Named after the debut single by Teenage Fanclub.
This blog is all about being a music lover in Glasgow; reviews, interviews, memories, old faves, new discoveries (past and present), playlists 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.
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Showing posts with label Dr Cosmos Tape Lab. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dr Cosmos Tape Lab. Show all posts
Do you fancy discovering a band full of melodies, hook, humour, invention and a touch of psychedelia who sometimes record on an old Tascam Cassette Recorder? A band that are still evolving and haven't even played a handful of shows yet but have an EP coming out?
A band who describe themselves on Facebook as wonky pop, looney tunes and merry melodies, all swimming in nutty effects with a rich Beatleish undercurrent, clattering along like Supergrass doing Badfinger by way of an XTC Bond theme, all compressed vocals, ringing and lightly toasted guitars, stop/start riffs and a brilliant rhythm section. Extradordinary - slightly psychedelic and Super Furry super-tuneful!
I hope so!
Well look no further than Radiophonic Tuckshop, the new band formed by Joe Kane, the effervescent fizzbomb who has been in (and still is in) a number of other bands including my personal favourite Dr Cosmos Tape Lab. If you haven't read any of my previous blogs on them then check them out HERE Their Beyond The Silver Sea LP was my album of 2015.
Joe has recently contributed to the latest BMX Bandits album that you can read about in last months blogs, produced the Ette Homemade Lemonade album (and played on it and co-wrote the brilliant Heaven Knows) and still travels the world playing in Beatles tribute bands, including the famous Them Beatles - not a bad way to make a living and one that indicates his talent.
That talent has transferred to his recent project - Radiophonic Tuckshop who I caught at Nice n Sleazys back in April when they supported TeenCanteen. They played brilliantly and sounded superb and from a chat with Joe it all sounded very spontaneous and exciting - so I thought I would email him some questions to find out more.
You can read the interview below and look out for their debut EP coming out via Last Night From Glasgow in July with a launch show at the Hug and Pint. Excuse the cut and paste format, something went wrong when copying Joe's answers - hope you think it looks cool!
1. How did the Radiophonic Tuck Shop form?
I'd been toying with the idea of a new project for the best part of last year but wasn't keen on making it the ONLY JOE KANE solo ego-fest type thing again. I fancied more of a fake band ethos and Radiophonic Tuckshop was one of the names I had floating around that I was quite keen on. I started working on new songs and recordings at the end of last summer but was getting a bit fed up with me playing everything. It can get a bit hard to surprise yourself musically doing all the instruments.
The guys from Freckfest contacted me around March and asked if I fancied supporting BMX Bandits which I thought sounded fun but I didn't have a band and told them to leave it with me. I contacted a bunch of my longtime friends (who mostly happen to be musical) and luckily found a bands worth that were free and up for it. Sessions were easygoing and within 2-weeks we had a set. Everyone didn't hate it and seemed quite keen to carry on past the initial gig. Quite good!
2. Does this mean the end of Dr Cosmos Tape Lab, or is that a project you might return to in the future?
We're very together and in constant contact but just a bit busy with other things. I got a bit busy with being away for a long spell (or two) so we lost momentum but we have a full LP in the can awaiting release and we will record again in the near future. Side 2 is one long song suite/ghost story entitled Dead Man's Pyjamas and it's the best thing we've ever created. We recorded 4 albums plus a bunch of b-sides in two years so everyone deserves a rest!
3. You've got an EP coming out - tell us about the sounds and the songs on it
We knew we were going to do an album but had fresh arrangements of some older songs of mine that I thought had fallen by the wayside in the past so we decided to do them as their own little thing. The new live versions were all improvements so it seemed like a good idea to get them down. We decided to record the band live to the Tascam 424 mkiii 4-track cassette recorder (last used on Beyond The Silver Sea) at the room we rehearse in (Ian our drummers magical 'Bunker'). It took us one evening to record all of the backing tracks then another few weeks of drop in overdub sessions for vocals etc.
Running Commentary is the most obvious poppy one and in a previous life it was a less rocking more ornate arrangement that didn't work quite as well. It's more power-pop now and it suits it. We had fun on the video (coming soon) wearing silly trousers and taking over a street for an afternoon.
Buried Alive is the oldest song on the EP and has never been released in any form. It originated around 2004 and existed only a a skeletal late night demo for a long time but I always enjoyed its spookiness and thought it had a bit of potential.
Rockingham Palace Revisited started out as a drone jam which I banked thinking later on it could be reversed and used as the basis for something and that's exactly what I did. I sat up until 5am the other week recording bird song out of the window and harmonising with myself through a pedal basically trying (and failing) to do Dennis Wilson. Bring It On Girl was recorded (with Marco Rea) a few years ago for a Shindig magazine cover CD that never actually happened so I suppose it's never been released. This new version was fun to do with the whole band. It's about accidentally getting married and trying to escape an island of misery (true story). My favourite one is maybe As Hard As I Feel which is a song that doesn't make much sense really but is more of a feel and sound piece (!) than a standard song. It's like 3 and a half minutes inside my head. I can see us going down more of this route sonically than the standard guitar pop direction in the future.
