Tag Archives: Feast Records

Fistymuffs ~ We Fight

Welcome to a new section of the blog, New Music Mondays, where we will be discussing new releases from local acts as well as great music from artists further afield.

First up it’s local grrrl’s Fistymuffs. This political punk/riot grrrl band is made up of performance poet Suky Goodfellow on guitar and vocals, DJ Nikki Fixx on drums, and bass and vocals from one of our ex Music Business students, and now Artist in Residence, Ashley Stein.

Fistymuffs have been gigging extensively since 2016 and have played with many notable acts, including Screaming Females, Lou Mclean Music, Gravelle, Sløtface, Petrol Girls and War On Women. Their lyrics are powerful and sometimes tackle dark subjects such as abuse in relationships and suicidal feelings, but always leave the listener feeling empowered, knowing that a better life is possible. Fistymuffs aim to empower people with their music and have been known to inspire other women to start their own bands.

This new record, We Fight, comes almost two years after the release of their debut EP, About Time, which focused on escaping abusive relationships, unwanted groping and bringing down the patriarchy. This new record sees the band tackle wider social issues while still managing to keep a personal tone to the lyrics. The opening track, Hey You!, is a literal call to arms, asking the listener to get active, stand up for themselves and fight back against our capitalist society. Gentrification of Leith discusses the #saveleithwalk campaign which was headed up by Leith Depot, the bands favourite venue and the place where they recorded their first EP, About Time. Riots Not Diets breaks down the indigestible truth of diet culture, while Survivors Write History is a powerful exploration of choosing life over the alternative.

Fistymuffs sound has also notably developed. Whilst their signature rhythmic changes are still ever present (see Innocent Contact from their first record as a good example of this!), the band have incorporated their communal love of post-punk on to many of the tracks. Most obviously tinted with this shared influence is Survivors Write History, where Suky has introduced a subtle yet arresting synth section to the mix.

So, whether you’re tackling diet culture, fighting gentrification, surviving depression or just want to be part of the revolution, there’s something on this record for everyone. You can buy We Fight from Fistymuffs Bandcamp page, or check out their music from any of their socials below:

Live Review – Cabbage, The Shimmer Band, Stereo, Glasgow

Explosive psychedelic rock outfit The Shimmer Band are full of confidence, swagger and energy and have been causing quite the stir with their quick rise of prolific support slots and high-praised press.
The Bristol band are absolutely destined for the festival fields, huge venues, stadiums even, with their re-brand of psychedelic synth rock which takes it’s roots from many of the 90s greats such as the Verve, and Primal Scream but their set is full of modern flourishes. Enormously uplifting, the band’s epic sound is apparent on single ‘Shoot Me (Baby)’ with it’s terrace-style chant and almighty Stooges style stomp and bursts of electronica which punctuate throbbing bass and spiky guitar. It is destined to be a festival anthem.
The most promising tracks of their set, included latest single ‘Jacknife And The Death Call’ and ‘Sunkick’ which is brimming with Primal Scream swagger. Whilst ‘Freedom’ is a hands in the air chorus heavy track.

The band already have an arsenal of songs which only add to their rapidly rising reputation. Euphoric, powerful and gloriously uplifting, here’s to the summer, and festivals when we can belt out their tunes to great abandon.
The Shimmer Band
Regardless of the fantastic set from The Shimmer Band before them, the swelling crowd were really focused on band of the moment Cabbage.
Certainly, they are one of most hyped bands in the country right now, and everybody seems to have an opinion of them and their left wing political lyricism. The sold out eclectic crowd at Stereo is made up of indie kids, curious kids, (and their parents) and aging skinheads, and everyone in between which further highlight Cabbage’s broad appeal in uniting people.
As soon as Mossley outfit Cabbage saunter onto the stage to the ‘Rawhide’ theme, they then proceed to tear through a solid set of immersive post-punk and unashamedly abrasive left-wing, political tracks. There is an underlying atmosphere that the band are intent on causing chaos and opinion than conforming.

