So by now you should all know that The Cinematics are sadly no longer here, leaving us with this great reminder as the final nail was hammered into their musical coffin over in Berlin. Well, if you did know that, then odds are you'll also know that during their ill-fated hiatus which led to their eventual split, guitarist Larry Reid embarked on a new project with a smattering of local musician friends... Laurence and the Slab Boys.
On the 18th of June, their debut album Lo-Fi Disgrace receives it's official release via Grumpy Records, a mere year-and-a half after it was recorded in the bleak German mid-Winter. Geez... bleak, grumpy, 'lo-fi disgrace' is really selling this isn't it? Thankfully, the album itself, is anything but. Sure, it's not the most uplifting of albums, but it's an absolute pleasure nonetheless.
By now, I hope you realise why reviews on Kowalskiy are so few and far between. The reasons are two-fold:
I really am utter shite at doing reviews.
The album under review has to be head and shoulders above anything else I've heard recently.
Two points I'm sure will become evident throughout this post...
So, onto the music itself. The first track up is the aptly-named, instrumental Introduction which is quite sinister in places with it's muffled cries and foreboding atmosphere. All of which leads us nicely into Mushroom. It's always been one of my favourite tracks so it's the perfect choice as debut single in my book, albeit a bold choice for radio play as Larry himself once told me. It continues where the intro left off, though here Larry's almost-slurred vocals of "I fear we’re gonna die young" complementing the sombre mood until another two-minute instrumental cuts through it. It may well be a brave choice for airplay, but it's still one of the singles of the year.
But it's not all doom and gloom. Sandwiched in between the Space Dream #1 and #2 duo, K. E. O. offers some upbeat respite with a subtle nod or two to New Order in the process. It's these two Space Dream tracks though that form the focal point of this remarkable album. Whereas the shoegazey #1 is awash with reverb and echoing harmonies, #2 is built around a series of riffs, with feedback buzzing away in the background. It's these tracks which offer a fuzzy glimmer of The Cinematics which still hasn't left Larry's system yet, and both compliment each other, and the other tracks, perfectly.
It takes a very special talent to bring the listener so much enjoyment from what is, on-paper, a dark and at times forlorn set of songs, but with songwriting of this calibre and the sonic arrangements throughout, Larry and the boys have done exactly that. He's very much at home centrestage that Mr. Reid!
The album will be launched on the 18th June in all the usual online download hotspots and in selected shops I'd imagine given time. But, you can already get your hands on a CD from Grumpy Records or a digital download, both from here.
Onto my third notcast now and I must say, I love putting them together. There's far too much great music on SoundCloud not to. So, if you enjoy listening/reading half as much as I have making it, then I'd be pretty chuffed! For anyone still wondering what this is all about... basically, I'm not a huge fan of podcasts. That's it in a nutshell really. So here's my minorly-tweaked alternative. Anyhoo, enough of this prattle, let's get cracking!
As always, I'll start off with the KAK... Kowalskiy's Apology Korner to me and you, where I get on my hands and knees and say sorry to a band I've shamefully neglected in recent weeks. This week, it's Glasgow D.I.Y.-pop-multiplets The Plimptons who are about to release their latest album ...Are Cynical And Bloated. "Is it any good?" you say. Why yes, yes it is. And to prove my point, here's the titular track which is rather unsurprisingly also called Cynical and Bloated.
And you can of course buy said latest album from here... when it comes out on the 31st obviously. From one band with an album due soon to another (that's as smooth a link as you're likely to get around here). Well, there's demos being uploaded at various stages of readiness anyway. The band is the lovely Dirty Keys. There's something of a piano-pop revival going on these days which I have to say I'm loving! Sadly Keane, that doesn't mean you should hit the studios. This is more what I'm talking about...
