It’s taken from their latest long player ‘Appetite’

Oh, and you can also download this one too!

Cottonmouth Rock by Le Reno Amps by Armellodie

December already, cripes. This year has totally flown by don’t you think? This means that it’s time to sum up, in the fashion of a teen magazine, a selection of best of’s from this year and dust off the Elba Annual for another year. It’s like the Smash Hits annual of blogging (hopefully that’s selling ourselves very, very short.)

Our first entry in our 2011 edition comes from the person who has the privilege of being our first Annual contributor in 2009. This, as you will see from the title is Chris Devotion who next year will release his first album along with his band, The Expectations. Amalgamation and Capital will be released on Armellodie Records, on January 30th. It’s the ideal album, 16 songs spanning 36 minutes, each a sparkling rock n roll nugget. You can hear album opener, ‘An Honest Refusal’ after the questions…

- Album of The Year
  
Fucked Up – David Comes To Life. A brilliant record, it sounds like stadium hardcore (imagine Husker Du playing Be Here Now) and all the better for it

(Honourable mentions: Tom Waits- Bad As Me, Wild Flag – Wild Flag, Off! -First Four EP’s)

- Song of the Year

Shaw by Reigning Sound, (I could have picked almost anything from the free (FREE!) mini album they released, a fun collection of wee gems from one of the best bands around)

- Best gig you played
  
The launch for our last single was a good un, we were showered with praise, love and good vibes (though cash would have been better), as was supporting Pete Yorn. It is always nice to win over a crowd who don’t know who you are.

- Best gig you saw

Possibly Kyuss at the ABC, I went in reasonably sceptical but it was full of heavy awesomeness.

(Honourable mentions, Wilco, Primal Scream, Best Coast and Gillian Welch)

- Any musical thoughts to share on the year 2011?

Hmmmm……well, every year has its ups and downs musically but as ever, there is always good stuff happening. The biggest problem for me, just as a fan of music, is people who will not shut the fuck up at concerts. I swear it seems to be getting worse, I would gladly bring back hanging for those cunts (though, for the record, in all other cases I am against capital punishment)

- What does 2012 have in store for you?

Ready for the hard sell? Good.  Our debut album ‘Amalgamation and Capital’ is out 30th Jan, just in time to banish those post-xmas blues.  What’s that you ask?  Are we playing live in support of said debut?  Yes we are, thanks for asking, we are playing a bunch of places throughout February and March.

A Modest Refusal by Chris Devotion & The Expectations by Armellodie

Amalgamation and Capital, the debut album by Chris Devotion & The Expectations is released on January 30th 2012 on Armellodie Records. However, pre-order the album before December 9th and the good lads at Armellodie will make sure you get your record before Christmas, a whole month before it’s release, plus you get an instant download of ‘Blister’.

It’s also worth noting that you can see the band I proclaimed as one of my favourite live acts as they launch their album at the Captains Rest on Feb 3rd 2012 with support from Kill Surrrf and The Dirt.

http://www.chrisdevotion.com/

http://www.facebook.com/chrisdevotionmusic

They say all good things must come to an end at some point and with that sentiment so it is that we say farewell to Barmellodie at Bar Bloc (Friday June 17th). Whether or not the nights will resume at some point, who knows but it’s fair to say the last 6 months have provided us with some great live music and sketchy dj’ing by the resident disc jockeys. There have been too many highlights to pick only a few and I’m sure that list will grow with the final night’s action.

Heading the bill are Armellodie stalwarts Cuddly Shark fresh from writing and demo’ing new tracks, they played at our 1st birthday party and they really aren’t one to be missed. Joining Cuddly Shark will be Galoshins, Lady North and recent Armellodie signings Something Beginning With L (new album is quality, check it oot) who you will no doubt spot from afar as they will be travelling in this colourful creation.

As ever, the fun starts at around 10:30pm with bands and DJ’s, it’s Peenko playing Kid Canaveral this month, going on until around 3am. It’s free if you turn up early enough too!

We decided not to go with the Armellodie logo adorning the top of the blog, instead, here’s Al looking like a crazy fool!

Album of The Year

Have One On Me by Joanna Newsom.

And another two on me…Ivory Tower by Chilly Gonzales. American Gong by Quasi.

Best Gig (by someone else…)

Have three on me… Joanna Newsom at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow (September). Randy Newman at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow (May). Pavement at All Tomorrows Parties in Minehead (May).

Favourite New Band(s)

Depends on your definition of ‘new’ but have another three on me…

The Douglas Firs.
Nosferatu D2 (so new they’ve split up already).
Honeytrap.

