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.
Insta - @everythingflowsglasgow
The lovely Lloyd who runs one of the best Scottish blogs under the guise of Peenko is putting on a show at Mono next Monday headlined by the American band The Shivers. Support comes from the excellent Randolph's Leap.
I like Mono, I like Lloyd, I like Randolph's Leap....so I decided to check out The Shivers who have all of their new album up on their Soundcloud page.
I've yet to digest the album, but the comments at the bottom of the set directed me to a song called 'Beauty' off their debut album 'Charades'. So I decided to check it out and I am glad I did.
The lyrics are below. They are poetic, beautiful, heartfelt and they flow easily.
The production is basic, the music is subtle, sounding live and raw. The vocals are rightly to the fore, as they should be on such a beautiful song. The singers voice is aching, harmonies come in at the end.
This is quite stunning. Exquisite. See you at Mono next Monday if you are going.
i live off love
i feed off love
i breathe off love
i think of love
i drink of love
i sink in love
and in the middle of the night i need my love
i need to grieve and need to need and be in love
my love is gonna come to me
tonight
i feast on love, a beast for love, release my love
you're scared and unprepared for love, don't care my love
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.
For the third year running I headed down to Dumfries and Galloway for the Wickerman Festival at the weekend.
Due to the birth of baby Zoe less than 4-weeks previously, I was only going down for 1-day and night on the Saturday, so unfortunately I missed Echo and the Bunnymen and James on the Friday night, my friends said they were great.
On Saturday morning I picked up Anneliese from her flat in the West End and then Julian (Miaoux Miaoux) from Glasgow Airport. Julian was fresh (well actually quite tired and stressed) from 2-weeks producing in Switzerland and unfortunately his luggage had gone missing on the way back. He had actually seen someone walking away with a bag that looked like his at Heathrow – nightmare, especially considering that the bag contained some essential equipment!
If that wasn’t enough Julian’s flight had been delayed and we met him shortly after 10am. Julian was due to play the GoNorth tent with his other band the Maple Leaves at 12.30pm.
We belted out of Glasgow Airport at 10.20am and the new M74 extension came in very handy indeed as we picked up speed. On the way we phoned the very helpful Allan who worked at the Solus Tent and asked if he could try to source some equipment so Julian could play his set as Miaoux Miaoux. Allan was very helpful and as time went on we all felt increasingly confident about things.
Luck was on our side and we arrived on site just after 12.15pm, quickly found the artist registration, informed them that Juian was due on stage in 10 minutes and he sped off in a little golf buggy while Anneliese and I parked the car in the Artists Camping field. With no time to pitch our tents we headed off to the Solus Tent to catch up with Allan and to meet Chay the organiser. It was great to finally meet him after exchanging emails and facebook chat. Allan was still asking around for some of the stuff for Miaoux Miaoux, but with almost 3-hours until the set we were confident it would happen.
As luck would have it (it appeared to be on our side – well at least after Julian’s bags went missing!) the GoNorth tent was right next to the Solus Tent, not before we had cadged much needed beers off the lovely Chay. So we caught most of Maple Leaves set and it was quite surreal watching Julian after everything he/we had been through that morning, especially knowing how close he had been to not making it. Check out a Maple Leaves video below;
I hooked up with Lloyd from the marvellous Peenko blog, who also recently became a father, and we went down to the VIP bar and bought each other a nice cold bottle of Pear cider. It hit the mark and I was glad we had two bottles rather than one. I then bumped into my friends Lorna and Colin who were going to see the Black Hand Gang and Lloyd was heading off to the Scooter Tent, however I fancied heading to the Pimms garden/bar to find out what Glasgow Podcart and Detour were going to come up with the huge ensemble that is Blochestra. Blochestra meet every Monday evening in Bar Bloc in Bath Street in Glasgow and jam on covers with all manner of instruments. Jam is a loose description, they are much better than that!
The powers that be had brought them together with the singer from Scottish band The Bluebells to play their hit song ‘Young At Heart’. The singer certainly looked a lot older than his Top of the Pops days, but he still had a sparkle in his eye and he turned in a magnificent performance, as did Blochestra and i immediately made a note to check their Solus Tent set later. Lorna and Colin came to meet me and we had a couple of Pimms sitting in the lovely picnic garden that they had.