‘Uber Capitalist Death Trade’ stands out as one of tonight’s many highlights, its primitive chorus is brash, obnoxious and full of punk vigour.
‘Terrorist Synthesizer’ simply mirrors raucous pissed up nature of tonight’s crowd as both crowd and band bustle around and are chucked over the frenzied crowd below. Whilst, Kevin’ is delivered as a stomping track reminiscent of The Fall.
The band perform with wild abandon and deliver a set full of anger, political spit fury and pure pride of being lower class.
Cabbage
‘Necroflat In The Palace’ and the America/ Trump bashing, ‘Free Steven Avery (Wrong America)’, simply rile up the crowd further. ‘Necroflat…’ sneers hatred at the Royals’ and their awareness of the dark underbelly of celebrity behaviours, as both band and crowd chant “I was born in the NHS, I wanna die in NHS”, as the band lead the crowd in rousing hands in the air protest before diving back into the crowd.
Whilst ‘It’s Grim Up North Korea’ and ‘Gibraltar Ape’ go down well with the adoring frenzied crowd.

Cabbage’s astute cynicism is apparent throughout their set and their impish humour (‘Dinnerlady’) is unapologetic in its soundtrack for this unsettled and angry era. If you don’t like the look of what we are currently witnessing then look away now as it’s only about to get worse as Cabbage narrate brexit Britain.
Believe the hype.

Posted by Stacy Rowan

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 2016/17

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay had a strong line up, showcasing some of Scotland’s fantastic acts including Paolo Nutini, Frightened Rabbit, Fatherson and Be Charlotte, as well as indie hereos The Charlatans.
Feast took to the street party with the throngs and brought in the bells with an outstanding classic laden set from The Charlatans.

First up on the Waverley stage was Dundonian band Be Charlotte.
After firmly establishing herself in the consciousness of Scotland’s blogs and press with a serious of great sets at festivals up and down the country. Be Charlotte won over the crowd with her colourful stage attire and blend of innovative pop compositions,rapping in her dulcet tones, sweeping, impassioned vocal power and gritty beat-boxing loops.
The band delivered a colourful and confident performance, and bigger stages are sure to beckon. This year certainly looks set to be a big one for Be Charlotte.

Next up were new Scottish heroes Fatherson.
Following on from their sold out show at the Barras, the band look elated to see the massive crowd snaking up Waverley bridge.
Fatherson recieved a strong reception and the crowd’s appreciation was clear as the band led a soaring, rousing sing along. Vocalist Ross Leighton’s powerful yet gentle voice powered the band through their dynamic set.
Given their impressive own brand of melodic anthems, and sold out shows, the Ayrshire band are hotly tipped to be Scotland’s breakthrough band of 2017.
Charlatans
The Charlatans brought in 2017 with a career defining bells straddling set, mixing old and new throughout.
From the unmisstakeable opening hammond organ of ‘Weirdo’, the Charlies delivered a celebratory set of sing alongs with ‘Blackened Blue Eyes’, ‘Tellin Stories’ and ‘How High’.
With 2016 promptly told where to go, waved off and with fireworks seemingly going off in every direction, The Charlatans launched into 2017 with glorious abandon as the indie anthems of ‘North Country Boy’, ‘You’re So Pretty’ and ‘The Only One I Know’ were unleashed onto the fever pitch party crowd.

Whilst most bands at this stage in their career would be bored and tired of touring and playing the same songs over. The Charlatans and (never ageing) Tim Burgees in particular seem to be even more up for it, playing with renewed vigour.
Perhaps the band are on extra shots of Tim Peak’s coffee or maybe it’s the realisation that they are a classic band, playing and releasing on their own terms now and that they have the arsenal of anthems to make a gig like this seem like a proper celebratory gig. Or maybe they just wanted to slam the door on 2016 like the rest of us and have a big party.

Returning to the stage for a triumphant encore, and closing with ‘Sproston Green’ certainly proves that The Charlatans are still not only relevant but are full of exciting ideas for the future.

Posted by Stacy Rowan

Electric Fields Festival 2016 – Review

With the imposing Drumlanrig Castle in the background and verdant Dumfries forestry as far as the eye could see. Feast’s first impressions of the vibrant Electric Fields was promising.
Electric Fields has flourished since its inception only three years ago, and has been collecting accolades since.
To get the full festival experience, Feast camped out and experienced the most chilled-out, friendly campsite we have ever encountered. There are definitely no numpties trying to sing ‘Wonderwall’ at five in the morning.
Stunning surroundings, happy campers, a truly stellar line-up and the sunshine beating down, Electric Fields was off to an absolute flier!
Electric Fields Review

