Hauf Jaiket

And so, we come crashing into the top ten with my favourite track from what is probably maybe definetely one of my picks for best Scottish album ever from those masters of the guitar wall of sound cum feedback - Jesus and Mary Chain. Both Biffy's second showing and Aerogramme's track have a similar feel to them. And that feel is Seventies po-faced Rock - Get thee behind me Satan. I do tire of these dated retreads at times. Maybe I'm just tired. NEXT!

 

10. Jesus and Mary Chain: Psychocandy - Sowing Seeds
9. Biffy Clyro: Blackened Sky - Joy.Discovery.Invention
8. Aereogramme: A Story In White - Zionist Timing

On this track, Spare Snare sound a tad like a sub Jesus and Mary Chain. But then, so many do, doncha know. The mighty Teenage Fanclub are gigging in Edinburgh and Glasgow this week promoting their latest meisterwork, Man-Made. Sadly, I left it too late to get tickets, but here they are anyway from the magnificent Bandwagonesque with a typical Fannies workout. Then some ambient atmospheric shuffling from the Boards of Canada which is nice, if you like that kind of thing. I don't meself, but hey ho. I'll be back on Tuesday next week, so hey, look out for that. (I'm not doing the see you next Tuesday gag again - that is soooo last century).

 

13. Spare Snare: Live At Home - Bugs
12. Teenage Fanclub: Bandwagonesque - December
11. Boards of Canada: Music Has The Right To Children - Smokes Quantity

Second showing for B & S already with one of those incredibly catchy tunes you're sure you've heard somewhere before. In this case a bit of it has the same melody as bit of 'They Don't Know' by Kirsty McColl. I could probably write a whole thesis on songs nicked by Belle and Sebastian but, you know what? I won't bother. Calamateur I must confess is new to me (look, I'm old - I was out the music scene for yonks, geez a break), but this is a rather sumptious wee tune. Andrew Howie (for it is he) also contributed to Oldsolar (see below). Frog Pocket creates some interesting noises - this is a mere snippet from the deliberately mispelt Barel Orgen.

 

16. Belle and Sebastian: If You're Feeling Sinister - Stars of Track and Field
15. Calamateur: The Old Fox of 45 - Hold Your Stare
14. Frog Pocket :Baral Orgen - Eye Warm

Severely untypical Belle and Sebastian track with electronic bleeps, helicopter noises and such, profoundly predicting the current resurgent interest in eighties synth shit. Meanwhile, Mogwai indulge in more guitar washing and Biffy Clyro give it big dramatic licks with this storming track. In other news, went to see The Fall last night - fucking fantastic. In other other news - if you're anywhere near the Roxy Art House in Edinburgh tonight, pop in, as yours truly is playing along with sundry others as part of the Edinburgh Rush festival. See www.edrush.com for details.

 

19. Belle and Sebastian: Tigermilk - Electronic Renaissance
18. Mogwai: Young Team - Summer
17. Biffy Clyro - Infinity Land - Glitter and Trauma

'Songs sung out of key remind me that I'm free.' I know exactly what he means. Or do I? Fabulous slice of Delgados here. Such a shame they are no more. Violins and guitars have a right swedge in the unique slice of insanity that is Khaya - 'Husbands just wanna talk.' Really? 'I wish death upon them.' A bit strong. 'Weakness motherfucker weakness.' Ah, right. This is a bit nuts to say the least. In a good way. After all that it's time to unwind with the gentle pop electronica of The Aphrodisiacs.

 

22. The Delgados: The Great Eastern - Aye Today
21. Khaya: Avoidance - Husbands
20. The Aphrodisiacs: This Is A Campaign - If U Want Me

Rollercoaster time. The epic Ex Cowboy, a brooding little beast, builds eventually to a wash of electric noise before collapsing again into the ether. That's the power of Mogwai for you. At the other end of the musical spectrum, the infectious bouncy pop of Smile does exactly what it says in the title. Before we get too happy, though, Mogwai Chemikal Underground stablemates, Arab Strap, bring us back to the land of dour. Oh, and Oldsolar have arrived (see below). Thanks Scott R.

