Shambles Miller - Shambles Sails The Clockwork Sea

Last Friday saw the release of Shambles Sails The Clockwork Sea, the second EP from the unmistakable Shambles Miller!  Like his debut, Shambles Vs. The Dragonwizard, this release is another folky gem.

At times on the EP, he's joined by a smattering of his closest friends who provide the double bass, some flute and the odd backing vocal or two, but for the most part, it's just Campbell on his lonesome with his trusty guitar.  Either way, despite being what can only be described as "stripped back", Shambles' music has an incredible power to it which is in no small part down to his lyrical genius.    His ability to chronicle aspects of everyday life he's passionate about is second to none.  A Billy Bragg for the blogging generation if you will, and certainly one of my favourite songwriters around at the moment.

So, to the songs themselves.  The opening track Strike!, believe it or not, is a protest song of sorts.  One which wouldn't sound out of place were it played amidst a sea of placards waved by a disgruntled mob.   Back in April, I interviewed Campbell and he told me "I'm influenced by everything around me, but things which make me passionate or angry tend to get my creative juices flowing".  This confession is backed up by song number two on the EP, Things That Make Me Angry.   It too, is a cracking piece of songwriting, and a damn fine tune to boot.    If you ask me what my favourite track is though, then I absolutely love his brutally honest ode to drinking, the aptly named Beer Song.   Have a listen for yourself!

The EP is available now from Campbell's bandcamp page.   If you fancy seeing him live, there's one date on the horizon...

Upcoming Gigs
3^rd Nov - Frankenstein, Glasgow

...and if you fancy a wee taster of what he's like live, there's a few free tracks for you to download on his last.fm page, and a wee interview and session for Define Pop to be heard here.  

The Exception To The Rule #2... and K&A with Kate & After

No sooner do I relax my self-imposed rule on featuring non-Scottish bands than I receive an email from Sweden's Kate & After. Aside from having a great debut EP to plug, what they proposed was something I simply couldn't refuse... a K&A with K&A!

A quick word about their brilliant Things To Do EP first though. The opening track, and lead-single Me, Myself and I, is a great pop romp, sounding like Come On Gang! fronted by Marc Bolan. Then comes the Franz-esque The Pretender with its edgy riffs and cracking singalong chorus. The best is saved for last though, with my personal favourite, Lost and Found. It's a perfect pop song, but what else would you expect from a bunch of Swedes?!

Here's what the band had to say when the historic 'double K&A' got underway....

Kowalskiy: Who are Kate & After?
Kate & After: Kate & After is a five man indiepop/rock band from Gothenburg, the cradle of popular music in Sweden. Based on consciousness, passion and love to the music and life we aim to create a unique experience for all involved. Kate & After is a band looking to the horizon with their hearts on their sleeves and with visions beyond beliefs.

Kowalskiy: How did the band get together?
Kate & After: Carl and Jonas started the band in 2008. After founding the band they brought in the drummer, Jocke, who they played with in their previous band The Milestone Corporation. In the fall of the same year, Magnus and Kristoffer joined the band. All of the guys knew each other in one way or another from University.

Kowalskiy: How would you describe your music?
Kate & After: The Kate & After sound is vigorous, dynamic and filled with twists and turns; the diversity of Hammond B3 riffs and catchy guitar tunes complement each other into passionate indie pop. When live, as an audience, you will experience something extraordinary. The aim is to get the crowd to go home with a smile on their faces and hope in their hearts not knowing what just struck them.

Kowalskiy: Your debut EP Things To Do is out now on your website for FREE! What's the story behind the EP?
Kate & After: The EP is a step on the way to bigger and better things for Kate & After. We felt it was time to take the next step and went into one of the best studios in Sweden, Music-a-Matic, and worked with an experienced producer, Henryk Lipp who has produced bands such as Millencolin, Håkan Hellström and Thåström. The songs are together homogenous, yet reaches over several genres of music. Indie, Pop, Rock and Disco for example.

Kowalskiy: What's been the reaction to it over in Sweden?
Kate & After: The EP has been well received, even though the format of an EP might not be the best way to reach out. Several radio stations have started to play the EP and a few of them has put us up on the daily rotation list. Furthermore the music blogosphere has picked it up resulting in encouraging reviews, giving the band some extra attention and support.

Kowalskiy: Are there plans afoot to visit and gig in Scotland?
Kate & After: Not in the near future, however, we are discussing a European mini tour. How and where that tour will be carried out is not decided yet though. What we can assure you is that once we get to Scotland, we will give you an experience to remember. We promise to keep you informed. We have gotten a few nice reviews from Scotland and if we keep on getting that kind of feedback, there won’t be anything keeping us away.