4. Do you have future plans for the band? Things have happened quite quickly to date
We are now officially in album writing and recording mode. It's very exciting and I think it will be a real mix of sounds. We have the full band to play with but I also like the idea of more electronic sessions and bringing in additional instrumentation. I feel like I've made variations of the same weird pop record for the last 15-years and want to push myself production wise and experiment a bit.
5. What kind of stuff are you listening to at the moment?
I enjoy lounge and exotica stuff, late 70's and early 80's groove stuff, especially the extended 12-inch versions of things. I love a lot of the Bollywood stuff from the 70's too and I think arrangement wise there's a lot of stuff I'd like to draw on from those genres. I obviously listen to all the usual good stuff as well and will probably f**k off all these exciting ideas and just re-write another 12 Beatles and Beach Boys songs. That's OK too!
6. You are well known for your love of The Beatles - what do you make of the Sgt Pepper 'makeover'?
It's mostly a worthwhile endeavour but there's a few things I wasn't so sure about, like panning the lowery organ part of Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds. What was all that about? When it becomes someone who has nothing to do with the original music creation and production taking liberties like that then I think they need to have a word with themselves. The 2 bonus CD's of outtakes is where it's at for me.
7. Do you have a favourite Beatles album? Is it possible to choose just one?
I love different albums for different reasons! Love them all. White Album has probably been the most influential though as it was a favourite for a long time as it made it OK to put out a whole bunch of wildly varied stuff on an LP. It's like a catalogue of brilliant production sounds.
8. How do you write your own songs?
When I write songs I either start on a piano, guitar, ukulele or even a Casiotone and just feel about to see if anything's there. Usually not. Sometimes things can write themselves quite quickly or you just get a wee bit that you can bank for later. I'll hear a section in my head when I'm out occasionally and just whistle it on to my phone and pick it up when I get home. That's quite good. A lot of the time I just start working on a piece of music for fun and the song comes over it later and it ends up the finished thing. It's good to not have one way of doing things and to try out different methods from time to time.
9. Is there anyone you would like to write with?
Always Stu Kidd. We always come up with something. That will happen again. Same with Nic Denholm my old writing partner from The Owsley Sunshine. We always come up with something even though he is in LA now. Duglas and Marco I'm also a fan of and enjoy working with them too so more of that would be good. Aside from people I've worked with before though I'd love to write with the Radiophonic Tuckshop guys. There's a lot of scope there and I hope they all contribute to new material and it's not just my hackneyed old ideas! I really enjoy collaboration and I'll write with anyone if it's fun and fruitful. It usually is.
10. What can we expect from your live shows?
Silly trousers and weird loud pop songs. We want to become a bit electronic so we'll gradually ass new songs and instruments. We'd like to do more festivals and have our own dancing troupe. It might happen. We're having fun creating and we hope we can entertain people with it. If no-one likes it and we still have fun that's the main thing.
Radiophonic Tuckshop play the Hug and Pint on 30th July to celebrate the release of their Running Commentary EP via Last Night From Glasgow on 28th July. Tickets and ltd edition physical EP HERE
To celebrate 10-years of Everything Flows Glasgow I will be publishing a series of blogs - 10 bands, 10 albums, 10 songs, 10 shows....
We'll start with 10 bands on the DIY/unsigned scene that I fell for; read on for memories, videos and music. A further blog will follow in the near future with links to loads of old blogs on DIY bands on the scene over the last 10-years.
Who are/were they?
My sister Carla's (keys, synths and vocals) first band with Edinburgh Art School buddies Sita (vocals), Harry (guitar, vocals, effects and beats) and Cecilia (Ceal) (bass and vocals) in their final line-up. Additional help from Dan on trumpet, Luke on bass (before Ceal joined) and Adam on shouty vocals at first. What do/did they sound like?
I have a clipping of Malcolm Jack writing in The Metro describing them as a bunch of kids who had stumbled across Fisher Price instruments whilst overdosing on Sunny D - or words to that effect. Most of the songs were recorded in bedrooms/living rooms in Edinburgh/Glasgow. It was MySpace/laptop/DIY fun. The tender Isn't It Lovely remains a favourite, while the riotous pop of Jenna still brings a smile to my face. Why did I fall for them?
Infectious pop music that I found myself singing after 1 or 2 listens. What do I remember?
Packed shows at 13th Note, Captain's Rest, The Wee Red Bar, self releasing EP's, an incredible show at Mono with Martin Creed and Samba Ya Bamba and my all-time favourite show was at the Hidden Lane Festival in front of La Chunky in glorious sunshine.
In 2017
Carla leads TeenCanteen and Sita plays bass. Carla also has her Ette solo/collaborative project - both are doing well after albums released in 2016. TeenCanteen have an EP out in April and Carla is also going to to the prestigious Banff Arts Centre in Canada on a songwriting workshop. Ceal has guested with Errors, Adam makes videos and the rest are all doing other things.
2. Sonny Marvello
Who are/were they?
A 5-piece from Castlemilk fronted by Stephen Farrell with Mick Caldwell on lead guitar, Craig Douglas on bass, Mike Walker on keys and Michael Bryans on drums. What do/did they sound like?