Musical Memories of 2010

The year that Armellodie became a little less tiny and the great records that made it so, Super Adventure Club, The Scottish Enlightenment, Kill The Captains, and Thirty Pounds Of Bone, the pleasure was all mine.

Hopes/Plans (music) for 2011

BARmellodie is where it’s at in 2011. From January to June, Armellodie Records is going residential in Bar Bloc in Glasgow on the third Friday of every month, with Armbands, and guest acts performing, plus guest DJs and ArmelloDJs spinning Armelloditties at the Armellodisco. You couldn’t accuse us of not driving the brand home. Good times and more good times.

As Al mentioned, Armellodie are launching their monthly BARmellodie residency at Bar Bloc in Glasgow from January. I’ve had a peek at some of the line ups and they look absolutely cracking. January sees Elba blog favourites Le Reno Amps take the stage along with Battery Face and The Douglas Firs as well as the ArmelloDJ’s and yours truly taking on the wheels of steel. This all takes place on January the 21st. If you need any other info, head over to Armellodie HQ. Some future dates will include Thirty Pounds of Bone, The Scottish Enlightenment and Super Adventure Club playing their hit-laden albums in their entirety

Instalment two in this year’s Elba Annual features one of our favourite musicians/persons/wanderer (delete as applicable) here at Elba. I came across Johny a few years ago when a friends band released a record on the same label as Johny had released his first album ‘The Homesick Children of Migrant Mothers‘. His music has since featured prominently at my wedding, we’ve had him and King James cohort Laurence up to play one of our nights at the aptly named Liquid Ship and now he’s gone and released an album on Armellodie Records. The record is called Method and it doesn’t need us to tell you that it’s bloody good.

If you haven’t yet sampled Thirty Pounds of Bone, we’d really urge you to. As a wee treat, and we don’t do this often round these parts, you can download The Jonah Shanty which Johny recorded at Elba Studios during our podcast in February. This track is taken from his EP released last year on Woodland Recordings. And apologies for the size of the file. The blame firmly lies with Stephen at Elba Studios for that!!!

Hello Elba Sessions, I’ll probably change my mind about all of this tomorrow, but nevertheless:

Album of The Year – This is really tough…. Not because there’s a lot to choose from, but because I’ve not paid attention. I’ve listened to a lot of Harry Parch, and lots of really old field recordings. Will that do? No? Ok. Both ‘The Scottish Enlightenment’ and the ‘Super Adventure Club’ albums are great, and I’m not just saying that. Oh, I don’t know, the three records I like the most aren’t out yet but I suppose I’ll big them up anyway. ‘Lakes, Meres, Ponds and Waters’ by the Diamond Family Archive, ‘Music at Court’ by Birdengine, and SBL. Worthy of a mention also are Chris T-T’s ‘Love is Not Rescue’ and the Great Park’s ‘If You Can Hold It You Can Throw It’.

Best Gig – I had a great gig in Berlin, but I’m ashamed to say I can’t remember the name of the venue. It was the first night of a run of shows and I was nervous and tipsy, and I jabbered and stuttered like a fool. Luckily the audience forgave me and were great. It was one of those gigs that could collapse at any moment, so you have to concentrate almost till you pass out. Those are the best. I should also mention Hasenschaukel in Hamburg. The Audience and Staff were just impossibly kind. A great night.

Best Gig (by someone else…) - Absolutely no question on this one and I’m sorry to those people who also did amazing shows, but this was just amazing. Bygrayvpartynmyrytarm at the Performance Centre at Tremough in Cornwall. Jaw droppingly brilliant. Possibly the best guitarist on earth as well, which is to not even get to the drummer and extraordinary frontman/ synth player.

Favourite New Band(s) – See above. There’s also a young songwriter down here I’ve got my eye on. Proper writer.

Musical Memories of 2010 – mostly E flat major and all associated minor chords in and around that key. Drones in C. Not singing quite as well as I’d like. Harry Parch, and Ewan Macoll singing ‘Isles O Sicily’.

Hopes/Plans (music) for 2011 – Tour in the UK as much as possible, sell out of copies of this new album, finish writing and most of the recording of the next one. I’m very excited about it. It’s in three different places. There’s lot’s of field recording and guest players. A much more complicated kind of thing. I’d like to do another King James album. Laurence and I are discussing another, slightly different collaboration. There’ll be loads. Oh, and an album of trad songs for Woodland Recordings, some recording with ‘Danny Kendal’, maybe something exciting with Le Reno Amps and hopefully a full band album for Chris T-T too. Busy busy.

‘Method’ is released on Armellodie on Monday 6th December and you can pick up your copy at the Armellodie store.

