Elba Sessions

This year sees the inaugural award of The Scottish Album of The Year. With just days until the longlist is whittled down to a shortlist, the general public are being given a chance to have their say with a nomination for one album to go on the judges final list.

The list can be viewed on the SAY Award website or on the iphone/android app. And public voting is open TODAY ONLY, so get involved!!

A month or so back, we put together a little mixtape including some of the nominated artists which you can stream over here.

You may have noticed that we’ve had a couple of blogs from Chris about books recently. We’re not going for a change of tack, it’s just that we’ve got through that difficult adolescent phase (for the most part) and are finding that we don’t particularly have to please anyone or conform to a certain type of writing, we can just be who we want to be.

I’m quite enjoying putting the mixtapes together and hopefully a couple of people will give them a listen at some point, we’ve even installed a wee link at the top of the page where all the mixtapes are stored.

The mixtapes were originally going to be weekly but I sometimes find it quite a task to put together each week depending on what I’ve got on and at the end of the day there’s no point in putting undue stress on yourself, something I’m trying to manage both personally, and on the blog.

In which long winded way takes us back to the point of this post. I’ve been really enjoying some albums recently and find myself on NPR quite a lot streaming forthcoming releases so I guess this post is another one of those semi-regular posts that we have which will appear when we deem there to be enough information to post!

First up is the album which along with Lightships has the potential to my album of the summer, who knows, maybe even year. ‘The Only Place’ by Best Coast follows the same patterns and themes of the first album but there’s just something a bit more shiny and polished about it. That’s not to say that because the lo-fi scuzzy-ness has gone that this album is any less charming.

Best Coast – The Only Place – stream on NPR

Next up, also on NPR, is the band I used to frequently mix up with Best Coast, Beach House. Coast-Beach-Best…you get the idea. We featured the track ‘Myth’ on our most recent mixtape. You can stream the full album, ‘Bloom’ from the link below.

Beach House – Bloom – stream on NPR

The aforementioned Lightships’ album ‘Electric Cables’ can still be streamed over at the Guardian, and like I said, this is up there with one of my favourite albums this year.

Lightships – Electric Cables – stream on the Guardian

And finally, a little closer to home, you can hear Glasgow-based French Wives debut album ‘Dream of the Inbetween’ streaming on The 405. This is a really enjoyable album and got my feet tapping under a pile of spreadsheets in the office the other day.

French Wives – Dream of the Inbetween – stream on The 405

I was thinking yesterday, it’s about time that we probably wrote about some music on here rather than just put up nice photos. A quick word on the photos though, in case you were wondering. There’s no big explanation for them, the thing is, we like taking photos (we’re learning how to be better at doing it) and the blog is a bit of a hobby for myself, Chris and Kim so we thought we’d try and incorporate a few photos that we feel represent us or where we are. It’s doubly (is that a word?) cool for us just now though, cos’ Chris is away seeing Europe and North America and it gives us an excuse to follow his progress. We’re hoping he picks up some good music on the way too, just so his trip isn’t a complete waste of time…

So, to business, or to a good gig and pretty poster…

Sometimes if I hear about a band, where they’re from and find out what label they are on, I’m more likely to prick up my ears and take interest, not always mind but sometimes. Anyway, so I keep hearing the name The Shivers and think, they sound like they’re from Brooklyn or Queens or something (which they are, Queens to be exact), there’s a chance I’ll like them, then when I hear about them again, it’s in a totally different context, The Shivers have signed to Fence Records. Now, I know that i like the sound of a band called The Shivers from Queens and I know I definitely like the output of Fence Records so I figure this is going to be good. And it is…

They are playing a pile of dates around the UK and more closer to Elba’s home they will be playing a gig run by our pal Peenko at Mono in Glasgow on November the 7th (pretty poster above). Support will come in the familiar form of Randolph’s Leap and less familiar to me, but becoming ever more familiar Where We Lay Our Heads. Tickets are £5.

Full UK dates and a video can be found here.