Very influenced by The Beatles with a nod to Blur, Bowie and Queen. Lots of classics. Superb players.
Why did I fall for them?
I stumbled across them at a charity aftershow in Sloans ballroom. They looked amazing in old blazers, suits, hats....they romped through songs like Easy Girls, My Lover and played a blistering song called We're All Cruel that seemed to good to be true with a closing section that stopped me in my tracks. I asked their bass player Craig their name and if they had a manager. Then woke up and I could't remember their name! Fast forward a few months and I found them again and managed them through; selling out Stereo, putting out a 7-inch, organising our own festival at a youth hostel, being ahead of the game and crowdfunding through the 100 club, lots of Sailor Jerry's and some incredible songs. Great, great people and I still play football with Craig and Mike every Wednesday. Incredibly talented musicians and Stephen still has songs and melodies pouring out of him.
What do I remember?
Everything - it was a rollercoaster ride. They'd been f**ked about a bit and I remember Stephen going up to a certain Glaswegian producer and telling him he was a c**t to his face. This was on the second time I had met Stephen! I thought this was great - punk. Prior to meeting them they had run secret shows, been to NYC and were generally playing to no-ones rules but their own. The 100 club mini-album was a highlight, pulling that off along with organising our own festival on the banks of Loch Lomond was quite a feat. They were not interested in any scenes, they just wanted to create music. Photo shoots, videos, a crazy night at Pin Ups.....just great, great times.
In 2017
Sonny Marvello are over, they brought out an incredible album under the guise of Flash Talk and then changed back. Sparks To Fire is a gem, recorded with the producer who is now gaining recognition under the guise of KVASIR. Ultimate Toppers is a collection of demos and the 100 club album is an acoustic album recorded in a day that contains the beautiful Fire Went Out. Stephen now records under the guise of Stephen solo and released an incredible album Pii via Last Night From Glasgow in 2016 on a USB credit card that he recorded on an iPhone! Craig is beginning to demo some recordings and I hope Mick returns to playing guitar as he remains the best guitarist I have seen in Glasgow.
Who are/were they?
Producer, songwriter Julian Corrie is Miaoux Miaoux. Julian played solo for a number of years before adding a couple of friends to his live line-up.
What do/did they sound like?
Glorious, inventive electronic pop.
Why did I fall for them?
See above! I caught posters around town for the Blooms EP and show at the 13th Note. I attended and was blown away. Julian's has an incredible ability to take the listener on a journey, to allow him and them to get lost in riffs, grooves and beats. Snow from the aforementioned EP has such a beautiful, dreamy and flowing guitar riff, I loved to watch Julian play this live. The early live shows would see Julian bound between keyboards, synths and all kinds of gadgets with his plectrum in his mouth, sing like no-one else I had seen before or since in Glasgow - like a choir boy in rave - and then go all My Bloody Valentine on guitar. It was special.
What do I remember?
I remember of picking Julian up from Glasgow Airport and driving like a maniac to get to the Wickerman Festival. I think he had been recording with friends in Sweden and his flight was late and some of his equipment hadn't turned up! A few phone calls to friends at Wickerman ensured he had enough to perform. We literally arrived at the festival and Julian was on in 10-minutes. Shortly after that he played a rave in a backstage caravan for Detour. I got rather excited and sprayed beer and you can hear Julian shout my name in the video - sorry Julian!
And I remember just feeling kind of blessed to be close to such a talent and to try and help him. Julian had a little studio in the Hidden Lane at the time and I was working at Charing Cross, so I would pop by and listen to what he had been up to. He had a white board up with the working album title Arcs of Brilliance (which would go on to be Light of the North) and song titles. He played me the bones of Stop The Clocks, this gentle acoustic riff and hushed vocals. I sat amazed as it morphed into huge pulsating riffs, beats and white noise. It is my favourite Miaoux Miaoux song - simply stunning.
In 2017
Miaoux Miaoux has released 2 albums via Chemikal Underground and remixed the likes of Chvrches, Belle and Sebastian and Arab Strap. Could be some interesting news coming from him in the near future.
4. Nevada Base
Who are/were they?
Albert, Calum, Gus, Andy and James
What do/did they sound like?
Like 4 guys from Glasgow stumbling into a New York loft apartment party hosted by James Murphy and picking up his instruments to see what they could create.
Why did I fall for them?
They were different. Albert (singer and guitar) was super cool and had a huge afro, their songs were mature beyond the bands tender years. People danced! I mean really danced. I put them on at 13th Note before I managed them and they absolutely blew me (and everyone else) away. Free CD's were handed out at shows, they had a clear vision of what they wanted to do.
What do I remember?
Dancing and getting lost in the music. A Tenement Trail show in a basement bar was a real highlight when everything all seemed to just come together at once. A little frustration at not getting a string of singles/EP's or an album or two out. Things just didn't work out as I hoped or planned in that sense - I'm sure the band would say the same. But great memories, a Tenement Trail show in a basement bar was a real highlight - again....people danced.
In 2017
Watch this space - likely to be announcing a new band at some point.
Who are/were they?
