Coastal Skid Spy Wok v17.0

Time for the latest notcast now.  I'll level with you... I've not really paid much attention to the recent goings-on on SoundCloud this week.  So, instead of the usual, this weekend the notcast will have more of a Thistly twist.  This time next Saturday, down in Dunbar, Thistly Fest 2012 will be well under way with one of the finest line-ups there is going.  So here's my pick of the acts...

First up, the organisers also made good use of SoundCloud and ran a competition to pick the final two acts for the festivities.  In the end, the lovely Yaya Club and Cafe Disco (who are just as lovely) triumphed.  Both great choices if you ask me.  So here's Darren Vincent, a.k.a. Yaya Club to kick us off.

   Cold Night, Be Kind by Yaya Club

Darren's also put up this video to accompany the track.  Next up, is Glasgow's Cafe Disco with their brilliant Terra Nova.  If my snooping has served me right, they'll be playing the acoustic stage.  If you're planning on heading to the festival... best check for yourselves though.

   Terra Nova by Cafe Disco

As well as these two, there's a whole host of amazing Scottish bands on show.  None more amazing than the band of the hour, Meursault.  Their new album Something For The Weakened is their best yet.  Gone may be 'computer guy' and with him, their unique glitchy, electro (just don't call them electro-folk) side, but that's not stopped Mr. Pennycook from producing one of Scotland's finest albums in years!  Here's lead single Flittin' to prove my point.

   Flittin' by Meursault (courtesy of Song, by Toad)

Be sure to get a hold of the single and/or album over at Song, by Toad Records on CD or vinyl.  As well as Meursault, Edinburgh bands FOUND, Capitals and Woodenbox will also be gracing Belhaven Farm with their presence.  All of whom are firm favourites at Kowalskiy HQ, but I guess I don't seem to feature FOUND as much as the others... so here's one from them... Anti-Climb Paint from their album Factorycraft.

   Anti-Climb Paint by FOUND

...which you can buy here.  You should also head over here to find out more about #UNRAVEL... possibly one of the most intriguing gigs of the year!  Should probably mention though that Woodenbox have a superb new EP out called The Vanishing Act, and Capitals have new single All These Years out too. 

Last track now from the fantastic Kitty The Lion.  You can get hold of their recent single Duck! over on iTunes, and while you're there I'd recommend you get hold of the others too.  You'll be happier for it!

   Lion in the Bed by Kitty The Lion

So that's just a taste of what to expect if you're off to Thistly Fest.  All the info is over here including the full line-up.   Good food, good cider, and great music... what more could you ask for?!   You can still get tickets over here if it tickles your fancy!

Coastal Skid Spy Wok v11.0

'Tis a wee bit sunny outside, with not a cloud in the sky, so I'll make this week's not-strictly-a-podcast-but-not-far-off-it a quickie.  Here's six more Scottish tracks from everyone's favourite German-based Swedish music-hosting site...

It's been 5 years since NYPD's John McClane, fought off fire-selling cyber-terrorists.  Well, apparently he's back, this time with a debut album out on Halleluwah Hits.  Strangely, he's developed something of a Glaswegian accent.  Weird...

   Nailed To The Cross by Die Hard (courtesy of Halleluwah Hits)

I'm of course joking!  This is the debut album by Glasgow's Die Hard.  Scotland's answer to the Animal Collective... except with an album you can actually listen to and enjoy without thinking "what the fuck is this pish!?"... I think that's fair.  Right, onto one of my favourite bands in Scotland at the moment, PET.  They're due to release their fourth single TOGETHER APART at the start of next month.  It's up streaming on Bandcamp just now, but sadly, not SoundCloud.  So you'll have to make do with their previous offering, the equally-great WEAR BLACK.  Those guys and gal love their CAPITALS.

   WEAR BLACK by PET

Which nicely leads us onto Capitals themselves.  Smooooth!  Their new single All These Years is out on June 4^th.  Is it any good I hear you cry?  Yes.  Yes, it is.  But don't take my word for it.  Have a listen below.

   All These Years by Capitals

Now we move onto a track from Café Disco which tips the scales at a whopping 9-and-a-half Awesomes... an Awesome being a unit I just came up with having had a bit too much sun and coffee.  The scale is however, analogous to the standard 'out of 10' scale.  Time to stop typing...

Persona by Cafe Disco

Next one is from The Winter Tradition... slightly unseasonable choice maybe given the searing ball of heat in the sky at the moment.  But, it's a great track.  It's out now, so if you like it, get buying!  Incidentally, I was in San Diego a few years back.  Pished it down!  In June as well.  What a shitehole!  And what's with people calling each other 'homes' all the time!? 

