Named after the debut single by Teenage Fanclub.
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This blog is all about being a music lover in Glasgow; reviews, interviews, memories, old faves, new discoveries (past & present) and more. Thanks for visiting - I hope you discover something amazing you have never heard before, or that you rediscover an old favourite.
Regular features/playlists; Never Ending Mixtape / Cover Version of the Month/ Trust Me.
Insta - @everythingflowsglasgow
E - murrayeaston{AT}gmail{DOT}com
The sheer number of live shows, cost of tickets and the expense of a night out, plus, undoubtedly - old age, mean that I am a lot more particular about the shows I buy tickets for these days.
That said, I still do pretty well and probably average 2-3/month. Not bad going for a 49-year old!
When 432 Presents announced The Pains of Being Pure at Heart would be playing Stereo in Glasgow to celebrate the 15th anniversary of their eponymous debut album, I knew I'd be buying a ticket as soon as they went on sale.
Hailing from New York City, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart seemed to arrive fully formed, a fuzzy dream of youthful longing, distortion, blurred melodies and all kinds of indie cool. They had a (non-album) single in 2008 called Kurt Cobain's Cardigan. This was a band who proudly wore their influences, JAMC, MBV and Ride, on their (cardigan) sleeves.
I can't remember exactly, but I'm pretty sure it was Monorail that turned me on to the band and I bought this album on CD. I wish I'd bought it on vinyl!
Revisiting the record feels both deeply nostalgic and effortlessly fresh—like rediscovering an old mixtape filled with fuzzed-out guitars, aching melodies, and the whispered promise of escape.
From the moment Contender kicks in with its shimmering guitars and Kip Berman’s soft, yearning vocals, you’re transported to a world of wide-eyed romance, heartache, and the unshakeable feeling that music might just save your life ... or at least help you escape for a while.
At just 34 minutes, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart is a rush of indie-pop perfection. Come Saturday and Young Adult Frictionare urgent and euphoric, driven by walls of guitar and shimmering synths. The breakdown in the latter leading to the boy/girl sung don't check me out mantra that ends the song is magical.
With melodies soaked in reverb and drum beats straight from early Pastels records This Love Is Fucking Right is absolutely glorious.
Stay Alive is an absolute heartbreaker, like The Sundays jamming with JAMC. Sometimes the quietest moments hit the hardest.
don't you try to shoot up the sky
tonight we'll stay alive
Dreamy teenage lyrics are almost hidden under the guitars at times. There are harmonies and hooks beneath the scuzzed up guitars of Everything With You.
Tell me it's true
I'm with you
And the stars are crashing through
A Teenager in Love rides in on a riff reminiscent of Bowie's Modern Love as if covered by Orange Juice. Hey Paul turns the fuzz and scuzz on the guitars to max and Gentle Sons tugs on heart strings to close the album.
Now you stand in the rain saying
Nothing has changed at all
Listening back for the first time in years, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart still feels vital. Pardon the pun, but there is a purity to the album and the music. Fragile, melancholic, euphoric and that beautiful raw energy.
Urgent. Fuzzy. Melodic. Perfect. I got properly lost for 34-minutes. This album is a reminder of younger days, simpler times, when music felt like everything. Sometimes, it still does.
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart play Stereo in Glasgow on Saturday 15th November. TICKETS HERE
Friday night was one of those great nights when everything seemed to come together perfectly. Venue, sound, DJ, friendly local promoter, crowd, local support and a band from out of town coming in and playing their hearts out in appreciation.
I can't remember the last time I was in Stereo for a gig. The upstairs cafe bar is great for vegan food and a pint, but it must be 2019 anyway since I was last downstairs.
Gerry Love (yeah him again!) was the reason I got a ticket for the night. It was the 4th time I'd seen Gerry in a couple of months. But as I explained to my wife, I hadn't seen him live since 2019! This was making up for lost time.
Each show has been different. This time Gerry was joined by Paul Quinn on percussion, further fleshing out the Lightships sound. Noel O'Donnell on guitar and backing vocals/harmonies has been sublime. Will he go back to drums in the future? I kind of like the way Noel and Gerry are gelling. And then Tom Crossley on various keys/synths, flute and xylophone is a bit of a musical all rounder who brings so much to everything he is involved in. If there was a Glasgow Fantasy Bands League, you'd want Tom in your band.
