Battle Of The Bands: Round 3

In case you missed last week's bout, here's a quick, unbiased recap... Team Kowalskiy, helped out by The Pictish Trail absolutely trounced the boys from Brazil Exists in the Scottish Fiction corner!  And in doing so, took a one point lead going into this, the third round of Battle Of The Bands.  I'm well prepared though for the inevitable backlash...

I was quietly confident that Dolfinz (or DðlfinZ... or maybe even DOLFiNZ), my Stonehaven duo could hold their own against whoever Neil from Scottish Fiction had to offer.   Their 11 songs on SoundCloud and very impressive Twitter Follow Ratio gave me more than a fighting chance.  But, as it was his turn to choose the three attributes we'd be playing with, Neil would start as favourite.  It was by no means a foregone conclusion though.  Neil's hopes of a first victory rest with Glasgow sextet Randolph's Leap.  Here's hoping Neil doesn't pick Number of Members!

Before we do battle, let's have a quick recap of the rules.  You can read them in full over here though!  This round, Neil will choose three attributes.  For each of the three, the person with the highest value gets one point, with both of us getting a half-point in the event of a draw.  Losers get hee-haw!  In the end, Scottish Fiction chose Number of Members (BASTARD!!!), SoundCloud Tracks, and Twitter Follow Ratio... in other words, there's an outside chance for ol' Team Kowalskiy.  As before, all stats below were correct at the time of battle.  All that's left for me to say is ding ding, Round 3...

And the result of Round 3... is a drubbing!  Scottish Fiction wins 3-0 on account of Randolph's Leap and their freakishly high stats.  I did consider a quick email to the Dolfinz lads to get them to start unfollowing folk and uploading new tracks, but figured that may not be in keeping with the Top Trumps spirit.  Besides, on any other day, their stats would have been more than enough to win the day.  So alas, Neil has leveled the battle at one win apiece having drawn Round 1.

Well played Sir... you're mine in a fortnight's time though!

But, as always, it's not about me or Neil (not much anyway!).  It's about these two fine bands.  So here's why I roped in the wonderful Dolfinz.  If you head over here, you can get your hands on their split 12" album from Song, by Toad Records.  Alongside four of their brilliant lo-fi, scuzzy tracks, including Kitsch Craft below, there's four tracks from PAWS, Sex Hands and Waiters.  It's a fantastic record.

Now onto those pesky, glory-stealing folksters from Randolph's Leap.  How can you be mad at them though!?  For starters, you can't not instantly love frontman Adam Ross.  Especially when he pens lyrics like this! 

They recently put out Introducing... Randolph's Leap which you can get from Fence Records with a special bonus EP.  Be quick though... the ones on their Bandcamp have already sold out.  You can also still grab a download of their The Curse Of The Haunted Headphones album from here.

I think that's all the plugs over.  So, the series is tied once again.  Just you wait 'til Round 4 though Mr. Fiction... just you wait!

Coastal Skid Spy Wok v2.0

Such was the euphoria which accompanied my first notcast (which boils down to a comment from a Dutchman, several retweets and Mr Son(s) saying some very nice words),  I thought I'd make it something of a feature on Kowalskiy.  Maybe once a week.  I might even go as far as putting it up on the same day each week.  Sunday good for you?  Great, let's make it Sunday then.  Sorted!

For those who missed v1.0 and are thinking "what the f**k is this all about?", here at Kowalskiy the "P" word isn't used.  We don't like the "P" word.   I don't wanna sit listening to someone babble on about what tracks they like with the odd bit of banter thrown in.  You're not John Peel or... eh... who's a popular radio DJ these days... ah yeah!  You're not Fearne Cotton.  No Sir-ee!  And if I do like one of the tracks, I sure as hell want a link to click there and then to go buy it.   Granted, this is kinda like all that albeit with ignorable banter and physical links.

So shall we get on with v2.0 then?  As with the first one of these, I'd like to kick things off with what I'll call 'Kowalskiy's Apology Korner' or KAK for short.  Though this track is far from  it!  Things have been hectic of late so I wasn't able to give this album the attention it deserves... 'til now.  Well, that's if this can be classed as 'deserved attention'.  Either way, the ultra-lo-fi debut from Randolph's Leap entitled The Curse of the Haunted Headphones is great.  Go get it here.  But first, here's a wee taster.

   The Nonsense In My Soul by Randolph's Leap (via Peenko)

Last week on SoundCloud saw the triumphant reawakening of mitchell museum with a new demo called Glasshouse from their second album.  As they never made this EMBEDDABLE(!!!), you'll just have to go over here to have a listen.  In the meantime, here's their "last song" which went up all of 7 months ago.  Last song, eh guys?!  Attention seeking b*****ds!

