Ralph's Top 10 Blogged Band Chart - 31.10.15

OK bands you know the score .....

the more hits your blog gets by the fans ..... 

the higher you go .....

So Tweet it, Facebook it .....

Generally expose yourself .....

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Now Mr Snuggles and I have been sitting with our heads down counting the hits on each blog to see which band's got what place.

The Top Ten Blogged Band Chart is played every Sunday 5-7pm on Radio KC as part of Ralph's Indie Show.

No 1... Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5

Along with the 'B' Side Whisky Going Free, the tracks are from the most excellent new album Rocket Out Of London which has been recieving rave reviews from all the usual suspects and featured as a Steve Lamacq BBC6 Music Recommend. 

Lead track I Hate School is Alice Cooper meets The Stones with a soupçon of Sex Pistols and it's deeee-liciously manic rock 'n' roll by Damn Vandals.

No 2...Hyena Kill




IRalph's not averse to rocking it out and there's few better rocking it out duos on the unsigned circuit than Manchester's Hyena Kill (Steven Dobb on vocal/guitars and Lorna Blundell on drums) who are crowdfunding part of the release of their debut album.

The idea behind the crowdfunding project on pledgemusic.com is to allow the fans to become involved and help them finish this debut album, which they've managed to fund themselves up to this point.

No 3...Bella and The Bear

If you casually scan down Bella and The Bear's Facebook you'll see them modestly proclaim that they're 'really proud of this wee chapter' - if you listen to this delightfully well crafted EP which was produced by SAY Award nominated Hector Bizerk drummer Audrey Tait you'll be enchanted by this 'wee chapter' called A Girl Called Bella.

The Bizerk influences are there with hip hop-esque interjections making a track like Skeleton with Lauren Gilmour's sometime tender, some time soaring vocal breaking into spoken word.







No 4...Ramisco Maki Maki

As unique musical artists go they don't come any more individual and talented than the artist formerly known as Ray McCartney and now referred to as The Ramisco Maki Maki Rocking Horse, accompanied by The Wat Wat Kings. He's as indie-vidual and alternative as you can get and we love him dearly here in the kennel and on Radio KC.

No 5...Bud Sugar


Ralph's doing a quick check on what's hot and what's not on the East Coast (not New York obviously) and in the hot category comes the new release Blinkin' Thinkin' from Hull band Bud Sugar.

In their home city, Bud Sugar are as famous for their guerilla marketing tactics as they are for their music itself. Their latest adventure involved a collaboration with Stagecoach in which they boarded buses and played live to surprised and delighted commuters!

No 6...Official Burnt Toast

Anyone that follows Ralph on Twitter will know he's partial to a bit of toast, preferably charred around the edges, so it's no surprise there was a bit of excitement here in the kennel when the soon to be released (November 2nd) Money As Debt Double A Side Single by Official Burnt Toast hit the turntable. With flip side Hi Time it's a great intro to their Tubs 'n Tongue-Fu album on Sonskrif.

No 7..Jimmy Brewer

It seems like Jimmy Brewer has been possessed by the artistic soul of James Taylor during the early Sweet Baby James years with the release of  Strangers, a follow-up to his highly acclaimed debut album As Time Stands Still two years ago. 

Jimmy Brewer exudes songwriting of the highest and most emotive quality for one so young and no surprise he's supported the likes of Joan Armatrading prior to embarking on a headlining tour to promote the release of Strangers. 

No 8...All The King's Men

Manchester band All The King's Men have released a new EP called Making My Escape and it's another step up in their attempt to establish themselves as one of the top rocking it out Indie bands in the North West.

Lead track Fever is very much in the rocking it out vain and guaranteed to be a live favourite, whilst Someday has a more laid back psychedelic feel. It's one for a lazy Sunday's listening pleasure.

