Battle Of The Bands: Round 8

It's a week and a day later than first billed, but here's the round-up of Round 8.  Going into this latest musical melee, it's been level pegging with 3 wins apiece ever since that opening round draw.  Last time out, Neil (the nemesis) from Scottish Fiction drew the series level with some help from the crème de la Croy... Campfires In Winter, who toyed with my Edinburgh trio Toy Machene.  The ball's back in my court this time, and I've got an Aberdonian ace up my sleeve...

...for joining Team Kowalskiy this round is the mighty IndianRedLopez.   Another favourite around these parts, and some impressive stats to boot!  I went into our latest bout confident I'd regain the lead once again.  Unbeknownst to me, I was doing battle with another favourite of mine... the prolific Lovers Turn To Monsters a.k.a. Kyle Wood. 

Before I give a blow-by-blow account of what happened, here's a quick recap of the rules for those who, after 8 rounds, still don't have a clue what's going on.  You can read them in full over here.  This round, it's my turn to pick the three attributes we're playing with.  For each of the three, the person with the highest value gets one point, with both getting a half-point in the event of a draw.  Losers... don't get a thing!   I banked on my guys' Band Name Scrabble Score (they have a Z!),  their Twitter Follow Ratio (anything bigger than 1 is impressive in my book), and I also played the age card and went for Average Age.  Disclaimer time... all stats were correct at the time of battle.

Right, here's the all-important stats.  Ding ding, Round 8...

Oh yasss!  That 'Z' came in very, very handy as I took a 1-0 lead after the first attribute.  Next up, was the Twitter factor, and my boys narrowly pipped it... and I mean narrowly!  A 5-second purge of who he follows and Kyle would have levelled the round.  But, as it stood, Team Kowalskiy took an insurmountable 2-0 lead.  I didn't even have to play the age card, but I thought it best to give you plenty of time to look for five 30th birthday presents for my boys.  That completed a Round 8 whitewash, and edged me out in front AGAIN in the series. 

Once again, he who is in charge of the attributes, wins!  I've got 2 weeks to find a band to help me buck that trend in Round 9. 

As much as I enjoy these little triumphs in this yo-yoing duel, it's all about the music!  So I'll start off the plugging with the victors IndianRedLopez.   Their debut album Empty Your Lungs And Breathe was undoubtedly one of last year's highlights, and if their new track Break Us Both is anything to go by, the follow-up may just be better still! You can watch the video for it here, or listen to it below... and no doubt they'll be playing it at The Arches in Glasgow on the 16^th November (get tickets here). They then head down to London for two nights at Surya (21^st) and Proud Camden (22^nd).



And now, onto the man who's very much more of a lover than a fighter, it's Lovers Turn To Monsters.  It's difficult to know what to plug since Kyle always seems to have something new out!  In August he released his own take on Withered Hand's entire Good News album, and good it is too.  You can get that here.  But as it's his latest offering, and 'cos it's Halloween, I'll pop up a track from This Horror Movie is a Metaphor for Puberty... which you can pay-what-you-want for here.

So that's it for another fortnight! Until then, I'll quietly bask in my one point lead in the series...

Kowalskiy's Free Monthly 5-track Scottish EP #18

And so, we come to the final EP of 2011.  The Scrooge that I am, I've once again limited it to one festive track, but it's still free.  Geez, what more do you want!  And not only that, there's one or two extra goodies in there to tide you over 'til the New Year.

I didn't plan it this way, but there's a track from the band behind my #1 album of 2011, and another by an artist who's already set the benchmark pretty high for 2012.   Sandwiched between, are three crackers!  Hope you enjoy them all.  You can, as ever, get your download by clicking on the artwork above (this month paying homage to one of my favourite and most iconic albums of all time).  Before that though, here's the five artists involved and what they each had to say about their track...

1.  Now Wakes The Sea - You Are The Cold (Redwings guitarist gone solo!  This is the opening track off of next years 'Best of 2012' benchmark album that I mentioned above.)