No doubt we'll be hearing a lot more from them later on in the year, just like those responsible for track three of this week's notcast... Behold, the Old Bear. Formed by Raindeer from the ashes of the sadly-defunct-now-not-sadly-returned mitchell museum, this is a new demo that surfaced a few weeks ago. If mm hadn't returned, BtOB would have certainly softened the blow and helped fill the odd-pop void. As it stands though, we now have both of them. This makes me happy. Very happy indeed!
At the start of the year, I may have mentioned that one of my most anticipated releases this year is the debut album by Laurence & the Slab Boys. Well, I say "most anticipated"... I actually have the album, so I'm talking shite. What I guess I mean is, I can't wait for it to come out so you can all have a listen, and agree with me that it is really rather phenomenal! The album's called Lo-fi Disgrace. I've no idea when it'll be out, where, what format, or who by, but mark my words... it'll be worth the wait.
Two more to go then it's football time! It's been a wee while since I raved about Ayrshire's Rose Parade on here, so here we go. A week-or-so ago they uploaded a new track from their upcoming debut album. Should be great! Anyway, it's called The Sea Of Lights and here it be.
OK, last one now. For it, I've even dared to venture south of the border. Albeit to hear from another Scot. He's called Chris McConville He's the drummer in a band down in London but he has a debut solo album due out later on in the year. Until then he's leaked a few songs from it. This is the pick of the bunch. Hope you enjoy it. See you next week!
First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR to anyone out there reading this. Hope it's a good 'un for you! Now that Old Grandfather Time has counted down to the end of 2011 and welcomed in the new one, I thought I'd kick off 2012 with a few things you can expect from Kowalskiy in the next twelve months.
Given one of my last posts was my top albums of last year, it feels a bit weird to start 2012 with me listing three early contenders for this years accolade. But all three are fairly amazing! Besides, it wouldn't be right not to give you the heads up on a few of the albums that'll be hitting the shelves in the not-so-distant future. One that's been burning itself into my subconscious for the last six months is Lo-fi Disgrace, the debut from Laurence & the Slab Boys. Word has it that it'll finally see the light of day in 2012 with an outside chance of a "splendid and uplifting" follow-up too.
If Larry doesn't end up with a mention in my Top 5 of 2012 then this year is gonna be pretty f**king special!
What else.. well, did you download my last free EP of 2011? If so, you'll have been treated to the opening track from Now Wakes The Sea's debut album Fluoxetine Morning. I introduced Glasgow instrumentalists Redwings a while back. NWTS is guitarist-gone-solo Alan McCormack. There's a bunch of releases on his bandcamp already, but you can think of this lo-fi Middletonesque one as an unexpected late Christmas pressie.
Last one is the triumphant return of... wait for it... Mull Historical Society. When I interviewed Colin back in July he was signed up to PledgeMusic to help fund his follow-up to The Island. It's now got over the 100% mark and all us lucky pledgers have received our download of City Awakenings. It's vintage MHS and it is absolutely superb! It'll be out soon, but I'm sure you can still pledge and get it right away. Keep your eyes peeled for all three albums!
As for on Kowalskiy. Cancel The Astronauts have passed the Takeover! baton on to one of my favourite artists on these fair shores. So you can expect some madness to ensue in the not-so-distant-future. As well as that, I'll be foregoing the usual 'XX Tips for 20XX'. Instead, my 5 hotly-tipped bands for all-round-musical greatness in 2012 have all (thankfully) agreed to appear on January's free Kowalskiy EP. So, until the 16th, you'll just need to be patient, though you do get a sneak preview of the cover art opposite!
Other than that, after a short two-post foray into the best that Canadian music has to offer, you can expect more of the same from me with one wee twist. As an experiment of sorts, I've decided to keep track of where in Scotland each and every band I feature in 2012 is from in my Grand (Musical) Tour of Scotland. That first one... that's me!
Boy, do I have a cracking bunch of 'singles' for you this time 'round! If any of them sound your type, and you fancy finding out a wee bit more, then click on the artwork and get downloading. Your new favourite track may be just a click away...