Silver and Gold was my highlight from Friday night. Gerry's voice sounded as good as I have ever heard it. He hit a real sweet spot. Take The Long Way Round was beautifully gentle and euphoric, Ain't That Enough always sends warm tingles down my spine and Gerry's romantic heartfelt optimism was sprinkled throughout his set.
Glasgow has many basement music venues, the sound in Stereo might be the best. It was really spot on. I also mentioned the local promoter earlier. Holly Calder is a super stylish girl with impeccable taste and knowledge of music. As well as probably having one of the best record collections in Glasgow, Holly's taste in fashion is incredible and she regularly DJ's and puts on nights across the city.
So Holly was putting on The Hanging Stars, also putting them up in her flat for the night. The world (especially the music world) is a warmer place for people like Holly.
Photo by Holly Calder
And Stereo was pretty warm by the time The Hanging Stars took the stage. A 5-piece, they created a brilliant sound. I would maybe say a little alt. country with a psychedelic tinge.
The band themselves would say Cosmic Americana from London town mixing desert haze with grey rain. They are definitely more poetic than me! A great description!
I have to admit that I hadn't heard of them before this show. A few of my friends at the show were surprised by this. I checked them out in advance of the gig and really enjoyed what I heard, but live, they really blew me away.
Singer Richard Olson had a stunning selection of guitars to choose from; 12-string acoustic, 12-string electric or at times a mere 6-string. Sam Ferman on bass and Paulie Cobra on drums kept things super tight, allowing Patrick Ralla on lead guitar and Joe Harvey White on pedal steel to whip up a storm.
White had a lovely selection of effect pedals and knobs to push and twiddle, creating a lush, warm sound that engulfed the Stereo basement and put big smiles on peoples faces.
As I said, I'm not overly familiar with The Hanging Stars songs at present, but I'll change that over the coming months. Just the band I need to get me through a cold, dark winter.
Check their setlist below.
Special shout out to Patrick Cichy who DJ'd before, between and after the bands. Patrick's song selection is also listed below and he has uploaded it to mixcloud.
Stereo is a 2-minute hop and skip from Central Station, and my house is a mere 6-minute walk from Uddingston train station. So, as I said, a pretty perfect night! Great to catch up with so many friends.
Cosmic Americana from London town mixing desert haze with grey rain.
Glasgow is buzzing again, with the fact that gigs are back playing a huge role in getting the city up and running again and putting smiles on peoples faces.
One of the young bands breaking through at present is Spyres, who recently supported The Jesus and Mary Chain at the Barrowland and who now have headline dates of their own at The Mash House in Edinburgh on 1st December, followed by a hometown gig at Stereo in Glasgow on Thursday 2nd December.
With 3 singles (Otherside, Fake ID and I Don't Care) released to date (all with hundreds of thousands of streams on Spotify) and a string of shows, including festivals and the aforementioned support with JAMC, Spyres look set to hit 2022 running.
Led by Kiera McGuire and Emily Downie, 2 singers/guitarists and songwriters in their teens, with Jude Curran (bass) and Alex White (drums), Spyres have an exciting young energy about them, mixing fiesty and fiery guitars and choruses, with melodic riffs and choruses. Power sometimes, passion always and the talent to bring it all down or play on a riff.
Kiera, Emily & Jude
Listen to the euphoric chorus of Otherside that spills effortlessly into a catchy and playful guitar solo, before flying into a flowing fast paced section, then soars with the chorus again. Then the tale of a great night out in Fake ID, crystal clear vocals for the verses, then harmonies for the chorus, the pace changing to suit.
While I Don't Care might be my favourite of the singles to date. The chorus is delicious and sugary melodic, leading to a powerful, passionate and punky chorus that I found myself singing the melody to after one listen.