Kowalskiy: What would be your ideal gig?
Kate & After: It would be nice to go to Glastonbury to play. Great crowd, great band and a great party. I’m pretty sure that we would bring our tents and stay among the crowd, partying throughout the entire festival. Otherwise we do really enjoy the intimacy of a club gig, so honestly we really enjoy our gigs at the time.

Kowalskiy: Are there any up-and-coming Swedish bands we should look out for?
Kate & After: There are a few that immediately pops up. Johnossi, Carl Norén and Royal Republic are all being played frequently on Swedish radio now. On a personal note I would like to mention Kid Galahad, Swedish for Beginners and The Breachers which are all smaller bands but with great songs and lots of talent and potential.

Kowalskiy: Over here, if someone was to say Swedish music, we'd immediately think pop music or death metal (maybe that's Finland though). What's the music scene really like in Sweden, and how do Swedes perceive Scottish music?
Kate & After: I think you are correct when mentioning pop and death metal, cause they are the two main exports from Sweden. However, Sweden is a versatile music country. For all of you who long for something else out of Sweden I would like you to listen to Hoffmaestro & Chraa or Sounds of Violence. Two brilliant examples of that Swedish music have much more to it. I do believe that when mentioning Scottish music people in Sweden (at least the ones into popular culture) will think of aware and honest pop. There is often a truthfulness to the Scottish pop scene, that’s at least how I percept it.

Kowalskiy: What Scottish bands are you listening to just now?
Kate & After: Glasvegas and Franz Ferdinand might be the most listened to at the time but there are a few other Scottish favorites amongst us as well. Teenage Fanclub, Travis, Primal Scream, Belle & Sebastian to mention a few.

Kowalskiy: Lastly, what can we expect from Kate & After in the future?
Kate & After: At the moment we are in an intense song writing phase, and we will record our first album next year. We will continue to develop the unique Kate & After-sound and do our outmost to spread it around the world. That’s the most imminent plans, in a further perspective we hope to be around for long to bring people energy, happiness, laughter, tears and most of all….brilliant music.

Their debut Things To Do EP is out now as a free download from their website, along with their debut single Snow Angel. Just click the cover art above! With no UK dates announced yet, I'll not bother with the usual 'Upcoming Gigs' spiel. However, Swedish readers (if any?? Come say hi!) can see them this Wednesday at Sticky Fingers in their hometown Göteborg.

Trapped Mice's Trapped Mice EP Kommentary!

It might be a boringly predictable choice, but I'd have Neutral Milk Hotel's In The Aeroplane Over The Sea as one of my all-time favourite albums. Edinburgh's fledgling lo-fi folkists Trapped Mice remind me a bit of Jeff Mangum's cult mob. Earlier this year they brought out their self-titled Trapped Mice EP for free on bandcamp. If you ask me, this collection of songs is very exciting indeed! Let's hear what the EP is all about, straight from the horses mouth, or Ian as he likes to be called...

"This is a song about being bored. Not the most original story ever I'm sure - country boy in the city, feels like breaking out of the urban trudge, doesn't bother in the end but commits vague aspirational sentiments to song... But that's our first track pretty much nailed. A middle-class cigarettes and alcohol cynically repackaged for the Mumford and Sons generation, if you will. It's worth sticking with because it goes a bit louder at the end - that's another trick we borrowed from other bands! I think it's quite a good introduction to our music and that's why we've opened with it at all four of our gigs so far."

"This is a love song. If it was a Hollywood B-movie it would probably have the tagline: “Mormon Paedo Attack!!” or maybe "The Bloodening" because that always sounds cool. I wrote this shortly before the latest Catholic abuse scandal, which I guess makes it kind of prophetic. But don't tell anyone!"

"This one is about an ex-circus performer who's down on his luck and decides to come back for one last stunt, in the manner of Houdini/Evel Knievel/the French guy from that film (on their hands a dead star). It's a glorious triumph and a happy ending for all concerned. There was some other stuff as well I think but I don't want to bore people. This one features Brian playing ukulele, a band first!"


"This one's the oldest song we play - I think I wrote it sometime in the spring last year. It's a song about long-distance relationships and how it's probably best not to get too disheartened about the whole thing. It's a song about a love that spans two coastlines, and a song about the M8. I hope that one day they'll use it in the Visit Scotland ads, but that might be wishful thinking (me and my true love will never meet again). I recorded this version before we started playing together and I think it sounds a lot better now - hopefully we'll have a chance to record it properly soon!"