"You Are the Cold is the opening track from the upcoming Now Wakes the Sea record, Fluoxetine Morning, due out at the beginning of 2012. The lyrics make reference to noise pollution and artificially induced sleep, and was written as I was flirting between consciousness and slumber. In terms of instrumentation, it's rather simplistic, but features a bitching synth solo. Bookended by two different versions of the same sound - a single, dry guitar pluck, and an analogue delay squeal - I think it gives a good representation of the record, mixing elements of drone and ambience with sparse and minimal folk." - Alan McCormack (Now Wakes The Sea)

2.  Wiredrawn - Christmas Wish No. 3571 (A reworking of the ex-Won Mississippi singer's early solo festive demo.  Wiredrawn's debut EP 'Loose Lips Sink Ships' is available here.)

"The track was written and recorded in the seemingly endless winter last year, when Scotland was at an almost constant stand-still. The news was full of stories of isolation and chaos as well as brilliant examples of the determination and resolve some people had shown when trying to battle through the elements to get to their loved ones. I fancied 'doing' a Christmas song without surrendering to whimsy too much - I might just have got away with it......" - Patrick Baird (Wiredrawn)

3.  Reverieme - Mama, Won't You Keep Them Castles in the Air and Burning? (I must admit, I was disappointed with the second Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! album, but this absolutely stunning cover makes up for it and then some!)

"It may be a controversial choice (in a world where controversy is defined as ‘not really liking pandas that much’ or ‘preferring peanut M&M's’) but I really love Some Loud Thunder, the sophomore album from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. In fact (and we may be nearing the ‘I have never enjoyed a Ryan Reynolds movie’ level of controversy here), I don’t think I could fault it! When I first heard ‘Mama, Won’t You Keep Them Castles in the Air and Burning?’, a song so lyrically ridiculous it could well have been co-written by Lou Reed and James Hetfield, I totally (and inexplicably) loved it. I’m hoping that this wee cover is either so good it sways the non-believers or so bad that it makes the original seem like a sweet aural haven (no giggling). Either way, you’ll have to listen to find out!" - Louise Connell

4.  The Strangers Almanac - Where The River Meets The Sea (Good Gord this guy's good!   He's got some a free album and EP on Bandcamp, but here's a brand spanking new song for you.)

"This is a new song that I've only played live a couple of times, and I recorded it with my friend Ross Middlemiss who plays in Pensioner. (If you're looking for someone to record your band, give him a shout, he's excellent). It was written about a friend of mine, and it's basically saying that if you come through troubles in your life and make it out alive, you should be proud of all you've achieved, no matter how meandering a path you took to get there. It may crop up on a future release, but for now it stands on its own!" - Gord Matheson (The Strangers Almanac)

5.  Happy Particles - Cold Calling (If you followed the clues above, you'll know it's Happy Particles who have taken the top spot in my Albums of 2011.  Here's a special non-album track and some info on how to get your hands on the amazing Under Sleeping Waves.)

"We are Happy Particles and our debut album 'Under Sleeping Waves' will be released on Christmas day. You can pre-order it here which will entitle you to two download tracks instantly and you also get a free video of us performing the full band version of 'Aerials' with the album.   We had a few tracks which didn't make it onto the record for one reason or another and this is a very early version of 'Cold Calling' which was originally going to be on the album but we ended up forgetting about it, so it was never developed or recorded.  We really like it though, so it will probably come out in a different form on a future e.p. or the next album." - Happy Particles

So that's your whack for the year!  Hope you've enjoyed all the EPs, and rest assured, there'll be much more of the same next year.  Until then, head on over to my bandcamp page now to get your download which comes with a hidden track courtesy of Lovers Turn To Monsters (and ties in with the artwork!) and a special, visual extra from a particularly happy bunch.  Enjoy!

Lovers Turn To Monsters - Beyond Glasgow Howls

There are some musical folk out there who can't fail to impress you with their productivity, churning out track after track with seemingly effortless ease.  One such person is Kyle Wood a.k.a. Lovers Turn To Monsters.  At the moment, his Bandcamp page boasts a staggering collection of over 100 lo-fi home recordings, two-thirds of them penned by his own fair hand, all of them free!  On the 16^th of June, there'll be another eleven joining his already impressive catalogue, in the form of his first "professionally mixed, mastered and pressed album" Beyond Glasgow Howls.  So be prepared to get your wallets out for a change!  Late last month, Kyle gave me a sneak preview of the album, safe in the knowledge that I owed him a review after I shamefully revealed his secret Panda Su crush to the world.   Shit... did it again!

Rest assured though, if this album was even a wee bit on the shit side, I'd have found some other way to make it up to Kyle.  Predicable though, Kyle has once again delivered.  So here's my unbiased take on his latest offering...