I don't care, if you don't care
When you call me in the morning, while you're acting up for your friends
I don't care, if you don't care
Cause I've heard it all before, when you said you wanted more
Will you miss me when I'm not around
After falling for their singles and live show, I was keen to find out a little more about them.
I mentioned Hole meets Fleetwood Mac in my JAMC review which shows my age, so thanks to Emily from the band for answering my questions and providing me with modern day influences.
Spyres are pretty special, don't wait for that hit single that will come their way. Get into them now.
EF - How did the band for? Where are you all from? How did you get to know each other?
ED - I got to know Keira through playing open mic gigs regularly in and around Glasgow about 4-years ago. We had really similar influences and played a lot of the same music as soloists, so naturally we thought it might be interesting to start playing together.
We were an acoustic duo for around 2-years and as much as we loved doing the acoustic stuff, at the time, we both felt like it would be even better to take that next step and make a bigger and heavier noise. We always wanted to go electric and even when it was just the two of us, we would mess around with the electric guitars, but we were still quite young and didn't really know a lot of people our age to come in play bass and drums. We're really lucky that the first people we asked to try it out with ended up actually working really well with us.
Jude and Kiera knew each other through social media so she asked if he was up for giving it a go on bass and Jude knew Alex through playing football and chatting about their interest in music, so Jude asked Alex if he would be up for joining the band as well.
How did you start creating music together? Does anyone take the lead on writing? Or do you jam ideas?
Me and Keira will usually get together with the acoustic guitars and play around with some ideas until we've come up with a melody and the basics of the song. We'll then take it to the boys and just jam it out from there. We'll all add in our own ideas to make the song as good as it can be, so it's really collaborative.
When it was just the two of us, we were playing loads of covers and then it got to a point where we knew we wanted to start making our own music, so we just took inspiration from other artists and wrote our own songs, some of which are still in the set today.
What kind of music are you listening to at present? Have any bands influenced you?
We all love listening to a variety of music and have been influenced by many artists including Wolf Alice, Courtney Barnett and Alvvays. Seeing other girls within the industry not be afraid to make noise really inspires us. There is also a lot of great music coming out of Scotland right now too. And to be part of that scene and seeing our friends do well really helps us as we are all supportive of each other. The music is just getting better all the time.
How did you get on playing The Barrowland with The Jesus and Mary Chain?
It was a total dream come true! We waited nearly 2-years for the gig to go ahead, so we were really excited to finally be playing. The Barrowland is such an iconic Scottish venue, so to be on that stage at such a young age was unreal. Me and Kiera actually played the Barrowland around 5-years ago through the Clutha Trust at an open mic night when we were soloists, so to be back years later together was a full circle moment for us. We also did not expect that amount of people to turn up early and see us play, definitely a gig we will never forget.
How much are you looking forward to playing Stereo in December?
Playing live is such a great feeling and our favourite part of being in the band, so to be playing our own headline show will be fun. This will be our final headliner of the year, so we'll be going out with a band and in our home city. What more could you ask for?
You've released 3 cracking singles. Can we expect another soon? Did you get to record during lockdown?
Definitely! We'll have a new single out before the end of the year, so we can't wait for everyone to hear it and will definitely be recording very soon in hopes of getting an EP released next year. We got to record a few times while being in lockdown as well. I Don't Care was written and recorded during this period as the restrictions were lifted for a short while last year. We were gutted we couldn't go out immediately and play it live. We had to wait nearly a year for a live audience to hear it, but since then it has went down a storm.
Our newest single, coming out soon, was also recorded when things were just getting back to normal, so we're really looking forward to it finally being released.
What are your plans for 2022?
We already have some festivals lined up for next year and new music on the way, so we're really excited to get back out there in the new year with new material. We will be recording more next year too and releasing our first EP with some music videos to go along with. We can't wait to see what 2022 has in store.
As we approach the end of the year, have any bands, songs or albums stood out for you in 2021?
There has been a lot of great music released this year, despite the knock the music industry has had. We especially love Wolf Alice's new album Blue Weekend, Silk Sonic's An Evening With Silk Sonic and the two first singles by Wet Leg.