The EP is available for free download over on the band's bandcamp. Just click the cover art above! If you fancy catching them live, then they'll be playing gig numbers 5, 6 and 7 in Edinburgh over the next month or so.

Upcoming Gigs
26^th Oct - Southern Bar, Edinburgh
12^th Nov - The Wee Red Bar, Edinburgh (The Scottish Enlightenment album launch)
26^th Nov - Roxy Art House, Edinburgh (Steve Heron's album launch)

K&A with Red Hot Chilli Pipers

Somehow, the Kowalskiy Scottish Music Blog has made it into its second year without any mention whatsoever of 'traditional' Scottish music. Well here's a band that fully merit a long-overdue mention... bagrock pioneers Red Hot Chilli Pipers. With their third album Music For The Kilted Generation just released, the band kick off their Scottish tour TODAY in Glasgow. I had a chance to ask them a few questions. Here's what twice world champion snare drummer Steven Graham had to say. Drum-roll please....

Kowalskiy: Who are the Red Hot Chilli Pipers?
Steven: The Red Hot Chilli Pipers are a bagpipe playing rock group who cleverly fuse rock music with traditional calling it 'Bagrock'. Their main aim is to encourage as many people as possible to be proud of Scottish Music.

Kowalskiy: What's the story behind how the band got together and what's the idea behind the name?
Steven: The band was formed in 2002 by Stuart Cassells, Willie Armstrong and Steven Graham. It was initially intended as an alternative to a full pipe band at corporate functions. We decided that after a while a lot of the tunes on the bagpipes would sound the same to the untrained ear so we would play tunes that people recognised. We played a cover of 'We Will Rock You' by Queen and the reaction we got from the audience was fantastic. Bagrock was born! We got our name by a mistake. One of the boys' girlfriend at the time was tidying his flat and sorting his cd collection into different genres. He went to get a piping cd the next day and was bemused to find a Red Hot Chili Peppers cd amongst them. He turned round and asked her "why is that amongst the piping cd's?". Her response "oh, I thought it said Red Hot Chilli Pipers".

Kowalskiy: For anyone out there not familiar with the band, how would you describe your music?
Steven: Energetic, entertaining and most of all fun.

Kowalskiy: Who/what/where are your main influences?
Steven: All live bands that can go on and give their all in order to entertain an audience. We all like different kinds of music but enjoy listening to as much as possible.

Kowalskiy: Your third album Music For The Kilted Generation is out now. What can we expect from it?
Steven: A higher level of Bagrock than what's ever been produced before!

Kowalskiy: On the album are songs originally by the likes of Snow Patrol, Robbie Williams, Queen and The Who. Have you had any feedback from bands whose songs you've chillified?
Steven: Never had any feedback from the bands but we'd hope they like what we do and get the fun element! They must not find it too offensive or else I'm sure they would have sued us by now!

Kowalskiy: With the album out at the weekend, what's the plan to promote it?
Steven: We've got an instore at HMV Buchanan Street in Glasgow at 4pm on 18^th Oct as well as a gig that night at Oran Mor. The Scottish Tour will then kick off with gigs at Stirling and Aberdeen. All info at www.redhotchillipipers.com and tickets from www.ticketmaster.co.uk.

Kowalskiy: What's a typical Red Hot Chilli Pipers gig like?
Steven: Entertaining and memorable.

Kowalskiy: What would be your ideal gig?
Steven: An ideal gig for the band would be Madison Square Gardens, New York with an up-and-coming traditional band as support! We wouldn't have any roadies/entourage as I think it's a good way of keeping your feet firmly on the floor!

Kowalskiy: Lastly, what's been the highlight of being in the band so far, and what does the future hold?
Steven: There has been so many highlights but one that sticks in my mind is winning 'When Will I Be Famous' hosted by Graham Norton. That really launched the band and I feel gave everyone the belief that people enjoy our music.

There ya go. The first, and possibly last, time that Graham Norton will be name-checked on Kowalskiy! Music For The Kilted Generation can be bought here on iTunes or here on Amazon MP3. Well worth it, especially for a cover of Chasing Cars you can actually enjoy! If you fancy seeing the guys, then here's all you need to know...