"3 naive earthlings seek a hearty human open to wild flings which inevitably result in totalitarian regimes. Must be willing to share a dellusional world where greco-roman wrestling between Jaunty pirate shanties and outdated emotional electrical storms is a common afrodisiac." - Colin Tarbat (Tanera Heights)
And who wouldn't be willing to share that delusion?? First up this time 'round is a track from Strathpeffer's finest's second EP The Arrow's In Flight. The EP is out now. Just click the artwork opposite... or here for FREE.
"It's not easy being green. Far from home, gorgeous Floridian seeks someone special to stop all this lying low and put some bite back into my life. Let's get together... and make it snappy." - Alban Dickson (Miniature Dinosaurs)
One of my favourite bands have come up trumps once again. In fact, they're 'scaling' new heights with this track. So, if you love puns (and who doesn't!) and cracking songs then you'll this! Snap it up now.
"Self-proclaimed "Best Dancer in Edinburgh" seeks room full of urban loners for collective experience of ethereal happiness." - Stephen (Collar Up)
A great wee FREE track from Collar Up courtesy of Permwhale Records. If you wanna share some... short term memories with them, then you can get a preview of the track by watching the video here! I see very little evidence to back up this 'Best Dancer' label. I'm dubious to say the least...
"“Poor little rich girl socialite seeking eccentric male with an eye for unconventional art. Must have a taste for toxic substances, exploitation, and a keen interest in cans of soup. A love of Velvet Underground, bananas and silver lined rooms is essential. Bob Dylan fans need not apply.”" - Rachael Cormack (Run Lucky Free)
Run Lucky Free's The Factory is out on the 3rd of October, the same day they kick off their Scottish tour up in Skye. You can get all the details from here. Keep an eye on this lot!
City Is Exploding (We Were Promised Jetpacks Remix) by Zoey Van Goey
"So-called Indie-pop foursome, all demons in the sack, seek partner(s) age 18-100, height 40-400cm for fiery romance and possible law-breaking. Must be into BSG, ST:TNG, and SW:IV-VI (if you're I-III then don't bother replying). LOVE, ZVG" - Zoey Van Goey
More of a SG man myself. Anyway, I mentioned their limited-edition remix EP last week, but here's an extra plea from ZVG for all you indie-pop-loving midgets and giants out there.
"Very active 20 something(s) with multiple personality disorder. Seeks good listener(s), with open mind and a interests in beards, xbox, outdoor sports, quoting film lines and arguing about all things musical. Must be able to hold their own with witty banter and appreciate easily excitable personalities." - Graeme ' Squirrel' Macdonald (This Silent Forest)
Fresh from their 30 song, Song A Day Challenge, Squirrel and the rest of This Silent Forest have a new single out NOW! Only those adept at bantering witterally need apply. I'll rule myself out of that one shall I!?!
"Tall-ish, leftist carnivore seeks likeminded person or persons for long drives, movies and possible self-flagellation. Must like dressing-up and be comfortable with others watching. Previous applicants need not apply. " - Larry Reid (Laurence and the Slab Boys)
Did you know: 'Wee Baz' from Miniature Dinosaurs was once the drummer in one of Larry Reid's bands?? Well now you do. 'Tis a small world! Anyhoo, Larry has 'tidied' up Chinese Burns and made it available for free download. That's just the kinda guy he is. Find out more about him and his efforts to grow a beard over on his blog.
"Happy go lucky fortune telling troubadour, seeks smart fun curvy female to dance on top of a moving train...promises harmonica's, booze, and Goodtimes!!" - Franc Cinelli
Goodtimes indeed if you know what I mean! If not, then I mean that this is a free album teaser from The Artist Formerly Known As Goodtimes Goodtimes. It's a great track, as I've said before, so go get! He may also tell your fortune on twitter if you so desire...