From the urgency of the opening chords of They Won't Ever Leave Us Alone through to the bubbling synths that usher in the closing title track What We Might Know, Broken Records deliver big time with the release of their 4th album. 11-songs of heartbreak, parenthood, hope, looking to the future and reflecting on the past, all wrapped in glorious soulful Springsteen heart on the sleeve style.
Broken Records have been on the go for 10-years and this is their 4th album, their first since 2014. Quite a lot has changed during that time and the band have adapted from MySpace to present day, with two releases on the legendary 4AD Records and tours across Europe and USA in between. And that is just the changes in what it means to be in a band - never mind their personal lives which (sounds like) has inspired many of the songs.
Of course what it really means to be in a band, one thing that should never change, is the opportunity to hang with friends, express yourself and to have fun. And that really comes across throughout this spellbinding album. It is refreshingly open, honest, soulful and pure. It sounds like an album Broken Records had to make, if only for themselves.
Back to the opener; They Won't Ever Leave Us Alone is whirlwind of a song, blowing a fresh breeze into your heart to make you sit up with a jolt. The band fly through the song in a euphoric heartfelt way that almost leaves you gasping for breath.
Summer warmth, fading light
As I drive you home at night
Focus on the smallest things
And write them into my heart
If the opening track sets the bar, Let The Right One In accepts the challenge and pushes it higher. The band are on blistering form throughout the album, brilliantly tight but loose and with singer Jamie Sutherland singing his heart out. Producer Stephen Watkins has captured a band in peak condition.
Melodies usher in Open Ground with Sutherland's rich voice offered more space as the pace of the album drops ever so slightly, yet the urgency remains.
Sutherland spits out his vocals during The Inbetween, a man in a hurry to talk about his dreams and memories, the song builds gloriously, the band gel superbly and with ease.
Don't let these dreams carry me away
Anytime is an acoustic beauty, a fragile melodic riff takes us to some place different, Sutherland's voice displays a different kind of richness - one of warmth and concern. The chorus flows and then things drop to a bare minimum before rising again - beautiful.
I mentioned Springsteen earlier on and Broken Records have that whole widescreen soul thing going on throughout the album. The songs flow superbly and Perfect Hollow Love is outstanding.
I know it should be simple
Cause you're the only thing that's ever been clear
Love
Don't turn your back on me
I'm not dying I can fix this yet
Love
Don't turn your back on me
I'm still here I can pay my debt
You can sense how massive When All Of This Is Done is likely to become from the slow brooding intro. Trust your senses. The song builds beautifully, yet where other songs go full throttle the band keep this under control in style and Sutherland's voice is brilliant. So Free is a slow burning gem before the pace picks up again for Clarity. Broken Records have certainly offered crystal clear clarity on their ability, vision and ambition with this release. At the time of writing I notice that it has already deservedly been nominated for the SAY Award. I really hope it makes the initial longlist and then who knows?
The penultimate Someday You'll Remember Me has another stunning intro where guitar, bass, drums and synth strings combine before Sutherland comes in. There is a little bit of Joy Division-esque bass, a real groove that allows everyone else to work their magic over the top.
And so we end with the title track, the magnificent What We Might Know. Sutherland's rich voice soars over bubbling synths before other instruments lift the song further and a beautifully life affirming way.
Broken Records have been playing a number of live dates to promote the album and have 3 coming up in the next few weeks. You can stream and order their album from BANDCAMP
10/05 - The Borderline, London
12/05 - Night People, Manchester
18/05 - Stereo, Glasgow
Sonny Marvello celebrate their 10th anniversary as a band with a show at Stereo on Thursday 26th May.
Here are 10 amazing memories I have of the band as a fan, manager and friend;
1. Seeing them for the first time
Back in November 2008 I went to the aftershow party of Glasgow versus Cancer at Sloans in Glasgow City Centre. I was rather drunk and stumbled into one of the upstairs rooms where a number of bands were scheduled to play. Kassidy (who went on to be signed) were on and I was reminded of Mr Big!
I stumbled into another room where Will Sergeant from Echo and the Bunnymen was playing some cool sounds and then back to the live room to see who was on next.