Stevie (vocals and guitar), Barry (guitar), Gordon (bass), Gorman (keys), Al (drums) and joined by Chris (sax) on various occasions
What do/did they sound like?
Kids from Wishaw who discovered Simple Minds Greatest Hits, a bit of Springsteen and The Killers debut album all at once. Big on ambition, songs, choruses and attitude. They didn't just want to dream about it, they wanted the taste, feel and sensation.
Why did I fall for them?
They had something, they really had something, they worked their socks off, were good fun and had a pile of great songs. Songs like Forever and Believe should have been huge all across the land. Stevie Jukes was charming, positive and aiming for the stars. There wasn't anyone else like them and they took a whole heap of people along for the ride. Live shows became a celebration and a giant sing song.
I fell so hard that I started co-managing the band with Stevie and had a great time dreaming and scheming with him and the band. And anyone would fall for Gordon Phipps if they spent a night out with him. What a gem of a guy.
What do I remember?
Glowsticks at Sleazys, selling out 2-nights at Tut's, T in the Park, London, Jager Bombs, the mess of Gorman's studio, the Arches, Wickerman, the ABC, supporting The View at the Academy, The Fratellis at the Barrowland....daily phone calls with Stevie, the EP's, promises of tattoo's if they got a deal....it was quite a ride. Good, good times and I really thought they were going to go all the way.
In 2017
Stevie and Al are doing really well as Saint PHNX and may well make the step that the Vigo's so narrowly failed to make. Vigo Thieves have released an album that you can check below and have confirmed a show at King Tut's on 23rd December. Tickets HERE
Who were/are they?
James Barker formerly of Juno! on vocals and guitar, with his friend and brother-in-law Mark on bass and a variety of drummers. Ace City Racers were all art pop.
What did/do they sound like?
They were/are very influenced by Modern Life Is Rubbish era Blur. They had some promise and asked me to help out. At the time I was managing a few bands and said that while I couldn't manage them I would help out. We sent some demos to Blur producer Stephen Street and to our amazement he said he would love to work with the band!
First single Waiting was produced by Stephen Street and released via Fred Perry. There were some cracking early shows but the momentum never really got going. Stephen Street isn't cheap!
Why did I fall for them?
I have known James for a while, so our friendship helped. The fact that he was so passionate and hard working was also infectious. James is a HUGE music fan and worked hard on songs and with contacts to try and get things going for the band. Mark is one of the most positive people I have ever met and someone I could totally imagine being an indie pop star. Like a lot of the bands I love and all the bands on here, it was the people as well as the music that I fell for.
What do I remember?
My close links with Ace City Racers were all over in a bit of a Blur (pardon the pun). They played some good shows, got some good press but (no offence to James or Mark) possibly peaked a little too early with the Stephen Street and Fred Perry single. So I remember how buzzed James was to be working with a real hero of is, how excited I was that Stephen Street might introduce them to people and how much effort James put into the band.
In 2017?
James is still in Ace City Racers and has a couple of little side projects on the go. I would never bet against James coming up with something incredible.
7. Seventeenth Century
Who are/were they?
Mark Brendan Farmer, Ryan Jospeh Burns, Andrew Arthur Truscott, Michael Wilson Truscott, Nicholas John Grant
What do/did they sound like?
Mark Brendan Farmer possessed a truly unique and powerful voice, the sight and sound of him in full flight was mesmerising to watch and listen to. He combined this with an outrageous haircut and also played violin with such ferocity that he would sometimes rip his bow to shreds.
Backed by friends that played trumpet, drums, bass and guitar (among other things), Seventeenth Century created a sound that was all their own. Mark's melodies were sometimes as unique as his voice and the band really did create a special sound and feeling when they were on top of their game.
Why did I fall for them?
I returned from travelling around the world in June 2008 and was walking down Sauchiehall Street when I hears this great song being played. Outside Marks and Spencers was group of young lads that looked like they were a real band/gang. It turned out to be a cover version of Beruit's Postcard's From Italy and upon making a donation and asking their name I found out that they were playing Bar Brel that very night. So my wife (fiance at the time) went along and immediately fell for them for all the reasons mentioned above. Turns out that they were all super nice guys as well.
What do I remember?
I followed Seventeenth Century very closely and caught them live on many occasions and in many settings; ranging from Rock Ness to many a basement bar in Glasgow. Many fellow bloggers and people associated with the music scene thought they had everything to take things forwards and get a record deal. I'm not really sure what happened, they seemed to fizzle out a little bit which was a real shame. Traffic (video above) is one of my favourite songs that a young Glasgow band have released.
In 2017
Ryan is still playing and releasing music, I bump into Mark now and again around town, but it seems that the band are over. Would love to hear Mark singing again.
Who are/were they?
Tino (vocals and guitar), Sean (vocals and guitar), Mark (vocals and bass) and Michael (drums)
What do/did they sound like?
A punk pop Clash that each take 4 sugars in their tea. Super charged power melodies.
Why did I fall for them?
Songs, charm and beers. I was invited to their 2nd ever show and to motivate me I was promised 4 vouchers for beer! I get a lot of requests for reviews but I had never been motivated by beers! I wouldn't have gone if I didn't like the band though - I liked their name and the brilliant video they had shot for Rock N Roll Is Dead from their first ever show in the basement of Blackfriars that they charged a mere £1 for people to get into. I also liked the friendly but confident tone of their short email.
