Music, Records and Ryan Drever

The Magnetic Fields' Quick is Single of the Month

Also featuring Beth Jeans Houghton and The Hooves Of Destiny

27 Apr 2012

What’s the consensus on imitation to the point that it rivals, perhaps even betters the source? Well, Glasgow’s Marvel Heights almost achieve such an accolade, kicking off this month’s singles run-down with their straight-outta-Paramore, angsty rock…

Lee Ranaldo - Between the Times and the Tides

All-rounder rock record from Sonic Youth guitarist that soothes and soars

22 Feb 2012

(Matador) Between the Times and the Tides is legendary Sonic Youth guitarist, vocalist and co-founder Lee Ranaldo’s first ‘solo’ effort to be turned out in nearly four years. In characteristically collaborative fashion it sees Ranaldo joined by a…

RM Hubbert – Thirteen Lost & Found

Beautiful collaborative effort from the percussive guitarist

5 Jan 2012

(Chemikal Underground) Last year’s solo debut, First and Last, saw Glaswegian guitarist RM Hubbert communicate all manner of emotions and stories through his own beautifully lush and percussive playing style. On this second album, Hubbert (who…

Martin John Henry - The Other Half of Everything

Impressive and thoughtful debut from ex-De Rosa frontman

28 Oct 2011

(Gargleblast) The Other Half of Everything is the debut solo record from Martin John Henry, perhaps best known for fronting De Rosa – a much-loved, much-missed and highly influential band that once held their own in the Glasgow music community.

Singles of the month: Mummy Short Arms 'Change'

The Kills, Blood Orange, The Pierces, Wild Beasts and more

20 Oct 2011

As we prepare to stare winter right in the face, we find ourselves in the throes of record labels’ last real push for glory before the Christmas single sprint. The Kills lead a heavy charge from Domino but sadly, with ‘Baby Says’ (Domino) ●, they…

Single of the Month: King Creosote and Jon Hopkins’ ‘Honest Words’

Also reviewed: Katy B, Ghostpoet, Anna Calvi, Airship and Ed Sheeran

24 Aug 2011

As Mercury Price fever ensues, there’s a last-minute dash to make the most of this extra attention, however, the resulting singles are admittedly a bit hit and miss. The latter is unfortunately the case for Katy B’s scatty, 90s dance rip-off…

Moonface - Organ Music Not Vibraphone Like I’d Hoped

Canadian multi-tasker Spencer Krug delivers more psychedelic haziness

3 Aug 2011

(Jagjaguwar) Better to be busy than bored right? It certainly seems that’s the mantra of Spencer Krug, core member of Canadian collectives Wolf Parade, Sunset Rubdown, Swan Lake and Frog Eyes. This time around, with Wolf Parade on hiatus, Krug has…

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Originality and excitement lost in quest for antiquated sounds

13 Jul 2011

(True Panther Sounds) A hazy, low-rent or ‘vintage’ sound is often more of a deliberate stylistic approach these days than the result of necessity. It’s with this in mind that Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s self-titled debut sounds like it’s trying far…

Wu Lyf - Go Tell Fire To The Mountain

epic, cascading musical backdrops from the joyous and triumphant to rough and urgent

13 Jun 2011

(LYF recordings) WU LYF, aka World Unite Lucifer Youth Foundation, further refine their self-sufficient musical approach with their self-released debut, Go Tell Fire To The Mountain. Recorded in a church in Manchester, each song plays out with an…

The Son(s) - The Son(s)

Debut drenched in psychedelic influences and haunting, layered vocals

1 Mar 2011

(Olive Grove) It’s always nice to find something interesting, or better yet, a little odd amongst the deluge of new releases. Preferring to be vague in terms of their/his background and personnel and uncompromisingly elaborate when it comes to…

Fujiya & Miyagi - Ventriloquizzing

3 Jan 2011

(Full Time Hobby) Brighton’s Fujiya & Miyagi return here with their fourth album, Ventriloquizzing and, as one might guess from the title, this particular collection of songs is inspired by the idea of ventriloquism or more broadly, the idea of…

Mr Protector - Pétrole

13 Aug 2010

Recently featured on Predestination Records latest Premeditation compilation, French Trio Mr Protector bring us their debut album Pétrole. Spanning three languages — English and German alongside their native tongue – Pétrole is loud, abrasive and…

Predestination Records releases compilation of Glasgow acts

Premeditation Vol. 3 captures recent visits to the city on a double-disc collection

22 Jul 2010

Stirling-based Predestination Records (‘a small record label, set up by five people who like music’, as they describe it) have pulled together 23 of the finest acts to trawl Glasgow’s live circuit in recent months and years for the third volume of their…

Eminem - Recovery

7 Jul 2010

(Polydor) Originally intended as a sequel to last year’s Relapse, Recovery looks to re-establish Eminem as the strong, inescapably bratty voice of modern rap he once was. Fully embracing his struggles – drug addiction, loss and the mixed response to…

The Boy Who Trapped The Sun - Fireplace

2 Jul 2010

(Geffen) Fireplace is the debut album from Lewis-born Colin MacLeod, aka The Boy Who Trapped The Sun. Inspired by an obligatory dose of lost love, as well as his homeland, the album marks an incredible transition for MacLeod after years of…

Born Ruffians - Say It

19 May 2010

(Warp) It’s hard, at first, to really know what to make of Say It – the second album from Warp Records’ Canadian trio, Born Ruffians. Once you get past the grating eccentricities of Luke Lalonde’s vocals, there is an equally unhinged musical…

Laura Veirs - July Flame

6 Jan 2010

(Bella Union) On July Flame, the seventh album from Portland, Oregon’s Laura Veirs, the wistful songstress takes a more stripped-down approach compared with recent efforts. Conceived from a chance summer meeting with an unusual peach at a local…