Thanks to Stephen at Woodland for the following link! Most kind!

Download The Jonah Shanty – mp3 – 5.54mb

The Jonah Shanty (Elba Sessions – Feb 2010) by elbasessions

Whilst I await the new arrival to my family sometime in the following few weeks, this week we welcome the arrival of St.Thomas to not only your ears but also to Glasgow. St.Thomas is the brand new long player from subterranean-ecclesiastical-rockers The Scottish Enlightenment. We’re pretty excited here at Elba about it’s pending release, it’s been a long-time coming and they have teased us plenty, what with giving away some free tracks in 2009 and this year the release of 3 EP’s to whet our appetite. We are almost ready to burst.

We don’t have to tell you how good it is really, but we will anyway. It’s REALLY good. There we said it, we’re sold on it, in our general understated kind of way.

The album will be released tomorrow and you can get your mitts on copies through the Armellodie Records store and very possibly some other decent outlets. Alternatively, if you have the willpower of a saint, you could try waiting until Thursday to pick up a copy at the Glasgow leg of their album launch at the 13th Note. This show comes highly recommended this week at Elba. Not only have we been waiting since April to see The Scottish Enlightenment, when they played for us at The Liquid Ship, but they are also joined on the night by Deathpodal, whose EP ‘Exu__Wow ‘ has been enjoyed immensely by us, and Le Reno Amps who it is no secret that we have a massive crush on, what’s not to love! So, if it’s an evening of post-rock, epic sounds and overindulgent guitar solos (Nero, I’m looking at you!) that you are after then we’ll see you at the note!

First up, here in Glasgow, the brilliantly named Zoobizaretta launch their forthcoming album, Foam & Leachate, with a show at the Captains Rest. They will be supported by White Heath and tickets are a measly £2, there really doesn’t seem like much reason not to go! They will also be in Edinburgh tomorrow at Sneaky Pete’s alongside the much loved, here at Elba, Loch Awe.

Over in the capital, The Scottish Enlightenment release another EP in what is becoming ‘a big tease of a run up’ to the album release late in the year. They release the Little Sleep EP on Monday 27th on Armellodie and will take to the floor at Sneaky Pete’s tonight along with support from Dan Lyth and Moon Junk. I believe, DHL permitting, there should be EP’s on sale this evening!

The Scottish Enlightenment are about as close as we get to regulars on the Elba Blog and we know what we like here at Elba and we know we like The Scottish Enlightenment. They have featured previously on the blog as part of our Elba Annual last December and they joined us at The Liquid Ship earlier this year for Elba Sessions Presents…(Five).

After releasing the Pascal EP in May to critical acclaim, there is a lot of excitement surrounding the long awaited St Thomas album which is scheduled to be unleashed on Armellodie Records in October/November. Prior to that we are getting another wee teaser with the Little Sleep EP which is released on September 27th. After being sent a copy of the new EP a couple of weeks ago, we thought the time was right to catch up with main man David Moyes to see what they had been up to since we heard from them last. Also, the EP was that good that we’ve decided to break the Elba mould and stream a track at the bottom of the interview. Enjoy!!

When we spoke to you last on the blog, you told us that you were looking to release some records this year and play some more gigs? How has that panned out?!

The records thing is working out well, thanks to Al Nero of Armellodie Records. Pascal EP came out in May and Little Sleep EP is coming out in September. Then our album is coming out in October. So lots of records. Gigs wise its altogether more difficult, but we’ve had some good times at Kid Canaveral’s album launch and Kays Lavelle’s album launch. We’re pretty much just doing album launches now. Its our niche. Our guitarist became a Dad at the end of July, so he’s had some downtime, but now the year from September onwards is going to be more gigful, so i suppose that is going to be panning out ok. Pure dead panning it out.

Obviously you are now signed to Armellodie, a label we know plenty about here at Elba. How did that come about and what’s it like being included on their roster?

That came about when Al Nero emailed and asked what we were doing with the album. The label we were with at the time was running out of steam, so after much beard pulling and wisdom seeking, we gave our heart to Armellodie. It was a completely bonza decision. Al is brilliant at what he does, partly i think because he decided himself what he would do – I’m not sure anyone does the label thing quite like Armellodie. But its exactly right for us and Al has given loads to us and our records. But hes a friend now and that makes everything fun to do which is the whole point i think. If not the whole point, it makes the whole point, whatever that is, much more achievable.

We were really pleased to have you playing at our Elba Sessions night earlier this year as we knew that you hadn’t been playing many gigs, have you got any other gigs for Glasgow, or anywhere else in the pipeline? Maybe a tour?