With the imposing Drumlanrig Castle in the background and verdant Dumfries forestry as far as the eye could see. Feast’s first impressions of the vibrant Electric Fields was promising.
Electric Fields has flourished since its inception only three years ago, and has been collecting accolades since.
To get the full festival experience, Feast camped out and experienced the most chilled-out, friendly campsite we have ever encountered. There are definitely no numpties trying to sing ‘Wonderwall’ at five in the morning.
Stunning surroundings, happy campers, a truly stellar line-up and the sunshine beating down, Electric Fields was off to an absolute flier!
sweaty-palms

Glasgow garage-rock band, Sweaty Palms were the first band of the weekend. Having, previously heard the band’s ‘Hollywood Wax’, Feast were intrigued. Therefore, when the band appeared on stage dressed as cosmic warlords, we were not disappointed.
Sweaty Palms delivered a reverb-heavy, psych rock set with frontman Robbie Houston snarling along. The set was reminiscent of early The Horrors, interbred with The Stooges, their set on the Tim Peak’s stage was short, loud and definitely entertaining.

Baby Strange have been building acclaim with their punk-rock anthems who up the ante and started the festival proper. The band also dedicated their set to the late Gary Watson. Although the band flew through their high energy set full of dark ferocious tracks, it was a touching moment.
baby-strange

The Charlatans closed Friday with a greatest hits set with ‘Weirdo’, ‘North Country Boy’ ‘Just When You’re Thinking Things Over’ set the scene for the mass sing-along, with the fest ‘How High’ still sounded fresh and rousing. Whilst ‘The Only one I Know’ delighted old fans and new.
The Charlatans delivered a rousing set, full of atmospheric anthems which closed the first day perfectly.

Colonel Mustard and The Dijon 5 thrilled one of the biggest crowds in the Saturday afternoon sunshine. The band can be spotted well before they are on stage, sporting the Yellow Movement canary yellow stage outfits. The band have built up a sizeable following for their upbeat shows.
The band genre-hop, lead mass sing-along about International Sex Heroes and Gay Icons and get the whole crowd to walk across the road (the whole crowd walked/danced from one side of the stage to the other in unison), there is also a dance-off and a crowd surfing unicorn.
The Colonel leads the crowd, in a dancing, hugging and laughing set, which sounds like some zany hybrid of Electric Six, Primal Scream, Frank Zappa and some crazy technicolour kid’s TV show.
It’s yellow, it’s fun, it’s a bit trippy and it involves everyone. Colonel Mustard and The Dijon 5 deliver a true festival experience.
colonel-mustard-the-dijon-5

Feast caught the very end of ONR’s set but were impressed. Having only played a handful of gigs, the band looked confident and assured, sounding like early The Killers, it appears like the band are off to a promising start.
Honeyblood’s excellent afternoon set was full of lo-fi punk and melodic delights. With new track ‘Ready For The Magic’ highlights a feisty direction.

White delivered one of the sets of the weekend and it’s only a matter of time before the band grace much bigger stages.
The band set the scene and started whipping the crowd up, by sending huge bouncing balloons into the crowd which bounced back and forth throughout the set.
White look the part, and definitely have the future hits to back up the hype. ‘Future Pleasures’ furiously mixes, funk guitar, with a huge dose of post-disco pop a la Haircut 100 and ABC.
Frontman Leo Condie channels Brett Anderson with Brian Ferry and there is some pair of lungs on the boy, as he delivers the falsetto art-pop vocals with aplomb. The singles sound like future sing-alongs, as the band romp through an exhilarating set.
white

Fat White Family gigs can be raucous affairs, and there is always a sense of not knowing what to expect from their gigs, as the band have built a reputation for onstage mayhem. Frontman Lias Saoudi strutted and sulked across the stage, swigging from a bottle as the band rattled through ‘Is It Raining In Your Mouth’ sending the previously genteel crowd into a frenzied bouncing throng.
Tracks from ‘Songs for Our Mothers’ sound tense, glam and almost claustrophobic, and the fist-pumping crowd lap it up.
Whilst ‘Whitest Boy On The Beach’ was a thrilling assault. Given the band’s press of anarchy which follows them around, the crowd seemed disappointed that the band did not seem intent on carnage but so long as the wheels don’t come flying off, FWF have the songs and presence to go further.
fat-white-family

Primal Scream closed the festival with a rousing performance, blending the hits and new material ‘Moving On Up’, ‘Accelerator’ and ‘Some Velvet Morning’. Bobby Gillespie held the crowd in his palm as he prowled around the stage. The band then hit the crowd with the arsenal of ‘Swastika Eyes’, ‘Rocks’ ‘Country Girl’ and ‘Loaded’. A truly electrifying finale.
primal-scream

Electric Fields was a fantastic weekend, and encompasses what all festivals should strive for. For an event of its size, the line-up more than delivers, coupled with a fantastic setting and friendly crowd.
Electric Fields was a glorious way to say goodbye to the summer. Roll on 2017.