As things kick off with the feedback intro of Fall, straining your ears you'll start to make out some warbled voices which soon enough reveal themselves to be good ol' fashioned Glaswegian banter.  As you go beyond these Glasgow howls, the song develops into a great wee tinkling tale of unrequited love... I think.  The pair of tracks that follow are my two favourite on the album, Nothing Else For It and Cameo whose intro falls somewhere between The Shocking Pinks and early Radio Dept.  Both songs are guaranteed to have you singing along to their epic refrains. 

Three songs in, and with his familiar voice and lo-fi musical ethos very much the same as before, Kyle's claims of a professionally mixed and mastered sound aren't entirely obvious.  A quick listen back to last year's Cars, Bars and Shooting Stars though, and it's amazing how polished Beyond Glasgow Howls sounds in comparison.  That was one of my fears when he sent me this album.   I feared that the sometimes distant sound, the odd wee crackle, hiss and dare-I-say, duff note, that I loved about his music, the stuff that gave it a bit of character and set it apart from all else around, would be stripped away completely.  As polishing goes though, Kyle has got it pretty much spot-on here. 

As a whole, the album flows really well, with some subtle, fleeting Amusement Parks On Fire-esque flashes and one or two complete shifts in style like the brilliant, synthy, instrumental Subway, peppered in amongst the stripped back, acoustic, awkwardly-beautiful lo-fi that's the staple of this very impressive album.   Gawn yersel Kyle! 

If you wanna get your hands on Beyond Glasgow Howls, Lovers Turn To Monsters will be marking it's launch at Slouch in Glasgow on the 16^th with support from Where We Lay Our Heads and So Many Animal Calls.

K&A with Panda Su... again!

Some people are just gluttons for punishment!  Barely 7 months after I last asked Panda Su some probing questions... here, she's back for more.  She's been a busy lady since then recording the gorgeous I Begin, the follow-up to her critically-acclaimed debut Sticks and Bricks.  Without much further ado, here's Su...

Kowalskiy:  Hi Su!  How's tricks?

Su:  Hello Kowalskiy. I’m very well, thank you.

Kowalskiy:  Since the last time we spoke, you've been pretty busy.  Fancy filling us in on what you've been up to?

Su:  I spent the winter in the studio recording the new EP.  It was very cold and snowy, but it was lots of fun.

Kowalskiy:  Your new EP, I Begin, is due for release on April 18^th.  Is there a story behind it?  How does it compare to Sticks And Bricks?

Su:  Sticks and Bricks had a very simplistic approach. The four songs that featured were four of the first songs that I had ever written and I will always be proud of what was achieved, but I Begin represents a slight move in direction for me musically. As an artist, I always want to push myself creatively and the songs on I Begin allowed me to experiment with new sounds and different ways of doing things.

Kowalskiy:  Are there any launch night plans afoot, or plans to tour the EP?

Su:  We’ve just finished a ‘preview’ tour for the EP, but the official launch takes place in Dundee on April 21^st.

Kowalskiy:  What exactly is it you know that begins with "H"?

Su:  If I told you, I would have to kill you.

Kowalskiy:  Now that just makes me more curious!  What's been your highlight of the past year?

Su:  The last few years have been really busy for me and it was nice to get back into the studio and spend some time writing and recording. I also got the chance to pick up some new instruments and have been trying to learn them in time for the tour. I’ve failed miserably, but it’s a work in progress.

Kowalskiy:  It's not a secret you're close pals with Steve Mason, someone else who knows a thing or two about releasing brilliant EPs.  Can we expect a third EP from Panda Su in the future?

Su:  Definitely. Then I might release them all as a compilation. Not sure I’d get away with calling it ‘The Three EPs’ though.

Kowalskiy:  Any plans to collaborate with Steve?  What would be your ideal collaboration?

Su:  Steve’s a very busy man but we got a chance to catch up briefly over Christmas and spoke about doing some more tracks together in the future.  Boys Outside was incredible and it’s great to see him on top form. We’ll have to wait and see what happens.

Time now for a Kowalskiy first... guest questions from one of Su's biggest fans.  Here's Lovers Turn To Monsters, a.k.a., Kyle Wood.
 
