Music, Pop and Chris Cope

Penguin Prison - Penguin Prison

Crisp, revitalising debut album that is both retro and relevant

24 Aug 2011

(Stranger) Penguin Prison have just gone and nailed that curious talent of producing music rooted in retro sound, whilst also making it utterly relevant. This self-titled debut album features swathes of synth flooded in 80s sheen, but there’s enough…

Death Cab for Cutie - Codes and Keys

Where usually notoriously dour, there’s traces of sunshine here

24 May 2011

(Atlantic) There’s a tangible buzz for Codes and Keys, Death Cab for Cutie’s 7th studio album. It seems the cult US indie-ites are teetering on the edge of true mainstream triumph, and having hit No. 1 in their homeland in 2008, the time is nigh for…

Kassidy - Hope St.

Deep production and sublime hooks perfect for the radio, TV and elsewhere

1 Mar 2011

(Vertigo Records) Kassidy are an intriguing one, so they are. The blues-folk band are one of Scotland’s brightest prospects – spring-loaded by major label, ready to be launched – but their sound is a world away from their hometown Glasgow. The title…

Ringo Deathstarr - Colour Trip

8 Feb 2011

(Club AC30) Place ‘death’ in your band name and you’ll always risk blood-stained metal connotations, but marry it with a dainty ‘ringo’ and you’ve immediately eschewed any notion of grinding guitars and guts. Ringo Deathstarr’s debut album Colour…

Emma’s Imagination - Stand Still

Dumfries singer and winner of Must Be The Music sets course for pop success

3 Jan 2011

(Polydor) Emma Gillespie has been on a journey fit for any Hollywood narrative, from busking on the Glasgow streets to TV talent show victory (she won Sky’s Must Be The Music) and subsequent major label deal. Her debut album, under the guise of…

The Damned Things - Ironiclast

Fall Out Boy’s Andy Hurley and Joe Trohman meet members of Anthrax

15 Dec 2010

(Mercury) Trapped in an emo-pop band that’s overrun with boyband looks and chirping teenage fans? Want something different? Why not join a metal band! That’s exactly what Fall Out Boy’s Andy Hurley and Joe Trohman have done. One thing – The Damned…

Exposure: Randolph's Leap

New Glasgow band are a melting pot of folk, indie, pop and traditional

18 Nov 2010

With six members and six mouths, it’s a surprise that the arrival of Randolph’s Leap on the cultural horizon hasn’t been shouted about already. A melting pot of folk, indie, pop and traditional tunes, a rollcall of the Glasgow band and their respective…

Ray Davies - See My Friends

15 Nov 2010

(Universal) Ray Davies must throw some pretty good parties, judging by the pretty esteemed list of friends he’s recruited to help out here. The latest endeavour from The Kinks mainman goes collaborative, revisiting his back catalogue with friends…

Blink 182

SECC, Glasgow, Tue 17 Aug 2010

27 Aug 2010

Tonight is the biggest family reunion Glasgow – nay, Scotland – has seen in years. The SECC is a jamboree of pop-punk fans, new and old, slanted baseball caps and alternative footwear as Blink-182 return from a five year ‘indefinite hiatus’, the crowd…

We Are Scientists - Barbara

1 Jun 2010

(Masterswan) Scientists are often not the most exciting of people, and on this showing, We Are Scientists live up to their name. When not playing music however, they’re hugely entertaining and endearing, but ‘Barbara’ fails to find their much…

Gogol Bordello - Trans-Continental Hustle

14 Apr 2010

American Recordings/ Columbia What an apt album title. This latest effort from gypsy-punks Gogol Bordello, Trans-Continental Hustle, takes us on a meandering trip through Eastern Europe and back — via South America too. With lead-man and…

Kitty the Lion

29 Mar 2010

What’s with the animal theme tonight? Kittens, lions and goats? Still, at least the archetypal gruffness of the latter is absent tonight, in favour of more delicate and delectable sensibilities, as Kitty the Lion – aka Glasgow songstress Anna Meldrum…

Exposure: Cast of the Capital

22 Mar 2010

Aberdeen lies beyond the outskirts of Scottish music’s epicentre, but Cast Of The Capital don’t really care. The band, named in renowned Scottish radio DJ Vic Galloway’s top 50 Scottish acts of 2010 list, may be based in the Granite City but regular…

Cobra Starship - Hot Mess

17 Feb 2010

(Atlantic) This latest offering from New York electro boppers Cobra Starship features some pretty disposable tracks, like the lacklustre ‘Fold Your Hands Child’ (a nod to the album of the same name by Scots twee-heroes, Belle & Sebastian) but when…

Porcupine Tree

ABC, Glasgow, Fri 11 Dec 2009

8 Jan 2010

When a band play their new album in full without barely taking a breath, you know they’re either a tad self absorbed and wrongfully rate their album as fantastic, or, the album is actually pretty fantastic. Tonight UK prog-merchants Porcupine Tree…

T in the Park: Future music

25 Jun 2009

Chris Cope picks eight faces new to T in the Park eager to show some love in Balado

Cobra Starship - Garage, Glasgow, Thu 22 May

28 May 2009

This has been a long time coming for New York City-bred tykes Cobra Starship. Their last two dates in Glasgow were postponed, so third time lucky – it seems. It appears they may have booked the wrong venue however, with the crowd akin more to a youth…

Exposure: Oscar Charlie

5 May 2009

Oscar Charlie are musical immigrants. The unsigned indie band came to Glasgow from the Shetland Islands as a trio riding on a wave of major label interest with the intent to furrow themselves a path into the mainland music scene. Along the way they…

Exposure: Miss The Occupier

23 Apr 2009

‘Indie punk-rock may never have been so glamorous’ proclaims Miss The Occupier’s MySpace site, and who’s to disagree? This female-fronted trio from Glasgow is headed by an electrifying pink bob that’s sure to add an aura of glamour to any occasion.

Exposure: Sucioperro

14 Apr 2009

Say hello to Sucioperro, if their exotic sounding name hasn’t crossed your path already. They’re the next band to follow in the Ayrshire footsteps left by the inimitable Biffy Clyro, which certainly ain’t any easy thing to do. Borrowing Biffy’s crashing…