You missed me? Well, I'm back... kinda... with EP #11. As with the last one, I've given you lovely people out there the chance to design the cover art. Once again, there's been some cracking entries but the winner is... drumroll please... Matthew Wills for that mesmerising piece above! Take a bow Sir. If you fancy following Matthew's own blog, then here's the link.
For this month's EP, I'm chuffed to say I've finally persuaded one of my favourite Scottish bands into contributing a track, as well as another band whose upcoming debut album will blow you away! I'll leave you to work out who's who. So without much further ado, here's the five brilliant acts appearing on EP #11 and what they had to say about their track. Had I been better prepared, we'd be hearing from all 5 acts. I wasn't though, but they'll be with you soon...
1. 4dayweekend-Demo 1(A brand, spanking new live demo from Glasgow's Kowalskiy-approved, epic indie-rockers.)
"After a successful launch night and tour for our latest EP "Urban Lies & Rural Skies" in January, we found ourselves inching to write new material. So for the past few months we have been locked away in the studio, and from it came three new tracks. As we had only recently released new material we decided to video a live performance of all three tracks, which then posted on Youtube. This track is the first of the three and you can view all three videos as well as a short interview about the band at www.youtube.com/4dayweekendonline" - 4dayweekend
2. How Garbo Died - Newton's Third(The physicist in me is drawn to the title, every other part loves this brooding, dark, electro cracker.)
"Newton's Third originally appeared on the second of our home recorded batches (all available free at www.howgarbodied.bandcamp.com) and is actually part of a four song story cycle that appears over the first four batches (I'm not going to reveal what the other tracks are, I'll leave it for further investigation). The story concerns the love affair between a 14 year old schoolgirl and a 23 year old down syndrome sufferer. It's not exactly standard source material but I feel we've managed to bring out the beauty and the drama in the story as well as representing the specific characters without trivialising them. This version of the track was recorded at the start of March at Greendoor Studios, it allowed us to really build some textures into the song while maintaining the 'rough around the edges' feel that the subject matter requires." - Kevin Gilday (How Garbo Died)
3.Matt Norris & the Moon - First Light of Day(An Edinburgh, Mumford-esque, trumpetty-folk gem! I defy you not to fall in love with it.)
We'll hear from Matt Norris soon too.
4. Laurence & the Slab Boys- Shareen(An exclusive track from the Berlin-based Scots whose debut album is shaping up to be something special. Just you wait!)
"We recorded this last Thursday and it’s mostly live, but for some vocal and guitar overdubs. It might be too fast but we were running out of time. The song doesn’t sound like our other stuff, as we were just having a bit of fun with a song about the first lie that some of us are ever told. It sounds like the Devil is playing tambourine in the background but it’s really just our friend Ecki messing about." - Larry Reid (Laurence & the Slab Boys)
5. Woodenbox With A Fistful Of Fivers- She(Finally, after months of shameless pestering on my part, here's an amazing exclusive from one of Scotland's finest bands!)
"This track, which as far as I'm aware didn't really have a working title was recorded during the Home and the Wildhunt sessions in 2009, after the first rough mix of the album we decided to drop it, and then it just got forgotten about. Having dug it out and listened to it again after two years I kinda wish it had made it onto the album or a single or something..the trumpet arrangement towards the end is lovely. Hope you enjoy! As for 2011 and beyond...after releasing Home and the Wildhunt last year, and gigging it throughout the country, we are back in our studio writing and rehearsing a whole new batch of new material, which will eventually make its way onto our second album." - Nick Dudman (Woodenbox With A Fistful Of Fivers)
The EP is now up for free download over on my bandcamp page, along with EPs #1-10 and a couple of extras. Get downloading!
I leave you with bad news folks! On June 16th, when you'll all be expecting me to mark a year of free EPs, I'll be sunning myself in some far-off land. Not sure then, when EP #12 will see the cold light of day, but I'll keep you posted! In the meantime, get your cover art entries in. You've got a bit longer this time, so all you need to do is email me your entry before noon on the 20th of June. Same requirements as before... square, at least 350px wide, and pretty! And as always, if any bands out there who fancy making my life that wee bit easier and want to volunteer a track for one of these EPs, then send me a wee email too. Arrivederci!