   San Diego by The Winter Tradition

I feel now like I should have been picking nice summery songs.  Maybe something like this, or this.  But no.  I'll end with this from Dundee's An Echo because I like it.  Not that I don't like those others mind you.  I do.  I'm just drawn to this one that wee bit more today.  Plus, it's free!  Right, factor 30 on.  I'm offski...

   Six Alive by An Echo

Kowalskiy Singles Club #12

So Valentine's is over for another year, yet it seems there's more singletons out there than usual!  Time then to hand the floor over to those harpless romantics (yes, these introductions are getting worse!). If you like what they have to say for themselves, click on the artwork, have a listen, and if you're boxes have all been ticked, get downloading! There's a bumper bevvy of beauties this time so there's gotta be one out there for you. Take it away...

The Day That Friction Overcame Fun by Johnny and the Giros

"Young and slightly attractive males seeking other males and females to join us in watching Omnibus's (omnibi) and having private sexy raves. Loves spending Sundays in pubs and trawling social networking websites for the possibility to obtain more cyber friends. Hates feeling alone and unwanted by all of you. Ambitions - The boy who ate all the cake in that film... Yeah him." - Scott Forsyth (JATG)

With that mention of 'friction', it's clear Johnny has been on his own trawling the net for far too long! So if you fancy joining him and his Giros, maybe watch some Hollyoaks or River City omnibi at the weekend, then get clicking on the artwork. The single came out at the beginning of February and is a belter!

Jealousy/Sinking Ships by Capitals

"Two Highland ex-pats seek friendship (and maybe more?) in the Big Smoke. We humbly bring you our double A-side 'Jealousy/Sinking Ships' by way of a present. With dark production, broken beats and haunting lyrics of heartache and loss, we don't wish to scare anyone off, rather express that really we're just two sensitive souls looking to find that special someone. Could it be you?" - Angus & Keir (Capitals)

Awwww, don't they sound lovely!? Not half as lovely as their double A-side though. If you loved Hello World, you'll lap this up. Don't you know it's bad manners to refuse a present...

Eikon by Two Wings

"Eikon seeks some hairy fairy ears to put the 'Two' back into 'Two Wings'. Enjoys long walks in the countryside, cheap wine and cosy nights in with some dank smelling records. The featherless and/or flightless need not apply." - Owen Curtis Williams & Ben Reynolds (Two Wings)

Sucks for you flightless wonders out there!  This 2-track single is out on the 12^th from twosome Two Wings.  Fans of RM Hubbert's brilliant new album may recognise the unique vocals of Hanna Tuulikki.  Ben's ain't too bade either!

WEAR BLACK by PET

"Must enjoy heavy petting from the word go. Mutual masturbation by midnight. In it for the honey. Wear Black knickers" - Pete Boggon (PET)

Oooh kinky! Talk about being unlucky in love though. This is PET's third appearance in the Singles Club. Three appearances, three brilliant tracks. As usual, it's proof they're one of the finest new bands in the country.

Push/Pull by The Cat That Walks Alone

"Mr Yin WLTM Mrs Yang for polar opposites attract. Animal magnetism a plus. Must have lovely hair and own transport." - Cameron Laing a.k.a. The Cat That Walks Alone

Feline lonely? Well spare a thought for this cat. If what Cameron say's 'pushes' your buttons, then grab your coat... you've 'pulled'. The single has been out for a few weeks, so go bag a copy pronto!

The Halfway House by Letters

"5 piece dark cello pop noiseniks seek delightful young brunettes interested in a post valentine dark, medium to fast paced, throbbing 3 minute and 27 second encounter that'll have you smiling, singing and leave you crying as you deal with that all too familiar feeling of 'le petite mort'." - Mikey Ferguson (Letters)

We all know by now that Letters can do no wrong in my eyes. So it goes without saying I think their upcoming third single is suuuperb! It's out on the 19^th March with their Scottish tour starting just after that.

Heart Attack by The Draymin

"Hairy-faced strobe-lover with a dirty disco heartbeat, good mover on the dancefloor with a fondness for late nights and talking shite. WLTM something, preferably human, with a bit of stamina, sick SOH and big pair of binoculars for nights out in the bushes." - Gec Livingstone (The Draymin)

With their debut album out next month, The Draymin are giving away this track free to anyone out there with a fondness for dirty disco beats and good dance moves.  Binoculars optional!

Photograph/Cold Water by Tom Fool

"Newly single nob twiddler seeks compassionate listener. Must have own transport and be able to see the wood for the trees." - Rick Webster (Tom Fool)

Missing Unkle Bob yet?  I am!  But fear not, the newly-single Tom Fool is here.  With a stellar line-up comprising Unkle Bob's Rick, Gang of Four's Andy Gill and backing vocals from Eddi Reader, this double A-side promises a lot!  And it delivers.  You can get your hands on it from the 12^th.