The performance I witnessed may well be my favourite ever from an unsigned act in Glasgow. The five piece smashed it out the park. They had a gaggle of loyal friends and fans down the front but more importantly they got others who had never heard of them, never mind hearing their music, dancing.
They had a song that sounded a little like Girls and Boys by Blur, echoes of The Beatles and Bowie, they were sensational. They looked the part, dressed in vintage blazers and the singer had a red top hat on.
I asked the bassist between songs who the band were called but I couldn’t make it out. I think I asked him at least 3 more times including once on the stairs afterwards.
The next day I woke with a stinking hangover (although not as bad as the one my friend Wigs had when he woke up on my sofa) and I couldn’t remember the bands name, or find any trace of them in the listings for the aftershow online.
Finally I tracked them down...the band were called Sonny Marvello. And I wanted to manage them. I sent them a message on MySpace to talk about how I was blown away.
2. Meeting Stephen Farrell for the first time.....and then the rest of the band
In April 2009 I met with singer and songwriter Stephen Farrell in the 13th Note and we shared several pints of Stella to discuss music and the bands history. The band were prolific, they’d self funded a trip to New York City for a week and had an incredible time, winning best unsigned act at a prestigious festival. They’d played the popular Burlesque night Club Noir and smashed it out the park, they’d set up their own Sssshhhh club night - kidnapping people and taking them to secret locations in a bus, they’d gone close to being signed but like so many had been f**ked over by people promising them the earth and failing to deliver.
They wanted to release music. (check their BANDCAMP page as they have put up loads of old demos)
Within a couple of hours I had scribbled together a plan and we were a team.
After winning Stephen over we then arranged further beers with Mick Caldwell (guitar), Craig Douglas (bass), Mike Walker (keys and synths) and Michael Bryans (drums). We met at Bar Soba in Mitchell Lane and got quite pissed (again) before heading back to Sloans where i had invites to a showcase by a band called Sugar Crisis that producer John McLaughlin had somehow got signed!
They were terrible but I was keen to network. When I told the band where I was off to it was like a red flag to a bull. I found out that John had messed them around a little.
The band came along and waltzed into the venue. Stephen found John and called him something unprintable in this blog. As much as I respect what John has achieved in the music industry, I thought this was great - PUNK ROCK!
3. The Oxfam Basement photo shoot
First things first, I wanted to get some band promo shots done that highlighted their style and image. I knew Andrew who managed (and still does) Oxfam Music and Byres Road and I had been down into their basement and being the geeky kind of music guy I am, I thought ‘this would be great for a photo shoot’.
My friend Dave took some great shots of the band checking records and goofing around. It was my first experience of the Sonny Marvello gang mentality. They were in a different zone, bouncing off each other, ripping the piss, generally just being sound guys.
I love the photo’s. The band just looked and sounded great, I had really fallen for them.
4. The Stereo shows
The band wanted to get some money together to record with Brian O’Neill at Cava Studios in Glasgow - not cheap! I asked them how many people they could realistically get to a Glasgow show. They said 200 no bother so I went out and booked Stereo for a show in early July.
They packed the place out and we easily cleared £500 after rewarding the support acts with some good money.
We rebooked Stereo for September and all of a sudden the band had more than £1,000 in their account to head into Cava. I think it was at the second show that a fellow Castlemilk band called The Cinnamons (led by Gerry Cinnamon) supported. The atmosphere was incredible, everyone was totally up for it, it was a celebration of music and art from Castlemilk.
The area of the city has a rough reputation. Through Sonny Marvello I have met some amazing people, all based around Castlemilk Youth Complex - an amazing facility that offers kids in the area an opportunity into the arts.
Sonny Marvello were super tight; Stephen patrolled the stage, hit all the notes and gave it 100%, Mick Caldwell was the best guitarist I had (and have) ever seen on the unsigned band circuit, Craig Douglas held it all together with funky bass and amazing harmonies, Michael Bryans created beautiful beats and Mike Walker played keys and synths to lift things even higher,
5. Easy Boys/We’re All Cruel 7-inch single
A fan of the band ran a blog called Bluesbunny and wanted to start a label. He liked the recordings from Cava and so pressed up some delicious 7-inch singles on gatefold vinyl.