So it turns out my first K&A session of 2011 has been doing the rounds a lot recently. Let's see if this one can stir up some hype for my latest victims, Laurence & the Slab Boys. The 'Laurence' in question (that rather sultry looking chap to the left) may already be familiar to some of you as the guitarist in one of my all-time favourite Scottish bands, The Cinematics. Having relocated to Berlin with the rest of the band, Larry Reid has decided to start this new project with bandmate and bassist Adam Goemans. With tracks now appearing online and an album in the pipeline, I thought I'd ask Larry a few questions... again. Here's what he had to say about the band, the other band, and what we can all expect from him and The Slab Boys...
Kowalskiy: Who are Laurence & the Slab Boys?
Larry: At our live shows we are myself, Adam and a couple of friends we met in Berlin, Max and Tim. There have also been quite a few other musicians who have played different instruments on our recordings. I suppose, in many ways, it’s really more of a collective than a band.
Kowalskiy: What's the story behind the name?
Larry: The Slab Boys is a trilogy of plays by John Byrne, set in Paisley. I was born in Paisley and I’ve always wanted to name a band after the plays, but other band-members have vetoed it in the past. This time around I think I’ve just been more headstrong, and then we added the “Laurence and...” part to make it an even more unlikely-sounding band name. My parents think it’s a stupid name, which is usually a good sign. I’m sure people will just shorten it to The Slab Boys but I might threaten to sue any promoter that doesn’t use our proper name, Mohammed Ali-style.
Kowalskiy: So, how did The Slab Boys get together?
Larry: Adam and I were in Berlin with our other band, recording an album. The recording ground to a bit of a halt three-quarters of the way through and we decided to take a break from it. I’ve always been quite active in writing and recording songs so I decided to put something else together in the meantime, and it seemed natural to work with Adam on it. Ross from the Cinematics played drums on a lot of the recordings, also, as he’s a bit of a genius-machine in the studio. When it came to consider playing live we roped-in some of our Berlin friends. Max and Tim play in another band, Johan Van Der Smüt, and are great musicians.
Kowalskiy: Many will know you from your other band, The Cinematics. How do The Slab Boys differ?
Larry: I think it’s really quite a different sound. You could call it shoe-gaze, but it’s also pretty folksy and has some dirty rock n’ roll riffs thrown in at times. I could be wrong, and I might be foolishly writing-off a potential ready-made fan base here, but I don’t think many Cinematics fans will even be into this band. Perhaps music-listeners that got into the band through Love and Terror or the Silent Scream EP will dig it and will be savvy to the progression, but anyone looking for something that sounds like Strange Education will wonder what on earth is coming out of their speakers if they hear it.
Larry: All of the music I’ve been listening to since I was a teenager. Dylan, the Velvet Underground, the Jesus and Mary Chain, Neu!, Radiohead, The Smiths, My Bloody Valentine, Bowie, Primal Scream, Ride, Tom Waits, Felt, Momus... most of the Creation stuff, actually. Some of the influences will be obvious in the sound, and others are probably just a figment of my imagination.
Kowalskiy: What are you and the Slab Boys up to at the moment? Any plans for releasing some material or gigging?
Larry: We’re still working on an album. We might put it out through some conventional channels, or we might just give it away on Bandcamp and then tour it for a bit. If we thought a particular label would actually bring something to the party then we’d talk to them, but I’ve pretty much come to the conclusion that established record labels are the worst people in the world to trust to put out your music. We have some shows lined-up. We’re supporting Pains of Being Pure at Heart, who are one of my favourite bands of the last couple of years. We’re also supposed to be playing with Glasvegas and touring with Wild Beasts, and there is talk of some festivals in the summer. We have a date pencilled in for London and I hope to play in Glasgow at some point. That’s tricky as although I’m based between Glasgow and Berlin, most of band is based only in Berlin, so we’ll have to look at getting the boys over and show them around Glasgow.