No 9...The Cut Throat Razors

Ralph's just blogged SAMA winners Colonel Mustard and The Dijon 5 and having dug his disco ball out of the shed, Ralph thought it was about time he further investigated Scotland's burgeoningly manic and funky 'disco-tastic' ska scene.  

Where better to start than with The Cut Throat Razors and the release of their latest EP Motown's Lost It's Soul which is due out on November 27th. Having recently played their track Jessica Rose on the Radio KC Indie Show to some excellent feedback.

No 10...Black Cat Bone

Ralph has been giving Edinburgh band Black Cat Bone the odd spin on his Radio KC Indie Show recently due to their intensely likeable bluesy sound, so it's with great pleasure that we can announce the release of their debut album Growl on the 31st October.  Ralph has had a sneak preview and I can tell you now their alt rock bluesy style is shining through with this release.

From the moody John The Revelator to the gritty Canned Heat-esque (think On The Road Again) eponymously titled lead track Growl Black Cat Bone are laying out their musical stall...

Black Cat Bone

Ralph has been giving Edinburgh band Black Cat Bone the odd spin on his Radio KC Indie Show recently due to their intensely likeable bluesy sound, so it's with great pleasure that we can announce the release of their debut album Growl on the 31st October.  Ralph has had a sneak preview and I can tell you now their alt rock bluesy style is shining through with this release.


From the moody John The Revelator to the gritty Canned Heat-esque (think On The Road Again) eponymously titled lead track Growl Black Cat Bone are laying out their musical stall with forceful intent. Growl is a ten track album of which I've been lucky enough to have a meaty five track taster.



 


Piece Of Mind is a foot stompin' guitar-driven gem, perfect for a single and bound to be a live favourite. Shades of John Mayall with a bit of Jeff Beck geetar and some mean harmonica thrown in for good measure.

Illicit Thrill is a real killer from note one, with its proper bluesy, hair up on the back of your neck harmonica, get down and dirty strings, kick you in the nuts throaty vocal. It's sleazy and greasy, don't want it to stop blues music at its best.

I'm not giving away anymore here...go and find out for yourself, you will not be sorry! 

Catch Black Cat Bone live in The Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh on Friday, October 30th for the album launch if you can!

29 OCT

Black Cat Bone - Inverness Album Launch

Mad Hatters

30 OCT

Black Cat Bone - Edinburgh Album Launch

The Voodoo Rooms

01 NOV

Black Cat Bone - Dundee Album Launch

Dundee

Diane Charlemagne

It's with great sadness that this blog is brought to you as it brings news of the passing of Diane Charlemagne earlier today; surrounded by her family, after her brave battle with cancer.

The release of her last record It's In Your Eyes featuring Andy Rourke of The Smiths and remixed by Youth, will go ahead on November 20th planned, with the proceeds going to Diane's family.

It's In Your Eyes is a slice of sophisticated urban soul featuring iconic Moss Side singer Diane Charlemagne (Moby, Urban Cookie Collective, Goldie) and Simon Wolstencroft, long term member of The Fall and Ian Brown's drummer making it a real Mancunian tour de force.




Elia Rulli...a tribute.

"I know a lot of my friends saw and met Diane Charlemagne at various gigs of mine, particularly back in the Bodrum Cafe days so I wanted to tell you that Diane passed away this morning. Diane battled cancer with all the positivity and amazing energy she created music with. It has been inspiring and instructive to watch.

As anyone who has heard her or seen her perform knows, Diane is (her music remains with us) one of the Greats (and I mean that literally), an extraordinary talent and voice with the ability to directly reach the listener's emotions. It has been an absolute honour to work and perform with her and a blessing to have her friendship in my life. Whether she was on stadium tours or doing festival main stages, she remained humble (too humble, I always thought) and as loyal a friend 
as one could hope for. 
Diane, rest in light."

