Book Group - Tantrums

It's been a hectic time in the kennel for new tunes and it was with great interest that news of the new EP by Book Group (due for release may 17th) appeared in the inbox. Ralph took a look last year when they released the excellent debut EP Homeward Sound and a review of the EP's launch party was forthcoming. Book Group are Graeme Anderson (vocal, guitar & synth), Andrew Brodie (drums), Scott Finnigan (backing vocal and bass) and Michael Morrison (guitars).




Formed in 2012, Book Group came together from the ashes of several Edinburgh bands. They inject thundering drums and feed-backing guitars into pop sensibilities, carried by frontman Graeme Anderson’s quirky, story-driven lyrics; with harmonies and humming synths underlying it all. Live, they opened Fence's inaugural (and final) Gnomegame and Aberfeldy Festival in 2013 (and received glowing reviews for their sweat-soaked appearance at Wickerman), and hosted the aforementioned and sold out release party in Pilrig St Paul's Church hall for the début EP, Homeward Sound in May of last year.




They followed that with a limited edition (blue vinyl) double A-side single on Gerry Loves Records which saw both tracks - Victory Lap/The Lowdown of a LOUD Sound - receive national radio play. Both Homeward Sound and the single ended up top in several end of year polls. 

Tantrums is the second EP and it marks a step up in the band's confidence as songwriters. Produced by Bruce Rintoul, the 4-song EP flows from fuzz-pop to howling feedback, vocoders and pounding rhythms and electronics.






 Here Is Too Near by Book Group   





Lead track on Tantrums - 'Hear Is Too Near' - is reminiscent of early Deacon Blue with shades of Prefab Sprout injected through it so I'm happy and it'll be getting a spin on Ralph's Indie Show this Sunday (27th May) on Radio KC. It's single material and demands a video to accompany it. The EP on the whole is Alt Poppier than Admiral Fallow and not as Alt Rocky as Biffy Clyro but that's no bad thing. Lyrically well crafted ('I was in the Boy's Brigade - Never ever got me laid') melodic songs that stick in your head are the order of the day. That plus their solid musicality should see them getting regular airplay by the likes of Jim Gellatly on his new XFM Scotland show.

2 MAY - POOR THINGS ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY - STEREO, GLASGOW. 


17 MAY - ‘TANTRUMS’ EP LAUNCH PARTY, THE HALLS (EDINBURGH), 
With: FRIENDS IN AMERICA, PRONTO MAMA, LIVE FROM THE LATIN QUARTER DJS + MORE. 

Culann

Culann have made no secret of the fact that they want to make 2013 their year and they made a great start by winning the 'Best Rock/Alternative' category of The Scottish Alternative Music Award earlier this month.  Comprised of PJ Kelly - Vocals/Guitar, Sean Kelly - Drums/Vocals, Greg Irish- Guitar, Ross McCluskie- Keys and Calum Davis-Bass, Culann are making rousing folk/rock anthems (sometimes with a hint of prog rock like - 'Beat Your Chest') with almost alarming regularity.








Like their namesake from Irish mythology they forge their music with rousing guitars, swooping keyboards, crashing drums and well crafted lyrics.  





They've brought together elements of some of the great 70's prog rock super-groups like ELP and Yes together with the modern folk stylings of Frightened Rabbit and Admiral Fallow.  They're almost creating their own genre within the current Scottish music scene and you only have to look at their growing fan-base to know they've got the mixture just right.  That's very evident in one of their more powerful and anthemic tracks, the masterful 'Salvation' which builds throughout to a vocal crescendo.










The album 'Culann' is superbly put together and mastered by none other than Jon Astley who has worked with artists as diverse as Abba to The Who and Nora Jones to Led Zeppelin.  It's a debut album and a coming of age in one mighty fell swoop.  Needless to say I'm not going through the whole album...you're going to have to go and find out for yourself, but take my word for it, you'll be buying one of the albums of the year.

After their SAMA win Ralph's roving reporter in Scotland, Malcolm Parry took a chance to ask them a 
few questions.....

Malc: An obvious question to start: So how did you feel when your name was announced as the winners?

Culann: We were genuinely surprised.  We had put a lot of hard work in promoting the event & voting system but it was still very unexpected
.

To have your bands name announced as 'Best Rock' at an event like the Sama's is special, an unforgettable moment for all of us.  We have spent nearly two years on our first album so it feels great to have achieved something like this.

                    

Malc: If you could support one band who would it be?

Culann: This is a tricky question.  All of us have really different influences so It would maybe be 5 different bands!  Being from Ayrshire, I think we would all love an Ayrshire show supporting Biffy Clyro though.

                    

Malc: Do you think the Sama award will help you gain a wider audience & get bigger venue gigs?

Definitely, I think we have already started to get a wider audience & since Friday the feedback has been incredible.  It will help us cast the net further for sure, its a very good platform to build from.

                    

Malc: Briefly, can you tell me any plans for the band that are happening this year?