I went to the show, had my beers, met the band and was blown away by their performance. They had a briliant set of punk pop tunes, full of hooks and melodies. Their on stage presence was excellent, they bounced off each other, they could play and they looked brilliant.
What do I remember?
I caught the band a few times and met bass player Mark. I thought they were going to get signed, they went on a long European tour with The View, supported The Charlatans at Delamere Forest and were doing all the right things in all the right places. They all shared a flat like The Beatles in Help!
In 2017
Sean is studying in Aberdeen, Tino and Michael are in The Bar Dogs who are doing quite well and Mark has released a solo album under the guise Mark W Georgsson which is leading the way for my album of 2017.
Who are/were they?
Joe Kane and Stu Kidd; multi-instrumentalists, incredible musicians and very talented guys What do/did they sound like?
Psychedelic pop kids. Capable of moments of sublime guitar pop, dreamy psychedelic genius and the odd barking mad fun track.
They described themselves as; Disappointing Todd Rundgren gigs, Tascam 4 track cassette recorders, animal oddities, The Monkees, cider, children's TV shows from the 80's and sci-fi movies (good and bad) are all the ingredients to the sounds of Dr Cosmos Tape Lab. Why did I fall for them?
Within a week 3 people I know had asked me if I had heard them. I loved their name and when I heard The Secret Of The Tibetean Grapefruit I knew that I would love the band. The second side of their debut album is incredible and it was recorded on a Tascam 4-track studio! Return to Nineteen Canteen is pure Macca.
The follow up album Beyond The Silver Sea was my album of the year in 2015. A concept album with spoken word tales of surreal escapism (to Camden in 1966 via a time machine) and thoughts in between some incredible songs. You can read my review of the album HERE and listen and buy HERE What do I remember?
I never caught them live! They didn't play much but when they did I always seemed to be away with work or have something on I couldn't change!
So I remember the band for their vision, for being so different and for producing exceptional music.
In 2017
Joe and Stu remain incredibly active across the Glasgow and Scottish scene (and beyond). Joe plays in and produced the Ette album, has produced and mastered for a number of other acts and continues to write regularly. Stu has released his own album and is heavily involved with the forthcoming BMX Bandits album. Hopefully we'll get another Dr Como's album.
Who are/were they?
The Colonel John McMustard and his dancing friend David Blair (the Djancer) have let their imagination run wild to create an epic band that can include up to 20 members - conjuring up a euphoric and fun mix of music that is guaranteed to make you smile and dance.
Their vision, work ethic and exceptional live shows/performances have led to them being a must see act at festivals throughout the UK and beyond; selling out the ABC and the Barrowland in Glasgow.
What do/did they sound like?
In their own words (and I agree);
Imagine Primal Scream and Happy Mondays had children genetically fused with the DNA of Frank Zappa, Bob Marley, James Brown and Neil Diamond. Our live shows have included crowdsailing in rubber dinghies, crowdsurfing on inflatable alligators, laughter yoga, hig-offs, dance-offs in a giant hay bird nest, singalongs about dancing in gay discos and being heartbroken by ginger people, line dancing and high 5ing to the beats. Always expect the unexpected when The Dijon 5 come to town!
Why did I fall for them?
I missed them for ages. The and and their fans were everywhere at Wickerman a few years ago and I missed them! Everyone said they were the band of the weekend.
They brought out These Are Not The Drugs You Are Looking For and I was hooked. Cracking video, brilliant song, funny and making a point.
Then I finally saw them live and it all made sense. They are just full of the joys of life and have a lot of love to give and they
What do I remember?
Being blown away by the feel good atmosphere they created at Electric Fields last summer. And I saw them hanging around the VIP area at T in the Park just looking like they were taking it over. The Yellow Movement is growing all the time. Anyone that sees this band will become a fan. Lovely guys as well - I hope to be bringing back podcasts in the near future and David Blair is top of my list for an interview.
In 2017
They are playing all kinds of festivals this summer and I expect another big end of year show. Colourful, imaginative and innovative - great fun.
Homemade Lemonade is the debut album by Ette, the solo project of Carla J Easton (my sister) from TeenCanteen. It has just been released on lovely bubblegum pink vinyl via Olive Grove Records. My daughter Zoe (Carla's niece) features on the cover.
It seems to be hitting a mark; the band had a 6Music session with Marc Riley on Monday night, host a launch party at the Old Hairdressers on Thursday and then have another session with Vic Galloway on BBC Radio Scotland the following week.
You can listen back to the Marc Riley session (for the next few weeks) HERE
Naturally, I'm a big fan, but also Carla's fiercest critic. Thankfully she never really gives me any cause to do that....at least not with her music!
I'm not the only fan of the album. The Skinny have described Homemade Lemonade as 'FAN. FUCKING. TASTIC; rage pop, exhilarating psychedelia and a treasure trove of sonic surprises', while Scots Whay Hae have described it as 'pop music at its very best' and Last Years Girl have talked of 'sunny melodies being put through a psychedelic meat grinder.'
