The Aliens

Alan Cumming, Calvin Harris and Glasvegas among nominees at Scottish Style Awards 2009

30 Oct 2009

Glasgow certainly knows how to do things with class, and this year’s Scottish Style Awards look set to raise the bar even higher. The starry event takes place on Hallowe’en and their stylish cauldron is likely to be spilling over with high profile…

Kelburn Garden Party

11 Jun 2009

It may seem that there were enough stories of big weekenders failing to establish themselves – such as Isle of Skye and Indian Summer – even before the financial downturn, which has this year claimed the scalps of Connect, Dunstaffnage and The Outsider.

Exposure: The Aliens

27 May 2009

Comprised of former Beta Band-ers John Maclean, Robin Jones and Gordon Anderson (also of Lone Pigeon), The Aliens still have whispers of their former sound, but this time a little cheerier, trading the trip hop for psychedelic pop. Now, with their first…

Stag & Dagger

14 May 2009

Even as some of Scotland’s smaller festivals-in-a-field take a sabbatical or call it a day in the current financial climate, new city events like Hinterland and now Stag & Dagger are enjoying their debuts this year. Could the way of the future for fans…

Fence Collective

1 Mar 2009

‘There was an article in the Sunday Times at the start of this year,’ says Johnny Lynch, head caretaker of Fife’s Fence label and also known as The Pictish Trail to his own musical fans. ‘They had an A to Z of musical genres in the world, all the…

The Aliens - Luna

16 Oct 2008

EXPERIMENTAL POP After the glam rock and acid-soaked psychedelia on Astronomy for Dogs, this second album (on their own label) lets the three ex-Beta Band members leapfrog over even more musical boundaries. Recorded in Fife but sounding like a hippie…

More new gigs announced, 1 May - Emmylou Harris, The Aliens, Glasvegas

1 May 2008

Yet more fresh new gigging dates for your diary: Original country-rock matriarch Emmylou Harris plays Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on 9 September. Ex-Beta Banders (and Lone Pigeon) The Aliens play Edinburgh Liquid Room on 16 June. In addition…

Singles & Downloads

18 Jun 2007

(Photo: Cherry Ghost) After the sugar-rush, bubblegum-pop of ‘Girlfriend’, the dreary ballad that is Avril Lavigne ’s ‘When You’re Gone’ (Columbia, 1 Star) is blandness personified. Andrea Corr ’s ‘Shame On You’ (Atlantic, 1 Star) meanwhile isn’t as…

Records - The Aliens

The Aliens

13 Mar 2007

ROCK POP After two songs of the Aliens’ debut long player (an outdated description, but at 72 minutes, a justified one), you might be praying for invasion by some little green ones to take you away from it all. The hackneyed and tuneless 60s funk…

Singles & Downloads

28 Feb 2007

The road to musical hell is paved with good intentions. This year’s Comic Relief charity single sees two of our most treasured girl groups unite for a cover version of Aerosmith’s ‘Walk This Way’ (Fascination/Island - 2 stars). Unfortunately, while the…

Singles and Downloads

4 Sep 2006

Were the Singles and Downloads desk to dish out an award for Most Obvious Candidate For Being in an Advert of the Fortnight, it would have to go to Zero 7 featuring Jose Gonzalez ’ ‘Futures’ (Atlantic) ***. Just imagine that for a minute … it’s MOR…