The feeling I had of getting the test pressing and then the final copies was incredible. Easy Boys was the song I thought sounded like Blur. It was total euphoric pop.
We’re All Cruel was epic (and the band went on to make it even better) later in life for their Sparks to Fire album.
6. The Pull Me Up EP
The next release was the Pull Me Up EP. The review above captures it pretty perfectly. Then there was time for another photo shoot with Dave, this time in a field on the outskirts of my hometown of Carluke. It was another great day with the band....being a band and we had a great time.
7. Charlie Sheen
Stephen is writing songs and coming up with ideas all the time. In an ideal world he would be a songwriter based in New York or London.
Around the time of Charlie Sheen’s meltdown with drugs and orgies I sent Stephen a text and set him the challenge of writing a song called Charlie Sheen - You’re Living My Dream
Stephen responded the next day and published a film of him, Craig and Mick singing it acoustically into an inflatable crayon!
The lyrics were clever and playful, I particularly like;
I saw you once in my hometown, scoring some Charlie
8. The 100 club - Fire Went Out and the Ruby Tuesday’s Vintage Store secret show
I was keen to keep momentum going and came up with the idea of a fanclub to raise funds. For £10, people would get a mini acoustic album (on a CD that looked like vinyl), a badge and access to a secret gig. Early crowdfunding!
So another £1,000 was raised.
The mini-acoustic album was recorded in just one day and features my favourite Sonny Marvello song, the absolutely stunning Fire Went Out. The closing section still sends shivers down my spine. I think it shows just how close they are as a band and friends and how supremely talented they are.
The secret show mentioned as part of the 100 club was to be held at a vintage clothes store above a tea room in Bath Street following a talk and performance at the Apple Store surrounding the use of Apple products at Rocket Science studios and for filming the above Fire Went Out video.
Everyone invited followed me up Buchanan Street and along Bath Street to the ‘secret’ location. It was hilarious. Federico (who owned the now closed store) was the perfect host. We got in loads of booze and the band played an acoustic set. Kevin Harper, friend and fan of the band, also ended up playing an impromptu set from the roof outside the shop!
Good, good times with good, good people.
9. The Loch Lomond Festival
The band were keen to keep things going and I was also keen to make sure the band were a little different. Rather incredibly (considering their songs and ability) they were overlooked for festivals in favour of bands deemed a little cooler.
Being the creative and determined guy that I am, I thought ‘I’ll organise our own festival’, so I did!
My original idea of booking a campsite was cancelled as I worried about the weather and the logistics involved. Instead Craig and I drove up to a youth hostel on the banks of Loch Lomond to meet the manager and agreed to book out the whole hostel for a Saturday night in October for a festival.
Tickets were £40. For that you got a roof over your head, Sonny Marvello, Model Jet Pilot, Kevin Harper and entertainment by rising magician Ryan Davidson. Oh and i DJ’d long into the night.
What a day and night it was! Check in was at 2pm and drinks were flowing shortly after. Someone took a dip in the loch at midnight, there was the mystery of the dump in the sink (don’t ask!), Sonny Marvello somehow blagged a laser light show and smoke machine, Kevin Harper was sensational and we had a great laugh talking music and film, Model Jet Pilot rocked and everyone had an amazing time.
10. Rocket Science and the Sparks To Fire album
All the momentum and all the fun we had was incredible. It really was a great time. After all the fun there was a different kind of momentum as the band got down to the serious business of recording an album at Rocket Science studios with Ross Hamilton and Michael Bannister.
It took a while! But the results were incredible.
Time moved on and I suggested (foolishly looking back) that perhaps a change in band name would be good for the band. So the band name changed to Flash Talk for the Sparks to Fire album.
The album is incredible! It really is; check it here - now newly (and rightly) available as Sonny Marvello.
Going into Rocket Science Studios to hear the songs being played back was a different kind of excitement and fun. They were f**king good. Tiny Little Sparks was played on Radio 1 only days after being completed.
Check the videos for Miracle and Run to the Horizon below. I/We should have done more with them.