NOTE - video will be added a later date
After that it was time to head back to the Solus Tent for Miaoux Miaoux. Julian turned in a terrific set, thanks to the Scottish Enlightment who helped out hugely by lending him some of their gear. ‘Pixellated’ kicked things off, ‘Hey Sound’ was a perfect summer festival tune, ‘Knitted’ was sublime, ‘Autopilot’ prompted a lot of head nodding and foot tapping, there was a dedication and a ‘f**k you’ to the woman who walked off with his bag and the closer of ‘Snow’ ended with Julian lying flat on his back on stage. The pressure of losing equipment, making the site for Maple Leaves, borrowing equipment and even getting to play had been lifted and it showed, Julian clearly enjoyed himself on stage and everyone in the crowd did too.
Miaoux Miaoux
It didn’t end there as Glasgow Podcart and Detour invited Julian to play the ‘smallest rave in the world’ in a backstage caravan. In preparation, Weaver from Detour double checked the suspension (well some blocks of wood under the caravan) – just as well. Kirsten from Podcart/Pooch brought out some facepaint to help get us in the mood while Julian set up inside. We were then given orders to form an orderly queue and we made our way inside.
NOTE - The video will be added to this blog once it is available.
Julian played a brilliantly loose version of ‘Hey Sound’ with everyone joning in on the call and response vocals, Anneliese was dancing on the table, Ally McCrae had his ‘tap off’, I drunkenly sprayed some cider and everyone had big huge smiles on their faces. It was great fun. So within 4-hours of getting on site Julian had played 3-gigs!
After a beer, several ciders and a couple of Pimms and only a bowl of Special K to eat, I decided it might be an idea to grab a burger before the three of us went back to set up our tents. Our popup tent came in very handy indeed!
I caught a bit of Emma’s Imagination on the Main Stage, but left after a few songs as to be honest I don’t think her songs/sound suited the main stage, they certainly felt like a bit of a comedown after the ‘smallest rave in the world’ and fuelled by more cider I certainly wasn’t in the mood for a comedown. I did manage to catch snippets of the excellent Randolph’s Leap and most of Blochestra in between getting some nice Paad Thai.
After a wander around with Lorna and Colin we headed back to the Solus Tent to catch Discopolis, a young band who have just released their first single on the excellent Eli and Oz label. They started rather shabbily but they hit their stride and turned in a superb set that the three of us really enjoyed, as did the ever growing crowd in the tent. Check the video for their single below.
We caught a little bit of The River 68’s in the GoNorth Tent, a rather cheesey soft rock band with a singer that looks like he could be in The Quireboys. However they sure could play and their energy and enthusiasm were good fun, as were the guitar solos.
Next up was The Coral. I liked their last album, so I thought they would be good. I was wrong, the three of us didn’t enjoy it at all and spent most of the time going in and out of the VIP bar to get cider and then Morgans Spiced.
On to the headliners. Feeder on the main stage or From the Jam in the Scooter tent. We opted for the latter and had a great time. The band was formed by Jam bassist Bruce Foxton, who bounded on to the stage in a very sharp suit and they launched into ‘Eton Rifles’. There were many highlights, but towards the end of the set they blasted through ‘In the City’, ‘Going Underground’, ‘Town Called Malice’ and ‘Beat Surrender’, with ‘Down In The Tube Station At Midnight’ another highlight. Julian and Anneliese said that Feeder were good, although Anneliese’s schoolgirl crush on Grant Nicholls may have had something to do with that!
We wandered outside afterwards to stand by the wall to watch the burning of the Wickerman and the fireworks display to much whooping and shouting. I love the fact that the festival stops for a bit so everyone comes together for that moment.
It was then on to the main stage for Craig Charles funk and soul DJ set. Lorna and i danced away while Colin mumbled about going to the dance tent for some techno. Appearing back some time later with a horses head mask that we all took turns at wearing!
At around 1.20am I decided to head to my tent and lay chilling listening to the end of Craig Charles set before a band I believe to be Paws played a great campsite acoustic set of covers. A lot of songs I didn’t recognise, it was a nice end to a brilliant day.
I hope to be back at WIckerman next year, either with one of the acts I work with or as a punter.
Miaoux Miaoux played Mono in Glasgow on Tuesday it was the launch party for his new single ‘Hey Sound’ b/w ‘Cloud Computer’ released through the lovely label Eli & Oz. I was pretty blown away.
