Never Ending Mixtape

Never Ending Mixtape - the first instalment 

OK, I always said I wouldn't....but I finally got Spotify. Hey, it is 2016, almost 2017!

Spotify is handy, I'll always treasure vinyl and my CD's are unlikely never to be thrown out, only taken from boxes in the loft if I go to play something on iTunes and realise I haven't exported it. Although with Spotify I don't even have to do that anymore. In fact, I haven't used iTunes since getting Spotify.

I'm enjoying making mixes. Or playlists as the kids call it in 2016.

So I thought I would start a mixtape and add to it every month, becoming a regular blog. So here is the first instalment on what may well become - The Never Ending Mixtape..... CLICK HERE TO LISTEN


Watch The Sunrise - Big Star
Starting the never ending mixtape with a song I discovered via a mixtape by The Chemical Brothers a long, long time ago in the 90's. This is beautiful.

Rock and Roll - The Velvet Underground
The Velvets are always a good and cool band to feature on any mixtape ad I am pretty sure they will feature again.

Feel so Sad (Glides and Chimes) - Spiritualized
A band that can really take you on a journey. See previous blog.

Makes Me Wanna Die - Tricky
Safe From Harm - Massive Attack
Killing Smile - Death In Vegas
Hey Lisa - David Holmes
Little Fluffy Clouds - The Orb
Tricky, Massive Attack, Death In Vegas, David Holmes and The Orb are all bands I discovered through my best mate Reddy. We had so many incredible nights in and out in our late teens discovering, listening to and talking about music. Reddy had such a cool and eclectic taste. He still does. One night we listened to Screamadelica non-stop until dawn. Reddy really feel for the Bristol scene led by Massive Attack and Tricky and The Orb's Little Fluffy Clouds is a song I can't listen to without thinking of times together. Good times.

Kathleen Sat On The Arm Of Her Favourite Chair - Hooton Tennis Club
Indie guitar bands are still alive and kicking - thank God. Two guitars, bass and drums, a sense of humour, some hooks...sublime

Feed The Tree - Belly
OK i had an indie crush on Tanya Donnelly....and still do. This is brilliant.

Shaky Ground - The Lemonheads
Nic Dalton and Tom Morgan played a HUGE part in The Lemonheads by writing some incredible songs for Evan Dando that fitted him like a glove. This is songwriting at its best for me.

Fade Into You - Mazzy Star
Just sublime, Hope Sandoval is also on the Death In Vegas track.

Reel Around The Fountain - The Smiths
Stolen Car - Beth Orion
Here's Where The Story Ends - The Sundays
The Only Living Boy In New York - Simon and Garfunkel
Bitterblue - Cat Stevens
Burned - Buffalo Springfield
Ultimate Painting - Ultimate Painting
L.S.D - The Pretty Things
Opus 40 - Mercury Rev
He's Simple, He's Dumb, He's The Pilot - Grandaddy

Girls Keith - Scoundrels, Dirty Gentlemen
Stones-y rock n roll Superb! Don't know much else about it - Spotify discovery!

I Am An Island - Fatherson

Last week Fatherson, an independent/DIY band from Ayrshire in Scotland, released their debut album I Am An Island. It shot into the top reaches of the iTunes alternative album chart during the first week, but then Fatherson have been steadily building a fanbase and reputation in Scotland for a number of years.

The question is now whether they can replicate that in other parts of the UK and beyond.

I have to admit that their album has surprised me. Whilst it is pretty easy to predict when the riffs and beats are coming in on a lot of the songs, it is a good solid debut, including a few gems - An Island, Cat Stevens, Dust and the secret track I Am that highlight the promise of the band. 

I Am An Island is a showcase for singer-songwriter Ross Leighton, backed superbly by Chris Beltran, Marc Strain and Greg Walkinshaw. 

The album opener is one of a few real gems for me. An Island opens with Ross Leighton singing over a picked guitar and prolonged synth chord. Leighton's voice rises and falls, it immediately sounds open, true and honest. The lyrics match the voice. The rest of the band kick in at 2-minutes and then there is a huge 'woah-oa-oh-oh' chorus that would be perfect for a festival with Leighton singing 'I Am An Island' for all his worth over the top of it. A great start.

I find myself liking some bits of Hometown but not others. 