Posted by Stacy Rowan

Sweaty Palms Interview
Feast’s Stacy Rowan met up with Boabby (Robbie Houston, vocals & guitar) and Rachel (keys) from reverb-soaked garage band Sweaty Palms after their rousing set at Electric Fields.

Nice stage attire! Where did you get the costumes from? (The band were still dressed in their warlock capes get up)
Boaby: Ebay! We got them off a guy that specialises in Medieval costume wear! I dunno where he
got the silver ones from, they’re a bit cosmic!
Rachel: I loved it! I loved it!

What are the biggest band influences?
Boaby: Nick Cave! Gunclub, Big Neds!
Band: Big Neds! Jacob Yates!
Boaby: Jacob Yates! Dale Barclay…Big Bellies!

Dream festival line-up, who would join you on the main stage?
Boaby: Bob Dylan
Band: Big Neds!
Boaby: Uncle John & Whitelock. Bernie Sanders has an album! Devo!
Rachel: The B-52s (the band agree)
Boaby: We’re opening a door here…

What’s happening next? What can we expect in terms of album and a single?
Boaby: Rachel is pregnant so we’re going to hold off. (Band all start laughing). We’re going to give
it a year or so then bring out the album hopefully. We’ll be busy raising a child!
Rachel: It’s going to be a cult!

Some up the band in 3 words.
Boaby: Sh**e! Miserable! C***s!
The band are still falling about laughing, and decide to get some gin.
Boaby: Mon the gin!

Feast Live Session: Redolent – Summer Suits You

A live session for Feast from Edinburgh band Redolent. This is another live take and our performances are captured live with the exception of a keyboard overdub cause Danny doesn’t have 4 hands!!

Makes us want to go and see them live. When? Tonight! Sneaky Pete’s supporting Man Of Moon, another of our faves. C’mon!!

Review of Dante w/ Alan Carberry & Sian + A.H. Doune @ Electric Circus, Friday 23/10/2015

