Kowalskiy's Free Monthly 5-track Scottish EP #21

Click to enlarge!

Guess who found a free comic-making app on his laptop?!  So this month, as well as giving us all a beezer of a free track, five of the country's most talented bands have contributed to what may well be the last ever Kowalskiy comic strip.  I think it's rather dandy!  OK, so who do we have on this month's EP?  Well...

1.  Behold, the Old Bear - Solsbury Hill (Remember a while back, pre-demise of mitchell museum, Raindeer started releasing covers?  Well, here he is, post-rebirth, releasing another.)

"Solsbury Hill is probably one of my favorite songs. I remember loving it even before knowing who was responsible for it. From the back of my dads car in them good old days when I was still small enough to be carried to bed after falling asleep on a long car journey. I recorded this cover of it a while ago intending to be part of a thing we were doing on the Mitchell Museum website called " Raindeer's Covers Corner" . It was supposed to have a video to accompany it. We went as far as the filming process, which had me running up Garnet Hill just off Sauchiehall Street for roughly an hour and a half. It was very tiring work. In the end Kris, my then flatmate and MM band buddy wasn't able to get the edit to work, so it was scrapped. So in retaliation I broke his acoustic guitar. True story. At least now it will be heard." - Raindeer (Behold, the Old Bear)

2.  Blue Sky Archives - Cosplay The Hard Way (Been itching to get this lot involved for a while.  Here's a track from their current, and brilliant, EP.)

"The first release from Blue Sky Archives third (and latest) EP, 'Triple A-Side'; Cosplay The Hard Way explores the sexual politics of a failing relationship, within a lush tapestry of interweaving melodies. Soft guitars, rich piano and sinister strings subtly punctuate a gradual rhythmic build toward a powerful emotive crescendo. Cosplay The Hard Way, and the band's Triple A-Side EP is available for download from The Blue Sky Archives Band Camp page... http://blueskyarchives.bandcamp.com/" - Paul Mark McGrath (Blue Sky Archives)

3.  This Silent Forest - Lovers Come Home (Here's one of their upcoming EP tracks which came out of their A Song A Day (for 30 Days) challenge last year.  Can't wait for the EP to hear what else made the cut!)

"Enjoy our track "Lovers Come Home" which was part of our Song A Day Challenge last year and is meant to be about World War 1. We liked it so much we put that and three others on a EP, which is due to be released soon along with our new single Milk and another EP called "The Lighter Side". We will also be releasing videos soon for all tracks, eight in total. To coincide with these tracks we are on Tour (used very lightly) around Scotland with our headline show in The Captains Rest on the 24th March." - Graeme "Squirrel" Macdonald (This Silent Forest)

4.  The Sea Kings - The Nitrate In My Blood (acoustic) (Can't stop listening to their Some Dark Matters EP!  Here's an acoustic, folky take on one of the tracks.)

"I think each of us at one time or another were in some kind of alt-country band so it was always in our nature to revert back to something a bit more folky. The songs are all written on acoustic guitar and so tend to hark from that world to begin with anyway. We're always keen to figure out as many versions of the songs as possible and love playing acoustic gigs. For some reason they're less pressure. So here's an alternate version of The Nitrate In My Blood from our debut EP Some Dark Matters." - Brian Canning (The Sea Kings)

5.  The Spook School - That's When I Ran Away (demo) (Their two double A-sides so far have been fairly outstanding, so I'm chuffed to bits to have a brand-spanking new demo for your listening pleasure!)

"Here's another song we've recorded in Adam's bedroom. We'll get back into a studio at some point. Until then you've got this. It's about FEAR - hope it doesn't scare you!" - Naomi Todd (The Spook School)

A huge thank you to all five bands and one band manager (you know who you are big guy!) for contributing this month.  You can, as ever, get the EP over on my Bandcamp page where you'll also find the previous twenty if you're fancying a new music splurge this weekend.   Hope you enjoy it!

I'm looking to build up a wee stockpile of tracks for future EPs.  So if you've got something hidden away on an old hard drive which needs a good home, or an upcoming release you're wanting to plug, maybe you want to go and record a wee acoustic version especially for me (don't say "no" now, mull it over!), then send me an email (kowalskiy2@gmail.com) and we'll go from there.