Not a tour. We’d need a big Winnebago for all the wives and children. No no, not a tour. But we’ve got a few gigs. 17th September at Classic Grand in Glasgow, 24th September at Sneaky Petes in Edinburgh, then 2nd of October we’re playing a wee festival in Aberfeldy. We’ll have a few in November and December, after the album is out. But Phillip, i will let you know about those. I will.

You have the second EP, Little Sleep, due for release in the next couple of months. I’ve had a wee listen to it and it flows nicely from the Pascal EP. Do the songs all come from the same sessions or have the collection of songs on each EP come from separate times?

Let me think. We basically recorded all the songs off the EPs and the album in three sessions at the Green Door Studio in Glasgow. But three other tracks got themselves recorded here and there. One of those three is on each EP and another is on the album. But we started recording these tracks over two years and i think we have changed over that time. Pascal EP was mostly more recent stuff, but Little Sleep has tracks from the first session on it. I think that’s why its a bit louder as a record. We got quieter over the two years. I confidently predict that at some point in the future we’ll get louder again.

On ‘Get My Limousine’ you mention Steven Malkmus? Who are your’s or the bands main influences?

Well that song is like Pavement by numbers, so that line is sort of admitting its a rip off. I love Pavement and the Malkmus albums. Having been a teenage radiohead fan, they taught me that simple is a virtue when there’s real substance in the song. And Malkmus manages to combine cynicism and tenderness, and here and there we’ve tried to do that. Low are a big influence in lots of similar ways. Other folk in the band listen to different stuff. But we’ve been playing together for such a long time that the main influence on us is everything we’ve done before. They way we play is more a product of that than anything else. Although i think our influences are pretty much worn on our sleeves. I’m quite partial to a rip off now and again.

And for any reader who hasn’t heard The Scottish Enlightenment before and is wary of taking our word for it that they should buy the new EP. What should they expect??

They should expect to pay £4, mook.

The Scottish Enlightenment – San Germain is Thick Tonight by elbasessions

*The Scottish Enlightenment will play a stripped back set at Henry’s cellar Bar in Edinburgh this Thursday (19th Aug) along with Martin John Henry (ex De Rosa), Debutant and Dan Lyth. Not to be missed as it’s a beezer of a line-up!

Today we welcome Armellodie’s southernmost batallion Kill The Captains to the Elba Sessions. Having just released their debut long player, Fun Anxiety, we caught up with front man and axe-wielder Leon for a few words.

Firstly, would you care to introduce the band?

Of course- I go by the name of Captain Carter, I am co-axe wielder and chief warbler. My fellow axe grinder and gnasher of teeth is Dr Pickavance. Captain Scarlett pounds the traps like his life depends on it, Bifidus Digestivum does the sub-sonic pulses and throbs recently filling in the clown sized shoes of his forbear Yoz Hughes.

Awful question, but, who are your main influences. Having seen you live, I’m guessing it’s varied throughout the band!?

We are a ramshackled pile up of the best of Kraut rock, post rock, Brighton rock, roll and rock. Love Slint, love My Bloody Valentine, love Kyuss, love Can, love Le Savy Fav, love seventies folkie stuff, love it love it love it.

You seem to be quite a busy band what with having your own studio and putting on monthly ‘Mutiny’ nights. Do you think more bands should get involved with taking a wider approach to their band i.e. putting on gigs for themselves etc…

If you can handle the extra stress and strain of putting on an event it can be massively rewarding. We started Mutiny quite simply because we felt there weren’t enough nights like it in Sheffield. When we go out for a night of live music we want to see something fresh, non-generic and exciting, and we knew there were lots of people in our city similarly like of mind and taste. So it was a no brainer really. One of the obvious key benefits is that you get to put yourself on the bill with bands that genuinely excite you, rather than being at the mercy of a promoter who might not share your taste in music or sense. And then there’s the general principle of the evening where we aim to make the nights as good experience as possible for the bands we put on- we’ll promote the ass off it, whip up a great atmosphere and, importantly, all profits are shared. It is criminal that too many top bands play without being paid their dues.

Has doing this helped you as a band?

Greatly- we’ve played with some incredible bands as a result and reached their audiences where potentially we might not have. As a result we’ve shared the bill with the the likes of Bilge Pump, Acoustic Ladyland, Fists, Wooderson, Corleone, Johnny Foreigner, and our amazing label mates Cuddly Shark and Le Reno Amps.

How did signing to Armellodie come about being that you are based in Sheffield and them in Glasgow?