I Like Knowing is the lead single from the album. Crashing in with a riff that screams American College rock, it slows down (Fatherson like the loud/quiet/loud or quiet/loud/quiet formula), builds and then goes a little Futurheads (remember them?) at the end with an 'Oh no, oh no, oh no' refrain. 

I don't know where we are going

Could hazard a guess but I like not knowing

Cat Stevens is a real highlight for me, starting off with a picked guitar riff over a gentle synth chord. The band are in no rush, the structure, song and production gel superbly. Huge guitar riffs kick in at a minute and a half, backed by a cello, before it all slows down in a glorious manner at 2-minutes. What follows is just tremendous; backing vocals that fans can sing-a-long with, a huge and truly epic ending

Music fans will note the nod to Cat Stevens who has the song Father and Son.

Fatherson are managed by Bruce Craigie who also manages Idlewild and there is more than a hint of Idlewild about Lights and Mine for Me. The playing is tight and the guitars sound fantastic throughout the album; a great mix of light, fragile and gentle and then warm, brash, loud and proud at others.

From Idlewild to Biffy Clyro, fellow Ayrshire boys who have an uncanny knack for taking a formula and making it work. Half the Things does that 'quiet, loud, quiet, loud, hammer a refrain home' formula.  You can definitely imagine this going down well at festivals.

I'm on an island that no-one ever visits

I'm wasting all my time here

I'm never getting finished

Dust is another standout (for me anyway). Ross Leighton's voice is beautiful and he shows it off in many different ways throughout the album. Dust strips things down, just Ross and electric guitar. It is rather beautiful. Leighton's voice rises with ease as he strums, bashes and picks at his guitar.

James is big and bold, telling of moving home, making and losing friends. Fatherson may work to the quiet/loud formula quite regularly but they are capable of doing it very well. Many songs sound like they could be 3 or 4 different songs stitched together. In reality, Leighton and his band just have the ability (songwriting and musical) to do what they want and when they want.

James is a fine example of this, the minute (or so) of the song from 1 minute 30 seconds is mellow and gorgeous, picking pace and adding piano and then slowing right down again. It then goes absolutely massive and then breaks into another festival friendly refrain.

So go home, sober up

Take the weight off your feet and just chill

Kiteers doesn't quite work - at least not for me.

The album closes with Foreign Waters then there is a minute or so of silence before a secret track entitled I Am emerges, like Dust, it is just Leighton backed by guitar. Like Dust, it is a highlight.

Fatherson play their biggest headline show to date this Saturday coming (April 26th) at The Arches in Glasgow. Look out for them at Scottish festivals (and hopefully beyond) through the summer.

This Love by Vigo Thieves

Epic, emotional, soaring and of course; full of heart and soul. Ladies and Gents….'This Love' by Vigo Thieves is available to download from i-tunes tomorrow - Monday 3rd March.

Piano chords chime before a synth riff kicks in, so simple and addictive that you'll be singing along to it before you know it.

Can you feel it? This love? I got nothing else

Like a fever, this drug, in my veins until the death

Stevie Juke vocals have never sounded so good, straining and gasping with the emotion, packed with soul and love. Jukes has an uncanny knack for writing an epic pop/rock song. There have been references to U2 and Simple Minds in the past, the piano chords and overall feel and production make 'This Love' even more cinematic and theatrical; Jim Steinman would be proud of this beauty.

The breakdown for the final verse is brilliant, building up to a suitably huge chorus which is just hammered home for a full minute and 20 seconds.

When all is said and done

And we're fading like the sun

How you gonna feel it if you ain't got this love? (REPEAT loads)

Can you feel it?

There is an urgency, a feeling. 'This Love' is going to open even more doors for Vigo Thieves and they've kicked quite a few down over the last 2-years.

This is an unsigned band that are growing in the best way possible; by word of mouth. Anthems like 'Heartbeats', 'Forever' and 'Believe' are being backed up by incredible live shows that are making them a must see band.

Set to play a huge show at the ABC in Glasgow on Saturday 28th March, it is surely only a matter of time before someone makes a move to sign Vigo Thieves to give them the platform they deserve.

If they don't, then Vigo Thieves are on track to do it themselves anyway.

Tickets for the ABC show are available HERE

Watch the epic video for 'This Love', a homage to the film 'Drive', below;