Written and recorded in the summer and autumn of 2015, it is a rich, raw, diverse, clever and beautiful album. Carla recorded the songs with Joe Kane from Dr Cosmos Tape Lab at his garage studio - it was a chance for them to explore, experiment and have fun with the songs that Carla brought to the table. The album was recorded in only 5-days.
Joe produced the album, plays on every song (multi-instruments) and also co-wrote the disco groove summer tune Heaven Knows. The two hit it off - big time!
Lead single Attack of the Glam Soul Cheerleaders (Parts 1 and 2) opens the album and in 2 minutes 45 seconds we are introduced to the Ette sound (which varies from song to song but is definitely POP). Handclaps, motown-esque beats, backing vocals, urgency, hooks, choruses and a brilliant false ending/slight return.
A boy said to me L O V E
That is a word that sounds new to me
Hey little sister, spell it to the mister
L O V E means empathy
There were no rules and experimentation was encouraged by both parties. At this point it was all about recording - no thoughts of an album or band. Carla remembers arriving at Joe's studios in glorious sunshine to hear him experimenting with dub reggae beats and grooves and asking if Carla might have anything to go with them. Bonfires is experimental dub reggae pop psychedelia and it is brilliant. An inspired raga rap by Leroy 'Shines' Moncrieffe gives the song an extra edge.
The studio set up - synths, keys and effects!
Bird In The Sky has a glorious free flowng melody, all kinds of instruments combine to create a beautiful psychedelic euphoria.
Carla's ability to create a melody from nowhere combines with her clever use of humour and reflection on I Hate You Song. It's a ferocious stomper, the music matching the fire and anger in the lyrics and vocals.
Did you know I have got all night
If you feel up to a fight
Stars
Although they seem so far
It's where I want to go
I hate you but I hate that I once loved you even more
I've got a score to settle
Fireworks is the oldest song on the album, originally written away back in 2011 and BMX Bandits recorded and released the song on their In Space album. Duglas from BMX Bandits is a tremendous friend to Carla and an amazing supporter of her songwriting.
Carla revisits the song on Homemade Lemonade and produces a beautiful version complete with a trombone solo that melts the heart.
If Carla was going through a tough time and reflecting on I Hate You Song, then the heady rush of falling in love is perfectly captured on Heaven Knows. I fell in love with it from the moment I heard the first raw version that Carla sent me. I hope the piano, Harrison-esque guitar/synth, the strings, melody, lyrics, disco beat, hooks, chorus, outdo (very Jackson 5) and the stunning vocals will win you over too. This was a real highlight when they played live at Oran Mor in June. The song has space to breath, it flows, soars and is full of fun, love and urgency.
The way you make me feel
Is so unreal, it’s so unreal
The way you make me feel
When I’m with you, when I’m with you
Joe Kane and Carla are a pop match made in heaven. Joe's musical and production skills are incredible, check his work with Dr Cosmos Tape Lab; Beyond The Silver Seas was my album of 2015.
Joe and Carla
The vast majority of this album was written in a very short space of time; there is anger, reflection, love and memories.
I guess that when you're hurt then your Mum is someone you naturally turn to. My Mother Said has Carla singing her heart about phoning her (our) Mum and her telling her to come home and stay with her. She did and subsequently wrote this album and moved on.
My Mother said 'Carla when you go to bed, you will wake in the morning feeling rosie'
My Mother said 'Darling when you go to bed, you will wake in the morning feeling good'
The homemade psychedelic pop feel to the album comes across on Birthdays. A playful melody and more reflection.
I love the whole album but if I was asked to choose one highlight then I would go for Bones. Carla's voice is beautiful, the production again allows the song to breath, the melody flows superbly, the harmonies are glorious and the experimental music and performance is sublime. The lyrics are clever, stream of consciousness,
I only want to see the best in you
But you only give me all the rest of you
You're a constellation that I'll never know
Cause you're missing each and every star that glows
Spending Every Christmas Day With My Boy is another reflective song....this time it's not about a boy....but a cat! Joe and Carla go into full on Spector mode with the beats, bells and jingles
I hear jingle bells when I think of you
And my heart is full of joy
Knowing I'm spending every Christmas Day with my boy
Homemade Lemonade is an inventive and eclectic album with loads to offer. It has led to Carla and Joe forming a band and I really hope it leads them back to the studio again.
Last night saw the debut performance of Ette, the solo project by my sister Carla J Easton, also of TeenCanteen.
2015 was an extremely productive year for Carla, with loads of new songs written for the forthcoming TeenCanteen album and then a fresh batch written over a couple of months in the summer that Carla didn’t want to sit on. Instead she hooked up with Joe Kane from Dr Cosmos Tape Lab and recorded an album in just 5-days in his garage studio. Joe produced and played guitar and drums on the album and they co-wrote the sublime disco summer pop song Heaven Knows.
Joe Kane and Carla Easton had never met until last summer
The fresh and quick approach to writing and recording has resulted in a beautiful, psychedelic pop album titled Homemade Lemonade that will be released on Olive Grove Records on 22nd July. They have already found a fan in Marc Riley from BBC 6 Music who played opening track Attack of the Glam Soul Cheerleaders on his show a couple of weeks ago and promptly invited them for a session.
