Milton Star

Ralph's been checking out Scottish band Milton Star prior to giving their excellent track Salvation a spin this Sunday on his Radio KC Indie Show.

Milton Star are Alan Wyllie and Graeme Currie who write and record their unique blend of indie and dark country in a converted church in darkest Fife. 

Alan and Graeme's collaborations date back through many incarnations of live bands to the early days of post punk and a band called Thursdays who were signed to Fast Records. After some years spent out of the music scene, they came back together in 2010.





Reinvigorated by a mutual dissatisfaction for what they describe as a "mostly insipid modern music scene" Milton Star picked up the gauntlet to produce sweet structured melodies carried by an expansive tremolo wall of sound and a dark soul.







With shades of Soulsavers and Mark Lanegan evident, Milton Star's debut single Salvation is the perfect marriage between brooding vocals and shimmering guitars underpinned by a driving beat. 

It's a David Lynch-esque soundscape with an Edwyn Collins-like Americana vibe...mean and moody guitar and silky smooth vocal with an underlying menace - ye canny whack it!

Don't miss listening to Over You - it's how the late and eternally great Lou Reed would sound if he came fae Fife, braw...tell yer Maw!

Milton Star - Sorryville Teaser from Cactus ID on Vimeo.

Sean Kennedy.....Debut EP release.....

Young Scottish singer/songwriter Sean Kennedy was brought to my attention by Irvine Beat FM presenter Ben Grant recently.  

Irvine born and bred Sean Kennedy was aiming for the stars whilst on the books at Hibernian FC as a budding footballer but his career was cut short due to a serious injury. 

During his recovery Sean started recording cover songs in the studio, then quickly moved on to perform as a front man of local band October Sky.
Growing in stature he developed quickly in writing songs on his guitar and that was when he turned to a career as a musician.

Kris Kesiak Photography

Having been working hard refining his skills working alongside many highly acclaimed writers and producers such as Duran Duran's Andy Taylor, Nik Kershaw,  and Richard Lobb as well as Peter Vetesse of Jethro Tull who has produced records for The Pet Shop Boys, The Bee Gees and in more recent times Simple Minds.

Sean also has been working alongside Grammy winning mixing engineer Simon Gogerly (U2, No Doubt).

He's got inspiration for some of his tracks after travelling all over the globe resulting in the recently released EP 'Love Don't Live Here' available in iTunes. Sean was also invited down to perform at the London 2012 Olympics.

The 25 year old fuses together his influences of Amos Lee, Gavin DeGraw and Crowded House together with his accomplished songwriting to provide his own blend of home grown Americana. As Sean has grown as a performer it’s evident that his musical talents have matured through time.

The Bluebells

I can hear all that was good in Scottish music in the late 80's early 90' from the likes of Roddy Frame and Aztec Camera or The Bluebells in his tunes.  'Love Don't Live Here' for instance has all the pop like-ability of Edwyn Collins and Orange Juice's 'Rip It Up' and I welcome this return to a clean, crisp Indie pop style.  He's got the musical ability, voice, charisma and looks to take him to stardom.

“With the exposure that’s bound to be generated once his music gets out there, Sean is set to be a major star.” Jim Gellatly

"Sean's a natural, you can't learn what he has. You've either have it or you don't" Andy Taylor