Kowalskiy Singles Club #5

You know the score by now, it's time for me to play matchmaker once again with all the 'singles' out there.  Before we see how our singles got on last time round, lets have a look at the new batch of hopefuls.  If any of them hit the right notes with you, then click on the cover art and get better acquainted.  Happy downloading...

Eternal Optimist by Maydays

"Eternal optimist seeks bi polar pessimist for life balance and weekends spent sky diving and paint drying. Looking for long term but willing to concede it might never happen. Empty glass preferred to avert current spillage crisis." - Darren (Maydays)

Originally released in May, this is a cracking single from Maydays.  So if you're looking for long term commitment and weekends in watching paint dry, this may be the match for you!  Take my word for it though, it's a lot more exciting than they're letting on.  Plus it's FREE!

White Picket Fence by Foxgang

"Song seeks a person that understands the fact that we could have been lovers; someone with different Television. You were right there? We were right there too." - Joe (Foxgang)

Another FREEbie this one.  It's part of the second compilation by Krakow-based record label Loose Wires and in true Foxgang fashion, it's fantastic!    

What They Built by mitchell museum

"Spacey Junk-pop WLTM Doe-eyed VGL Record Label Executive with GSOH for LWITP, HH, B/D and long term financial security. We are OTS and would like to experiment with you.  Must have a love of Pink Floyd, home haircuts and board games. Soldering skills a definite plus. ACA.  NUWT" - Kris (mitchel museum)

You may be too late to get this single in the done-to-death mini-keyboard format, but you can still get it in the more obscure emm-pee-three one.  Mark my words, it'll never take off!  Anyway, as always, this is a belter from the guys!  You can hear the B-side, a cover of MIA's Paper Planes over here.

She's Gone by Ed Muirhead

"Harmonious, lovelorn cynic-on-the-rebound seeks simple-minded music-lover to pick three chords and make a song... Enjoys tea and biscuits, sunshine and clouds... GSOH essential." - Ed Muirhead

This one's a FREE track from Tattie Records' debut release, Mr. Muirhead's own album Cage For The Clouds.  We all enjoy some tea, biscuits and sunshine... maybe the clouds is pushing it a bit though.   It's a lovely wee song, and once again it's FREE so give it a go.  Comes with a nice wee handwritten animation too.

What you Building? by PET

"Heavy feather pop contortionists seek un-feeble minded ear acrobats. Will not bend over backwards for just anyone. BSOH required" - Matthew (PET)

A brilliant wee single here from Edinburgh's heavy feather pop contortionist trailblazers!  Guaranteed to float your boat, providing you have a BSOH.  It's a name-your-price one so have a listen first then make your mind up. 

Climb/Don't Want To Hear It by New Town Triptych

"Confindent, loyal and tenacious lonely heart seeks like-minded music appreciator for long walks on the beach. No challenge too great, no mountain too high, together we'll get there. In it for the long haul this time, no more disappointments. Strings attached ;) " - Stephen (New Town Triptych)

Their debut EP 'Just How You Designed' was awesome, this follow up single is just as good.  Lovely, acoustic, folky pop for all to enjoy.  It can be yours for two measly US dollars!

Ten Tracks Presents :: A Website Is For Life, Not Just For Christmas

This Friday, Kowalskiy favourites, and Ten Tracks' most downloaded artist of 2010, Foxgang, join a whole host of bands at Stereo in Glasgow to mark the arrival of the "newly souped-up and easier to use version of the tentracks.co.uk website".  Sharing the stage with them are The Blessings,  Frog Pocket,  GRNR, Not Squares, Enfant Bastard, Logikparty, Tokamak, Fur Hood and Blood Blood.  The whole thing kicks off at 6pm and will set you back a measly £10, which also gets you a year-long subscription to the new and improved Ten Tracks.  Get your tickets here or here, and all you Facebookers can RSVP here.

Those of you not able to make it to Glasgow this Friday, fear not!  Foxgang, Not Squares and Logikparty will be in Edinburgh on Saturday to play The Forest Cafe.

I'll leave you with some words from Joe Foxgang... "Get out of the miserable bastard cold and into the heat of a fiery dance inferno".

Foxgang Presents: Festival Special

The wonderful Foxgang would like to invite you to their fantastic Festival Special this Tuesday at Bristo Hall (above The Forest Cafe) in Edinburgh for a great night of music, dancing and shenanigans! They've assembled a cracking line-up, with five of their favourite Scottish bands joining them on stage. The stellar cast for what is shaping up to be a pretty special night, is White Heath, French Wives, Sebastian Dangerfield, Fiction Faction (formerly Casino Brag), Washington Irving and, of course, your hosts, Foxgang.

It takes place on Tuesday 24th August from 9pm until 3am. "It's a festival-sized Rock N' Roll Dance Party and it's all FREE!". Facebook users can read more about it here.

Speaking of free things, to mark the occasion, Foxgang, Kowalskiy (but mainly Foxgang) and the other bands on the bill, have teamed up to bring you Kowalskiy's Foxgang Presents: Festival Special EP. Six cracking tracks, one from each of the bands, and like I said, it's 100% free! You can download it from here. Hope you enjoy!