   Bring out the claws, the claws are out. by mitchellmuseum

Welcome back guys!  OK, so who's next?  Well, we have one of Stirling's finest, Brazil Exists.  Their Hermit EP had, until now, slipped under my radar, but it is bloody good!  I'll let you make your own mind up though.  The timing may be suspect, but here's Happy New Year to help you do just that.

Happy New Year by Brazil Exists

Those last two are FREE to download by the way.  Now... to someone who's about to release his first EP under a new moniker.  Rainbow Fisher's debut By The Sea EP is out on the 18^th of March, a couple of days after he, or maybe even they (I should do some digging), launch it at The 13^th Note with Kowalskiy-favourites Adopted As Holograph and Little Fire.  This is the folky standout Benone.

   Benone by Rainbow Fisher

On the 18^th, look yonder!  How many's that?  Geez, four already!  OK, two more then I'm offski.  The penultimate track is one I've been listening to for what seems like an age.  About this time last year, Glasgow's Partwindpartwolf leaked four demos onto their SoundCloud and got this blogger a bit too excited.  They've recently been snapped up by new Glasgow label Comets And Cartwheels so hopefully we'll be getting some sort of release soon.  Until then, one track remains online, the sublime Deep South.

   Deep South by Partwindpartwolf

"How do you top that?" I hear you cry.  Well, you can't really.  But I'll end things off this week with something every bit as mind-blowingly-amazing.  If you're a regular around these parts, you'll know my love for this band knows no bounds.  They're releasing their third single on the 19^th of this month and then they'll be taking their stunning brand of dark cello pop around the country with Where We Lay Our Heads.  They are Letters.  They are brilliant.  And this is The Halfway House.  See you next week folks.  Enjoy!

   The Halfway House by Letters

Kowalskiy (Belated) Belated Review #5

Verse Metrics - VM1
With all the recent festivities and my album of 2010 countdown, this Belated Review is pretty late even by my standards.  Originally released back in November, VM1 is the first release from Glasgow's post-rockers Verse Metrics.  One of the few bands the Scottish blogging community went weak at the knees for at the tail-end of 2010.  And quite rightly so, VM1 is an assured, impressive debut from a band who only started gigging 6 months ago.  Over the festive period, opening track Tired Lights has been the one song that's been stuck in my head, thanks to its dark, brooding chorus and repeated refrain.  Both beg to be sung back by scores of sweaty fans... something I think the band might just have to get used to in the future!  Each of the 5 songs on their debut mark Verse Metrics out as a band to keep an eye on this year, but it's closing track Sad Bones (live under beautiful bridges) which steals the show for me.  Sure, it might not be its chorus etched into my brain, but with its majestic opening alone, is it any wonder it stands out!   Mark my words... expect to hear a whole lot more from these guys!

Supermarionation - On The Fly EP
Was I the only one who heard the name Supermarionation and expected some geeky kid who'd locked himself in his bedroom, hooked his old SNES up to his laptop and set about recreating the Super Mario World soundtrack?  No, just me?  Well anyway, that couldn't be further from the truth here.  They're a 3-piece from Edinburgh who tow the fine line between pop-punk and hard-hitting, ballsy rock.  Their debut On The Fly EP is most certainly a grower.  At first, maybe because of my wrong preconception or my general indifference to the rock genre, I was a bit underwhelmed.  Now I've had a month or so to digest it, and taking 'belated' to new extremes in the process, I'm glad to say I appreciate it for what it is... a damn fine debut and I'd even go as far as to say, in places, its ter-riff-ic!  Those places are, more often than not, heard on the opening two tracks - the standout, rollicking opener Those Home Girls which (sticking with the computer game theme) could easily be a bonus stage on that heroic guitar-based game, and The Rising Tide.  With a combination of the great intro, pounding bassline, and the contrasting Nick Cave-esque vocals, the latter works a treat.  The punky The Ashes Of Love has its moments too and shows this trio have a few more strings to their bow.  A promising start from "Scotland's hottest up-and-coming new band" (The Metro).