 

25. Mogwai: Come On Die Young - Ex Cowboy
24. The Supernaturals: It Doesn't Matter Anymore - Smile
23. Arab Strap: Philophobia - Here We Go

I've said it before and I'll say it again - Billy Mackenzie had the best voice...ever. They might not have had the best songs, but you can't have everything. My favourite always used to be Transport to Central, but I couldn't find it, so have this instead. Also, I don't have anything from 'Foxheads...' but here's another by Close Lobsters with some fine lo-fi jangling/trebly Buzzcockesque pop. Sad but mesmerising Oldsolar track has me nearly greetin'. Love it.

 

28. The Associates: The Affectionate Punch - Amused As Always
27.Close Lobsters: Foxheads Stalk This Land - I'm Going to Heaven to See If It Rains
26. Oldsolar: Many Visitors Have Been Gored by Buffalo - Great Dane Dying

Second appearance by Urusei in the top 50, this time with the heavy glamtastic Glo Starz. Trash aesthetic indeed. Then something awfully polished from those awfully stylish Blue Nile chaps. Finally, a soothing come down from James Yorkston. Understated and calming. The quality's nae the best, but, hey, the songwriting shines through. PS. For all Yummy Fur fans, I got a track from their Kinky Cinema LP (see below). Thanks, Debbie.

 

31.Urusei Yatsura: Slain By Urusei Yatsura - Glo Starz
30.Blue Nile: A Walk Across the Rooftops - Easter Parade
29. James Yorkston and The Athletes: Moving Up Country - The Patience Song

It's that old angular guitar sound again from past masters, Josef K. Shame they never made it big first time round, but nice to see resurgent interest in the wake of the Franz effect. The Beta Band track is a fine chugging atmospheric grower, as most of their stuff seems to be. They always seemed on the verge of something brilliant. And then, those Idlewild boys make a second appearance in the chart already with probably their best album to date. PS - I found the Reindeer Section track - see below.

 

34.Josef K: The Only Fun in Town - It's Kinda Funny
33.The Beta Band: The 3 EPs - Dry The Rain
32. Idlewild:100 Broken Windows - Mistake Pageant

Poor old Edwyn Collins. It's not bad enough that he's already hospitalised after a brain haemmorage, he's now contracted MRSA. Get well soon, sir. Here's one of his greats from the Orange Juice days. Cartwheels is just simply a brilliant pop song. End of story. Then a really gorgeous track from John Martyn, whose work I must confess I was mostly ignorant of. The only facts I knew about him previously were that Sid Vicious went on stage to punch him once but came off worse in the ensuing fight, and that he's lost a leg (the two incidents are not related). Onyhoo, many thanks to Griff from Last Night an Mp3 Saved my Wife (see mp3 blog list left) for this beautiful song.

37. Orange Juice: You Can't Hide Your Love Forever - Consolation Prize
36. Reindeer Section: Son of Evil Reindeer - Cartwheels
35. John Martyn: Solid Air - May You Never

Ladies and Gentleman, last night I saw the future of rock 'n' roll at Bannermans in Edinburgh and, lo, they are called The Atom Bombs. They reminded me of seeing The Buzzcocks and Richard Hell way back in the day. If you get the chance, do go see them before they are huge and snorting coke off the backs of whores backstage at Glastonbury. Remember you read it here first. Meanwhile, back at the charts, Primal Scream make their one and only entry. Surprisingly, not Screamadelica, but then I always thought that was overrated. (Ooh, controversial). Cheers Duncan for the Urusei - magic T.Rexish guitar bop there. And some nice fruity Pastels to round things off.

40. Primal Scream: XTRMNTR - Keep Your Dreams
39. Urusei Yatsura: Everybody Loves Urusei Yatsura - Louche 33
38. The Pastels: Mobile Safari - Yoga

posted by Fat Boab @ 09.10 AM 0 comments

It's not from Male Shadow at 3 O'Clock, but this is all I could get from the Yummys. Some lo-fi goodness from their Kinky Cinema LP. Mmm, interesting. The wrong links for Fire Engines and TV21 below have now been fixed. Right, public service announcements over, relish again the marvellous Vaselines' Molly's Lips and probably Fran Healey's boys ' finest moment. Travis are much maligned because of their blandness, but I still like them, especially this tune. So, nyer.