Tracklisting

1. White Heath - Election Day
2. French Wives - Deaf
3. Sebastian Dangerfield - Morris
4. Fiction Faction - Stop/Go
5. Washington Irving - Parts (demo)

6. Foxgang - We Can Be Twins (live)

This Friday... Pin Up Nights

This Friday, my first two K&A victims Little Yellow Ukuleles and Foxgang join Glasgow-based post-punksters Casino Brag and a whole host of DJs (see poster) for the latest Pin Up Nights at The Flying Duck. Here's how you can get your hands on some cheap tickets:

"On top of all this action they've decided to offer up a special offer reduced entry for their Facebook and Mailing list chums. On the night they're running a £3 guest list, with the usual £5 entry on the door. To get yourself and any of your pals on the £3 guest list, all you have to do is send a Facebook message or email to Pin Up Nights with all the names you want added to the list before midnight on 24th June. You gotta love those kids."

So if you find yourself at a loss in Glasgow this Friday, then pop down to The Flying Duck at 9pm!

K&A with Foxgang

The third K&A Session is with the fantastically quirky "Scottish Alt-pop" Foxgang. I caught up with Joe and Ryan from the band and posed them a few questions. Here's what they had to say...

Kowalskiy: How did the band come about?
Ryan: Joe and I with some other guys met in Krakow, quickly put together our sets and were playing up to 3 hour gigs to a large following. We played on TV and festivals and received a record label offer before we decided we wanted the UK to be the place we get a record deal. Krakow was a great place to develop our own brand of pop without too much influence from 'the trendy' as it would seem in the UK
Joe: That's right. It was a crazy place, with no rules and no monitors on stage.

Kowalskiy: What's the story behind the name Foxgang?
Ryan: Given the varying topics of our songs and musical climate of our more quirky pieces, we chose the name when looking for a group involved some way in politics or news yet people of an obscure role. We found there is a 'Foxgang' group within the European governance that we still today have no idea of their job just the silly group pics. And second a Fox gang within Fox news. We felt this name represented peoples general confusion as to the changing political landscapes and the endless panic of the media All taken in humour. And we had an animal as an added bonus to disguise we are agents of indie-pop.
Joe: It looks a bit German if you stare at it for long enough, providing the promoter has spelt it as one word.

Kowalskiy: How would you describe your sound?
Ryan: Happening, unafraid, quirky, emotional, whole grained.
Joe: Honest and Uplifting.

Kowalskiy: Who or what are your musical influences?
Ryan: I have more influences outside of music and I like to steal good things from many great bands/songs new and old and mash them together in a controlled visualised manner to allow licence for some of the things I say.
Joe: Mississippi John Hurt.

Kowalskiy: What bands (other than yourselves) would you like to see do well in 2010?
Ryan: White Heath, Washington Irving, Casino Brag.
Joe: The same. Sparrow and the Workshop too, though I don't think they need my prayers 'cause they seem to be doing alright! I would like to see The Strokes record another blinding album.

Kowalskiy: What are your desert island discs?
Ryan: Anything I took I would eventually be sick of but 'LKJ in Dub' or some reggae for the context, Xmas songs for Xmas, Rolf Harris Sings, no Johnny Cash or The Boss, Hot Chip 'Warning,' Stevie Wonder -'Talking Book,' and any Snow Patrol for me to cast out to sea never to be seen or listened to again other than by Sting.
Joe: I guess Sting finds Snow Patrol in a Message in a Bottle. Is that the reference there? Or just that they are both Douchebags? 'Born to Run,' 'Johnny Cash at San Quentin,' 'Blood on the Tracks,' 'Fear of Music,' 'White Album,' 'DC Recordings' of Mississippi John Hurt.

Kowalskiy: What can we expect from the band in the future?
Ryan: This spring we launch our promo single and video to our debut album (also in Spring) and a UK tour. Festivals, finger pointing and self criticism but mainly just delivering a passionate and colourful live sound to our faithful fans. More releases on Tentracks.co.uk.
Joe: Amen! We really aim to become legendary is some sense of the word. I would have said 'colorful live sound' but Ryan and I have our differences.

Kowalskiy: Last of all, what would your dream gig be?
Ryan: Us, now, with the aforementioned up coming bands, in a 500 capacity venue of real, real atmosphere; dark and dirty but with good time-served sound equipment with a proper promoter and a crowd well up for bouncing it out. Failing that a field of 50,000 glasto goers with Talking Heads and La Roux and Rolf Harris. Oh, they would sell everyone Snake-bite and black but plenty dope to take the edge off and other. And all free!!
Joe: Open for The Boss backed by Kraftwork and Feat. Lady Gaga in Awaria, which is the Cracovian Cavern Club. No monitors. Optional 5 Zloty donation.

If that's whetted your appetite, here's two tracks for you to try out: The Talking Heads influenced "Leith Walk" and the cracking "A Lot More Goes On (In A Year)". Both are available on Tentracks.co.uk for the bargain price of 30p each!

Leith Walk

A Lot More Goes On (In A Year)

There's one or two gigs coming up if you fancy catching their 'colourful live sound' in all its glory

Upcoming Gigs
6 Mar (tomorrow) - FLOWERS IN THE DUSTBIN RECORDS presents at 13th Note, Glasgow
27 Mar - Verden Whistle Test 1 (DVD taping) at Verden Studios, Edinburgh
20 Apr - Fashion & Music at Capitol, Glasgow