ALBUM REVIEW: Deerheart - Blood Relatives

Blood Relatives' debut album 'Deerheart' is a 10-song, 38-minute pop tour-de-force. Here they showcase their ability to perform pop anthems and to write with striking lyrical genius.

Title track and lead single 'Deerheart' appears early in the album and is the perfect introduction to the debut. Lead vocalist Anna Meldrum shines through in the whole album but major credit should go to her on this one, and it is, like the rest, lyrically strong. 

For what might be considered a short album, it manages to make great impact and will stick with the listener long after first, and subsequent, listens. It is the kind of album that requests, nay demands, multiple listens and will improve your winter with the summery sounds. There's plenty of toe-tapping to be had throughout the length of the album and it's sure to be a big hit on the Scottish scene, and hopefully beyond.

Making a fresh start in 2013 as Blood Relatives is likely to lead this band to bigger and better things. This debut album has a great deal of promise and so much to love that I cannot see anything but a bright future, filled with their bright poppy tracks. I, for one, will certainly be listening for a long time.

'Deerheart' is available now on Comets and Cartwheels. 

ALBUM REVIEW: Breaks & Bone - RM Hubbert

Fresh off a SAY Award winning second album, RM Hubbert returns with his third release which sees him once again return to his solo guitar roots. Running at thirty six minutes for ten tracks, it is short and sweet but a gentle reminder how extremely talented Hubby is.

The album is made up of striking instrumentals that rival anything else released this year, as well the inclusion of Hubbert's vocals on each consecutive track. The strength of the album, for me, is definitely the instrumental tracks. It is joyous to see what one single man, his guitar and a few other DIY elements can produce. Music is a very strong medium for telling stories and Hubby is one of the best storytellers Scotland has.

'Feedback Loops', one of the tracks to include Hubby's vocals, is also a highlight. Lyrically, it is a beautiful track and the softness of his voice only lends to this, as well the usually stunning guitar. This is a track that will certainly stick with the listener long after you've played through the album. Definitely a standout track of the year, let alone this album.

This album could very well lead to the first repeat winner of the SAY Award as it is so strong, and so unique. A completely different album from its predecessor and yet one that has all the elements to reproduce its success. RM Hubbert can shine completely in his own light here and he absolutely deserves to. An incredible talent who has produced his third incredible album. 

'Breaks & Bone' is released September 27th on Chemikal Underground

ALBUM REVIEW: Planet Shhh! - Human Pyramids

Human Pyramids is the new project from multi-instrumentalist Paul Russell, who was raised in an old mining village in the central belt of Scotland but is now based on London. The debut album 'Planet Shhh!' includes a number of hand-picked musicians from around the UK including Scotland's own Jill O'Sullivan of Sparrow and the Workshop and Jenny Reeve of Strike The Colours. 

'Planet Shhh!' is a 12-track self-produced instrumental album that proves just about anything is possible. It features orchestral tracks with many a post-rock build-up making for an absolutely towering production. You will be awed by the motions and layers of sound you hear, as the songs are put together with particular care and talent. There's a chance for every contributor on this singular album to shine and its hard to pick just one highlight. 

Fourth track 'Alphabet City' made a strong impact on me, full of layers and quite a different take on orchestral tracks one might expect from an album of this nature, I was blown away by how well put together it was and how it managed to evoke such powerful emotions from the listener. I think you'll be amazed too. 

Each track on this album has its own story to tell, but effectively tracked together they also act as one large musical novel of sweeping orchestrals, monumental build-ups and deep emotions. You'd be hard-pressed to listen to this album and not be swept up in the rich textures and melodies it has in spades, and you'll be swooning from the open to the close at the beauty of this expertly crafted debut. Plus any album with a track called 'Duvet Day' is a winner in my book.

'Planet Shhh!' is released Worldwide on July 15th by Oxide Tones. You can pre-order your copy here.

ALBUM REVIEW: Quickbeam - Quickbeam

Glasgow’s Quickbeam are already making waves on the alt-folk scene in Scotland and their debut album marks their arrival into the popular folk enchelons with aplomb.

The 12-track self-titled player is beautifully layered, with soaring and affecting music that will touch even those with the blackest of hearts. Their lyrical genius is clear throughout and the beautifully heartfelt lyrics coupled with the layers of soaring orchestral music makes for an especially strong debut.

Each track is painted like a collage, where lots of elements come together as one to tell a story for the listener. For such a young band to accomplish such delicate layering and mastering is a sight to behold and the sky really isn’t the limit for what they can achieve from here.

The album has many highlights, but Home is a particularly strong and perfectly placed track at the mid-point with a massive build. Singles Immersed and Seven Hundred Birds make an early impact, and the latter half of the album is the most deeply affecting, leaving the listener with a poignant finish.

Few bands can make such a strong impact with their debut, but Quickbeam have achieved that and then some. The future is looking very, very bright for them.

Quickbeam is released on June 3^rd via Comets and Cartwheels.

Originally published on Glasgow Podcart

REVIEW: Sick, Sad World - Polar Bears in Purgatory

Having spent a few years in an indie bubble, I've been open to so much more in the past year that has allowed me to discover such things as Scottish pop-punk! Yes, you read that right. 

My teenage years were full of pop-punk and ska but I haven't touched the genres properly since those days, but thanks to Ayr's Polar Bears in Purgatory I can be sure that I will be going out in search of more of what's on offer.

The Polar Bears debut album is 17 tracks, featuring a lot of short and sweet tracks but they still do a great job making an impact and there's enough catchy hooks in there to keep you coming back for more. Surprisingly though, it's the longer tracks such as 'Supernova', 'Titanium Heart' and 'Square Peg/Round Hole' that are the stronger material on the release.

If there was ever an album for beer and friends and the summer (if we get one), then this might just be it. Certainly an album you can drink to, with all the pop-punk glory of your teens when you couldn't actually do that (or maybe I just missed that part). 

You can buy Sick, Sad World for a mere £5 on bandcamp and if you get the chance, check these guys out gigging near you as it's a damn good show.

REVIEW: Now That You Are A Dancer - Kid Canaveral

The self-released 'Shouting at Wildlife' was 2010's much acclaimed indie-pop debut album from Fife's Kid Canaveral and now they're back with their sophomore album, 'Now That You Are A Dancer', on Fence Records. 

Not only have the band dodged the dreaded sophomore slump, they've successfully defeated the big boss and achieved victory by producing an album that's stronger and bolder than their debut. 

The 10-track player showcases the songwriting talent of David MacGregor and proves he is one of the best lyricists Scotland currently has to offer. Album closers 'So Sad, So Young' and 'A Compromise' are of particular note for exhibiting the strength in the songwriting that this band have to offer.

There's also a lot to be said for the fact that one of the album's standout tracks is a contribution from fellow band member Kate Lazda, 'Skeletons', which is darker than most KC! tracks and stylistically departed from what we expect from them but still very fitting within their model. If you need proof that KC! are much more than just indie-pop singles then this track will set you straight.

'Now That You Are A Dancer' features the indie-pop goodness we have come to expect from Kid Canaveral in spades whilst also displaying the growth in the band since their self-released debut. It may only be March but we have one of our contenders for Album of the Year.

You can purchase 'Now That You Are A Dancer' via Fence Records on CD and LP. It was released on March 4th 2013.