Kowalskiy Singles Club #11

Hey folks, it's been a while, but the musical lovedoctor is back.  Back with another batch of recent singles that'll hopefully catch your eye, warm your cockles and maybe, if you're especially lucky, maybe even take you to Heaven and back.  So, let's not waste any more time.  Here's some new singles for the New Year.  Just remember though... No likey? No clicky the artwork to take you to the download page!

Cosplay The Hard Way by Blue Sky Archives

"Four Glasgow Bears and one Lady-Bear WLTM knights and knight-ettes in shining armour to download their free single, and do romance / dirty sex stuff. Loving, loyal and a big fan of Prince, looking for the same in someone special. Likes: GSOH, GBH, pina coladas, walks in (purple) rain and Primus. Dislikes: people who kick cats, pigeons and other small creatures. And anyone who plays Paul Stanley’s solo material in a public place." - Lauren Mayberry (Blue Sky Archives)

Ooh err missus Mayberry!  Well, if that kinda thing sounds right up your street, then you can get your hands on the latest single from these five Glasgow bears absolutely free... so long as you sign up to their mailing list.  But that's a very small price to pay for something which is pretty damn good!  Pina Coladas not included.

Never Again/Simple by New Town Triptych

"Having been misunderstood and burned in the past I am a total contradiction. While I say Never Again, here I am writing a lonely hearts ad. If you are interested enough to see my face, you'll find it hiding behind my silent mouth unable to decide what to do...." - Scott Thomson (New Town Triptych)

This further hammers home their burgeoning reputation as one of the country's most exciting new bands.  Now a 5-piece, this is New Town Triptych's new double A-side funded by Creative Scotland.  If you ask me, there's definite touches of early Broken Records to the A+ side Never Again.  The single will be available to the first 200 downloaders for FREE.  Here's hoping I've not posted this too late!  

This City by The Last September

"Grizzly, well travelled character, with perhaps too much life experience seeks harmony and a renewed faith in humanity. Surely there’s sunshine and rainbows out there? Must share a love of a catchy chorus. Can’t we all just get along?" - Pete Deane (The Last September)

Yes, yes we can!  Now this one isn't out to buy until the beginning of March but teasing bastards as they are, The Last September have put it up on their SoundCloud to whet your appetite.  The eagle-eared amongst you might recognise it as a re-working of Tough Love from their As The Crow Flies album which hit the shelves... last September!

Traps by So Many Animal Calls

"Young, overly emotional boy seeks companions to help him dig a hole. It's definitely not for a body.  Ownership of a spade, a penchant for aggressive pop and willingness to accept 6/4 timing a must.  The hole is not for a body. Definitely not." - Sean McKenna (So Many Animal Calls)

Hmmm definitely sounds to me like it's for a body!  This is failpoppers So Many Animal Calls' debut single which is out on the 13th February via the rather lovely Overlook Records.     

Zut Alors by My Tiny Robots

"Four unconventionally handsome musicians, assorted shapes and sizes, seek the public face of their music. Ideal candidate will have the looks of Thierry Henry, the anger of Eric Cantona and the sexual prowess of Nicolas Sarkozy. Zur Alors, out now on iTunes and Bandcamp." - Gareth Anderson (My Tiny Robots)

Ooh la la!  This is one of my tips for 2012, My Tiny Robots' second appearance on the Singles Club, with this, their second in a set of three singles being released this winter.  Much like the first one (Guild of Defiants) this one is tres bien!

Smart E.P. by Smart

"Three young men seeking like-minded individuals to share a love of deep-pocket grooving and hook-laden pop. Must possess ears, a funky disposition and at least one suit which isn’t for court. Open to men and women of all ages. We just want someone to hold us…" - Graeme Macdonald (Smart)

Ah so nothing to do with Mark Speight and Kirsten Whatseherface... oh well. Still, this is a great debut from newcomers Smart.  They just want someone to hold them... is that too much to ask??

K&A with Blue Sky Archives

(left to right: Ross, Lauren, Matt, Paul, and Pete. Photo courtesy of Nicola McGrath.)

Glasgow's Blue Sky Archives have been racking up the plaudits recently. I caught up with Lauren, her with the "good set of pipes" according to Mr. Galloway, and asked a few questions about the band, their gem of an EP, and what the future holds in store for Blue Sky Archives.

Kowalskiy: Who are Blue Sky Archives?
Lauren: We are a new(ish) five-piece from Glasgow. I play percussion and synths and sing co-lead vocals with Paul, who plays guitar. Pete plays bass and does the recording, Matt does guitar and backing vocals whilst Ross plays drums, percussion and some keys.

