Elba Sessions

A bit of a December extravaganza in the world of Elba next week, first this, and then our usual night at The Liquid Ship. This month we’re there on the first Friday rather than the Thursday so that makes it Friday 4th December. We feel like we’ve assembled a stellar line up for the gig and are feeling quite pleased with ourselves!

First on the bill is John Price. He hasn’t played for a while so we’ve promised we’ll be gentle with him, that’s not to say if he mucks up that we won’t heckle him! Also on the bill is Caragh Nugent who we are all looking forward to seeing, she has played a free candy session recently and we’ve heard very nice things! Next up with the promise of a collection of miserable country songs we have Chris Devotion from rock n rollers The Elvis Suicide. Another set we’re looking forward to having seen him play with the band recently, we can’t quite contemplate how this may pan out! Last up is Derry’s finest, Conor Mason. Having released his debut album in August, Conor is someone we’ve been hoping to get for a long time, so much so we’re getting him to play a couple of gigs and do a podcast while we’re over.

If the line-up doesn’t sound good enough then it’s also free to get in which for four quality acts on a Friday night in December can’t be sniffed at! Hopefully you will join us to celebrate the end of a busy week!

As I sit here writing this on a Sunday morning, I now realise that there is every chance that my day may go in a completely different direction than I had intended. Yesterday a lazy Sunday sounded perfect and even as I woke up this morning and sleepily turned on my laptop this was the only option. However, as I give Cuddly Shark’s eponymous debut album another listen, I realise that I’m now fully awake and ready to get out the traps like a greyhound waiting to chase the hare.

Cuddly Shark are a band (two guys, one girl) hailing from Elgin in the north of Scotland, Elgin-ites if you will. After moving to ‘the’ hot bed of music that is Glasgow, things seem to be going rather grand for the Shark. Several good live reviews and well received singles later, they’ve turned themselves to making an album. Recorded by Ross McGowan (Dananananaykroyd, We Are the Physics) and Scott Maple (Le Reno Amps), the pedigree is certainly impressive and the album doesn’t disappoint.

‘Bowl of Cherries‘ kicks of the album and is the perfect opener, catchy riff and screaming vocals, it pretty much sets the tone for the next 34 minutes. Hurtling on through singles ‘Woody Woodpecker‘ and ‘The Punisher of IV30‘ (referring to the postcode where the band grew up), the album takes a sinister twist with the soft then loud, but always sinister, ‘Mannybix‘. Indeed, the album only partially lets up for ol’ travelling tune ‘Whiteoaks‘ and the toe tapping cover of Hoyt Axton’s ‘Boney Fingers‘ before it is launched back into Shark-ville with the riff heavy ‘12 Months‘, a nice ditty about abstention. This is followed by a 51 second rant aimed at those (well, one person in particular) who really should have stuck to acting, well maybe not even that, ‘Jamie Foxx On Jools Holland‘. I’d tell you the one and only lyric in the song but that might spoil it for you. The album closes with one of my album standouts ‘Instru-Mentalist‘ and a song that people who get bees in their bonnets could have a field day with, ‘Shakey Baby‘. It carries the unforgettable singalong chorus “see the lady with the baby, grab the baby, hold the baby, shake the baby, jelly baby, got me a syndrome!”.

It’s a breakneck, pedal-to-the-metal 34 minutes but well worth the listen, or several listens in my case. Cuddly Shark are uncategorisable, flitting from the pop punk sensibilities of Weezer, through the brash sound of Fugazi and even taking a jaunt through hillbilly rock, Cuddly Shark take you to a point where you just can’t really make comparisons, they are truly a one off and a one off that it is worth taking the time to enjoy.

The album is out NOW on cool new Scottish indie label Armellodie.

Cuddly Shark play Captain’s Rest (Glasgow) tommorrow (16th Nov) for their album launch party where they will be joined by the fantastic Palace Ballet and The Elvis Suicide. Doors 8pm, £4.

For more news and info on January’s mini Scottish tour check out www.cuddlyshark.co.uk

We are delighted to announce along with the peeps at Drift Records the details of a special christmas show!