Written by Liam Dickson @ FEAST
Dante
As Dante hit the road for a handful of Scottish shows to warm up before heading across the pond for their first foray into performing stateside, I caught up with singer, guitarist and songwriter Sean McLaughlin before their set at Edinburgh’s Electric Circus for a blether about the tour, heading to the states and gearing up for the release of their second album.
So far the tour is going well for Dante; bar one cancelled show each performance has gone down a treat, McLaughlin saying it’s good to get away from the central belt and main cities to beat the track slightly less trodden. McLaughlin hails from Shetland originally himself, so he must be relishing the opportunity to play some more stripped back material in similar locales to where he grew as a musician and as a person; though towns like Perth and Inverness are hardly as rural as Shetland, in comparison to Glasgow or Edinburgh it’s decidedly more modest.
Support tonight came from acoustic two-some Alan Carberry & Sian as well as solo multi-instrumentalist A.H. Doune. I can’t say much on these guys as I was upstairs chatting with Sean during their sets, but the brief couple of minutes I overheard of each set were pretty good – Alan Carberry & Sian performed the most delicate acoustic set, just their fragile vocals and guitar to accompany; and A.H. Doune gave us a set of trippy, bluesy loops and massively reverberated vocals as a one-man band of electric guitar and a desk rammed with a laptop and countless gizmos.
As for Dante’s set, I probably wouldn’t have known it was an acoustic gig if I hadn’t been told – they sounded as confident and full-bodied as any ‘plugged in’ act, the acoustic guitars and mandolin offering an alternative sound to Dante’s music rather than a more minimal one. The financial viability of perfoming in the US has previously been an issue for Dante, citing now to be the time to head over in the run up to their second-album release and now having the far cheaper option of lugging only a handful of guitars across the Atlantic rather than a full band rig, though they should be safe in the knowledge that this decision has in no way sacrificed the quality of their live performance. They play a few existing songs to start proceedings, like ‘Ghost’ and ‘Know Where You Are’ … “A poet’s muse, every line is a bruise, it’s a full time job to pretend you’re abused” It’s a shame their professional sound and stunningly mature lyrics are falling on the ears of a sparse crowd, but it’s their loss!
“Okay, this is the point in the set where it all goes very well, or very badly… Very well, definitely!” McLaughlin is obviously confident in his songwriting ability but that quintessentially Scottish sense of self-doubt can’t help but peek through, more humbling than debilitating and only feeding the emotional strength of the songs their self. His influences range from the obscurest local folk singers of his hometown through to popular modern acts like Frightened Rabbit, Gaslight Anthem and Idlewild – McLaughlin also plays as part of The Birthday Suit, a side project of Idlewild guitarist Rod Jones and he expresses his satisfaction from playing with a musician he looked up to for many years. Mercury prize winning fellow Leithers Young Fathers even cropped up in conversation and shows his taste in music is not just based on folk or indie but anything soulful that comes from the heart and manifests in a primal, unpretentious way.
I asked Sean how the new material would differ from that of the first album (produced again by Andy Monaghan of Frightened Rabbit) and he cites the biggest influence on his songwriting now is parenthood – every singer says the same, that bringing a child into the world shifts your outlook drastically and it undoubtedly spills over into your work. His perspective has changed but his head (or heart, rather) is always cast back homeward as Sean admits that his lyrics are sometimes autobiographical but always set in Shetland; “I’m 30 now, with 2 kid, so I can no longer pretend to be a young guy from Shetland, singing about teenage problems of ‘Ooh, my girlfriend doesn’t like me, I haven’t got any money!'” McLaughlin has changed but Shetland has not, still offering the same emotional pull and warm imagery that defines the lyrical style of Dante. Though one of the songs performed tonight came from such a period (having been written when Sean was only 17) the massive age gap in the songs is unnoticable, the established and the unreleased offering real continuity in the setlist. My personal favourite of the new bunch was ‘Rose’, a quick paced song both fast and mellow with the mandolin constantly picking away a pedal over the top. The whole band provide backing vox to stunning effect, giving off that gather-round-the-hearth country pub singalong feel and it warms the soul.
Of his next album, McLaughlin reckons it’s not as outright ‘folky’ as the first as family life in the capital has obviously distanced him from the comforts of home, though he has no qualms about being regarded as primarily a folk musician. Reductive media tags aside, if tonight’s perfomance is anything to go by they will go down a storm in both Philadelphia and the Big Apple; the market for folk in Scotland is saturated to say the least and will be a welcome, niche change of pace in the land of freedom. Best of luck guys, though I doubt you need it!

SAMA/FEAST SESSION – We Came From Wolves – ‘Paradise Place’

It’s been a busy year for We Came From Wolves who finish of the year with their final show at King Tuts in Glasgow in just over two weeks time (December 9th). Given they’re one of our faves @ FEAST we thought we’d post a video they did in our studios for the #SAMAFEASTSESSIONS – a little taster of the delights in store for you.

We Came From Wolves final show of 2015 is just over two weeks away and tickets are selling FAST.

Grab your’s and join the party on Dec 9th!
Tickets are just £5.00 pre sale here >>> http://wecamefromwolves.bigcartel.com/…/we-came-from-wolves…
We Came From Wolves

‘ElevenFiftySeven’ EP by Return to the Sun – Sneak Peek!