The songs seems to have a habit of finding fans instantly. Within days of finishing the album, Carla sent them on to Lloyd at Olive Grove Records who immediately declared that he would love to release the album in the summer of 2016.
And here we are....
Ette’s debut album will be released on 22nd July
The West End Festival had kindly given Olive Grove Records a showcase at the beautiful Oran Mor, situated at the top of Byres Road. It was a fantastic opportunity for the boutique DIY label to highlight their taste and style. Call To Mind and The Moth and the Mirror are established acts on the label, however the two headline acts were playing their first ever performances!
The Royal Male (excellent name) is the solo project of Ali from Woodenbox. Ali wrote a batch of songs that were centred around the piano. His 4-piece band also had an excellent drummer, a trumpet player and a violinist. The 4 conjured up some rather beautiful songs, gaining confidence the longer the set went on and ending with (for me) their best song; one that allowed Ali to open up on vocals to display real strength and soul in his voice. The musicianship was first class throughout.
On to Ette. They absolutely smashed it out the park!
Carla had recruited a quite incredible band to back her up; John Nicol from Hidden Masters on drums, Deborah Smith from TeenCanteen on harmonies, percussion and effects, Paul Kelly from How To Swim on synths and bass, Reggie House (still don’t know what his real name is!) from BooHooHoo on synths, with Joe on guitar and Carla also on synths and keys.
They romped through opener Attack Of The Glam Soul Cheerleaders (Parts 1 and 2) with real confidence, getting the crowd on their side from the off. People came down from the bar and in from the sides, always a good sign!
The band looked the part from the off, creating a wall of sound that was aided by the superb Oran Mor sound system. Joe would turn and raise his guitar to John on drums, driving him on. They were brilliant to watch.
Bones was a highlight for me, the flowing melody is simply stunning. I Hate You Song was another favourite, delivered with humour and venom.
I hate you but I hate that I once loved you even more
Bonfires turned dub raga with the pop hooks remaining, Bird In The Sky was psychedelic pop bliss before the set closed with the stunning disco pop of Heaven Knows - the sound of summer.
This band was really put together specifically for this show, but given the response from the crowd and the fun they had on stage, I hope they’ll continue for a while to come.
Everything Flows - Teenage Fanclub Sound and Vision - David Bowie The Mirrors Reflection - Dr Cosmos Tape Lab Love and Mercy (live at the Roxy) - Brian Wilson The River Song - Dennis Wilson Nigerian Princess - JR Green Teenage Kicks - The Undertones
Ette is the solo music project by my sister - Carla J Easton, who is also in TeenCanteen. Carla has worked with Joe Kane from Dr Cosmos Tape Lab to record an album of material that will come out on Olive Grove Records next year.
Before then there is the small matter of a debut single, that just so happens to be a Christmas song that is coming out on a limited edition heart shaped Ette Christmas bauble with a download code. They may well be sold out by the time you read this so check quickly if interested. Fear not, you can download Spending Every Christmas Day With My Boy and the AA-sideBirthdays (single version).
Spending Every Christmas Day With My Boy is melodic, funny, sweet and definitely influenced by Phil Spector with bells, all kinds of percussion and lovely warm acoustic guitars.
The melody is catchy, the vocals are strong and true and as the cover may help to suggest, the boy in question was my sisters cat who she always looked forward to coming home to during the Christmas holidays.
We will light a fair, we will warm our toes
We've got Christmas presents and mistletoe
We've got family, we've got fairly lights
We've had Santa Claus visit in the night
And my heart is full of joy
Knowing that I'm spending Christmas Day with my boy
The AA-side Birthdays (single version) has a lovely playful ukulele rhythm backing it and the vocals are strong again, there is a real looseness to them. The lyrics and melody are as playful as the A-side.
I wear pink when I feel blue
Cause cherry bombs turn out not to Mean anything at all to you no more
Carla and Joe have clearly hit it off and I can't wait for the album to come out.
2015 has been a pretty good year for music; there were albums and shows from long time favourite bands of mine, discoveries of some great new artists, plenty of brilliant music from Scottish artists and plenty of surprises including the Belles going disco, Gaz Coombes stunning Matador album, the return of Idlewild and Blur showing how booking time to just jam and create, can sound wonderful.
Here are my favourite albums. I have selected my favourite song from each album to give you a flavour of what you can expect from each artist in case you haven't heard anything from the album. Just click on the link to stream.
I'll still be discovering albums from 2015 for a while to come and I have Trust Fund's 2 albums on order at Monorail as I type. But for now....
ALBUM OF THE YEAR -Dr Cosmos Tape Lab - Beyond The Silver Sea
Dr Cosmos released 2 albums in 2015. This was the first of 2015(their second album) released back in March - a cosmic trip full of McCartney and Wilson inspire melodies, hooks and harmonies. If you haven't discovered them yet then you are losing out. The sounds that Joe Kane and Stuart Kidd are all the more impressive given their method of recording! The album was recorded in Joe's bedroom on to an old Tascam 424 mk3.