The title says it all, we’ve got a few things to mention and tell you about, so look sharp.

You may remember a few months back we talked about a couple of releases from South Coast based Lynched Recordings. We thoroughly enjoyed the Clowns 7″ and you can still pick up a free Masked Eldorados of the Americas track here. Anyhoo, the label has come up trumps with a lovely little EP by Birdengine. Turn your pointers here for a little listen and more importantly to buy the digital or 7″ version.

Closer to home, Olive Grove Records have released details of the forthcoming album by The Moth & The Mirror. ‘Honestly, This World’ will be released on October 10th through the usual good record buying channels.

It’s been a while since we dipped our toes in the promoting waters, nearly a year since our voluntary sabbatical, but news of a return to gigging is imminent, so keep your peepers open for that.

In the past, The Liquid Ship has been our home and hopefully we’ll return one day but alas, The Ship has closed and is undergoing a bit of a refurb. We hear it will open again soon under the name The Roxy 171. You can keep up to date with happenings on their facebook page.

We’ve got a theme going here, so, even closer to home, Elba Studio’s have let us know about a wee autumn deal they are running, should you be looking to get some stuff recorded. I’ll leave it to Stephen, heid honcho at the studio, to tell all…

“Hey folks, we are running an Autumn recording deal of 3 days in The Tracking Room at Elba Studios for £450 (usual price £540) or 2 days in The Tracking Room at Elba Studios and 1 day mixing at Underworld Mixing & Production for £480.”

Sounds like a good deal and it’s a cosy wee studio to work in. We record our podcast s there which brings us on to the final piece of housekeeping.

You can hear September’s podcast with Andrea Marini on the mixcloud player below and look out for October’s podcast with Sparrow & The Workshop who are popping down to Elba tomorrow before their jaunt to Europe.

There’s always plenty to tell but that’ll do us for now. Look out in the next few days though, for a post about the aforementioned gig we’re helping to put on with one of our favourite bands and labels. It’s exciting stuff!

Amongst the many things that Elba love, The Muppets are pretty high on the list. From excitement about the upcoming movie to trips to Edinburgh Filmhouse to watch long-lost footage (my cherished programme can be seen below), we’re having a pretty muppetational year.

Out this month is a compilation featuring covers of classic Muppet songs from the original TV series as well as some off-shoot shows and films.  The artists are what make this a very desirable listen. Did you ever think you could own a version of Bein’ Green as sung by Andrew Bird?  Neither did I. Some of the artists may lead you to turn your nose up a little, however, all the renditions are heart-warming.  It is nice to revisit these numbers that we loved when we were younger and for it to be by artists who clearly feel the same.

So head over to NPR to dip your toe in; they have the full album available to stream. I’m adding this to my collection. Are you green with envy, eeeeh? WAKA WAKA!

Nobody is unwise to what is unfolding down South right now. We’ve all seen footage or glanced at the photos of the mindless rampage of a select group of society. I’m not here to throw in my own opinion on the matter. Anyone who knows me well will be glad that I am not bellowing out my thoughts on the matter. However, the damage has reached as far as to warrant some time spent on it by Elba.

A warehouse owned by SONY/DADC was damaged by fire on Monday night. This particular warehouse was used by independent distribution company PIAS to house their stock. Labels who have lost stock, and please prepare yourself for how long this list is, include:

(will continue to update the links below)