Written by Liam Dickson @ FEAST
Return to the Sun
I’ve never reviewed a release, never mind one that isn’t even out yet; but why the hell not if this is the starting point. Return to the Sun caught my eye at a gig at Electric Circus in Edinburgh, myself and front man Stephen McAfferty getting talking online; a few emails later, here we are! The ‘ElevenFiftySeven’ EP, due for release in December, was recorded at The Depot studios tucked away in the deepest reaches of unchartered Granton with the go-to-guy for production in the capital Mark Morrow, five tracks in total. The cover art, designed by bassist Sean Ford, appears to depict some kind of off-kilter granite vortex sucking you into the underworld – the calming blue backdrop and rounded edges offer a levity making it not too jarring an image and suits the music it graphically represents; heavy but alluring. The circular design also no doubt alludes to what is implied in the title… ElevenFiftySeven. Just numbers, right? Wrong! We’ve all seen it on the news before, some crackpot claiming ‘the end of days is nigh’, but when scientists concoct a ‘doomsday clock’ to represent how close we are to, well, doomsday; that’s a pretty frightening thought! If midnight is curtain call, we’re just three minutes away within the timescale of humanity, hence ‘ElevenFiftySeven’… Weren’t expecting that from an EP were you?! The fictional female subject offers us insight into the drug-induced haze the people have adopted to blot out the inevitable in their version of reality (sounds an awful lot like ours too). However, this isn’t a macabre affair, more an inspirational call to arms – shake off your demons, live the life you dreamt of, proclaim your love from the mountaintops! We’ve a limited time in this world so don’t go wasting it – I’d say that is about as damn uplifting a subject matter you could possibly choose.
Right, here we go; no long drawn out introductions here, RTTS are off like a shot with this two minute exercise in no-nonsense riffage, ‘Static’. All instruments are played to full capacity for no longer than ten seconds before giving way to a bassline crawling through the sludge and some seriously cool lyrics, each line broke up with a harsh DA-DA-DA-DA rip on the guitar. “My head is full of static, like a broken TV” goes the chorus; and the verses tell of spiders in his bed, his “anxiety keeps them well fed”; this is the first of many examples throughout the EP where the lyrics written don’t seem to fit squarely into the rhythm of the vocal melody line, but somehow vocalist Stephen finds a way, displaying an aptitude for making the words just flow with unconventional emphasis that makes for a far more interesting listen than if he wrote some boring old nice-and-neat rhyming couplets. He knows what he wants to say, and he knows how he’s going to say it.
Riff verse chorus, riff verse chorus – that’s all there is to this song and that’s all we need; the second chorus really ramps it up with some ‘woo woos’ as catchy as a fish hook. It sounds like a whole room full of people are singing along but I’ll bet it’s down to the production wizardry of Morrow, a near perfect pair-up. A signal of intent this song is, as by the end you already know RTTS have stepped up their game for this EP, both in theme, lyrical content and instrumentation.
Caught your breath? Good, we’ll move on. ‘Waiting to Arrive’ is track number two, opening with delicate piano twinkle mirrored by simple guitar picking, both backed by a rather quick snapping snare click (do I hear the ticking of that doomsday clock?) A bit like Depeche Mode with an undeniable Scots-rock bent in the verse, the chorus comes in kicking like a mule with soaring vocals; ‘Waiting to arrive, but we’re already… heeeere!’ A strong track, though my favourite part has to be the very end; as distorted guitar slowly but surely decays with atmospheric (to put it mildly) broken piano chords played as slow and soft as a funeral march, then before you realize it’s happening that decaying guitar bubbles back up, more and more until it shakes you retinas then – nothing, excluding a mild reverb as the track really does fade out this time. Haunting. Brilliant!
Now we come to, in my opinion, the centerpiece of the record; ‘Electrical Bugs’ is another straight-to-business number, a millisecond of whoosh before the band are in full mid-tempo swing. Now, you might find this a rather odd comparison, but the lead guitar line and various solos throughout this tune reminded me somewhat of the Sonic Adventure soundtrack – you know, that old video game? Not just in guitar tone but in the epic, unpretentious, tears-of-happiness mood it instils in me; maybe an unconventional statement but saying your music reminds me of some of the most care-free moments of my childhood is about the highest accolade I can attribute. The chorus chops and changes between an indie shuffle and onslaught of overdrive, the vocals distorted just a little for that walkie-talkie voice in your head quality.
Stephen has great singing range! He never overstretches his vocal cords or simply start to shout when going up the scale nor does he feel the need to warble like Elvis when bringing it back down again, both high and low-pitched deliveries cutting through and over the other instrument tracks juuust the right amount – it would be a real shame if his lyrical flair was washed away in the ocean of fuzz underpinning the EP’s most intense points.
‘Velvet Sky’ wins the award for best chorus, it’s so familiar but you know it’s doesn’t rip anything off, that feeling of familiarity just indicative of strong songwriting – the best songs make you feel as if they’ve been with you all along. Opening with a steady four-to-the-floor thumping bass drum (that ticking clock again?) and palm-muted lead guitar delayed to the point where you can’t really tell what the root note even was, almost indie-serenity, it truds along all funky, Stephen singing ‘You know that I’d rather be hated, by you than ignored’, once more for good luck, ‘BY YOU THAN IGNOOOORED’ before that previously cited awesome chorus kicks in. I’d love to have been in that studio hearing the playback for this one, getting slapped round the side of the head by those monitors. The lead guitar part around the three minute mark could give the one from Bowie’s ‘Moonage Daydream’ a kick up the backside in a square-go of the solos. Stephen is an absolute dynamite lyricist in terms of imagery; either heart-breaking or life-affirming, I can’t decide. Both, probably.
While we talk of imagery, the closing track fits firmly into the former tag; ‘Until I Fall Asleep’ brings the energy down for a more acoustic-driven track sounding not unlike a somber ceilidh waltz (though not in 3/4, just that you could definitely have a slow dance to this). Soft, simple guitar chords backed by warm strings but just a smidgen, more chamber group than full blown bombastic orchestra. I’m picturing a music video set around the ruined kirk halfway up Arthur’s Seat, fireflies floating about the dusk. This song is stripped of the creeping psychedelia of previous tracks as our narrator/character/subject (whatever term best describes the fictional source of all these thoughts and feelings) loses the ignorant bliss which shielded her from reality and starkly comes face-to-face with what she, and let’s face it, all of us are trying desperately to block out – the big bad world, the collapse of society, the end of days or anything as equally humbling, I’m sure every individual will interpret this differently. If all this philosophical undertone is getting you down in the dumps, go back, listen to ‘Static’ and start dancing round your bedroom all over again!
From start to finish we hear bright vocal delivery with strong lyrics and compelling imagery, varied uplifting melodies, a solid skeletal backbone in drummer Jason Rees, mental guitar work, scuzzy distortion, heartfelt piano lines, I could go on and on… You just know this EP will translate fluently into a live setting (a test run of ‘Electrical Bugs’ at the gig mentioned in my introduction can attest to that), but that’s not to diminish ElevenFiftySeven as a standalone piece of work, more than a mere audio snapshot of ‘where we are as a band’. The release date isn’t for a while yet, so don’t be surprised if you see me pushing this article more than a few times in the lead up to it – like a nagging parent who knows best, you’ll thank me in the long run!
Here are all the links you could need:
Official site: http://www.returntothesun.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/returntothesun?fref=ts&ref=br_tf
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReturnToTheSun
SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/returntothesun

