The Bevis Frond – The Leaving Of London

The Bevis Frond - The Leaving Of London

By Kenny McMurtrie

A concept album about the BBC’s relocation of staff to Salford? Or the heralding of an exodus of those disinterested in the Olympics this coming Summer? Whatever the theme of studio album number 22 from Nick Saloman and cohorts the eight year hiatus since the Hit Squad album hasn’t degraded their talents in any way. Indeed Saloman is still hands on enough throughout the process of constructing The Bevis Frond’s works that he’s the album producer and sleeve photographer/designer. Freedoms not to be sniffed at in an increasingly controlled and passively observant society. … Continue Reading

DJ Food – The Search Engine

DJ Food - The Search Engine

By Kenny McMurtrie

DJ Food‘s The Search Engine starts off with one of those annoying but occasionally amusing deep voices that advertise films. Given that the album’s created entirely from samples it probably is just exactly that. Thankfully it disappears after the first track (‘All Covered In Darkness (pt. 1)’). This consistently surprising album then throws up a pretty major one right on track two with a 30 year old song being sung by its originator – Talk Talk’s Matt Johnson does ‘GIANT’. Ten and a half minutes of unadulterated danceable goodness. … Continue Reading

Chris Devotion And The Expectations – Amalgamation And Capital

Chris Devotion and the Expectations - Amalgamation and Capital

By Kenny McMurtrie

Bursting forth like a Scottish Gaslight Anthem, Chris Devotion and the Expectations rock out with their, er, roosters out from start to finish on this debut album. Just been dumped? Stick this on. Pining for your ex? Stick this on. Off to do something about getting back together? Listen to this to get psyched up. Failed to pull it off and still single? This and a few beers will see you through. Unlike a number of current soul & roll bands plying their trade around the place just now there’s no weak songs here that will need a live performance to realise their full potential. Not that there’s actually much soul here. Mostly it’s just rock although that’s in need of being spelt RAWK! … Continue Reading

Guided By Voices – Let’s Go Eat The Factory

Guided By Voices - Let's Go Eat The Factory

By Kenny McMurtrie

In the past I’ve used good old-fashioned money to buy good old-fashioned CDs by Guided By Voices. I never play them anymore, instead preferring the occasional song to be thrown up randomly by my mp3 player. I consider myself a fan though, despite being able to name off the top of my head at time of writing only one song by them (‘I Am A Tree’). When Robert Pollard’s voice wafts through my earphones I’m pleased to be able to recognise it and sometimes am even moved to take the player out to read the name of the track and the CD it originated from. … Continue Reading

The Men – Leave Home

The Men - Leave Home

By Kenny McMurtrie

If it was good enough for The Ramones then clearly it’s ok for fellow New Yorkers The Men to quit the city on this their third album. A number of influences on their sound have been bandied about but on first listen what came to mind for me was the early work of Helmet, with a nice nod to Spacemen 3/Mudhoney on fifth track ‘( )’. … Continue Reading

Mark Gardener, Edinburgh, Cameo Cinema Bar

Anyone Can Play Guitar

By Kenny McMurtrie

November 29, 2011

When was the last time Mark Gardener was asked to turn it down by an annoyed old biddy? Probably not for many a year yet that’s what happened here tonight. Mid-way through his short semi-acoustic set a sinister silver-haired figure was seen to scurry in through the street door of the bar and engage the bar staff in animated conversation and two songs later it was all over. Fair enough – Midnight wasn’t far off and he’d only one more number up his sleeve but still, doesn’t a nice bloke occupying his place in the rock pantheon deserve some more respect? Clearly not from Supergran. … Continue Reading

Zappa Plays Zappa, Edinburgh, Picturehouse

Zappa Plays Zappa, by Kenny McMurtrie

By Kenny McMurtrie

November 19, 2011

Finally. A gig worthy of the term ‘muso’, to the extent that you could have paid a three figure sum to get in early and witness the soundcheck (and probably have a bit of banter with Dweezil and the band). The maintenance of an ongoing musical legacy probably generates profits greater than that of some small nations, and t-shirts at £20 and proper shirts for £55 go a long way to keeping the family business in the black. … Continue Reading

Homework, Edinburgh, Sneaky Pete’s

Homework, by Kenny McMurtrie

By Kenny McMurtrie

November 18, 2011

Finally. After four years of contributing to this site I’ve got a band to tip for success in the coming year. Homework‘s show tonight (to launch mini-album All That Glitters) was a revelation, not least because prior to the show I’d been less than impressed with their recorded output on their earlier singles. Live, however, they’re a far weightier and more powerful proposition. Coming on like a combination of Nine Inch Nails, Placebo and Jane’s Addiction, their sound turns out to be a dazzling amalgam of intrepid drumming, solid basswork, yearning, angsty vocals and blunt, propulsive riffs along with extensively employed synths. … Continue Reading

Odonis Odonis – Hollandaze

Odonis Odonis - Hollandaze

By Kenny McMurtrie

Toronto’s Odonis Odonis blaze onto the airwaves with a white-hot blast of messed up and distorted surf guitar on the opening (and title) track of this here debut album, Hollandaze. New and innovative it ain’t (half this review could be taken up with naming the bands their sound is obviously influenced by) but its assured enough to deserve its place on the shelf alongside the likes of A Place To Bury Strangers and other current proponents of the garage sound and at least there’s not a cover version in sight. … Continue Reading

Twin Sister, Edinburgh, Sneaky Pete’s

Twin Sister, By Kenny McMurtrie

By Kenny McMurtrie

Keen as mustard to be on stage for the capacity crowd here tonight Twin Sister delivered note perfect renderings of such numbers as ‘Champy’ and set closer ‘All Around And Away We Go’, along with a couple (including the encore) of duets between just Andrea (looking a tad over-dressed for the event) and Eric. Undoubtedly a nice bunch, their music comes across well in a live setting but one couldn’t help but feel that it would be even better appreciated without having the band actually visible as a point of reference. … Continue Reading