Life kind of caught up with the dream of being a band - quite a lot of crazy stuff happened around that time. I still hope that this album will be picked up in some shape or form one day. Ripe for TV, film and advertising.
Making friends
My best memory though is of making friends. I had some great nights out; Stephen and Hayley’s wedding, Beatles guitar band, the Buff Club, various bars and venues, the Complex for Craig’s 30th and I still play 7-a-sides most weeks with Craig and Walker. All of the band (and I) have experienced and shared highs and devastating lows in our time as friends. That’s life I guess...and it is a little easier to get by with a little help from your friends.
Sonny Marvello may have a new album out next year. Stephen has also recorded some solo stuff under the guise of...Stephen Solo and I’ll be blogging about that in the very near future.
It’s been great looking back at some of the achievements, the music and thinking about what could have been, what should have been.
The band play Stereo on Thursday 26th May.
Be great to see you there.
The band are also looking to the future and should have a new album out next year. The first side was recorded over 3-days at a rented house in the countryside, the second side is being recorded at present.
Last night I headed down to Stereo for the launch of Adam Stafford's latest album; 'Build A Harbur Immediately'. I had seen Adam on two previous occassions and I had also managed a sneek preview of the album back in March whilst down in London with Miaoux Miaoux.
For those that haven't seen or heard Adam before I would strongly recommend that you check him out. Why? Well he is extremely talented, inventive and original.
The excellent Scottish bloggers Peenko and Aye Tunes were putting on the night. Lloyd and Jim are extremely passionate about independent music in Scotland and if you check Peenko's blog from last week you'll be able to read a brilliant track-by-track guide of the album by Adam himself.
On to the night itself, sadly missing the band Paws who had unfortunately received some of the saddest news you can ever receive during the week; my thoughts go out to them. Check one of my latest blogs for a review of their last single.
Mondegreen opened. A 3-piece band that seemed extremely shy and unprepared with no setlist, so shy that the singer/guitarist stood stage left behind a pillar.
That was all part of their charm though, at times they seemed quite slacker-esque like Pavement, but at their best they ripped into riffs and soaring vocals like The Bends era Radiohead. When they went for it like that they were very impressive.
I was looking forward to hearing Miaoux Miaoux through the excellent Stereo soundsystem and he didn't disappoint. 'Hey Sound' and 'Cloud Computer' were excellent, but it was new songs 'Autopilot' and 'Stop the Clocks' that really benefitted from the sound system. The squelchy bass of the former sounded beautiful, but it is 'Stop the Clocks' that really highlights how strongly Miaoux Miaoux is developing his sound and songwriting. Trust me, this is one of the songs of the year.
On to the headline act (pictured above). Stafford took to the stage looking like he was meaning business with a sharp haircut and dressed in a shirt and tie. Stafford lets his imagination run riot by using vocal loops, layer upon layer of them. At times he must have 6 or 7 different vocal sections going on at once, coming across like a one man band version of the Beach Boys.
'Shot- down you Summer Wannabies' is a song that I would recommend to anyone wishing to check Adam out for the first time. Beautifully atmospheric, passionate and just f**king brilliant. It starts off with a vocal riff like something that wouldn't be out of place in Walt Disney's The Lion King (that is honestly a compliment) before Stafford layers some simple 'CChhh cchhh's' over for a 'beat', some haunting backing vocals and then he sings from the heart.
because you came and you wanted to show the world,
that you hadn't been swallowed up in the fluttering wind
Stafford is soon dancing around the stage, all Curtis-esque, twitching with the noises he makes, getting lost in the music. Several of the audience were doing exactly the same.
The first half of the show saw Stafford performing on his own, although if you shut your eyes you would be guessing at the number of people that were on stage creating such a wonderful sound.
The second half witnessed the introduction of some guests that had appeared on the album, two femal backing singers, lead guitar and viola. They only enhanced the sound and left me wondering just what it sounds like in Adam Stafford's head.
The record is on as I type and like the layers that Stafford introduces to so many of the songs, it has a great deal of depth and I imagine I'll be playing it a good few times during my week off that is coming up.