Review of Spector w/ Golden Arm & Spring King @ Electric Circus, 20/10/2015

Written by Liam Dickson @ FEAST
There was a positive atmosphere the moment I walked into Electric Circus tonight, you feel it on occasion – some kind of general amicability throughout the venue, everyone here for a good time and aware of it in those around them, no deadpan posers leaning against the back wall judging the dancing free spirits down the front and nobody vying for more attention than the bands on the bill. Spector have come straight up the A1 (presumably) from London to Edinburgh for only the second time in support of their new album ‘Moth Boys’ and beat my expectations, performing for a teaming Electric Circus.
3-piece Golden Arm are first on the bill tonight, sounding to some degree like Franz Ferdinand but far more like the old-skool Scottish post-punk scene they were influenced by – Josef K, Aztec Camera, Orange Juice, that lot – and the singer sounds the absolute spit of Edwyn Collins! Up-beat, quick-paced and non-pretentious, their obvious light-heartedness comes through in the music they play and their stage presence. “You’re here to see Spector, I presume?” says the singer; “Well, if they’re here to see the Kooks they’re f*cked!” the drummer chimes in, a solid backbone to the band. The solos sound almost Dire Straits-y and bass and guitar chords move together in big chunky blocks spanning all frequencies. The guitar could have done with a tad more treble to help it cut through the mix just a little bit, but that’s about the only hole I could pick in the set. They have an EP coming out on the 31st October, be sure to check it out!
The main support tonight is from Manchester outfit Spring King who were so much fun! Coming on stage looking like a right motley crew of trucker caps, beanie hats and brandless baseball tops, their high-energy set never relented (apart from one slow one near the end), breakneck indie beats and brash guitars awash with fragmented sharp snippets of reverb and layers of Lennon-esque vocal delay, as in lots of it but not for very long. ‘Can’ sounds like a sweetened Ramones spliced with a slightly less deranged Dead Kennedys – “If I’m not dead, If I’m not dead I’m going home!”, sings the drummer stroke singer stroke front man (quite a mouthful) – and ‘Batman’ was the best of bunch in my opinion, the best example of pace and playing style converging into what is essentially surf-punk without the ‘surf’ clichés, if that’s make any sense at all. “Tonight, I just wanna be somebody else, somebody new” – innocent, youthful lyrics derived from a world of comic book kitsch. ‘My Sleeves’ is that afore mentioned slower one, it’s chilled Motown-like beat playing backing to lyrics both sweet as sugar and weirdly abstract – “Take my hand, take my hand with you”, an odd image if you think about it for too long – the song being filled out with a solo like a more abrasive Mac DeMarco. The band looked like they were having the time of their life pogoing away, except the drummer/singer who was too in the zone and, well, too seated to do the same but his ability to thump away on the kit and still turn in a flawless and composed vocal performance was impressive to say the least.
Headliner time: front man Fred McPherson comes bounding onstage looking, erm, different to how I’d imagined he would; publicity shoots from the first album era look like rejected applications for Made In Chelsea, suits as sharp as a button, the kind of neurotic quiff fixing that Alex Turner is getting a bashing for (not too much of a shock to see some of their past gigs have been sponsored by Topman), and I’ve not exactly been keeping up to date with the band. So I wasn’t expecting a not-so-fresh plain white t-shirt and unkempt ponytails! But if that’s what he’s comfortable wearing, then go for it; stages aren’t catwalks after all, and this more ‘unrefined’ attitude permeated into the performance. The place was packed, and I mean PACKED, the cheers and post-song applauds bigger than you’d think possible in a venue of this size. Spector serve as an almost pop and rock melting pot, the most popular comparison being The Killers, which I find reductive; yeah, big choruses, guitar, 80’s synths, fair enough, but it’s far too easy a comparison. I hear indie rock, new wave, new romantic, synth pop, some straight-up balladry and the tongue is undeniably pressed firmly against the cheek despite the honesty and veiled pain hidden between the lines creeping through. McPherson is a born front man, his over the top mic-stand maneuvers and dynamic use of the limited space on stage would be hackneyed if deployed by anybody else – with McPherson it seems more than natural. He downright refuses to shy away from the audience, maintaining eye contact that makes you feel like he’s peering into your soul (I got it a couple of times, he locks your gaze!) and leaning about as far into the audience over the edge of the stage as gravity would allow – the people down the front must have been able to smell his scent and a lucky few got to hold his hand whilst he crooned directly for them all Romeo and Juliet. New cuts ‘Decade of Decay’ and ‘Cocktail Party’ went down a storm, and these fresh songs were equaled out with picks from the debut so as not to lean to heavily either way. I was never that sure of Spector before tonight but they’ve definitely converted me now. Top set!