It is a little over a year since I got hooked on Miaoux Miaoux, he was playing a Glasgow Podcart night in the 13th Note shortly after the release of his ‘Blooms’ EP that I had ordered online. I then started managing him and I like to think we have had a pretty productive relationship to date and I am certainly excited about the next stage.
Not that being manager makes me biased, if I thought a song or gig was crap I would say so. Well I would say to Julian, I wouldn’t blog about it. I only tend to write about things I enjoy.
Miaoux Miaoux was superbly supported on the night by Nevada Base and Japanese War Effort and a DJ set by the lovely Lloyd from the Peenko blog. Sadly I missed Nevada Base’s debut show with new drummer Calum, although everyone seemed to be raving about his performance and that of the band when I arrived, just in time to see Japanese War Effort.
Jamie, who is Japanese War Effort, is clearly a guy who is head over heels in love with music and sound and all the variety that can bring. Jamie also plays in the rather gorgeous Conquering Animal Sound. Japanese War Effort is Jamie on his own, a chance to experiment a little more, to sing and to engage with the audience with his own unique sense of humour and personality, he is a very engaging guy.
Highlight of the set had to be the song with the lovely lyric (something like);
‘why would you finger a stranger when you can f**k someone you love?’
Good question Jamie!
Lloyd from Peenko put a great big smile on my face when he played the Ghostbusters theme and ‘In The Jungle’ prior to Miaoux Miaoux taking to the stage. Mono is one of my favourite haunts in Glasgow, it has a record shop that is staffed by Stephen Pastel and the lovely Dep, it is out of the way – so people only go there for a purpose; the aforementioned record shop, the selection of vegan food, the atmosphere, the art, the people.....It also has a nice big sky dome that lets in natural light, unlike the huge collection of basement venues in Glasgow.
Julian played a magical set that spanned his discography to date and beyond; ‘The Colours of Glass’ was the perfect set opener, taken from the debut instrumental album ‘Rainbow Bubbles’. It allowed Julian to play with his gadgets and show off his ear for melody. It all looks so easy. I forget the exact set order but I think ‘Pixellated’ from the 2010 ‘Blooms’ EP was next. It was the best I have heard it.
Miaoux Miaoux’s music, ear for sound and productions skills as been quite widely written/blogged about, yet lyrically this guy is pouring his hear out; either about falling in love, being in love, having doubts, breaking up, making up and around again.
Every single day, of every single life, starts to vibrate alive in the summer time
You are a power source, you are an atom bomb, you are nothing at all
New song ‘Autopilot’ has been generating a great response when played live since its first outing earlier this year. Last night was no exception, the squelchy bass and semi distorted beats set the tone, with Julian’s angelic voice
'it's very sad to see you,this unhappy, when you're with me'
Julian is a tall guy and can spend a lot of the show hunched over his equipment, so when he stretched to his full height and curled his arms around the microphone, eyes shut and sang;
'I love you and I'm leeting you go'
It was pretty powerful stuff, 'Autopilot' is an emotional song.
Last years single ‘Knitted’ (that came out in knitted sleeves and there is still 6 or 7 left) is sublime. Beautiful electronic pop with almost wah wah style guitar.
‘and it’s your fault, and it’s mine, and it’s nothing, and it’s all of the problems, and it’s beautiful.....’
And on to the single that was being launched on the night. 'Hey Sound' is pure pop, yet clever with it with the closing instrumental taking on an almost tribal feel.
The b-side is the instrumental 'Cloud Computer' that contains a gloriously beautiful guitar riff that always remains with me for days after I hear it.
It was brand new song 'Stop the Clocks' that stopped me in my tracks last night. Opening with a folkie guitar riff over a huge beat before morphing into epic electro and closing in a blast of white noise.
Julian had played me a very rough demo a few months back, him with an acoustic guitar riff and vocal melody. To hear the finished live result was a amazing, I can't wait to hear it on record.
'Snow' ended the set, the glorious guitar riff went on for ages, the vocal refrain was sung lustily by a few in the crowd.
This was an epic performance, I look forward to the next one. Come King Tuts in July, Miaoux Miaoux may be finished his album. I hope there is a label out there that will take it on and give this fabulous artist the exposure he deserves.