Kowalskiy: How did the band get together, and what's the story behind the name?
Lauren: It took us a while to find each other, but we've been going as Blue Sky Archives since December when Ross joined. Paul and I had been writing together for a bit before that but things came together piece by piece as the other guys joined. Getting a name we could all agree on was a struggle, since we all have very definite ideas of what we do and don't want, so many monikers were mooted and scrapped. We came up with Blue Sky Archives the weekend we were recording the EP, after making a massive A4 list and voting on them. Hardly the most romantic story but it was a much better way of sorting it out than me and Paul wrestling to the death over it, which might have been the next step.

Kowalskiy: Can you think of a sentence that best describes the band, and the music you make?
Lauren: So far, we've been going with "post-rock pop music with a heart". Maybe that sounds quite emo but I think it sums everything up quite well. I always think that if you don't really believe in what you're doing and if it doesn't have a bit of your heart in it, people can easily see through that. It's got to be earnest, or you might as well not bother at all.

Kowalskiy: Who or what are your main influences?
Lauren: Musically, it's hard to say who are influences are as a group, because I'm pretty sure there aren't that many bands that all five of us could agree on but I think that diversity and range is what gives the sound some of its kick. I harbour a great love for girly rock like Sleater Kinney and PJ Harvey but we're all big fans of sweet harmonies and heavy rhythms. Paul and I agree on most things to do with Saddle Creek and bands like Broken Social Scene. Ross and Matt are a bit heavier in their tastes (Tool is a regular topic of conversation) and Pete says all he ever listens to is Andrew WK but I'm not sure I believe that.

Kowalskiy: Your self-titled EP is out now on bandcamp. Is there a story behind it?
Lauren: We recorded the EP in one week at Pete's barn studio. We recorded drums and percussion on Sunday, bass on Monday, guitars on Tuesday, keys and vocals on Wednesday, mixed it Friday and Saturday, then mastered it on Sunday. Sounds a bit like a Craig David song. We're pretty lucky to be able to do so much ourselves, whether it be Pete doing the recording and mixing or Matt doing the designs. It makes it a lot easier to get things rolling as a band when you don't have to rely on people outside your unit too much in the early days. It's up on Bandcamp now for 50p per track, or we've got swish physical copies to sell at shows.

Kowalskiy: What would your ideal gig be?
Lauren: I love reading about that Fugazi/Bikini Kill DIY era in Washington. The whole ethos makes it seem like it would have been a pretty amazing time for live shows. Realistically, I'd love to play something like Primavera, as they get such rare performances as well as lots of contemporary bands that maybe don't tour as far into Europe that often. Last year, they had Sonic Youth, Neil Young, Shellac and Jesus Lizard, which is pretty incredible.

Kowalskiy: What's been the highlight of being in Blue Sky Archives so far?
Lauren: No bands I've been in before have ever really been played on the radio, so when we got played on the Vic Galloway show in May, that was very cool. We didn't really know it was going to happen as we'd only just got the EP mixed and only figured it out when scrolling through the track list of the show later on, so that adds to the warm and fuzzy feel. I just sent Malky B a track for interest's sake and he took it into the A & R zone the next week. What a guy.

Kowalskiy: What can we expect from Blue Sky Archives in the future?
Lauren: We're currently recording a follow up to our first EP, so our near future plans are to release that, gig more around Scotland and hopefully book a UK tour for later in the year (if you've got a pub toilet we could play in, please get in touch). Next year, we'll try our damnedest to get into some festivals and just really do as much as we can before we all get old and tired.

Kowalskiy: Lastly, anything you'd like to add? Maybe some interesting or embarrassing facts about a fellow bandmate?
Lauren: I couldn't do that... We ride together, we die together or something like that? Plus, if I rumble them, then God knows what they'd do to me. Put me on a high object I couldn't get down from or something terrifying like that...

In that case, best to leave it there then! Anyway, more info can be found on their blog and their great wee three-track EP (which in no way sounds like Craig David) can be bought from their bandcamp site for £1.50, or for a shiny CD version, head along to one of their gigs...

Upcoming Gigs
17th July - Pelmet Nights @ Nice 'N' Sleazy, Glasgow
31st July - Sneaky Pete's, Edinburgh
1st Aug - This Is Our Battlefield @ The 13th Note, Glasgow
9th Sept - Define Pop vs. Daily Dose @ The 13th Note, Glasgow