Some useful links:
http://spector.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/spector
https://twitter.com/Spector

Review of Indigo Velvet w/ Lewis Capaldi & Lisbon @ Electric Circus 9/10/2015

Written by Chloe Mcintyre @ FEAST
When previously asked what the audience should expect when at a live set of Indigo Velvet their exact words were “Sweat, Hip Wriggling..and a party” and they couldn’t be more right! In fact there’s not many bands I know whose music gives the audience just a feel good, let your hair down vibe, but I have to say, Indigo Velvet is definitely one of them. Indigo Velvet
For their first headliner show in Edinburgh, the turnout was absolutely phenomenal, giving you barely any space to actually move around the Electric Circus, but that’s the sign of a good gig to come, am I right?
But before talking about the headliner, I need to highlight the talented support acts because they obviously built up the energetic atmosphere.
Lewis Capaldi is the young talent who started up the party with an acoustic set of his own songs and even a brilliant mash up cover of well known tunes that the crowd could sing along too. All that and his brilliant interaction with everyone in between songs made his set an extremely good one, I definitely have to say that if you’ve not already heard of him, go and listen to him.
Next up were the band Lisbon, showcasing a vibe that reminded me of Indigo Velvet, a lot of dancy, sing a long, feel good sounds. The floor was filled with budding ears ready to hear some new music . I have to mention that the song “Rio” got everyone to their feet, kudos to that. This band deserve a listen.
Indigo Velvet’s set was full of surprises, from fun things like Jason’s see drumming solos throughout songs, talented local performer Chris Greig being invited on stage to perform his cover of ‘Wooden Pavements’ (which I must add was truly phenomenal), even to a member of the crowd taking the microphone and owning the stage at the last song. All in all it was hard to believe that this was the first time the boys headlined a gig in Edinburgh, everything from stage presence, song choice and crowd reactions is definitely one to remember. My only wish was that I was tall enough to catch it all on video! This gig followed the release of the bands new song ‘Blue’ which I will link below, I challenge you to listen to that while trying to sit still, it’s damn near impossible. Anyhow, well done guys, yet again I think everyone’s expectations were filled, heres to next time eh?

http://open.spotify.com/track/2uKBbnsxVkXX4Wdt38QyTI (link to single)
@INDIGO_VELVET (Twitter)