Kowalskiy: What would be your ideal gig?
Larry: All of the artists I listed as influences. Perhaps minus Dylan, as I’ve already seen him once in my life and he was great, and I’ve heard that his standards vary from magnificent to murderous, so I wouldn’t want to tarnish the memory. It could be like some kind of travelling mini-festival, playing all my favourite European music cities, a different one each night for a week: Paris, Rotterdam, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Bologna and then finally at the Barrowlands in Glasgow. If I was curating it then I’d stick some of my friends’ bands on to make up the numbers and then get my brother to MC it, as he’s an old-style comedy genius.
Kowalskiy: What does your new project mean for the future of The Cinematics? Is this Robbie and Take That all over again?
Larry: I think it would be a shame if the Cinematics never made another record. I personally feel that creatively the band were coming to a peak. Those guys are the most talented musicians I’ve met. We toured pretty solid for more than two years, which is a long time to spend sitting in the back of tour-buses, dressing-rooms and hotels, and then decamped to Berlin to record during the hottest summer and coldest winter that anyone there can remember, so it was always going to be very physically and mentally draining.
If it was up to me- and this is not a criticism of anyone else, as they’re all good guys and everyone is entitled to do as they please- then we wouldn’t be having any break at all. We can take it easy when we’re forty and I think that it’s very hard to come back after a period out. In this day and age, where people consume music like any other disposable thing, a fan base will just move on and I don’t know how it will pan out for the Cinematics. There may be a new album out in the medium-term, or it may be lost forever to the ether.
It would be a pity, that’s all I’ll say, but at the very least it has granted me the freedom to write and record the music that I want to, without the restrictive expectations of an American or European fan base.
Kowalskiy: Guess we'll just need to wait and see what happens then. Anyway, as a Scot living in Germany, do you keep up to speed on what's happening musically in Scotland? What Scottish bands are you listening to, and are any beginning to make waves over in Germany?
Larry: I’m not really able to keep track of what’s emerging, as such. My pal put out The Scottish Enlightenment on his label a few months back. I like them a lot. Also, Angus from Capitals knows the other Cinematics members from way back, and his band sound really good. I’ve yet to see them live, but their recordings are great. Scottish bands are actually something of a vogue again in Europe. I meet lots of people who want to talk to me just because I play in a Scottish band. I’m sure they’d rather be talking to someone from Mogwai or Franz or something, I grant you, but in their absence I’m Scottish enough for people to be interested. As uncool and unfeeling as it sounds, “Scotland” is a strong brand and people want part of it. That fact can be used for good by great bands, like Twilight Sad or the Phantom Band, who get a fair amount of attention on the continent, or for evil by the countless other Scottish acts who sin in our name.
Kowalskiy: What can we expect from Laurence & the Slab Boys in the rest of 2011?
Larry: There will be an album, for sure, before summer, and possibly an EP later on, as we’re bound to write loads more songs. Hopefully there will also be some great gigs.
Kowalskiy: Anything else you'd like to add??
Larry: Yes. If you like the sound of all this then look us up on Soundcloud, Facebook, etc etc... if you don’t like it then you can just stop listening.
If like me, you do like it though, then there's more tracks to hear on their shiny, new Soundcloud page, and keep an eye out for details of the album and any future Scottish gigs. I've got a feeling we'll be hearing a lot more from them this year!
Kowalskiy is taking an indefinite break from blogging.
David
Kowalskiy's Free EP Download...
Battle Of The Bands... Scores after round 11
A well-earned 'away' draw between my boys The Mouse That Ate The Cat and Neil's Where We lay Our Heads means that going into 2013, Team Kowalskiy has a one-point lead!
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