43. Yummy Fur: Male Shadow at 3 O’clock - The Monotony Song
42.The Vaselines: All the Stuff and More - Molly's Lips
41. Travis: The Man Who - Turn

Interweb connection problems yesterday - apologies. Hurrying along, at joint 45th position the incomparable Ivor with some words of wit and wisdom - "Everybody got a triangle of hair but nobody talk about it." Poetry in harmonium. Idlewild's The Remote Part was the beginning of their 'maturing' phase but 'American English' is still my favourite of theirs. That uber catchy hook always gives me the old tingle quotient. And then there was the KLF before they burnt a million pounds. What larks. By the way, Duncan, if you're out there, Yummy Fur are coming up tomorrow. D'you have the chunes like?

=45. Ivor Cutler: Jammy Smears - Everybody Got
=45. Idlewild: The Remote Part - American English
44. The KLF: The White Room - What Time is Love?

'Ma heart is broken...' Ye cannae beat a bit o' Proclaimers and this title track from Sunshine on Leith melts my heart every time I hear it. The resurgence in interest in The Fire Engines sees their album 'Fond' respectably placed at number 47 and Candy Skin still sounds incredibly new. Never tire of it. TV21 I was never really aware of and this track, although a demo, sounds, well, average, to me. I'm sure the album version was better. What I do remember is the comic TV21 where I had my first piece of dynamic literature published at the age of about nine. It was a joke about bees. Honestly. I'm still waiting for the royalties.

48. The Proclaimers - Sunshine on Leith
47. Fire Engines - Fond : Candy Skin
46. TV21 - A Thin Red Line: Waiting For The Drop (demo)

Ahead of the Jock Rock awards at Glasgow's Mono on Sunday 15th May, here we go with a rundown of the top 50 Scottish albums...ever. As voted for by readers of 'Is This Music?' Pick of the Pops theme tune to start things off of course and to get you all excited. Then, at number 50, 'Can't Stand the Rezillos' by, you guessed it, The Rezillos. Then, not the Skids debut album, 'Scared to Dance', but a compilation 'Best Of' which luckily contains the Stuart Adamson composed Charles - an early live favourite at the Station Hotel in Kirkcaldy on punk Sunday nights, along with Test Tube Babies.

Pick of the Pops Theme Tune
50. Can't Stand the Rezillos - Top of the Pops
49. Best of The Skids - Charles

Bolshy Electro Rock from Viva Stereo to kick off, followed by would be krautrockers from Glasgow, Ganger, who split a while back. Aaaand...relax, as we move on to something mellow from Embra's Air-Fix. Tomorrow I shall be counting down the Top 50 Scottish albums as voted for by readers of 'Is This Music?' I've got most of them, but am sorely lacking in Yummy Fur, Urusei Yatsura, James Yorkston, John Martyn, Calamateur, Peeps into Fairyland, Old Solar, Frog Pocket and Spare Snare. If any kind soul out there has tracks by these fellows do let me know.

Viva Stereo - Jesus Son
Ganger - Blaufest
Air-Fix - Lovers Fall

Readers request day starts with Potted Heid fae Aberdeen who bill themselves as high heid-yins o’ bastardisation. Cheers, Sandie for that. Their mix of bouzouki, electronic bagpipes, glamdolin and mandiddle is certainly something to behold and be heard. Thanks to Marc for pointing me towards The Amphetameanies, definetely my new favourite Scottish Ska Supergroup, and for reminding me of the Nyah Fearties - the loudest and fastest band ever to thrash acoustic instruments. Here they are in all their wild live glory. They split up in the late nineties but the two original members reformed as Junkman's Choir. Black Lies is from 'A Keech in a Poke, fur Nosey Folk!' and features Balalaika and Motorhead style bass solos. Crivvens.

Potted Heid - Wings of a Gull
Amphetameanies - Something Special
Nyah Fearties - Black Lies