Elba Sessions

VOLCANIC ASH DELAYS ELBA BLOG (apologies for the slight ’10 hour’ delay)

Well this weekend seems to be dedicated to the resurgence of awful nineties acts in the fair city of Glasgow. Not only are we being honoured with an appearance by Reef but also the one hit wonder duo Shakespear’s Sister. What a worry. Anyway, onto some live music that we want to tell you about. We’ll keep it short but very sweet.

For those of you lucky enough to have received tickets, like Elba’s very own Phil Smith (we are not speaking due to this), The Phantom Band, Race Horses, And So I Watch You From Afar and Chickenhawk play King Tuts as part of the BBC United Nations tour tonight (15.04.2010). That is a ridiculously tasty line up. Do enjoy, you select few.

If psychadellic rock is calling you this weekend, Californian Wooden Shjips play Stereo Saturday.

RM Hubbert and Moon Unit will be in Mono as part of their Record Store Day festivities. Not only that but it’s free!

*UPDATE TO THE ABOVE* Them pesky Zombie avoiders Super Adventure Club play Avalanche on Saturday 17th as part of their record store day celebrations. That’s at 3pm.

Super Adventure Club want to eat your brains. It is the only logical conclusion.

Exhibit A – Look at them!

Exhibit B: Their brain tenderizing, blood boiling, sophomore album Avoid Zombies:

Don’t believe the title and the awesome zombie themed launch. They are trying to trick you into a false sense of security!!! Run god-dammit, run!

Avoid Zombies opens with a Big bassy twang that, from the off, releases the full insanity of Super Adventure Club. Over the course of the album, it is apparent that they have perfected a controlled chaos in their work. There is constant shifts and jerks. You are unprepared for each development in every song. Especially the vocal coda of Hip Hop Hot Pot Pot Noodle. You’ll be left scratching your head because whilst you will be hugely thrown off kilter during your first listen, you will also at one and the same time love this jazz-pop-punk-indie-super-insanity.

Super Adventure Club are tuned into a musical genius that will leave you reeling. This is the main thrill of this band. They are unafraid to battle their way through anything. This effect peaks during Nosferatu and on current single SAC Attack. However, there are also moments to breathe during this album. The truly wonderful Pick Up Sticks settles into a more conventional structure. It’s light and though still of SAC’s signature jerky style, it has more of a foot tapping feel. Pointless Self-Indulgence too, fades the album out softly; on a new note.

Avoid Zombies! is released on Armellodie Records 05.04.2010 and the album launch is tonight (25.03.2010) in the Captain’s Rest.

Everybody likes to get mail. Look at this haul I got today (factor’s bill omitted from picture!)!

Wilco and Chris T-T tickets as well as the latest Armellodie releases! I’m a happy lad tonight!

We’ve been lucky enough to see loads of local bands this year and one of the ones that we keep coming back to are Super Adventure Club. If you haven’t had the chance to see Super Adventure Club, where have you been?!?!? Not many a month goes by without Super Adventure Club unleashing a sonic assault on the ears of anyone who will listen at various venues around Glasgow and Edinburgh as well as further afield. We’re also SUPER excited as a little birdie tells us there will be a single and an album out next year on Armellodie Records. Quite simply, we love SAC and can’t get enough of them. Here’s our daily fix…

Album of the Year – Sports by Rodent Emporium

Hopes for 2010/Things you’re looking forward to – We’d like to have a real hip-hop-hot-pot-pot noodle and we’re looking forward to finally releasing the new album! We’d also like to be featured on the front cover of anything with the title ‘SAC’s bomb’ or ‘Anglo Sacsons’ etc etc, more puns please.

You can catch your SAC fix on the following dates;
17th Dec with Bronto Skylift, Lyons and DJ Vic Galloway @ Stereo, Glasgow 7:30pm £3
19th Dec with Pummel and Rage @ The Bongo Club, Edinburgh 7pm, £6

www.myspace.com/superadventuremusic

Today’s featured band on the Elba Annual are Glasgow’s self proclamed finest hillbilly rockers, Cuddly Shark. After the release of their eponymous debut album in November (Elba review here), things have gone rather well for the two guys, one girl band. A slew of fine reviews for the album has been backed up by being named album of the month on Vic Galloway’s Radio 1 Session in Scotland. They are also doing a live session this week on Vic’s Radio Scotland show, not to be missed. Colin, Jason and Ruth took some time out to tell us what made their year…

Album of The Year

Colin: Super Furry Animals – Dark Days/Light Years

Jason: Future Of The Left’s Travels With Myself And Others. Didnt do that much for me to begin with but found i’ve been playing the heck out of it recently! We call that a grower in the industry. Waiting with bated breath for a shotty of the new Heavy Trash LP fae Scott Maple!