Official Burnt Toast

Anyone that follows Ralph on Twitter will know he's partial to a bit of toast, preferably charred around the edges, so it's no surprise there was a bit of excitement here in the kennel when the soon to be released (November 2nd) Money As Debt Double A Side Single by Official Burnt Toast hit the turntable. With flip side Hi Time it's a great intro to their Tubs 'n Tongue-Fu album on Sonskrif.

The sociopolitically incisive brand of jazzy, spoken-word hip-hop stylings they purvey are reminiscent of Arrested Development or A Tribe Called Quest but the message Official Burnt Toast bring on this Double A Side Single is germane to what's happening around us today.

Official Burnt Toast are Adrian Lawrence, Patrick Luke and Abrar Hafiz. Based in East London with their version of spoken-word, hip-hop and punk variously described as:

"an infectious cocktail of American paranoia, Canadian objectivity and a very English obsession of introspection and the fly on the wall documentary with the warmth of an accessible sound”.




Official Burnt Toast were featured in The Observer, where respected fashion photographer Perou is quoted as saying:

“I always shoot to music except when we’re being filmed for TV shows and we’re not allowed. My fave band at the moment is Official Burnt Toast. Their music is between spoken word and rap. It’s very funky, but with English sentiment”.

Known for their electric live performances, The band cite Glastonbury where they played the Green Peace stage to a capacity crowd as, “one of the best gigs we’ve done to date”. Needless to say Ralph's already given Official Burnt Toast a spin on his Radio KC Indie Show and it's no surprise they'll be featuring regularly in the future.

The Cut Throat Razors

Ralph's just blogged SAMA winners Colonel Mustard and The Dijon 5 and having dug his disco ball out of the shed, Ralph thought it was about time he further investigated Scotland's burgeoningly manic and funky 'disco-tastic' ska scene.  

Where better to start than with The Cut Throat Razors and the release of their latest EP Motown's Lost It's Soul which is due out on November 27th. Having recently played their track Jessica Rose on the Radio KC Indie Show to some excellent feedback it was with great anticipation that the turntable was spun for this new release.









The Cut Throat Razors are a funktabulous 11 piece with a reputation for tearing up the stage with a fun-filled musical extravaganza to delight their fans during live shows. The release of the Motown's Lost It's Soul EP see's them add some new tricks to their repertoire. 

First track up is the eponymous Motown's Lost It's Soul and the lyrics were inspired by the Julien Temple documentary Requiem for Detroit about the disembowelment of that once great city. The de-industrialisation and societal chaos that accompanied it chimed loudly with vocalist Scott Crawford's own experience of growing up in Paisley.

It's got a moody Stax-like groove with choppy guitar and sexy horns in abundance. It's probably outside its time and place, but who cares...you could almost believe you were walking down Seedhill Road wearing a big pink fedora, checked strides and a fur collared coat.




Losing My Mind is ascribed by The Cut Throat Razors as 'What is it about lust that can turn otherwise sane people just a little bit bonkers. It's not just people either, in the animal world it could be argued that it's even worse. Take hares for instance, they're normally very happy to get chased around a dog track by half a dozen pre-rescue greyhounds but come the month of March they take up boxing and can be found knocking lumps out of each other in farmers' fields everywhere and all for a little bit of nooky'.

Whilst, for me, it's not the strongest track on the EP it's got an infectious synthi-ness going on that's hard to stop going back for.



She's My Baby, on the other hand is a groovy tune no self-respecting Mod or Modette would pass up the chance of sashaying to on the dance floor. Great horns and Sixties vibe that'll see The Cut Throat Razors fans bouncing at gigs.

A Beautiful Day seems to have a more introspective vibe with more of a story tell. It's got shades of the B52s interspersed with The Rezillos...what's not to like!





You can catch The Cut Throat Razors (Winners of The Sunday Herald 'Best Unsigned Band' 2014) live on the 14th of November if you're lucky enough to be at The Big One Festival in Dorset or at the EP launch in Stereo, Glasgow on November 27th ably supported by another Ralph's Life favourite, Supa and Da Kryptonites (of whom more later).