Culann: We are currently promoting our first album (on Itunes / Bigcartel) and we will be touring Scotland next month, the dates are available on Facebook.  After that we will be playing as many shows as possible over the next few months, and hopefully be appearing at a few festivals over the summer.  Having won the 'Best Rock' prize at the Sama's we really want to capitalise on the achievement and really push on. 

If you think their fans aren't hardcore.....check out these bad boys that @youaremoo did for the guys..... 

Steve Heron

What's the connection between Johnny Marr and Edinburgh singer/songwriter Steve Heron I hear you ask?  Well I'll tell you...They both play guitar and Steve Heron likes Johnny Marr who's just brought out a solo record and a video after 25 years and Steve's about to release his new single 'Picturesque' and a video at a launch party in Edinburgh's Sneaky Pete's on the 29th of March...what's the chances?

Steve's guitar style is as Scottish infused as Johnny's is Manchester although there's inflections of Bernie Sumner in the likes of the heartfelt and heartrending 'Eleanor'.....if 'Picturesque' betters it we're in for a real treat.....it's the kind of song James Blunt wishes he could write.  

Since putting out his first album late in 2010, the acquisition of a band and the release of the critically acclaimed 'Domino Mask' EP in 2011 we're now seeing Steve blossom into a major force on not only the Edinburgh Indie music scene but, following in the footsteps of some of the acts he has played alongside (SAMA Best Live Act nominees OK Social Club, the increasingly popular Stanley Odd and the seemingly always in the US, Admiral Fallow) he's becoming firmly established as a must see Scotland-wide.



 




Prior to the video launch gig he's appearing at Slouch in Glasgow on Sunday 3rd March and Teviot in Edinburgh on Thursday 14th march.  The video launch party is in Sneaky Pete's, Edinburgh on the 29th March and follows that up with The Big 30 gig in Edinburgh's City Cafe on Saturday May 18th and Glasgow's 13th Note on Friday 7th June.  Beg borrow and steal if you must but don't miss a chance to catch them live with support by Universal Thee.

Steve Heron - Guitar, Bass, Vox, Keyboard and Ebow
Angus McGuire - Bass
Simon Gibb - Drums
Alan Lamb - Guitar,Keys and Vox

The Live Room Saltaire - Southern Tenant Folk Union

Looking for a venue in or around Bradford that offers a mix of music, top artists from around the world in a friendly, intimate atmosphere?  

Look no further than The Live Room at The Caroline Social Club in Saltaire.



The Live Room is the brainchild of Ron Dukelow and Hilary Booth, both experienced music promoters, who, for ten years were the driving force behind the highly successful Live at the Talbot series at the Talbot Hotel in  West Wales.

It's their intention to bring the same ethos to their new venue at the Caroline Social Club to make it the best folk and roots music venue in the Bradford area. 

If you have a suggestion for an artist to play there get in touch. They can't promise that they'll be able to present them, but they'll consider all ideas.




After a previous gig featuring My Darling Clementine  this comment appeared on Twitter.....

'The Live Room is the best thing that has happened music wise in this area in the 15 year I've lived here' (Adrian Gallagher).


Next gig on the agenda is an absolute cracker as Southern Tenant Folk Union hold their album launch at the venue.....Sunday 13th January 8pm.

One of the most highly acclaimed folk/bluegrass bands in the UK today, Southern Tenant Folk Union are coming to the Live Room for the Yorkshire launch of their fifth album ‘Hello Cold Goodbye Sun’. 

Pat McGarvey, who formed the band in 2006, served his musical apprenticeship touring the world and recording a number of albums with bands like The Arlenes & The Coal Porters in London. That grounding plus countless other collaborations with key independent Americana acts including Peter Case, Tandy, Amy Rigby, Rosie Flores, Jason McNiff & Bob Neuwirth (Dylan’s road manager in the 60’s) gave him the real experience needed to fuse together the band’s American folk and British roots sound with his own Celtic heritage.

'Chest Freezer' is a stormer of a track from an album that is as intriguing and haunting as it is foot tapping and addictive.  They're more and more bridging the gap between the best of Scottish Indie Folk bands and the wave of outstanding Scottish Indie Alt Rock/Folk bands like Fatherson, Olympic Swimmers and Admiral Fallow that are coming to the fore at the moment.  Some say they're like Mumford & Sons, I say they're better.

A seven piece all acoustic band with banjo, mandolin, fiddle & harmony vocals they perform an eclectic mix of high energy atmospheric folk. STFU have so far released four highly acclaimed albums and received national airplay including BBC Radio 2’s Mark Lamarr and Steve Lamacq, Radio 4’s Loose Ends and a national RTE TV show (The View) in Ireland. In October 2010 they were awarded ‘Americana Artist of the Year’ at the British Country Music Awards. Artistically successful, award-winning as well as being a captivating live act they now sell out arts centres across Europe

‘The band knock up a fierce, raw and earthy music that is the stuff of Mumford & Sons' dreams…the results are as compelling as they are oppressively bleak’ - Maddy Costa, The Guardian 

‘More than simple roots-music revivalism’ - Stewart Lee, The Sunday Times

'They know how to write a song that band' - Mark Lamarr, BBC Radio 2