Bury You by Where We Lay Our Heads

"Glasgow foursome seeking companionship and more. If you like dancing with your hips, milkshakes, greyhounds and macaroni pies we could be the ones for you. Non smokers preferred.x" - Wull Swales (WWLOH)

I defy you to say no to a combination of greyhounds and macaroni pies! WWLOH's new single is out on the 19^th of March, same day as Letters' latest offering. Why's that relevant... well, they're both on tour together, that's why! More on that on Kowalskiy in the future. Watch this space!

The Seed by Plum

"Artistic, passionate female seeks creatively minded, big-hearted, generous and empathetic listener to share stories with...and maybe fall in love. Must enjoy gardening, planting seeds, flowers, making wishes and believe in fairies. I look forward to hearing from you." - Shona Maguire a.k.a. Plum

Oooh awkward! Both Shona and her beau (Capitals' Keir) have both supplied singles ads this month. Read into that what you will folks... Anyway, this is the title track and single from her upcoming album. Should have featured this before but I... 'plum' forgot!

Footnote To Love by Ajimal

"Interchangeable and shape-shifting fluid line up of members, occasionally manifest as solo artist, occasionally smothered in face paint. Likes: Beaches, Baths and Brel Dislikes: Gymnastics and lipgloss (don't ask). WLTM woman* to make child with and thereafter dedicate aforementioned song (Footnote to Love [Part One]) to aforementioned child. It is probably worth noting that embarking upon a relationship with Ajimal does mean embarking upon a potentially lifetime partnership with whosoever happens to be in the line up at that time (see Three Musketeers).

* If you happen to actually be Jacques Brel, this requirement is void, we'll find a way." - Fran O'Hanlon a.k.a. Ajimal

Last but in no way least, is the magnificent specimen that is Ajimal. A specimen who oddly likes face paint but not lip gloss... go figure! Footnote To Love is available to pre-order now by clicking the artwork. It, and indeed all his music to date, is just phenomenal. Go get!

Kowalskiy's Free Monthly 5-track Scottish EP #15

Don't ask... it just looked good! So once again, the cover art doesn't exactly match any of this months five brilliant tracks, which are once again, supplied by five of the country's best up-and-coming bands.  You know what to do by now, but if not, just click the cover art to get your free download.  Here's the five cracking bands on KEP#15... 

1.  Will Hanson - Hope On Top (A great track from Mr. Hanson's archives.)

"This is the closer from my previous album, and was recorded in my friend's bedroom in London. The lyrics are quite simple and are about the moment when boredom can turn into excitement. Production-wise it was all about making as much noise as possible with just voices and guitars...It started life as a kind of hymn with a droning atmosphere in the background, and ends up as an optimistic chant. It was really different to the rest of that record and really set the tone for alot of the tunes on Moving A Body..." - Will Hanson

2.  Adopted As Holograph - The Animal Man (An exclusive track from their upcoming, debut EP.)

"The Animal Man' is from the forthcoming debut EP by Glasgow based band, 'Adopted as Holograph' due for release later this year." - Dave Philp (Adopted As Holograph)

3.  Capitals - Hello World (I'll never tire of their cracking debut single!)

"Hello World was the first in a series of a few songs where we tried to do everything as naturally as possible. About 95% of this song was written, recorded and mixed in 24 hours. It was a bloody tiring 24 hours, but this process was the antithesis of the way we’d written earlier demos like Coastlines and Waking Life. I think this song is also responsible for the now staple routine we use when writing which is 'write, record, play, de-stress with FIFA'. Earlier in the year we also made a video for this song with our friend Ian Webster, a true gent who did a great job getting the feel of the song into film." - Keir MacCulloch (Capitals)

4.  Hold The Suspect - 1324 (another exclusive, this time from Hold The Suspect's latest EP.)

"1324 is the first track from our new EP 'what might happen'. 1324 is a song about struggling through a relationship but remembering that your friends have always got your back." - Hold The Suspect

5.  Trapped Mice - Dance While Winter Cries (This is just stunning!  It bodes very well for the album.)

"This is the first track to see the light of day from our forthcoming (we're still recording it) debut album. It's a love song (simple as that). It will probably be the happiest song on the album, and definitely the most depressing. I started with the first line and the rest followed from there, which is always a nice way of doing things." - Ian Tilling (Trapped Mice)

So there you go!  Let me know what you think of this months collection.  As always, it's FREE, so head on over to my bandcamp page now to get your download.  Have a wee look and listen to the other 14 while you're at it!

Next month there'll be more of the same, five great free tracks from Scotland's finest!  If any bands out there fancy making my life that wee bit easier by volunteering a track for one of these EPs, then send me a wee email too and see if it tickles my fancy.  Enjoy... and let the Cancel The Astronauts Takeover! continue.