Favourite New Band

Colin: Super Adventure Club

Jason: We recently played with Sleepy Vole in Edinburgh. Really enjoyed his Lo-Fi distorted carry on.

Best Gig (Cuddly Shark)

Colin: Aberdeen, Moorings, Nov 09

Jason: had a few fun ones this year but guess it would be the album launch at Captains Rest. It was ace to have it finally out and was a fun night.

Best Gig (Other)

Colin: Faith No More, Peace & Love Festival, Sweden

Jason: Faith No More at The Corn Exchange on the 25th of August. Was amazing!

Best Memories of 2009

Colin: Releasing our debut album. Watching Faith No More with my fellow Swedes

Jason: Releasing two albums this year (Shark’s debut and Le Reno Amps Tear It Open). It’s been a mental busy year. But roll on mental 2010!

Hopes for 2010/Things You’re Looking Forward To

Colin: Touring the album and playing places i’ve never been to before.

Jason: A busy mental 2010!

Cuddly Shark do a live session for Vic Galloway this evening on Radio Scotland from 8pm. Their album is out now on Armellodie and can be purchased from the Armellodie Record Store, from all your usual download providers and from Avalanche Glasgow.

They will be embarking on a tour early next year and all the dates can be found on their myspace page here…

Judging by the scene outside my flat this morning, the mist makes it look like Silent Hill, winter has arrived in Glasgow. There has been loads of wee things going around this week that I have meant to blog about but haven’t had the time to. So I guess this is just a wee round up.

I’ve noticed there is a lot of free christmas songs going about the internet and they have all been covered in different blogs but my personal favourite so far has been Merry X-Mas 2009 by Jason Lytle, ex-Grandaddy. It’s the perfect listen on a winters morning, 35 minutes of improvised piano music and something a bit different to listen to. If you download this and enjoy it, I’d definitely recommend the album ‘Solo Piano’ by Gonzales. I’ve dusted that off this week along with other music perfect for winter including Joanna Newsome and Sufjan Stevens. I believe Sister Winter hasn’t been off Chris Elba’s i-pod all December! I could post links to other good free downloads but the truth is, I haven’t kept links for them all and they have probably been covered elsewhere. Peenko’s Friday Freebies is usually has a pretty comprehensive collection of free downloads. I have also been enjoying these advent calendars, plenty good freebies here…

Banquet Records Advent Calendar

Maps Magazine Advent Calendar

On the gig front there have been loads this month which I have wanted to go to but have just not had the time or money to go to all of them. Im disappointed to have missed The Phantom Band at The Arches last night, looks like it would have been a good night. This week, Thursday poses a bit of a problem with Sparrow and The Workshop playing at The Mill and Super Adventure Club, Lyons and Bronto Skylift playing at Stereo. I think it will be Stereo for me, but who knows! Glasgow PodcArt also have their Christmas party at the 13th Note on Thursday with Panda Su, Kid Canaveral, The Darien Venture and Tokyo Knife Attack. The week after, i’ll definitely be in attendance at King Tuts to see The Cinematics on the 23rd. Really looking forward to that!

Right, off to dig out the Christmas DVD’s!

Al Nero proclaimed that most of the cool alternative kids were probably at Stereo to see Fuck Buttons (review here by Club Hott) but there was still a good turnout for a stellar line up at the 13th Note.

First up were the ‘new look’ Elvis Suicide complete with a new bass player, drummer and guitarist, powered along by Chris Devotion. I’m pleased to say that they still play their own brand of breakneck, riotous rock n roll which makes them such a good live band. Next up were Peter Parker who were then followed by the fabulous Super Adventure Club. It was the first time I’d seen them and I was totally impressed by them. Finishing off the evening was Le Reno Amps, promoting their new EP ‘The Stand Off’. No strangers to Elba, Le Reno played a set of newies, oldies and all goodies and had a right good hoe-down!

It was a grand way to start the weekend early!!

*Le Reno Amps will play an acoustic set for us at The Liquid Ship on October 8th.