Kyle:  As an artist, you've toured all over Europe and even stretched to gigs in America & Canada yet you only have two short EPs worth of songs.  Is that just the way the chips were played or do
 you feel that touring is infinitely more important to a band than writing and recording?
Su:  Hello Kyle. Good question.. I think writing is incredibly important but I’m very precious about the creative process and need to be in the right frame of mind. I’m also a terrible perfectionist and this means I usually start a song and then decide half way through that it isn’t good enough and throw it out. Touring is great and I really enjoy being on the road, but I’d like to spend some more time in the studio this year.

Kyle:  What do you look for in a guy?  Are you single?

Su:  Thanks for your question, Kyle. Stornoway was definitely one of our favourite places to visit on the tour. All that sea air is great for the skin!



Kowalskiy:  Oooh, how very cryptic Su.  Interpret that how you will folks!  So, is there anything else you'd like to share with us Su?

Su:  Today I learned how to blow up a balloon. It took me 23 years to learn, but worth every minute.

Talented lady!  A big thank you to Kyle for one of the most intelligent sounding questions ever in a K&A session.  As Su says, I Begin is out on Monday, though if you head over to Amazon MP3 you can get a download now.  In the meantime, you can have a wee listen here and if you're in Dundee next week then I'd strongly recommend popping along to the launch night on the 21^st at Drouthy's.  There's something quite special about Su live!

Kowalskiy's Free Monthly 5-track Scottish EP #7

 

When I sent 5 emails out back in July to bands pitching this EP lark, I didn't imagine for one second that it'd take off, let alone that that first EP would be out less than a week later!  The fact that it's still going strong into 2011 is in no small part down to everyone out there who has downloaded one, or in some cases, all, of them, everyone who has helped spread the word, and of course, all the bands who have been kind enough to contribute.  Thanks to everyone!  

Anyway, without much ado, it's time for Kowalskiy's Free Monthly 5-track Scottish EP #7.  Here's the five acts that have each contributed a song.  Cheers folks!

1. Amy Duncan - Always A Way (from her beautiful, recent album!)

"Always A Way is from Amy's 3rd album, (a collaboration with Scottish poet David Paton) Potential-Space ~ "a hypnotic fusion of city and country and indeed of the past and the present. Never raucous or forced, this is the ideal album to chill out with of an evening" according to Bluesbunny" - Amy Duncan

2. eagleowl - Laughter (live) (live version of their B-side to Sleep The Winter, recorded at Homegame 2009)

"This is a track that was recorded by Radio Magnetic at Homegame 2009. I remember we were on quite early on the Saturday afternoon , so it's probably the most hungover I've ever been when playing a show. Thankfully, Clarissa has lead vocals on this track." - Bart Owl (eagleowl)

3. The Colourful Band - Poetry And Cigarettes (a sneaky peek of their new material)

"The Colourful Band has been the name that I've written and performed under (both solo and plus friends) for the past 3 years, so this song is me basically describing the onset of an Edinburgh winter as someone who is slowly getting used to being on their own again. It is the single from, and first song on "Postcards from Paris", the recordings from 2010.

I like to think it as being straight and direct, has 3 chords in an open tuning which allows me to play the riff and strum. I rehearsed it last week with Jon, Steve and Dave as a 4 piece, and it really builds when there are drums and a full band. But for now this recording is just me on guitar and vocal, and Gav on bass. I hope you enjoy this one. " - Ian McKelvie (The Colourful Band)

4. Lonely Tourist  - Too Old For Clubbing (a track from the former Beatclubber's new Bristol-based project's debut album!)

"Too Old For Clubbing from Lonely Tourist's first album Sir I Am A Good Man out 24^th Jan 2011...on Tourist Info Records.   On iTunes etc. CDs from http://lonelytourist.bandcamp.com/." - Paul Tierney (Lonely Tourist)

5. Lovers Turn To Monsters - I Don't Love You (an amazing cover of My Chemical Romance!)

"I do a lot of covers, usually to please myself. But a lot of the time I do it with the hope to open people's eyes to other song writers, who's skills they may have over looked. Usually by having a go at re-invention. So the song comes across in a different manner, aimed at a different audience. So with that in mind here's me trying my hardest to make emo heroes My Chemical Romance sound like a lo-fi indie folk band." - Kyle Wood (Lovers Turn To Monsters)

The EP is now up for free download over on my bandcamp page, along with those that have gone before it.  Enjoy!

Time to get cracking on EP #8 which will be out on 16^th February.   If there's 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.