'Frederick Wiseman' is another highlight; really gentle, Stafford's voice is soothing and the introduction of the different layers just leaves you wondering what is coming next.
I arrived at Stereo at 8.45pm and I didn't have too long to wait until For Abel took to the stage. They started as they meant to go on with a rather epic Joy Division-esque number.
If For Abel have any desire to headline a festival, they got a good indication of what it was like to play to a crowd with a 10 yard gap in between them, as their fans stood well back, not wanting to be 'down the front.'
Not the band cared one bit about that. They were 'in the zone' with frontman Robert Armstrong easily moving from literary musings to simple guitar pop-punk.
I'm still learning the names of For Abel's songs, however the opening track from their album 'Telephone' was excellent; spiky guitars and the kind of New Wave pop punk feel that gets straight to the point with the chorus delivered in under 45 seconds.
'I just wish that you would pick up your telephone to me.'
'On TV' was sharper, faster and more lively than the recorded version and the crowd responded accordingly with some dancing at the front, while 'Yorkshire' was one of my personal highlights; the ferocious guitar and bass riffing reminded me of Senseless Things from my youth.
When For Abel are at their best they have fantastic potential, although I must admit the odd song did pass me by. It will be interesting to see what kind of stuff they record next, as some of the stuff was clearly aiming for the stars;'First Kiling' is one example.
'Broken Hands' is another, it lasts for over 5-minutes on the record, last night it must have gone on for well over that. By this point the band were really going for it, clearly tight on stage and off it. The atmospheric opening breaks into a melodic guitar riff that builds in time with the vocals.
'this could be with you, lets be somebody, lets just make things new, like anybody too'
For Abel are certainly able (sorry) and when they are at their best they bring Joy Division and The National to mind (they were once called The Nacional). It was a good gig, the sound system in Stereo is one of the best in Glasgow and they also have one of the best sound engineers in Shona. It will be interesting to see what they do next.
Full credit to Flowers in the Dustbin for releasing records by Nevada Base and For Abel already this year; clearly a label with a good ear for music in Glasgow.
So this is more of a diary than a blog or review, seeing as I manage Sonny Marvello. And what a pleasure that is.
This was the slightly late launch of the bands debut single on Mteropolicana Records due to problems with mastering, pressing, delivery and the drummer going to Japan for 6-weeks.
All of that was forgotten last night when Sonny Marvello took to the stage for their first gig of 2010.
But before that, lets begin at the start of the night. Ross Hamilton AKA Rosco played a short solo set to warm up the crowd before The Cinnamons brought their American college-rock/pop influenced sounds to Stereo. Despite technical problems during their first song this was the best I have seen them. Lead singer Gerry made full use of the large stage, shimmying around to the beats and riffs produced by the rest of the band. Highlights included the single Dead Mans Shoes, Armed Robbery and a glorious Analog Man.
A soundtrack consisting of Wings, Bowie, Motown and Blur brought Sonny Marvello on to the stage before a packed and eagerly awaiting crowd. The band launched straight into debut single Easy Boys with singer Stephen Farrell working his charm on the crowd and giving it his all. The band then played new song Made of Magic for the first time. It's a poppy track that embeds itself in your head on first listen with the closing section being particularly memorable; 'M A G I C what you're made of, is magic'.
Don't Want To Be Held and Whispering Song were old favourites, with the latter drawing a particularly good crowd response before the band played another new song entitled Tiny Little Sparks. Mick Caldwell's guitar was beautiful, this is a song that Chris Martin would be proud of.
The double-a-side We're All Cruel showcased the bands songwriting ability and it sounded big enough for Hampden, never mind Stereo.
Pull Me Up is guitar pop heaven and the crowd were dancing and singing along to one of Sonny's poppiest moments. My Lover kept the crowd dancing and singing, with the band throwing in a little bit of the Bee Gee's Jive Talking for good measure.
There was no way the crowd were going to let them off without an encore and the and dutifully returned to play the excellent Love Ain't Sweet. Another stadium anthem in the making.
This was an excellent night for Sonny Marvello. The money raised will go straight into recordings as the band look to record and release regularly throughout 2010.
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