When we heard that Elba favourites Le Reno Amps were soon to be a man down, we couldn’t just stand by and simply watch, we had to mark this sad occasion and the best way, it was decided, was to have a right good hoe down, and where better to have said ‘hoe down’ than the institution that is The Grand Ole Opry. A stellar bill has been assembled for Zinzi’s last ‘Amps’ gig on Thurs 3rd December including The Moth & The Mirror, Rags & Feathers and Conor Mason.

We hope you will join us to give Wolfie the send off she deserves on what should be the event of the week!!!!

Tickets can be had here…

I know, I know, the review of the gig really should have been up more promptly. I mean after last month I’m sure it’s what you’ve all come to expect after Kim’s fantastic play by play of Elba Sessions Presents…(One) appearing on site well within her alloted deadline. Unfortunately due to bad timekeeping on the part of a gaggle of physiotherapists, unwellness and the inability to make time travel happen, you’re stuck with my thoughts this month.

Bonfire Night saw the second in our monthly series Elba Sessions Presents gigs at The Liquid Ship and I really felt on Thursday that over winter there is not many better places to be than in a candlelit basement bar listening to heart warming music with a pint of Weihenstephan in hand (note; my favourite beer). Of course this could apply to any gig, but on Thursday it was the turn of Julia and The Doogans, John Hinshelwood & Sandra Gellatly and Andrea Marini to stir the senses.

Julia and her scaled down Doogans (sans drummer) opened the evening and captivated everyone in the room with their blend of acoustic folk. Julia’s voice is fantastic and is a rare thing in that it sounds even more perfect live than it does recorded. I’m a sucker for a banjo so one of the set standouts for me was the brilliant ‘Collide’. Although notable mentions go to New York and Hummingbird. If you haven’t already caught Julia and the Doogans live, I urge you to do so soon. Trust me, it will make your life better!

Next up was the rootsy folk of John Hinshelwood who was accompanied by the voice of Sandra Gellatly and Tim Black on guitar. John, an established face on the Scottish roots and country scene blasted through a set of original material and covers. Personally, I was delighted at his Gene Clark cover as ‘White Light’, is one of my favourite albums and the combination of his and Sandra’s voice got my toe a tappin’.

Our final artist of the evening was October’s Elba Sessions Podcast guest, Andrea Marini. There is something about Andrea’s music that he makes look effortless and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen an artist look more comfortable and at ease when performing than he does. Accompanied by a full band for the evening Andrea treated us to a heartfelt set of his songs. The outstanding ‘Windmills’ was a real standout and is one of the tracks on his ‘IV Songs’ cd which was left ‘just in the middle, over there’ for us to help ourselves to, which we gladly did. It was a great way to end the evening and sent us off out into the guy fawkes night mist happy and contented.

Next month will see a slight change to the usual format of Elba Sessions Presents but that’s a different story for another day! Needless to say, we’re all pretty excited about the Christmas bonanza that we have planned for you all!

Photos by Steph Mulligan

Martin John Henry

Our podcast for November is now live. Listen to the excellent Martin John Henry here.

Martin joined us at Elba to discuss going solo, upcoming releases (including creating the packaging for his quarterly (‘In Three’s’ project)) and how it is writting on his own.

Martin performs two tracks of his own work (‘The Other Half Of Everything’ & ‘Woodilee Song’) and an acoustic version of ‘Pest’ taken from De Rosa’s 2009 album ‘Prevention’.

‘Prevention’ is a big favourite with all at Elba and worth tracking down for anyone that is yet to pick it up. Also, still available 2006’s debut album ’Mend’.

Martin is currently working on his first solo album, keep updated on release dates and project updates on his myspace.

All northern loons and quines can catch Martin at The Lemon Tree in Aberdeen on the 20th of November as part of an evening with Chemikal Underground records. Also on the bill are the mind blowing Phantom Band, Emma Pollock and Aidan Moffat and The Best Of’s. Sounds like a great night!