It was a strange meeting of minds that came about in 2007. My old school friend was passing through Sheffield with his band Actress Hands co-touring with Le Reno Amps. We all hit it off, sank booze, chewed the metaphysical fat, exchanged musical tips. Al Nero of the Amps got in touch a few weeks later expressing an interest in putting out some records on his fledgeling Armellodie label. The rest they say is history. We couldn’t be happier. To be on the roster of bands that Al has put together is an absolute dream. I genuinely believe we’re on one of the best labels in the UK. Cuddly Shark, Super Adventure Club and the Amps all deserve to be massive.

The new album ‘Fun Anxiety’ was released on May 5th. Has it been a long time in the pipeline?

As we went for the DIY approach, recording it in our studio ourselves, it probably took us a bit longer to piece together than it should. But it was our aim to try and do something a bit different- an album lover’s album. Hopefully something that you want to listen to from the first track through to the last, in one sitting. We consciously avoided simply recording the live renditions of the tunes, instead looking at different ways of interpreting songs that we had got used to playing a certain way. Hence stuff like Lebanese has been transformed from its live thrashy origins into something more ethereal and stoner for the record.

It struck me when listening to the album that it was very different and very cleverly put together, do you have a different approach to songwriting than your average band would?

Each song is different. Some stuff is the result of jams that have been recorded, replicated, structured, recorded and restructured. Other times I’ll come to the band with a song that’s ¾ finished, we’ll hammer it out and see what direction we can pull it in. As a general rule, we try to avoid the conventional verse/ chorus/ verse/ chorus route. But there is always something to be said about convention from time to time.

Does having your own studio help with developing the songs and how they eventually end up sounding on the record?

Absolutely. Our studio is a modest set up, but has served us fantastically well over the years as a recording and songwriting tool. For the most part, it’s instant feedback. If you’re working something out and unsure where to take it, recording and listening back is great for stimulating creativity, and making you look at the song more objectively. It’s also useful for documenting and logging jams, ensuring they’re not lost to the moment. Some of our best moments as a band have been born from recorded jams.

It is standard at Elba that we try to get some ‘local’ knowledge out of all the bands we speak to. Is there any bands that we should be looking out for either from Sheffield or that you’ve come across on your travels?

Loads – Wooderson are great band from Sheffield which we played with just the other night, Bilge Pump are awesome, hilarious and technically absurd, Bad Guys rock some serious ass and obviously our aforementioned label mates. Super Adventure Club have to be seen to be believed.

What does the rest of the year hold for KTC?

Well we’ve had a chocker year so far but after a gig with Clinic at the Harley in Sheffield in June, followed by the Peace in the Park festival we’ll take a short break from the gigs to return to the studio to record a new EP.

‘Fun Anxiety’ is out now on Armellodie Records and you can get your grubby paws on a copy here.

Tomorrow night (Friday 9th) there is a couple of things on our radar. First up an artist who we unfortunately didn’t manage to get along to at Hinterland (sad faces and regret all round), The Boy Who Trapped The Sun, is supporting Australian bluesman (with a penchant for Hip Hop beats) the John Butler Trio at the O2 Academy. Heading back over the River Clyde, recent visitors to Elba Studios, Inner Sight, launch their forthcoming single with a support slot for Edinburgh favourites Isa & The Filthy Tongues who also launch their album on the night. The ‘cosmic dance rockers’ take to the Stereo stage tomorrow night and it’s £7 to get in. We’ve been told to expect some surprises????????

On Saturday, it’s a veritable feast. I’ve had serious trouble deciding where I’ll drag the better half, behold the options…

A) Another good gig at Stereo featuring a rather stellar line up headed up by Three Blind Wolves who are launching their new album ‘Sound of The Storm’ (looking forward to hearing that one), one of last weeks ‘Elba Hinterland highlight‘ bands, French Wives and the chaotic but excellently named John Knox Sex Club. Tickets are fiver.

B) The Ruck In The Duck. (The poster leaves me no choice but to use boxing lingo…apologies.) A heavyweight bout of champions. A battle between Glasgow’s two best, unknown, record labels. Taking place at (the name gives it away) The Flying Duck, the line up includes She’s Hit and Calacas representing the awesome Lucky Number Nine Records and in the ‘other’ corner showing off the Armellodie stable are Sheffield’s ‘tough as steel’ upstarts Kill The Captains and Cuddly Shark. The first bell rings at 8pm so get in early for your ringside seat.

So there you have it, two options for Friday and Saturday. Take your pick!

*This is in no way meant to be a definitive gig guide, just gigs we like the sound of. If you do have a gig coming up that you think we should know about, just holler at us, we’re always looking for somewhere to go!