Randolph's Leap - Battleships & Kettle Chips EP
Last but not least, quite the opposite in fact, it's the the mighty folk-pop ensemble Randolph's Leap with what is officially their debut EP.  Not just any ol' EP mind you... arguably the best EP of 2010.  I've been a fan of the band, led by unassuming frontman Adam Ross, for a while now thanks to his intelligent, quirky songwriting and their never-ending string of faultless, pop melodies.  There's 5 perfect examples on this EP.  From the slow-burning, shuffling folk epic Going Home, through the smart, verseless break-up tale Back To Square One, to the stupid-smile-inducing la-la-la's of Undergod, a what-if glimpse into Adam's self-deprecation and general (but accepted) weirdness.  The EP is the first release by Olive Grove Records.  You've sadly missed out on the Sooper Dooper CD Package, complete with hand-knitted sleeve and frisbee, but the EP can be downloaded over here.  Sticking my neck out now (not much though), but you will not be disappointed!

Kowalskiy's Free Monthly 5-track Scottish EP #4

It's the 16th once again. How time flies! Kowalskiy's Free Monthly 5-track Scottish EP #4 is out now, so without much further ado, its over to the beautiful people who were kind enough to contribute one of their cracking tracks....

1. The Seventeenth Century - Mid October (demo) (given when this EP is being released, it really couldn't have been any other track!)

"Mid October was one of the first songs we wrote together as The Seventeenth Century. It is about dreams of love, and love itself, set in a decaying autumn scene. Mid October will appear on the band`s second EP, released March 2011. The debut EP, `The Seventeenth Century (Part I)` will be released December 2010 on Electra French Records." - Ryan Joseph Burns (The Seventeenth Century)

2. RM Hubbert - Go Slowly (demo) (demo track from his upcoming album)

"The piece forms the basis of a planned collaboration with Jenny Reeve and Kimberley Moore for my next record and as such doesn't really have much meaning to it yet. The title refers to a great wee cafe in Glasgow called Go Slow Cafe where I did a really memorable, intimate show with Alasdair Roberts and Howie Reeve a while back. It doesn't get much better than playing music for and with your friends in lovely surroundings." - RM 'Hubby' Hubbert

3. Randolph's Leap - Crisps (also available on http://randolphsleap.bandcamp.com with a selection of other goodies)

"Crisps has a video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1mc1DvxZUk. It's the number 2 result if you search Youtube for Randolph's Leap. (Dispicably, the number 1 is a clip of some nobhead jumping off a cliff AND it's only had about half the number of views. Bloody outrage.) The song is about crisps. And love. And lovely crisps. But never crispy love. We're releasing our first proper EP 'Battleships & Kettle Chips' on November 15th via Olive Grove Records and we're having a free launch gig on Nov 18th to celebrate" - Adam Ross (Randolph's Leap)

4. The Ray Summers - Heshka Rashka (their cracking, recent single)

"'Heshka Rashka' was digitally released in August 2010. This is the single version and is very different from the one that appears on the album. It's our effort to write a pure pop track. Nothing more, nothing less! it's probably the last time we'll write something so poppy. It's a track that always pops up in our live set and it's a great one to mess about on. It's never the same twice!" Andrew 'Dougie' Douglas (The Ray Summers)

5. Zoobizaretta - Ridiculous (pre-album mix. The final version appears on their debut Foam & Leachate)

"Ridiculous is a song about atheism. It's not about a dislike for religious types, merely an inability to understand the concept of faith. that God, eh? What a c**t." - Matt Clark (Zoobizaretta)

Thanks a lot to everyone who contributed. If you like the sound of it, the EP is now up for free download over on my bandcamp page along with the first 3 EP's and the special Foxgang Festival EP. Enjoy!

Now to get cracking on EP #5. Once again, any bands out there with a mouthwatering exclusive or rarity and fancy appearing on one of these EPs, then feel free to send me a wee email.

Aye Tunes vs. Peenko II

On the 30th of April, Scottish music bloggers Lloyd Peenko and Jim Aye Tunes teamed up to bring you the musical extravaganza that was Peenko vs. Ayetunes at The Captain's Rest. Back then they were joined by Campfires In Winter, Mitchell Museum and Kid Canaveral. By all accounts, it was a fantastic night!

Well, this Saturday, they're back with Aye Tunes vs. Peenko II (seemingly the order has been changed to stop any whinging) at The 13th Note. Three more cracking bands have signed up: We're Only Afraid of NYC and former K&Aers Little Yellow Ukuleles and Randolph's Leap.

If you fancy going, then you have three options:

1. You can buy tickets from Peenko here for £5,
2. You can head over to Aye Tunes' bandcamp where you can also download a free song from each of the three bands on the bill. Not bad, eh?
3. Or you can turn up on the night and chance your arm there's still tickets available
   

Judging by the first gig, option 3 isn't recommended.... just saying!