[PIAS] Recordings
[PIAS] Recordings Belgium
4AD
A Camp
Absynthe Minded
Accidental
AEI Music
Air Recordings
ALC Music
Alsation
Ambush Reality
Ancient & Modern
Angular Recording Corporation
Arcady Records
Ark Recordings
Asthmatic Kitty Records
Atlantic Jaxx Recordings
Bad Magic
Balling The Jack
Banquet Records
Battered Ornaments Records
Beggars Banquet
Best Before
Big Brother
Big Dada
Bird Records
blackmaps
Bloody Chamber
Blowout Music
Blue Chopsticks
Border Community
Borstal Beats
Boysnoize Records
BPM
Brainfeeder
Brassland
Bright Star Recordings
Brille
Broken Sound Music
Bronzerat
Brothers and Sisters
Brownswood Recordings
Buzzin’ Fly
Cache Cache
Cadenza Records
Celluloid Records
Chalkmark / IE
Chemikal Underground Records
Cocoon
Control Tower
Counter Records
Dance To The Radio
Dead Oceans
Deceptive
Defenders
Ent UK
DESOLAT
Dessous
Different
Dirtee Stank
Divine Comedy Records
Domino Records
Double Six Records
Drag City
Dreambrother
Drive Thru Records
Drowned In Sound
Dummy Records
Duophonic
Eat Sleep Records
Fabric Worldwide
Fake Diamonds
FantasyTrashcan
Fatcat Records
Fence
Feraltone
Finders Keepers Records
Flock Music
Flying Circus
Freerange Records
Friends Vs Records
Full Pupp
Full Time Hobby
Gang Of Four Recordings
Geographic
Ghost Ship
Glaze Recordings
Groenland Records
G-Unit
Hardly Art
Hassle Records
Helpless
Hem Hem Records
HFN Music
Immune
Independiente
Infant
Infectious
Jagjaguwar
Kartel
Kitchenware
Kitsune
KMS Records / Fabric
Laughing Stock
Lex Records
Lipservice
Little Sister Recordings
LO-MAX Records
Loose Music
Lovepump United
Low Life Records
Lucky Number Music
Lucky Seven Records
Mantra
Matador
Memphis Industries
Merok
Metric Music International
Metroline Limited
Model Citizen
Moikai
Motion Audio
MyMajorLabel Ltd
Nation
Ninja Tune
No Quarter
NovaMute
Nusic Sounds
One Four Seven Records Ltd
One Little Indian
Organs
Outcaste
OVNI
P.I.L.
Peartree Records
PeMa
People In The Sky
People Tree
Pirates Blend Records Inc
Planet Function
Play It Again Sam
Playlouder
Poker Flat
Polyvinyl Records
Poseidon Records
Post Present
Pschent
Raw Canvas
Red Cord Records
REK’D
Rekids
Rekords Rekords
Renaissance
Reveal Records
Riverman Records
Rock Action Records
Roots Records
Rough Trade Records
Rubyworks
Sea Note
Search and Destroy
Secretly Canadian
Setanta
Shape
SideOneDummy Records
Silva Screen
Slam Dunk Records
Smekkleysa
Soma
Sonic Cathedral
Soul Jazz Records
South Paw
Southern Fried Records
Stereo Bang Media
Stolen Recordings
Stranger Records
Streamline
Sub Pop
Suicide Squeeze
Sunday Best
Thrill Jockey
Tirk
Too Pure
Torque Records
Touch & Go Records
Transmission Recordings
Tri Tone
Trouble Records
True Panther
Try Harder
Turnstile
Twisted Nerve Recordings
Universal Sound
Victory Records
Wagram
Wall of Sound
Warp
Watergate
We Love You
Wiiija
Willkommen Records Ltd
Wonderfulsound
XL
Xtra Mile Recordings
Yaala Yaala
Young Turks

Yes, the title of this piece could be considered a crass pun, however, I like to think of it this way; the idiots out doing this are burning down our house. Anyone who values music needs to step up here and support the thing that they spend countless hours pontificating over.

Our own riot clean-up

The best way we can support these labels now is to contribute a little of our hard earned cash to a digital download to help recover losses. I know this might be unappealing to vinyl-heads and torrent-addicts. The plain fact is, there has already been serious financial impact on these companies. That stock is gone but we can reconstitute it in the form of these ethereal files that are transmitted over the web. Sack the two or three pints you were going to have midweek and buy something, anything. This is not about backing one flimsy symbolic song, lets put our weight behind something and actually help what we profess to loving.

Head over to the label sites of any of the above and let them direct you to their online retailers.