Upcoming Gigs
18^th Oct - HMV Buchanan Street, Glasgow (4pm)
18^th Oct - Intimate Album Launch Party @ Oran Mor, Glasgow (7pm)
22^nd Oct - Music Hall, Aberdeen
28^th Oct - Albert Halls, Stirling

The Exception To The Rule #1 - Goodtimes Goodtimes

As a rule, I've tried to stick to Scottish bands on this blog, with one or two exceptions. It's about time I slacken the blinkers a bit and add a few more names to that short list. The first, and the main reason behind this series(?) of posts, is London-based Roma-bred, Franc Cinelli a.k.a. Goodtimes Goodtimes... that guy above with the guitar! Having been sent his cracking, debut eponymous album, I felt the need to say a few words about it, albeit some very belated words.

First of all, the album took me completely by surprise, which is part of the reason why I've found it incredibly difficult to write about. I don't know why, but I wasn't expecting anything this good! The album kicks off, unsurprisingly, with Point One - a song that begins as a sombre, americana affair which only just sparks into life as it ends. Song two, the more aptly named Let It Begin, sees the album start proper as Franc seemingly admits with the singalong chorus of "It all will begin again". It's a cracking up-tempto, track which shows off Franc's stunning Dylanesque vocals and will have everyone tapping their feet along to it. The rest of the album is a lovely mix of brooding folk (Magic Hour) and a fair few rockier moments (Diamonds In The Sky) that The Boss himself would be proud of. It's the 2-song backbone of the album though, which combine both, where the real magic lies. Fortune Teller Song and Burn are quite simply put, two amazing songs which more than justify the name choice. Goodtimes indeed!


The debut album is officially released on 1^st November through Definition Arts. For a wee taster from it, head over to the Goodtimes Goodtimes website, sign up to the mailing list, and get your free download of the outstanding Fortune Teller Song. Then you can download the album over on iTunes now, with the CD also available from Franc himself here ....or here if you want a t-shirt with that!

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.

Kowalskiy Belated Review #3

Skibunny - Hugs
I'll be honest. Whenever I get an album from "promoters, remixers, DJs", it doesn't bode well for a review on Kowalskiy. That kinda music is just not usually my thing. Every-so-often though, the odd one comes along that does strike a chord with me. Hugs, the debut from Edinburgh/Belfast's Skibunny, is an album packed full of them. Kicking things off is the chilled-out electropop of recent single Aah Ooh which draws comparisons with The Postal Service, while edgier disco anthems Up Down, Walk Don't Walk and Stand Up are reminiscent of Sweden's finest, The Sounds. There's half a dozen or so choruses on this album that'll haunt your every, waking hour! Guest appearances from The Go! Team and Maps cap off a great album and show Skibunny have already made friends in high places. I'm sure they'll be making a few new friends off the back of this album too.

The Scottish Enlightenment - Little Sleep EP
I had every intention of featuring this on time, I really did! Sorry guys! Anyhoo, The Scottish Enlightenment's follow-up to their acclaimed Pascal EP is now out, and like its predecessor, it's turning quite a few heads. The opening, title track grabs your attention straight away from its anthemic White Lies-esque intro to its brooding, endless post-rock guitar close. Things are relaxed a notch or two with the cracking Get My Limousine, a sly dig at the seeming ease of fame these days which takes time to name-check two judges from a certain Saturday night talent show! It's the 7-minute atmospheric epic When You Hate Me though which stands out for me. All-in-all, this is how an EP should be. Each track contributes something a little bit different and all add up to create a cracking, understated post-rock EP! Plus, at 5-tracks it's the ideal size.... in my completely unbiased opinion!

The Last Battle - Heart Of The Land, Soul Of The Sea
Last, but by no means least, is something a wee bit special from Edinburgh's The Last Battle. Recently, just about every Scottish music blog and more than a few other sites have been heaping praise on the sextet's debut album Heart Of The Land, Soul Of The Sea. I'll be no different! The latest band to emerge from Scottish's incredible alt-folk 'scene' well-and-truly stand out from the pack. Tracks like Ruins and personal favourite Nature's Glorious Rage are up there with the best examples of what this all-encompassing genre has produced lately. The opening and closing title tracks paint the picture of two star-crossed lovers, a theme which is present throughout this stunning album. The heartbreaking Soul Of The Sea has to be the most perfect ending to any album this year. A gorgeous, gentle build up into dreamlike harmonies capped off by the unmistakable vocals of the wonderful Neil 'Meursault' Pennycook. Just stunning! With any luck, 2011, if not 2010, will be the year of The Last Battle.