K&A with Randolph's Leap

The Glasgow leg of Meursault's album launch back in April was a pretty special night for a number of reasons. First of all, it was my first chance to hear songs from their brilliant new album, as well as seeing them live again. It also meant I finally got the chance to see Yusuf Azak playing songs from his upcoming debut album.

Then, there was the little matter of Randolph's Leap. Fronted by the quirky, surely-a-songwriting-legend-in-the-making Adam Ross, their light-hearted, Belle and Sebastiany songs brought a smile to each and every person's face that night.

I recently asked Adam a few questions. Read on for news on their upcoming Glastonbury gig, Dougie Vipond, and a very special night in a fortnights time....

Kowalskiy: Who are or what is Randolph's Leap?
Randolph's Leap: It was an unbelievable coincidence. Randolph was my great-grandmother’s name and ‘leap’ is my all-time favourite word. So we stuck them together. However, we recently found out that, very spookily, there is a geographic location called Randolph’s Leap, a gorge upon the River Findhorn just half an hour’s drive from Nairn where singer Adam grew up.

Kowalskiy: How did you all get together?
Adam: Gareth got the train up from Ayr. The rest of us walked.

Kowalskiy: How would you describe your sound?
Adam: Dressed in a pin-stripe suit and dangling upside-down from the Wallace Monument.

Kowalskiy: Who are your main influences?
Adam: Biffy Clyro. Hence our angst-ridden beards, checked shirts and skinny jeans with our bums hanging out.

Kowalskiy: New single "Squeamish" is out now for free on your bandcamp page. What's the story behind it? And is it true that it features the one-and-only Dougie Vipond's drum kit?
Adam: I (Adam) grew up a fearless young lad when it came to blood and gore but nowadays I can’t sit through an episode of Casualty, Grey’s Anatomy etc. without vomiting violently all over my shoes. Fairly recently (and this is completely true) I had to step outside for fresh air during an Aidan Moffat performance after hearing him sing a line about the female menstrual cycle. I’m a pathetic wimp.

Speaking of pathetic wimps, Dougie V’s kit does indeed feature on "Squeamish". We went on crapcelebritydrumkits.com and his was the cheapest to hire.

Kowalskiy: Ooh... harsh! A little birdie tells me you're playing the Ayetunes vs. Peenko II gig on 17th July alongside We're Only Afraid of NYC and Little Yellow Ukuleles. How'd you get roped into that one? For anyone who's never seen you live, what is a typical Randolph's Leap gig like?
Adam: A giant yellow Pacman-type blob was at our gig at GoNorth. Turned out this was Peenko. Should’ve recognised him. He rambled drunkenly and aggressively to us after the show. After 3 and a half hours of incomprehensible nonsense he repeatedly asked “so are you in or are you out?”. “In” I replied, hoping to appease him and escape unscathed. It emerged the following day that I had unwittingly agreed to play a gig at The 13th Note. And also to marry his aunt.

Typical Randolph’s Leap gigs are an aural delight for all the family. But it’s the atypical ones that you should look out for.

Kowalskiy: What would be your ideal gig?
Adam: Very kind of you to offer! We’ll go for 1920s, the Amazon, Katherine Jenkins please.

Kowalskiy: Any more plans from Randolph's Leap in the future?
Adam: We’re working on releasing a studio EP in September which should result in a massive cash boost for our main concern, The Randolph’s Leap Naked Retirement Home business fund.
Other than that, we got an email from a lovely fella the other day saying we can play Glastonbury main stage on October 21st and Rockness on December 33rd so that should keep us pretty busy.

Kowalskiy: Lastly, you've just joined the Blogosphere (its a word....). What can we expect to see there ---> http://randolphsleapblog.blogspot.com?
Adam: Up-to-the-minute sports reports, all the hottest celeb gossip, tragic true life stories and a glimpse into our own devilish sense of fun as we take a sideways glance at the week’s topical news stories.

Kowalskiy: Anything you want to add?
Adam: Three out of none of us has never been dead for no less than seven months this Tuesday.

Adam and Randolph's Leap have a whole host of freebies up for grabs on their bandcamp site including their recent "Eerie Indie Adam EP" which features the best song ever written about a Macaulay Culkin film. Fact!

I'd highly recommend catching them live! Lucky for you they have a few gigs coming up including, as mentioned above, the one the "giant yellow Pacman-type blob" and that guy from Paisley are putting on later this month - the second of their Ayetunes vs. Peenko extravaganzas. For all details, click the poster.

Upcoming Gigs
17th July - Ayetunes vs. Peenko II @ The 13th Note, Glasgow
25th July - Classic Grand, Glasgow (with Mammoeth)