut album Samba Samba Samba a day before its official release – it’s a belter. Ticket link (includes free download of We’re Only Afraid Of NYC’s forthcoming single)

September 2: Maximo Park at Edinburgh’s Liquid Room. Ticket link
September 5-18: Glasgow’s fortnight-long celebration of Americana music, No Mean City, plays host to more than 50 artists across six venues. Check out Three Blind Wolves + Washington Irving at ABC2 on September 14. Ticket link
September 10-11: The Electric Frog festival at Glasgow’s SWG3 features the likes of Mogwai, Wild Beasts, The Fall, Mount Kimble, Errors and Jeff Mills. Ticket link

October 15: Kyla La Grange at Glasgow’s Captain’s Rest. Ticket link
October 19-28: Sons And Daughters at Aberdeen’s Tunnels on October 19, Dundee’s Fat Sams on October 20 and Glasgow’s ABC on October 28.
October 22: Ash at Glasgow’s ABC. Ticket link
October 27: Noel Gallagher at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall (sold out)
October 28 – November 4: King Creosote and Kid Canaveral go off on a joint tour, stopping at Ullapool’s Ceilidh Place on October 28, Inverness’ Ironworks on October 29, Aberdeen’s Lemon Tree on October 31, Edinburgh’s Liquid Room on November 2, Dundee’s Doghouse on November 3 and Banchory’s Woodend Barn on November 4. In addition, Kid Canaveral are playing Bfest in Wick on August 20, Glasgow’s King Tut’s on September 6 (supporting The Jezabels) and the Kaleidoscope Festival in St Andrews on October 1.
October 30-31: Ben Howard at Aberdeen’s Tunnels on October 30 and Glasgow’s King Tut’s on October 31.

November 7: Guillemots at Glasgow’s Oran Mor. Ticket link
November 10: Agnes Obel at Glasgow’s Stereo. Ticket link
November 19: Okkervil River at Glasgow’s Oran Mor. Ticket link

OTHER HAPPENINGS
Edinburgh-based student radio station Fresh Air have an 18-track compilation of Scottish bands called The Inside Track Vol. 2 available to buy for just £2 on Bandcamp, with proceeds going to the Waverley Care charity.

You can help yourself to a free download of Do You Ever by Rod Jones And The Birthday Suit – the Idlewild guitarist’s side-project, by right-clicking here

Artists interested in applying to play at industry showcase events SXSW and/or MIDEM should attend Creative Scotland’s advice and information session at Glasgow’s ABC2 on August 30, which will cover topics such as the application process, costs, funding and visas. The event is free of charge but places must be reserved by emailing events@culturalenterpriseoffice.co.uk or call 0844 544 9990.

Creative Scotland have also teamed up with Glasgow arts venue Platform to offer five bands three days of free studio time to record a demo. Applicants must be under 25. Email info@platform.co.uk for more details.

Galleries have some rather good new recordings available to hear on Soundcloud
Young Wounds by Galleries