FAVE SONG - I have 5 real favourites! The Mirrors Reflection, The Stars My Destination and the closing trilogy of The Long Sleep, Space Dream and Beyond The Silver Sea - stream them and the rest of the album HERE Read my review from back in April HERE
Gaz Coombes - Matador
I heard a couple of incredible songs on 6Music and wondered who it was - 'Gaz Coombes....really?' Well the answer was yes, it was, Gaz Coombes from Supergrass delivered an exceptional album - playing most of the instruments and producing as well. The musicianship is incredible, delivery sublime.
My fave song -DETROIT the way it develops is incredible. Read the guest review by Craig Douglas from Sonny Marvello HERE
The Charlatans - Modern Nature
Modern Nature contained some songs that are up with the bands best - the singles So Oh (check the Brian Jonestown Massacre remix), Come Home Baby and Let The Good Times Be Never Ending along with gems like In The Tall Grass and Emilie.
My fave song - COME HOME BABY that soaring chorus gets me every time, also my 4-year olds fave and we dance around the kitchen to it. My blog review is HERE
Happy Meals - Apero EP
This mini-album/EP was released at the end of 2014 but it only came to my attention (and pretty much everyone else's) when it was longlisted for the SAY Award. Their name stood out and then I checked out their song Altered Images and was just blown away. This was something different, completely different, sounding super cool and totally brilliant.
Fave song - Yeah it is still ALTERED IMAGES check this incredible BBC Radio Scotland session.
There will be a special guest blog on Happy Meals very soon.
New Order - Music Complete
How would they sound without Hooky? Well, I personally miss his unique bass playing but New Order still sound fantastic and full of energy. My good friend Tel who saw them away back in 1981 and he was blown away by Music Complete. The Academy show in Glasgow was one big party.
Fave song - PLASTIC edges it for me, Bernard Sumner in great form.
Natalie Prass - Natalie Prass
A beautiful album released on Matthew E White's Spacebomb label. Word of mouth spread on this, leading to sold out shows and a performance on Later With Jools. Check BIRD OF PREY from Jools - HERE
Fave song - IF the disney-esque album closer is one of my songs of the year, never mind song of the album.
Ultimate Painting - Green Lanes
I saw this bands name kicking around a little and then Bobby Gillespie posted about how much he was enjoying it and Holly Calder from Eyes Wide Open booked them to play the Old Hairdressers - two people with impeccable taste. I got tickets for the show (later upgraded to Mono) and the album and wasn't disappointed.
Fave song - (I'VE GOT THE) SANCTIONED BLUES is pure Velvets inspired brilliance with fantastic harmonies and a gorgeous guitar riff.
Norman Blake and Jad Fair - Yes
Norman and Jad also released How Many Glasgow with Tenniscoats, but this album that followed shortly afterwards, with a show at Mono to coincide edges it for one of my favourite albums of the year. Jad Fair is unique, a romantic dreamer, a poet. This is a beautiful album, full of love.
Fave song - ADD YOUR NAME is bursting with positivity and hope
Belle and Sebastian - Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance
The Belles delivered a few surprises with Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance, going a little electro, a little disco, but still remaining distinctly Belle and Sebastian with Stuart Murdoch's clever, witty and at times autobiographical lyrics backed by an exceptional band. Their show at the Hydro was an absolute delight - a far cry from the first time I saw them at the QMU all those years ago when they had breaks on stage to go off for cigarette breaks.
Fave song - Loads to choose from as you will see if you read my blog review of the album HERE but my favourite is the epic disco of PLAY FOR TODAY
Hooton Tennis Club - Highest Point In Cliff Town
Ah the sound of raw and loud duelling guitars and a band having fun - it doesn't seem to happen quite so often these days with so many bands being over-produced and using synths. This is glorious.
Roddy Woomble and Rod Jones returned with a couple of new members and they released a brilliant album and performed some sensational shows. Both were on top form.
Fave song - UTOPIA closes the album in a devastatingly beautiful manner. This was truly special when they played it live at the ABC earlier in the year. Read my album review HERE
Miaoux Miaoux - School Of Velocity
I really thought Miaoux Miaoux might just break through a little bit further with this album. 6Music got behind It's The Quick and it sounded superb on the radio. Away from the studio Miaoux Miaoux delivered some brilliant live shows with the bands set at Wickerman being a real highlight.
Fave song - Lead single It's The Quick showed a funkier and meatier side to Miaoux Miaoux but I really fell for LUXURY DISCOVERY live when the band went into an extended jam at the end. And that chorus is just so uplifting, camp and disco.
Best Girl Athlete - Carve Every Word
A Facebook post alerted me to this artist, I like the name and checked out the album and it is one of my favourite albums of the year. Incredible songwriting from one so young. Check my blog review HERE
Damon Albarn and co produce something quite special by using downtime in Japan to jam and record a quite raw but superb album. The rawness is what makes the album, nothing is over though or over produced. Lonesome Street was like stepping back into 1995, Thought I Was A Spaceman was blissfully dreamy and My Terracotta Heart just what you wanted from Blur in 2015.
Fave song - ONG ONG just has a great feeling to it
